Chapter 3 The Great Negotiation

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Shaking his head firmly, Hyun Bin took his son's hands, patting them gently as he spoke. "Ani, gifts are only meaningful if you earn them yourself. If appa pays for you, then that defeats the purpose, don't you think?"

Puffing out his cheeks, Jeong Eun nodded with a tiny frown on his face. "That makes sense, appa. I want it to be from me."

"That's my boy!" Hyun Bin ruffled Jeong Eun's hair affectionately.

However, instead of laughing as he usually would, Jeong Eun's face remained serious as he pointed at the iPad. "Can I have a look, appa? I just want to look at my options."

"Of course! Come here, little tyke." The man grunted as he lifted Jeong Eun into his lap.

Just like that, father and son were snuggled up on the couch as they each thought about their plans for White Day. Hours later, Jeong Eun could be found in his room, looking down at his stash of money as he counted them repeatedly.

Eun Ae came in minutes later to see her brother who was looking rather dejected as he shook his emptied piggy bank for the last time. Wanting to cheer him up, Eun Ae ran back to her room and picked up Peony before she ran back to her brother's room.

"Oppa, you left Peony in my room

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"Oppa, you left Peony in my room. She wants a cuddle!" Eun Ae said while hugging Happy the hippo to herself.

"Gomawo." Jeong Eun said, managing a tiny smile as he took Peony from his sister.

Hugging the rabbit against his chest, Peony did make him feel slightly better especially now that Eun Ae was by his side too. He was no longer alone, dealing with the disappointing turn of events.

"What's wrong, Oppa? You're all frowny..." Eun Ae cut right to the chase innocently, poking at his cheek to get him to smile.

"I don't have enough money." Jeong Eun sighed softly.

"How much do you have?" Eun Ae asked.

"Slightly over 70000 won." Jeong Eun showed his stash to his sister.

Eun Ae's eyes were wide as they drifted over the pile of money on the floor. "Oppa, that's a lot! How much do you need?"

As though this was some secret illegal business, the sweet boy leaned in and whispered. In response, Eun Ae's eyes only grew even bigger as she stared at her brother in disbelief.

"Why do you need 200000 won?!"

"Hush, Eun Ae. White Day is coming up...I want to buy a bouquet." Jeong Eun clapped a hand over Eun Ae's mouth before she could scream at him again.

Eun Ae's response was muffled by his hand, but Jeong Eun seemed to understand her silent promise to keep this a secret and safely removed his hand.

"Let me help, Oppa! Maybe if we combine our savings, we can get something..."

Just like that, Eun Ae had raced back to her room to get her piggy bank. The jostling sounds and clinking sounds of coins followed her race back to Jeong Eun's room before she plopped herself down next to him again.

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