Whichever way you looked at it, Chun Gyuri appeared to be involved in Ham Jinpyeong stepping down as ministerial candidate.
If she hadn’t just bumped her head in the RP Dungeon and come back, then someone had definitely intervened.
On Suhyeong was certain that someone was his own son.
“Brom Guild dragged Ham Honggi into the RP Dungeon and had a hell of a time. Brom had more than a few injuries, and since Chun Gyuri’s a former soldier, she’s especially protective of her people. She really values her guild.”
So his hunch hadn’t been wrong.
He’d handed Chun Gyuri the blade and used it to strike at the Ham family.
Considering how easily she’d gotten her hands on the state-classified documents connected to Ijo, digging up something to topple Ham Jinpyeong wouldn’t have been hard either.
The first reason he had used Chun Gyuri was likely that an internal strike would land a harder blow.
The second was that by not stepping in directly himself, nor Suhyeong, they could keep Guru out of the rumor mill.
“Did you threaten Chun Gyuri through the guild?”
Would Chun Gyuri really turn on her in-laws over Ham Honggi just for interfering with the RP Dungeon run? That seemed unlikely...
At that, Jurim turned his head sharply and narrowed his eyes.
“I don’t get why everyone always assumes I’m that kind of guy.”
Guru had also said he looked like someone who’d run a scam.
“Ahem.”
Suhyeong cleared his throat awkwardly.
“I asked for a favor. Not a threat.”
Suhyeong carefully watched Jurim, who was now choosing his words for once—something that, on a normal day, he never would’ve done, no matter who saw him as a thug or a punk.
“But... you knew Guru got scammed, didn’t you?”
“Ahem! Ahem!”
“So that’s how you knew I was the one who brought down Ham Jinpyeong.”
Sharp kid.
Suhyeong scrambled to change the topic.
“Ahem. Say, I’ve been wondering—why does Guru call me ‘Chairman’ instead of ‘Grandpa’?”
Jurim turned his gaze back toward Guru and tapped the table with his fingers.
“Well...”
Even calling her dad was still a bit difficult for her—calling someone ‘Grandpa’ would feel even stranger.
But he didn’t want to bring up anything like legal guardianship or custody.
“...She watches a lot of dramas with Chairmen in them.”
It wasn’t a lie. Ever since meeting Suhyeong, she’d watched Chairman dramas like her life depended on it.
From the usual plotlines where someone becomes the successor after winning the Chairman’s approval or pushes past the Chairman’s opposition to achieve love, to more wild variations like Chairmen engaging in battle royales or even dating each other—there was a whole spectrum.
Jurim had only recently realized how popular Chairmen were as a drama trope.
“Kids' exposure to media is a real problem these days. You should limit that stuff.”
Suhyeong grumbled with concern but didn’t seem intent on forcing the issue.
“No kidding. Chairman battle royales are a bit much.”
Just then, Guru popped out of the ball pit and toddled over, holding out her hands toward Jurim.
“Gwuu want bag pwease.”
“Bag?”
Jurim handed over the small quokka plushie backpack from the seat next to him.
Guru rummaged through the bag, pulled out her wallet, and stood in front of them with sparkling eyes.
“Gonna owduh dwinks. Gwuu buy fow you!”
Because Guru was a classy little nouveau riche! If you had, you had to give.
The tiny nouveau riche huffed out her nose proudly.
Suhyeong chuckled softly, and Jurim stood with a smile.
“Let’s go.”
“Eeh? Gwuu said Gwuu’s buyin’.”
“You are. But you still have to help carry. How’re you gonna bring three drinks by yourself?”
“Achaa!”
“What do you want, Dad?”
At the word Dad, Suhyeong lifted his head quickly.
Jurim hesitated for a moment, then said casually,
“I’ve matured a bit, so I’m sorting out what to call people properly.”
Suhyeong gave a quiet laugh.
“Then I’ll take an Americano.”
“Yees! Chaiwman gets Amewicawo!”
Guru scampered off, and Jurim followed after, correcting her pronunciation.
“Americano.”
“Amewinoko!”
“Isn’t that even harder?”
“Umm?”
Guru tilted her head with a question mark over it.
As Jurim walked with her to place the order, he mused how Amewinoko might be harder to pronounce than Americano.
Meanwhile, Suhyeong propped his chin on his hand at the table and covered his mouth with his fingers.
“Who says they’ve matured out loud? That boy, honestly...”
But even as he grumbled, the corners of his mouth stayed lifted for a long while.
Ham Honggi slammed his fist against the classroom wall.
BANG!
“Why the hell are you doing recycling like this?!”
A heavy silence filled the classroom.
The students exchanged looks, their eyes wordlessly asking: What the hell is up with him?
Ignoring the atmosphere, Ham Honggi dumped out the classroom trash bins and began sorting the recycling properly.
“Why’s he flipping out? They’ve got cleaning staff for this.”
“Just ignore it. That freak’s totally lost it these days.”
“How the hell do you go crazy and become a goody two-shoes?”
He heard the snickering and whispers behind him, and his face flushed red with shame.
Even as the mockery and ridicule poured in, his hands didn’t stop sorting the trash.
It wasn’t of his own volition.
But if he didn’t keep moving, his hands would start trembling.
Not from drug withdrawal—this was withdrawal from doing good deeds.
Ever since that day...
“Honghonggi.”
The command of that baby flying squirrel had been issued.
“Fwom now on, wive goodwy.”
It was like being brainwashed. The order was etched into ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) his brain and wouldn’t go away.
He couldn’t shake the compulsion—if he didn’t go out and pick up garbage or do something good, it felt unbearable.
What was ridiculous was that, unlike his own suffering, his family had been thrilled by the change.
Once he started helping with chores, quit smoking and stopped taking pills, his mom bawled, saying he’d finally grown up.
His stoic father had even clapped his shoulder and told him to keep it up.
They clearly thought losing the minister nomination had made him come to his senses.
But the truth was far from that
As if I’m doing this because I want to!
“Shit!”
Ham Honggi slumped in front of the trash and raked his hands through his hair.
Just then—
“Ham Honggi, someone’s looking for you out front.”
“What? Who?”
“There.”
Ham Honggi stood up and walked out the door in the direction the student pointed.
“Who the hell’s looking for—?”
“Who else? Me. Dani.”
“What the...!”
Right beside the classroom door, Gidan stood with his hands behind his back, smiling sweetly.
“Nice to meet you, Honghonggi sunbae.”
“‘Honghonggi’...?”
Just hearing that name sent someone’s face flashing through his mind.
“First time meeting? I’m Gwuu’s Oppaw.”
The classroom door slammed shut behind them. Ham Honggi got punched in the solar plexus and slammed into the door.
WHAM!
“Ugh! Cough! Cough!”
Gidan took a step forward.
Despite being younger, he was just slightly taller than Ham Honggi.
Gidan smiled and grabbed him by the collar, looking down with a mild gaze.
“Sunbae, how about admiring Gwuu from afar, huh? We’ve raised her with lots of love. You trying to scam a baby like that—do you know how sad she’d be?”
“Ugh...!”
Ham Honggi grabbed Gidan’s wrist and grit his teeth.
He squeezed, but it was like gripping a boulder.
“Don’t talk to her. Don’t approach her. Don’t make her cry. Got it?”
“Ghhhk!”
Despite grabbing Gidan, Ham Honggi found himself pushed back even harder, groaning.
“Alright, I get it!”
If anyone should be crying because of that tiny brat, it was him. He hadn’t planned to go near her anyway, even without this threat.
Right at that moment—
“Gidan...?”
A boy with large glasses called his name, and Gidan turned toward him.
“Oh! Hello, Woo Gyeong sunbae. This is your class?”
“Yeah, hi... What’s going on with Honggi?”
“It’s nothing. I just had something to tell him real quick.”
Gidan released Ham Honggi’s collar and brushed out the wrinkles in his shirt, still smiling.
“The third-year building’s facilities are seriously amazing.”
“Yeah, well—it’s the new wing...”
“Sorry for the fuss. I’ll be heading out.”
Ham Honggi and Sun Woo Gyeong locked eyes.
Goddamn it. Ham Honggi turned his head and grabbed his neck, humiliated.

Comments

Loading...