Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Let's Go to the Mart (2)
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The dragons had picked out children's underwear sets and stuffed them in their mouths.
I pulled the cart with the dragons hiding inside and looked around the nearby stores.
"Where's the kids' clothing section...?"
Found it.
It was right nearby.
I steered the cart into the children's clothing store.
Then, Hwaryeon piped up excitedly from inside the bag.
-Dad, now's the time! Speed up! Crash into it!
Like I'd crash.
I slowly pulled the cart into the store.
There didn't seem to be any staff around to ask for help.
Probably because of the low birth rate, they didn't even station anyone here.
'Well, who buys kids' clothes in this day and age anyway.'
No recommendations for us, then.
I'd have to let them pick out their own clothes.
I leaned toward the kids peeking out from the bag and asked.
"Kids, what clothes do you want? I'll make a special exception and let you choose."
"Shaaak-!"
In response, Hwaryeon popped out of the bag and shouted.
-Me, that one! That looks the most comfy!
"You mean this one?"
-Yeah!
Nod nod.
Hwaryeon bobbed her head up and down.
I picked up the outfit Hwaryeon had chosen to check it out.
It looked pretty breezy.
"It suits you perfectly, Hwaryeon."
-Hmph, nothing in the world doesn't suit me!
Sleeveless shirt and short shorts.
Hwaryeon must like thin clothes.
I put Hwaryeon's chosen outfit in the cart.
She seemed to really like it, staring intently at the clothes nonstop.
'They all said getting dressed was a hassle, but she really seems into it.'
Guess all little girls like dressing up.
They want clothes in their own style too.
Next.
As I pulled the cart around the store,
Suryeon spotted something she liked and spoke up.
-Dad, stop for a sec.
"Found a good one?"
-I like that one.
Suryeon stared at a hanger.
I followed her gaze, picked up the clothes, and showed them to her.
"This one?"
-Yeah, that's the most efficient outfit.
"Really? Looks kinda big to me."
Suryeon had picked an oversized shirt and a sports jacket.
Way too big for her body—it'd probably slip right off.
But Suryeon wasn't changing her mind.
-Clothes have to be loose. That's comfy and nice.
"Okay, got your taste, Suryeon."
Next up was Choryeon.
Choryeon didn't need much looking around before speaking right away.
-Father, I like that one the best!
"The white dress. This one, right?"
-Yes!
White dress.
Simple, just like Choryeon.
Clean and it'd suit her well.
I put Choryeon's chosen outfit in the cart.
No reason to stick around the store anymore.
"Let's go, kids."
-Where?
"To eat."
I pulled the cart toward the basement.
To the basement stocked with all kinds of food.
My stomach was starting to growl.
***
The basement of the big mart sells all sorts of foodstuffs.
So many varieties it'd tire my mouth out just describing them.
There's even a food court where you can pay for a meal.
But I hadn't come here to buy food.
"Mmm, smells good."
No.
I'd come just to hit the sampling stations.
Free food.
'Where to start.'
Dirt-poor buffet.
Sampling corners.
I scanned around to see what looked good.
There was a sampling station right nearby.
"When else am I gonna eat fancy fruit like this?"
Prime appetizer.
I picked up a banana skewered on a green toothpick.
Then carefully carried it to the bag.
"You kids eat first. Quick, while no one's around."
-What's this?
-Never seen it before.
-It looks so weird!
Come to think of it, they'd eaten plenty of veggies but probably never fruit.
Not sure if it'd suit their tastes.
Anyway, I dropped the banana into the mouth of my firstborn, gaping open like a baby bird waiting to be fed.
Chomp chomp.
"Shaaak-!!"
"What’s that reaction? Good?"
"Shaaak-!"
Guess so.
Hwaryeon opened her mouth again, demanding more.
I popped another banana piece in.
"Fruit's a hit, huh."
-Tasty! One more! Gimme another!
"Wait, Suryeon and Choryeon need some too."
Here, share nicely, all of you.
I skewered bananas and fed the kids, their mouths stretched wide like baby birds.
Suryeon and Choryeon chomped away happily too.
'...They're eating it better than I thought.'
I'd planned to leave empty-handed with full bellies.
But seeing their reactions, I couldn't not buy bananas.
I cleared out all the samples and bought two whole bunches.
"The bananas that good?"
-Yeah, tasty! I wanna eat those now!
"Lots more to eat. Save it for home."
-Tch.
Ignoring Hwaryeon's tongue click,
I pushed the cart to the next sampling station.
Along the way, I spotted must-buy items.
"Eggs, soy sauce. And sesame oil."
Good for quick soy sauce egg fried rice when I'm short on time.
I tossed eggs and soy sauce in the cart.
-...Those are eggs, Father. A whole lot of them.
Choryeon sounded gloomy seeing the eggs.
But we were in a rush, so I couldn't worry about everyone.
Truth be told, I was kinda scared, so I looked away.
Anyway.
"Sausages here. Anyone wanna try? These are good."
Hwaryeon immediately popped out of the bag.
-Me!
"Okay, get back in and open wide. Sausage incoming!"
"Shaaak-"
I fed Hwaryeon the octopus-shaped sausage.
Nom nom.
Hwaryeon just opened her mouth again without a word.
"Shaaak-"
"Hwaryeon, aren't you eating too well?"
The sampling station's nightmare.
Red Dragon descends.
-More! More!
Hwaryeon kept demanding sausages.
No choice—I fed her every sausage at the station.
For the record, Choryeon wouldn't even touch them.
She's vegan.
Anyway.
Even after stuffing her with tons of octopus sausages, Hwaryeon's momentum didn't slow.
-More! More!
"Okay, stay still! You'll get us caught moving like that!"
-Mooore! Mooore!
Roooar-
Hwaryeon kept demanding from me.
I had no choice but to toss two packs of Vienna sausages in the cart.
"...I'll make some at home. Happy now?"
-Yeah!
Phew.
Luckily, Hwaryeon ended her hunger strike.
I sighed in relief and checked inside the cart.
It was starting to feel pretty full.
'Feels like I'm spending too much...'
No matter how much money I make,
this was getting burdensome.
I was starting to fear how helplessly I'd caved to the tantrums.
Oblivious to my worries, Hwaryeon wriggled around in the bag and said.
-Dad! Smells good over there! Let's go!
"...Hwaryeon, you've eaten plenty already."
-Nooo! I wanna eat that! I'm curious! Go now! Gooo!
Roooar-
Hwaryeon wailed.
I headed toward the smell.
-Go! Go! Faster!
"This is why you don't take kids to the mart."
Nice seeing Hwaryeon so happy,
but man, it drained me.
Big time.
"I'm dying here, Hwaryeon..."
-You won't die! Faster! Eat more!
And so, we cleared every sampling station in the basement, devouring all the food on offer.
Each time, the cart filled up more and more.
It was already way past my planned purchases.
Next time, I'm coming alone.
***
Where'd my planned spending go?
After checkout, my mind went blank.
"Didn't plan to buy this much..."
Got swept up in their pace.
Damn.
As I bagged the purchases in paper bags, I vowed.
Next time, come alone for sure, or stick strictly to my list no matter what.
'Though I doubt that'll make a huge difference.'
K Mart was basically their home turf.
Items sparking curiosity everywhere, and tantrums draw stares—you have to give in.
Lost in those thoughts while bagging,
Choryeon muttered in complaint.
-That's a tree, Father! Why do humans turn precious trees into such cruel things?!
"You mean this paper bag?"
-Yes! Father, I can't stand it!
Paper bags get her that worked up?
I wondered why Choryeon was so mad.
"Aren't paper bags supposed to be better for the environment?"
-I don't know about that! But chopping trees to protect the environment and make paper bags—what's the point? You're still using trees!
"Well, true."
-I'm so disappointed in humans today, Father!
Choryeon was seriously sulking.
Maybe because there's no good plastic alternative, so we use paper.
Environmentalist Teacher Choryeon must be upset.
I stroked her head to soothe her.
"Hang in there, Choryeon. We'll eat yummy veggies at home. That'll cheer you up."
-I'll endure today for your sake, Father!
Good, endure it.
Dad's wiped out too—totally drained today.
Never knew shopping was this tough.
Hoo-
I exhaled, returned the cart.
Pocketed the change from the bills I'd stashed.
Picked up the paper bags and headed for the exit.
"Good job today, everyone. Home time!"
-I wanna stay here! Make this home, Dad!
-Me too, wanna stay longer. So much to see.
-I have to plant trees here for the sacrificed ones!
Time to head home.
But.
The dragons didn't seem to want to go.
Still kids—they were crazy about the big mart.
"No can do. Trains stop if we stay longer. Let's go."
-Tch.
I slung the bag with the dragons to the front.
Slowly walked toward the distant exit.
Right then, as if someone heard the dragons not wanting to go home.
"Don't move, everyone-!! Move and you're dead-!!"
Bang bang-!!
A masked group firing guns into the air.
Lowlife villains causing chaos in K Mart.
They aimed guns at civilians and bellowed.
"We've planted bombs inside!! If you don't wanna die, get down!!"
And.
"Tell those fancy heroes. If they wanna save the civilians, get to K Mart right now."
No clue what the masked group's goal was.
But they were starting the incident and calling heroes themselves.
In this sudden mess, Hwaryeon asked me.
-Dad, what's a bomb?
"Goes boom."
-So this building blows up?
"Probably if it goes off."
-Awesome! When does it go off? I wanna watch from outside! Gonna watch!
"..."
Dopamine addict.
While everyone else panicked in fear.
Only Hwaryeon was thrilled.
Classic Hwaryeon reaction.
For now, I got down on the floor like they said and thought to myself.
'...No idea what their goal is.'
But one thing was clear.
These villains picked the wrong day.
Terrorizing on a day with dragons around.
Talk about bad luck.