Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: First Winter (1)
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Cold winter.
I knelt down and checked the kids' clothes.
"Everyone, make sure you've got your puffer jackets on properly. It's cold outside."
Three dragons.
No, three penguins looked at me, bundled up warmly in their puffer jackets.
I sat in front of the bright red penguin and pulled up the half-zipped jacket all the way.
Zzzzzip-!
Maybe she didn't like having the zipper done up all the way.
Hwaryeon stuck out her lips like a duck and grabbed the zipper with her fingers.
"I'm stuffy! I'm pulling the zipper down!"
Zzzzzip-!
Hwaryeon pulled down the zipper I'd just zipped up.
Then, with a satisfied sniff, she said.
"Hmph, finally not stuffy! I like being free after all!"
I looked at the red penguin with the zipper down and said.
"Hwaryeon, if you go out with the zipper down, your soul will be free."
"Hmph, you think I'd lose to a little cold like that?! Dad doesn't know me at all!"
"..."
Let's see how you fare outside.
I prayed that Hwaryeon's stubborn confidence would be broken.
Then, I decided to check the other penguins' outfits.
"Let's see, Suryeon... You've got it on nice and neat."
"Of course. It's me, Dad."
Suryeon straightened the collar of her puffer jacket precisely, like a knife edge.
No matter how I looked at it, she seemed intoxicated by her own neatness.
"You spend all day at home fiddling with your smartphone and giggling to yourself. But at least you dress neatly."
"...Dad, what was the intent behind that comment?"
"Oh, speech bubble changed."
I'd meant to think it to myself.
But I accidentally said it out loud.
"What do you mean, what am I like at home?"
Glare-
Suryeon shot me a sharp look.
I turned my head, trying to ignore the blue penguin's gaze.
Then, I decided to straighten out the outfit of Choryeon, the sloppiest one.
"Choryeon, your hat's tucked inside."
"Oh? Is it? I didn't notice! Thank you, Father!"
Hee hee-
Choryeon gave a bright smile and her thanks.
Come to think of it, the guy who was always stuck to Choryeon like glue was nowhere to be seen.
No way.
"Choryeon."
"Yes?"
"You're not doing that vegetarian thing anymore? How did Mangmung taste?"
Poke poke-
I patted Choryeon's belly, protected by the fluffy puffer jacket.
At that, Choryeon blushed bright red and protested to me.
"I didn't eat him! I'm embarrassed, Father! Mangmung's right here!"
Choryeon unzipped her jacket.
As the zipper reached her neck, suddenly Mangmung's face popped out from inside the jacket.
"Mang mang-!"
"What, you were hiding Mangmung inside your puffer jacket?"
Choryeon scratched Mangmung's head with her finger and said.
"Yes! The weather got cold, so I thought he'd be chilly in the bag! I kept Mangmung warm!"
Shrug-
Choryeon shrugged, as if expecting praise.
'As expected, Choryeon loves her friends the most.'
I couldn't help but praise her.
I stroked Choryeon's head.
Choryeon stroked Mangmung, and I stroked Choryeon, creating a chain of petting.
"..."
Was Suryeon jealous of the sight?
She frowned as she watched, then grabbed my collar and said.
"Dad, we don't have time for this. We'll be late for kindergarten."
"Has it gotten that late already? Everyone, did you pack your lunches in your bags?"
The three penguins nodded at the same time.
I checked their bags one more time, opened the door, and headed outside.
Then, the cold snap of winter hit us.
More precisely, it hit Hwaryeon, who had her jacket half unzipped.
"C-C-Cold... S-S-So c-c-cold..."
"...I told you to zip it all the way up. You dumb penguin."
"I-I'm n-n-not a p-p-penguin...! I'm R-Red D-Dragon L-Lee Hwaryeon...!!!"
"You're doing it again. Zip up."
I zipped up her violently chattering jacket and even put her hat on.
Only then did Hwaryeon's shuddering body finally stop.
Hwaryeon muttered in a voice full of cold.
"U-Ugh... F-Finally l-living..."
"You experienced it yourself last time. You really are an idiot, Lee Hwaryeon."
"I'm a d-dragon...! D-Don't call me an idiot...! If you cross the line, I'll b-bite even you, Dad...!!"
Grrr-!
Hwaryeon bared her teeth at me in threat.
I just looked at her cutely and started walking toward the kindergarten.
"We'll be late at this rate. Everyone, hurry up."
"D-Don't ignore me!!"
Hwaryeon chased after me late, moving her short legs.
With the start of winter, I set off for kindergarten with the penguins.
It was a slightly overcast day, with clouds in the sky.
***
Even in winter, my routine didn't change much.
I just went around touring dimensional gates, handling cleanup duty for Lee Ha-jun.
"Maybe because I've taken on more work lately. My body definitely feels tired."
Yawn-
I wanted to get home quick.
I rubbed my stiff legs with my fist and stepped out of the dimensional gate.
Then, the waiting association staff member said to me.
"Lee Ha-jun Hero. There's another dimensional gate that appeared nearby."
"Should I handle that one too?"
"Yes, that would be best."
Well, other heroes sometimes come out injured if they go in.
It makes sense to send the safest me into the dimensional gates.
I let out a tired sigh and opened my smartphone.
Just then, a message came from the culprit behind this mess.
[Crazy Dragon Worshipper Association Chairman]
[How's the recent workload? You asked for more, so I specially assigned you extra duties. By the way, when are you planning to show me the dragon you worship? I showed you my worshipped Yellow Dragon. I even heard you got a kiss. I'm so jealous. I haven't gotten that kind of reward. How did it feel? Soft? Moist? Please reply-]
"What a crazy association chairman. Looks all prim and proper, but why does he write such long messages?"
He's seriously nuts.
I couldn't even finish reading the message.
I shook my head and pocketed my smartphone.
Then, I headed to the next assigned location.
"...I'll be a bit late to kindergarten today."
The sky's getting dark too.
I need to finish up as fast as possible and get back.
I quickened my steps to earn more money.
To raise the kids in an even better environment.
"...Is it snowing already?"
***
Beep beep- Beep beep-
At the kindergarten, where most of the kids had gone home.
Retro game sounds echoed through the kindergarten.
"Hmm..."
Suryeon pressed buttons on her Tamagotchi, diligently raising Mold No. 3.
This time, she was raising it healthily while discussing with Hwaryeon.
Mold No. 3 was just about to reach the next stage.
"But you know."
Glare-
Suryeon glared at the humans crowding around her.
Several gazes were focused on the small screen.
The owners of those gazes were none other than Min-gu's gang.
"That's not how you do it."
"I would've washed it thoroughly."
"I thought Suryeon was good at everything. Guess she's bad at games?"
Crackle-!
Maybe their words got under her skin.
Suryeon trembled with anger and said.
"You pathetic humans... How dare you mock my gaming skills...?"
"Suryeon's mad. Big trouble! Everyone, run!"
Thud thud thud-!
Min-gu's gang teased Suryeon and bolted immediately.
Because they knew something terrifying would happen if they didn't run.
Suryeon looked at those kids and muttered softly.
"...I'll remember this. I won't forget. I remember all of you."
She still didn't know their names well.
But Suryeon resolved to especially remember their faces.
"But you know."
"Huh?"
"Was it Min-gu?"
Suryeon looked at Min-gu, who hadn't left yet, and said.
"Why are you still hanging around?"
"M-Me?"
"Yeah, who else? Humans really are dumb."
At Suryeon's words, Min-gu quietly shut his mouth.
Because he still couldn't understand Suryeon.
'...She's human herself. Why does she keep going on about humans? That whole family is weird anyway.'
Min-gu shook his head as if there was no answer.
Then, he opened his mouth to speak again.
"Hey, Lee Suryeon, you-"
But.
"Dad's here."
Whoosh-!
Suryeon pocketed her Tamagotchi and left the room without even a greeting.
She dashed down the stairs so quickly that her long-awaited dad was waving his hand.
"Suryeon!"
"...Dad."
"Dad's here. Sorry I'm late! Everyone, let's head home!"
At Lee Ha-jun's words, the kids gathered on the first floor.
The kids lightly greeted Teacher Gu Bong-gu and left the kindergarten for home.
White snow fell from the black sky welcoming them.
The penguins walked the path, looking at the white snow.
"Wow, is this snow!? Can I eat it!?"
Lick-
Hwaryeon stuck out her tongue and ran around trying to eat the snow.
But once she confirmed it had no taste, she clicked her tongue.
"It's just water! This stuff!"
"Of course. It's frozen rain from the sky."
Suryeon calmly watched the white snow falling.
She analyzed it while letting the endlessly falling snow hit her face.
"It feels cool and nice. Dad, I can make it snow from the sky. Want me to show you?"
"Maybe later, Suryeon."
"...Fine."
Turn-
Suryeon turned her head away, sulking.
Meanwhile, Choryeon walked the gradually accumulating snowy path, playing with Mangmung.
"It's snow! Snow! Snow's falling from the sky, Father! Isn't this natural phenomenon so beautiful!? It's so pretty!"
Choryeon spun around and around against the dark night sky, as if she were an ice princess.
Below her, her servant Mangmung spun along.
Lee Ha-jun quietly watched the sight along with the snow, thinking to himself.
'In the end, I'm spending winter with these dragon—no, penguin kids.'
Something he never could have imagined.
Lee Ha-jun let out a chuckle and shouted toward the spinning Choryeon.
"Careful, it's slippery! You'll get hurt!"
"Yes, Father! I'll be careful! Thanks for worrying!"
"Mang mang-!!"
A dinner more valuable than anything.
The first winter night spent with family.