Chapter 67: Sisters = Jealousy

Just like any other day, I repeated my routine of going to and from work. When I came home to rest, the conflict between Suryeon and Choryeon became clearly visible.

'I noticed a strange atmosphere before... It seems to be getting worse day by day...'

My body feels heavy. I looked at the dragons pressing against me on both sides.

Suryeon was leaning on my shoulder, watching a video about the seven wonders of the world on X-Tube.

"The reason the Leaning Tower of Pisa is tilted. It must be because a dragon told it to lean. The Moai statues must have been moved by dragons too. Humans couldn't have done it."

Suryeon was leaning on me while asserting her 'dragons did everything' theory, and Choryeon was also leaning on my shoulder while drawing.

"What should I draw today? Should I draw our family? Oh, but it seems the blue crayon is all gone! I don't know where it went, so I'll have to draw Suryeon later!"

...The blue crayon seems to be right where it should be. Choryeon consistently ignored Suryeon, saying it wasn't there even though it was.

Seeing this, I was certain.

'I can't leave this alone. I need to step in and resolve this.'

Jump—!

I got up, shaking off the two dragons pressing on me. They looked at me with expressions that said 'Why so sudden?', but I ignored their gazes and approached Hwaryeon, who was glued to the TV.

I spoke to the back of Hwaryeon's seemingly stupid head.

"Lee Hwaryeon."

"Huh? What is it, Dad?! Why so sudden?"

"Wipe your drool first. And, Lee Hwaryeon."

"Yeah?"

I pointed to the front door and said.

"Follow me to the rooftop."

"What?!"

Hop—!

At my words, Hwaryeon jumped up like a frog. Then, suddenly starting to shadow box, she said.

"Alright, Dad! I accept your challenge!"

Swish swish— Swoosh swoosh—

Hwaryeon threw punches with a quite stable stance. But I firmly told Hwaryeon, who was starting to warm up.

"No, I'm telling you to come to the rooftop because I have something to talk about. What fight? Would Dad fight with you?"

"...You should have said that from the start!"

Hwaryeon blushed and stopped shadow boxing.

"It's not like that. Just come to the rooftop quietly."

"Hmph, I don't like this!"

"You're the one who misunderstood first."

I headed to the front door with Hwaryeon. Then, Suryeon and Choryeon tried to follow us.

"I want to go too."

"Me too, Father...!"

Pitter-patter—

The two of them moved busily. I stopped Suryeon and Choryeon who were trying to follow us and said.

"Not you two. I have something to discuss with Hwaryeon alone."

"..."

"I... understand, Father..."

"I'll be back soon. Let's go, Hwaryeon."

So, I went up to the rooftop with Hwaryeon.

As a father, I had to ask the eldest daughter. After confirming that no one else was around on the rooftop, I opened my mouth to ask.

"Hwaryeon."

"Yeah, Dad."

"Do you know why those two have become like that? The atmosphere seems strange."

With me in the center, they're keeping each other in check, looking like they might fight at any moment.

What on earth is going on?

Feeling frustrated, I asked Hwaryeon, who spends the most time with Suryeon and Choryeon.

"Do you know why they've become like that?"

"Hmm hmm, Dad seems to know nothing..."

Why are you suddenly putting on airs?

Hwaryeon struck a Sherlock Holmes-like pose under the moonlight. She seemed to have watched too much TV.

"Dad, you know nothing about this case! There's always one truth! You're such a dummy!"

"So, Hwaryeon. What's that truth?"

"Well, Dad!"

Whoosh—!

Hwaryeon pointed her finger at me, putting on airs, and said.

"In the end, you're the problem! I don't know why they're acting like that, but the compass of the case is pointing at you!"

Whoosh—

Hwaryeon pretended to smoke a cigarette and blew out smoke from her mouth.

'To blow out that much smoke without a cigarette.'

Anyway.

"I'm the problem. Is that all, Hwaryeon?"

"Yeah, that's it?"

"Don't you have anything more to say? Like why they started fighting, a bit more specifically."

"Nope?"

"..."

So you just put on airs and weren't helpful at all, is that it?

It seems Hwaryeon has also mastered the art of annoying others. So, to cool off this heat, I rushed towards Hwaryeon.

"Lee Hwaryeon. Come here."

"Wh-What?! Don't come!"

Lift—!

I lifted Hwaryeon to punish her for putting on airs.

"L-Let go! Put me down! Dad!"

And then, I spun her around in the air vigorously like a helicopter propeller.

"Ugh, uhhh... It's fun...! But I'm getting dizzy...!"

This is revenge for putting on airs and concluding that I was at fault.

"Aaaah...! I'm sorry for calling you a dummy...!!"

That evening Hwaryeon's screams mixed with cheers echoed through Happiness Villa.

***

Today, I went to the Association instead of the dimensional gate. There's a monthly interview session.

"Mr. Lee Ha-jun."

"Yes."

"Are you satisfied with your life as a hero?"

"Yes, yes."

I had a brief conversation with the Association staff and received an explanation about my shortcomings.

We also discussed what kind of training I should do to improve. The Association seemed to have a well-organized process for this.

'The Association President must be pretty smart.'

Well, I heard he was planning to establish the Hero Association even before dimensional gates appeared in South Korea. He must be quite intelligent.

'I wonder if I'll be able to meet him someday.'

What kind of person is the Association President, who's hard to find even rumors about?

Thinking this, I walked down the corridor to leave the Association. Then, I saw a familiar face walking from the opposite direction.

"Oh, it's my former senior, Han Ji-soo."

"Lee Ha-jun. It's been a while."

Han Ji-soo greeted me with her usual cool demeanor.

"I heard you're doing well as a hero. Your performance is good, right?"

"Of course. I might even catch up to you soon, senior."

"Your confidence is good. But."

Swish—

Han Ji-soo looked me up and down and asked.

"How long are you planning to wear those sweatpants? If you're earning a lot, you should wear a neat suit."

"You're right, but..."

I scratched my head awkwardly.

"Raising kids costs a lot of money. There's no time, and there are many worries. So I keep wearing these clothes. Honestly, they're comfortable too."

"They do look comfortable. Can I ask you something I'm curious about?"

"Sure, ask away."

"What kind of worries do you have when raising children?"

Han Ji-soo was curious about raising children.

As a woman, it was natural for her to be curious. I sat on a corridor chair, drinking the vending machine coffee Han Ji-soo bought me, and said.

"There are many worries when raising kids. You think about how to raise them well, what parenting style is good, and whether you did well with your child today. I feel like I'm becoming a bit more mature, you could say?"

"It sounds a bit interesting."

"It is interesting."

Even though my emotions moved like a roller coaster, it's definitely interesting. Han Ji-soo looked at me smiling slightly and asked.

"Anything happened recently?"

"Recently... There is one thing."

I explained to Han Ji-soo about the relationship between Suryeon and Choryeon. I told her about how they keep each other in check with me in the center.

After listening carefully to my story, Han Ji-soo replied.

"I've experienced that too."

"Oh?"

"I know because I'm the youngest. I have an older sister and an older brother. My sister often bullied me."

"Why?"

"Because the youngest takes all the affection. The youngest usually monopolizes the parents' affection."

The late-born youngest monopolizes the parents' affection. The older sister, jealous of the youngest, tries to take her place to gain affection.

The youngest, feeling that her affection was stolen by her sister's actions, becomes jealous again.

"So I used to fight with my sister every day. We'd pull each other's hair, and in photos, we were always turning our heads away from each other. It's funny to think about now that we get along well."

Han Ji-soo closed her eyes, seemingly lost in memories, and shared her old story. I listened attentively and reflected on my own actions.

'...Have I been favoring Choryeon too much lately because she's the youngest? So Suryeon, who wasn't feeling well, got jealous, and Choryeon got jealous of that jealousy?'

Was Hwaryeon right that it was my fault? It seems I misjudged Hwaryeon and unnecessarily gave her the dragon helicopter punishment.

'Sorry for misjudging you, Hwaryeon. I'll buy you something delicious on the way home.'

I apologized to Hwaryeon in my heart.

Perhaps seeing my slightly dejected appearance, Han Ji-soo added softly.

"But I don't think it's the parents' fault. After all, parents had to take care of the youngest more, and they had to take care of the older sister a bit less because she was older."

In the end.

"I think it's natural for older and younger siblings to fight over favoritism. Kids grow up fighting anyway. I don't think that can be considered the parents' fault."

Han Ji-soo clearly conveyed her thoughts to me. I pondered her words until I got home.

'Han Ji-soo seems to be right. Then what can I do?'

What can I do as a father?

It would be nice if Suryeon and Choryeon got along well., though they say it's natural for sisters to fight. Unable to come to a conclusion, I entered the house and saw the children.

"Hi, Dad!"

"...You're back?"

"Welcome home! We were waiting! Do you want to take a bath first? Or eat first?"

"Hmm..."

The three dragons who came to greet me.

I looked at them in turn and came to a conclusion about my parenting approach.

'If it's natural for sisters to fight...'

I'll try to mediate as much as possible to prevent fights.

But sometimes, I thought it might not be bad to let things flow.

After all, it's true that children grow through fighting.

'Expecting dragons with such strong personalities not to fight is just my selfish desire.'

Still.

"Lee Suryeon, Lee Choryeon."

"...Why are you using our full names, Dad?"

"I don't think I did anything wrong... What's the matter...?"

"Don't fight between yourselves. If you have complaints, tell me directly. I'll listen."

My wish is for the children to get along happily without fighting as much as possible, even if this is selfish.

After all, parents are beings who always wish for their children's happiness and tend to be greedy about it.