201 The Optimistic Han Couple (1/2)

”What's your name?” Han Myung Soo gently asked the girl with a warm smile. A touched look graced his face as he stared at the girl who was so similar yet somewhat different compared to his daughter.

”I am Lee Yeo Ri,” she politely introduced herself to them. A slight smile lingered on her face, her eyes remaining placid.

”Oh, Yeo Ri, huh...” Mrs. Han smiled to herself. She almost chuckled at her daughter's naming sense. Since she was 'Yeoreum', her daughter's name had also started with 'Yeo'. It was so like Yeoreum to choose such a simple name.

Yeo Ri paused before answering half a beat later, ”Yes.”

”You can call us Grandpa and Grandma, okay, Yeo Ri-ah?” Mrs. Han said, stretching her hands to hold Yeo Ri's palm that was resting on the table between them.

Yeo Ri tensed slightly at the sudden contact, but continued to uphold her smile. Gently, she pulled her hand away from the older woman, making it seem as if she was going to pick up her teacup to sooth her parched throat instead of avoiding the older woman's touch.

As she was sipping her drink, she could feel a hostile gaze landing on her. Yeo Ri reflexively turned her head towards the direction of the hostility, meeting the eyes of a girl who seemed to be about Gun's age.

The girl, noticing their eye contact, harrumphed before pulling away her gaze and sulkily turned around, sinking into the couch like a brat throwing a tantrum.

The coldness in Yeo Ri's eyes subtly deepened. Hiding it from the two elders in front of her, Yeo Ri continued to drink more tea, acting as if she was unconcerned over the other girl's unfounded animosity towards her.

The two elders did not seem to notice their exchange. They continued to ask several more questions about her.

”How old are you?”

”I'll be turning sixteen this year,” Yeo Ri smiled slightly as she answered, keeping her gaze lowered.

”Oh? When is your birthday?”

”In July,” Yeo Ri vaguely replied. It was clear that she had yet to warm up to her self-proclaimed grandparents.

”I see,” Mrs. Han smiled uneasily. She wanted Yeo Ri to elaborate more on the details of her life, but she did not want to appear pushy.

”Speaking of which, would you like to see Yeoreum's—your mother's—album?” Mr. Han smoothly changed the subject. ”She liked taking pictures growing up. I wonder if it's the same now. Would you like to see them?”

Yeo Ri thought for a moment before nodding her head.

”Great! They're right over here,” Mrs. Han got up, smiling excitedly as she headed over to a shelf filled with various books and trinkets. It only took her a short moment to find what she was looking for.

Mrs. Han pulled out a somewhat large album and laid it out for Yeo Ri to see on the dining table.

Behind the sofa, the other girl scowled at her mother's actions. Her parents would never allow her to even touch that stupid album but they easily showed it to the unknown stranger! The favouritism was clear, and she could not help but deepen her hate towards her 'sister' whom she had never met before.