Pay With Your Heart

Chapter 426: Family?

“Aren’t we going to the airport?” Eun-sun asked when Dan-Han helped her into the car after assigning another car to drop Ni-Na at the airport. She wondered why he sent Ni-Na in another car when they were all headed in the same direction.

“No.” Dan-Han replied as he leaned over and strapped in her seat belt.

She frowned at him. “I can do this much.”

“I prefer doing it. It’s an excuse to take in your scent.” He leaned in and kissed her lips making Eun-sun’s face slightly burn red. Her eyes darted to the man occupying the driver’s seat and her cheeks burned even brighter. He was the same guy who had taken her and Ni-Na around town yesterday.

She peeked at Dan-Han from under her lashes as she wondered what was wrong with Dan-Han lately.

Dan-Han amusedly chuckled when he saw her flushed face, but Eun-sun quickly regained her composure, not wanting to be the victim in Dan-Han’s teasing.

“So, where are we going?” She asked, wondering where they were headed, if not the airport.

.....

“To pick someone up. We’ll head to the airport from there.” He told her and Eun-sun nodded. She had the urge to ask who they were picking up, but knowing Dan-Han, she decided against it and quickly quelled that urge.

Since he was taking her with him, she’d see who it was.

It was a long ride, but soon they arrived their destination. Eun-sun had her gaze darting around when they stopped in an alley. She shot Dan-Han a quizzical look, but he leaned closer and pecked her cheek.

“I’m just picking someone up. I’ll be quick.” He said before stepping out the car.

Eun-sun had her gaze following him as she wondered what they were doing in an alley. She watched as he strolled towards a car which was parked few meters away from them.

The moment he approached the white salon car sandwiched between two rusty looking card, the door was suddenly opened and a middle aged woman stepped out.

She keenly observed as Dan-Han stepped aside and the woman opened one of the back doors and a helped a little girl, not older than six or seven, out of the car.

Dan-Han received a small pink suitcase with comic stickers stuck around it, and picked the girl up before strolling towards the car, making her eyes narrow at him.

Why was he...? Eun-sun had her thought trailed off as she watched them draw closer to the car.

She observed the little girl’s features. Big round big eyes, dark brown hair that were always the same shade as Dan-Han’s and a small heart shaped lips that were pressed into a line. Her round full cheeks made her look all the more cuter, as well as made her features look familiar.

A thought sprouted in her head like a deadly horn, but she instantly quelled it, because it jsut couldn’t be true.

“Get in, big lady.” Dan-Han smiled as he lifted up the girl into the car and the driver took the suitcase and placed it in the trunk.

Eun-sun had her gaze shuffling between Dan-Han and the little girl, till they finally settled on Dan-Han who smiled as if he knew what she was thinking.

He placed the girl between them before hopping into the car too. “Honey, meet Hee-Young,” he said with a deliberate pause which pricked at Eun-sun’s nerve.

Dan-Han chuckled when she anxiously peered at him, her eyes urgently demanding an answer.

“She’s family.” He vaguely said and that only made Eun-sun further narrow her eyes at him. She wanted to press and demand what he meant by ‘family’, but she stopped herself and smiled at the little girl who was stiffly sitting at her side with a hunched back.

“Hi, I’m Eun-sun, and I must say you’re a prettying girl. I like your hair.” She said with a sweet and easy smile.

Hee-Young raised her gaze to her and muttered out a thank you, her arms tightening around the little plushie in her hands.

Eun-sun tried speaking to her and soon the little girl slightly eased up. She spoke so little due to being shy, but Eun-sun could tell she was smart. Almost smart like someone she knew.

She raised a suspicious gaze to Dan-Han again, but she quickly discarded those funny thoughts out of her head. Dan-Han wasn’t one to act in the manner at which she was imagining him, and the amuse smiled tugging the side of his lips which she believed was a proof of him enjoying her silent turmoil, made her believe her thought weren’t real.

Family was an ambiguous word for him use in this situation, but it could just be the truth. She could be family, but whose child was she?

Eun-sun tried to keep Hee-Young busy till they arrived their destination, which turned out to be the tarmac. She cocked a brow at Dan-Han who kissed her temple and helped them out.

She watched as he crouched down I’m front of the girl and wiped the remnant of ice cream that smudged her lips and hand with his handkerchief. They had made a quick stop to get her a cone of ice-cream and a few kids snacks to munch on.

Eun-sun found the scene of Dan-han caring for the girl heart-warming, and a familiar scene of Dan-han combing and braiding the hair of a little princess with similar dark hair, and gray eyes quickly flashed through her mind. That would be something interesting to see. She thought with a smile.

“Uncle will come visit you as soon as he gets back, okay?” Dan-Han told the girl who readily nodded, clearly understanding that the uncle in front wouldn’t be coming along to where she was going.

“Will I meet mommy?” She asked in her cute sweet voice, and Dan-Han nodded. He gave a reassuring smile as he brushed a hand through her hair.

“Mummy will pick up. That uncle over there will take you to mummy. He’s a nice uncle.” Dan-Han said pointing at a wiry man who was strolling towards them with dark round glasses seating on the bridge of his nose.

Following the direction of Dan-Han’s hand, Eun-sun joined the girl as they observed person Dan-Han was talking about.

Eun-sun felt her heart skipp at the sight of man. The dark glasses framing his stoic face gave one a chilly feel, and Eun-sun wondered how the little girl felt when she as an adult was already spooked by the man’s appearance that she was about to be entrusted with.

Eun-sun observed Hee-Young as she cautiously peered at the man, and her arms subconsciously tightened around her plushie.

As if sensing her worry, Dan-Han soothed her back with a pat as he smiled at her. “Don’t be scared. He won’t dare hurt you.” He assured her, and the little girl nodded.

Dan-Han picked her into his arm and glared at Tae-Ho who was striding towards him. “Can you take those glasses off. You’re scaring the child.” He gruffed at him.

“Sorry, boss.” Tae-Ho apologized as he reluctantly took off the glasses, but Dan-Han sighed when he realized his face was even far better with the glasses on.

“You can afford a smile today, Tae-Ho. Stop looking so grim.” Dan-Han irritably hissed at him, before strolling towards the plane which Tae-Ho would be returning with.

He signalled him to take the girl’s luggages which were with Eun-sun, and Eun-sun readily passed them to him, while he bowed to her and she anxiously bowed back.

Eun-sun waved at Hee-Young who had her small arm wrapped around Dan-Han’s neck as he ascended the plane. Her eyes narrowed at Tae-Ho as he walked back to the plane without saying a word, other than the courteous bow he gave.

Was he one of Dan-Han’s subordinate? He had called him boss, so she guess he was.

In the plane, Dan-Han secured Hee-Young in her seat and gave strict instructions to the hostess that would be flying with them. He carressed Hee-Young’s hair one more time and sweetly smiled at her, before walking to Tae-Ho who was struggling to keep an easy look on his face.

Dan-Han hissed when he observed him. “Don’t bother trying, you look weird. Put your glasses on.” He hissed and Tae-Ho hurriedly wore it, as if he had been itching to.

Dan-Han glared at him again, before regaining a serious look on his face. “Did anyone come?” He asked, referring to A-Yeong.

“Yes. Two men. Came as telecom staffs, but their I.D’s didn’t match.” Tae-Ho replied, and Dan-Han scoffed.

“What about Kwon-Nara? Have you found her?” He inquired, and Tae-Ho shook his head.

“No one has seen her.”

“What about get father? That drug came from his pharmaceutical company.”

“Not him too. He said, she dropped by a few days before the accident but he hasn’t seen her since then. He said she mentioned about visiting a hospital and inviting him for some event, but he hasn’t set his eyes on her since then.