Chapter 577: Kidult
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 577: Kidult
“…….”
A few days passed, and it was Friday.
I stared blankly out the window, a swirl of complex emotions bubbling inside me.
We were on the road, driving hard. The scenery blurred past at high speed.
Usually, I didn't have classes on Fridays, so I’d spend the day lounging around the house with the girls. But right now, I was trapped in a rented electric SUV, being dragged along like a cow to a slaughterhouse.
And it wasn't even a quiet ride.
“I hear the echo calling—!”
“Oh yeah!”
“Ah, fuck! I told you not to smoke inside the car!”
The idiots were singing along to a travel playlist blaring from a Bluetooth speaker. I hated listening to it, yet strangely, it was upbeat.
“Hey, Woo-jin. Cheer up a bit.”
“You’re usually the one who enjoys this stuff the most. What’s wrong with you?”
I could only sigh at the comments from Ahn Hyun-ho and Jeong Chan-woo, who were sprawled out in the seats next to me.
Sure, in the past, I might have enjoyed this. But being forced into an unintended trip just rubbed me the wrong way.
“Today was supposed to be my day with the girls. Why the hell am I stuck here spending time with you guys?”
“…….”
“…….”
At my words, the idiots’ mouths snapped shut instantly.
—Let’s go on a trip~
The exciting travel song blaring from the speaker felt somewhat hollow now.
“Tsk, I guess a son is a valid excuse.”
“Tsk, a daughter is valid too.”
Jeong Chan-woo and Ahn Hyun-ho nodded and muttered to themselves. The atmosphere shifted as if they’d decided my anger and grumbling were legally justified.
“No, Woo-jin. Still, we—”
Pyo Jin-ho, sitting in the passenger seat, tried to say something, so I immediately glared at him through the rearview mirror.
“Go on, say it. But the moment you let the wrong words slip, I’m hitting you with the 12-stage fatal combo passed down secretly only within Uju Group.”
“They actually pass stuff like that down?”
“What kind of place is Uju Group that they’re developing things like that?”
Jeong Chan-woo and Ahn Hyun-ho chimed in again, sounding incredulous. I hadn't mentioned it until now, but the Uju Group 12-stage fatal combo was very famous.
Starting with me, the lineage would be carried on by Yu-na, Seo-woo, and then Chae-rin.
‘……Though I’ll have to discuss it with their mothers first.’
Anyway, as I continued to glare menacingly, Pyo Jin-ho stopped mid-sentence and cleared his throat awkwardly.
“I mean, from next time, we’ll definitely plan the schedule around you.”
“Yeah, you’d better.”
In reality, I was the busiest person here.
I had six wives and three children. It was safe to say there wasn't another man in South Korea who had to be as devoted to his family as I did.
“Still, Woo-jin.”
That was when Kang Han-gang, who was at the wheel, cut in.
“The girls all agreed to come tomorrow. Shouldn’t you be grateful to us for letting that happen?”
I felt like it would have been better if they hadn't come at all, but he wasn't entirely wrong.
Surprisingly, the idiots had readily agreed to let the three of them come along. And with the kids, no less.
If it were some weird place, I obviously wouldn't have brought them, but since it was a mountain valley with fresh air, I decided to bring them along. Since they were young, I figured it would be good for them to get out of the city and refresh their lungs with some clean air.
‘But how should I introduce our kids to their girlfriends?’
I was slightly worried, but I decided to let it slide. One thing I’ve learned living this kind of life is that if you just act like it’s no big deal, people usually just roll with it.
After all, everyone is equipped with the basic common sense that there’s no way a crazy person in 21st-century South Korea would be practicing polygamy.
“But Hyung, where are we going right now?”
I thought we were heading straight to the accommodation by the valley, but the car was entering the city.
When Ahn Hyun-ho asked in confusion, Kang Han-gang shrugged.
“We need to grocery shop. The girls are coming tomorrow; are you going to make them buy everything and bring it?”
“Ah, right.”
“Now that I think about it, we didn't buy any food at all.”
Watching those blockheads nod, I thought to myself.
‘Right, we didn't buy food.’
We had just stupidly shown up with nothing but our bodies.
But since the topic came up, I wanted to ask.
“I really don't get it. Why are we coming as just guys today and having the girls come tomorrow?”
Don't people usually go on trips together?
I was already planning to reach over and choke Pyo Jin-ho unconscious if he said he was planning another weird event.
“Hey, do you think the chance for us guys to go on a trip together comes around often?!”
Pyo Jin-ho cackled, looking genuinely delighted.
A chance for just the guys to go on a trip. I finally realized the meaning behind this excursion.
‘Shit, it’s a self-satisfaction trip.’
It might sound strange, but a guys-only trip is also a way to enjoy having a girlfriend. The subtle excitement of knowing your freedom will soon be restricted, constantly reporting in to the girlfriend, the slight jealousy—all that stuff.
I knew what they wanted, but...
‘……But is it okay to do this when they’ve only been dating for a few days?’
They’d been dating for less than a week, and suddenly it’s a couple’s trip to a valley with the boyfriend’s friends and their girlfriends. If it were me, I would’ve been so burdened I’d just be annoyed…….
Looking at Pyo Jin-ho, I felt like I could already see how his relationship would end.
“……Hang in there, Hyung.”
“Huh? Why?”
I patted his shoulder, offering my condolences. From where I stood, this relationship didn't look like it would last long.
Was I not the only one thinking that? Ahn Hyun-ho intentionally and awkwardly shifted the subject to Jeong Chan-woo.
“Hey, Chan-woo. By the way, how did you get a girlfriend?”
At Ahn Hyun-ho’s question, Chan-woo hesitated for a moment before sighing and answering.
“I didn't.”
“You son of a bitch! She’s a fresh delivery!”
“Crazy! A fresh, warm girlfriend straight from the source?!”
“Noooo!”
As we immediately started teasing him, Jeong Chan-woo shouted that it was unfair.
* * *
We got out of the car in the parking lot of a large mart. The sight of five men piling out together made us look exactly like college students.
“Ah, jeez. Take off the sunglasses.”
I scolded Kang Han-gang when I saw him trying to walk in with sunglasses on. I didn't care if we were on a trip; who wears sunglasses in a mart parking lot?
And so, we entered the mart.
The parking lot was on the 3rd floor. Usually, the grocery section is on the 1st floor, so we should have taken the escalator down, but these guys naturally got off on the 2nd floor.
“What are you guys doing?”
When I asked in disbelief, they all looked embarrassed.
“I mean, since we’re here, don't you want to look around?”
“Agreed. A rich guy like you doesn't understand how us commoners feel.”
“My mouse broke, so I’m going to buy one.”
“…….”
What was with these guys?
Naturally, we ended up heading into the sections on the 2nd floor. But how should I put it?
I also found myself wandering into the toy section as if possessed.
“Hey, you punk. Why are you going into the toy section?”
“You total kidult.”
“He really hasn't pulled himself together yet.”
The idiots immediately showered me with criticism. The intensity was even higher because I had just questioned why they were getting off on the 2nd floor.
“I’m a dad, you know.”
But I had a perfectly natural and logical excuse.
A father. It wasn't strange at all for me to enter a place like the toy section.
“…….”
“…….”
Following my excuse, the idiots swarmed into the toy section after me. From what I could see, they had wanted to come in but were too embarrassed to do so.
“Whoa, what is this?”
“Awesome…….”
“My mom never bought me stuff like this when I was a kid.”
the moment they saw the toys on display, they all reverted to their childhood selves. Or maybe their mental age was just at this level to begin with.
Ahn Hyun-ho marveled at a model gun.
“Whoa, I used to play with stuff like this so much with the other kids. Back in my day, I didn't have money, so I used a pistol—”
“We all lived through the same era, so don't give me that ‘back in my day’ crap.”
We were all around the same age; what was he talking about?
“Is this Lego? They sell Legos like this nowadays?”
“No way, can kids actually assemble this?”
“What’s this? Whoa…… is that price for real? How much are they expecting people to drop on kids' toys?”
Even as they said those things, they all looked like they secretly wanted to buy something. They were just big kids.
While we were chatting, something suddenly caught my eye.
Actually, even when I was young, I had plenty of money thanks to some unintentional suckers. So I could buy any toy I wanted, but there was one thing I couldn't buy.
The kind you assemble.
Gundam model kits.
“Ssssh.”
It was an expensive item, well over 100,000 won. It was huge, and it looked like it would take a long time to put together.
But it was so cool.
‘Ah, if I buy this, the girls will definitely nag me.’
It was obvious they’d ask what the point of buying something so useless was.
* * *
Back at home, Choi I-seo was busy preparing for the trip to the pension tomorrow.
Even though it was just a short trip, it was their first vacation with the children. Choi I-seo wanted to be as thorough as possible.
Especially since she didn't know what kind of bizarre things Kim Woo-jin’s friends might do. She intended to stay sharp and had absolutely no intention of drinking.
Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin, who were going with her, had all agreed on this.
“I-seo, did you pack the diapers?”
“Yeah, I got them. I packed extras. And extras for the extras.”
“……What are extras for the extras?”
Yoo Ah-rin, listening nearby, tilted her head. Just as she was muttering about how Choi I-seo was being too thorough—
Vibrate!
K-Tok!
Ding!
All three of their phones went off at once.
Usually, when this happened, it was the family group chat. It was a message from Kim Woo-jin, who had gone ahead with the guys to set things up.
“Let’s see what our husband is up to.”
Yoo Ah-rin hummed as she checked the message, but she immediately sighed in disbelief.
“Hey, Choi I-seo. You take a look at this.”
“What is it?”
A photo had been uploaded to the group chat.
It was a large box with a very expensive-looking robot drawn on it.
“…….”
Seeing that, Choi I-seo immediately sighed and replied.