Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Dragon Kindergarten (2)
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Dragon Kindergarten (2)
While I was riding the seesaw with Suryeon, laughing ha-ha-ho-ho.
“Grrrrowl—!!”
I heard Hwaryeon rampaging and rushed over to the source of the noise.
But what in the world was happening right in front of my eyes?
I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it, so I just stared blankly at the massive disaster unfolding.
“Kraaaang—!!”
“Argh! You little brat! Let go right now?!”
“Kraaaang—!!”
“Aaaah!”
Gu Bong-gu thrashed his hands around, yelling in pain as he tried to shake Hwaryeon off.
Hwaryeon was firmly latched onto Gu Bong-gu’s hand with her teeth and floated in the air.
“No!”
It didn’t look like Hwaryeon had any intention of letting go of Gu Bong-gu.
‘Why the hell is Gu Bong-gu at the playground, and why is Hwaryeon biting his hand?’
I had no idea how this situation had come about.
“What happened while I wasn’t around?”
Suryeon and Choryeon, who had come to watch with me, casually offered their guesses at my mutter.
“Maybe that bald guy upset Hwaryeon unnie. Or maybe Hwaryeon unnie just got bored and bit him. One of the two.”
“I think there’s a misunderstanding between them! Fights always start from misunderstandings, Daddy!”
They both made valid points.
However, a witness who had been at the scene before us revealed the truth.
His name was Min-gu, right?
“Teacher Bong-gu tried to pet the redhead.”
“…Tried to pet the redhead?”
Chill—
Min-gu corrected himself in response to my reaction.
“No, not redhead—tried to pet the redhead’s head! Teacher Bong-gu isn’t that kind of person!”
“Ah, got it.”
Speak properly.
I unclenched my fist right away.
“What do you mean teacher? Why is Gu Bong-gu a teach— Wait, more importantly. You’re saying Gu Bong-gu tried to pet Hwaryeon’s head and ended up like that?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Thanks for the calm explanation.”
Min-gu very commendably explained it all calmly.
And for some reason, Hwaryeon’s underlings were gazing at her enviously as she chomped away.
“As expected of the boss! Even Teacher Bong-gu can’t handle the boss!”
“The boss doesn’t hold back! She bites anyone who annoys her, no matter who!”
“It’s like watching a hunting dog…”
These kids.
They’re worshiping Hwaryeon.
It seems Hwaryeon has solidly secured her position as boss while I was away.
I clicked my tongue as I looked at Gu Bong-gu, who was still screaming.
‘Tsk, Gu Bong-gu. That’s why you don’t go touching kids’ heads. You can’t just touch other people’s kids without permission.’
Hwaryeon bites people.
Serves him right.
Her teeth were probably starting to hurt by now.
I grabbed Hwaryeon’s body, which was dangling from Gu Bong-gu’s hand.
Grab—
And in a gentle, scolding tone, I said,
“Hey now, Hwaryeon. That hand’s no good. It’s full of calluses. Don’t bite it.”
“Grrrrowl—!”
“Sip, I said it’s no good. Let go already.”
“Grrrn…”
Spit—
Hwaryeon finally released her clamped jaws.
At the same moment, Gu Bong-gu clutched his hand and dropped to his knees on the ground.
Thud—
“Ow, you foul-tempered little shit…! My hand hurts like hell…!”
Gu Bong-gu’s hand bore clear, deep marks from Hwaryeon’s small but powerful teeth.
Fortunately, they were pretty solid milk teeth.
Hwaryeon looked down at Gu Bong-gu primly and said,
“Hmph, that’s what you get for trying to touch me! How dare a human try to pet my head! Nyah-nyah!”
“You insolent little brat…!!”
Spring—!
Gu Bong-gu shot to his feet and glared at Hwaryeon.
Maybe his face was just too fierce.
“D-Daddy! He’s bullying me!”
Patter-patter—
She immediately hid behind me and peeked out.
I stepped in front of Hwaryeon as Gu Bong-gu approached and said,
“Gu Bong-gu. That’s far enough.”
Gu Bong-gu looked at my face and jumped in surprise, asking,
“W-What? I Ha-jun? Why are you popping out of nowhere?”
“She’s my daughter. Of course she’s with me.”
“W-Whaaat?! You, I Ha-jun, have a daughter?!”
Gu Bong-gu flopped around like a freshly caught fish.
He couldn’t believe I had a daughter.
“You, having a daughter?! There’s no way an irresponsible deadbeat like you has a kid!”
“…It could happen.”
“You’ve gotten better lately, sure… But you raising a kid? The world really must be ending…”
What’s that supposed to mean about me?
I used to live like trash back then, but now I’m a perfectly fine dad.
That stings a bit.
I got slightly indignant and said,
“You know, I can’t believe it either? You being a teacher? What, teaching loan sharking? And why is a loan shark a kindergarten teacher in the first place?”
“I can be one. So what, punk? Got a problem?”
“Yeah, I do! You teaching kindergarten with that face should be illegal! Is that even legal?”
“This punk becomes a hero and suddenly thinks he can say anything? Wanna try 20% interest?!”
Bicker-bicker—
Gu Bong-gu and I traded barbs, arguing back and forth.
Maybe it looked childish to the kids.
Choryeon, the symbol of peace, wedged herself between us and stopped the fight.
“Everyone, stop it! What are you doing in front of the children?!”
Shh—
Choryeon put her finger to her lips and said,
“No yelling! Don’t raise your voices! Fighting at a playground where kids are playing! Aren’t you ashamed as adults?!”
“…”
“…”
“Settle it with talking, not shouting!”
She was right.
Gu Bong-gu seemed to realize it too and cleared his throat.
“Ahem. Then how about we go somewhere quiet and talk?”
“…Sure.”
We’d shown our ugly sides in front of the kids.
Gu Bong-gu and I gave awkward smiles and spoke to our respective kids.
“Kids, follow the teacher back to the kindergarten.”
“Hwaryeon, Suryeon, Choryeon—stick close to Daddy and follow carefully. Got it? No wandering off.”
Ahem—
And so, to have a quiet talk, I headed to Gu Bong-gu’s kindergarten.
On the way there, Gu Bong-gu and I kept making eye contact.
We were probably both thinking the same thing.
‘Gu Bong-gu as a kindergarten teacher? Doesn’t fit.’
‘I Ha-jun as a dad to three girls? Has the world gone mad?’
***
Gu Bong-gu’s kindergarten was in an alley five minutes past the old stationery store I’d been to before.
It was in a pretty remote spot, hard to stumble upon if you weren’t looking.
“I’ve never seen a kindergarten in a place like this. Now I get why. It’s way too out of the way.”
Accessibility is key for a kindergarten.
Why on earth did Gu Bong-gu open one here?
As I eyed the slightly crooked “Happy Kindergarten” sign, Gu Bong-gu spoke up to explain.
“Kindergartens in easy-to-reach spots are just piggy banks for villains. You know how orphans get treated around here.”
“…Yeah, when you put it that way, you’re right.”
Being too out in the open does raise the kidnapping risk.
“Come on in. Outside’s nothing special, but inside’s clean.”
“Got it.”
I turned to the kids behind me and said,
“Kids, follow Daddy. Let’s go in.”
“I’m going first!”
“…Okay.”
“Yes!”
Dash-dash-dash—!
Except for Hwaryeon, who bolted ahead, Suryeon and Choryeon followed behind me.
Happy Kindergarten, run by Gu Bong-gu, wasn’t huge, but with three floors, it seemed well-suited if used right.
And as mentioned, the interior was clean.
“Inside’s cleaner than I expected.”
The walls were covered in warm brown wooden tiles.
The floor had soft cushions perfect for kids running around.
“Ooh, Daddy! This feels so weird!”
“The material’s super cushy. Great for shock absorption. Not bad at all.”
“It feels amazing! I’ve never stepped on a cloud, but it’s like walking on one!”
Squish-squish—
The kids happily ran around inside the kindergarten.
Gu Bong-gu spoke to the kindergarteners who’d been watching warily.
“You kids go play too. We adults need to talk.”
At that, Hwaryeon’s underlings chased after her.
“B-Boss! Don’t leave us behind!”
“Let’s play together, boss!”
Hwaryeon turned to her minions and yelled loudly,
“If you can catch me, try it!”
She’d hated being called boss earlier.
Looks like they were having fun in their own way.
With that, I entered a one-pyeong consultation room and plopped down on a colorful plastic kiddie chair.
Thud—
“…Only kid chairs? Uncomfortable.”
As I grumbled about it, Gu Bong-gu brought over a cup of light tea and said,
“Just sit. I have to use a kid chair too.”
Thud—
Gu Bong-gu sat on a pink chair, blew on his tea, and slurped it down.
I grimaced at the sight and said,
“…Really doesn’t suit you.”
“So what, punk? Anyway, what’s your deal? Since when did you have kids?”
“Hmm…”
How should I explain this?
‘I can’t let it slip they’re dragons.’
I gave Gu Bong-gu a vague, self-censored version.
Somehow I’d learned I had kids, got custody, and started raising them.
Gu Bong-gu listened to my hastily made-up story and nodded thoughtfully.
“Should’ve said so sooner. If I’d known you were raising kids, it’d be different. I wouldn’t have beaten you so hard. Tsk.”
“The situation never lined up to mention it. But what about you, Gu Bong-gu? Why are you juggling loan shark and kindergarten teacher?”
“It’s not juggling. It’s the same job.”
Gu Bong-gu downed the hot tea and said,
“You know how Grandma helped me when I was a kid, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Simple. I’m just paying back what she gave me. Same as loan sharking.”
Give as much as you get.
Receive as much as you give.
“You gotta settle accounts properly. I’m just returning what Grandma did for me back then. No big meaning to this kindergarten teacher gig. Just some orphans like me running around, so I’m paying it back.”
“So that’s why you collected debts so ruthlessly…”
“Better to raise kids with money from big-headed idiots.”
Simple.
Gu Bong-gu might lack hair, but his thoughts run deep.
But I had one question.
“Gu Bong-gu.”
“What.”
“Why a kindergarten? If you’re raising orphans, shouldn’t it be an orphanage?”
Why call it Happy Kindergarten instead of an orphanage?
Gu Bong-gu’s answer was straightforward.
“Orphanage sounds like shit. Don’t these kids deserve a kindergarten badge when they head out into society?”
“…”
“They gotta grow up right. Unlike how I turned out like crap.”
Those words carried a lot of weight.
And I agreed with him.
He was right.
“We shouldn’t grow up like us.”
“Right? So make a ton of money and pay up. Your daughters need to grow up well too.”
“Yeah.”
We’d been tied by bad blood for so long.
But connecting with Gu Bong-gu like this.
It felt oddly bittersweet.
“The tea’s nice and warm.”
Slurp—
It was a strange feeling.