Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: In a House Without Dad (1)
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A peaceful day.
A day lying on the floor with the kids, resting.
Su-ryun handed me my vibrating smartphone and said,
“Dad, phone call.”
A summons?
What a hassle.
I checked the smartphone screen Su-ryun passed me.
It was Senior Han Ji-su.
“Why’d you call, Senior Han Ji-su?”
-I have something to pass along. You and your daughter doing okay?
“I’m doing fine, obviously.”
-Good to hear. The reason I’m calling today is about the C-rank promotion exam.
C-rank exam.
It’s finally here.
I straightened up my relaxed posture and focused.
“How does the C-rank promotion exam work?”
-I can’t tell you the details. But just a hint: if you take the challenge, you won’t be able to leave until you pass or give up.
“…So you’re saying I have to stay there until I pass?”
-Pretty much.
That’s not great.
But I can’t skip the exam either.
I turned my head to check on the dragon kids.
“Shh-! Shhh-! My right hand is a sleeping pill! Left hand is the road to the afterlife!”
Hwa-ryun was shadowboxing wildly at the air.
“…”
Su-ryun was quietly watching me on the call.
“Hmmnya… Hmm… We have to… protect the trees…”
Cho-ryun was sleep-talking about environmental activism.
‘…Am I supposed to leave these kids alone and go take the exam?’
Who’s gonna feed them?
Who’s gonna clean up if they cause trouble?
I spoke into the smartphone to Han Ji-su.
“Got it for now, Senior. Let me know when the schedule comes out.”
-Okay. Rest easy with your daughter until the summons.
“Yeah.”
Click-
The call ended, and I checked on the kids once more.
They were still doing the exact same things.
“How am I supposed to go take the exam leaving these kids behind!”
No way that’s happening.
As I was deep in thought,
Su-ryun poked my shoulder with her finger and asked,
“Dad, who was on the phone?”
“Han Ji-su, my senior. You’ve met Hwa-ryun before too.”
“Oh?”
Su-ryun walked over to Hwa-ryun, who was throwing punches vigorously, and asked,
“Hwa-ryun sis.”
“Huh?”
“Do you know Han Ji-su?”
Hwa-ryun stopped punching and answered confidently.
“Who’s that! I don’t know!”
“…Dad, Hwa-ryun sis says she doesn’t know.”
Didn’t we run into Han Ji-su twice?
No way she doesn’t remember.
I asked Hwa-ryun, whose memory I suspected was lizard-like,
“Hwa-ryun, you don’t remember Han Ji-su?”
“Don’t know! Why should I remember!”
“We met her at the hero exam hall, and at the bookstore too. Really no idea?”
“Oh, I remember now!”
Finally remembered, huh.
Hwa-ryun’s eyes widened as she answered about the Han Ji-su in her memory.
“That female who talked to Dad!”
“…Not female. Woman. Try saying woman, Hwa-ryun.”
“Female!”
This beastly kid.
Hwa-ryun was determined to call Han Ji-su a female to the end.
Su-ryun narrowed her eyes at Hwa-ryun’s answer and said to me,
“I learned on the internet. Calling outside business hours is a nuisance. Unless you’re close.”
“What site did you even—”
“Dad, are you close with that woman?”
Su-ryun cut me off and asked quickly.
‘…Why’s she curious if Han Ji-su and I are close?’
It was a bit baffling.
But I answered completely honestly.
“Not close.”
“…Oh?”
“Weird misunderstanding means we can’t get closer. She’s just a work superior.”
“…Okay then.”
Su-ryun turned away like it didn’t matter anymore after my answer.
No idea what she’s thinking.
After that short chat, I leaned against the wall and pondered the exam again.
Still, I can’t skip the exam.
‘I have to leave the house empty. What to do? Find someone to watch them?’
No one suitable to leave the kids with.
Especially, handing them to someone else risks exposing their horns and tails.
‘…Even if I leave, need someone to feed them.’
Someone who can feed them.
Clean up after trouble.
Take good care of my daughters while I’m gone.
Who could that be?
“Hmm…”
My worries only deepened as time passed.
***
To pay off the debt as fast as possible,
taking the exam was a must.
In the end, Lee Ha-jun had to leave the house for the exam.
Lee Ha-jun looked at the kids with a worried face and said,
“Kids, can you behave while Dad’s gone? No causing trouble, wailing because you miss me, spilling soy sauce everywhere. Got it?”
Don’t cry without Dad.
Lee Ha-jun stroked the kids’ heads worriedly as he said that.
As he kept fussing over them annoyingly, Hwa-ryun swatted his hand away and yelled.
Smack-!
“Hmph, why would I cry without Dad! Don’t touch my head whenever you want!”
Absolutely no crying.
Not sad at all.
Hwa-ryun declared.
Next to her, Su-ryun chimed in.
“I’m not a kid, Dad. I won’t cry. I’ll play quietly, so go ahead.”
Su-ryun acted grown-up and gave a cool farewell.
Cho-ryun, beside them, pouted sadly, bowed at the waist, and greeted.
“Have a safe trip, Father… I’ll miss you!”
“…You’re the only honest one, Cho-ryun. Come here!”
Whoosh-!
Lee Ha-jun hugged Cho-ryun right away.
Seeing that, Hwa-ryun immediately charged with a body tackle.
“Just go already! Get out quick!”
Grrr-
Hwa-ryun separated Lee Ha-jun and Cho-ryun, then crossed her arms in satisfaction.
With a reluctant face, Lee Ha-jun opened the door and stepped out.
“…Someone will come at mealtimes. Open the door, but hide your horns and tails.”
“Yes, Father…!”
“Be good. Dad’ll be back soon.”
With those words, Lee Ha-jun closed the door.
Bang-!
Silence hung over the one-room as Father vanished.
“…”
“…”
“…”
The kids stood wordlessly at the entrance.
It was the first time Lee Ha-jun had been away for a full day.
So, the situation felt unfamiliar to the kids.
“…Hmph, he can go wherever. I don’t care!”
Hwa-ryun stared blankly at the front door where Lee Ha-jun had disappeared.
Then, she turned and sat in front of the TV.
She wasn’t in a great mood and didn’t feel like moving.
“Hmph, not happy about it. What’s an exam anyway…”
Hwa-ryun fiddled absentmindedly with the bandage on her knee.
“…He’ll be back soon. I don’t care.”
Tap-
Su-ryun leaned against the wall, opened a book.
She said she didn’t care.
But even after a long time, the page didn’t turn.
“I wish everyone had just honestly let Father go…”
Why can’t my sisters be honest?
Cho-ryun couldn’t understand their behavior.
And everyone felt the same.
Like that.
In the sunken atmosphere.
Time without Lee Ha-jun dragged on endlessly.
Just as the kids’ stomach clocks started ringing.
Knock knock-
A knock broke the kids’ silence.
Hwa-ryun jumped up and yelled,
“Dad’s back!”
Hwa-ryun shouted out of habit as she stood.
But the other kids knew it wasn’t Lee Ha-jun.
“Hwa-ryun sis. That’s not Dad.”
“…Oh, right.”
“It’s the person bringing food. Get ready to hide horns and tails.”
“…Yeah.”
Downcast-
Hwa-ryun pouted as she hid her horn and tail.
The kids confirmed everyone had hidden theirs.
Then, they cautiously opened the front door to greet the food-bringer.
Creak-
The kids saw the building owner, an old lady with a face full of wrinkles.
“Monster!!”
“Is that the person Dad mentioned…?”
“I know! Father said she’s Grandma!”
Huh-
The grandma looked at the kids and said in disbelief,
“That brat Lee Ha-jun. He really was raising kids? In this tiny place?”
Her blood pressure rose, but she sighed in front of the kids, hiding her anger as best she could.
“Whew, that rotten guy. If he was raising kids, he should’ve told me. Useless fool.”
Swish-
The grandma picked up the food tray from the floor and entered the house.
The kids didn’t like their home being invaded.
But the grandma set the food on the table and left right away.
Before going, she left one remark.
“Tsk, if you need more food, say so. I’ll bring more.”
With that, the grandma vanished.
Bang-!
The kids got a bit angry at that.
“Why’s she yelling at Dad! Only I can do that!”
“…”
“But she seems nice…”
“Hmph, whatever! Let’s eat! Kids!”
Pat pat pat-
Hwa-ryun jumped onto the table to vent her anger.
She started eating the food on the tray.
Su-ryun and Cho-ryun followed and ate too.
But unlike usual, silence filled the table.
“…”
“…”
“…”
The empty seat at the table.
The kids stared at it, slowly putting food in their mouths.
“When’s Dad coming.”
“…Yeah.”
“Hope he comes soon…”
Today, the kids thought the food tasted bad.