Chapter 5
“W-what are you doing?!”
“Why? Didn’t you expect this?”
“…W-what do you mean?”
Right in front of Yuri, he tore the reply letter to pieces.
For a brief moment, anger surged at the man who treated her desperation so lightly—but then his cold gaze struck her down.
“Didn’t that lawyer tell you? That this kind of stunt does nothing but irritate the other party?”
Yuri’s shoulders flinched.
What he said was true. It was a fight they were likely to lose anyway, and she had been advised to start looking for a rental building as soon as possible.
“Oh, or did they say you could at least protect Song Yuhan?”
“……”
“That’ll be difficult too.”
Yes. Just as he said, all she had heard was despair.
It was only natural. Now that a legal guardian had appeared, there was no reason not to return the child to his family.
“…You’re right. No matter what we do, we can’t beat you.”
Against him, she wouldn’t be able to protect either Yuhan or the orphanage.
“But I’ll still go through the law.”
“……”
“I’ll follow legal procedures—and you can take this child as your brother.”
Still, Yuri trusted her instincts.
The fact that he kept urging her toward overseas adoption meant there must be some reason he couldn’t legally take Yuhan from her.
Clinging tightly to Yuhan, she aimed for that weakness.
“You’re sharper than you look.”
He had thought she was just foolish—but she knew how to think.
Shinwoo found himself intrigued by a woman who refused to back down until the very end.
“As for the orphanage, according to the reply—”
“Didn’t you just see me tear it up?”
“……”
“I’ve lost any intention of doing this by the book with you.”
But that was all.
Perhaps he had been too lenient, thinking he was being generous. She kept pushing without knowing her limits.
Just as irritation began to rise at her boldness—
“Y-Yuri!”
Heeyoung rushed out into the yard where Yuri stood.
“The water—the water’s not running!”
“What…?”
It made no sense. The water had been working just moments ago.
Then a thought struck her.
Sending Heeyoung back inside, Yuri turned toward Shinwoo.
“…Was this your doing?”
“It may be petty, but it’s an effective method in many ways.”
“How can you just cut off the water to a place with children?!”
Furious at the excessive pressure, Yuri set Yuhan down and strode toward him.
She was afraid of him—terrified, even. Just meeting his eyes was difficult.
But for the sake of the children, she had to be strong.
“Ah!”
Was it because she moved too quickly?
Her wet slippers slipped, and her body lurched violently.
Of all times to fall…
As the world flipped upside down, Yuri squeezed her eyes shut.
She should have felt a sharp impact—but instead, something firm caught her waist.
“…!”
Startled by the unfamiliar warmth, she opened her eyes and looked up.
Tae Shinwoo.
He was holding her.
The scent of his cologne filled her senses—slightly sharp, yet fresh.
His sharp eyes gave him a cold impression, but up close, there was an unexpected refinement to his features. No—his face was almost sculptural.
With a neutral expression, he was difficult to approach…
Yet even that intimidating aura made sense, given the suffocating presence he carried.
“…Are you done admiring me?”
“Ah!”
At his words, Yuri snapped back to her senses.
She hurriedly tried to pull away, but the firm arm around her waist didn’t let go easily.
“L-let me go…!”
“That’s unfair. You’ve been staring your fill at me.”
The hand around her waist slowly slid inward, toward her chest.
His fingers, their joints distinctly felt, brushed against a sensitive place. Her face flushed instantly—but Shinwoo showed no consideration.
It had been bothering him for a while—the glimpse of her skin through her wet T-shirt, the way her body pressed against the fabric.
“—!”
Through the cold, soaked shirt, she felt the heat of his hand.
Startled, Yuri pushed him away and shouted,
“Please leave. And turn the water back on…!”
“What if I don’t?”
“Lawyer Tae Shinwoo…!”
“I’ve been quite the gentleman. You’re the one acting arrogantly.”
“…But I can’t give up the orphanage—or Yuhan. At least not that!”
Glancing back at Yuhan, Yuri spoke desperately.
Her attachment to the child was far deeper than he had expected.
“I think you’re mistaken about something.”
“……”
“He’s not your brother, Deputy Director.”
In the end, he had to say it.
Clicking his tongue at her stunned expression, Shinwoo continued,
“Was the brother who died from illness that hard to forget?”
At those words—dragging up a past she had tried to bury—Yuri stared at him in shock.
“…Did you investigate me?”
“I had my reasons.”
“…Ha.”
“So—”
He was about to advise her to let go and make a rational decision for the sake of the other children—
Smack!
“Honestly…”
“……”
“You’re truly despicable.”
Yuri’s eyes burned red as she glared at him without hiding her resentment.
That past was a deep wound to her.
It wasn’t something to be spoken of so coldly—like an accusation.
Yes, it was true she felt more for Yuhan than for the other children.
Maybe it was because his situation resembled her brother’s.
But that wasn’t all.
The bond she had built with Yuhan…
It was no different from that between a mother and child.
Then how could a man who had only met her once trample her feelings so easily?
“…So you want to continue this fight?”
“……”
“Like that?”
Her completely soaked state, the stretched-out neckline of her shirt revealing pale skin—it had been drawing his gaze the whole time.
Only then did Yuri notice where he was looking, and she quickly covered herself.
Of all people, she had to show this disheveled side of herself—to him.
She didn’t want him to find a single flaw in her.
Hunching her shoulders, she turned her back to him.
But only for a moment.
What he said next forced her to face him again.
“Vacate the orphanage by this week. Otherwise, I’ll proceed with forced demolition.”
“W-what? Even so, how can you suddenly—!”
“I gave you a chance. And you threw it away—just now.”
His expression was so cold it seemed a needle wouldn’t draw a drop of blood.
For a moment, she was speechless—but she steadied herself and continued.
“Yuhan needs at least six months to adapt to a new environment. Do you think a child like him can go abroad?”
Clutching at her last shred of hope, Yuri went on,
“Not even abroad—he can’t even get on a plane. He’s never even been to an airport.”
“……”
“If he were even a little more like the other kids—if at least his limbs were free—I might have considered your proposal.”
Pulling her clothes tighter around herself, she bowed her head.
“Please reconsider, just once more…”
“I suppose it can’t be helped.”
Shinwoo nodded as if he understood.
For the first time, relief flickered in Yuri’s eyes.
“…Thank you—”
“Then make sure he’s able to board a plane within a year.”
“…What did you say?”
He hadn’t backed down at all.
