M 210

Side Story 3 Episode 13

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Captain Na smiled contentedly, accepting the bright-eyed greeting of the future cadet.

“Wow, young master, you’re doing so well! You look like a real soldier now.”

“Reawwy…?”

“Of course. You looked much cooler than the soldiers standing over there!”

“Hehe.”

When Hae-rim looked up at his big dad with a proud face, Ki Tae-jeong whispered that he did a good job, and the child giggled, fiddling with the edge of his full-dress cap. He was already the spitting image of Lee Sehwa, but as he got older, it seemed like everything from his smiling face to the sound of his laughter was becoming an exact copy.

“Then, please take your time to greet your family, and I will report on the overall situation when you call me later.”

“Okay, take a rest.”

As the familiar Captain Na and the medical officers walked away in a line, Hae-rim clenched his small fist. He widened his eyes and tilted his head up, causing the badges hanging all over his body to jingle loudly. His little dad is behind that tightly closed door. I’m a mature four-year-old, so even if I’m happy to see my little dad after a long time, I won’t whine at all…. It was a scene that conveyed such a cute determination.

“Lee Hae-rim.”

“Yesh.”

“Are you ready to see your little dad?”

“No…, no, no! I mean, Hae-rim is, no, what I mean is, it’s not no….”

“Okay. Hae-rim, are you really okay?”

“Yesh!”

“Shall we go see your little dad now?”

“Uh-huh, wittle dad…!”

Despite his bold exclamation, Ki Tae-jeong could hear the sound of the child swallowing hard.

“Lee Hae-rim, why are you so nervous?”

“Huh? I dunno… just, just….”

The child’s voice grew softer towards the end, so it was impossible to hear what he said last. But as always, it would have been an innocent and lovely worry. Ki Tae-jeong leaned over and held Hae-rim’s hand tightly, then grasped the doorknob of the hospital room with his other hand.

“It’s okay. It’s okay to feel that way if you miss him so much.”

“Reawwy…?”

“Of course. Big dad does too.”

“Because you miss little dad, is your heart going like… thump-thump-thump wight now, big dad?”

“Of course.”

He had visited and seen Sehwa to his heart’s content several times until yesterday, but seeing the child feeling excited and nervous for no reason made his heart flutter strangely as well.

“That’s right. But Hae-rim, your little dad-.”

“Lieutenant General?”

Before Ki Tae-jeong could even disengage the lock, the hospital room door burst open, and the fair face that he had wanted to see again even though he had seen it yesterday suddenly appeared.

“You’re already here? Wow, Hae-rim is here too… Ugh!”

No, Lee Sehwa had opened the door wide in his own way, but… perhaps because of his lack of grip strength, the gap in the door opened only slightly before trying to close again.

“Lee Sehwa, are you okay?”

Ki Tae-jeong quickly wedged his foot into the gap in the door and quickly checked to see if Sehwa or the child had been hurt. Good grief…. They say you’re truly in love when your spouse starts to feel like your child. That was exactly how Ki Tae-jeong had been feeling lately.

“I’m sorry…. Are you not hurt? Hae-rim, cough, how is he?”

Placing his hands on Lee Sehwa’s shoulders and arms, he could feel the muscles of his thin body were rather stiff through the clothes. His hand, which brushed against his skin for a moment, was also as cold as ice, and it wasn’t from the shock just now. It was obvious without even looking. Sehwa must have been unable to sit still long before he and Hae-rim were scheduled to arrive. He must have been pacing near the entrance, just as he always did.

“Why are you always waiting at the entrance instead of sitting on the sofa?”

“I just… don’t really have anything else to do….”

Sehwa hesitated, perhaps embarrassed. Since he had become able to move around, Lee Sehwa had been standing like a stone statue near the door whenever the time for Ki Tae-jeong’s arrival approached. It was as if he wanted to show his sincerity in this way since there was nothing else he could do to repay the gratitude he felt.

Ki Tae-jeong wondered if Sehwa’s physical strength had increased that much, but judging from the report that he didn’t get out of bed after he left, it was unlikely. Either he gained strength from the thought of seeing him, or he was pushing himself to the point of straining himself. Maybe it was both.

“Hae-rim.”

Trying to avoid Ki Tae-jeong’s scolding that was about to pour out, Sehwa turned his gaze to Hae-rim. Perhaps embarrassed by the sight of him almost falling down a little while ago, he coughed a few times and slowly crouched down in front of Hae-rim. Following that gesture, Sehwa’s patient gown fluttered, and if it wasn’t Ki Tae-jeong’s imagination, the child’s gaze seemed to linger on it for a particularly long time. On his little dad’s wrists and waist, which were much thinner than he remembered.

“Sorry. I didn’t slam the door on you, did I?”

“…….”

“Your little dad missed Hae-rim and kept waiting.”

“…….”

“Hae-rim…?”

The child, who had always answered loudly since he started talking, was now as silent as a clam, only rolling his eyes around. Sehwa, who had been momentarily flustered by the child’s reaction, realized something and smiled awkwardly.

“Hae-rim, were you very surprised? It’s because your little dad has lost some weight….”

“…No, I’m not shurprised….”

The child’s voice, barely able to answer, was so small that it was difficult to understand unless he concentrated. Sehwa, who had been trying hard to talk to Hae-rim, eventually gave up and stood up, at a loss for what to do.

“Lieutenant General, what should I do? I think Hae-rim was shocked to see me… Do I look that bad?”

“Why? You look pretty right now.”

“Yes…? No, that’s not what I meant….”

“He’s probably just a little surprised because it’s his first time coming to the hospital room.”

Comforting Sehwa, who was worried, Ki Tae-jeong rubbed his cold hands a few times.

“He’s the kid who was fretting until just now about what would happen if his little dad forgot him. Just give him some time.”

Sehwa only moved his lips as if frustrated, then nodded a beat later.

Even after that, Hae-rim kept looking at the floor and fidgeting with his fingers for a long time, and Ki Tae-jeong and Lee Sehwa calmly waited for the child to set the pace.

“…Little dad.”

“Yes?”

Soon, Hae-rim pulled the bag he was carrying on his back to the front as if he had made up his mind. Sehwa asked, puzzled, at the sight of him opening the zipper wide enough to crumple the bag he cherished so much.

“Why the bag all of a sudden?”

“I have this….”

“Yes?”

“This, I’m gonna… give it to my wittle uncle….”

Fortunately, Hae-rim’s voice, which was louder than before, held out thick pieces of paper of various sizes. Some were folded in half, and some had geometric shapes that were difficult to explain, but they all had one thing in common: they were decorated in bright colors.