Chapter 42: Don't read books. It changes your constitution (2)

Environmental activist Lee Choryeon was shouting from the center of the library.

"This isn't knowledge...! It's violence...!!"

Choryeon pointed at the books tightly packed on the shelves and shouted again.

"Father...! How many trees were sacrificed to make these...?"

"I never thought about it so I don't know. But you should be quiet, Choryeon. People keep looking at us-"

"This is unacceptable...!"

Choryeon cut off my words and headed toward the shelves with determined eyes. Then, she started pulling out books one by one.

"I'll save you...! Return to nature like us...!"

Rumble-

The organized books tumbled to the floor. I grabbed Choryeon in surprise and pulled her back.

"W-what are you suddenly doing! Choryeon!"

"Father, let go! I'm doing what must be done!"

Choryeon waved her hands wildly, reaching for the shelves. It seems she lost her mind after seeing paper books.

'I didn't expect Choryeon to be like this...'

I thought Hwaryeon would cause trouble. Instead, the usually quiet Choryeon is acting up. To calm her down, I covered her eyes with both hands and said.

"Don't stop me, Father...!!"

"Choryeon, let's calm down. You're too excited."

"How can I not be excited… when trees are being massacred like this…?! My friends are crying...!"

Maybe because she could hear the forest spirits' voices, tears welled up in her green eyes. Seems like bookstores really aren't suitable for Choryeon.

"This place is full of trees' blood smell... I can't stand it..."

"...Choryeon should get in the bag."

She looks really upset. I checked around and took Choryeon to a secluded spot. Then, I put the shrunken dragon-mode Choryeon in the bag.

"Choryeon, rest when we get back."

-...Yes, Father. Sorry for causing trouble.

The depressed Choryeon closed her eyes quietly in the bag. I covered her with fallen clothes and returned to the original spot. Then, I met eyes with an employee cleaning up the fallen books.

"..."

"..."

The employee glared at me silently. I could read killing intent in those eyes.

"...I'm sorry. My daughter caused trouble. I'll clean it up."

I put back the books Choryeon had dropped. The employee watched me quietly, then returned to their post without a word. Their final expression seemed a bit better though.

"Whew, that was close."

Thank goodness. As I caught my breath, Hwaryeon asked lightly.

"Dad, I don't get it. Why does Choryeon like trees so much? Trees just disappear when I go Graaah-! and burn them! They're super weak!"

Hwaryeon couldn't understand why Choryeon liked trees. I could understand that. Hwaryeon likes strong things like dinosaurs, not small and weak things.

I lowered myself to meet her eyes, gently patted her head and said.

"You might not understand now, but later you'll know what it feels like to like something weaker than you."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're still young."

"I'm not young!"

Hwaryeon screamed. I quickly covered her mouth with my finger.

"Anyway, it's something like that."

"...Hmph."

Hwaryeon snorted disapprovingly, but she seemed to roughly understand what I meant.

After finishing cleaning up the books, I held Hwaryeon's hand and looked around for Suryeon.

"What books did she want to read that made her ask to come here?"

"I don't know! I never understand what she's thinking!"

"That's true."

Unlike the easy-to-read Hwaryeon, Suryeon's expressionless face makes it hard to know what she's thinking. You could say she's unfathomable, but often she's just thinking trivial thoughts at such times.

"She's probably just browsing books without much thought now too."

I looked around while thinking this. Then, instead of Suryeon, I found an unexpected person in the bookstore.

Why is this person here?

"Oh, Senior Han Ji-soo?"

"...Lee Ha-jun?"

Han Ji-soo was standing still while reading poetry. She really is pretty, like looking at a photo spread.

She closed her poetry book and asked me with round, surprised eyes.

"...You don't seem like someone who'd match with books. This is an unexpected place to meet you. Who's that child?"

"Ah, she's my cous-"

Just as I was about to say cousin, Hwaryeon jumped in front of me and said.

"Don't talk to my dad!"

"...Dad?"

Ah.

I heard the slight possibility of romance closing. Hwaryeon ended up blowing up my love life, too. Han Ji-soo asked me seriously.

"Junior Lee Ha-jun... already has a child. Quite grown too."

"Well, that's how it turned out."

"...The mother must have struggled a lot."

"There's no mother. I'm raising her alone."

"...Sorry. I misspoke. I sincerely apologize."

There’s no real need to apologize though. Han Ji-soo bowed 90 degrees to apologize.

"...Junior Lee Ha-jun must have had it harder than I thought."

"Well, that's true but..."

"Does the Association know?"

"No."

"...Then I'll keep it secret."

Such thoughtful consideration. Being treated so seriously makes me feel more burdened instead.

'This is too big a misunderstanding.'

Unaware of my burning heart, Hwaryeon sharply told Han Ji-soo.

"Who are you?! Why are you talking to my dad?! Go away!"

"Sorry, Senior. My kid is a bit wild."

"Dad, don't apologize!"

Han Ji-soo looked between Hwaryeon and me, then stepped back, saying.

"...You two look very alike. Sorry for interrupting. I'll go."

"Ah, no. That's not..."

"See you at the promotion test."

Whoosh-

Han Ji-soo quickly fled using her A-rank hero physique. It seems like a big misunderstanding occurred.

"...It's not completely wrong. But it’s good that she'll keep it secret, right?"

This got complicated. As I scratched my head with mixed feelings, Hwaryeon poked my body and asked:

"Dad! Who's that female?!"

"Not 'female'. That’s Dad's colleague, an A-rank hero named Han Ji-soo."

"I hate that female! She’s acting so friendly with Dad! I don't like it! Do you meet that female when you go to work?!"

"Well, we meet if there's no schedule. And she's not a 'female', she's a woman."

"Dad, quit your job! I hate it!"

Hmph-

Hwaryeon pouted. She didn't seem to like Han Ji-soo's first impression. After all, Hwaryeon doesn't get along well with that type.

"It wasn't easy getting this job. It’ll be big trouble if Dad becomes unemployed."

"I said I hate it! Hate it!"

"Be quiet. 30 minutes is almost up. Let's quickly pick books and go home."

Meeting Han Ji-soo took some time.

Where is Suryeon, anyway?

I looked around earnestly with the sulking Hwaryeon to find Suryeon.

"There she is."

Suryeon was in the classic literature corner, holding two books in her hands. I approached and called her name.

"Suryeon."

"Dad."

"Picked your books out yet?"

"Yeah."

Suryeon answered briefly and showed me two books. One was a fairy tale, and one was a classic novel.

"The Little Prince? The Stranger? I know The Little Prince, but what's The Stranger?"

"It seems like a book about dragons."

"Really?"

I'm not well-educated so I'm not familiar with books, but I know classics are difficult. I asked Suryeon, who confidently held out the books.

"Isn't this too hard? Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, fine. I'm a dragon."

"...It’s not very convincing, but I'll trust you."

I put Suryeon's books in the basket and headed to checkout. The employee from before spoke indifferently.

"100,000 won."

"..."

That’s damn expensive. I don't think it was like this before.

I carefully showed my hero ID and said.

"I'm a hero."

"...80,000 won."

Maybe because I'm wearing shabby workout clothes, but the employee looked disbelieving. Still, it’s good to get 20,000 won off.

I paid by card and left the bookstore.

"It’s expensive but good purchase. Are you satisfied, Suryeon?"

Suryeon answered with slightly upturned lips.

"Yeah, it’s good. I'm satisfied. I’ll read them all at home."

"That's good then."

Let's go home.

I put them in the bag and got on the subway. In the bag, Suryeon was sleeping while tightly hugging her two books with her front paws.

It was a very satisfying day.