CHAPTER 2 :
2125 Words
The next morning, Yuhan quietly walked into the comfort room to wash his hands.
After rinsing them, he stood on his tiptoes, stretching as high as he could toward the hand dryer.
Unfortunately, he was too small to reach it.
Just then, someone walked in.
It was Liam.
Yuhan's eyes immediately lit up.
"Ah! Handsome stranger!" he called cheerfully. "Can you help me, please? I can't reach the hand dryer."
Liam looked at the little boy for a moment before letting out a faint sigh.
Without saying a word, he gently lifted Yuhan into his arms until his tiny hands reached the dryer. Warm air flowed over them as the little boy giggled happily.
"There," Liam said in his usual calm voice after setting him back on the floor. "Are your hands dry now?"
Yuhan smiled brightly.
"Yes, they are! Thank you, handsome stranger!"
He happily turned around and took a few steps toward the door.
But after only a few seconds, he suddenly stopped.
A thought popped into his head.
He spun around and ran back to Liam.
"Handsome stranger! Handsome stranger!"
Liam raised an eyebrow.
"Hm?"
Yuhan looked up at him with sparkling, innocent eyes.
"Are you single?"
The unexpected question caught Liam off guard.
A soft chuckle escaped his lips.
"What's with the question, little guy?"
Yuhan clasped his tiny hands together and smiled as innocently as ever.
"If you're single..."
"...would you like to be my daddy?"
For the first time in a long while...
Liam was completely speechless.
"...What?"
Yuhan nodded enthusiastically.
"I don't have a daddy."
"So... can you be my daddy instead?"
Liam couldn't help but laugh quietly at the child's unbelievable request.
"You're quite something, aren't you?"
He crouched down until they were eye level.
"Alright then..."
"So, who's your mommy?"
Yuhan's eyes sparkled with excitement the moment Liam agreed.
"Really?!" he exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear.
Without wasting another second, the little boy grabbed Liam's hand and began pulling him along the hospital hallway.
"Come on! I'll introduce you to Mommy!"
Liam couldn't help but let himself be dragged along by the energetic child.
What he didn't know...
...was that with every step he took, fate was quietly leading him back to the past he had spent four years trying to bury.
A past that would once again turn his world upside down.
Destiny, after all...
...had always been cruel.
---
"Yuhan! Where are you?"
Lydian's worried voice echoed through the corridor as she and Mark searched every corner of the pediatric ward.
"Yuhan!" Mark called anxiously.
A moment later, the little boy's cheerful voice answered from down the hallway.
"Mommy! I'm here!"
He happily waved his free hand while the other remained tightly wrapped around Liam's.
"I have someone I want you to meet!"
The moment Lydian saw him, she rushed forward and immediately pulled Yuhan into a tight embrace.
"Where have you been?" she asked, her voice trembling with relief. "You made everyone worry. Even Dr. Mark was looking everywhere for you."
She gently pinched his nose.
"And how many times have I told you not to talk to strangers?"
Yuhan only giggled.
"But Mommy..."
He excitedly pointed behind him.
"I want you to meet Handsome Stranger!"
Liam, who had been standing quietly behind the child, slowly lifted his gaze.
The moment their eyes met...
Time seemed to stop.
Lydian's smile vanished.
Liam's expression hardened.
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
"You..."
The word escaped both of their lips at the exact same time.
Yuhan blinked in confusion.
"Huh?"
"You two know each other?"
Neither of them answered.
Without another word, Lydian instinctively grabbed Yuhan's hand.
"Come on, sweetheart," she said hurriedly, forcing a smile. "Let's go back to your room. The doctor is probably looking for you."
She didn't even dare look at Liam again.
But before they could take another step—
Liam's cold voice cut through the silence.
"So that's it..."
His bitter laugh echoed across the hallway.
"So this is why you left me in Pampanga."
He slowly looked at the little boy beside her.
"You already had another man."
His eyes were filled with nothing but resentment.
"You let someone else get you pregnant."
A mocking smile formed on his lips.
"I should've known."
"You really are something, Lydian."
Mark immediately stepped in front of her.
"Hey."
His voice turned firm.
"Watch your mouth."
"You talk as if you've known her your entire life."
Liam's sharp gaze shifted toward him.
"Oh, I do."
His voice was dangerously calm.
"And what business is it of yours?"
He took a step closer.
"You're just her doctor..."
A sarcastic smile spread across his face.
"Or maybe..."
His eyes landed on Yuhan.
"You're actually the father."
"And judging by your attitude, I wouldn't be surprised if the kid wanted to replace you."
Mark's fists instantly clenched.
"What did you just say?"
His patience snapped.
"And don't you dare call Yuhan names."
Liam let out a cold chuckle.
"Why?"
"Did I hit a nerve?"
The tension between the two men became suffocating.
It looked as though they were only seconds away from throwing punches.
"Liam..."
Lydian quickly stepped between them.
"Enough."
People had already begun stopping to watch.
Hospital staff whispered among themselves while patients peeked out from their rooms.
"We're making a scene."
She looked directly into Liam's eyes.
"Yuhan is not Mark's son."
"But whoever his father is..."
"...is none of your business anymore."
Her words struck Liam harder than he cared to admit.
Before anyone could speak again—
A small voice interrupted them.
"You..."
Yuhan walked in front of his mother, tears filling his innocent eyes.
"I thought you were nice."
His tiny hands pushed against Liam's legs over and over.
"But you're a bad person!"
"I don't like you anymore!"
Liam instinctively stepped backward.
Without realizing it...
His movement accidentally caused Yuhan to lose his balance.
The little boy fell onto the polished floor.
Thud!
"M-Mommy..."
Tears instantly streamed down Yuhan's cheeks.
Seeing the child cry ignited Mark's anger.
He shoved Liam away.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"If you have a problem with Lydian, don't drag an innocent child into it!"
At that exact moment, several hospital security guards rushed toward them.
"Sir!"
"Please stop!"
"You're disturbing the other patients."
One of the guards reached for Liam's arm.
Liam immediately shook him off.
"Don't touch me."
His cold eyes never left Lydian.
"This isn't over."
Then his gaze shifted toward Mark.
"And you..."
He smirked.
"Try not to stick your nose into other people's business."
With that, Liam turned around and walked away without looking back.
But for reasons he couldn't explain...
The image of Yuhan crying on the floor kept replaying inside his mind.
An unfamiliar feeling settled heavily in his chest.
...Guilt.
---
Just as Liam reached the hospital lobby, Cedric came running toward him while holding several documents.
"Sir!"
"I've got your test results."
Liam didn't even spare him a glance.
He brushed past him without saying a single word.
Cedric stood there, blinking in confusion.
He scratched his head before muttering to himself.
"...Is my boss only suffering from a heart condition?"
He sighed dramatically.
"Or is something wrong with his brain too?"
"Why is he always so grumpy?"
Yuhan's eyes sparkled with excitement the moment Liam agreed.
"Really?!" he exclaimed, beaming from ear to ear.
Without wasting another second, the little boy grabbed Liam's hand and began pulling him along the hospital hallway.
"Come on! I'll introduce you to Mommy!"
Liam couldn't help but let himself be dragged along by the energetic child.
What he didn't know...
...was that with every step he took, fate was quietly leading him back to the past he had spent four years trying to bury.
A past that would once again turn his world upside down.
Destiny, after all...
...had always been cruel.
---
"Yuhan! Where are you?"
Lydian's worried voice echoed through the corridor as she and Mark searched every corner of the pediatric ward.
"Yuhan!" Mark called anxiously.
A moment later, the little boy's cheerful voice answered from down the hallway.
"Mommy! I'm here!"
He happily waved his free hand while the other remained tightly wrapped around Liam's.
"I have someone I want you to meet!"
The moment Lydian saw him, she rushed forward and immediately pulled Yuhan into a tight embrace.
"Where have you been?" she asked, her voice trembling with relief. "You made everyone worry. Even Dr. Mark was looking everywhere for you."
She gently pinched his nose.
"And how many times have I told you not to talk to strangers?"
Yuhan only giggled.
"But Mommy..."
He excitedly pointed behind him.
"I want you to meet Handsome Stranger!"
Liam, who had been standing quietly behind the child, slowly lifted his gaze.
The moment their eyes met...
Time seemed to stop.
Lydian's smile vanished.
Liam's expression hardened.
Their eyes widened in disbelief.
"You..."
The word escaped both of their lips at the exact same time.
Yuhan blinked in confusion.
"Huh?"
"You two know each other?"
Neither of them answered.
Without another word, Lydian instinctively grabbed Yuhan's hand.
"Come on, sweetheart," she said hurriedly, forcing a smile. "Let's go back to your room. The doctor is probably looking for you."
She didn't even dare look at Liam again.
But before they could take another step—
Liam's cold voice cut through the silence.
"So that's it..."
His bitter laugh echoed across the hallway.
"So this is why you left me in Pampanga."
He slowly looked at the little boy beside her.
"You already had another man."
His eyes were filled with nothing but resentment.
"You let someone else get you pregnant."
A mocking smile formed on his lips.
"I should've known."
"You really are something, Lydian."
Mark immediately stepped in front of her.
"Hey."
His voice turned firm.
"Watch your mouth."
"You talk as if you've known her your entire life."
Liam's sharp gaze shifted toward him.
"Oh, I do."
His voice was dangerously calm.
"And what business is it of yours?"
He took a step closer.
"You're just her doctor..."
A sarcastic smile spread across his face.
"Or maybe..."
His eyes landed on Yuhan.
"You're actually the father."
"And judging by your attitude, I wouldn't be surprised if the kid wanted to replace you."
Mark's fists instantly clenched.
"What did you just say?"
His patience snapped.
"And don't you dare call Yuhan names."
Liam let out a cold chuckle.
"Why?"
"Did I hit a nerve?"
The tension between the two men became suffocating.
It looked as though they were only seconds away from throwing punches.
"Liam..."
Lydian quickly stepped between them.
"Enough."
People had already begun stopping to watch.
Hospital staff whispered among themselves while patients peeked out from their rooms.
"We're making a scene."
She looked directly into Liam's eyes.
"Yuhan is not Mark's son."
"But whoever his father is..."
"...is none of your business anymore."
Her words struck Liam harder than he cared to admit.
Before anyone could speak again—
A small voice interrupted them.
"You..."
Yuhan walked in front of his mother, tears filling his innocent eyes.
"I thought you were nice."
His tiny hands pushed against Liam's legs over and over.
"But you're a bad person!"
"I don't like you anymore!"
Liam instinctively stepped backward.
Without realizing it...
His movement accidentally caused Yuhan to lose his balance.
The little boy fell onto the polished floor.
Thud!
"M-Mommy..."
Tears instantly streamed down Yuhan's cheeks.
Seeing the child cry ignited Mark's anger.
He shoved Liam away.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"If you have a problem with Lydian, don't drag an innocent child into it!"
At that exact moment, several hospital security guards rushed toward them.
"Sir!"
"Please stop!"
"You're disturbing the other patients."
One of the guards reached for Liam's arm.
Liam immediately shook him off.
"Don't touch me."
His cold eyes never left Lydian.
"This isn't over."
Then his gaze shifted toward Mark.
"And you..."
He smirked.
"Try not to stick your nose into other people's business."
With that, Liam turned around and walked away without looking back.
But for reasons he couldn't explain...
The image of Yuhan crying on the floor kept replaying inside his mind.
An unfamiliar feeling settled heavily in his chest.
...Guilt.
---
Just as Liam reached the hospital lobby, Cedric came running toward him while holding several documents.
"Sir!"
"I've got your test results."
Liam didn't even spare him a glance.
He brushed past him without saying a single word.
Cedric stood there, blinking in confusion.
He scratched his head before muttering to himself.
"...Is my boss only suffering from a heart condition?"
He sighed dramatically.
"Or is something wrong with his brain too?"
"Why is he always so grumpy?"
- Writer
