Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Social Contribution Children's Art Contest
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Here, award-winning works get displayed in a special social contribution exhibition.
That must be why quite a few children had signed up.
'Whew, there sure are a lot.'
Roughly dozens of kids had settled in spots all over the park where the art contest was being held.
Their parents stood at a distance, watching over them.
'Definitely a lot of families here.'
Even being generous, most were elementary school age, and some even looked about Daeun's age.
Naturally, they'd come with their parents... but something about it felt off.
"Our Sangjun can do this, right? You have to win this time. That's the only way you'll get good marks on your performance evaluation. Got it?"
"Yes, I got it."
Performance evaluation marks. Even as the parent spoke with such fervor, the child responded without any emotion.
What was surprising was that this wasn't just one or two kids reacting this way.
"Park Ikjun, you know you have to win this time, right? Don't forget all your friends have award records. Do you want to fall behind them?"
"No..."
"So get your head straight and draw. Don't forget what your art teacher said."
"Yes..."
Seeing the kids give such listless replies made the reality sink in for me.
'Performance evaluation marks.'
No matter how I looked at them, they were just elementary schoolers.
Of course, I understood grades mattered, but forcing them into contests like this just to boost those marks was enough to make me frown.
Tap tap.
Just then, someone tapped my leg.
'Hm?'
Turning my gaze down, I saw a kid about six years old reaching out and saying,
"Mister, give me one of those too!"
The kid was pointing at the mats provided by the organizers.
"Oh, you need a mat?"
"Yes! Onjun's gonna sit and draw!"
"Alright then, Uncle better hurry up and give you one."
With that, I quickly handed a mat over to the kid.
The child, who had introduced himself as Onjun, bounced excitedly and ran back to his mom.
"Mom! Onjun got a mat!"
"Oh my, good job. Shall we go over there and draw then?"
"Yeah!"
Their cute mother-son exchange eased my mind a bit.
'At least not everyone's like that. Good.'
It was regrettable that most of the contest kids were elementary schoolers here for performance marks, but clearly not all had that motive.
And amid it all, our adorable Daeun was throwing herself wholeheartedly into her assigned task.
"Daddy! Daeun is working hard!"
"Wow, our Daeun is amazing. Not tired?"
"Nope! Daeun's not tired at all!"
I was handing out mats, while Daeun was distributing water for the participants to drink.
Holding the water bottles, I stroked the head of my beaming daughter.
"Our Daeun is so great. Doing such a good job."
Hee hee.
Her bashful grin was just too cute. I couldn't help smiling just looking at her.
'Everyone has their own circumstances.'
Personally, I found the situation regrettable, but it wasn't my place to judge them.
They were all doing their best in their own lives. Who was I to evaluate or comment?
I just hoped the kids could smile a little more.
Cherishing that small wish, I kept handing out supplies when—
"Everyone's working hard."
Professor Im, one of the judges, approached with a smile.
"Oh, Professor, you're here."
"Hello!"
Spotting him, Daeun immediately placed her hand on her belly and bowed politely.
Amused by the sight, he smiled and asked,
"Not tired, Daeun?"
"Nope! Not tired at all! Daeun is working hard!"
"Good to hear you're doing well. I was worried it might be tough."
"Still, the person in charge here was considerate. They gave us easy tasks, so it's not too bad."
"That's a relief."
As he spoke, the professor surveyed the participants spread across the park.
His expression turned much like mine.
"It must not be a pleasant sight from your perspective, Jeon Seo-gu."
The professor too.
"I've criticized society before, but never individuals."
"You're so rigid. It's just one facet of what our society has created."
One could certainly see it that way, but it depended on one's viewpoint.
"At first, I couldn't understand it, but then I realized it can't be helped."
"Why?"
"For those kids, grades are everything."
The professor pondered for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"In reality, it's not, but if we were in their shoes, we'd act the same."
He glanced back and forth between Daeun and me.
"Right?"
He must think I understood because of raising Daeun.
It wasn't entirely unrelated, but it hadn't influenced me much.
The reason I tried to understand them was purely for the kids' sake.
"If I feel sorry for them, then they really are pitiful, aren't they?"
"Hm? What'd you say?"
"So I decided not to think that way. Judging them based on appearances alone wouldn't be right."
Thinking was free, but arbitrarily judging them was something else.
Some might genuinely love art and join for that.
"......"
At my words, the professor gazed at me intently.
Then he smiled brightly.
"You've changed a lot. Much more than at graduation."
I'd heard something similar from Director Go.
They say position shapes the person.
The reckless student days and the role of dad protecting my most precious being, Daeun, couldn't be the same.
Standing in that role changed how I saw the world.
No, more precisely, my mindset.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Living for pride back then and vowing to live for Daeun couldn't be the same.
At that, the professor grinned widely.
"It is a compliment."
A compliment.
Hearing one after so long almost lifted my spirits when—
"Waaah!"
A child's wail echoed through the air.
Followed by the mother's voice.
"What are you crying for?!"
Tension rippled through the once-quiet park.
Perhaps because they'd been quietly drawing, all eyes turned to the crying child.
'What happened?'
From the mother's raised voice, it seemed serious.
"Waaah!"
The kid kept bawling, while the mom yelled without trying to soothe her.
"No, what is wrong with you? Huh? I specifically told you not to take it out, that you might lose it, didn't I?!"
"Waaah! Mom should've kept it safe! Why didn't you?!"
"Why are you the one who lost it and is crying?! Stop crying!"
'Hm?'
At first, hearing the mom, I'd wondered if the kid had done something wrong, making her react sensitively.
But listening, the situation felt off.
"Mom's bad!"
"I told you not to say bad things like that!"
"I hate Mom! It's 'cause of Mom I can't draw!"
"You little—!"
Apparently, Mom had prepared supplies for the contest, but the kid had taken them out and forgotten them.
The kid was at fault, sure, but the whole exchange felt weird.
"I'm going!"
With that, the kid turned and stormed off somewhere.
'What, what?'
The mom wasn't the flustered one— it was the onlookers.
The kid's bold move was amusing, while also pitying the mom.
Like everyone else, the mom looked upset, face scrunched as she chased after.
Watching, the professor said, sounding a bit surprised,
"Not just throwing a tantrum, huh."
"Yeah. At this point, it feels like she cried out loud on purpose to draw attention."
"Impressive, or something. First kid like that I've seen."
I fully agreed with the professor.
From the talking to the attitude.
As the pair argued by the restroom building far off, having left the park—
"Daeun has decided!"
"Hm? On what?"
Daeun suddenly declared her resolve.
Caught off guard for a moment, her next words left me and the professor blinking.
"Daeun will lend art supplies!"
"Lend... supplies?"
I was dying to know her reasoning, but couldn't even ask why.
"Yeah, 'cause if someone doesn't have a brush and can't draw, they'll be sad, right?"
She'd be sad herself, so she'd lend to that kid.
It was admirable, but also worrying.
"You sure? You treasure your art supplies."
When we stopped by the shop, she cherished her gifted ones so much.
She'd wash each one carefully with her tiny hands after drawing.
Yet she wanted to lend those precious tools.
"Yeah, it's okay!"
I couldn't fathom why she'd offer.
As I struggled to understand Daeun's thinking, she grabbed my hand and said,
"But Daeun's shy, so Daddy has to go with! You'll go, right?"
"Uh, yeah. Of course."
"Thanks, Daddy!"
And just like that, I found myself led by Daeun's hand toward the restroom where the mother and daughter were talking.
"What is with you? If you're gonna act like this, maybe we should just go home."
"No way! Mom, bring it!"
"Why are you throwing such a fit? Keep this up, and I won't do anything for you."
"No! No! No! I wanna draw!"
"Shh! Enough! Even if you cry, no means no!"
Their emotionally charged back-and-forth showed no sign of stopping.
Feeling awkward eavesdropping, I cleared my throat softly.
"You really...!"
"Ahem."
"Oh, uh."
The startled mom glanced at me, then at the kid still huffing defiantly, before I asked,
"Did you perhaps forget the art supplies?"
Maybe because of our vests, neither the kid nor mom eyed us warily.
"Oh, do you have any we could borrow? I'd even pay if there's a fee!"
Thinking we were lending for a price, her face lit up.
"Oh, no, not that. Our daughter has some she's using and wants to lend them out."
At that, the mom's eyes went wide.
"Pardon? L-lend them?"
She looked down at Daeun, who stood clutching my leg.
Shocked that such a young child would offer to lend supplies, perhaps.
With disbelief, she asked again,
"R-Really? You can lend them?"
Daeun answered for her.
"Yes! Daeun will lend hers!"
"Really? You'd do that for us?"
Moved, nearly teary, the mom bowed to Daeun.
"Thank you so much. Auntie will buy you art supplies after the contest."
No need for that, but from her perspective, she'd do anything to get her kid in the contest.
Then, she scolded the kid standing blankly behind her.
"Say thank you!"
The boy stuck out his lip sullenly and muttered ungraciously,
"Th...anks."
It was a thankful situation, but maybe this was his pride.
He wouldn't even look at Daeun.
After smoothly lending the supplies and they headed back—
Daeun said something unexpected.
"Daddy, Daeun wants to draw too."
"Huh? Suddenly?"
"Yeah, Daeun wants to draw now. Pretty please?"
Hm, she hadn't registered for the contest, but just drawing casually should be fine.
"You could draw, but... oh, we lent out the supplies. Won't work."
Of all times, right after lending them out.
Too bad, next time...
As I thought that—
Daeun made an unforeseen proposal.
"Then Daeun will draw with him."
Daeun pointed at the very kid we'd lent the supplies to.