Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Korean Dragon
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After diligently working as an excellent door-opener today as well.
I was summoned to the Association and gave a detailed report on what happened at K Mart.
The result.
Since I resolved the terrorist incident all by myself and prevented massive casualties, they said they'd pay me a hefty performance bonus.
As expected, it pays to live a good life.
"Nice."
Now it was time to head home.
I left the Association and started on my way back.
Unfortunately, it was rush hour overlapping with office workers, so the subway was pretty crowded.
'Ugh, this is suffocating. Why are there so many people?'
It's killing me.
Even after the Dimensional Gate incident blew up, the hellish commute was still the same.
Most Koreans had abandoned provincial cities to survive and flocked to Seoul, where security was at least somewhat decent.
It was an obvious outcome, but I didn't like this environment one bit.
'I just want to get home quick.'
Breathing shallowly amid the crowd.
I got off the subway and walked toward home.
On the way, I noticed the sprouts from the tree seeds that Choryun's friend had scattered.
They were slowly growing right through the asphalt.
"They're growing on asphalt somehow. Is it because they're seeds from Choryun's friend?"
Their growth rate was extraordinary.
Just like me.
"Anyway, since Choryun said she'd raise them, grow big and strong."
It would be a problem if they withered and died for no reason.
I gave some encouraging words to the sprouting ones and continued home.
At that moment.
I came across a scene I rarely ever see.
"Whoa, there are kids here."
About a three-minute walk from our villa, there's a small sandbox playground.
With no children around, it's usually a spot for drunk adults.
But there, kids who looked about five years old were running around playing.
"Hmm, I've never seen these kids before. Where'd they come from?"
A total of five children.
They were giggling and dashing around the playground equipment.
"You're slow, you little bastard~ Come catch me!"
...They sure had foul mouths for their age.
Probably from their rough environment.
As I stood there watching them quietly.
The kids noticed me and whispered while looking my way.
"What's up with that uncle? Is he a perv? Why's he staring at us? Creeps me out."
"N-No way... He's not trying to kidnap us, is he...? Uncle said to watch out for adults... Let's run..."
The buzzcut kid looked anxious, tugging at his friends' clothes and appealing to flee.
I felt wronged being suspected despite my hero status.
So, I slowly approached them.
"Hey, I'm not a weirdo, okay? More importantly, it's almost dinnertime. What are you kids doing here?"
There weren't any adults nearby.
At my question, one bold-looking kid shot back.
"What's it to you, mister? We'll do what we want."
"Ha."
Unbelievable.
"I'm worried 'cause it's dangerous, and you freak out. Hey, go grab your parents' hands and head home quick. Where are they?"
"We don't have parents."
"...Oh, really?"
Lost for words.
Still, there was a sense of kinship between us.
"I don't have parents either."
"...Okay?"
"Yeah, so hurry up and get to a house or shelter or wherever. It'll really get dangerous if you stay out later."
If they got snatched by some lowlife from the red-light district.
At best, they'd end up as parts in a drug factory.
At worst, a life too disgusting to describe.
"Anyway, quit playing and head back today."
"..."
"If you don't, I'll kidnap you for real? I've got a record."
Once isn't hard.
Twice wouldn't be either.
"...Fine, let's go. He said to get home before it's late too."
"Y-Yeah... Let's head back..."
They must've read the sincerity in my expression, because they turned tail and bolted.
From the chatter, it seemed like even without parents, someone was looking after them.
"Probably from an orphanage."
I stayed in one briefly back in the day too.
After losing my parents to monsters bursting from a Dimensional Gate at a young age, I entered a shelter.
Hated the stuffy, gloomy vibe, so I bolted after three days.
Lived on the streets empty-handed until I met Granny, then Gu Bong-gu, borrowed some money, and settled in this villa.
"...Next time I see them, I should give 'em some cash."
They reminded me of myself, so it bugged me.
I took one last look at their playground and went on my way.
I got home soon enough.
Creak—
"Daddy's home."
Hearing the door, Choryun came out to greet me.
"Father, you're back? We behaved and didn't cause any trouble!"
"...You already know exactly what I'm gonna say."
"Hehe."
Choryun grinned ear to ear.
By the way.
Now that I was inside and looking at them, they felt totally different from before.
"The clothes suit you all well."
"Really? Am I pretty?"
Swish—
Choryun spun around happily in her white dress.
No trace left of her former grubby look.
"Clean Choryun, come here!"
"Eeee—!"
Thud thud—
I scooped up Choryun and gave her an airplane ride.
She squealed with delight, enjoying the ride to the fullest.
Maybe Hwaryun couldn't just watch us have fun without her.
"Make the plane crash!"
Boom—!
She suddenly body-slammed my spinning body.
I lost balance but held Choryun high as I fell to the floor.
Thud—!
My body's tough, so it didn't hurt at all.
However.
"What the hell was that, Hwa Hwaryun!"
"Hmph, what'd I do!"
"This won't do. Time for you to face the wall after a while."
"No way! Why me!"
"Come here."
Pat pat pat—
Hwaryun bolted to avoid me.
The place is small, so she always ends up the same.
"Let go—!"
"You're facing the wall for thirty minutes."
"Raaawr—!"
"I was gonna cook dinner, but if you want just a little food, suit yourself."
Hwaryun resisted at first.
But at the mention of small portions, she faced the wall pronto.
You have to discipline dangerous behavior, of course.
"Good thing Choryun didn't get hurt..."
"Hmph, worrying about a dragon. Dad knows nothing about dragons!"
"Won't you face the wall quietly?"
"..."
Hwaryun finally shut up.
She pouted like she was miffed, though.
Anyway.
"Good thing the clothes suit you all."
I smiled, satisfied with their changes.
At my words, Suryun, who'd been quietly observing us, spoke up.
"Dragon trait. Dragons have excellent aesthetic sense. Of course they'd wear clothes well, Dad."
"Really? How's Dad's fashion, Suryun?"
Suryun answered my question without hesitation.
"Not great."
"..."
Ouch.
What's wrong with sweats?
Daddy's hurt.
I snuck to the bathroom and wiped away tears where they couldn't see.
***
I'd decided to cook dinner myself tonight.
Got ingredients from the mart too.
And I was dead set on making this dish.
"If you were born in Korea, you gotta try kimchi jjigae at least once."
I opened the internet on my smartphone.
Up popped the screen Suryun had been looking at last.
"SCP Strength Ranking TOP 10..."
What unique tastes.
To respect Suryun's privacy, I pretended not to notice and searched for kimchi jjigae recipes.
A bunch of info popped up.
I clicked into a blog called "Mom's Taste."
"Ingredients... look good."
A simple kimchi jjigae recipe.
Felt easy enough even for a beginner like me.
I immediately grabbed the kimchi from Director out of the fridge and chopped it up with a kitchen knife.
Slice slice—
Knife work wasn't familiar, but no worries about injury, so I went bold.
Even if I mess up, my finger won't get hurt—the blade will.
"Kimchi's ready. No onions. Toss in leftover pork."
Fry the pork first till golden.
Then stir-fry with oil and kimchi.
Add water and simmer.
Bubble bubble—
Was it the intense smell?
Hwaryun came sniffing into the kitchen.
"Dad, what's this?!"
"Kimchi jjigae. But why aren't you facing the wall."
"Hmph, I finished reflecting!"
Reflection period was awfully short.
Not much controversy there, though.
I scrolled the phone screen to check the steps.
"Now... chop peppers from the rooftop harvest, add tofu, and done..."
Gotta slice those peppers.
Maybe 'cause they grew on dragon magic.
They were impressively huge like mine, bright red.
Snip—!
Chopping them released a fierce spicy whiff.
'...Did dragon magic make the peppers spicier?'
Felt like bigger peppers would be hotter than small ones.
Still, recipe's the recipe.
I added the chopped peppers to the jjigae.
Tossed in tofu and simmered...
"Kids, dinner's ready. Come eat."
"I'm already here!"
"Got it, Dad."
"Yesss!"
Rustle rustle—
The dragon kids all gathered at the table.
I used disposable rice containers as soup bowls and set kimchi jjigae in front of them.
Suryun wrinkled her nose and said.
"Dad, what's this red stuff?"
"Kimchi jjigae."
"...It looks violent like Hwaryun-unnie's color. This okay?"
"If you're born in Korea, it's a must-try at least once. You won't die from it, it's fine."
"..."
Suryun eyed the jjigae suspiciously.
But only for a moment.
Curiosity won out, and she scooped some broth with a spoon.
Slurp—
"How is it, Suryun?"
"..."
Suryun closed her eyes briefly to savor it.
Then slowly opened them and gave her review.
"Spicy. Tongue hurts. Stings."
"...And?"
"Tasty. Spicy, but edible."
Phew.
I watched Suryun eat it with rice and relaxed.
No failure this time.
"Hwaryun, you?"
"Hmph, doesn't faze me! Just tasty!"
No talk of spicy or pain.
Hwaryun just shoveled it in.
"N-Not spicy at all!"
"..."
Looked spicy though.
Pride keeping her from admitting it.
I turned to check on Choryun.
She was moving meat from her bowl to Hwaryun's plate.
"Choryun, eat up. What're you doing?"
"There's meat in it! Giving it all to Hwaryun-unnie and eating!"
Clink clink—
Choryun diligently forked all the meat over.
Then carefully blew on the jjigae and took a bite.
"How's it, Choryun?"
"S-Spicy!"
Hop—!
Too spicy; Choryun hopped in her seat freaking out.
Seeing that, Hwaryun smirked, her lips slightly swollen.
"Ha, that's spicy? Choryun's such a wimp!"
"W-Water... Need water...!"
I poured water straight into Choryun's mouth.
Only then did she calm down.
'...Suryun being normal is the surprise.'
Suryun ate the jjigae quietly without reaction.
But for some reason.
The jjigae in Suryun's bowl seemed more full than at first.
Watching her closely, I figured it out.
Drip drip—
"Suryun, you..."
"...Spicy. Water dilutes it."
"..."
Suryun was spitting water from her mouth to kill the heat.
'This won't do.'
Seeing that, I added more water to the jjigae and boiled it again.
Now they ate the rice with jjigae happily, no more spice complaints.
'...Next time, more water or less peppers.'
Cooking's tough.
Still, I picked up some know-how today.
Felt better than last time.
Getting better little by little each day.