RE: Keep it in the Family (Secret Class) 3 — Baby Steps II

"He never plays with other kids."

Eun Ha watched Jae-il toddle unsteadily across the playground.

Jae-il showed no interest in joining his peers; he chose spots away from danger, happily lost in solitude. If anyone approached to play, he replied courteously, yet went no further. He wasn't shying away—he interacted with classmates when required.

An eerie quality surfaced in Jae-il. No matter his tender age or surroundings, he never wailed or complained. During their last playground visit, a girl shoved him for not noticing her, leaving a bad bruise on his knee, but he scarcely uttered a peep.

No aptitude test had been done on Jae-il yet; Eun Ha pondered it, noting his growth outpaced typical kids.

Jae-il uttered his first word sooner than his siblings, and it wasn't the usual infant gibberish.

"My little angel is just special."

Social skills raised worries too. Kindergarten staff noted his minimal chats beyond lessons. Yet they marveled more at his advances. By five months, he walked shakily on his own, unlike most infants, and by 15 months, he spoke clearly with a sweet, childlike lilt.

Such traits drew eyes from several park moms. Some praised Jae-il's charm, while others quizzed his sharp mind.

Eun Ha got pulled into chat with three women firing standard queries.

"How do you raise him?"

"Do you feed him anything special?"

"What method did you adopt?"

"Ah, you're very lucky indeed."

After Eun Ha's shrug revealed no special tricks—her son mostly raised himself—one mom commented.

"Yes..." A woman sighed, head shaking sadly. "My dear Lee Sang-hee can barely say her father's name and she's two years old!"

This subject popped up repeatedly during Jae-il's playdates with Eun Ha. She'd chat if tips flowed, but had none to offer. The flood of queries left her flustered, treating Jae-il's giftedness like a manual lesson.

The endless talk wore her down, but Eun Ha stayed courteous, knowing their intent was harmless.

Laughter from kids rang through the playground. Jae-il's stayed absent, naturally.

"Aigoo." One lady cooed.

"He's too adorable." Another added.

"He is! He really takes after your beauty!"

A third joined, beaming with clasped hands, eyeing Eun Ha's boy shuffle by on chubby legs.

Cheeks flushing pink, Eun Ha smiled in quiet accord. "Thank you, Ms. Jung."

A well-mannered, self-reliant infant brought perks. 

Unlike chaotic park toddlers needing nonstop watch, he demanded little oversight. Free from constant vigilance, Eun Ha could glance at Mia and Su Ah swinging and climbing nearby.

Yet she disliked how moms constantly pried into her son's life, like predators eyeing a prize. 

Truth be told, Eun Ha grew annoyed by Jae-il's surging spotlight, masking it with warm smiles.

Switch parks for Jae-il? Keep him homebound? Her boy seemed disinterested in kid games anyway. 

Still, his emotional development nagged at her. 

Husband Yeong Gu shrugged off such issues. Bursting with pride, he hailed his youngest as 'special.' 

He even floated taking Jae-il on trips, sure he'd build Cha Family fortunes like him; she insisted on kid-time freedom. 

Eun Ha shot that down firmly, warning it might hinder bonds beyond family. 

Time showed her caution unneeded. 

Jae-il displayed remarkable poise and self-sufficiency young as he was. 

Admiration warred with worry in Eun Ha for her boy. His swift unfolding thrilled, yet she yearned for him to rely on kin sometimes. 

“Come on, kids. Let’s go home~”

Eun Ha clapped softly, calling Mia, Su-Ah, and Jae-il.

Mia whined to linger, but Su Ah and Jae-il trailed Mom obediently.

Jae-il grasped her offered hand, his face twisting in hilariously fed-up fashion at clinging for the stroll.

Facing her baby, she beamed warmly. "Did you have fun, son?"

"It was tolerable."

"Tolerable?" Eun Ha chuckled, charmed by his word choice. "That sounds like a big word for such a little boy."

Jae-il rolled his eyes. He'd aimed for five-year-old talk. 

This round, he overshot.

"I'll have you know, Mom, that I’m three already. Big boy."

"Mm." Eun Ha's grin grew. "You certainly are."

Comfortable quiet marked their homeward trek. 

xXx

I realized my oddness rang warning bells in minds around me. That wasn't the plan—ideal reborn strategy meant blending in, pursuing quiet wins, thriving later.

Suspicion spelled trouble. Reincarnates might face lab knives, who knew. Still, faking toddler babble proved impossible.

I attempted it first week, then quit as old habits resurfaced. 

Toddler existence bored deeply too.

Trapped in a kid frame lacked story glamour. Humiliating instead. Treated dim and helpless, every deed earned gushing cheers like epic feats.

No gadgets, scant info beyond family books. 'Parents'' toys sat boxed—I scorned squandering stamina on garish blocks.

No… Time-killers were key till independence, sans oversight.

One idea dominated my thoughts.

‘.’

"Dad."

Thus, I neared Father.

Yeong Gu lounged couch-bound, newspaper clutched. Standard downtime—barring living-room mini-golf.

I lingered till paper folded away. Yeong Gu eyed me warmly. His tone soft. "What is it, son? Do you need anything?"

"I want to kick stuff." I stated boldly, direct.

"Kick stuff? Do you want a ball?"

"Yes."

Yeong Gu halted, pondering deeply, chin stroked. "What kind of ball do you want?"

I spun, jabbing at the TV's sports broadcast.

Precisely, the black-white football soaring mid-flight to nestle in the net. Ironic—the net flew South Korea's, crushed by England in groups.

Yeong Gu smiled pleasedly, nodding. "Football, huh?"

I nodded vigorously. "Yes."

"And you want it now?"

I nodded anew. "If possible..."

Past life, pleas to Mom were nil—poverty blocked. New parents felt alien for asks. Old reflexes.

Yeong Gu chuckled, tousling my hair. "We can pick it up later. Getting active early will do you good."

Prior skills wouldn't copy-paste.

Arm-leg-finger sync, muscle mastery, balance, weight handling differed here, demanding retraining for style shift.

Peak form lay distant.

Experience endured.

During our short exchange, Korea leaked another goal.

‘’