Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: The Young Boss's Right Hand is 6 Years Old (2)
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"Have a seat for now."
- Uh, sure...
I never imagined we'd reunite like this, here of all places.
It's 100% pure coincidence.
They say all causes and effects in the world are connected, and even brushing sleeves creates a bond, but this meeting was so completely unexpected that I just wanted to call it sheer chance.
Su-young-i's expression turns puzzled as she desperately shoves the Great Xenocyder under her butt.
Yoon-seul also blinks her big eyes wide, staring intently, suspicious of Teacher Mi-jeong's sudden appearance.
The teacher waddles over with her legs spread wide and plops down right across from Kwon Su-young.
- Su-young-i's here, huh?
- Yeah? Pretty Su-young-i's right here!
- You can have some quiet one-on-one time with me later.
- Ahh, that's such a heart-fluttering thing to say.
- Just fluttering? Your heart's gonna be pounding like crazy.
- Haha! I'll look forward to it.
She ended up sitting next to Su-young-i due to the seating arrangement, but Yoon-seul spreads her arms toward me, insisting she wants to sit too.
I pick her up lightly and set her on my lap, and Teacher Mi-jeong scowls deeply.
She glances back and forth between our sibling faces, then says with a look of conviction.
- You had a baby? With your wife.
She stops mid-sentence and turns to stare at Kwon Su-young for some reason.
"She's my little sister. And stop with that look. Right now. Or I'll call 117."
"And not a baby, it's Yoon-seul! Go ahead and report it."
- Ahh, right. Of course. No way you'd have a daughter my son's age. Got it.
She lets out a sigh of relief and continues smiling.
She's always been a beauty when she smiles.
She exudes a refined aura that doesn't match her title of PE teacher at all.
Just her outfit is a bit shabby.
- She really does look like your sister. Yoon-seul's super pretty.
"Huh?"
Yoon-seul looks up at my face from below upon hearing the teacher's words. Her cheeks flush—she seems pleased.
"Oppa, Oppa."
"Yeah?"
"That Auntieie nice person?"
"Yeah... kinda ambiguous."
- Ah, Auntieie...!
She's usually called Teacher, so switching to "Auntieie" hits her hard.
I get the sentiment, but to Yoon-seul, she's a total stranger, and based on age, Auntieie fits.
Even if she's just early to mid-30s.
"Teacher Mi-jeong, you came to J High School?"
- Yeah, it's been two years now.
It's not far from the middle school I attended, so nothing strange about it. Teachers often move between high schools and middle schools.
- But Kwon Su-young-i's really gone soft. Of all places, coming to Joo-hyun's turf. She comes here a lot?
"Su-young-i visits our restaurant often. Sometimes skips school to come. Ditches school to come. Sneaks over the fence to come."
- Oppa Joo-hyun, those are all the same thing!
- Hmm... So if Su-young-i runs away, I can just come grab her here.
"Ah, no can't do that. She's one of our key customers, so we don't wanna lose her like that. Once Su-young-i finishes eating, I'll contact you separately, so come get her then."
- Got it.
- What kind of deal are you two making right in front of me? I even came home from school on time today.
It's rare for a mentor-mentee reunion after so long to be this harmonious.
Teacher Kim Mi-jeong and I have always gotten along well, so nothing odd there.
If you ask why we got along, it's purely down to the teacher's personality.
- Seeing how much you've grown, Joo-hyun, warms my heart.
The teacher reaches out a rough hand toward Yoon-seul, pretending to grab at the air.
Her cheeks relax.
- That little sister's way too pretty too!! I wanna line her up next to my son and take pictures!!
Teacher Kim Mi-jeong has an insane love for pretty and handsome people.
To the point where her qualifications as an educator come into question.
Back in the day, if a slightly good-looking kid messed up in PE class, she'd give a 10-lap punishment as only 3.
Not to brag, but I never got punished once.
So Su-young-i rUnnieng here probably follows the same logic.
She figured the goblin-like Teacher Kim Mi-jeong might mellow out in front of us siblings.
That's the shallow thinking that led her to flee here.
But there was a big variable.
The teacher and I know each other.
- Alright, Su-young. How about returning my Great Xenocyder now? If you give it back quick, I'll consider leniency.
- Here you go.
Su-young-i hands it back swiftly while the teacher smiles and speaks. Wise choice.
Yoon-seul keeps murmuring "Jeno-th... Xeno-si..."—the name's bugging her.
"Oppa."
"Yeah?"
"What's Grrreat Xeno-si?"
"That green stick thing."
"Uhh... no. Uh... what mean?"
"Mean?"
I don't know that either.
I shoot a questioning look at the namer herself.
- Just slapped it on 'cause it sounded cool.
That's what she says.
I remember the mop handle from our school back then was called "Zhuque Guan Yue Dao." Weirdly ripped from Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
Since it's not with the Yue Dao now, that one's probably reached the end of its lifespan.
Su-young-i fiddles with her smartphone.
Looks like she's searching what Great Xenocyder means.
- Great is great (Great)... but Genocide means... acts of persecuting and killing groups based on differences in nationality, race, ethnicity, religion... or so it says?
Everyone except Yoon-seul falls silent.
For something "just cool," it carries way too brutal and terrifying connotations.
- Not a name an educator should pick, huh.
"Better reflect on that, Teacher Mi-jeong."
- I'll sincerely reflect on this one.
The teacher smacks her lips with a bitter expression.
- Joo-hyun, this your restaurant?
"As you can see."
- Good food?
"Ask the regular right in front of you."
Su-young-i beams and gives a thumbs-up.
Yoon-seul copies her exactly.
"Oppa's cooking bestest."
- Gah...!
Teacher Mi-jeong clutches her left chest, fatally wounded by Yoon-seul's cuteness.
Seeing that, Yoon-seul makes an evil, clever face like a cowboy shot, finger-gUnnieng.
"Bang! Bang!"
Teacher Kim Mi-jeong's chair tips straight back.
Thud—
She gets up, rubbing the back of her head furiously with her hand.
- I overdid the reaction a bit, sorry. Almost blacked out.
"You okay?"
- Ugh... Teacher's fine with this much. I'm the PE teacher, after all. Pretty tough.
"No, not you—the chair."
- Hey! You worry about the chair before your teacher?
And so, thanks to Yoon-seul and Su-young-i's aggressive sales pitch, the teacher caves. She has dinner and leaves.
She boldly orders three servings of spicy pork stir-fry to share with Su-young-i, and since it was opening time for dinner service, I whipped it up right away.
Mid-bite, the teacher says:
- Dang, no good! Joo-hyun, this is a legit eats spot. I'll bring my son next time.
Grateful words.
I bow 90 degrees in thanks.
Yoon-seul mimics a belly bow beside me, striking the teacher's heart hard once more.
[Onui Tycoon!]
[Customer marvels at your cooking skills.]
[J High School PE Teacher Kim Mi-jeong: Restaurant satisfaction +23%!]
[Total Satisfaction: 23%]
"Feeling a new regular incoming?"
In the end, the teacher pays for Su-young-i's meal too. Kinda makes you think she stole that weapon just to score a free meal.
Teacher Kim Mi-jeong's a good person deep down, despite everything.
She's been popular with students since my middle school days. Playful, a beauty, so kids that age followed her around.
I even know she took lonely kids without friends out after school and bought them meals. I was one of them.
That's why kids occasionally wanted to get whacked by the "Zhuque Guan Yue Dao."
Pubescent boys' hearts are complicated when they crave attention.
**
The next day arrives.
- Joo-hyun! My son-and-daughter-in-law!
- Hi...
The teacher shows up early evening with her son in tow.
She's got strength too—hoists him up like a teddy bear and thrusts him forward. I couldn't do that with Yoon-seul; her arm muscles are impressive.
He looks Yoon-seul's age.
Common for kids this age, maybe, but his chubby cheeks are puffy and cute. Sharp eyes like his mom's.
Judging by the "hi" he just said, his pronunciation's a tad clearer than Yoon-seul's.
"What's his name?"
- Yu-min-i. Cha Yu-min.
- Yu-min-i.
He parrots his own name after his mom.
Yoon-seul hides behind my leg, unfamiliar with another kid her age in the shop.
Then she peeks out shyly.
"Yu-min-i... come on in."
Like she's greeting a customer properly.
Yu-min-i nods slightly in response.
- Yeah... welcome.
The two kids are just endlessly adorable.
A sweet, soft tension lingers in the air.
"Have a seat with Yu-min-i for now."
- Bar table okay?
"Whatever's comfy."
The teacher sits at the table.
She lifts Yu-min-i and sets him next to her.
Yoon-seul watches intently from a step away.
She wants to talk but doesn't know how.
That's when it happens.
Yu-min-i calls his mom softly.
- Mommy...
- Yeah?
- Lemme down.
- Gotta pee?
- No, down.
The teacher glances around the shop's decor and gets it. Our place is packed with car posters and model cars.
Normal for a boy his age to be into that.
- But no mischief, okay?
- Kay.
He climbs down from the chair and toddles carefully toward...
Yoon-seul.
Wasn't the decor after all.
"Hm?"
He flinches in surprise, makes an awkward face. Maybe another kid his age is trickier to approach—he scrapes the shop floor with his shoe.
He spins his gaze around, then pouts a bit and looks up at me. Yoon-seul's cute, but I wanna help her make a friend.
I grin wide and thumbs-up her. Her eyebrows twitch, she nods firmly— "Mm!" Looks like she got courage.
She stares straight at Yu-min-i.
- Wha your name?
"Yoon-seul."
- Yoon-seul? Pretty.
"Mm, pretty. You pretty too. Yu-min-i."
- Yeah. Yu-min-i pretty name.
The kids keep up a sugary, chocolatey chat with zero nutrition. Yoon-seul's spirits rise since Yu-min-i approached first.
Up to her usual level with me or friendly customers. She shows him around the shop, pointing stuff out.
"That car-car."
- Whoa. What's that?
"Boong-boong No.3. Oppa bought it."
- Oppa?
"Yeah, Oppa. Cooks over there, super tasty. And yummy."
Yoon-seul points at me.
Yu-min-i stares, so I wave hello.
Seeing that, Yu-min-i adds:
- He so handsome! Oppa, Oppa!
To reiterate, Yu-min-i is Teacher Kim Mi-jeong's son.
Her "son."