Chapter 34: Let's Go to the Mart (1)

It's been a month since I became a hero. During that time, I achieved remarkable results as a hero while protecting citizens' safety. Because of that, the Association's evaluation wasn't bad either.

"As expected, Hero Lee Ha-jun is the best at closing dimensional gates! You could do this for life!"

"..."

"The dimensional gate controller is Lee Ha-jun! That saying exists for a reason! Ahaha!"

I can't say it's good, but...

Anyway. It's not worse than when I worked at the employment office in terms of public evaluation and finances. At least I'm making considerably more money than before.

"Hey, Gu Bong-gu, you're here?"

"Never mind that, the money."

"Of course I prepared it."

I immediately sent money to Gu Bong-gu. After checking the deposit, he was surprised and said:

"150...? Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm not who I used to be, Bong-gu. I told you I'd pay back quickly."

"Kid, so you're making money now that you're a hero? You weren't even human before. You finally became one."

Snicker-

Gu Bong-gu showed a bitter smile. He seemed somewhat satisfied. I said to him.

"Bong-gu, you don't need to come find me anymore. I'll just send money every month."

"Ten years. That's how long you didn't pay my money back. Just in case, I'll still come."

Bong-gu did wait for me for a long time. Feeling grateful inside, I watched him disappear into the distance.

"Ah, right. Bong-gu!"

Almost forgot. I followed him and handed him the black bag I was holding. He looked inside and frowned, asking.

"Lettuce? Cherry tomatoes?"

"Yeah, I harvested these myself. Take them home to eat."

"...Didn't expect to receive anything from you besides money and anger."

Bong-gu made a surprised face and continued on his way.

There's still a lot of money to repay, but it'll work out if I save slowly. Instead of going straight home, I turned toward grandma's place.

Knock knock-

"Grandma, it's me."

When I knocked, grandma came out walking slowly. Her back seemed straighter than when I saw her last time. I showed her my smartphone screen.

"I sent all the overdue rent. Did you check?"

"...What's gotten into you, paying all your debts? You’re acting like you're about to die."

"Grandma, the old me is dead. This is the new Lee Ha-jun."

The Lee Ha-jun who lived like trash is dead. Now, there's only Dad Lee Ha-jun.

Grandma looked at me with an incredulous expression and said:

"You've gone completely crazy."

"Anyway, I paid all the overdue rent, okay? I added extra because I felt bad, so check it."

"Okay, I got it. But how did you pay off Bong-gu and the water and gas bills?"

"Oh, paid those too. Electricity as well."

"...You really have become a new person."

"I told you. Let me know if you need more vegetables. Well, I'm going now."

I gave grandma a quick goodbye and went down the stairs. Going down to the basement, I put the key in the front door to check on my daughters.

'Hmm...'

They're fundamentally unusual. Their hair colors are unusual, and they have appearances that even humans would find cute. The horns on their heads and tails are the most unusual though.

'Still, they're quite shabby.'

They were wearing my clothes. By the way, they weren't even wearing children's underwear because we had no money.

My white t-shirts could hardly be called white anymore, they were so discolored. How could a parent just watch this? So, I immediately called out to them.

"Everyone gather over here!"

"Yaaay, it's Dad!"

Pitter-patter-

Only Choryeon listened and ran toward me. Hwaryeon gave me a quick glance before looking back at the TV, and Suryeon was absorbed in her smartphone.

'These disobedient ones.'

I shouted at the ones who wouldn't listen:

"I was going to go out, but if you won't come..."

"Oh, Dad! Are we going out?"

"Yes, but since only Choryeon came, should just Choryeon come with dad?"

"Yaaay! I'd love to!"

Just as I was about to leave holding Choryeon's hand, I felt burning gazes on my back. When I turned around, Hwaryeon and Suryeon were glaring at me with sullen expressions.

"I want to go too!"

"...Take me too."

You should have come earlier.

"Quickly shrink yourselves. We're going somewhere big today."

"Somewhere big?"

"Yeah, we need to buy you clothes."

A large mart. I planned to take them there.

***

Hwaryeon in my hat, Suryeon in my pocket, and Choryeon in my bag.

With them hidden all around me, I took the subway to District 05. It's far, but we can buy things economically there.

'I heard heroes get a 30% discount.'

Even though the round trip takes 2-3 hours, I can't resist a discount.

-So many humans! But none look strong! Boring!

-Too many humans. Dad, when are we getting off?

-Waaah, there are so many humans!

Giggle- giggle-

They chattered endlessly through mental messages to my head. It felt like my head had become their chat room. I almost died from the noise and chaos.

'I was worried about pickpockets, but we arrived without problems.'

I looked up at the huge building in front of me.

"K-Mart."

-It's huge! I want to see that building collapse! It would be great if it collapsed! Won't someone destroy it!?

It's a large mart selling various goods, and I haven't been here much since I was young. However, we can buy what they need cheaply here.

I looked around and walked inside, trying to look unsuspicious.

Whoosh-

-Ugh, cold! Dad, I'm cold!

As soon as we entered, Hwaryeon started whining about the cold.

"That's why I said to get in the bag, Hwaryeon."

-N-no! I like being on top of your head!

"Sigh, just wait a bit."

The air conditioning is strong, so it's understandable she's cold. I went straight to where the shopping carts were. I took out a bill from my pocket and inserted it into the cart handle's slot to release it.

'...Used to need coins, or nothing at all before.'

Maybe because too many people started stealing after the dimensional gates appeared, now we have this annoying process. I put my bag in the cart and moved the dragons from my hat and pocket into it.

"There, less cold now?"

-Hmph, I wasn't that cold anyway!

"Sure, sure. Just rest inside."

I pushed the cart around the mart's interior. Whenever they sensed no one around, they'd peek their faces out of the bag to look around.

-Maybe it's because of all the lights, but the floor is really shiny.

-Suryeon unnie, look! The humans turned to stone!

-...Are they humans who committed crimes? Humans are more cruel than I thought.

To think such things about mannequins, they really are dragons. I smiled and continued pushing the cart. Then, I entered the underwear section where the items I wanted were.

"...It’s kind of awkward going in alone."

Ahem.

I cleared my throat and looked around. Underwear was hanging everywhere. The dragons observed and commented:

-Human underwear! But I heard humans find showing underwear shameful!

-...If that's true, the owner of this place might be a pervert.

-T-then I don't want to look!

Whoosh-

Choryeon retreated deep into the bag. I looked around for the children's underwear section. Perhaps my behavior seemed suspicious.

"...Sir?"

"Yes?"

"...Are you looking for something?"

A female employee approached me with a suspicious look.

...I'm not a weird person. Though I felt wronged, I asked to clear up the misunderstanding:

"Ah, I'm looking for children's underwear."

"Oh... children's underwear...?"

Somehow, her look seemed even more suspicious. So, I added one more thing.

"...It's for my daughter."

"Ah, I see!"

Finally, the misunderstanding cleared up. Given my appearance and being alone, I guess she was suspicious.

"How old is your child?" "Age... between kindergarten and elementary? About this tall and thin." "Then these products should be fine. They're white and simple."

Honestly, I can't tell what's what. I should just buy what the employee recommends. However, the dragons had different ideas.

-I want red ones!

-I'd like blue.

-Please get green for me!

"..."

They must like playing with colors because they're young. Because of that, I had no choice but to tell the employee.

"Um, I'll just take those character underwear sets hanging there."

Red, blue, green. I completed the purchase of underwear sets matching their colors.

'Ah, I want to go home.'

It might be easier just playing with the kids. Shopping is draining all my energy.

'...But there's no choice. I have to be both mom and dad.'

Let's go again. I pulled the cart toward other necessary items. There was still a lot left to buy.

-Dad, go faster! Run! You're so slow! We should go faster than that cart! What are you doing!

-I'm curious about that. Dad, let's go there.

-This place has air and smells, but it's far from nature. Trees... we need to plant trees...!!

"You're too noisy, kids."

Dad's dying here.

The fact that we still had a long way to go suddenly became frightening since the place is full of things they like. This is troublesome.