Ch.227Side Story – I Became a Heroine After the Pure Love Ending (18)

“Welcome to Cafe Ninja Kakashi… Ah, it’s you from earlier. Do you need anything else?”

“Hot chocolate… I’d like to order one more. And… *sigh*. Yes, I’d also like this strawberry cake slice, please.”

“Certainly, one hot chocolate and strawberry cake. How many slices would you like?”

“One slice is enough.”

“Alright, one slice of strawberry cake… Would you like any additional toppings for your hot chocolate?”

“Additional toppings…? Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s fine as is. I’ll pay by card…”

“Wait a second-!”

I slid down the stairs and stopped the Director who was about to hand over his card.

“W-what is it, all of a sudden!”

I had come down just in case, and it’s good that I did.

I knew this would happen. I figured he’d order plain hot chocolate without any toppings.

“Please add whipped cream and marshmallows! And sprinkle plenty of cocoa powder on top!”

“I understand the additional toppings! But I told you last time not to come down the stairs like that! Never mind damaging the stairs, what if you get hurt!”

“Hehe, sorry, I was in a hurry.”

“T-this isn’t the first time this has happened?”

“Dad! The hot chocolate they sell here at Cafe Ninja Kakashi doesn’t have sugar in it, so you need to adjust the sweetness with whipped cream and marshmallows. Without toppings, it’s just bitter cocoa powder!”

Thankfully I caught it before he handed his card to the clerk.

If I’d been a little later, he would have ended up drinking medicinal chocolate instead of hot chocolate.

“I didn’t know that’s how the menu worked. I’ve never visited this cafe before, nor have I ever ordered something like hot chocolate at a cafe.”

“Right? That’s why I came down, because I had a feeling.”

“So even to a student like you, I must have seemed like someone completely clueless about places like this. Well, I can’t say that’s entirely wrong.”

“No, that’s not the only reason.”

“Then what made you so confident to come down here?”

At the Director’s question, I suddenly smiled at the thought that popped into my head.

“Do Hamin was exactly the same.”

“…Pardon?”

“When I first came here with Do Hamin, he didn’t know about cafe toppings either and ordered plain like you did. So I thought, like father like son, right? That’s why I came down.”

“…”

“You two are alike. Seems like Hamin inherited all his bad traits from his dad.”

The Director listened to me for a moment, then slightly turned his head to look at me.

“…Perhaps one slice of cake isn’t enough?”

“Huh? I mean, I could eat more if you’re buying.”

“Then choose more. I’ll buy whatever you want.”

“…Woohoo!”

Hot chocolate always tastes better when someone else is paying.

Even better when accompanied by cake on someone else’s tab.

“If you know what kinds of cake Hamin or Hami like, please order those too. It would be better to take them all at once.”

“What? I thought you knew everything about Do Hami. Looks like you don’t know what cake she likes, huh? Heheh.”

“…I know she likes fruit cream cake the most. However, twenty years is enough time for tastes to change. Besides, Hami will soon be in her forties. It might be burdensome for her to eat cake late at night at that age.”

“Is that from personal experience?”

“…Ahem.”

While he didn’t mention his own cake preferences, I could tell from his slightly uncomfortable reaction that I’d hit the mark.

“Heheh, alright. I’ll choose something that suits both their tastes. So I should order cakes that won’t be too heavy, right?”

“Yes, please do.”

The Director reluctantly nodded.

Having received permission to order freely, I immediately went to the display case to check the cakes.

Fortunately, there was at least one of each cake that suited Do Hamin and Do Hami’s tastes.

“Dad, aren’t you going to eat anything? Or are you planning to ask for just one bite from Do Hami or Do Hamin’s fork later?”

“I’m fine. I’ve never been fond of sweets anyway. And if I have coffee and cake at this hour, it might affect my schedule tomorrow.”

“Hmm… I guess you’re more aged inside than I thought. You don’t look like you’ve been that affected by the passage of time on the outside, at least not as much as Do Hami.”

“It’s not that I’m particularly old, it’s just how it is at this age.”

“Hmm, I see. But if you met Do Hami in high school, doesn’t that mean you’re around the same age?”

Given that Do Hami calls the Director “oppa,” he was clearly older than her.

But if they met in high school, the age difference couldn’t be more than two years at most.

That meant the Director wasn’t even 40 yet in actual age.

Heck, even our madam at home who turned 50 this year is still going strong.

If Do Hamin had just studied at his desk, he might have ended up like this.

I guess my decision to teach him kendo wasn’t wrong after all.

“Did I not mention it before?”

“Mention what?”

“Hami was a student at the high school where I did my first teaching practicum.”

“…”

“So technically, she was my first student…”

-THWACK!

I kicked the Director’s leg with my full weight behind it.

Unlike Do Hamin who was trained in kendo, the Director’s relatively weak legs folded helplessly as he collapsed to the floor.

“Ugh…! W-what are you doing! Why the sudden low kick…!”

“I just felt a bit indignant. You two doing things that I couldn’t do with Do Hamin. You despicable child predator.”

“N-no, you misunderstand…!”

For a brief moment, my view of our dad was tinted with suspicion.

.

.

.

“Wow! So many strawberry cream cakes!”

“Eat up, Do Hami. Today Dad is treating us generously.”

“Thank you, oppa! I’ll enjoy it!”

“D-don’t eat too much. You might upset your stomach.”

Back at our table, there was an array of colorful cakes purchased with the Director’s wallet.

It was a rare sight at a cafe like this where cake slices are sold at premium prices.

Especially at such a late hour.

“I-I’m grateful, but there was no need to buy so many…”

“Think of it as making up for all the birthday cakes that Hamin should have received over the years, and it’s actually not enough. Don’t worry too much, we can ask them to pack the leftovers. I asked Do Young what you both like and ordered accordingly.”

“Th-thank you… Director.”

“…”

Even though their relationship had been revealed,

Do Hamin still seemed uncomfortable calling the Director “Dad” or “Father.”

I suppose that makes sense.

Ban Jun-seok, his father from the original world,

Ban Do-che, his father in this world,

And now Director Cheon Sang-min, revealed to be Do Hamin’s father.

Unlike me, who naturally used the word “Dad” because I had three people to call by that name,

For Do Hamin, the very sound of “Dad” was like saying a word for the first time in his life.

“How is it? The tiramisu… Does it suit your taste, Hamin… student?”

“Yes, yes. It’s delicious.”

The Director was the same.

He kept adding “student” when addressing Do Hamin, who was still awkward about fully accepting him as his father.

It seemed like he didn’t want to force the father-son relationship until Do Hamin was ready.

“I’m sorry… I asked if you were my father, but I’m still calling you Director.”

“…It’s fine. I told you earlier, didn’t I? I don’t expect such titles. I just wanted to take some time to tell you that I intend to fulfill the responsibilities and support that I should have provided to Hamin student and Hami all this time, even if from behind the scenes. So it’s okay if you don’t accept me. If I can just lighten the burden that Hamin student has to bear, that’s enough…”

-SQUISH

Something bright red was suddenly pressed against the Director’s cheek as he was creating a heavy atmosphere.

A plump, reddish, cute little point.

It was a strawberry that had been on Do Hami’s cake just moments ago.

“H-Hami… wait…”

“Heehee, oppa! The cake is super delicious! Try some! I’ll give you my strawberry!”

“I-it’s okay. I’ll eat later.”

“Oh, you don’t like my strawberry? Aww… Why? Has it turned brown and spoiled?”

“No, that’s not it… I’m trying to avoid sweets at night, and more importantly, I’m having an important conversation with Hamin student right now… Can I eat it later?”

“Aww… really?”

Do Hami, who had been enthusiastically offering the strawberry on her fork, lowered it dejectedly.

“I guess I’ll save it with the mango then… You promise to eat it later? Don’t forget, okay?”

“Thank you, Hami. I’ll definitely eat it later. I’m sorry, Hamin student. Where were we?”

“Just a moment, Director.”

“…Yes?”

As the Director was trying to get back to the conversation after placating Do Hami,

Do Hamin spoke up firmly.

“What is it, Hamin student?”

“The strawberry that Mom just offered you. Please eat it now.”

“What? Why suddenly…”

“Before the responsibilities you missed with me, there are responsibilities you missed with my mom.”

“That’s… certainly true.”

“Then don’t put it off any longer. Our mom.”

“…Heehee.”

“Then I’ll also try not to put off calling you ‘Dad.'”

“Yes… I understand.”

The Director nodded and slowly turned his head toward Do Hami.

By now, Do Hami was grinning broadly, once again holding a fork with a strawberry in her dainty hand.

Even in her sweetly intoxicated state, she seemed to have heard all the conversation between Do Hamin and the Director.

“Hami, that strawberry you said you were saving for me… can I have it now?”

“Heehee… you were playing hard to get earlier, but you did want it! My strawberry!”

“Yes, you’re right.”

“Well, I guess I have no choice. Here! Say ‘ah’!”

“Ah…”

In front of his son and his son’s girlfriend,

The Director, his face flushed red, squeezed his eyes shut,

And carefully opened his mouth toward the strawberry on the fork that Do Hami was offering.

“Heehee. Yap!”

“Mmph!”

-SMOOCH

And on the tightly shut lips of the Director landed not the strawberry from the fork, but a different kind of strawberry.

“H-Hami! What are you doing! Th-the children are watching!”

“Kuhehehe! Fooled again! You fell for the same trick as twenty years ago!”

“M-Mom?”

“This is why I said later…!”

“A-are you the predator?”

The misunderstanding about our dad being a despicable child predator was cleared up faster than expected.