★★★Chapter 19 : Half the Favor, Twice the Repayment ★★★
“Yena, are you awake?”
“Mmm…”
“Should we go wash up with Unni?”
“With Unni?”
“If you don’t want to, it’s okay.”
“No, I want to!”
Hehe.
Kang Bada’s heart eased a bit when she saw Yena’s smiling face. Even though her plan to tease Kim Ha-neul had gone awry, this wasn’t bad either.
‘They’re like a real family.’
As she helped Yena take off her clothes, she felt a strange feeling. It was almost like feeling like a mom.
“Bada-ssi, I’ve filled the water.”
“Thank you.”
The division of roles felt just like a real couple. With that alone, Bada’s heart felt somewhat relieved as he took Yena to the bathroom.
Since becoming an adult, this was the first time she entered the bathroom with someone else. But because she was a young child, she didn’t feel a strong aversion to it.
“Wow!”
“Um… Isn’t Unni embarrassed when I look at her like that?”
“Can Yena become like this too?”
“Yes, you’ll grow up quickly.”
“Quickly!”
Taking a bath with Yena turned out to be more enjoyable than she had expected. Especially when they got into the bathtub, it felt like her whole body was melting away.
“Unni, you’re so squishy.”
“Um… Is it okay if you don’t touch too much?”
There were times when her childlike curiosity was a bit awkward, but even that was cute, and it didn’t bother her much.
“Yena, today was fun!”
“Unni, thanks to you, it was fun for Yena too.”
“Really!?”
“Yes.”
It was an experience she could have never had if she were alone. She had lived confined in a laboratory for most of her life, and unless something significant happened, she would have continued to live that way.
“I want to go to other places too.”
Even an ordinary amusement park would be nice, or a typical tourist spot. The desire to have more diverse experiences blossomed like a rising smoke.
It had only been a few days since she reunited with Kim Ha-neul, and it was simply amazing to experience so many changes in such a short time.
“Yena, should we come back here next time?”
“Yeah, yeah!”
“Oh, don’t splash water!”
“Hoohaha!”
After a quite eventful bath, Kang Bada changed into comfortable clothes and came out. Afterwards, she dried Yena’s hair and had a conversation.
“Yena can sleep here.”
“What about Unni?”
“Unni will sleep in that room.”
“Then where will Oppa sleep?”
“Um… Oppa will also sleep there.”
“Why only Yena?”
Yena raised her head.
Her round eyes were slightly moist. Kang Bada, surprised by her reaction, quickly added a remark.
“Because Yena is a princess…”
“I don’t like it.”
“Huh?”
“Yeah?”
“I want to sleep with Unni and Oppa.”
“Um… Won’t that be a bit difficult?”
Uh…
Water droplets started to form in Yena’s eyes. As Kang Bada felt embarrassed, Kim Ha-neul happened to come out to the living room.
“Are you all done?”
“Oppa! Let’s sleep together!”
“Huh?”
Kim Ha-neul, who was observing the atmosphere for a moment, seemed to understand the situation. His eyes showed a moment of hesitation, as if wondering if it was appropriate, but soon he nodded.
“Yeah, Yena will sleep with Oppa.”
“Unni too!”
“Huh?”
“All together!”
“Well, um…”
While saying that, Kim Ha-neul glanced at Kang Bada. His gaze seemed to convey, ‘I’m okay with it, but he might not like it.’ Kang Bada pursed her lips in response.
“I’m fine with it.”
“Really?”
“What’s wrong with sleeping together? Right, Yena?”
“Yeah, yeah!”
The moisture in her eyes seemed to have turned into steam as Yena burst into a big smile and reached out both hands.
Afraid that her mind might change, Yena quickly grabbed one person with each hand and led them to the bed. Meanwhile, Kim Ha-neul sent a message to Kang Bada with his eyes.
‘Are you serious?’
‘It’s not anyone’s fault in the first place.’
‘Well, even so…’
‘Why don’t you tell Yena that you don’t like it?’
“…”
With a sigh, Kim Ha-neul swallowed his words. And so, the three of them lay side by side on the bed.
Although it was a king-size bed, it was still cramped for three people to lie with enough space between them.
As a result, the three of them had no choice but to huddle close to Yena like a family.
Moreover, since Yena was holding both of their hands, they couldn’t even turn their backs. Kang Bada and Kim Ha-neul unintentionally ended up facing each other.
‘Yena, you did it again!’
Yena felt triumphant in the subtly changing atmosphere. She tightened her grip on their hands, sporting a bright smile.
“…It feels warm.”
Perhaps it was because of the many events that happened today. Feeling the soft sensation of the bed for the first time, Yena unknowingly closed her eyes.
Gently… gently…
Yena fell asleep in an instant. Listening to her steady breathing, Kang Bada and Kim Ha-neul held their breaths in return, afraid that the slightest sound would disturb her.
“…”
“…”
The room was unusually quiet.
Only the faint sound of their heartbeat, transmitted through Yena, echoed in their ears. That day, the two of them couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.
* * *
“You look tired. Are you okay?”
“I couldn’t sleep properly.”
“Oh dear.”
“It’s not like that.”
I dispelled Miss Park’s misunderstanding. After all, I brought Yena with me to avoid such comments. I wouldn’t go as far as having strict thoughts with a child in between.
“Hi, Nuna!”
“Hello, Min-cheol.”
Swoosh-
Naturally, their gaze shifted backward. Kang Bada, who was holding Yena’s hand, exchanged morning greetings with the kids.
“She’s so pretty.”
Most actors are at a level where they get slapped on the cheek, so the subtle situation of lying on the same bed with her kept awakening the man’s instincts.
– Wow! Nuna, you’re so talkative!
The soundproofing of the restroom wasn’t as good as expected. The voices of the two people behind the door stimulated the man’s imagination.
As they lay on the bed together, their happiness circuits ignited on their own.
“The bed is smaller than I thought.”
Even now, when I close my eyes, Kang Bada’s face, with its faint breathing and vivid presence in the darkness, flickers in my mind.
If it’s like this now, how bad would it have been in the early morning? If Yena wasn’t there, it would have been a big problem.
“Get a grip, I have to drive.”
The fortunate thing was that I had scheduled the trip leisurely from the beginning, so I managed to get a good rest until just before checking out, even though I fell asleep late.
I’m used to this level of fatigue as I’ve lived with insomnia. Drinking an energy drink shouldn’t be a problem for driving.
“Now, let’s get on the bus.”
“Yes-“
With all the kids on board, I stepped on the accelerator. Due to lack of sleep, drowsiness was creeping up on me, but thanks to Kang Bada, who sat in the passenger seat and kept talking, I stayed alert.
“Where are we going?”
“We’re going to a training center near Seoul. We’ll stay there while the orphanage is being remodeled.”
“What about school?”
“They said they’ll provide a school bus for commuting. We usually walked, so the commuting time will be about the same.”
Kang Taeyang’s support was certain.
I don’t know exactly what he’s trying to do, but he said the remodeling would take about a month. During that time, they borrowed the entire space for the children to stay.
‘I must have spent at least ten million won yesterday.’
When you add the bus fare and accommodation expenses, it will be a similar amount. If you also include food expenses, souvenir purchases, and the cost of extensive remodeling, it would be a significant amount.
‘Who is worrying about whom now?’
Rich people spend tens of millions of won just on alcohol when they party at clubs. Considering the cost of entertainment, it might even be considered cheap.
Of course, I’m not in a position to receive such entertainment, but it would be silly to refuse when they offer to cover the expenses. In times like this, you just say “Thank you” and accept it.
“Look, didn’t I say our second oppa is kind?”
“Yes.”
“Wow, he has no soul.”
“It’s not like that. He’s just driving right now…”
“He’ll listen to everything from our older brother.”
“Let’s see about that. Really.”
I might get killed.
He carefully swallowed his words.
Fortunately, Kang Bada seemed to have said it as a joke and quickly changed the topic with a light laugh.
“Thanks to him, we’ve had a lot of fun lately.”
“Is that so?”
“Can’t you show a little more enthusiasm?”
“Wow, that’s really great news!”
Inhale-
When I exaggerated my reaction, Kang Bada burst into laughter. I also put on a fake smile and gripped the steering wheel.
“How was it before?”
“Well, I don’t know. It was like colorless?”
“Colorless?”
“Yes. It wasn’t very exciting to live. Actually, I don’t really like people. I don’t show it on the surface, though.”
That’s a bit unexpected.
The Kang Bada I’ve seen is an outgoing extrovert who easily makes friends and laughs in every situation.
“I had no idea.”
“No, I knew.”
“That’s a lie, again.”
“Just by looking at the texts I send you, you can tell.”
“What’s wrong with my texts?”
“I see everything with my own eyes.”
“…Funny, really.”
Snicker-
Kang Bada, who suppressed her laughter, closed her mouth. Seeing her slightly darkened expression, this time I asked first in the slightly subdued atmosphere.
“Why do you dislike people?”
“…It’s just that they’re so different on the surface and behind.”
“What do you mean?”
“When people laugh and act friendly in front of you but talk behind your back as soon as you’re not around.”
Judging by Kang Bada’s facial expression, it seems like she’s sharing his personal experiences. She seems to care a lot about what people think of her.
“There are also many people who judge me based on my appearance or background. Actually, that’s probably the majority of people. It makes me feel a bit uncertain.”
“······.”
“When I was a student, I used to have thoughts like, ‘It would be better if my family were in a really bad situation so that I could tell who truly cares about me.’ Those kinds of thoughts.”
In movies or books, friendships and love seem valuable because they are hard to find in real life.
There are so many relationships in life that fade away or disappear because of time, circumstances, or sometimes money. Even families can fall apart over insurance money.
“Well, it’s not something you wouldn’t understand.”
In the world, there’s no such thing as an absolute guarantee, but at least I, Tae-sik, or even Cheol-su, if they ask for help, I’ll give them everything I can.
If, for some unfortunate reason, they were left alone because of an accident, I would take care of them as if they were my own children. It would probably be the same for them too.
“But maybe you don’t have that kind of trust.”
Kang Bada has had almost everything since he was born. Maybe that’s why he lost the most important thing, his true feelings.
Maybe that’s why she proposed a contract marriage to me. “Money” is the strongest symbol of trust she has experienced in her life.
“Hehe. You’re very full and innocent, huh? Even though I’m not clean either. Don’t worry, it’s just something I tried saying, so don’t pay attention to it…”
“It bothers me.”
“Huh?”
“I want to hear more. Bada-ssi’s worries.”
I could feel Kang Bada’s gaze fixed on me from the side. But I kept my gaze forward and continued speaking.
“Why?”
“Well, we’re a couple, aren’t we?”
“If that was a joke, it would be the worst.”
“It’s not a joke.”
The bus stopped at a traffic light.
I turned my head slightly and met Kang Bada’s eyes. Since she didn’t avoid my gaze either, we stared at each other for a while.
Thud! Vroom!
The traffic light turned green. I instinctively turned my head back, shifted gears, and pressed the accelerator. The bus sped up again.
“Do you know the biggest change that has happened to me since I met Bada-ssi?”
“What is it?”
“I’m not scared of my parents’ phone calls anymore.”
“······.”
That was a story about “money.”
Because I used to get into a lot of accidents, I felt guilty towards my family, so whenever I talked to my parents, my heart felt heavy.
My father’s illness,
My mother’s tears,
It all felt like my fault.
So I tried my best to avoid facing my parents. Not looking, not listening, pretending not to know. That was the only way I could protect my feelings.
“I originally thought about talking to them once a month, but recently it’s been almost every three days. Mostly it’s my mom calling, but I don’t mind. She’s always smiling.”
“······.”
“The person who used to worry about money all the time now talks about the flowers in the hospital room or my dad farting. Talking about these little things while smiling. It makes me feel good too.”
“Really?”
“Yes, thanks to Bada-ssi.”
That’s all.
Just by looking at the people sleeping soundly behind me, you can see the happiest expressions in the world. It would have been impossible if I were alone.
Naturally, a little bit of sunshine seeped into my heart as I watched over them. I’ve never lived so comfortably in my life.
“Bada-ssi can’t buy happiness with money, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I’m the same. There was a BJ (internet broadcaster) who once said, ‘Half the Favor, Twice the Repayment’ Now that has become my motto.”
Even without turning my head, I could feel Kang Bada’s gaze on me as if questioning my sincerity.
“Is that true?”
“I can be a bit narrow-minded.”
“That was a bit funny just now.”
“But it’s true.”
Vroom–
Suddenly, the bus passed through the tollgate and entered the highway. As I slowly increased the speed, the pleasant engine sound accompanied the forward motion of the car.
“I’ll give you half back.”
“Huh?”
“Give and take. Now it’s your turn to take from me, Bada-ssi.”
“······.”
It might seem a bit rigid, but for her, this approach would actually feel more comfortable. I believed that without any doubt.
“Ha-neul-ssi, I’m from Daehan Group.”
“I already know that.”
“No, you don’t. You don’t know what it means. Not at all, not even a little.”
“······?”
When I turned my head towards her for a moment due to her mysterious words, I couldn’t help but flinch and stop speaking.
“We always receive more than we give.”
Kang Bada was looking at me with sharp eyes that she had never shown before, with a cool smile on her lips.
* * *
When they arrived at the training center, the people from Kang Taeyang’s side took over the bus. Kang Bada said she had something urgent and disappeared in a flash.
Her cold smile lingered in my mind like a faint scar, but I decided to ignore it for now since it wasn’t an immediate problem to solve.
“Let’s write a post.”
When I returned home, I immediately grabbed the keyboard. Lately, I have had less time to write due to various things happening, and it was becoming risky not to have a backup.
If I continued to grow steadily, even though winning a competition would be difficult, monetization seemed possible. Taking a break was absolutely not an option.
“Huh?”
I habitually entered my work page. As I looked at the numbers reflected on the screen, I momentarily became confused and stopped speaking.
“Did I click on a different work?”
No, it was definitely my work.
But the number “504” that appeared as a favorite work, what did it mean? It was definitely “230” until yesterday, so why did it suddenly double?
“···Someone left a recommendation.”
A new category called “Reader’s Recommendation” appeared between the work description and subtitles. There, I saw the title “A Warm Story of Men and Women Caring for Each Other.”
When I clicked on it, someone had written a heartfelt recommendation for my work. As I read it, I felt an indescribable sense of emotion.
‘Did everyone feel like this?’
My emotions were in turmoil. I had written quite a few works, but this was the first time I received a recommendation, which was understandable.
After all, web novels are a genre that is light and easy to read in a mobile environment.
For readers who are busy with their lives, it is a cumbersome task to turn on the computer, log in, and come to the recommendation board to write a heartfelt comment.
‘Thanks to that, the traffic to my tube channel has skyrocketed.’
My buried posts at the bottom of the deep sea surfaced through the recommendations, and the influx that was usually only 10-20 tripled.
Thanks to that, I broke through the barrier to enter the tube that I could barely access before, and the influx doubled again as the previous works increased.
“······.”
It was scary.
Why are only good things happening around me lately? In my entire life, the world has never been on my side even once.
What if one day it all disappears like bubbles? If that happens, can I go back to how things were before?
[It’s fun. Keep going!]
[I really like the feeling. Keep running.]
[There aren’t many comments, but I’m enjoying it.]
It’s not the first time they’ve received comments like these. But for some reason, it feels more noticeable today. They sat in front of the keyboard, taking a deep breath for a while.
“······.”
Silence filled the room.
I cautiously grabbed the keyboard.
I filled the empty white pages with black ink, one by one. As a writer, I already knew how to respond to my readers.
I stayed in front of the keyboard for a very long time that day.
I couldn’t leave.
* * *
“Mom, what’s all this?”
“Ha-neul won for writing our family’s story. Thanks to that, your dad is also having a good time.”
Ha-neul’s younger sister, ‘Kim Gureum,’ who had come to visit after a long time, felt dizzy after hearing her mom’s response.
‘The story won?’
It’s hard to believe that there’s an event that allows us to use the VIP hospital room indefinitely.
“Where did he submit the story?”
“Hmm, come to think of it, I never asked.”
As Gureum saw her mom’s puzzled expression, her suspicions grew stronger. She quickly grabbed her phone and started searching for related events.
‘I hope he didn’t have another accident.’
Tap, tap, tap!
The speed of her typing increased, and with each keystroke, Gureum’s gaze grew heavier.
