Chapter 34: Father Ryu

Seo-woo slowly turned to face Jung-woo.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The bathroom was silent, save for the faint echo of the event happening outside. Seo-woo's heart pounded, but his face remained calm.

Jung-woo had grown taller. His voice had deepened, his features sharper—more mature, more composed. And yet, Seo-woo could still see a glimpse of the younger brother he once knew, the one who had once hated him.

Finally, Seo-woo broke the silence.

"Why are you here?" His voice was steady, but there was an unmistakable edge to it.

Jung-woo answered immediately. "Father is bedridden."

Seo-woo flinched.

The words hit him like a wave, but he forced himself to stand firm. His gaze dropped to the floor as a strange mix of emotions swirled inside him.

Father is sick?

The man who had always been so strong, so distant—was now weak?

After a long pause, Seo-woo took a deep breath and looked up again. His voice was quieter this time. "And? Is that why you're suddenly interested in finding me?"

Jung-woo's expression didn't change. "I've been looking for you for a while now."

Seo-woo frowned. "Don't lie—"

"I'm not," Jung-woo cut in. "I stationed bodyguards around your house."

Seo-woo's breath caught in his throat.

"What?"

Jung-woo continued, his tone unwavering. "Someone has been investigating you. Earlier today, a few men came knocking at your door."

Seo-woo's eyes widened.

The kids.

A cold fear crept into his chest. He had been out—what if something had happened to them?

Jung-woo, sensing his worry, reassured him, "The kids are safe. Ye-joon and I took care of it. We knocked those guys out and had them reported to the police."

Seo-woo clenched his fists. He wanted to be angry, to demand answers—but his priority was always his children. If Jung-woo and Ye-joon hadn't been there, what would have happened?

Then—

"Your kids."

Seo-woo's head snapped up.

Seo-woo immediately said but with hesitation, "You mean... those neighbor's children?"

Jung-woo was just staring at him intently as if studying his every reaction without replying him.

Seo-woo's breath hitched. "I—"

Before he could say anything, Jung-woo added, "Auntie Song told me the truth."

Seo-woo froze.

For a moment, everything in his mind went blank. Auntie Song... told him?

His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. How was he supposed to react? How was he supposed to explain?

Before he could ask another question—

Jung-woo's phone rang.

They both glanced at the screen.

Jung-woo stiffened. Seo-woo recognized the name on the caller ID instantly.

Father.

Jung-woo hesitated before answering.

"Hello?"

But before he could say anything else, a loud voice erupted from the speaker.

"JUNG-WOO! What the hell did you send in the group chat?!"

Jung-woo flinched so hard that he almost dropped the phone. He suddenly hung up his father's call.

Seo-woo's brows furrowed.

"What did you send?"

Jung-woo hastily opened his phone and checked his messages—and his face turned completely pale.

"Sh*t."

Seo-woo leaned over and looked at the screen.

In their family group chat, Jung-woo had accidentally sent a video...

A video of Seo-woo performing with his children.

His fairy costume. The triplets. Their song. Their bond.

Everything.

Seo-woo's stomach dropped.

"This... was supposed to go to another chat," Jung-woo muttered in horror.

His fingers hovered over the screen.

Seo-woo raised an eyebrow. "What group was it supposed to go to?"

Jung-woo mumbled, "The one with just me, Hyun-woo, and Ji-woo..."

Seo-woo's eyes narrowed. Hyun-woo. Ji-woo. Two of his other siblings.

But instead of sending it privately to them, Jung-woo had sent it to their entire family.

And now—

Father had seen it.

The phone rang again.

Jung-woo didn't answer.

It rang a third time.

Then—

Seo-woo snatched the phone before Jung-woo could react and answered the call himself.

"Hello."

The other end went silent.

Then—

A deep voice, laced with shock and disbelief.

"Who is this?"

Seo-woo hesitated, but then took a deep breath and spoke calmly.

"...It's me, Ryu Seo-woo."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Then—

Click.

Father had hung up.

Jung-woo stared at his phone in disbelief.

After a long pause, he finally said, "Hyung... do you know?"

Seo-woo turned to him, his expression unreadable. "Know what?"

Jung-woo took a slow breath before answering.

"Father supported you."

Seo-woo's brows furrowed.

Jung-woo continued, "When you were in the entertainment industry. He secretly supported you."

Seo-woo's breath hitched.

Jung-woo's gaze was serious. "He admitted you were good at singing. But he thought that because of your temper... people wouldn't like you. That you'd be hated. So he strongly disagreed with you entering showbiz."

Seo-woo stared at him, his heart pounding.

Jung-woo gave him a knowing look. "He never stopped watching you."

Seo-woo was speechless.

His father—the man who never acknowledged him, never praised him, never seemed to care— had been secretly watching over him this whole time?

The thought made his chest tighten.

Jung-woo finally broke the silence.

"Are you going to see him?"

Seo-woo exhaled slowly.

"...I'll think about it."

---

Jung-woo and Seo-woo returned to their seats, the weight of their conversation still lingering in the air. But for now, Seo-woo pushed it aside.

The triplets, completely unaware of the tense discussion their father had just had, were happily munching on crepes that Ye-joon had bought for them. Their tiny hands gripped the sweet treats tightly as they chewed with delight, their eyes shining with excitement.

Seo-woo, on the other hand, had his own thoughts swirling in his mind.

The novel... Everything is changing.

The events, the relationships—all of it.

And he knew why.

Because of me.

Originally, none of this was supposed to happen. Jung-woo wasn't supposed to reach out to him. His father wasn't supposed to acknowledge him. And yet, here they were—everything shifting in his favor, little by little.

As he pondered this, he suddenly felt three small hands reaching toward him, holding out their half-eaten crepes.

"Daddy, eat some!" Seo-jun grinned.

"Yeah! It's really good!" Seo-min beamed.

"Eat, eat!" Seo-jin added, eagerly shoving his crepe closer to Seo-woo's face.

Seo-woo blinked, then let out a soft chuckle. His heart warmed at the sight of his children so eager to share their treats with him.

Smiling, he took a small bite from each of their crepes, dramatically nodding as he chewed.

"Mmm! Yummy!" he praised, making the triplets giggle. "Thank you, my little performers."

Satisfied, the triplets continued eating while Seo-woo relaxed in his seat, watching the rest of the performances.

—

Almost two hours later, the event came to a successful end.

As people started packing up and saying their goodbyes, the triplets suddenly tugged at Seo-woo's sleeves.

"Daddy, let's take pictures together!" Seo-min said excitedly.

"Yeah! We need memories of today!" Seo-jin added.

Before Seo-woo could answer, Jung-woo cleared his throat. "I'll take them for you."

Seo-woo was a little surprised but smiled. "Alright, photographer Jung-woo, make sure we look good."

Jung-woo rolled his eyes but took out his phone, snapping several pictures of Seo-woo and the triplets.

Ye-joon, who had been watching, smirked. "Why don't you join them, Jung-woo? I'll take the pictures instead."

Jung-woo hesitated, but before he could decline, Seo-woo smirked and grabbed him by the shoulder, pulling him in.

Jung-woo stiffened.

"Come on, Jung-woo. You're part of the family too," Seo-woo teased, ruffling his younger brother's hair.

Jung-woo froze.

It was such a small, simple gesture, but for some reason... it made his heart tighten.

Family.

For so long, he had viewed Seo-woo as an enemy, a disgrace to their family name. But here he was now—laughing, smiling, hugging his children like the best father in the world.

And somehow, standing next to him, Jung-woo didn't feel so distant anymore.

Ye-joon snapped a few pictures before grinning. "There. Perfect family shot."

Auntie Song soon joined in, and more pictures were taken—memories captured in time.

Suddenly—

"Uncle!"

A small voice called out, making Seo-woo turn.

One boy and one girl, a little chubby boy and a shy young lady, were standing a few steps away.

Seo-woo recognized them immediately. Nam Jae-hoon and Nam Jae-hee.

Jae-hoon, with his usual bright eyes, grinned up at him. "Uncle! Can we take a picture with you too?"

Jae-hee, quieter but still smiling, nodded.

Seo-woo's heart melted a little. These kids... they were just like his triplets.

"Of course," he said warmly, bending down to their level.

Jae-hoon and Jae-hee happily posed next to him, and another round of pictures was taken.

Afterward, the Nam siblings waved goodbye, but Jae-hoon suddenly turned back.

"Can I come over to play with the triplets sometime?" he asked, eyes full of hope.

The triplets looked at each other before nodding eagerly. "Yeah! Come play with us!"

Jae-hoon beamed. "Yay! Okay! I'll ask my mom!"

With that, he ran back to his family, leaving Seo-woo chuckling at his endless energy.

—

Finally, it was time to go home.

The night had been long, but it was one of the happiest Seo-woo had ever experienced.

As they drove home, the triplets were already dozing off in their seats, exhausted but content.

And for the first time in a long while... Seo-woo felt at peace.

Auntie Song, Ye-joon, and Jung-woo all parted ways after making sure they got home safely. Seo-woo let Jung-woo return the bike to the nearest bike rental station.

Seo-woo tucked his children into bed, pressing a soft kiss to their foreheads.

Then, as he sat on the couch, staring at the pictures they had taken, he couldn't help but whisper to himself—

"Maybe... this new life isn't so bad after all."

---

At the Ryu residence

The Ryu residence was bathed in soft golden light, its grand halls eerily quiet. The once lively mansion, where the laughter of children had once echoed, now felt hollow.

Ryu Woo-hyuk, the formidable patriarch of the Ryu family, sat near the wide glass window of his study, his gaze distant. Outside, the neatly trimmed garden stretched endlessly, but he took no pleasure in its beauty tonight.

He was waiting.

Waiting for his children to come home.

He had heard from Jung-woo earlier that they would be attending an event, but nothing more. Not a single detail. Normally, he wouldn't concern himself with such trivial matters. But tonight, something gnawed at him.

Woo-hyuk adjusted his reading glasses and sighed, feeling the weight of age press down on him. His once-strong body, now confined to a wheelchair, frustrated him. He had ruled his empire with an iron will, yet he could not even command his own body to stand anymore.

As he sat in the dimly lit study, his phone vibrated on the mahogany table.

Buzz.

A notification popped up.

[Jung-woo sent a video.]

Woo-hyuk frowned. Jung-woo rarely sent anything in the family group chat.

Curious, he tapped on the message. The video loaded, and the screen filled with a scene he could have never expected.

[The video]

A stage. Bright lights. An excited audience.

And in the center—

A man dressed as a fairy.

Woo-hyuk blinked, his brow furrowing in disbelief.

The man had delicate features, soft brown curls framing his face. His movements were graceful yet playful, exuding a natural charm that commanded attention. And beside him—

Three little children.

The trio danced and sang alongside the man, their bright eyes shining with happiness. They matched his movements, mirroring his expressions, as if they had done this a thousand times before.

It was a performance filled with joy, warmth, and an undeniable connection.

But what made Woo-hyuk's breath hitch—

The man's smile.

It was familiar. Too familiar.

No... it couldn't be.

His mind rejected the thought, but his heart already knew.

And then, a message popped up below the video.

[Seo-woo hyung performed with his three kids.]

—

Silence.

Woo-hyuk froze.

His fingers tightened around the phone.

The words burned into his brain, yet he couldn't make sense of them.

Seo-woo?

Kids?

His son—the one he had pushed away, the one who had walked out of this very house years ago—was on that stage.

And he had children.

—

A shiver ran down Woo-hyuk's spine. His breath grew shallow.

Had he... missed so much?

The sound of his own heartbeat thundered in his ears.

His trembling hand moved instinctively, his fingers pressing the call button.

Ringing...

One ring.

Two rings.

"Jung-woo!" he barked the moment the call connected. His voice came out harsher than he intended, but he was too overwhelmed to care. "JUNG-WOO! What the hell did you send in the group chat?!"

Click.

Jung-woo hung up.

Woo-hyuk stiffened.

His grip on the phone tightened. His jaw clenched.

He pressed redial.

No answer.

Again.

No answer.

His frustration grew, but so did the fear clawing at his chest.

Why was he being ignored? Why was no one telling him anything?

Woo-hyuk's entire body tensed. The image of Seo-woo standing on that stage, smiling with those children, burned into his mind.

Had his son really moved on so completely that he no longer needed his father?

Had Seo-woo... completely erased him from his life?

No.

He couldn't accept that.

He wouldn't accept that.

—

He called again.

And this time, the call was answered.

But the voice that greeted him was not Jung-woo's.

"Hello?"

Woo-hyuk's breath hitched.

That voice...

That hoarse, tired, yet unmistakable voice.

His fingers twitched around the phone. His throat went dry.

"...Who is this?" he asked, his tone sharp and demanding.

A pause.

Then—

"It's me, Ryu Seo-woo."

—

Everything stopped.

The world around Woo-hyuk blurred.

The dim glow of his study lamp. The ticking of the clock. The soft rustling of the wind outside.

For a moment, it was as if time itself had frozen.

He parted his lips, but no words came out.

His mind screamed at him to say something—anything.

But he couldn't.

Because after all these years, after all the silence, he was finally hearing his son's voice again, but a little different due to his son's recent accident.

—

Then, before he could react—

Click.

The call ended.

He accidentally hung up the phone call without his knowledge. (So he thought Seo-woo had hung up the call.)

—

Woo-hyuk lowered the phone onto the table with a shaky hand.

The silence in the study suddenly felt suffocating.

His gaze remained fixed on the device, his thoughts a tangled mess of emotions.

Shock.

Confusion.

Regret.

A painful lump formed in his throat. He closed his eyes and let out a slow breath, pressing his fingers against his temple.

For years, he had convinced himself that pushing Seo-woo away had been the right choice.

That his son would never amount to anything. That it was better this way.

But now—

Even though Seo-woo failed to be on stage again, he had succeeded in other aspects without him.

He had found happiness.

He had children.

And Woo-hyuk had never even known.

—

A bitter chuckle escaped his lips.

So, this was how things had turned out.

His son had built a life without him.

And now, Woo-hyuk was nothing but a stranger in it.

For the first time in a long, long time—

Ryu Woo-hyuk felt truly sad and incomplete.