Chapter 299: Noona’s scolding

Seoha’s POV

My little girl hugs me, arms around my waist and face pressed against my swollen stomach.

Overwhelmed by her happiness, I stay still and let her have her fill.

Sooin is crying and babbling about how much she misses me.

"Daddy left me. I looked for you everywhere and I didn’t see you" she cries and I run my fingers through her hair, fighting back my own tears.

Goddess, I missed this little treasure so much. I really wasn’t thinking when I ran off from Taerin’s house, was I?

"Daddy is sorry, princess" I say softly, threading my fingers through her soft brown hair.

"It’s so mean. Daddy is so mean" she cries and I look up at Taesan.

The alpha is still on the bench.

He’s looking at us with hooded eyes, and even though he’s tense from being around strangers, I can see a sheen of tears.

He’s also feeling overwhelmed.

"I’m sorry princess, I’ll never leave without you again" I say and Haeri stomps to our side to punch my hip.

"Haeri!" Yujun scolds his daughter, but the little girl points at me.

"Don’t make Soo-Soo cry, bad uncle" she says and I laugh softly at her cute little scowl.

"I won’t make her cry anymore, okay? Sooin, I’m sorry. I promise to cuddle with you" I say and she breaks our hug to look up at me.

"Promise?" she whispers in a small voice and I nod.

"Dad is waiting for you, Innah" I point at my mate who has been watching us quietly, and Sooin runs to him.

He smiles softly as she jumps into his open arms.

"Princess" my alpha breathes out, shutting his eyes to breathe her soft scent in.

Taesan holds her tightly, patting her back and murmuring soft words to her.

I take my eyes off them to say hello to Yuki.

"It’s good to see you alive" Yuki says with a smirk, and I give her a guilty smile while avoiding Taerin noona’s sharp eyes.

"Thank you" I murmur to them.

"I’m sure you know what you did wrong" Taerin says and I duck my head.

"Unnie, scold him when we’re in a quieter place" Yuki whispers and Taerin shakes her head, walking past us with obvious anger.

"She’s going to scold you till you’re sobbing" Yuki jokes as she hugs me and rubs her hand up and down my back in a soothing motion.

"It’s getting hard to hug you now. I can’t believe you’ll soon become a mom, can you believe it?" she giggles.

Speaking of moms...

"How are Minjae and his baby boy?" I ask and Yuki freezes, face forming an ’oh no’ expression.

"Did something happen?" I ask with concern and she sighs.

"No. We didn’t check in on Junho or tell him anything about our travel back here" she says.

"Oh...I’ll call Minjae at a good time" I give her a smile to ease her worry.

"Good idea, let’s go join the others at the table" she says and we return to the table.

When we join the table, we find Taerin in the middle of giving a speech.

The cool and confident woman is introducing herself and thanking the Hwangs for looking after me and Taesan.

"There’s really no need to thank us. I told Seoha that he’s part of my family now" Yujun hyung says, looking at me softly.

I take my seat next to Taesan.

Sooin is in her father’s lap. She’s describing how much she cried when I went missing, and Taesan keeps stealing glances at me.

The atmosphere turns cozy again and the dining goes on longer than it should.

The wind grows colder, the sun goes down, and soon the evening bleeds into the night.

"Wow, time flew by really fast today, didn’t it?" someone at the table says and there are grunts of agreement.

"Dad, I’m sleepy" Sooin says to Taesan.

"You can sleep, baby" Taesan says, and she rests her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes despite the surrounding noise.

"It’s time for your second round of checkup, Taesan" Yeon mom says and the alpha looks down at Sooin who’s comfortably sleeping against his chest.

He must be thinking of not disrupting her sleep.

Oh...he’s such a good father.

"I can help you with her" I offer and Taesan refuses. "I’ll handle it" he says and I really don’t believe it.

The alpha can barely stand by himself. I would hate to see him struggle with Sooin, and I know he would hate it even more if he stumbles in front of the Hwangs.

"I’ll take her" Taerin says in a firm tone, getting up to take her niece from her father.

Taesan slowly lifts himself but falls back onto the bench, cursing under his breath tiredly.

"Sannah..." I say with worry in my eyes and heart.

"It’s okay" he says, struggling to push himself up again, and Yeon sighs.

"Alphas and their irrelevant stubbornness" he murmurs before holding on to Taesan’s side to support him.

"I can support myself" Taesan snaps bitterly.

"And I can fly a jet" my grandma says with a tsk as she pulls her cup of warm tea closer.

"Aigoo, this generation. Getting help is not a bad thing, Taesan" the elderly woman adds and my mate’s jaw ticks before he finally goes to the house with Yeon.

"He’s so stubborn" grandma says with a mocking tsk.

The rest of the dinner goes in a blur as I think of my mate.

"I think it’s time to retire. Seoha-ssi, can I lead you to your room?" Yunah, Yujun’s younger sister, offers and I nod.

"I’ll be back soon" she kisses her mate’s cheek before leading the way.

As Yunah chatters in front of us, I walk slowly with Taerin who helps me with carrying Sooin and Sooin’s small luggage.

And on our way, we run into Yeon mom.

"Where’s he?" I ask after mate with round eyes.

"He’s washing up. Taesan will be joining you in the bedroom tonight, I think it would be of help if he sleeps next to his family" Yeon says and I sigh with relief.

I can’t imagine not sleeping next to him after being in his lap all day today.

"Thank you, Yeon-ssi" I bow in gratitude, the tightness in my chest has eased up so much that I can breathe better now.

"You can go to bed. Taesan will use his dose for the evening, and a guard will bring him in to you" Yeon pats my shoulder and walks away.

Yunah opens the door of the room with a happy smile.

"If you need anything at all, you can ask for me whenever, and I’ll see how I can help you" the young lady says.

"Thank you, Yunah" I bow my head to her.

"No need for formalities" she waves, gives Taerin a polite bow before walking away.

Taerin quietly puts Sooin down on the bed. She takes her shoes off and straightens to look at me.

"I’ll help her shower" she says flatly and I nod, worrying my lip with my front teeth.

I know she’s really going to scold me for running away.

"Don’t stand around, you’re pregnant" she snaps without looking at me, and I guiltily sit on the edge of the bed with my hands between my legs.

The woman goes into the bathroom with my daughter in one arm and the little luggage in her other hand.

"Why are you sitting like a scolded pup" Taesan asks as he comes into the room with the help of a guard.

"Noona is mad at me" I whisper when the guard walks out of the room.

"Don’t worry, you’re pregnant, so she’ll punch me on your behalf" Taesan says and my bottom lip wobbles.

"Don’t say things like that, I feel more scared of noona" I say and he chuckles, sitting next to me.

"We can be scolded pups together" he teases and I pout at him.

Did getting shot mess with his brain chemistry? I think so.

"Why are you two sitting like scolded pups?" Noona asks as she returns from the bathroom with a sleeping, freshly bathed and changed Sooin.

My little girl sleeps through too many things, it’s adorable.

"You can’t scold my mate" Taesan says and Taerin gives him a side-eye.

"I’m seconds away from hitting you" she warns her younger brother and puts her hands on her hips.

"I am disappointed in you Seoha. I expected better behavior from you, considering the fact that you’re pregnant and you have a child" Taerin starts and I bow my head.

"I’m sorry" I say.

"Every action a person carries out has to be done with careful consideration of others" she says and Taesan sighs, putting his arm around my waist.

"Noona, he has learned his lesson and won’t repeat it" he says on my behalf and Taerin glares at him.

"I’m sorry noona, I will act carefully next time" I say in a small voice and she sighs softly.

"I care too much about you, Seoha" she says and the room goes awkwardly silent.

She cares about me...I guess I’m not so lonely after all.

I open my mouth to say I’m sorry, but Noona huffs and leaves the room while muttering to herself.

"Can we sleep now?" Taesan asks and I nod, still feeling touched from noona’s confession.

Taesan and I lie on the small bed with Sooin between us, and I fall asleep with a warm smile on my face.

I’m not unwanted...I’m cared for.