Moon's Labyrinths

“What do you mean? I don’t think I’ve seen a kid this cute since Jimin . ”

“... I’m pretty sure I wasn’t a cute child . ”

Jimin tried to prevent a blush from forming on her face as she weakly tried to protest . However, her mothers had started thinking about the past, and her protests were very powerless against them .

“What do you mean? You were so cute when you were little . When I saw you for the first time, I had thought that you were a little angel . Compared to my boring son . . . ”

Hweeyoung conjured up memories of someone . She propped her chin up in her hand, as she spat out her grievance .

“You are blessed . He is reliable, so why are you complaining? It is better than being a playboy that stirs up trouble each time the wind blows . ”

“What do you mean? I’d rather my son have a lively personality . He always says he has things to do, remains stiff, and never relaxes his eyes . ”

A small spark passed between the gazes of the two women, and Jimin let out a bitter laughter again . She carefully moved away a little bit since she didn’t want to get pulled into their verbal sparring . However, there was a factor that got in the way of their argument .

“Thank you for the meal!”

While Jimin, Hweeyoung, and Aiin conversed with each other, Shinhae had continued to silently stuff pasta into her mouth . When she finished her meal, she put down her fork . The plate had some sauce at the bottom, but all the pasta was gone .

Shinhae extended her hands as she struggled to reach over the table . Her target was the napkin dispenser placed at the middle of the table .

“Here!”

Hweeyoung quickly moved the napkin dispenser in front of Shinhae . The little girl peered at Hweeyoung . Even though Jimin had vouched for Hweeyoung, there was still a slight wariness in Shinhae’s eyes . However, she did as she was taught, and bowed her head,

“Thank you, unni . ”

“You’re welcome . ”

Hweeyoung’s lips twitched each time she heard unni . It was as if the corners of her mouth were dancing .

After taking out a napkin from the dispenser, Shinhae wiped all the sauce around her mouth . Hweeyoung was about to ask if she needed anything more, when it happened .

“Whoops!”

Shinhae lightly jumped off from her chair .

“May I go play?”

Shinhae moved to Jimin’s side, and her eyes twinkled . Her eyes kept moving from Jimin to a different location . Hweeyoung and Aiin naturally looked towards where Shinhae was looking .

They caught sight of a children’s indoor playground placed at the corner of the food court . There was a small plastic slide and several other rides . Children were already playing there .

“You shouldn’t run . Also, you have to be careful while you play . Ok?”

“Yes!”

“Come back after you have some fun . ”

“I’ll be back!”

After saying those words, Shinhae headed towards the playroom . She looked to be in a hurry, but she didn’t ignore Jimin’s words . She never ran and was careful to check her surroundings as she walked .

Hweeyoung and Aiin looked a bit surprised as they looked at Shinhae .

“She really reminds me of you when you were young . ”

Aiin thought about the past as she spoke . Her son had caused all kinds of trouble when he had been Shinhae’s age, but Jimin, she had been like this little girl . She would listen to their words and did not cause any trouble .

“Are you sure she isn’t your daughter?”

A bit of suspicion could be heard within Hweeyoung’s question . She knew it was impossible, but this child’s actions were very similar to the young Jimin .

“She really isn’t . ”

Jimin was firm in her denial, so the suspicion in Hweeyoung’s eyes faded away . In the first place, she didn’t believe Shinhae was Jimin’s daughter . But just in case, she had to ask .

“Ok . Still, even if you make an accident, you should tell us . We will always be on your side . ”

“How can you call it an accident! You always pick the worst words!”

“You never know what might happen in a person’s life!”

Jimin decided to think they were referring to speeding with a car when they referred to an accident . She replied quietly as the two women started verbally sparring once again .

“Yes . I understand . ”

When Hweeyoung said she would always be on her side, Jimin could see the truth in Hweeyoung’s eyes . Neither of them was her birth mother, yet their love for her didn’t differ from the love given by a birth mother . Jimin decided to receive their words with a happy heart .

“So why are you at a department store? You don’t like coming to places like this . ”

Hweeyoung looked up and down at Jimin’s entire body . As always, she was wearing a black suit . A bitterness appeared in Hweeyoung’s eyes when she saw this .

It was direct proof that Jimin wasn’t over Jungbum’s death yet .

Jimin wore a suit every day, but it really wasn’t her taste in fashion . Before Jungbum’s death, she never used to wear drab and colorless suits . In fact, her taste in fashion was closer to Hweeyoung’s taste . She used to wear bright and cheerful clothes . But ever since her father died, the black suit had always surrounded her body .

She was wearing funeral black . She couldn’t forget her father’s death, and she had descended to a cold and dark place in her heart . The black suit reflected the state of her heart . Hweeyoung and Aiin wanted Jimin to lose the black suit as soon as possible . However, her heart remained trapped in her funeral black .

“I wanted to buy Shinhae some clothes . ”

Jimin spoke as she watched Shinhae play in the indoor playroom . The girl was coming down the slide, when she met eyes with Jimin . Shinhae gave a big wave, and Jimin responded with a small wave . A light smile appeared on Jimin’s lips .

It wouldn’t be strange to say she looked like a mother looking at her child .

“You said her name is Shinhae? What kind of relationship do you have with her? Even if you value an employee, it is a bit weird for you to take his kid around like this . ”

Hweeyoung asked a series of questions .

“She is similar to me . ”

“Similar?”

“Yes . I would say our home environment is similar . ”

“... I see . ”

The light in Hweeyoung and Aiin’s eyes changed . Until now, they had only looked at Shinhae as a cute child . However, after Jimin’s words, their eyes became full of empathy and sympathy . She came from a similar home environment as Jimin . Of course, it meant Shinhae hadn’t lived an easy life .

‘Poor kid . ’

Hweeyoung and Aiin had the same thought .

“It felt as if it was part of my affairs when it came to her . So, I decided to take care of her while her father is on the moon . ”

“What about her mother? You said she comes from a similar home environment, so I’m guessing the problem is with the mother?”

Jimin nodded . Aiin, who had asked the question, grabbed her head in pain .

“Please take care of her . She is so young . How awful!”

Aiin once again looked towards Shinhae, who was playing in the playroom with a bright smile on her face . Suddenly, she spoke up .

“Come to think of it, did that woman pester you again?”

‘That woman’

It was a vague word, but all three of them knew who she was referring to . Those ambiguous words were enough . Hweeyoung openly expressed her disgust .

“Why did you have to bring up that bitch? You are going to bring us bad luck . ”

“I didn’t intend to bring it up . However, you know her personality . It is about that time when she starts approaching Jimin . Even if she did see that woman, Jimin wouldn’t say anything, because she doesn’t want us to worry . ”

“You have a point . ”

Aiin was pretty persuasive . Hweeyoung looked towards Jimin for an answer .

She wondered if they already knew about what her mother was up to . Jimin let out a sigh .

“I met her not too long ago . ”

“I knew it . ”

Aiin spat out her words as if she was displeased .

“You didn’t go looking for her, right?”

“Of course not . She came to my office . ”

“That bitch!”

If Ahjung was here, Hweeyoung would have pulled her hair and would have knee kicked Ahjung in the face . Hweeyoung raged . Aiin looked calm, but there was a fire burning in her eyes . One should not mistake her for being calm .

“What did she say?”

Aiin’s voice sounded like the cold northerly winds when she asked the question .

“She said she’ll introduce me to a man . She said I should marry him . ”

“Bullshit... . ”

Jimin was a bit surprised . It was very rare for a cuss word to come out of Aiin’s mouth .

“She is trying to pull off some bullshit plan again . ”

This was a familiar sight . Hweeyoung had a lively and capricious personality . She was someone that used quite a lot of cuss words .

“If that bitch does anything that inconveniences you, you shouldn’t hesitate to tell us . Understood? This time I will pull out all her hair . ”

Hweeyoung showed a fiery spirit . It seemed she really wanted to make her words into reality .

Whenever the topic of her birth mother came up, Jimin always got a headache . However, she was able to let out a light smile this time . She was once again feeling how much her step mothers treasured her .

As much as she felt their love, she was also sad at the fact that they weren’t her real mothers .

“I forgot to ask you something important . ”

Hweeyoung, who had been bad mouthing Ahjung for a while, asked Jimin a question .

“What about your new employee? What kind of person is Shinhae’s father?”

They should have asked Jimin about her employee earlier . They only knew he had a daughter . Their conversation got sidetracked, so they weren’t able to ask more about the man . They knew about Jimin’s past employees, that they had been trash . This was why this question had to be asked .

When asked the question, Jimin thought about Sungyoon .

He was blunt and gloomy . At first glance, he wasn’t someone one wanted to get close to . But despite his flaws, he worked hard to keep promises, and above all else, he really loved his daughter . However, her mothers weren’t asking for these answers . They would probably never meet him, so she gave a single sentence answer .

“He is a good person . ”

That was enough . Any more explanation would be a distraction .

Hweeyoung and Aiin observed Jimin for a moment . They simultaneously smiled at the same time .

“That’s a relief . ”

“Yes . ”

At Aiin’s words, Jimin let out a small smile as she nodded her head .

* * *

“Hoohp . ”

After taking a deep breath, he tensed his body . He planted his body in front of the large shield, looking like a sturdy mountain .

Boom!

The horn of the charging monster impacted on Tim’s shield .

“Koo-hoohp!”

Tim let out a small grunt, and his body was pushed back a little bit . This was evidence of the enormous power behind the monster’s charge . However, Tim’s defense didn’t break .

“Ha-ahhhhht!”

Sungyoon popped out from behind Tim, and he took a big swing with his mace . His attack was buffed through reinforcement magic . His mace hit the large rhinoceros-looking monster with red skin on its back .

Kwah-jeek!

One could tell just by the sound that it was a serious blow . The concave spine of the Bloody Rhino broke, and it cratered inwards .

-Gwehhhhhhhhk!

It thrashed its head in all directions . Sungyoon hurriedly took a step back . He didn’t want to get entangled . Tim also took a step back as he observed the monster’s movements .

-Koo-roo-roohk!

It slowly stopped thrashing . It was used to the pain now, and it wanted revenge against those that gave him the pain .

However, the party had been waiting for this moment .

“Ooh-rah-cha!”

When the Bloody Rhino calmed down a little bit, Tim ran in again . He bashed its head with his large shield .

Boom!

A deafening roar rang out . The Bloody Rhino had just calmed down, yet it started to thrash once again . It seemed to be losing consciousness as its movements weakened .

“Hoo-ryaht!”

This time Tim swung his axe as he kept his shield up . The axe embedded itself in the Bloody Rhhino’s head, and blood sprayed into the air .

-Koo-uhhhhhhhh!

The monster thrashed again in pain . However, once again, Tim had retreated . The Bloody Rhino had blood running down its head as it glared at Tim . Its frightening red eyes were filled with hate . However, Tim wasn’t scared . In fact, he had been waiting for this moment, the moment when the monster’s attention would solely be on him . At this time, Sungoon once again closed the distance .

Hoo-ooh-oong!

He gripped his mace with both hands and swung it with all his might towards its head .

Kwah-jee-jeek!

The Bloody Rhino’s head cratered, and both its eyes popped out of its sockets .

Boom!

The enormous body lost all its strength as it fell to the floor . Its tongue protruded from its open mouth as it drowned within its own blood . The Bloody Rhino had died a gruesome death, and one couldn’t feel its life energy any more .