Chapter 48: Home Without Dad (4)

When will I be able to pass the test?

I lay on the ground, staring blankly at the sky.

"How much time has passed...?"

I don't know.

The morning sun won't set, and the evening moon won't rise. Only the sun exists in this dimension. So the test participants, including me, couldn't tell how much time had passed.

"This isn't some room of spirit and time. It’s really driving me crazy."

Sigh-

I got up from lying down with a sigh and stood before the black sphere I'd been punching all day.

There’s not a single scratch, and it’s perfectly fine.

"What is this thing made of? There's not even a scratch."

Can it even be broken in the first place? I called test supervisor Han Ji-soo to ask.

"Senior, seems like a lot of time has passed. Can't you tell us what this is? We should at least know what we're trying to break."

Han Ji-soo answered coldly.

"That's forbidden. If you want to know what that black object is, break it with your own hands."

"You're not telling us anything."

I want to think it's unfair but, this is Han Ji-soo's job so it can't be helped.

While briefly talking with Han Ji-soo, a young man earnestly swinging his sword beside me shouted.

"Ah, forget it! This absolutely won't break! Call this a test! I'm not taking it!"

The obviously young man walked angrily toward the dimensional gate, and without hesitation entered it to leave the dimension.

Another test supervisor said coldly seeing this.

"Any other applicants want to forfeit?"

"..."

"..."

"I do."

Slide-

A woman who'd been shooting mana-infused bullets at the black object behind me raised her hand. Seeming to think she had no chance, she left with a deep sigh.

I watched quietly and sighed.

"Tsk tsk, kids these days have no patience. Giving up so quickly."

I could go see the kids too if I gave up now. I’m honestly barely holding back even now.

'Did they cause trouble? I feel like they caused trouble. They definitely caused trouble.'

I feel like dying from worry. Still, I barely controlled myself and stood before the black sphere.

"Hoo, still got to do what needs doing."

Maybe because I've been punching since yesterday, my fists are already full of wounds and trembling. I bit my lip hard and threw punches at the black sphere.

Bang-!

'I should've bought weapons like they said.'

Bang-!

'It hurts like hell.'

Bang-!

'Why am I the only one using fists? So unfair.'

One complaint per punch. I frowned in pain while endlessly pounding the black sphere with my fists. But maybe it had some effect.

"Oh?!"

Gradually, scratches started appearing on the black sphere. I kept up the momentum and punched earnestly. This isn’t Hwaryeon's Dragon Punch, but…

"Dad Punch!"

A dad's fist is stronger than a dragon's fist by law.

Even as my fist wounds opened wider and numbing pain rushed in, I threw punches faster toward the center.

'I'm coming soon, kids.'

To meet them as quickly as possible, I couldn't stand worrying about them being alone at home.

***

After breakfast, the children spent time waiting for Dad to return.

"Isn't there anything fun!? I'm bored!"

What would be fun? What could they do to pass time without Dad?

After such thoughts, Hwaryeon came up with one idea.

"Should I go see those kids who call me boss?"

Wouldn't it be okay to visit the playground briefly? Hwaryeon looked around.

"Lee Suryeon's annoying but can't stop me. Lee Choryeon can be ignored. Decided!"

Jump-!

Hwaryeon quickly got up and confidently headed to the entrance and opened the door.

Bang-!

Hwaryeon opened the door dramatically and declared to the children.

"You idiots! I can't stay still until Dad comes! I'm going out!"

Bye-

Hwaryeon waved goodbye to Suryeon and Choryeon. Suryeon and Choryeon waved back.

"Okay, have a good time."

"Yes, unnie. Be careful!"

"..."

Why aren't they stopping me?

Hwaryeon suddenly felt bad. So, she immediately closed the door and started questioning Suryeon and Choryeon.

"Why aren't you stopping me?! I said I'm going outside!"

"Should I stop unnie?"

"No one can stop me so you shouldn't stop me!"

"That's why I said have a good time. Because unnie can't be stopped."

"That's...! That's true but...!"

Feeling bad if they let her go coolly and feeling bad if they tried to stop her, Hwaryeon honestly expressed these subtle feelings to Suryeon.

"Just feel bad! Stop me next time! Got it?!"

"Why should I-"

"Listen to unnie! TV said this is Confucian culture! You're Confucian dragons! Got it?!"

"..."

Hwaryeon pushed forcefully. Suryeon sighed and answered.

"...You just hatched from the egg a bit earlier."

"What did you just say to your unnie?!"

"...Okay. I'll follow unnie’s words."

"Hmph, of course you should! Society is running very properly!"

Proudly-

Maybe because she showed her authority as older sister, Hwaryeon proudly shrugged her shoulders. Choryeon was busy clapping beside her.

Clap clap clap-

"That's right! We need honorifics here! It's essential!"

Confucian Dragon No.1, Environmental activist Lee Choryeon agreed with the eldest sister's opinion.

"Confucian dragon! I agree with Hwaryeon unnie too!"

"Good, Lee Choryeon’s acting like a proper younger sister, following her sister's words!"

"Yaay-!"

Clap clap clap-

Hwaryeon and Choryeon excitedly clapped their hands together. The more they did, the deeper Suryeon's sigh grew.

"...This is ridiculous."

Why should dragons follow Confucian culture. We're dragons.

'Why should perfect dragons follow human culture? Dragons create culture.'

These foolish dragons. The Red Dragon and Green Dragon can't think deeply. That's why only I think deeply about things.

"...Both older and younger sisters are idiots."

"Why are we idiots!"

"Yeah, Suryeon unnie!"

Sigh-

Suryeon sighed and said.

"Do you know how long humans live?"

"Lifespan?"

Hwaryeon proudly shouted at that question.

"How would I know that?!"

"...I thought you wouldn't know. I'll tell you. Humans live maximum 100 years. Unlike dragons, humans have a set end."

"That's true!"

"Dad's human too, Hwaryeon unnie. Do you understand what this means?"

Pause-

Hwaryeon's confident face froze.

"You hadn't thought that far, huh."

Only I was thinking about it. Suryeon felt superior but also anxious. Because she learned how humans end.

"Probably, Dad will die when he gets old. He'll get wrinkles and his physical abilities will weaken."

"Then, that monster Granny with the scary wrinkled face we saw-"

"Had aged. 80 years. They say humans aren't even guaranteed to live to 100. She said herself she doesn't have long to live."

"..."

Rarely, Hwaryeon closed her mouth at Suryeon's words. Her head was complicated with thoughts she'd never considered before.

'Dad dies?'

She learned the concept of 'human death' she'd never thought about. That concept naturally brings anxiety.

Because there will be an end someday. Because Dad is human, not a dragon.

"That's... really unpleasant..."

Choryeon mumbled slightly tearfully.

"Does that mean Dad won't always be with us, will leave us, unnie...?"

"Yes, this time Dad said he'd return but… next time Dad might never return."

"That seems too sad..."

Choryeon's mood dropped sharply. Hwaryeon shouted.

"Then Dad could be dead right now?! He might not be coming back because he's dead! Dad's weak!"

"..."

"..."

That possibility certainly exists. Maybe that's why anxiety started settling in the children's hearts.

What if Dad doesn't return because he died when he left home someday?

What if Dad isn't returning now because he's dead?

The imagination of children who don't know the world well filled them with anxious thoughts.

"If Dad doesn't come back... I-I'd be so sad..."

Drip drip-

Choryeon started dropping tears on the floor. The other children's eyes naturally got wet too.

"Dad... will come back...?"

"We don't know..."

"I wish he'd come back... quickly..."

Sniff-

The children suddenly became sniffling messes. As they were drowning in sadness with tears, maybe because some time had passed,

Knock knock-

A knock came from the front door.

"...Sniff, that must be food."

Suryeon quickly washed her face and prepared to greet Granny and cast perception interference magic before going to open the door.

Creeak-

There stood not Granny, but the person the children had been desperately waiting for.

"What's this, Lee Suryeon? Why are your eyes so swollen? Did you all fight?"

"Dad...?"

Blink-

Suryeon blinked in surprise, losing her words. Then, she quickly turned her head, trying to act normal, and said.

"...Oh, Dad's back?"

"Yeah, Dad's back. Did you miss me? Were you well-behaved?"

"...You can just come in. Why knock?"

"I just wanted to tease you?"

"...I hate Dad."

Thump-

Suryeon slightly lowered her head and put her fist on Lee Ha-jun's thigh. Lee Ha-jun gently patted her head and said.

"I missed you, kids."

At those words, Hwaryeon and Choryeon ran and body-slammed Lee Ha-jun, shouting.

"Dad, you came back alive without dying!!"

"F-Father don't die! You can't die!"

"W-what's with them?! Why would I die?!"

Waaah-

Hwaryeon and Choryeon hugged Lee Ha-jun while crying. Lee Ha-jun, returning after passing the test, couldn't understand the situation.

"What's wrong with them?! Did Granny feed them something weird? Suryeon, what happened to them?!"

"...I don't know."

Sniff-

Suryeon turned away while acting like nothing happened, though she was secretly happy that Dad returned.