Absolute One, But It's My First Time Being a Dad - Episode 116

It was a peaceful weekend evening.

"Hmm..."

Lee Soo-bin was reviewing the household accounts.

Flip, flip...

Fortunately, thanks to the lottery win, the approximately one billion won in cash received was still safely deposited in the bank account.

Thanks to the private bank's loan products, they had managed to move homes without major expenses...

With current expenditures limited to just the family's food expenses and monthly utility bills, it was entirely manageable.

"If we can maintain this lifestyle, we could easily get by for over a decade..."

But she knew that as Seol grew older, the fixed monthly expenses would inevitably increase.

"Just by the time she enters elementary school, education-related expenses will skyrocket..."

Soo-bin's gaze drifted to the column labeled 'Seol's Allowance' in the ledger.

For some reason, the number "100 won" seemed unbearably cute, and she found herself smiling unconsciously.

"By then, she'll probably need more allowance..."

Just then, Kang-jun approached and asked.

"Noona, are you doing the accounts?"

"Yeah, just..."

"You don't look too happy about it."

Soo-bin awkwardly replied.

"It's been months with only expenses and no income. I was wondering if we'll be okay like this and thinking about maybe finding some work to do..."

After muttering "Worrying about the strangest things," Kang-jun sat down opposite her and added in a serious tone.

"Noona, I haven't had the chance to tell you yet."

"Hmm?"

"Actually, I have quite a bit of money."

Soo-bin tilted her head at the sudden statement and cautiously asked.

"You have money?"

"Yeah."

"How much?"

Kang-jun hesitated before answering.

"Well, I haven't really checked properly..."

Trailing off vaguely, he seemed to have a sudden idea and added.

"Would you like to manage it instead?"

"Manage...?"

"It probably won't be too difficult."

After a pause, he continued.

"I'll explain everything now. When morning comes tomorrow, would you like to visit the 'Secret Gathering of the Wealthy' at Market Private Bank?"

Soo-bin repeated in surprise.

"The Secret Gathering of the Wealthy...?"

Soo-bin had visited there once before when they decided to move, to inquire about loan products.

A bank for the upper class.

Unlike regular banks where anyone could freely open a deposit account, this place required meeting certain conditions.

'To open a deposit account, you need to have liquid assets exceeding ten billion won...'

Which meant...

'Wait a minute?'

Soo-bin looked at Kang-jun.

"What?"

If he had a deposit account at the Secret Gathering of the Wealthy, it meant his assets exceeded ten billion won.

In the past, she would have dismissed it as a joke, but now that she vaguely knew about her brother's secrets...

She couldn't just brush off such statements anymore.

"Oh, no..."

Soo-bin trailed off before adding.

"I'll go check it out on Monday."

It seemed she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was about to witness another secret.

Just then.

Seol approached them.

"Seol has money too."

She pulled out a few 100-won coins from the chick-shaped bag around her neck and added.

"Baba, ten of these!"

Kang-jun asked.

"Wow, you've saved up a lot!"

Seol replied proudly, "Yeah, lots!" before continuing with a gloomy expression.

"Seol has a big problem now."

"A problem?"

"Wanna buy snacks with it."

Kang-jun muttered to himself.

"Now that I think about it, Seol hasn't asked to buy snacks lately..."

Soo-bin had started giving Seol an allowance to curb her excessive sweet consumption.

₩100 a day.

The rule was meant to improve her eating habits while teaching her the value of money.

With ₩100 a day, it would take several days to save up for a single snack.

'₩100 might be a bit stingy...'

But since it drastically reduced her sweet intake and taught her to save, Kang-jun was satisfied.

Since then.

Seol would often come in the evening with her chick bag, tugging at his sleeve and saying, "Abba, snacks!"

Kang-jun would then take her for a walk to the convenience store where ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Crabsley worked, buying her various snacks...

But looking back, even though she had saved up quite a bit by now, Seol hadn't asked to buy snacks at all.

"Should we go buy some snacks with Daddy?"

After a brief silence.

"No!"

Seol answered firmly and added.

"Because Seol made a promise."

"A promise?"

"Gonna help kids who are struggling."

Then she continued.

"Teacher showed us kids from other countries who are hungry and can't eat..."

Soo-bin whispered in Kang-jun's ear.

"Last week ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at daycare, they watched a documentary about child-headed households in Mozambique..."

Kang-jun murmured, "Mozambique?" and looked at Seol, who continued explaining with her tiny mouth.

"They don't have much food, so they're always hungry, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they have to catch rats to eat..."

"Really?"

"And there's no daycare there, so they can't play or study..."

Seol clenched the coins in her hands tightly before putting them back into her chick bag and adding.

"So Seol will help them..."

Kang-jun silently watched before finally pulling Seol into a tight hug...

"You're so kind."

Seol beamed proudly.

"Don't need snacks anymore!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, Seol can wait!"

Time passed, and night deepened.

"Abba..."

Seol's sleepy voice made Kang-jun nod and ask.

"Sleep now, you have daycare tomorrow."

"Okay..."

"Talking too much will wake you up."

Seol murmured again.

"But wanna play with Abba more..."

After a moment of thought, Kang-jun asked.

"Then let's talk a little more."

Seol mumbled sleepily.

"After helping all the kids in other countries, Seol will buy Abba snacks..."

"Snacks?"

"Yeah, chocolate, ice cream, cookies, candy... all the things Abba likes..."

Kang-jun didn't particularly like sweets, so the snacks she listed were all her own favorites.

"Okay, okay."

He gently patted her back and asked.

"Do you really want snacks?"

"Yeah..."

"Just wait a little longer."

A pleased smile spread across Kang-jun's face.

She was learning 'patience' much earlier than expected.

He couldn't help but feel proud.

Gently, gently...

Before long, Seol fell into a deep sleep...

"Let's see..."

Kang-jun immediately took out his smartphone and searched for the 'documentary' Seol had watched at daycare.

"This must be it..."

Soon, the documentary titled Tears of Mozambique began playing on his phone screen.

Even as he watched the documentary with a solemn expression, Kang-jun didn't forget to gently pat Seol's back with one hand.

The next morning.

"Welcome back."

As Soo-bin entered the 'Secret Gathering of the Wealthy' at Market Private Bank, Branch Manager Kazan personally greeted her.

"I'm Branch Manager Kazan."

"Yes, I'm Lee Soo-bin..."

"Please follow me inside."

Having previously consulted about leasehold loans here, they were already acquainted.

"This is the VVIP Reception Room."

When Kazan opened the door, the lavishly decorated interior of the VVIP room was revealed...

"Wow..."

Soo-bin, like a country mouse visiting Seoul for the first time, couldn't stop marveling at the opulence.

"Immortal has ordered the full transfer of his personal assets to the Imperial Family's treasury. Should we proceed accordingly?"

"The Imperial Family's treasury?"

"Yes. We've prepared to consolidate all assets—excluding those of Her Highness Seol—under the Anux Imperial Family."

Kazan snapped his fingers with a click, and a goblin waiting in the back scurried over with documents...

"Here are the details of the Imperial Family's assets."

Soo-bin's eyes widened as she began carefully reviewing the list.

"Oh my God..."

As she scanned the details, she instinctively covered her mouth with both hands.

The list of gemstones alone seemed endless...

Any single item could fetch anywhere from tens of millions to billions of won.

"Is this really everything..."

Kazan continued in an increasingly humble tone.

"To be honest, we were suddenly given the order, and the assets were so vast that we couldn't fully account for them."

"Then..."

"This is roughly half of the eight warehouses Immortal owns, so you can estimate it's about double this amount..."

Suddenly recalling something, Soo-bin tilted her head and asked.

"Earlier, you mentioned separating Seol's personal assets..."

Kazan nodded.

"Yes, though modest compared to the Imperial Family's wealth, he specifically requested it."

Soo-bin immediately followed up.

"Seol has assets too?"

Kazan nodded.

"Starting with the land and operating rights of the Snow White Daycare she currently attends..."

"Wait...?"

"And after making pizza, since she likes corn, he ordered the purchase of a cornfield."

The explanation continued matter-of-factly.

"A 100,000-pyeong cornfield in California is also under her name..."

After a moment of thought, Kazan added.

"Along with the Crystal Building in front of Yeoksam Station and a luxury private jet from Boeing's 100th-anniversary edition..."

Pausing mid-sentence, Kazan suddenly remembered something.

"Ah, yes. The twenty schools and sponsorship foundation soon to be built in Mozambique are also under her name."

Soo-bin could only mutter in disbelief, "How..."

Then she suddenly recalled their conversation from last weekend.

"Mozambique..."

That was...

"They don't have much food, so they're always hungry, and they have to catch rats to eat..."

"Really?"

"And there's no daycare there, so they can't play or study..."

Wasn't that the African country where the children Seol wanted to help lived?

"At any rate..."

Kazan concluded.

"We'll soon finish organizing the remaining assets and provide a detailed report. Please forgive the delay..."

Meanwhile, a single line at the end of the document caught her eye.

Her head spun.