I Became a Kindergarten Teacher for Monster Babies!

To Lyla, it all finally made sense—why Alina had avoided telling her the kindergarten name, why she had been so secretive. Shame pricked her heart as she realized she had doubted her niece, her sensible, hardworking Alina. She swallowed hard, lowering her gaze.

Lyla took meek steps toward Alina, her face still pale from everything she had just discovered. Slowly, she reached out and clasped her niece's hands with trembling fingers. "I'm sorry, Lina… I should never have doubted you," she whispered, her voice heavy with guilt. "You've always been a sensible little girl. I don't know what came over me."

Alina's lips curved into a soft, forgiving smile. "It's okay, Aunt. Really," she said gently, giving Lyla's hands a small squeeze before letting go. But when her eyes flicked to Dante, guilt tugged inside her chest. He had left his own business—his son's birthday shopping—just because she panicked. She lowered her gaze, her cheeks heating in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, sir… I disturbed you. You were supposed to be shopping for your son, and I dragged you here just to prove myself."

Dante's crimson-green gaze shifted to her, steady and unreadable. His tone, however, left no space for apology. "It's fine," he said simply, the weight in his voice carrying finality.

The short answer, so firm and absolute, was enough to silence her protest.

A tiny gasp escaped Lyla."Son?" she breathed, her perspective shifting irrevocably.

He was a father.

And the idea of Alina being tangled with him romantically now seemed absurd. Shame flushed her cheeks again.

"Lina," Lyla said, her voice quieter now, tinged with relief. "Go with your sir. Help him find something for his child. I have a shift starting in ten minutes anyway." She gave her niece a small push toward Dante, as if trying to reassure herself she wasn't standing in the way.

Alina hesitated, still feeling a bit guilty, but finally nodded. "Alright, Aunt. Please take care of yourself."

Dante turned, his tall frame filling the doorway as they stepped out together. Alina cast one last look back, exhaling softly in relief when she saw her aunt's expression had softened at last. She felt as though a heavy knot had loosened inside her chest.

Once they were outside the hospital ward, she looked up at Dante, still holding her bag tightly. "Thank you again, sir," she murmured, meaning every word.

He only gave a single nod in reply, the movement sharp and controlled. But his silence didn't feel cold—it felt decisive, like a wall she could lean on without fear it would break.

Later, the two of them reached the mall together. Dante moved beside her with the same quiet authority he carried everywhere, his height and aura drawing stares no matter how much he tried to blend in. Together, they explored aisle after aisle, discussing and rejecting options until they finally found a gift worthy of Lucien—a choice that made Dante's eyes soften in approval.

Alina's heart warmed just seeing that small change in him.

When their shopping was done, she glanced at her watch and sighed softly. She had no plans to stay overnight this time. After filling her car with petrol at the nearest station, she settled into the driver's seat once more. Dante sat beside her, silent but steady, his presence so strong it filled the car even without words.

It was just past five in the evening, but inside the depths of Blackleaf Forest it already felt like night had swallowed the road whole. The tall trees leaned inward as though whispering secrets to each other. A heavy fog clung low to the ground, curling around the wheels of her car like pale hands, and the beam of the headlights sliced through it in trembling streaks. The world outside the windshield looked hazy, dangerous, and far too quiet.

Alina's fingers tightened around the steering wheel. Her knuckles had turned pale, and though she tried to focus on the road, her heart was thudding too loudly in her chest. The air felt different here.. colder, heavier as though the forest itself was watching them pass. She swallowed hard and forced her lips into a small, practiced smile, pretending to be calm.

Beside her, Dante shifted slightly in his seat, green eyes flicking toward her stiff shoulders. "Are you scared?" His voice was smooth, but it carried that sharp edge of awareness that made her feel like he could see straight through her.

Alina's smile faltered, but she forced it back quickly. "N-no, sir," she replied, the stammer slipping out before she could stop it. She turned her eyes to the foggy road ahead, silently praying he hadn't noticed how her hands were trembling on the wheel. Of course she couldn't admit to being frightened—not in front of him. Who tells their boss that they're scared of a bit of fog?

"Oh." Dante leaned back, his tone almost casual, yet there was a weight behind it that made her throat dry. His eyes lingered on the fog curling around the road. "Be careful. The forest is dangerous at night."

Alina's pulse skipped, her fake smile dissolving instantly. Her grip on the wheel tightened, and she felt a shiver crawl down her spine. "D-dangerous…?" she whispered before she could stop herself.

The corners of his mouth tilted into the faintest, unreadable smirk. "Hm." That was all he said.

The silence that followed pressed in on her, heavier than the fog outside. The car's headlights illuminated only a few feet ahead before the dense whiteness swallowed everything. Every shadow looked like it could leap forward; every creak of the forest made her imagination stir. She bit her lip, wishing the road would end soon, wishing the forest would open up to the safety of the town lights.

But then her gaze slid sideways. Dante was sitting perfectly at ease, one arm resting lightly against the side, his tall frame relaxed as though he wasn't even aware of the oppressive darkness outside and before she realized it, her own heartbeat began to slow.

Even in a place this frightening, his presence filled the car like a shield.

Still… she couldn't help but whisper under her breath, almost hoping he wouldn't hear, "I really want to get out of here quickly…"