Annyeongz One-shots

5. Single parent

Saturday morning began with the familiar sound of chaos echoing through Wonyoung’s small home.

“Wonjin! Wake up now! You have school today! And help mummy wake up Leeseo too!” Wonyoung called from the kitchen.

A groggy voice replied from upstairs,
“Hmm… five more minutes, mummy…”

Wonyoung sighed. That boy.
Today wasn’t even a normal school day—it was Saturday, and he had basketball training. Yet he still acted like it was torture to get up.

Life had changed so much over the past three years.
She was a mother of two — fifteen‑year‑old Wonjin, and little seven‑year‑old Leeseo.
And she was raising them alone.

Their father, Soobin, had filed for divorce three years ago and walked out of their lives without hesitation. He left when Wonjin was only twelve and Leeseo barely four. Those days were the hardest days of her life. His parents hated her, he cheated on her, and she was left to fend for herself and her children.

Now, it was just the three of them.
Thank God she had survived everything, even with people at her workplace looking down on her for being a single mother.

Suddenly, a loud high‑pitched cry snapped her out of her thoughts.

“Mummy!! H‑huwaaa!! I want mummy!!”

Leeseo.

Wonyoung rushed to the living room just as fifteen‑year‑old Wonjin carried his little sister in his arms.

“Aigoo… come here, baby.”
She reached out, and he gently handed Leeseo over.

“I’ll go take my bath now,” Wonjin said.

“Alright, dear. Don’t be too long.”

Now alone with her daughter, the crying continued.

“Huwaaa!! Huwaa!!”

Wonyoung tried to soothe her.
“Hey, hey… what’s wrong, hmm? Mummy’s here. Stop crying, baby…”

But the tears just wouldn’t stop.

Past a few minutes, still crying.
Wonyoung sighed deeply.

“Hey, Leeseo. Why are you crying? Did oppa hurt you?”

Before the girl could answer, Wonjin returned and replied,
“Aniyo… she said she wants to see Uncle Yujin.”

Ah.
Of course.

Yujin.

He was her boss — kind, gentle, patient. She had been working under him for about a month when Soobin divorced her. She never expected him to show interest in her. With her past and her situation, she had always felt unworthy of someone like him.

Yet… he pursued her.
He sent flowers, invited her for dinner meetings, treated her with respect—something she wasn’t used to. She rejected him multiple times, told him to find someone else, but he never backed off.

And slowly, he won her heart.

He treated her children too.
That was the biggest reason they adored him.
Especially protective, cautious Wonjin — who at first looked at Yujin with suspicion. Over time, Yujin earned the boy’s trust. Now the two were practically best friends.