One day in Seoul 🇰🇷

🇰🇷: 43

As soon as I stepped into the house, I could feel a shift in the atmosphere. Nathan and Daniel were already there, lounging around in the living room after a productive day. Nathan had sealed a deal with some small businessman, and Daniel had met with the supplier for YoGo. Everything went perfectly, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a sense of real peace settling over me.

Nathan was the first to notice as I walked in, still grinning like an idiot. He smirked, leaning back on the couch with a knowing look. "Mukhang masaya ang araw mo, ah," he teased, tossing a pillow in my direction. "Ang lapad ng ngiti mo eh,"

I caught the pillow and laughed. "Is it too obvious? It's just... ang saya ko ngayon. I spent the day with Sarang. Parang lahat ng pinaghirapan ko, all the years, they're worth it."

Daniel glanced up from his phone, nodding in approval. "It's good to see you like this, Francis. Hindi ka ganito noon, sobrang dalang mo kung ngumiti. You're always so serious and your only focus is work. Ngayon, iba na."

They were right. Ever since Sarang came into my life, things had shifted inside me. The weight of responsibility that I used to carry felt lighter now, not because there was less to do, but because I had something, someone, that made it all worth it. My priorities had changed, and it felt like a new part of me was being revealed-a part I didn't even know existed.

I sat down on the couch, leaning back as I exhaled deeply. "Hindi ko akalaing ganito ang magiging pakiramdam, you know? Being a father to Sarang... I didn't even know I had this side of me. Parang dati lang, all I cared about was YoGo and business. Ngayon, it's like everything has a new purpose."

Nathan chuckled, standing up to grab beers from the fridge. He tossed one to me and another to Daniel. "You got it right, Francis. Alam namin lahat kung gaano ka ka-seryoso sa buhay. Lagi ka nalang nakatutok sa trabaho. But now? Look at you, Iba na 'yung saya mo. Iba na 'yung aura mo. Ngayon, you're happier. Nakikita namin."

Daniel nodded in agreement as he cracked open his beer. "Totoo 'yan. I've never seen you laugh like that before. Kahit dati pa, you were always the one na tahimik at masyadong focused. But today? You're different. And it's good to see you like that."

Their words hit me hard, but in a good way. They weren't wrong. I used to be all business-cold, calculated, focused. That's how I survived for years, especially with everything else on my plate. The legal side of YoGo was already demanding, but the illegal dealings we had on the side, the other operations I ran, were even more taxing. That life required a certain seriousness, a certain detachment from emotion.

But now, with Sarang and Katarina in my life, I found myself softening, becoming more patient. I wasn't just driven by ambition anymore. There was love, real love, in my life, and it changed everything.

Daniel ordered some chicken, as he always did whenever something good happened, and we settled in to talk about old times.

"Naalala mo ba? Daniel," I began, taking a swig of his beer. "Noong high school tayo, how no one ever approached you?"

Daniel snorted. "Wala kasing may gusto makipag-usap sa akin. They thought I was too serious."

I laughed at that, remembering. "Daniel was the silent one, palaging nasa gilid, reading or just sitting by himself. Ako lang ata ang lumapit sa'yo noon."

"Oo nga. You were the only one who talked to me. Dati pa, seryoso na rin ako, pero not like now. Pero kahit seryoso ka, Francis, you're always different. May puso ka pa rin," Daniel said thoughtfully.

We all laughed, and I took a moment to reminisce about how things had been back then. High school was rough for Daniel, but for some reason, we clicked. Maybe because we both had that same serious demeanor, or maybe it was something deeper. Either way, we became fast friends.