Chapter 178
Chapter 178
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: The End of Elementary School (2)
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The children's elementary school graduation was drawing near.
The kids needed to start deciding on their future paths.
Would they go to an ordinary school that matched their grades?
Would they attend a vocational school to learn a trade?
Or would they enroll in an academy to pursue a career as heroes?
My daughters had to seriously consider their own futures.
"So, here's the thing, kids."
Clap!
I gathered the children in the living room and made the announcement.
"It's time for a family meeting to decide how we're each going to choose our paths."
Family meeting.
I stood in the center and looked around at the kids sitting in the living room.
Hwa-ryeon was lounging on the sofa, staring at me with a bored expression.
Su-ryeon was mindlessly tapping away at her Nintendo Switch.
Cho-ryeon was stroking Mang-mung's head while gazing at me attentively, listening closely.
'Only Cho-ryeon is paying attention to me. I figured as much. Whatever.'
Ahem.
Feeling a bit awkward for no reason, I cleared my throat and spoke.
"Hwa-ryeon!"
"Yeah?"
"What do you want to do after elementary school?"
"Hmph, what I want is—"
Whoosh!
Hwa-ryeon jumped up from the sofa, flames wrapping around her fist.
She thrust her fiery punch into the air and declared,
"I'm gonna be a hero, Dad! With this fire fist, I'll beat up all the humans and make them my minions!"
"...That sounds pretty far from what a hero is."
"Hmph, heroes are the strongest ones anyway!"
Swish! Whoosh!
As she said that, Hwa-ryeon wildly swung her flaming fists through the air.
She insisted that history is written by the victors.
It was a very Red Dragon way of thinking, valuing strength above all.
"Then Hwa-ryeon, it's decided—you'll go to the academy."
"No way! I don't need a teacher or anything! I don't need the academy!"
"If you want to be a hero, you have to go to the academy. That's how you get your hero license faster."
"Tch! What a hassle!"
With that, Hwa-ryeon dove face-first onto the sofa.
She seemed to have lost interest entirely.
"Wake me up when it's over—I'm going to sleep!"
"Got it, Hwa-ryeon. Sleep tight. We'll keep the meeting going."
"Yawwwn—"
Zzz...
Hwa-ryeon fell asleep right away.
'What the—how does she fall asleep that fast? She's so true to her instincts.'
Part of me thought the meeting might go faster without her.
"Ahem, next up—Su-ryeon!"
"What, Dad?"
"Can you pause the game for a sec and look at me first?"
Rustle.
Su-ryeon furrowed her brows slightly and looked up.
She was clearly annoyed at the interruption.
Ignoring her glare, I pressed on.
"Su-ryeon, where do you want to go?"
"..."
She pointed toward her room with her finger.
"My room."
"Huh?"
"I'm not going to school. I want to stay home and game."
"..."
I couldn't believe it.
My brain short-circuited for a moment hearing my daughter say that.
I only finished elementary myself, so I didn't have much to say...
'But Su-ryeon giving up studying to game all day...?'
Two years ago.
The day Su-ryeon visited a university.
It caused a huge uproar in Korea's scientific community.
They'd discovered a superconductor they thought was a myth.
And she proposed a new paradigm for an unsolved theory.
After that, the scientific world showered her with fervent offers.
'They're always interrupting my games. Stupid humans. Dad, tell them I'm not interested. Ever.'
She rejected them all because they kept bothering her gaming.
'And now that Su-ryeon wants to quit studying altogether...'
The scientific world loses a genius who could change the world.
The gaming world gains an ultimate shut-in player.
"Hmm, that's not great..."
The internet has plenty of fun stuff.
But just as much that's not so good.
If Su-ryeon skips school, her textbook will be the internet.
That would definitely have a bad influence on her education.
"Su-ryeon."
"Yeah, Dad."
"No dropping out after elementary. You're going to school, no exceptions."
"Why?"
"Compulsory education goes up to middle school. Just go that far."
At least graduate middle school.
Su-ryeon shot me a sharp look, clearly unhappy.
"There's nothing to learn. Why should I go? I'm not going. I'm staying home. Wouldn't it be nice if you stayed home with me on your days off too, Dad?"
"Not really."
"...Fine. Anyway, I'm staying home."
Rustle.
With that, Su-ryeon stood up.
She headed to her room and slammed the door shut.
Bang!
"Is that puberty? She hasn't been listening lately."
Maybe feeling bad for me, Cho-ryeon stood on tiptoes and patted my back.
"Dad! Cheer up! You've got me!"
"You're the only one for me, Cho-ryeon. Aigoo, my cute little maknae. Come here!"
Pat pat.
I ruffled my adorable Cho-ryeon's hair.
She beamed like a sunflower.
"Ah, Dad, that tickles...! Haha...!!"
"Come to Daddy, my cute girl!"
I took a moment to pet Cho-ryeon's head and recharge.
The fatigue from those two pubescent headaches melted away.
"Ehehe..."
"Anyway, Cho-ryeon—what have you been thinking about?"
Where to go next.
At my question, Cho-ryeon pondered for a bit before answering.
"Um, I'm still deciding. My friends are all going to regular middle schools... so maybe I should follow them there..."
"You're leaning that way, huh?"
"Yeah... I want to go to school with my friends..."
Fair enough.
Friends are precious.
I don't have any myself, but I get the idea.
"So, regular middle school for you, Cho-ryeon?"
"Yeah, probably."
"That's a shame."
"Why is it a shame?"
A shame.
Cho-ryeon tilted her head, looking puzzled but pleased.
I told her the truth.
"Truth is, Dad's probably going to be teaching at the academy."
"...Huh?"
"With all my combat experience, they want me as an instructor."
"..."
Cho-ryeon clamped her mouth shut, thinking hard.
It didn't take long.
"...Dad."
"Yeah?"
"I'll go to the academy."
"Suddenly? You just said you wanted regular middle school—"
"No! When did I say that? I've wanted the academy from the start! I'm definitely going!!"
She must really want to go that badly.
Cho-ryeon threw a full-on tantrum, breakdancing on the floor.
"Got it, got it. Cho-ryeon goes to the academy too."
At those words—
Creak.
The firmly shut door opened, and Su-ryeon appeared.
Arms crossed, she glared at me from the dark hallway.
"Dad, you're going to be an academy instructor?"
"Yeah, looks like it. They offered good money."
"So you'll be at the academy more than home?"
"Yep. Gotta go to work."
"..."
Thud thud thud.
Su-ryeon charged straight at me.
Looking up at me, she said in her flat tone,
"I'll go to the academy too."
"You just said you were staying home—"
"The sealed Black Flame Dragon told me to go. Anyway, I'm going. You know."
Whoosh!
Leaving those words, Su-ryeon bolted back to her room.
Cho-ryeon, watching from the side, pouted.
"...Now I've got competition. What a bummer."
"Cho-ryeon, why is your sister competition?"
"That's how dragons are, Dad...!"
"I'm not a dragon, so I wouldn't know."
Anyway.
All my daughters ended up going to the academy.
Which was more convenient for me, honestly.
'I'll be working there as an instructor, so I can spend more time with the kids.'
And if anything happens.
I'm the only one who can protect them.
"Best for risk management."
Thinking that, I finally turned to the last one, Mang-mung.
"What about you, Mang-mung? What do you want?"
"Mang-?"
"Stay home? Or come to work with us?"
Mang-mung answered without hesitation.
"Mang-!"
"You want to stay home."
"Mang mang-!"
Nod nod.
Mang-mung nodded vigorously.
But that didn't last.
"Mang-mung! Wouldn't it be fun if you went to the academy with us?"
"Maang-?"
"Come to the academy with us! It'll be great!"
"Ma, maaang..."
Cho-ryeon's enthusiasm threatened to derail the plan.
"Maang..."
Blink blink.
Mang-mung blinked at me desperately, sending SOS signals.
Sorry, but I couldn't help.
"Ahem, time to brush our teeth and hit the hay."
"Ma, maaang...!"
"Man, I'm beat. So sleepy."
"Maaaang—!!"
Mang-mung belongs to Cho-ryeon.
'Sorry, Mang-mung.'
Ignoring the SOS, I headed to the bathroom.
"We'll be together at the academy too, Mang-mung!"
"Maaaang—!!"
Mang-mung's wails echoed—wanting to watch TV alone at home.
***
Six years.
A long and short time.
Time to leave the elementary school we'd grown attached to.
There were plenty of incidents along the way.
But the day came when the kids left their memory-filled school.
Graduation day.
That didn't mean it was truly the end.
People always enroll somewhere new.
As I walked to elementary school with the kids, I said,
"You'll think about it someday."
"Nope!"
"Think about what?"
"About you, Dad!?"
"Your elementary days were good times. You'll miss them."
I didn't attend elementary long.
But no doubt, those days were happy.
I was sure my daughters felt the same.
"Let's go to graduation, kids."
"Fine."
"Graduation. Nice."
"I'm getting closer to marriageable age! Yay!"
With my completely different daughters.
I headed to the elementary school graduation—the end of an era.
Elementary school only becomes a memory after you leave.