* * *

Mom looked at the resume again and said,

“Taking care of children requires stamina. If you’re too weak, it could be a problem.”

“That’s why I worked out hard. Thanks to that, I’ve built some stamina, but I’m still a weakling. I catch a cold every time the season changes.”

Oh dear.

“To overcome it, I eat red ginseng during the change of seasons.”

I had nothing to say.

“I see.”

“I know Kongja. Actually, this feels like a dream.”

“You must have wanted to see our Kongja.”

“That, that’s part of it……”

Mr. Kim Deok-soo bowed his head deeply.

“He’s the first child who didn’t cry when he saw me.”

Oh dear.

‘Well, usually they would cry.’

No, if they only cry, that would be fortunate.

Other children might have run away.

Mom blinked.

“Oh my. That’s strange, it’s similar to me.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m not good with children either. They cry as soon as they see me.”

Oh?

‘H, that’s true.’

That’s why Mom found it so strange.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Hmm……”

Mom smiled as she spoke.

“Our Kongja is different from other children. I want to let him do what he wants.”

“What do you mean?”

“Acting.”

Wow, Mom!

‘You knew after all.’

That I want to act.

“I see.”

“So, unlike other children, he might accompany you to film sets.”

“That’s possible. I actually want to accompany him. I want to protect Kongja in a bad environment. I need to take care of his meals too.”

Oh?

‘Does that mean he wants to take care of me?’

Well, a nanny is supposed to take care of children.

“Oh my, I see. And I’m often busy and away from home. So I need a live-in nanny, would that be possible for you?”

“I would prefer it. I was planning to sell my house anyway. My mother passed away two months ago.”

“Oh, I see.”

“My house is in Suyuri, so I could commute, but living in would be better.”

Wait a minute.

‘Suyuri, that’s in Seoul, right?’

And you’re going to sell it?

I shouted urgently.

“Don’t do it!”

I stared into Mr. Kim Deok-soo’s invisible eyes.

“It’s a big mistake!”

Mom asked.

“What? What’s wrong, Kongja?”

“Are you saying it’s a big mistake for him to become a nanny?”

No.

I shook my head vigorously.

“Don’t sell your house!”

“Huh?”

“Don’t do it!”

With Seoul’s rising house prices, why would you sell it?

‘Just keep it.’

Good things come to those who wait.

Mr. Deok-soo was silent. I pleaded earnestly.

“No! If you sell it, you’ll regret it later!”

Don’t shed tears of blood when you see the increased house prices in a few years.

Mr. Deok-soo nodded awkwardly.

“I’ll, I’ll keep that in mind.”

Oh. Why is he speaking formally?

“It’s a house filled with family memories, so I’ve been hesitant. I’ll keep it for Kongja’s sake.”

I patted Mr. Deok-soo on the shoulder.

I didn’t know why he was speaking formally, but one thing was clear.

‘You’ll want to thank me in a few years.’

Selling a house in Seoul is like waking the dead.

Mr. Deok-soo slightly blushed and said,

“It was always my wish.”

He said, blushing slightly.

“I always wanted to speak formally to the children I take care of.”

Wow. Is this his philosophy of childcare?

‘His dream of a kindergarten, it must be sincere.’

The more I listened, the more impressed I was.

“Ah, I see. Well, Mr. Deok-soo, I want to hire you. However, my child’s opinion is important too.”

Wow. Mom, I respect you.

‘But isn’t he just over 2 years old? Is that okay?’

Mom smiled and said,

“You’ll be spending more time with him than I will.”

Ah, that’s true.

“Sweetie, what do you think? You’ll be with Mr. Deok-soo from now on. Is that okay?”

I stared intently at Mr. Deok-soo.

‘Hmm, he doesn’t seem like a bad person.’

Although his appearance gives off a bit of a gangster vibe.

But, you know, I tilted my head and said,

“I’m not sure yet!”

“Huh, about what?”

“Your face, big bro!”

You haven’t taken off your sunglasses.

Mom nodded.

“Oh, I see. Mr. Deok-soo, could you take off your sunglasses?”

“Uh, well…”

Kim Deok-soo said cautiously,

“If I take these off, you’ll be surprised.”

“It’s okay. We were already surprised earlier.”

Is that comforting or a diss? Kim Deok-soo carefully reached for his glasses.

‘Oh, his hand is shaking.’

It’s not like Mom Medusa or something.

Soon the glasses were off. I blinked.

Wow.

‘It’s understandable he’d want to hide that.’

How should I put it? His eyes were incredibly sharp.

‘His gaze is clear, though.’

Still, maybe because of his eye shape,

‘He looks even more like a gangster than before.’

Kim Deok-soo anxiously looked at me.

‘Yeah, if it were a normal kid, they’d probably cry.’

Not me, though.

I smiled brightly.

“Big bro. It’s okay. You don’t have to hide it. It’s not scary!”

Kim Deok-soo didn’t move a muscle. He just blinked.

After about three seconds, his sharp eyes started to well up with tears.

‘Huh, what?’

Kim Deok-soo wiped his tears with his hand.

“This, this is a first.”

Oh dear.

“For a child not to cry and even say it’s okay!”

Tears streamed down his face.

I took a baby handkerchief from his suit pocket and handed it to him.

Kim Deok-soo rubbed his eyes with the baby handkerchief.

‘He must have had a tough time.’

I guess so.

“Oh my.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just so happy. This child is really like an angel.”

“That’s right!”

Mom said, smiling brightly.

“Our sweetie is an angel. I sometimes check if he has wings.”

Mom, seriously.

‘That’s quite an exaggeration.’

Kim Deok-soo nodded.

“I see. I’ll check sometimes too.”

Don’t. There aren’t any.

“Honestly, I wanted to do the interview for a few more minutes.”

Mom crossed her arms.

“But this won’t do. It has to be Mr. Deok-soo.”

Mr. Deok-soo blinked. Tears fell every time he blinked.

“I have a good feeling. Mr. Deok-soo, you’re a good person.”

“Thank you.”

“Not that the boss would introduce a weird person. He’s always had a knack for judging people.”

Is that so?

‘He did say he picked good employees and had it easy.’

Stacking trustworthy people around you is a rare skill.

Mom smiled and said,

“Please take good care of my sweetie, Mr. Deok-soo.”

Wow, as expected of my mom.

‘She’s so decisive.’

Mr. Deok-soo bowed his head.

“Thank you. I will take good care of him.”

* * *