Chapter 133: NEW LIFE
AFTER GARAM gave birth to Gunwoo, Mija decided that they should settle in Nami Island.
When he heard that from the child, he actually had goosebumps.
This is actually my mother’s hometown.
At first, he got worried because in case Song Sihyuk suddenly retrieved his memories, the first place he’d look for was Garam’s hometown.
But Mija assured him that it wouldn’t happen.
"That ahjussi has an intense personality, so he tends to overthink things that are related to you, Oppa. So, it’s better to hide in plain sight than hide in some isolated place that Song Sihyuk Ahjussi might think of."
That was when he felt relieved.
So, Garam bought a house in Nami Island— a house that came with a strawberry farm.
I’d say it was a good investment.
He wasn’t good at doing business, so he let Shin Geon and Shin Junho manage the strawberry farm. And now it was thriving.
We deliver strawberries to different restaurants in Seoul.
Plus, when it was strawberry season, they would open their farm to tourists who wanted to pick strawberries for a small fee.
But that wasn’t Garam’s only source of income.
Fortunately, he could work remotely with his former group members by simply using his laptop.
Yes, I’m still working with them.
A year after Garam settled in Nami Island, he reached out to Gong Hanseo.
After their oldest member got discharged from the military, Gong Hanseo immediately started creating his own entertainment company with Lee Eunsang, Finn, and Kwon Jigu.
Fortunately, the four of them were able to re-debut together.
And, yes, they got to keep their group name since Gong Hanseo fought for it hard.
They released a statement saying that I was on an indefinite hiatus because of the current state of my mental health.
The fans thought he was completely resting.
But, in reality, Garam had been making songs with his group members under the alias ’G-Woo.’ He had produced all the songs for ViBo’s re-debut album, and it was a success. It sold 700,000 copies during its first week and the title track reached number one in different domestic charts.
Thanks to that success, ViBo won #1 on several music shows.
That was two years ago, though.
Recently, the members had been focusing on their solo activities.
Lee Eunsang had now cemented his name as a talented idol-turned-actor who was more than a pretty face.
Finn was now a fashion icon that luxury brands would fight over.
Kwon Jigu had built his own dance studio, and he would create choreographies for other groups.
Gong Hanseo was now a known producer in the industry. The song he created for a famous survival show had become an instant hit. Ever since then, he had been in charge of producing songs not only for audition programs, but also OST for some hit dramas.
Of course, Garam was also involved in producing those songs as ’G-Woo.’
And that was how he stayed busy for the past five years.
And, now, he regretted it a bit.
I’ve been so busy this week that I didn’t even notice the bruises on my baby’s legs...
***
GARAM cleaned the scrape on Gunwoo’s knees after his baby tripped earlier.
Her son had now stopped crying after Mija made strawberry tanghulu for him.
Yes, Mija is in middle school now (homeschooled, her choice)— old enough to make stuff in the kitchen on her own.
"Baby, did you get hurt while playing in the strawberry farm?"
There weren’t really kids around Gunwoo’s age in their neighborhood, except for Shin Geon and Shin Junho’s three-year-old daughter.
But Gunwoo couldn’t possibly play that hard with a three-year-old.
They’re both babies.
"Gunwoo didn’t get hurt, Dad," Gunwoo said in a sleepy voice. And, yes, his four-year-old son still spoke in third person. "Gunwoo can’t play with Jina well because Gunwoo is always tired."
Garam was actually surprised.
Honestly, Gunwoo had just finished daycare.
And, this coming March, his baby would finally start kindergarten.
But it was still vacation time, so his son had been doing nothing but play.
And he doesn’t play that much either.
"You’re always tired, Gunwoo-ya?"
"Yes, Dad," Gunwoo said, nodding. "And sleepy, too."
"Now that he mentions it, I do think that Gunwoo is sleeping more so than usual, Oppa," Mija commented. "He just sleeps in the strawberry farm these days, so Jina gets upset since they’re supposed to be playing."
Oh.
"That’s a bit worrying," Garam said worriedly. "Let me call Junho Hyung first."
***
"I SUSPECT iron deficiency anemia, Garam-ah."
Garam wouldn’t say that he was surprised because it was his suspicion, too.
But it made him more worried now that he realized that his suspicions were current.
Junho Hyung is a former nurse who used to take care of Omegas and their children, so I’m sure he’s right.
Now Garam felt like his heart had just fallen to the floor.
"We don’t have a big hospital here on the island," Shin Junho said. "I think we should bring the young master to a hospital in Seoul."
Oh.
Garam hadn’t left the island with Gunwoo yet.
But he was planning to return to Seoul anyway for his son’s education.
Is it safe to return now?
It had been five years already, and Song Sihyuk hadn’t made a move to look for him.
Plus, the public has already forgotten about me. There are many groups that debuted from survival shows that became instant top idols. So, I’m sure people won’t recognize me anymore even if they see me in public.
Moreover, Garam wouldn’t risk Gunwoo’s safety just because of his fears.
"Oppa!"
The panic in Mija’s voice immediately sent Garam and Shin Junho running towards Gunwoo’s room, where the cry had come from.
Gunwoo was lying on the bed, obviously unwell.
My baby...
"Oppa, Gunwoo is burning hot," Mija said worriedly. "My vision says we should take him to the hospital now."
Oh.
Garam froze in fear because it was the first time something like that had happened.
Especially since he could see Gunwoo struggling while clutching his chest as if he couldn’t breathe.
"Garam-ah, get a grip," Shin Junho said firmly while squeezing Garam’s shoulder. "I’ll call Geon and ask him to prepare the car and drive us to the ferry terminal. The travel time may take a while, so you should give Gunwoo some medicine first to lower his fever. Your child needs you, so stay sharp."
That helped Garam return to his senses.
Yes, I have to be strong for my baby.
***
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