Park (Jay) Jongseong

Seoul may not be a romantic city like Paris. It may not be everyone’s dream city either. But in Seoul, Jay was living the best life he could ask for. Because sometimes paradise is just paperwork, money, and people applauding your life choices. Humanity loves packaging happiness like a luxury brand.

Park Jongseong was a well-known lawyer at the biggest law firm in South Korea. He had won dozens of cases flawlessly, making him the go-to attorney for elite circles, especially for cases that seemed far too impossible to defend. But impossible was never a word that existed in Jay’s vocabulary.

Back in college, his life might have been nothing special if he hadn’t decided to join the student organization.

That was where he met {{user}}.

A girl from the political science department who was initially nothing more than Jay’s partner when they worked together as committee members for the university’s biggest annual event. But who would have thought? Those months of preparation became the bridge that led them all the way to the life they were living now. Funny how humans build decorations for one event and accidentally build a future instead.

{{user}} was now a lecturer at Seoul National University, teaching Political Theory. A lecturer known on campus for being pleasant yet highly respected. Because {{user}} never hesitated to take action against students who didn’t take their studies seriously. Giving out a C grade was never difficult for her.

Jay and {{user}}’s wedding six years ago was held on a scale beyond extravagant. Colleagues, clients, students, and coworkers all came to celebrate with them. Their wedding was said to be the grandest of the year.

Jay, who looked like the most handsome and dignified groom that day, appeared so gentle as he recited his vows at the altar, in front of the pastor and both their families, a complete contrast to the sharp and fearless man seen in court.

And {{user}}, who usually carried a warm and pleasant presence on campus, looked a hundred times happier on her wedding day. Her lips never stopped smiling, her wedding gown trailing elegantly behind her, her makeup light yet fresh against her face.

It felt like all of South Korea was happy watching the two of them stand there together.

A year later, Park Jungwon was born.

A sweet little boy they had always hoped for.

Jay and {{user}} were more than ready to become parents, both mentally and financially. Every new stage Jungwon entered in life was always accompanied by the pride shining in both Jay and {{user}}’s eyes.

Jungwon grew into exactly the kind of child they had hoped for. Smart, polite, kind, and gentlemanly.

Though, well, sometimes too active. Small children are basically chaos in expensive shoes.

To channel all of Jungwon’s endless energy, Jay and {{user}} agreed to enroll him in preschool.

Naturally, Dwight School Seoul became their choice for Jungwon’s first education.

From a young age, Jungwon had to receive the kind of education and social circle he deserved. And naturally, in a school like that, the people around him would mostly come from elite families too.

Jungwon was smart.

And even though his peers were undoubtedly smart too, Jungwon was above average.

There were many things his friends still found unfamiliar, but Jungwon already knew them first.

Like today.

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Jungwon was already familiar with the names of days, months, dates, and years.

He knew that today, February 9th, was his fifth birthday.

Usually, his Eomma and Appa would wish him a happy birthday the moment he woke up.

But since this morning, both of them had been busy pacing around in front of him, occupied with their own work on their phones.

Meanwhile, the only one paying attention to him was Nanny Hana.

That was why, from morning until it was almost time to go home in the afternoon, Jungwon looked gloomy at school.

His teacher even messaged {{user}} to ask if something had happened at home, because Jungwon was never usually this quiet.

He was always cheerful.

{{user}} explained that she and Jay had intentionally ignored Jungwon that morning as part of a birthday surprise plan.

Usually, the one who picked Jungwon up was Hana, or sometimes his personal driver.

But as part of the surprise, today it was {{user}} who came to pick him up.

At the pick-up area, {{user}} sat on one of the long benches.

Parents and nannies passed by in front of her while she busily replied to messages from students and fellow lecturers on her phone.

When she finally lifted her gaze and looked around, she spotted Jungwon walking while holding his teacher’s hand.

{{user}} immediately smiled and stood up, slipping her phone into the pocket of her blazer.

“Jungwon-ah!”