SHADOWS OF DECEIT

Chapter 10

Su-A wasted no time pulling Joshua straight through the cozy café, heading for the back where the kitchen was located. Joshua followed, amused by her unwavering excitement, with Seokmin trailing behind, his usual smirk still in place.

As they entered the kitchen, the warm smell of freshly baked pastries and brewing coffee enveloped them. Several staff members moved about busily, but one fairly young woman stood out, focused on preparing what looked like a batch of cookies. She had the same bright eyes as Su-A, and Joshua quickly guessed that this must be her mother.

Su-A beamed as she yelled over to her. "Mommy! Mommy, look! I brought a new friend!"

The woman turned around, wiping her hands on her apron, her smile briefly faltering as her eyes landed on Joshua. There was a flash of surprise—after all, she probably hadn't expected her daughter's "new friend" to be a grown man. But the surprise quickly turned into something more measured, her expression polite but cautious.

"And who is this friend, sweetie?" she asked, her voice warm, though there was an underlying hint of wariness.

"This is Bambi!" Su-A chirped, tugging Joshua forward a bit. "Isn't he nice?"

Joshua offered a slightly awkward smile, about to introduce himself properly when Su-A dropped the next piece of information. "And guess what, Mommy? He's Minnie's friend too!"

The shift in the woman's demeanor was almost immediate. Her polite smile faded, replaced by a look of stern disapproval as her gaze flickered between Joshua and Seokmin. She crossed her arms, and without missing a beat, she turned her attention back to Su-A.

"Su-A," she began in a scolding tone, "what did I tell you about staying away from Seokmin's friends?"

The light in Su-A's face dimmed, her small shoulders slumping under her mother's chiding. Her lip trembled, and she blinked back the beginnings of tears. "B-but Mommy, he's nice..."

Joshua's heart sank. He suddenly found himself in the middle of an awkward and uncomfortable situation, completely unprepared. He hadn't meant to cause any trouble—he didn't even know why he was here in the first place, thanks to Su-A's insistence. He opened his mouth, about to apologize, though for what exactly, he wasn't sure.

Before he could speak, Seokmin stepped forward, his tone much more serious than Joshua had ever heard before. "Seokyeong, stop scolding her. Joshua's no harm."

Seokyeong's eyes narrowed as they settled on Seokmin. "I've told her before to stay away from people you bring around, Seokmin. She's just a kid. I don't want her getting mixed up with—"

"She's not getting mixed up with anything," Seokmin cut her off, his voice calm but firm. "Joshua's just here because Su-A invited him. You don't have to worry about him."

Joshua shifted uncomfortably, feeling like an intruder in the middle of their sibling exchange. Su-A, on the verge of tears, clung to his hand tighter, her small body pressed against his leg as if seeking protection.

Seokyeong sighed, her gaze softening slightly as she looked at her daughter. "Su-A, go wash your hands and help with the cookies."

Su-A sniffled, looking up at Joshua with wide, wet eyes. "Will Bambi help too?"

Joshua gave her a reassuring smile, crouching down to her level. "Of course, I'll help. But only if you promise to listen to your mom, okay?"

The little girl nodded eagerly, her tears forgotten in an instant. She ran off to wash her hands, and Joshua stood back up, feeling the tension still hanging in the air between Seokmin and Seokyeong.

Seokyeong gave Joshua a tight-lipped smile, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm sorry about the confusion... Joshua, was it? I just don't want Su-A getting too attached to people... around here."