* * *

In the end, Do Hajun managed to secure a contract that not only granted him the item but also additional budget for Delta Team under the guise of child support.

“The hunter, who is supposed to be dedicated to the nation, is too focused on personal gain. If he starts wielding Lee Cheongmyeong—”

Shin Misook shook her head.

“No. If Do Hajun were that type of person, he would have taken Lee Cheongmyeong with open arms.”

Despite extracting all he could, Do Hajun still showed no desire to take Lee Cheongmyeong with him.

His reluctance seemed more rooted in his own insecurities than in the inconvenience of caring for a child.

Though fundamentally cold and indifferent, once someone entered his territory, Do Hajun cherished them dearly.

Recalling how Do Hajun saw Lee Cheongmyeong not as a childified hunter but as a mere three-year-old child, Shin Misook clicked her tongue.

“If only I had a daughter.”

“Pardon?”

Shin Misook waved off her secretary’s question, and then returnedher attention to the documents.

* * *

“Haa.”

Do Hajun, rubbing his furrowed brow, looked at the only source of noise in the otherwise quiet room.

The child, Lee Cheongmyeong, sleeping soundly as if exhausted.

Last night, Do Hajun had no choice but to take Lee Cheongmyeong into his arms.

Though he managed to wring some concessions in his frustration, he never expected to end up raising a child.

‘If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn’t have picked him up in the first place.’

Do Hajun sighed as he looked coldly at the peacefully sleeping Lee Cheongmyeong, then began to prepare for work.

Despite being on vacation, he felt more exhausted than he did two days ago after returning from the dungeon.

After a quick shower, he heard the now-familiar sound of crying.

Tossing his towel into the laundry basket, he walked into the master bedroom to find the child crying on the bed.

“Why are you crying?”

The child’s eyes widened at the sudden question.

Do Hajun wiped the tearful eyes and the child sniffled.

“Are you hungry?”

Now that he thought about it, Lee Cheongmyeong had only eaten porridge yesterday, and he himself hadn’t eaten at all.

As soon as he realized it, hunger hit him.

He quickly threw on a robe, and Lee Cheongmyeong wiggled on the bed.

Curious about what the child was doing, Do Hajun tilted his head in confusion.

Lee Cheongmyeong looked down at the floor from the edge of the bed.

Deciding it was too high to get down, the child suddenly turned around.

His chubby little bottom popped up, and one chubby leg reached for the floor.

“Ugh.”

Watching the little legs struggle to find the floor made Do Hajun chuckle.

Before the legs could touch the floor, one slipped.

“Careful.”

Before the child could fall, Do Hajun caught him. Lee Cheongmyeong grabbed his hand.

“Don’t go.”

“What?”

“I don’t want you to go. Hng.”

Where does he think I’m going in my own house? And why is he crying again?

Seeing Lee Cheongmyeong’s tear-filled eyes, Do Hajun sighed and picked him up with his other arm.

“I’m not going anywhere. Let’s eat and then we’ll go to work.”

“Work?”

“Come on.”

Unlike yesterday, Do Hajun expertly held the child. He had learned from Kim Taeeun how to hold a child on their way back home.

Lee Cheongmyeong wrapped his arms around Do Hajun’s neck.

As he headed to the living room, he paused.

The kitchen, partially visible, was still a mess from yesterday, and the living room floor was completely covered with boxes that National Intelligence Service agents had delivered late at night, claiming they were for the child.

“Hmm.”

He didn’t know what was inside, but it was supposed to be essential for the child.

“Are you very hungry?”

“No.”

After patting Lee Cheongmyeong’s head, who answered while shaking his head, Do Hajun walked into the living room and opened one of the boxes.

It was filled with clothes that seemed to be for Lee Cheongmyeong.

“Hm. Did she not like it?”

He thought he had dressed the child in the cleanest clothes he could find in the storage, but apparently, Shin Misook wasn’t satisfied.

The boxes filled the living room, and there were even dresses and skirts for girls among them.

“Change your clothes, and we’ll eat at the office.”

“Okay!”

As he rummaged through another box, he found underwear, socks, and shoes.

Somehow, they had taken measurements, and the clothes and shoes fit Lee Cheongmyeong perfectly, saving the trouble of trying multiple sizes.

“I’ll go change my clothes too. Stay here.”

Watching Lee Cheongmyeong run around the living room, dodging boxes, in his chick hoodie and white sneakers, Do Hajun entered the dressing room.

There was no need to choose clothes.

Since dungeons and gates could appear at any time, his outfit was always the black suit provided by the nation.

He also grabbed his badge, proving he was a national hunter, and a wireless earpiece for communication before leaving the dressing room.

“Let’s go.”

When he called, Lee Cheongmyeong, who had been running around the living room and kitchen, ran towards him with open arms.

“Running around so well.”

Do Hajun clicked his tongue and picked him up, and the child’s little legs dangled excitedly.

“Stay still.”

“Okay!”

Patting Lee Cheongmyeong’s head roughly, Do Hajun walked out.

* * *

Little hunter Lee Cheongmyeong, only spoke confidently. (Only saying words but not doing it)

As soon as he got out of the taxi, Do Hajun had to sprint to the office building, unable to even receive his change, because Lee Cheongmyeong dashed off like a bullet.

“Hey!”

Do Hajun grabbed Lee Cheongmyeong’s hood and scowled.

“Huh?”

With a bright smile and twinkling eyes, Lee Cheongmyeong tilted his head, looking at him.

There’s no use getting angry at a child. The kid probably doesn’t even know what he did wrong.

“Come with me.”

Do Hajun released the hood and took the small hand.

Even though Lee Cheongmyeong was over 180 cm tall as an adult, as a child, he was quite small.

Because of this, Do Hajun’s body tilted to one side, but he didn’t mind and matched his pace with Lee Cheongmyeong as they headed to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria inside the building operated 24/7 buffet-style to accommodate hunters, who never knew when a dungeon would be cleared or a gate would disappear.

Arriving at an odd hour, there was no one else in the cafeteria.

Stopping in front of the food trays, Do Hajun looked at Lee Cheongmyeong.

It was hard to scoop food with one hand while holding a child.

But leaving the kid alone wasn’t an option either.

“Come here.”

Do Hajun lifted the child by the waist and seated him on his back.

“Kyaa!”

“Hold on to my head.”

Lee Cheongmyeong giggled and hugged Do Hajun’s head obediently.

Being up high seemed to entertain him.

‘Well, at that age, everything’s fun.’

“Hold on tight. We’re moving.”

[Lee Cheongmyeong is enjoying himself.]

[Lee Cheongmyeong’s affinity has increased by 5.]

[Lee Cheongmyeong’s affinity has increased by 5.]

[Lee Cheongmyeong has started to follow you closely.]

[Current affinity Level: 30 (Intimate)]

Thanks to the affinity rising by 10, Lee Cheongmyeong obediently held onto Do Hajun’s neck.

Still worried he might fall, Do Hajun walked carefully while holding Lee Cheongmyeong with one hand.

“Let’s go get some food now.”

“Kyaa!”

After sharing a meal with non-spicy side dishes as a lesson from yesterday, Do Hajun felt tired from just eating, unlike the energetic Lee Cheongmyeong.

Entering the corridor leading to the office, the previously calm Lee Cheongmyeong started squirming.

“Why?”

“Put me down.”

“Huh?”

“Put me down!”

Sighing at the struggling child in his arms, Do Hajun relented.

“I’ll put you down, but don’t run.”

“Okay.”

The Delta Team office, where Do Hajun was stationed, was at the end of the corridor, and its notorious reputation meant there were no other offices on the same floor.

That’s why he let him down, but…

“Whee! So fun!”

“Ahhh!!! Don’t run!!”

The moment he was put down, Lee Cheongmyeong dashed to the end of the corridor, and Do Hajun started running after him.

“Lee Cheongmyeong! Come here!”

Suddenly, Lee Cheongmyeong, who had been running fast, stopped.

“Why are you running-”

“Team Leader?”

“This kid…”

Lee Cheongmyeong had stopped at the Delta Team office.

Hearing the commotion, the team members were standing at the open door, looking bewildered at the child and Do Hajun.

“Jun…”

With a soft whimper, Lee Cheongmyeong ran and hugged Do Hajun’s leg.

“Jun…”

“Jun?”

Ignoring the dazed team members, Do Hajun picked up the child clinging to his leg.

[Lee Cheongmyeong is scared.]

Frightened by the sudden appearance of adults, Lee Cheongmyeong hugged Do Hajun’s neck tightly.

“I am scared.”

“It’s okay.”

Patting the startled child’s back gently, the team members stared in shock.

Who was Do Hajun?

Having been the Delta Team leader for three years, he always kept his distance from the team members.

He never engaged in unnecessary conversations and couldn’t even remember the names of those he deemed unimportant, often calling them whatever he wanted.

It was hard to get a word out of him unless it was about dungeons, and if someone made a mistake in the dungeon, he’d turn them into a scapegoat.

There were even rumors he might be an android created by the government. And now, here was Do Hajun, comforting a child in such a gentle voice?

“Move.”

The team members stepped aside for the frowning Do Hajun, but their eyes still questioned.

‘Who is that kid?’

‘He doesn’t look like the Team Leader? Doesn’t he have no siblings?’

‘Is that a monster disguised as the Team Leader?’

No one dared to ask, so they just rolled their eyes and watched as Do Hajun sat down.

Suddenly, the door burst open and a high-pitched voice filled the office.

“Heyo! Did everyone have a good rest?”

It was Ahn Eunseon, the only healer on the Delta Team.

“What’s with the mood?”

Seeing the strange expressions on everyone’s faces, Ahn Eunseon noticed the child staring at her.

With pale skin, big blue eyes, and long lashes, the child looked like a little angel, making Ahn Eunseon’s mouth drop open as she rushed over.

“Oh my, you’re so cute!!”

There was a gasp from behind her, but she didn’t hear it.

“Scary.”

When the child buried his face in Do Hajun’s neck, Ahn Eunseon stopped in her tracks.

“Huh? Team Leader.”

Finally noticing Do Hajun, she pointed at the child.

“Your son?”

“What? Son?!”

“Is that really the Team Leader’s son?!”

The office suddenly turned into a marketplace of noise.

Do Hajun’s son.

Did the mother run away after giving birth?

Of course, with his personality, she must have.

No, with his personality, he wouldn’t have met a woman in the first place.

Did the Team Leader give birth to the child?

When did he give birth?

In an instant, rumors exploded.

The team members soon concluded,

“Can a Caregiving hunters bear children?” (TL: Lol, are we in an Omegaverse?)

“Well, if it’s the Team Leader, maybe?”

“Yeah, the Team Leader could probably pull it off.”

This was the consensus they reached.

* * *