Even the Absolute One is New to Fatherhood - Chapter 64

Kang-jun led Go Du-yeol into the alley beside the café. After carefully scanning their surroundings, he finally spoke.

"Consider this a warning—don't involve yourself with me any further than this."

Go Du-yeol's eyes trembled violently at those words. "K-Kwak Du-pal...?"

Kang-jun swept his hair back with one hand before continuing in a measured tone.

"I don't know what nonsense you've been spouting about sworn brothers since earlier..."

"Nonsense?!"

"As I've said repeatedly, my name isn't Kwak Du-pal, and I've certainly never formed any brotherhood oath with you."

Go Du-yeol appeared momentarily heartbroken, then nodded resignedly. "Whatever you think doesn't matter. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠No matter what you say, I'll always consider you my one and only sworn brother."

"Why the hell would you?"

"Because we exchanged the brotherhood vow through our 'slapping contest'—to close our eyes together when the time comes."

Go Du-yeol thumped his massive chest with a thud thud for emphasis. "Though we may not share a single drop of blood, from the moment we became sworn brothers, you became my only family!"

When Kang-jun scoffed with an "Oh really?" expression, Go Du-yeol flashed a knowing smile. "I've been waiting eagerly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for this day of reunion."

Suddenly, Go Du-yeol dropped to his knees. "Allow me to express my deepest gratitude on behalf of everyone."

"What the hell are you—"

"Thank you for stopping the Calamity-grade Gate."

Thud! Go Du-yeol pressed his forehead to the ground with enough force to produce an audible impact. "Truly... thank you."

Kang-jun's brow furrowed. "What are you—"

Only then did Go Du-yeol lift his head to respond. "You might deceive the whole world, but thinking you could deceive this elder brother of yours would be a grave miscalculation."

"You can't possibly..."

"That manly back of yours, walking resolutely toward what might have been your death—it still shimmers before my eyes."

Go Du-yeol's voice grew uncharacteristically subdued as he continued, his gaze distant with memory. "I was inadequate."

"What?"

"Unworthy of being called a man."

He bared ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his heart with startling honesty. "Shamefully, I was so paralyzed by fear that I could do nothing but stand there like a folding screen."

Their eyes met briefly across the alley.

"Not just me—every hunter gathered there was the same. We were all crushed under the overwhelming presence of that Calamity-grade Gate, unable to move a muscle..."

Kang-jun looked at him incredulously. "You're not seriously suggesting I single-handedly suppressed a Calamity-grade gate?"

"Correct."

"That's absurd. How could an ordinary civilian like me accomplish what elite hunters couldn't—"

Go Du-yeol nodded several times before responding. "I may not know the details, but it seems my little brother has circumstances he can't share with me."

"Look, you've got the wrong idea—"

"Though it was strange—a hunter of your caliber remaining unknown until now."

Muttering to himself, Go Du-yeol reached his conclusion. "If you insist it wasn't you, so be it. But someone..."

"......"

"Please don't forget that someone is sincerely grateful to you."

With that, Go Du-yeol stood and brushed the dust from his knees.

'He's sharper than he looks.'

Kang-jun had encountered many who could be categorized similarly to Go Du-yeol over the years.

A rare breed of fool.

Or more accurately—not just a fool, but what might be better termed a "righteous fool."

This moment proved no exception.

Rather than prying for information, Go Du-yeol had first expressed sincere gratitude—even going so far as to kneel.

A man who prioritized upholding his convictions over life itself, dedicating himself wholly to martial pursuits.

Somehow, exchanging words with Go Du-yeol brought the name of an old comrade flashing through Kang-jun's mind.

'I wonder how that fool is doing...'

One of the Five Great Ministers who had served him with absolute loyalty, overseeing the Military Affairs Bureau—one of the five core institutions of the Anux Imperial Palace...

The man who now sat upon the throne in his stead, guiding the Huang Empire forward—that strong, dependable comrade.

'Nazgul...'

Kang-jun had only one reason for avoiding people like Go Du-yeol.

They possessed an uncanny ability to draw out words better left unsaid.

"To be honest..."

Like now.

"If another crisis like last time occurs, I'll have no choice but to step forward again."

"Then—"

"As you guessed, I did suppress that Calamity-grade Gate alone. But don't mistake me for having some noble purpose."

Kang-jun's voice dropped lower. "I was only protecting my own peace."

"I see."

"I detest playing hero or appearing in public."

Their gazes tangled momentarily in the air between them.

"I just want to live an ordinary life like everyone else."

"Understood."

"Keep this matter strictly between us."

Go Du-yeol nodded solemnly, his voice grave. "Even if they put a blade to my throat, I'll guard my only brother's secret."

Then he added, eyes shining: "A hero who acts anonymously, expecting nothing in return... Truly, it takes my breath away with its magnificence—"

"It's not like that!" Kang-jun started to protest, then swallowed his words and abruptly changed the subject. "Have you eaten?"

The simple question made Go Du-yeol's eyes widen. "N-not yet..."

Kang-jun replied nonchalantly, "I was about to order jajangmyeon for the family. If you're interested, you could join—"

"Jajangmyeon!" Go Du-yeol shouted, practically spraying saliva in his excitement. "How did you know it's my favorite food in the—"

"That's not—today's moving day," Kang-jun said, his brow furrowing again.

Go Du-yeol's enthusiasm reignited instantly. "Jajangmyeon tastes best on moving days!"

"Isn't it the opposite?"

"What does the order matter?"

Slinging a tree-trunk arm around Kang-jun's shoulders, Go Du-yeol added cheerfully, "Physical labor is this elder brother's specialty! Don't hesitate to ask for any help!"

Kang-jun chuckled despite himself. "If you've got energy to spare, you can help arrange the furniture."

Since the man had inadvertently learned his secret, maintaining some relationship seemed prudent.

At least he felt certain this guy would never reveal his secret...

And strangely, he didn't dislike the way Go Du-yeol reminded him of his old comrade Nazgul.

Moreover, wasn't he something of a celebrity, appearing frequently on TV?

'Having connections with him might prove useful later...'

Having organized his thoughts, Kang-jun said, "Let's go. I'm hungry."

A newly built villa near the bustling streets of Yeoksam-dong.

Four rooms and two bathrooms—this would be Kang-jun's family's new home.

"Hup!"

When Go Du-yeol effortlessly lifted the massive French-door refrigerator, Lee Soo-bin's eyes widened to the size of lanterns.

"Wow..."

With his sleeves rolled up, Go Du-yeol began assisting with the furniture arrangement, making everything proceed with miraculous efficiency.

"Ma'am, does the refrigerator go about here?"

At Go Du-yeol's cheerful question, Lee Soo-bin nodded vigorously in response.

"Yes, it's perfect!"

With eyes brimming with satisfaction, he took a moment to survey his family's new home.

"Looks like we're just about done..."

At his words, Go Du-yeol began peeling off his work gloves as he replied.

"Noona, you've worked hard."

Lee Soo-bin tilted her head slightly and asked in a cautious tone.

"But am I really your noona?"

"Huh?"

"No matter how I look at it, that doesn't seem right..."

Go Du-yeol let out a hearty laugh at this, wiping the sweat from his brow as he answered.

"You're the one and only precious noona of my sworn brother, so doesn't that make you my noona too?"

When Soo-bin timidly muttered, "That's not what I meant by face value...", the doorbell suddenly rang—ding dong!

Their ordered food had apparently arrived, and Go Du-yeol swiftly dashed to the front door.

"Oh, we should pay—"

Soo-bin tried to stop him, but Kang-jun shook his head.

"Just let him pay. He won't listen even if you tell him not to."

And so, the meal began...

"You all might not know this trick."

Go Du-yeel, having captured everyone's attention, vigorously shook the still-sealed jajangmyeon container from side to side as he continued.

"Shaking it like this mixes the noodles and sauce perfectly without needing chopsticks."

At this, everyone except Soo-bin let out impressed murmurs of "Wow..."

"My lord, contrary to appearances, you seem quite knowledgeable."

"I, too, agree with Grand Duke Crabsley's opinion."

"See? He's more clever than he looks."

Meanwhile, Soo-bin could only stare in bewilderment at the entire situation.

'He's just an old sunbae from school.'

That her younger brother had been this close with a 'famous Hunter'—one who frequently appeared on TV—since childhood...

Moreover, Go Du-yeol was a top-tier Hunter representing South Korea, ranked 6th among S-class Hunters!

Even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Soo-bin, who had little interest in Hunter hierarchies, had heard of Go Du-yeol's name and reputation.

'From what I heard, they became sworn brothers...'

As Soo-bin busily chewed her mouthful of jajangmyeon, she suddenly paused her chopsticks and muttered, "Huh?"

'Come to think of it, didn't Bong-gu also say he was a childhood friend from the neighborhood?'

Just as Soo-bin was marveling at her brother's unexpectedly vast connections (?)—something she never could have predicted—Go Du-yeol, shaking the jajangmyeon container like a seasoned bartender, suddenly went "Hmm?" and paused.

"Niece, you're still not very skilled with utensils."

After saying this, he gestured for Seol to hand him her fork, then continued in a serious tone.

"Since we're at it, I'll show you my skills. Watch closely."

Taking the fork, he expertly twirled a bite-sized portion of noodles for Seol and added,

"If you train hard, I guarantee you'll one day handle a fork as skillfully as I do."

"Wow..."

"And if you keep pushing yourself, you might even master chopsticks someday."

Seol's eyes sparkled as she replied,

"Seol wanna do chopsticks too!"

Go Du-yeol narrowed his eyes.

"For that, you'll need to eat well and grow big. But can a little three-year-old like you really eat this in one bite...?"

Seol clenched her tiny fists defiantly and shouted,

"Seol can do it!"

"You'll take the challenge?"

"Uh-huh! Seol try!"

"Good. I'll cheer you on."

With that, Go Du-yeol deftly placed the twirled noodles into Seol's mouth.

"My god, she actually ate it in one bite."

He then added,

"Niece, remember this well."

"Uh-huh?"

"This... is the taste of victory."

Seol nodded vigorously.

"Seol can eat bigger one!"

Watching this, Soo-bin couldn't help but let out an impressed "Oh..."

There was something about it.

Though his way with children seemed rough, it was oddly skillful in its own way.

'Well, whatever...'

Even if the sudden appearance of a 'big uncle' for Seol seemed a bit excessive in some ways...

At least Seol seemed to like him, and that was what mattered.

As Soo-bin focused on eating for a while, she suddenly spoke up while looking at Kang-jun.

"Kang-jun, about Seol's kindergarten..."

"Yeah?"

"I've been looking into it, and I think we should discuss it soon."

Kang-jun replied nonchalantly,

"I was thinking of sending her to Snow White Kindergarten near home. It seems the best option."

At this, Soo-bin hesitated. "...That place..."

She couldn't easily continue, her lips twitching as she recalled the earlier confrontation with the 'Yeoksam-dong Parents' Association' at the café.

To Soo-bin, no other kindergarten in the area could match Snow White's facilities and curriculum...

But she worried whether Seol could adapt well among the children of those fiercely competitive Yeoksam-dong mothers.

"Actually, I was considering Snow White too. We qualify for their free tuition program..."

"But?"

"It would be great if we could send her there, but I'm worried she might feel out of place among those wealthy kids..."

Hearing this, Go Du-yeol suddenly stopped eating and stared intently at Kang-jun.

'This guy... Could he be struggling financially while secretly playing the hero?'

Jumping to conclusions from their conversation, Go Du-yeol muttered indignantly,

"My sworn brother's daughter is my niece..."

Then he abruptly set down his chopsticks with a clack and said to Kang-jun,

"Have you heard the story of 'Tiger Brother'?"

At the sudden question, Kang-jun frowned. "What's that?"

Seol piped up, "Seol know!" and began babbling,

"Rawr wanted to eat him, but he said 'brother'! So Rawr always bring yummy meat to house!"

Go Du-yeol nodded. "Correct."

Then he added,

"From now on, call me 'Tiger Brother.'"

"What nonsense is this?"

"Heh. Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth."

With a wink, he finished,

"A true man's 87th virtue."

Having been a top-ranking Hunter for years, Go Du-yeol earned astronomical incomes annually.

He wasn't extravagant, had few material desires, and his only expenses were workout equipment...

Thus, despite not actively investing, his savings snowballed year after year.

Simply put, he had more money than he knew what to do with.

So...

He intended to become a 'Tiger Brother' to his sworn sibling.

'I can't let my only niece feel inferior!'

Damn right...

That night.

Knock knock knock—!

At the sound, Soo-bin muttered "Huh?" and opened the door.

"Oh my, what is all this..."

Her eyes widened as she took in the shopping bags piled so high in the entryway there was no space to step.

Starting with a children's Hermes handbag worth tens of millions of won, then Saint Laurent, Gucci, Balmain, Chanel, and countless other premium brands...

A mountain of luxury children's clothing and accessories, enough to easily amount to hundreds of millions.

"Huh?"

As she examined the bags, Soo-bin found a post-it note covered in atrocious handwriting.

"A letter?"

She read it from start to finish.

"To my one and only sworn brother..."

The handwriting was unmistakably terrible.

"Sent these gifts so my beloved niece never feels out of place at kindergarten..."

Her eyes dropped to the final line.

"From Tiger Brother..."

It was clearly from Go Du-yeol.