Once More, Love 2

17. Her Heart (1)

Chaeyoung looks in the direction of the door after hearing two soft knocks. "Hey."

Mina smiles and walks to the bed where the painter is sitting on its side and her son is peacefully sleeping. "He has finally dozed off, huh?"

"Yeah." Chaeyoung promptly rolls his eyes. The two of them are talking softly in almost whispers. "Took me a couple of stories about random topics before he finally got sleepy. I thought he was supposed to fall asleep fast after dinner?"

"And whose fault is it that my son ate brownies that I'm sure are sweet and full of energy giving ingredients at a late time of the day?"

"A— Ahh. So— so that's why he knows you forbid him from eating sweets at the time around dinner." The painter guiltily looks down. "Mi— mianhae."

Mina just lets out a sigh. "What's done is done. What else should I expect from a dad who was away for seven years."

Chaeyoung darts his eyes to the girl standing next to him. "Ya. Don't—" He pouts and displays his puppy eyes to her. "Don't attack me like that. I never knew I had a child until last week."

The dance instructor then just shrugs. "Did he stop whining at some point about the TV?"

The painter simply nods. "He said he can't join tomorrow's group session during recess with his friends about SpongeBob SquarePants because he doesn't know what happened in today's episode."

Mina faintly scoffs. "When did I raise such a socialite? So afraid of being left out."

"You know what?" Chaeyoung flashes a proud look. "I discovered something today about our son. He's actually a heartthrob at school."

The dance instructor gives him a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"His classmates all want to sit beside him on the school field trip."

"They— They're having a field trip?"

"Hmm." Chaeyoung casually nods. "You didn't— Ahh. That's right." He shyly scratches his cheek. "He— we... kind of forgot to tell you. Chaemi gave me the printed form with details on it earlier at the restaurant when we were waiting for our food."

"Wow. He never forgets to tell me about those important things." Mina playfully squints at him. "I guess I now have a competition with his attention."

Chayeoung chuckles. "Ya. He's our son. I mean— he doesn't know it yet but I'm sure he can't help but be attached to me. And I'm sure you will always be his first love." He naughtily trails. "Though he'll have to compete with me in being number one in your heart."

"Don't." Mina shakes her head a bit and points a finger to him. "Because you can never win."

"Aww." The painter held his chest in the act of being hurt. "I never saw it coming."

The two then chuckles at each other in a sudden wave of happiness. There was a moment of comfortable silence that surrounded the room.

A minute more and Mina decides to clear her throat. "Umm... so...?"

"Ahh." Chaeyoung carefully stands up from the bed. "R— right. I— I should go. Chaemi's tucked in and... I have nothing more to do here."

"Right."

"UNLESS—" The painter quickly purses his lips, remembering quickly that there is a kid already sleeping beside him. "Unless... you want me to have coffee before I go... or something?"

Mina faintly chuckles. She didn't answer and just began walking outside the room. Chaeyoung promptly strides with her in anticipation.

"Umm—" The painter calls out. He simply followed the girl and it seems like his attempt for staying longer was turned down because they are now unfortunately in front of the house's main door. "Mina?"