"Sure. Come with me," said Doctor Lissa as she walked into the room.
Bara followed behind her until they entered a small nursery room.
There, Bara saw the tiny baby he had found-his little princess-lying inside an incubator.
"Doctor, may I stay here with her?" Bara asked, eyes fixed on the fragile baby.
"I'm sorry, Sir. This is an infant care room. But don't worry, the nurses will watch her closely. If you're busy, you may return later," Doctor Lissa replied warmly.
"Well then... I entrust my daughter to you, Doctor. I'll settle the administrative paperwork first. Oh, and... I'm naming her BELLYCA DELANO."
Doctor Lissa blinked, surprised. She didn't expect he had already chosen a name.
"What a beautiful name," she said softly, smiling as she nodded.
"Thank you. Alright, I'll go now. I'll come back this afternoon," Bara said before turning to leave.
He walked to the cashier to complete the administration, then retrieved his suitcase and exited the clinic.
The first thing Bara looked for was a small, simple rental house. Once he secured a unit, he unpacked his clothes and belongings, organizing them neatly in his room.
When everything was set, he ordered an online taxi. The moment the ride arrived, Bara locked his door and left.
Drrzzz... drrzzz... drrzzz...!
His phone vibrated during the ride.
It was Aunt Nay calling. Bara hesitated, unsure of what to say.
I can't possibly tell her that I ran away from home. What reason would I give?! he thought anxiously-but the phone kept vibrating.
"Hello, Aunt..." Bara finally answered.
"Bara? Your uncle said you've moved to your wife's house. Is that true? Why didn't you tell me?!" Aunt Nay's worried voice came through.
"Huh? Ah-y-yes, Aunt. Sorry... I was in a hurry," Bara said, having no other choice. He simply went along with his uncle's lie, though he didn't know why the man said that.
"Oh, I see... Well, visit me sometime, Bara," she replied, though suspicion crept into her tone. She could hear the shakiness in his voice-Bara's usual tell when he was hiding something.
"Alright, Aunt. Please take care of yourself," Bara said, trying to hold back the weight in his chest. He found it incredibly difficult to hide the truth, but he did it for her sake.
"Yes, you too, Son. I'll end the call now," Aunt Nay said softly.
"Yes, Aunt. Goodbye," Bara replied before hanging up.
He let out a shaky breath and tried to calm himself.
"We've arrived, Sir," the taxi driver informed him.
"Oh-yes. Here's the fare, thank you," Bara said before stepping out.
He had arrived at a baby supply store. Bara bought everything he thought he needed. Thankfully, social media guides he had read helped him understand what newborns required.
But unbeknownst to him, the women in the store couldn't stop staring. A handsome young man buying baby items-it made their hearts flutter.
Bara, however, didn't care. He was focused solely on his daughter's needs.
Afterward, Bara went to a supermarket. He bought formula, bread, and other essentials for himself and his baby. There, too, he became the center of attention. With his tall and perfect build, paired with a face comparable to a world-class actor, every woman who saw him was stunned.
But Bara remained indifferent. He neither noticed nor cared.
Returning to his rental house, he arranged all his purchases. For a brief moment, he felt fine. Buying things for his daughter eased some of the heaviness in his heart.
Then he paused.
"Where should my little princess sleep?" Bara muttered, scratching his head in confusion.
"Beside me?!" he said again, stacking pillows on his bed.
"No! I can't! What if I accidentally push her? No, no. I should've bought a baby crib. How could I forget?" Bara groaned, tapping his forehead.
"Well... everything else is ready. Only the crib is missing," he said after checking the items. Then he glanced at his watch.
"Oh, it's already one in the afternoon. I'm starving," Bara murmured.
He grabbed his phone and ordered food online. While waiting, he pulled out his laptop from his suitcase.
He sat silently for a moment, thinking about his savings, which had begun to dwindle. It was the savings account his parents had made for him when he was five. That money was all he had now.
He never asked for money from his uncle or aunt. They already paid his school fees, and he always believed his uncle's constant claims that the company was struggling financially. Of course, it was all a lie-but Bara was too young to notice back then.
"I need to find a job..." Bara muttered, thinking about his future-and his little daughter's.
"But if I work, who will take care of Bellyca?" he wondered anxiously.
"Should I leave her at an orphanage?" he whispered, lost in thought.
But immediately, he shook his head violently.
"No, no, no! What am I thinking?! Bellyca is my daughter."
Bara tapped his own forehead, scolding himself.
He sat there for a long time, frozen, deep in thought-until his phone vibrated.
"Hello?"
"Your order has arrived at your door," said the food delivery driver.
"Oh, okay."
Bara went outside to pick up his meal.
After finishing his first meal of the day-having eaten nothing since morning-Bara looked back at his laptop. Then, suddenly, his lips curved into a faint smile.
"Alright. This will be my job now," he thought with renewed enthusiasm and began working on the concepts forming in his mind.
He was so absorbed that he didn't notice time passing. When he finally checked his watch, it was already seven in the evening.
Bara blinked in surprise.
He needed to get ready-
He had to visit his little daughter at the clinic.
...
