Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Let's Go on a Trip (5)
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After finishing the refreshing watermelon.
Choryeon and I diligently cleaned up the trash from the meal.
"Eating is fun, but cleaning up is such a hassle."
"Tell me about it!"
Choryeon was stuffing trash into bags right beside me.
She was deeply focused on perfect separation for recycling.
It was like an environmental demon had possessed her.
"This goes in recycling! This is general trash! This is food waste!"
Heave-ho—
Choryeon was sorting with all her might for the sake of the planet.
"Dad, is this recycling or general trash?"
"That's plastic, so recycling."
"Oh, I got confused! Into recycling it goes!"
Whenever she was unsure, she'd ask me, showing her sincere dedication to sorting.
I felt proud seeing Choryeon like that.
"You're the only one who helps me out like this, Choryeon."
"Of course, Dad! I'm the best, right?"
Sparkle, sparkle—
Choryeon looked up at me with eyes full of eager expectation.
'...This is too much pressure.'
Was she asking for praise?
Unable to resist her gaze, I gave in and answered.
"Yeah, Choryeon. You're the best."
"Really? Yay! I'm so excited!"
Bounce, bounce—
Choryeon jumped around in delight.
Her joy at the praise was utterly adorable.
'Praise can even make dragons dance.'
Once all the trash was sorted.
Choryeon and I finished cleaning up and headed back to the beach.
"They're still playing with the orca. But isn't Hwaryeon bullying it too much?"
"I-It looks like it! Dad! Animal abuse! That's not okay!"
Animal abuser Hwaryeon.
Hwaryeon was confidently shouting from atop the orca.
"Let's go! Killer Whale-kini, was it? Race across the sea!"
-Kyuu...
"What are you doing? Hurry up and go!"
-Kyuuu...
The orca whimpered, overwhelmed by Hwaryeon's spirit.
I hurried over and scolded Hwaryeon sternly.
"Hwaryeon, don't bully it. It looks exhausted."
"Hmph, what do you mean bully? I'm innocent!"
Hwaryeon pouted, claiming her innocence.
So, I turned to the smart orca itself.
"Did Hwaryeon really not bully you?"
-Kyu, kyuu...
"It's okay. I'm its dad. You can tell me."
-Kyuuu...
The orca let out a pitiful ultrasonic whine and dunked its face in the sea.
Probably shedding tears.
'It's only natural, stuck between tough dragons.'
Poor orca.
I patted the pitiful orca comfortingly.
The orca shuddered and sobbed at my consolation.
Hwaryeon freaked out and yelled loudly.
"I really didn't bully it! I'm innocent! I didn't do anything!"
"Sigh, if you didn't do anything, why is it crying? It's scared, so be nice to it."
"Hmph, unbelievable!"
Hwaryeon shouted in disbelief.
But she listened and treated the orca a bit gentler.
The orca perked up again and started moving with Hwaryeon aboard.
"See, being nice makes it move well. And Hwaryeon's having fun."
Suryeon, who was beside me, replied to my words.
"Killer Whale-kini seemed pretty scared of big sis Hwaryeon. But now that she's being gentle, it's moving."
"Hmm, are dragons that scary? I wouldn't know."
"Dad must not get it. Let me explain."
Whisper, whisper—
Suryeon whispered the history of orcas into my ear.
In summary, one bold orca had messed with a dragon long ago, and half its pod was wiped out.
"Ever since, orcas get scared at the sight of dragons. This one's an exception, super curious like me."
"Fear imprinted in their DNA. Something like that."
I'd wondered why it was so terrified earlier.
Not Dragon Fear, but a brutal history.
I watched Hwaryeon playing happily with the orca.
"Wooow! Faster! Go even faster! You can do it!"
-Kyuu!
On the surface, they looked like they were having a blast together.
But deeper down, it hinted at a historical victim-perpetrator dynamic.
'The two of them probably aren't thinking about that.'
I figured kids didn't need to know that history.
It was ancient, and between those two specifically.
No reason for history to taint their pure desire to play.
Besides, they were making new history right now.
"Now they're getting along great."
Jumping, diving, spinning in mid-air.
The orca zipped joyfully through the sea with Hwaryeon.
Suryeon watched quietly and murmured.
"I met it first, but big sis Hwaryeon stole it away."
"That's how it goes. It's fine, Suryeon. It'll come back after a bit."
"By then, it won't be the Killer Whale-kini I knew anymore."
Suryeon reached out her hand to me.
"So Dad, play with me. I want to play with you now."
She'd wanted to play with me, huh.
What a cutie.
I took Suryeon's hand and asked.
"What should we play?"
"Just swim in the sea. That's fun enough."
"Swimming it is."
I agreed to Suryeon's idea and went swimming in the sea.
Then Choryeon paddled over on her floatie.
"Dad, play with me too! I love swimming!"
"Sure thing. It'll be more fun with you too, Choryeon."
Suryeon furrowed her brows slightly.
But I took Choryeon's hand—since she couldn't swim well—and swam in the sea.
I didn't hold Suryeon's, as she was good at it.
Choryeon swam with us, beaming brightly.
"Hehe, I'm still not as good as Dad or big sis Suryeon... but I've improved a lot, right Dad?"
Suryeon clicked her tongue at the sight.
"...Not a fan."
Looked like some subtle rivalry between them.
While swimming, I looked up at the sky.
The sun was setting slowly, dyeing the sea red.
'It's almost time.'
Sadly.
The trip was coming to an end.
***
Everyone came out of the sea.
We were getting ready to head home.
'It feels weird.'
They were usually quick to act unnecessarily.
But today, preparations to leave were dragging.
I picked up the grill and yelled at the kids.
"Kids! Time to go home! Hurry and change out of your swimsuits!"
"...Yeah."
"...Okay."
"...Sure."
Their replies dripped with reluctance.
Well, the beach was plenty fun for kids.
"But we still gotta go home."
"..."
"Answer me."
"Yeees..."
The kids answered listlessly and started changing.
I tossed all our stuff into the trunk and gazed at the sea.
"It's all red now. Hwaryeon."
"What!"
"You said you wanted to see a red sea, right? Look, it's red just like you wanted."
Hwaryeon turned to look at the crimson sea.
The ocean painted by the red sunset.
She took it in quietly, then asked wistfully.
"Dad, I wanna come back here! I love it!"
"We'll come again sometime. Your friend'll be waiting."
The orca jumped toward us from the red sea, waving goodbye.
If we return to the sea someday, we'll meet again.
Hwaryeon waved big at the orca.
"See you later, Killer Whale-kini!"
Suryeon behind me wiggled her fingers small.
"If we meet, we meet. Bye."
Choryeon waved with a bright smile.
"See you next time! Let's meet again, Mr. Orca! Next time we can pick up trash together!"
Choryeon seemed set on cleaning beach trash too.
We piled into the car before it got too late and left the sea behind.
"Today was fun. Good food, made a friend."
I drove down the road opposite the sunset.
The kids, still reluctant, stared out the windows, etching the sea into their eyes.
'All stuck to the windows.'
The kids glued to the glass, memorizing the sunset sea.
As if seeing us off.
The orca leaped in the sea under the sunset, escorting us to the end.
I glanced at that sight and asked Suryeon.
"Suryeon."
"Yeah, Dad."
"The outside world isn't trash, right? Pretty good, huh?"
Suryeon, head fixed outside, replied.
"...It's good. The outside world's not trash, just like you said, Dad."
"Right?"
"Objectively, the world's beautiful. Though humans—excluding you, Dad—are trash."
Human hatred still strong, huh.
But Suryeon continued.
"I think going out is okay. New places seem fun."
"...Glad to hear it."
Suryeon seemed to have overcome her agoraphobia.
Exposure to new spots had shifted her view that outside was fine.
"As long as I'm with you, Dad. It won't be scary."
"..."
One condition attached.
But this was good enough.
'Tired. Better get home quick.'
They looked worn out too, not just me.
On the way home.
Glancing at the passenger and back seats, everyone was out cold, sleeping soundly.
"They were so lively earlier. Now crashed out."
Heh—
I chuckled at the sleeping kids and gripped the wheel firmly.
Even if they slept, Dad had to keep going where they couldn't see.
But I didn't feel tired at all.
"You all had a great time today. Good job, kids."
If anything, I was glad they'd enjoyed it so much.
Our first family trip ended with me driving alone down the dark road.