My family

Seo Ra-on was nineteen, strikingly handsome in a way that made people look twice—long black hair that brushed his shoulders at the back, shorter and neatly parted at the front, deep brown eyes framed by long lashes, and a tall 6’6 frame with a lean, athletic build. Despite his quiet presence, he carried an aura of maturity far beyond his years, shaped by the tragedies that marked his childhood. His parents had been powerful business figures—brilliant, wealthy, and influential—yet constantly surrounded by rivals hungry to bring them down. Knowing the world they lived in, they prepared carefully for any eventuality. When Ra-on was fourteen, their worst fear became reality: their car spiraled off a wet highway late one evening, killing them instantly. The police later confirmed that the brakes had been deliberately tampered with. Yet despite months of investigation, the case went cold. The culprit was never found. When the will was read, every last property, bank account, and vast expanse of land was passed solely to Ra-on. Enraged and humiliated, the extended family who had long coveted his parents’ empire refused to take him in. Overnight, he became not only an orphan but the target of resentment. The only person who stood by him was Yun Do-han, his parents’ loyal secretary. Do-han had been with the family since he was sixteen, sponsored, mentored, and educated by Ra-on’s parents until he eventually became their most trusted aide. At twenty-five, he stepped in without hesitation, moving fourteen-year-old Ra-on into a quiet home far away from the chaos and raising him with devotion. Under Do-han’s guidance, Ra-on grew into a disciplined and brilliant young man. When he turned eighteen, he was admitted into a prestigious law program, determined to understand justice—something he felt had been denied to his parents. College was also where he met Hae Rim-seo, a strikingly beautiful girl from an elite family, studying law like him. She had a sharp tongue, a proud personality, and a reputation for arrogance, but Ra-on saw something softer beneath her polished exterior. Against everyone’s expectations, the two fell deeply in love. Their relationship, however, turned complicated in their second year when Rim-seo discovered she was pregnant. Terrified of scandal and unwilling to ruin her future, she insisted on an abortion. Ra-on begged her not to. He wanted the child—wanted a family again, even if imperfect. After days of conflict, Rim-seo agreed on three harsh conditions: 1. After giving birth, she would hand the child over entirely to Ra-on. 2. She would leave for the United States immediately after delivery to continue her studies, and he must never contact or look for her again. 3. He must drop out of law school, ensuring they would never cross paths professionally in the future. The conditions were cruel, but Ra-on accepted them without hesitation. He loved her. He loved their unborn child even more. Rim-seo stayed hidden throughout her pregnancy, refusing to let anyone outside her closest household staff know. When the day finally came, she delivered twins—a boy and a girl. That very night, during a heavy rainfall, her family’s butler arrived at Ra-on’s doorstep with two tiny infants wrapped in soft blankets. The next morning, Rim-seo boarded a plane to the U.S. without looking back. Left standing in the quiet hallway of his home, Ra-on held his newborn children—his entire world now small enough to fit in his arms. He named them himself: Seo Jae-rin, the boy, with calm eyes like his; and Seo Ara-yeon, the girl, delicate and bright like Rim-seo. From that night forward, Ra-on’s life changed. No longer a college student, no longer just a survivor of tragedy—he became a father, determined to build a peaceful world for the twins his first love had abandoned.

My family

Seo Ra-on was nineteen, strikingly handsome in a way that made people look twice—long black hair that brushed his shoulders at the back, shorter and neatly parted at the front, deep brown eyes framed by long lashes, and a tall 6’6 frame with a lean, athletic build. Despite his quiet presence, he carried an aura of maturity far beyond his years, shaped by the tragedies that marked his childhood. His parents had been powerful business figures—brilliant, wealthy, and influential—yet constantly surrounded by rivals hungry to bring them down. Knowing the world they lived in, they prepared carefully for any eventuality. When Ra-on was fourteen, their worst fear became reality: their car spiraled off a wet highway late one evening, killing them instantly. The police later confirmed that the brakes had been deliberately tampered with. Yet despite months of investigation, the case went cold. The culprit was never found. When the will was read, every last property, bank account, and vast expanse of land was passed solely to Ra-on. Enraged and humiliated, the extended family who had long coveted his parents’ empire refused to take him in. Overnight, he became not only an orphan but the target of resentment. The only person who stood by him was Yun Do-han, his parents’ loyal secretary. Do-han had been with the family since he was sixteen, sponsored, mentored, and educated by Ra-on’s parents until he eventually became their most trusted aide. At twenty-five, he stepped in without hesitation, moving fourteen-year-old Ra-on into a quiet home far away from the chaos and raising him with devotion. Under Do-han’s guidance, Ra-on grew into a disciplined and brilliant young man. When he turned eighteen, he was admitted into a prestigious law program, determined to understand justice—something he felt had been denied to his parents. College was also where he met Hae Rim-seo, a strikingly beautiful girl from an elite family, studying law like him. She had a sharp tongue, a proud personality, and a reputation for arrogance, but Ra-on saw something softer beneath her polished exterior. Against everyone’s expectations, the two fell deeply in love. Their relationship, however, turned complicated in their second year when Rim-seo discovered she was pregnant. Terrified of scandal and unwilling to ruin her future, she insisted on an abortion. Ra-on begged her not to. He wanted the child—wanted a family again, even if imperfect. After days of conflict, Rim-seo agreed on three harsh conditions: 1. After giving birth, she would hand the child over entirely to Ra-on. 2. She would leave for the United States immediately after delivery to continue her studies, and he must never contact or look for her again. 3. He must drop out of law school, ensuring they would never cross paths professionally in the future. The conditions were cruel, but Ra-on accepted them without hesitation. He loved her. He loved their unborn child even more. Rim-seo stayed hidden throughout her pregnancy, refusing to let anyone outside her closest household staff know. When the day finally came, she delivered twins—a boy and a girl. That very night, during a heavy rainfall, her family’s butler arrived at Ra-on’s doorstep with two tiny infants wrapped in soft blankets. The next morning, Rim-seo boarded a plane to the U.S. without looking back. Left standing in the quiet hallway of his home, Ra-on held his newborn children—his entire world now small enough to fit in his arms. He named them himself: Seo Jae-rin, the boy, with calm eyes like his; and Seo Ara-yeon, the girl, delicate and bright like Rim-seo. From that night forward, Ra-on’s life changed. No longer a college student, no longer just a survivor of tragedy—he became a father, determined to build a peaceful world for the twins his first love had abandoned.

Time: 11:48 PM Weather: Heavy rain, thunder, cold winds Location: Ra-on’s newly rented temporary apartment (before he bought the house)

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The rain hammered against the windows so violently it sounded like fists desperate to be let inside. Seo Ra-on stood in the middle of the dimly lit living room, the warm glow of a single lamp casting long shadows across the floor. He had not slept well in weeks—every night filled with restless pacing, checking his phone, waiting for the message that would change everything.

At exactly 11:48 PM, the doorbell rang.

A sharp, echoing chime that sliced through the storm.

Ra-on froze. His breath caught. His heart slammed once, hard.

Then again.

His legs felt weightless as he moved toward the door.

When he opened it, a wave of freezing rain gusted into the hallway. Standing there, soaking wet from head to toe, was Rim-seo’s family butler—Mr. Han. His usually immaculate silver hair was plastered to his forehead; his gloves dark with rainwater; his eyes heavy with something more than exhaustion.

But Ra-on didn’t see him at first.

He saw what he carried.

Two small bundles—one pink, one blue—wrapped tightly in soft blankets, each shielded under the butler’s coat, kept close to his chest like fragile treasures.

Ra-on’s breath broke. “Are… are they—?”

Mr. Han stepped inside without waiting to be asked, rainwater pooling around his shoes as he gently, almost reverently, lowered the babies into Ra-on’s trembling arms.

The weight was small. Unbelievably small. Yet it felt like the entire world was suddenly placed against his chest.

“They were born at 10:21 PM,” Mr. Han said quietly, voice tight. “A healthy boy and girl… Miss Rim-seo asked that they be delivered to you immediately.”

Ra-on stared down at the infants—two tiny faces peeking out from the blankets, eyes closed, breaths soft and rhythmic. Their cheeks were flushed, their fists curled like little blossoms. One of them—he wasn’t sure which—made a tiny sound, a soft whimper that pierced through the storm outside.

His throat tightened painfully. “I… I don’t know how to hold them,” he whispered, his hands shaking visibly.

“You’re doing fine,” Mr. Han reassured, though his own voice trembled.

Ra-on’s eyes glistened. “She… didn’t even want to see them?”

The butler looked down. For a moment, the only sound was thunder rolling in the distance.

“She held them,” he said finally. “But she didn’t speak. She only repeated her instructions to leave at once.” A pause. “When I left her, she was crying. But she… still boarded the flight. She’s already at the airport.”

Ra-on swallowed hard, his chest aching, a mix of relief, heartbreak, anger, and love twisting inside him like a storm of its own.

The butler cleared his throat. “These are their birth documents, medical papers, and Miss Rim-seo’s final letter.” He extended a waterproof folder.

Ra-on didn’t take it.

He couldn’t let go of the babies.

So the butler placed it carefully on the table.

Thunder cracked again, making the twins flinch. Instinctively, Ra-on cradled them closer, adjusting his arms awkwardly yet protectively. He leaned his cheek against the top of their blankets, as if shielding them from everything outside.

“They’re so small…” he whispered.

Mr. Han nodded, eyes softening. “They’ll grow. With you, they’ll grow well.”

For the first time since his parents died, someone spoke to him with hope instead of pity.

The door rattled as wind slammed against it.

Mr. Han stepped back, preparing to leave. “This is the last thing Miss Rim-seo asked of me. My duty ends here. Please… take care of them.”

Ra-on looked up, eyes dark and determined. “I will. I swear I will. They’ll never be alone. I’ll give them everything.”

The butler bowed deeply—deeper than he had ever bowed to anyone.

A bow of respect.

A bow of apology.

A bow of farewell.

He turned and disappeared back into the storm, the sound of his footsteps swallowed instantly by the rain.

When the door shut, silence returned.

Ra-on stood there in the quiet, holding the twins against his chest. Their warmth seeped through his thin shirt. Their breaths were soft and real.

His first tears fell onto their tiny foreheads.

“Welcome home,” he whispered, voice cracking. “Jae-rin… Ara-yeon… Appa is here.”

A soft, almost airy coo came from the little girl. The boy tightened his small fist around Ra-on’s shirt.

And just like that, in a storm-filled night, Seo Ra-on became a father.