Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Nostalgic Snack Shop
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Elementary school drop-off time.
I took the kids to school like usual.
"Everyone, listen hard in class today and obey your teacher!"
"Got it!"
"Alright."
"Yes, Father!"
Bye-bye—
After saying goodbye to the kids at the elementary school gate.
I headed back home for cleaning time.
"Sigh, do these kids not know what 'don't make a mess' means?"
I cleaned up the house messed up from their morning preparations.
I washed the dishes used for breakfast.
I tidied up the kids' dirty rooms spotless.
"...Why is my underwear here?"
I placed my underwear, which I'd found in Suryeon and Choryeon's room, back in its proper spot.
Then I sat down next to Mangmung, who was quietly watching TV.
"Mangmung. Is TV fun?"
"Mang-hang-hang-!"
"Good to hear it's fun."
"Mang-!"
This clever guy.
I stroked Mangmung's fluffy white fur.
Whether he was born smart or grew up with dragon magic, I didn't know.
But Mangmung really seemed clever.
"You'll never starve wherever you go."
"Mang-mang-?"
"Just watch TV, you rascal. I've got stuff to do."
"Mang-mang-!"
I left Mangmung to watch TV quietly.
Then I started getting ready for work.
I'd just heard that a dimensional gate had appeared in 07 District.
"Still, only one today, so that's a relief."
Currently.
I wasn't contracted with the Hero Association.
To be precise, I was working as a freelance hero.
So my free time had increased, letting me spend plenty on housework.
"The house is bigger now, so it takes more effort. It'd be nice if Mangmung could help with cleaning."
"Ma, mang-mang-?"
"But what dog can clean?"
"Mang-mang-!"
Mangmung nodded as if agreeing with me.
He seemed to know dogs couldn't clean.
"...Can he really not? He looks like he could handle a vacuum at least."
"Maaang..."
He shook his head vigorously.
No way, Mangmung shook his head firmly.
I exchanged a long gaze with Mangmung.
...
...
We just stared at each other without a word.
I sighed and looked away.
"What was I thinking, expecting Mangmung to clean. Better if I do it myself."
"Maaang~"
Whew—
Mangmung let out a sigh of relief.
After chatting and playing with Mangmung for a while like that, I headed out toward the dimensional gate site.
"Mangmung, guard the house well."
"Mang-mang-!"
"Don't mess with the downstairs neighbors for no reason. They seemed touchy about exams lately, though it's been quiet. Anyway, I'm off!"
"Mang-!"
With Mangmung's farewell, I set off to work hard again today.
A life balancing dad and hero perfectly.
It couldn't be more satisfying.
'I wonder if the kids are doing well in class at school. They better be.'
Could dragons really adapt to the human world?
I was worried, but I decided to trust them.
No matter what anyone said, they were my daughters.
***
Break time.
The kids had somehow managed to stay quiet during class.
Now they chatted with friends for the ten-minute break.
Of course, Suryeon brushed off anyone who talked to her.
But Hwaryeon and Choryeon were different.
"Hwaryeon. You're that strong?"
"Hmph, obviously! Wanna get punched by me? That guy got a nosebleed from me!"
Wahahaha—
Laughter from the boys.
Min-gu blushed and stood up from his seat.
"Hey, that's from kindergarten! Why bring that up!"
"Losers are the victor's playthings by rule! Accept your place quietly, you loser!"
A few girls liked Hwaryeon.
But she was mostly popular with the boys.
"And you guys are my subordinates, right?"
"Why would we be your subordinates?"
Hwaryeon raised her fist at the rebellious boys.
"If you're not my subordinates, I can't protect you!"
"Sorry, we'll be your subordinates starting today."
"Hah, more subordinates! World conquest is just around the corner!"
Her bold, straightforward personality.
The strength and skill backing it.
Add her cute looks, and Hwaryeon had won the boys' hearts.
But.
"Could you quiet down a bit? It's too noisy."
Except for the son of an S-Rank Hero.
Kim Si-hu didn't mesh with Hwaryeon.
He was mostly popular with the girls.
Thanks to his handsome looks, to some extent.
A girl next to Kim Si-hu yelled at Hwaryeon.
"Yeah, Hwaryeon! Si-hu says it's noisy! You're bothering him!"
"Hah? It's break time, and I wanna talk! What's it to you? Who even are you! If you've got a problem, fight me!"
"You don't know my name? I'm Yu Ji-yeon! And fighting is barbaric! No way!"
"Hmph, if you're too scared to fight, shut up!"
Wahahaha-!
Hwaryeon and her crew laughed at Yu Ji-yeon backing away.
Yu Ji-yeon's face turned red.
"Y-you're making fun of me! This is why boys are idiots!"
Her face flushed.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Stop teasing her."
Like a chaebol heir stepping out of a Rolls-Royce.
Kim Si-hu, who'd been sitting quietly, stood up.
He stared straight into Hwaryeon's eyes at the group's center.
"You should watch yourself."
"Huh? Me? Why?"
"Because you're no match for me. For reference, I train after school. Then I study till bedtime. I'm not like you."
Kim Si-hu said that and sat back down.
Then he spoke softly to Yu Ji-yeon.
"Don't mind them. It's not helpful to you."
"U-uh... Thanks, Si-hu..."
Yu Ji-yeon was already smitten.
And Hwaryeon was pissed.
"Different my ass! I'm a dragon! This is ridiculous!"
Different species entirely, Hwaryeon fumed.
She vowed to crush him next time.
"I'll show him my real skills in the next PE class!"
The son of an S-Rank Hero, nose in the air—she'd smash that high attitude.
'No one can stand above me! ...Except Dad. But I'll make even Dad submit someday.'
Ambitious and domineering Red Dragon.
Hwaryeon only felt satisfied putting others below her.
"Rawr!"
...
Meanwhile.
Unlike the boys' fiery vibe.
Choryeon was chatting haha-hoho with the girls.
"Choryeon, you like plants?"
"Yes! Plants are my friends!"
"Then do you like the little weeds by the roadside too?"
"Of course! I see all plants equally. Big or small, they're all precious friends to me!"
She beamed.
The girls covered their eyes at Choryeon's sunflower smile.
"So cute!"
"Dazzling!"
"Pretty!"
Her friendly, kind personality and looks won the girls over.
She was easy to talk to, and she even smelled nice up close.
One girl asked Choryeon.
"Besides plants, what else do you like, Choryeon?"
"Hmm, besides plants, I like Father!"
"Me too!"
Nods all around.
At that age, it was hard to hate your dad.
"My dad's great except he's bald!"
"Yeah! If only he didn't have that mustache!"
"Choryeon, what's your dad like? He must be handsome!"
Swoosh—
"My father?"
At the question about her dad, Choryeon's expression changed.
Unlike her usual smile, it sharpened slightly.
"Why do you ask?"
"W-why, Choryeon...?"
"Why are you curious about my father? You're not crushing on him, are you? Even if we're friends, there's a line. Right?"
Choryeon's vibe shifted abruptly.
Her friends nodded frantically.
"O-of course! We're friends!"
"I asked wrong, sorry!"
Bow—
A good kid's anger is scary.
The friends bowed at Choryeon's display.
Choryeon relaxed her expression and smiled as usual.
"Yes, I accept your apology! Hehe!"
The kids sighed in relief at her usual smile.
They all thought the same.
'Never bring up dads around Choryeon.'
Something's off.
Survival instincts warned.
'Choryeon is a good kid as long as you don't mention her dad.'
With that in mind.
Choryeon's friends closed the distance through questions.
Choryeon was slowly getting to know her friends too.
'My friends seem really nice!'
As long as they didn't eye her dad.
Except for that.
Choryeon decided to be true friends with them.
'Father just needs to know about me. Others don't need to!'
...
Finally, Suryeon had earbuds in, staring out the window.
Break time enjoyed with music.
'Hmm, humans make surprisingly good music for humans.'
Suryeon closed her eyes gently, feeling the breeze from the window, just listening.
'I might look kinda cool.'
Suryeon lost herself in solo admiration.
***
All classes ended.
Dismissal time arrived.
The elementary kids poured out the school gate excitedly.
"So many subordinate candidates!"
"Still too many humans. Could cut the class in half."
"No! My friends could die!"
The dragon sisters whispered as they headed home.
Dad wasn't at the gate today.
So the kids started walking home on their own.
"This way, right!"
"No, Hwaryeon sis! Straight ahead!"
"Graeng?"
Following Choryeon's directions, the dragon sisters went straight.
Soon enough.
The snack shop from before came into view.
"That smells good! Tteokbokki!"
Drool—
Hwaryeon drooled at the spicy-sweet tteokbokki.
She whipped her head around to Suryeon and Choryeon.
"Hey, got any money?"
"Are you shaking us down right now, Hwaryeon sis?"
"Shakedowns are bad!"
"No, we're eating together! Anyway, got money!?"
Rustle—
Suryeon rummaged in her pocket and frowned.
"Tch."
"You have some?"
"Unfortunately."
She hated giving away my money.
But Suryeon reluctantly handed it over.
1,000 won.
Hwaryeon took the bill and gave it to the snack shop lady.
"Auntie! One tteokbokki please!"
"Alright, just a sec."
With a kind smile, the tteokbokki lady filled a cup.
She handed over the paper cup brimming with tteokbokki.
"Eat up. I put extra 'cause you're such cuties. Come again."
"Graeng! Will if it's good!"
Hwaryeon took the cup tteokbokki.
She skewered one and popped it in her mouth.
"Nyam!"
Chew chew—
Gulp—
"Delicious! I wanna eat this every day!"
40-year-old traditional snack shop.
Its cup tteokbokki was top-notch.
Hwaryeon felt a bit regretful but offered skewers to Suryeon and Choryeon.
"You guys eat too!"
"I'll just have one."
"Yes!"
Nyam—
Suryeon chewed and said.
"It's good."
"Right?!"
"Unique dish. But pass."
"Why!"
"I don't like spicy food."
Purely personal taste.
After Suryeon's review.
Choryeon put some in her mouth.
"Waaang—"
Nyam—
Moments after chewing.
"S-spicyyy!"
Hop—!
Choryeon stuck out her tongue, fanning wildly from the heat.
Hwaryeon burst out laughing.
"Pfft, what's spicy about that! Choryeon, you're hilarious!"
"I-I said I can't handle spicy! I'm dying!"
Choryeon ran around yelling it was spicy.
Hwaryeon and Suryeon cracked up.
A small thing, but unforgettable fun even years later.
"Such a wimp, Choryeon! And you're a dragon?!"
"Disqualified as dragon."
"Uuu... What am I supposed to do about spicy! W-water! Water!"
"I'll give you some."
"That's spit! No!"
"Puhahaha!"
A fond memory, recalling past good times.