Chapter 53
While I was happily riding the seesaw with Suryeon and Choryeon, laughing and enjoying ourselves,
"Grrr-!!"
I heard Hwaryeon making a ruckus and rushed to the source of the sound.
But what on earth was happening before my eyes?
I stared blankly at the unfolding disaster, struggling to understand.
"Roaar-!!"
"Aaah! You little brat! Let go right now!"
"Roaar-!!"
"Aaagh!"
Gu Bong-gu was screaming in pain, frantically shaking his hand to shake off Hwaryeon. Hwaryeon, firmly biting Gu Bong-gu's hand, floated in the air and said.
"No!"
It seemed Hwaryeon had no intention of letting go of Gu Bong-gu.
'Why is Gu Bong-gu at the playground, and why is Hwaryeon biting his hand?'
I couldn't understand how this situation had come about.
"What happened while I was gone?"
At my muttered question, Suryeon and Choryeon, who were watching with me, offered their guesses.
"Maybe that bald man offended Hwaryeon. Or Hwaryeon just bit him out of boredom. It's probably one of those two."
"I think there's a misunderstanding between them! Fights often start from misunderstandings, Father!"
Both of them had a point. However, an eyewitness who had been at the scene before us revealed the truth. I think his name was Mingu.
"Teacher Bong-gu tried to pat the red-head."
"...He tried to pat the red-head?"
Chilly-
Mingu corrected himself at my reaction.
"No, I mean he tried to pat the red-head's head! Teacher Bong-gu isn't that kind of person!"
"Ah, I see."
Speak clearly, kid.
I immediately unclenched my fist.
"What do you mean by teacher? Why is Gu Bong-gu a teach- no, more importantly. Are you saying Gu Bong-gu tried to pat Hwaryeon's head and that's how this happened?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Okay, thanks for the calm explanation."
Mingu had admirably given a calm explanation. And for some reason, Hwaryeon's subordinates were looking at her biting with eyes full of admiration.
"As expected of our boss! Even Teacher Bong-gu is helpless before the boss!"
"The boss doesn't tolerate! She bites anyone who annoys her, no matter who they are!"
"It feels like watching a hunting dog..."
These kids. They're worshipping Hwaryeon. It seems Hwaryeon has firmly established her position as their leader while I was away. I clicked my tongue as I looked at Gu Bong-gu, who was still shouting.
'Tsk, Gu Bong-gu. Why did you try to touch a kid's head carelessly? You shouldn't try to touch other people's children as you please.'
Hwaryeon bites people. He had it coming.
Hwaryeon's teeth must be starting to hurt by now. I grabbed Hwaryeon's body, which was hanging from Gu Bong-gu's hand.
Grab-
And I spoke in a gently persuading tone.
"Now, now, Hwaryeon. That hand is tough. It's full of calluses. You shouldn't bite it."
"Grrr-!"
"Sigh, I'm telling you it's tough. Quickly let go."
"Grr..."
Spit-
Hwaryeon finally released her tight bite. At the same time, Gu Bong-gu fell to his knees, clutching his hand.
Thud-
"Ow, that ill-tempered little brat...! My hand hurts like hell...!"
Gu Bong-gu's hand had clear marks from Hwaryeon's small but strong teeth. Fortunately, she had quite strong teeth. Hwaryeon looked down at Gu Bong-gu and said haughtily.
"Hmph, that's your punishment for trying to touch me! How dare a mere human try to touch my head! Bleeh!"
"You disrespectful little brat...!!"
Jump-!
Gu Bong-gu stood up and glared at Hwaryeon. Perhaps because his expression was so fierce,
"D-Dad! That person is bullying me!"
Pitter-patter-
She immediately hid behind me, peeking out. I blocked Gu Bong-gu, who was approaching Hwaryeon, and said.
"Gu Bong-gu. That's far enough."
Gu Bong-gu saw my face and asked in surprise. He seemed to have just realized it was me, because he was so out of it.
"W-What. Ha-jun. Why are you here?"
"Because she's my daughter. It's natural for her to be with me."
"W-What?! You, Ha-jun, have a daughter?!"
Gu Bong-gu jumped like a freshly caught fish. He seemed unable to believe that I had a daughter.
"Y-You, why do you have a daughter?! How could an irresponsible debtor like you have a daughter!"
"...It's possible."
"Even though you've gotten better recently... To think a guy like this is raising a child... Is the world really coming to an end...?"
What's wrong with me?
I might have lived like trash in the past, but I'm a pretty good dad now. That stings a bit.
I retorted, slightly annoyed.
"I can't believe it either. You, Gu Bong-gu, a teacher? What, are you teaching loan shark classes or something? Why is a loan shark a kindergarten teacher in the first place?"
"I can be a kindergarten teacher too. Brat. Got a problem with that?"
"Yeah, I do! With your face, Gu Bong-gu, being a kindergarten teacher should be illegal! Is that even legal?"
"You've become a hero and now you think you can say anything? Want to try paying 20 times the interest?"
Bicker, bicker-
Gu Bong-gu and I argued back and forth. Perhaps our behavior looked childish in the children's eyes. Choryeon, the symbol of peace, stepped between us to stop the fight.
"Everyone, stop it! What are you doing in front of the children!"
Shush-
Choryeon put her finger to her lips and said.
"Lower your voices! Don't shout! Fighting at a playground where children play! Aren't you ashamed as adults?!"
"..."
"..."
"Don't yell! Resolve this through conversation!"
Indeed, Choryeon was right. Gu Bong-gu seemed to realize this too, and cleared his throat before speaking.
"Ahem, then let's go somewhere quiet and talk."
"...Shall we?"
We ended up making a spectacle in front of the children. Gu Bong-gu and I shared an awkward smile and spoke to our respective children.
"Kids, let's follow the teacher to the kindergarten."
"Hwaryeon, Suryeon, Choryeon, follow Dad carefully. Understand? Don't wander off."
Ahem-
So, to have a quiet conversation, I headed to Gu Bong-gu's kindergarten. On the way to our destination, Gu Bong-gu and I often made eye contact. We were probably thinking the same thing.
'Gu Bong-gu as a kindergarten teacher? Doesn't suit him.'
'Ha-jun as a father of three daughters? Has the world gone mad?'
***
Gu Bong-gu's kindergarten was located in an alley about 5 minutes past the stationery store I had visited before.
It was in quite a secluded spot, difficult to find just passing by.
"It's my first time seeing a kindergarten in a place like this. No wonder I've never seen it before. It's in such a remote location."
Accessibility is the most important thing for a kindergarten. Why on earth did Gu Bong-gu set up a kindergarten in such a place?
As I was looking at the slightly crooked "Happy Kindergarten" sign, Gu Bong-gu explained.
"Easily accessible kindergartens are just piggy banks for villains. You know how orphans are treated around here, don't you?"
"...Now that you mention it, you're right."
Being too out in the open does increase the risk of kidnapping.
"Come in. The inside is clean even if the outside doesn't look great."
"Oh, okay."
I turned to the children behind me and said.
"Kids, follow Dad. Let's go in."
"I'm going first!"
"...Okay."
"Yes!"
Pitter-patter-!
Except for Hwaryeon who rushed ahead, Suryeon and Choryeon followed behind me.
The Happy Kindergarten run by Gu Bong-gu wasn't very large, but it had three floors, which seemed sufficient if used properly. And as he said, the interior was quite clean.
"The inside is cleaner than I expected."
The walls were covered with brown wooden tiles that gave a cozy feeling. And the floor was covered with cushions suitable for children to run and play on.
"Oh, Dad! This feels weird!"
"The texture is quite soft. It’s good for absorbing impact. Not bad at all."
"It feels so strange! I've never stepped on clouds, but it feels like I'm walking on clouds!"
Squish, squish-
The children ran around the kindergarten interior, satisfied. Gu Bong-gu spoke to the kindergarteners who were watching cautiously.
"You guys go play too. We're going to have an adult conversation."
At that, Hwaryeon's subordinates ran after her.
"B-Boss! Don't leave us!"
"Let's play together, Boss!"
Hwaryeon turned to her subordinates and shouted loudly.
"Try to catch me if you can!"
She used to say she didn't want to be their boss, but it looks like she's having fun in her own way.
So, I entered a tiny one-pyeong counseling room and sat down on a colorful plastic children's chair.
Plop-
"...Is this the only chair available? It's uncomfortable."
As I was complaining about the discomfort, Gu Bong-gu brought a light cup of tea and said.
"Just sit. I have to sit on a children's chair too."
Plop-
Gu Bong-gu sat on a pink chair, blew on his tea, and took a sip. I grimaced at the sight and said.
"...It really doesn't suit you."
"What can I do about it, brat. But seriously, what's your deal? Since when did you have kids?"
"Well..."
How should I explain this?
'I can't let him know they're dragons.'
I gave Gu Bong-gu a self-censored explanation.
Somehow, I found out I had a child, and I got custody and started raising them. Gu Bong-gu listened to my hastily concocted story and nodded deeply.
"You should have said so earlier. If you were raising kids, that's a different story. I might have hit you less. Tsk."
"The situation didn't allow me to just bring it up. But what about you, Gu Bong-gu? Why are you working two jobs as a loan shark and a kindergarten teacher?"
"It's not two jobs. It's the same job."
Gu Bong-gu gulped down his hot tea and said.
"You know I received help from Grandma when I was young, right?"
"I know."
"It's simple. What I received from Grandma, I'm just giving back. It's the same as being a loan shark."
Give as much as you've received.
"You have to keep the accounts straight. I'm just giving back what I received from Grandma back then. There's no particular meaning to this kindergarten teacher job. It's just that there are orphans like me wandering around. I'm giving back."
"So that's why you were so ruthless in collecting money..."
"It's better to raise children with money from big-headed idiots."
That's simple.
Gu Bong-gu might be bald, but his thoughts seem quite deep. But I had one question.
"Gu Bong-gu."
"What."
"But why a kindergarten? If your goal is to raise orphans, wouldn't an orphanage be more appropriate?"
Why use the name Happy Kindergarten instead of an orphanage?
Gu Bong-gu's answer to my question was simple.
"Orphanage sounds like crap. Don't these kids need to go out into society with a kindergarten badge too?"
"..."
"These kids need to grow up well. Because I grew up like shit."
Those words seemed to imply a lot. And I agreed with what Gu Bong-gu was saying. He was right.
"They shouldn't grow up like us, that's for sure."
"Right? So earn a lot of money and pay back your debt. Your daughter needs to grow up well too, doesn't she?"
"You're right about that."
We've been bound by bad blood for a long time. To think I'd see eye to eye with Gu Bong-gu on something like this.
It felt both unpleasant and good at the same time.
"The tea is warm."
Sip-
It was a strange feeling.