Chapter 28: Dad, Come Up to the Rooftop!

Heroes affiliated with the association work either through regular patrol routes or through a call system. The call system is used when someone requests help after being attacked by a villain, or when a dimensional gate appears. The association calls suitable heroes for the incident. This means that when there's no call, you can just lie at home like an unemployed person.

"Ah, this job is definitely easier on the body and mind. I hope I never get patrol duty."

"Me too! I hope Dad lies at home forever!"

Roll roll-

Choryeon and I rolled around on the living room floor. Rolling to the left and then rolling to the right. We just spent time rolling around without thinking.

"It's a comfortable and healing time."

"That's right, Dad!"

Choryeon lay down using my stomach as a pillow, and Hwaryeon seemed to dislike the sight of us two.

"What are you two doing lying on the floor!"

Kwaaaang-

The Red Dragon, with the fiercest temperament among dragons, roared. Suddenly, Hwaryeon started to cause trouble by squeezing between us.

"What are you doing just lying still! Move something! This isn't fun!"

She must have been quite bored. I spoke to Hwaryeon, who was trying to stir things up because she couldn't handle the slow life:

"Hwaryeon. Sometimes it's good to relax and rest lying down leisurely."

"Hmph, what's good about it! It's not fun at all! I'm telling you to get up, not lie down!"

Heave-ho-

Hwaryeon tried to pull my body up.

"Hurry... I said get up...!"

It seemed like she was asking me to play with her. Asking to play when I'm resting well on a day off. Is this the hardship of parents raising children? Can't be helped.

I pretended to give in to Hwaryeon's strength and got up.

"Okay, I'm up. What should Dad play with you?"

"Hmph, when did I ask you to play with me? I just told you to get up!"

Hwaryeon said this and just stared at me. She was subtly looking for a cue, expecting me to say something.

'What should I do to play with her…?'

Hmm. Come to think of it, what does Hwaryeon do while I'm gone? I leaned against the wall and spoke to Suryeon, who was fiddling with my smartphone:

"Suryeon."

"What, Dad."

"What does Hwaryeon do when I'm not around?"

"She watches TV and then suddenly runs around the room."

"And?"

"She does exercises that look tiring just to watch."

Hwaryeon exercises? I looked at Hwaryeon with doubt.

"Hwaryeon exercising..."

"Why are you looking at me like that! I exercise well! Watch!"

Oomph-

Hwaryeon suddenly started doing push-ups to show off her skills. It was a textbook-perfect posture.

"You really do exercise."

"Dragons don't lie!"

Shrug-

Hwaryeon's shoulders rose high. She looked quite confident.

"Then, shall we exercise together?"

"Do whatever you want!"

Hwaryeon's expression brightened. It seems it wasn't a bad choice. Hwaryeon also got Choryeon, who was lying down, to get up.

"You exercise too, Lee Choryeon!"

"What? Why me, unnie..."

"You're a dragon but you're so weak! You have no strength! Exercise together!"

"Hic..."

Choryeon made a sound like a wronged puppy. Hwaryeon didn't show any mercy, of course. And so, with Choryeon who got up led by Hwaryeon, we all started doing push-ups together.

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five..."

My body definitely felt better than before. Is it because dragon magic power is throughout my body? My body was firmly supported, making it easy to lift. I easily and quickly completed 100 push-ups and took a short break.

'I wonder if Hwaryeon and Choryeon are doing well.'

I couldn't hear Choryeon's voice from halfway through. I turned my head to check on Choryeon. As expected:

"Hmm, Choryeon is resting."

"I guess I don't like exercise. I prefer just lying still!"

"That could be the case."

"That's right!"

This suits Choryeon. Although Choryeon has a bright personality, she seems unsuited for exercise due to her leisurely nature. If I had to compare, she's like a constantly smiling sloth. While I was thinking about Choryeon:

"Uaaa-!"

Suddenly, Hwaryeon started to wail. And then:

Thud-

Hwaryeon became one with the floor. That sound seemed like the last embers burning out. I wonder how many she did to end up like that.

"Hwaryeon. How many did you do?"

Hwaryeon answered with her face planted on the floor, panting. Her cheeks, like rice cakes, were drenched in sweat.

"Ugh... eighty-nine..."

"That's quite a lot."

She doesn't have much muscle, I guess. Maybe because her body is still young, she can't do too many. Hwaryeon slightly lifted her head and asked me:

"Dad...?"

"I did a hundred and was resting."

"W-what?!"

Pop-

Was she provoked by my words? Hwaryeon suddenly got up and resumed her posture.

"Dragons never lose...!!"

Then she bit her lip hard and started doing push-ups again.

"Ninety...! Ninety-one...!"

"You really hate losing, don't you?"

"Ninety-three...!"

Hwaryeon continued counting, her arms trembling. Her face had turned as red as her hair. It's not good to overdo it. I got into position to stop Hwaryeon. Then, I started doing push-ups even faster than before.

Whoosh-! Whoosh-!

My body moved up and down with the sound of wind. I tend to give my all even when dealing with my daughter.

'She should stop on her own after seeing this level of skill.'

After doing about 100 more, I glanced to the side. There was Hwaryeon, her face now like a tomato.

"T-this... this is impossible...!!"

She grinned and shouted loudly at me:

"This is cheating! It's impossible! How can a human do more than me!!"

"It's the difference in experience, Hwaryeon."

"I-I can't accept this! No, I won't!"

Pop-

Hwaryeon stood up and said to me with an angry face:

"Come up to the rooftop, Dad!"

"What?"

"Come up right now!!"

Kwaaang-!

Hwaryeon even breathed fire. It seems I've pushed her buttons.

***

Today's weather was relatively sunny. Maybe because Choryeon planted trees, the smog floating in the air seemed to have cleared quite a bit. The rooftop scenery wasn't bad. Except for Hwaryeon being very angry.

"Kwaaang-!"

Hwaryeon roared on the rooftop. Is it because she lost to me? She seems quite angry.

"Prepare yourself, Dad! I haven't lost yet!"

"We weren't even competing just now... I think there's some misunderstanding, Hwaryeon."

"That's a lie! You moved like you were showing off in front of me!"

Grin- Grin-

Hwaryeon's horns seemed particularly red today. I pondered how to handle this thoroughly angered precious child. As I naturally sighed, Suryeon, who had peeked her face out from the rooftop door, spoke.

"Red Dragon trait: Never acknowledging defeat."

"I haven't lost yet! I was just careless!"

"Dad, you're in trouble today. Red Dragons go berserk like this once they get angry."

So that's why her horns were particularly red today.

"When a Red Dragon's horns turn red like that, they must fight no matter what. In that sense, Dad, you're in real trouble today."

This is ridiculous, but Suryeon's words seemed true. Hwaryeon was seriously warming up. As if she was about to challenge me to a fight right now.

'I thought she had a talent for being unfilial before, but was that real?'

You're already trying to be unfilial to Dad. I thought this as I quietly watched Hwaryeon. Then, I heard Suryeon and Choryeon's energetic cheers from behind:

"Red Dragon trait: Must fight until calmed down once angered. Play with her well, Dad."

"Dad, do your best! Don't get hurt!"

Being a dad is really hard. I waved to them.

'I absolutely can't lose in front of my child. Even more so, I can't lose to my child.'

Then, I made eye contact with Hwaryeon, who had finished all preparations. Unlike usual, her dragon eyes were fierce and sharp.

Glare-

Hwaryeon glared at me intensely, then leaped towards me, kicking off the rooftop floor.

"I'm angry!!"

Then Hwaryeon threw a punch with all her might towards where I was standing.

Whoosh-

The punch barely grazed my shoulder. Her small size made her movements quite nimble.

'This is more serious than I thought.'

I wonder if she watched a lot of martial arts programs on TV. Hwaryeon's punches were quite fierce. She took stances like martial artists and tried to hit my body accurately. If dragon magic power wasn't flowing through my body, I probably would have been hit by those attacks. I might be able to learn about fighting from Hwaryeon later.

"Is she able to copy moves just by watching them briefly? This must be dragon talent..."

"Eek! Dad! Don't dodge! Fight back!"

Certainly, her technique and combat sense are excellent. Later on, I probably won't be able to win against her at all. But Hwaryeon is still young, and her body is too small. Although her fists pounded my body at a high frequency, I didn't feel any pain at all.

'I should end this soon.'

I charged at Hwaryeon, taking all her attacks using my weight class advantage.

"Hwaryeon, come here!"

"Let go!!"

Lift-

I grabbed Hwaryeon's body and lifted her high into the air. Then, I spun around in that state.

"Ugh, uaaa... uaaaa..."

Hwaryeon made weak sounds, seemingly dizzy. After spinning Hwaryeon like that for about a minute, the color of her horns started to fade gradually.

"Ueaau... euuu..."

"Is this enough to end the berserk mode?"

Is the berserk mode over? I made eye contact with Hwaryeon to check.

"Auuu... I'm dizzy..."

Hwaryeon was in my hands, unable to regain her senses due to dizziness. The color of her horns had returned to normal.

"Hwaryeon. How's your body? Are you okay?"

"Does this look okay to you... uuu... Dad, just you wait... I'll win next time..."

Thud-

With those final words, Hwaryeon closed her eyes. As the berserk mode ended, she seemed to have lost all her strength and fallen asleep.

"...What on earth just happened?"

As I stood still, Suryeon approached and explained.

"The berserk mode is over, so Hwaryeon unnie is resting now."

"...Is that so?"

"Yes, that's how it usually is."

It's no different from kids suddenly falling asleep after playing. I decided to carry Hwaryeon back home. She was sleeping in my arms, mouth open and drooling.

"Kwang... kuuu..."

"...You sleep so well. Who would think you're a dragon?"

Hwaryeon was deep in sleep, unaware even in her dreams. Without a doubt, she looked like a young child sleeping after playing hard. And I thought that even though they're dragons, they still need an adult's help. Although their abilities are outstanding, they're still just fragile young children.