❛ ━ꜱᴄᴀʀʀᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛᴡᴏ━ ❜ After their world went up in smoke following the heartbreaking loss of their child, Choi San and Jung Wooyoung's engagement shattered into pieces. Each day became a battle for survival in a sea of grief. Struggling to c...
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─•~❉ᴡᴏᴏʏᴏᴜɴɢ❉~•─
The next morning was a flurry of activity as we scrambled to prepare for Hwa-Young's eagerly anticipated zoo trip. In the midst of our morning rush, Hwa-Young's panic surfaced as we gathered her essentials—her brightly colored backpack filled with snacks and her favorite water bottle. We hurried out of the house and toward the car parked in the driveway. Watching her mimic San's anxious gestures, I chuckled softly; she inherited every trait from him, even his way of clenching his fists when flustered.
I secured her in the booster seat and fastened her safety belt, ensuring she was snug and safe. Then, I jumped into the driver's seat, clicked my own seatbelt into place, and started the engine. We were a bit behind schedule, and as I backed out of the driveway and turned left onto the street, her small voice squealed with panic, punctuating the morning air.
"We will get there, baby, I promise," I reassured her, glancing back with a smile as I shifted gears. Her face was a mix of excitement and worry as she gripped her backpack tightly, her knuckles turning white.
"Daddy, the traffic is really heavy. We won't make it," she whispered, her voice trembling on the verge of tears. I checked the time and weighed our options.
"If we run, we might make it. Do you want to try running for five minutes?" I proposed. Her eyes lit up with determination, and she nodded vigorously. I quickly turned onto a quieter side road and killed the engine, pulling the keys from the ignition. We needed to make this fun for her, despite the rush.
I opened the door and rounded the car to help her out. After checking the time again, I saw we had a narrow window to make it on time. She tugged at my hand, her urgency pulling us into a sprint. Her small feet pounded the pavement as she released my hand and surged ahead.
I followed close behind, laughing at her enthusiasm as she navigated through the morning crowd. Our impromptu dash turned into a playful chase, and her joyful shouts filled the air.
"Daddy, faster! We're nearly there," she called back to me, her voice full of excitement. I nodded and pushed myself to catch up, dodging pedestrians and street vendors. The spontaneous race drew smiles from onlookers as we weaved through the bustling street. But in my haste, I wasn't careful enough—I collided with someone walking by, causing us both to stumble.
I gasped, my breath catching as I looked up from the minor collision, freezing on the spot. My heart leaped in my chest as my gaze fell upon San. He looked different—there was a subtle beard outlining his jaw, his features as sharp as I remembered, but softened by time.
"Sorry," I managed to utter, still stunned to see him here of all places. Hastily, I turned to catch up with Hwa-Young, who was nearing the nursery entrance, her little feet still sprinting ahead.
But curiosity and a tangle of old emotions pulled at me, and I couldn't help glancing back over my shoulder at San once again. Our eyes met briefly, a flash of mutual recognition crossing his face, mingling surprise with a hint of something unreadable.
