The Rogue, Genius, Chaebol's Daughter is a Baby Master Detective! - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A hooligan, a genius, and a wealthy heiress walk into a baby detective!
Episode 6
Lee Hyun-woo stammered over his words.
“I, I only found out the child existed a little while ago!”
Kang Tae-jun spoke with a firm expression.
“I will spare no expense in supporting Haru for all the time I’ve missed.”
Gong Dae-in lowered his head as well.
“I will become the father she truly needs.”
Grandmother clucked her tongue and fried up the kimbap rolls.
The food arrived. Haru picked up the Fork with practiced ease.
“Haru does great all by herself! Mama said to become an independent child!”
After taking a bite of the tteokbokki, Haru blew on it with little puffs. All three men simultaneously offered her their water glasses.
Haru observed the men’s hands while she chewed on the tteokbokki. The hand holding the Chopsticks. Kang Tae-jun, right-handed. Lee Hyun-woo, right-handed. Gong Dae-in—
Left-handed.
Haru found herself looking down at the Fork in her own left hand. Haru was left-handed too.
‘Could that mister be Haru’s real dad?’
Haru recalled something she’d seen in a Picture Book.
‘Left-handedness makes up ten percent of the population. They said it’s mostly genetic! So could this mister really be—?’
As Haru stared intently at Gong Dae-in, he wiped the sauce from the corner of her mouth with an expressionless face. There was something mechanical about the way he went about his task without a trace of emotion—like a robot from the baby pig Picture Book.
Lee Hyun-woo’s sharp gaze caught Haru’s eyes darting back and forth between her own left hand and Gong Dae-in’s left hand.
“I’m left-handed too!”
Lee Hyun-woo attempted to use Chopsticks with his left hand, then dropped a piece of tteokbokki.
“Stop being ridiculous.”
Kang Tae-jun’s face showed open disdain.
Haru mulled it over carefully. Left-handedness alone wasn’t enough. She needed more clues.
‘Something’s fishy! Even Dodo said so—the real answer doesn’t reveal itself easily! I need to observe more!’
“Haru’s still investigating. I need you mister to help me figure out which of you is my real dad.”
“Wasn’t I the father?”
Kang Tae-jun spoke with an oddly dejected expression.
Lee Hyun-woo suddenly looked crestfallen.
“Wait, mister?”
“Since we don’t know yet who the real dad is, if I call just anyone ‘dad,’ the real one will be sad.”
Haru drew her eyes wide open, her mouth pressed into a firm line.
“Mama said family is really precious. So I can’t just call anyone dad.”
All three men thought to themselves silently.
‘That kind of decisiveness and logic—it must come from me.’
‘She’s adorable. I want to destroy the world.’
‘Ninety-nine percent probability she’s my daughter. Objectively speaking, she resembles me the most.’
“Right! Once we confirm he’s the real dad, you’ll call him dad then, won’t you?”
At Lee Hyun-woo’s words, Haru broke into a bright smile. With a Fork loaded with tteokbokki in one hand, she drew a wide circle in the air with the other.
“Of course! If he’s the real dad, Haru will love him this much!”
All three men clutched their chests simultaneously.
Though it was Haru who’d asked for tteokbokki, she was too full to eat much of it in the end.
As they were leaving the Tteokbokki Restaurant, Lee Hyun-woo opened his mouth with a subtle eagerness to his voice.
“Hey Haru, at Dad’s place there’s a gaming console, and a private theater too? There’s tons of fun stuff? We even decorated your room real pretty since you were coming—aren’t you curious?”
Kang Tae-jun threw cold water on it from the sidelines.
“A house with a gaming console and private theater can hardly be conducive to education.”
“Haru needs to run around and play joyfully!”
“Nonsense.”
Kang Tae-jun let out a scoff.
“Obviously, I’m the one who should raise her, since I can provide the most suitable environment. And don’t forget—it was Haru who chose me.”
“You’re too busy to even take care of Haru.”
“I’ve already looked into kindergartens for Haru. Normally they don’t accept transfers, but they said if she’s my daughter, they’ll welcome her without question.”
“A work-addicted company president—as if you could pick Haru up from kindergarten on time! Do you even know how crucial five years old is for development?”
“I can make time. And you’re hardly any less busy yourself, are you?”
“I have capable staff!”
“An irresponsible statement. Both as a company representative and as a child’s father.”
Gong Dae-in stepped into their quarrel.
“I am prepared to provide both a stable environment and educational stimulation, so I will raise her.”
Haru wedged herself between the three of them.
“I already decided, back at the restaurant!”
Dodo trotted after Haru as she reached out her hand toward Kang Tae-jun.
“?”
“Hold my hand.”
Kang Tae-jun froze, taken aback.
“Hold your… hand?”
Haru nodded firmly.
She extended her gloved hand toward him again.
When Kang Tae-jun awkwardly offered his hand, Haru grasped his pinky finger with determined precision. Then she turned to the other two men, whose shoulders had sagged with disappointment. “It’s okay. If you wait, I’ll investigate the rest of the uncles too.”
“It’s okay. I’ll investigate the other uncles for you if you wait.”
Lee Hyun-woo crouched down, his face falling into an exaggerated pout.
“Haru, sweetie! Hold daddy’s hand too! Daddy’s hand is much warmer, isn’t it?”
Kang Tae-jun pushed Lee Hyun-woo’s forehead away before he could get too close to Haru.
“Wait—Haru, what’s with the gloves?”
All three men’s eyes shifted to Haru’s hands.
“It’s warmed up outside. Aren’t you hot?”
The moment Lee Hyun-woo reached to pull off her gloves, Haru flinched and hid her hands behind her back.
“Don’t touch!”
The three men stopped short. Haru, who had been giggling without end just moments before, had gone rigid. The air froze uncomfortably. Gong Dae-in pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
“It’s perfectly fine. If Haru wishes to keep her gloves on, then she should.”
Only then did Haru’s tense shoulders ease slightly.
“Haru can’t take off her gloves.”
Lee Hyun-woo recovered his usual playful demeanor and began to coax her.
“Haru, sweetie. Daddy’s sorry. I didn’t know you’d hate it so much.”
Now Haru slowly brought her hidden hands back in front of her.
The three men exchanged a meaningful look. They had no idea how Oh Jang-mi had raised this child, but something felt off. Hiding nothing in front of Haru, Kang Tae-jun spoke calmly.
“For now, I’ll take the child with me. I’ll arrange a proper place soon enough.”
***
The penthouse at the very top of a high-end office building.
“Wow!”
Haru dashed from room to room, gasping with wonder at each turn.
Kang Tae-jun, recalling the shabby studio apartment where Haru had been living, clicked his tongue in disapproval.
‘Children’s immune systems are weak when they’re young—they catch illnesses easily. I wonder if she’s been sick at all.’
As Kang Tae-jun watched Haru rolling around on the carpet, his gaze fell on the dingy stuffed bear she’d brought with her. His eyebrows twitched.
Without warning, Kang Tae-jun snatched the bear. Haru bounced up and tried to reclaim it, but it was beyond her reach.
“Gomi is mine!”
“It’s filthy.”
Filthy? Gomi?
Thump—Haru’s expression crumpled like a blade of grass struck by lightning.
“It’s not dirty!”
“It is. I’ll wash it and give it back to you.”
Haru glared at Kang Tae-jun, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
“Gomi doesn’t want a bath! I hate you, mister!”
Shock hardened Kang Tae-jun’s face. To be despised by a child so quickly—it was unexpected.
He knew nothing about childcare, but he’d picked up a thing or two along the way.
To guide a child down the right path, you couldn’t lose the power struggle, they said.
For Haru’s sake, Kang Tae-jun steeled himself and spoke.
“No means no.”
The moment Kang Tae-jun shoved Gomi into the washing machine and reached for the button, Haru burst into tears.
“Waaah! I don’t want to!”
Kang Tae-jun froze in shock. A child’s crying. How was he supposed to handle this?
“…Would you feel better if I threw out Gomi and bought you a new one?”
“No! The new one won’t smell like mommy! You’re really mean, mister! You’re a villain!”
Kang Tae-jun fell silent. He’d forgotten that it hadn’t even been a full day since this child had been separated from her mother.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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