Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Nostalgic Stationery Store
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After kindergarten ended, on the way home.
The kids chattered away about what happened that day.
“Building blocks was so fun today! Right?!”
“Hwayeon didn’t build any blocks. She just smashed everyone else’s. How many kids did she make cry today, anyway?”
“I dunno! I lost count while counting!”
It seemed Hwayeon had been bullying the other kids during block-building time.
From what Suryeon was saying, she’d made a lot of them cry.
I decided to give a stern talking-to to Hwayeon, who was strolling along so casually.
“You need to get along with the other kids. Why smash their block towers? You can’t do that.”
“Hmph! It’s their fault for not being able to protect their block towers from me! It’s the law of the jungle or whatever!”
The law of the jungle.
It’s your fault for not being able to protect it.
Suryeon nodded along to Hwayeon’s gem of a quote, muttering to herself.
“Kekeke. It’s their fault for not being able to protect it. If you don’t have the strength to protect something, it’ll all get taken away. Kekeke…”
Kekeke—
Suryeon swept her hair over one eye and smirked creepily.
I couldn’t help but ask, genuinely curious about the sight.
“Suryeon, honey, do you have to cover one eye like that when you talk?”
“…It’s my style, Dad. Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
Suryeon’s face flushed red, like she was embarrassed.
At least she knew enough to feel ashamed of it.
I turned from Suryeon—who had her head turned away, cheeks still rosy—and looked at Choryeon bouncing around up ahead.
“Mangmung! Wanna go sniff that tree over there?”
“Mangmang—!”
Choryeon had Mangmung stuffed in her bag and was scampering all over the place.
It looked like she was letting the still-young Mangmung get a whiff of the outside smells.
I pulled out my smartphone and snapped a photo of the scene.
Click—!
“Aw, came out super cute.”
The chilly weather felt a little warmer for a moment.
That’s when, as we were heading home together—
“Hey, Dad!”
“What is it, Hwayeon?”
“What’s that place? I wanna go in!”
Hwayeon took an interest in a stationery store we were passing by.
I watched her dash toward it and thought to myself.
‘…It looks like a normal stationery store on the outside. But it actually sells weapons. Is it okay to go in?’
Well, it did have plenty of regular stationery stuff.
Should be fine to take the kids inside.
I called out to Choryeon, who was far ahead playing with Mangmung.
“Choryeon! We’re going into the stationery store, so come over here!”
“Okay, Father! Mangmung and I’ll be right there!”
And so, I went into a stationery store with the kids for the first time in ages.
Ding—
“What? Who’s there!?”
As we stepped inside, the grandpa inside jumped at the bell and called out.
He’d been resting in the back, but he got up and came over to us.
Mindful of the kids watching, I bowed politely in greeting.
“Hello, Grandpa. Do you remember me?”
“You’re that punk who knew Ttongttong and Bisil! The one who bought that sketchbook!”
“Yes, that’s me. Just came by with the kids to browse a bit.”
Lately, I’d resolved to set a good example with manners in front of the kids.
It was a bit tough since I’d never really been taught proper etiquette as a kid.
But I asked as formally as I could.
“Got any toys the kids might like?”
“Plenty. Even toys grown-ups like. Bang bang!”
The stationery store grandpa mimed shooting a gun into the air.
I frowned and said.
“Don’t do that in front of the kids.”
“Ahem, got a bit excited seeing kids after so long. Sorry about that.”
Any other kids, maybe not.
But if these dragon kids learned about guns, all hell would break loose.
Especially Hwayeon and Suryeon.
‘One would think shooting them is fun, and the other would want to carry one around to look cool.’
Predictable as ever.
My own childhood was short, but even I’d thought like that once.
Feeling my cheeks heat up a little, I watched the kids looking around the store.
Hwayeon grabbed something in her hand, held it up high, and yelled to me.
“Dad! What’s this!? It’s got yummy pictures on the wrapper!”
“Oh, that? Haven’t seen one in forever.”
Chakkani.
The junk food they sold at stationery stores.
I remembered it being stick-shaped with tons of powdery crumbs.
I asked the grandpa, who was standing quietly beside me.
“How much for those chakkani?”
“1,000 won.”
“What? Why’s junk food so expensive?”
“Inflation. Even junk food has inflation these days.”
Damn.
Junk food wasn’t junk food anymore.
The whole point was that it was cheap.
I felt a pang of regret, but I beckoned to Hwayeon, who was staring intently at the wrapper.
“I’ll pay for it, so go ahead and eat!”
“Yay! I was hungry! Thanks for the food!”
Hwayeon grinned ear to ear and tore open the wrapper.
Then she pinched a chakkani stick between her fingers and took a big bite.
Crunch crunch—
“It’s salty! But yummy!”
Hwayeon shoved the whole stick in her mouth.
At the same time, chakkani crumbs rained down onto the floor.
The stationery store grandpa saw it and bellowed.
“Hey! What’re you doing eating that in here!? Go eat outside!!”
“Hmph, why should I? It’s cold out there! I’m eating here!”
Nom—
Hwayeon deliberately pulled out another chakkani and chomped down on it, just to show off.
She even licked the powder off her fingers.
The grandpa trembled with rage and charged at Hwayeon.
“You little brat!! My back hurts enough without cleaning up after you!! If you get caught, you’re cleaning it!!”
“Ha, catch me if you can! You puny human!”
Thud thud thud—!
Suddenly, Hwayeon and the stationery store grandpa were in a chase.
I let out a sigh as I watched.
“Jeez, she’s a walking disaster.”
Tsk—
Guess I’ll have to clean up later.
That’s what I thought as I quietly noted where the broom was.
Then Suryeon came up to me holding a toy and showed it off.
“Dad, look at this.”
“Hm?”
“Isn’t this kinda like a smartphone?”
Whoosh—
Suryeon carefully held out the toy to me.
It was one of those relics from the old days, even I wasn’t super familiar with.
“What’re they called again? Tamagotchi?”
“Tamagotchi?”
“Yeah, see that egg on the screen? It’s a game where you raise it.”
“Hmm, a game… I kinda wanna play games…”
Poke poke—
Suryeon’s face scrunched up in deep thought as she pressed the Tamagotchi buttons.
But she didn’t straight-up ask me to buy it.
‘…Too embarrassed to ask outright, huh.’
Maybe I’ll tease her a bit.
I turned my head away like I didn’t care and said.
“Oh? Well, you can play games when you’re all grown up, then.”
“…I’m not a kid, Dad. Don’t treat me like a child. I’m all grown up.”
“Oh? Guess you don’t need games then. Games are just for kids.”
“…”
Zap—
Suryeon puffed out her cheeks and narrowed her eyes, glaring at me.
‘Maybe I’ll stop teasing.’
Her reactions are fun, though.
I dropped the indifferent act, smiled a little, and said.
“Alright. I’ll buy it for you.”
“Really? No lying? If you lie, I won’t trust you anymore, Dad.”
“Suryeon, you don’t trust Dad?”
“…No.”
“I’ll buy it for sure. Don’t worry.”
So cute.
Suryeon seemed pretty taken with the Tamagotchi.
I called over to the grandpa, who was still running around with Hwayeon.
“Grandpa. How much for this one?”
“Oh, that? Ugh, haven’t run like that in ages… Feels like I’m gonna die…”
Huff huff—
The grandpa panted heavily as he answered.
“100,000 won.”
“…Why’s it so pricey?”
“Inflation, like I said.”
“…”
Whoosh—
I looked at Suryeon, who was brimming with anticipation, and said.
“Sorry, Suryeon. Dad can’t buy—”
“From today on, you’re not Dad.”
“It’s too expens—”
“Who’re you? Don’t talk to me. You’re annoying.”
Suryeon shot me a look of utter contempt.
Her staring at her own dad like that.
That gaze is kinda hard to take.
I had no choice but to make the call.
“…Fine, I’ll buy it. 100,000 won, right?”
“Yes! Dad, you’re the best. No one else but you.”
Damn.
Shouldn’t have come into this stationery store.
Didn’t expect to spend this much.
As I checked my bank balance and felt dejected, Choryeon came over with Mangmung and said.
“Father! There’s so much fun stuff here! It’d be great if we came all the time!”
“Dad doesn’t wanna come often. Looks like Dad and daughter aren’t on the same wavelength for once.”
“Is that so, Father? Anyway! I want this one!”
Ta-da—!
Choryeon showed me an item.
It was a set of colored pencils and markers.
She must want it for drawing.
Choryeon held them out to me with a serious expression.
“You got stuff for Hwayeon sis and Suryeon sis. If you don’t get me something, wouldn’t that be unfair? Discrimination has no place in this world. Right, Father?”
“…”
This scary kid.
When did she learn to guilt-trip people like that?
A chill ran down my spine, feeling like she’d picked up some weird skill at kindergarten.
“Jeez. How much for this, you old stationery shop geezer.”
“50,000 won for that.”
“Filthy inflation…”
And so I bought the item Choryeon held out too.
I teared up looking at my bank balance, now diminished beyond imagination.
Maybe that’s why.
The stationery store grandpa, on the other hand, looked delighted.
Feeling a twinge of jealousy for no reason, I said to him.
“Must be nice, raking in the cash, huh, old man.”
“Well, making a lot of money is great, sure. But seeing a stationery store full of kids like this? That’s even better. It’s the stationery store like it used to be, after so long. Brings back old memories.”
The grandpa closed his eyes, lost in nostalgia as he said that.
His face was like he was rewinding the scent of memories.