‘…. It’s not easy.’
There is nothing good about being psychologically distant from Kang Bada. Moreover, if this news gets to Kang Taeyang, I will be dead.
‘What if I use a rumor?’
There’s a rumor that if you keep condoms in your wallet, money will come to you. Maybe if she spices it up a bit, it could work?
I briefly entertained that thought, but soon shook my head.
‘If it’s Bada-ssi, she’ll definitely look it up.’
Knowing Bada-ss’s curious nature, she would surely search to see if that rumor is true. That would only make things worse.
[Title: Do You Keep Condoms in Your Wallet?]
-The story goes that if you keep condoms in your wallet, money will accumulate. Do you know about this? I asked my mom, and she said, ‘High school girls keep condoms in their wallets to use them, and after they’re done, they turn into money.’ Is that really true?”
└ Mom, how did she…?
└ Wasn’t it meant for preventing unintended pregnancies?
└ Fact: Keeping condoms in your wallet can cause friction damage.
A community post I once saw flashed through my mind. It’s not a hard post to find, so Bada-ssi will definitely come across it.
‘But what about water balloons…?’
I need to say something that makes sense.
If I blurted out something like that, I won’t be able to take it back.
‘I guess being honest is the best option.’
Of course, I can’t bring up this topic in front of the kids. I’ll have to find an opportunity to talk about it when we’re alone.
As I mentally prepared my script through image training, the kids started returning one by one.
“Oppa, I’m here!”
“Thanks, Yena. Are you going to eat it?”
“Ah-“
“Oppa will eat…”
“Ah-“
Yena, who returned with Kang Bada, pushed a potato into my mouth. Maybe because I was thinking hard until just now, it tasted really sweet.
However, when she pushed a whole potato into my mouth, I couldn’t help but feel choked. I glanced at Bada-ssi, and she handed me a cup of coffee.
“Thank you… Huh?”
“What?”
“It’s hot…”
“So?”
“Oh, never mind.”
I’m such a sinner.
I obediently drank the hot Americano that Kang Bada gave me. It had such a strong taste, as if they added extra shots of espresso.
As the high concentration of caffeine entered my brain, my senses expanded. At the same time, I could smell a strong and enticing aroma tickling my nose.
Deli Manjoo.
Voted number one for the most delicious smell on the subway by Forbes. I involuntarily raised my head in response to that intense temptation. It was in Bada-ssi’s embrace.
“Just one…”
“I won’t give you any.”
“It won’t taste good if it gets cold.”
“I’ll finish eating everything before that happens.”
“······.”
She’s really mad.
Should I be grateful that she’s even acknowledging my words? With a bitter feeling, I stood up.
“One, two, three… Okay, we’re leaving.”
Vroom-
After finishing the check, I grabbed the steering wheel again. I wanted to quickly go back to the lodging and rest.
“Everyone fell asleep.”
I wonder how long they’ve been driving.
I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw that all the kids were fast asleep. Maybe they couldn’t sleep well because they were too excited the night before. Even the director and the teacher had their eyes closed.
“Should I give you one?”
At that moment, Kang Bada spoke up. She still had a bag of untouched Deli Manjoo in her arms.
“It’s okay.”
It seems like she’s trying to make peace in her own way. Even though I’m the one at fault, I felt a bit of pride and couldn’t just accept it right away.
But then, I noticed Bada’s lips pouting, and she looked helpless. If that’s the case, why did she play the prank?
‘Because your face is a cheat code.’
When she does something that doesn’t match her elegant face, my heart melts without me even realizing it. This isn’t a matter of calculation.
“Then, can you give me just one?”
“Sure!”
Bada-ssi reached out and handed me a Deli Manjoo. I naturally extended my right hand to take it and eat it.
That’s when it suddenly hit me.
My mischievous side kicked in.
“Please put it in my mouth.”
“Huh!?”
“I’m driving right now, you know.”
“······.”
We’re driving on the highway. There’s not much maneuvering to do on a straight road, and it’s not difficult to briefly eat a Deli Manjoo.
But I still wanted to play a prank, maybe because of the lingering bitter taste of the Americano on my lips. Surprisingly, Bada-ssi has no immunity to this kind of thing.
Bada-ssi looked at me, wondering if my expectations were right. I couldn’t see her clearly because it was a quick glance, but I could feel her intense gaze.
“Well, let’s leave it at this.”
If you keep teasing someone and miss the right timing, you won’t be able to reconcile. It’s a big risk to bother someone too much when there are still explanations to be made.
Click-
I grabbed the steering wheel with my left hand and tried to take the Deli Manjoo with my other hand. Suddenly, I felt a soft sensation on my lips.
“Ah-“
Kang Bada spoke with a small voice that I could barely hear. In that moment, everything froze.
“Quickly… Ah- Eat it.”
As if urging me, Kang Bada spoke again. In response, I instinctively opened my mouth, and in that gap, the Deli Manjoo entered.
I took a bite, and the sweet custard cream inside spread throughout my mouth.
Kang Bada must have been hugging it tightly because the Deli Manjoo was still warm.
Undoubtedly, it was the sweetest taste I had ever experienced among all the foods I’ve eaten.
* * *
At the moment when Kim Ha-neul and Kang Bada were sharing the Deli Manjoo, there was one gaze watching them with wide eyes.
‘Yena, success!’
Yena’s mouth twitched as she secretly watched the two of them. Lately, her only interest has been focused on those two.
Having been observing them all along, Yena noticed the subtle dynamics between the two and made efforts to reconcile them.
‘Unni is so shy.’
Kang Bada is not honest about her feelings. She came to buy the Deli Manjoo to give it to Kim Ha-neul from the beginning, but she kept holding it in her arms.
‘Ha-neul oppa should marry Bada unni.’
You might have seen it before.
When another child in the orphanage held hands with someone they had never seen before and disappeared. That day, the director briefly explained about “adoption.”
When a man and a woman get married, some of them take children from the orphanage. They all become a family and live happily together.
‘Yena wants to live with oppa.’
Originally, Yena wanted to get married, but the director said it wasn’t possible. Now, the only way to become part of Kim Ha-neul’s family is this.
‘Yena is Cupid!’
Maybe she can bring the two people together. That’s the “Ah-” strategy she desperately came up with, which she saw in a drama.
When the director shows an example, the other children in the orphanage quickly follow. Yena’s strategy, inspired by that, was really successful.
‘Oppa and unni! Love, love!’
Yena lifted the corners of her mouth while watching the sweet atmosphere between the two. After that, she quietly made plans for her next mission in her heart.
* * *
“We finally arrived.”
“You did a great job driving.”
“Now, it begins.”
Kim Ha-neul’s eyes scanned the road ahead.
There were dads who seemed absent-minded in some way. They were being led around by the hands of the children, walking around like zombies.
“It’s fierce from the entrance.”
LegoLand, located in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, is a global theme park based on Lego toys.
The largest in Asia.
The second largest in the world.
Not only is it big, but the problem is the “rides.” Since it’s a family theme park focused on children, there were many manually operated rides.
“Like a mini drop tower?”
It’s a smaller version of the drop tower that already exists in amusement parks. Both adults and kids can ride it, and you have to pull the rope yourself to go up on this thrilling ride.
Of course, kids might not have enough strength, so the power comes entirely from dads. It’s obvious, but Yena is the only one in our group who can take on that role.
“Phew!”
Zoom! Gulp, gulp!
After taking a deep breath, Kim Ha-neul took out an energy drink that they had prepared in advance and chugged it down in one go.
Just as they turned their gaze out the window, they shouted loudly towards the excited kids as if they were about to burst out.
“Alright, let’s go!”
“Yes!!”
Thunderous cheers erupted. Kim Ha-neul led the kids and got off the bus. Kang Bada followed behind, suppressing her laughter.
“You can enter this way.”
“Thank you.”
Thanks to the efficient handling by the staff, we had a free pass anywhere we wanted, just by showing our names.
The hotel right at the entrance has a lot to see, but since the kids had already seen the rides, we went straight into the theme park.
“Oh, it’s better than I thought.”
“Yeah, it seems like something the kids would love.”
A castle made of Lego.
Animals made of Lego.
Even ninjas made of Lego.
The kids’ eyes were spinning restlessly. The adults’ eyes were busy too, but the kids could easily get lost in a moment, becoming little wanderers.
Even if they were young, everyone had different preferences. So, it was perfect to just leave them to their own devices, as they might lose things if we didn’t pay attention.
“Yejin!”
“Mincheol, come here!”
“Let’s go together and check that place out!”
Thanks to that, we had to spend quite a bit of energy gathering the kids. However, among our group, there was no one frowning or unhappy about it.
“The kids really seem to love it.”
“Since it’s their first time coming to a place like this. Even the principal seems to be enjoying it, right?”
“I’m happy too when I see the kids laughing. But Miss Park, what about Mincheol?”
“Oh no! Mincheol!”
Although they were a bit absent-minded, just seeing the joy in the previously gloomy eyes of the kids made the trip meaningful enough.
“Yena want to ride that.”
At that moment, Yena grabbed Kim Ha-neul’s sleeve. At the end of her gaze was none other than the “mini drop tower.” Its official name is “Monkey Climb.”
Proud fathers in South Korea sacrificing themselves for their children’s laughter, it was a heartwarming scene that brought tears to the eyes.
“It’s here.”
It seemed like the other kids also noticed the mini drop tower, and all their attention was directed towards it.
With a somewhat serious expression, Kim Ha-neul took a step towards the hellish ride.
“What’s this? Is it a daycare?”
“There’s only one man.”
“How can he ride with the kids?”
As soon as they entered the entrance, cautious gazes were directed towards Kim Ha-neul. Mostly made up of men in their 30s and 40s, they instinctively felt tense with the appearance of someone young.
“Our dad is the best!”
“Dad, we can be number one, right!?”
“Try using the exercise you did for no reason here.”
In the expectant eyes of their children or the encouragement from their wives, the fathers’ eyes lit up.
“I’m not dead yet.”
“I can’t disappoint my son.”
“This is the life I’ve lived just for this day.”
Thump, thump.
A strange tension flowed among the fathers. In the center, Kim Ha-neul lightly stretched his body.
“Ha-neul, do you want me to help?”
“It’s okay. Please take care of the kids.”
“…Isn’t it too much even for you, like ten times?”
“It’s no problem. I can handle it.”
Snicker-
The fathers, who heard Kim Ha-neul’s confident words, stifled their laughter. They didn’t want to show off in front of the ladies.
Although he looked physically fit, it was definitely not easy to pull a ride that had the combined weight of himself and a child.
“…Ah, I guess I won’t go first.”
“I’ll probably meet you around the third turn.”
“This ride won’t even come to me.”
The fathers, vaguely calculating their turn in the showdown with Kim Ha-neul, had mixed feelings. It was a clear fact that even with a good physique, they would become weaker as they went further back.
Regardless, Kim Ha-neul boarded the ride with Yena. After a quick check of the safety equipment, he held onto the ropes.
“Okay, get ready. Three, two, one! Go!”
“Whoosh-!”
Along with the signal from the attendant, the sound of fathers exerting force filled the surroundings.
At the same time, the rides carrying the children started shooting up. No, that’s what they intended to do.
“…!?”
Whoosh, whoosh-
Kim Ha-neul, riding the rope at an overwhelming speed, literally hit the ceiling in the blink of an eye.
It was amazing how forcefully he stretched out. Even if he rode the rope alone, it didn’t seem like he could do it like that.
“…Crazy.”
“…Is that a person?”
“…Looks like a gorilla in line.”
Hehe-
The dads who hadn’t even started yet looked at Kim Ha-neul in a daze and let out a disappointed laugh.
Moreover, Kim Ha-neul held onto the rope from the highest point, waiting for Yena to fully enjoy the view.
“Wowww! Oppa is in first place!”
“This is good enough, right?”
“…Hmm. I want to stay a little longer, but I have to wait for the other kids too!”
“That’s right, Yena is kind.”
“Hehe.”
While holding onto the rope with one hand, Kim Ha-neul gently stroked Yena’s head with the other.
The dads were astonished to see this, but Kim Ha-neul simply controlled the speed, making sure Yena wasn’t frightened as they slowly descended.
“Next.”
Kim Ha-neul calmly switched the people as if it was no big deal. The faces of the waiting dads turned dark as they realized how composed he was, not even out of breath.
