Life Becomes Amazing After Marriage

 Chapter 39 : Yena, Do As You Wish.

  “It’s handled.”

  The call took less than a minute.

  Kang Bada spoke into the phone, gave her request, and just like that, everything was solved. It was like she had her own magic lamp.

  “I knew you’d come through.”

  “You know you owe me for this, right?”

  “This wasn’t free?”

  “Of course not.”

  Kang Bada smirked like she had just scored a win. Ha-neul chuckled, playing along.

  “So, what do you want in return?”

  “I’ll have to think about it.”

  “If you don’t decide by the end of the day, it’s off the table.”

  “Really? That’s how you’re going to play it?”

  “Hey, you started it.”

  As they traded lighthearted banter, the director and the kids from the orphanage started to come outside.

  Ha-neul and Kang Bada hurried over to take the bags from the director’s hands. But something felt off—the luggage seemed a little light for the number of kids.

  “Is this everything?”

  “No. The rest was already loaded onto the bus yesterday by a secretary named Jang.”

  That guy’s got it all covered.

   Always on top of things.

  The director also mentioned that he had handled other small issues for the orphanage while he was there.

  I’ll have to properly thank him later, Ha-neul thought.

  The director handed Ha-neul the keys to the bus. It was the same one they’d rented for their trip to Legoland.

  “This place was pretty nice…”

  “At least there were no cockroaches.”

  “And it even had a computer.”

  As the kids climbed onto the bus, they couldn’t help but express how much they were going to miss the retreat center. Compared to the old, run-down orphanage, the facilities here were much better.

  “Everyone seems a bit down.”

  “It’s only natural for now.”

  Ha-neul hadn’t seen the renovated orphanage yet, so he wasn’t sure what to say. He didn’t want to raise the kids’ hopes too high, only for them to be disappointed later. It was better to keep their expectations low for now.

  “We’ll just have to trust Hyung-nim.”(1)

  “Huh. When did you two get so close?”

  Wait, me?

  Ha-neul almost blurted out a response but stopped himself just in time. Sure, he wanted to get on Kang Taeyang’s good side and have him as an ally. But still…

  He looks at me like I’m some guy who ran off with his daughter.

  Even though Kang Taeyang wasn’t openly hostile, Ha-neul could tell there was a bit of disapproval.

  It was like he didn’t quite like Ha-neul, even if he helped out here and there. That classic tsundere vibe. Getting any closer might not be easy.

  It’s not like Ha-neul could just come out and say, ‘Actually, he threatens me every time we talk,’ so he mumbled something vague.

  “It’s not that. Hyung-nim just likes to tease you.”

  “No way he would never do that.”

  “Huh? What did you say—”

  “Nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

  Ha-neul felt like he’d heard something dangerous. His instincts were telling him to ask again, but before he could, Yena cut in.

  “Unnie! I brought everyone!”

  “Good job, Yena.”

  “Hehe.”

  With the moment gone, Ha-neul had no choice but to let it go and move on.

  “Alright, let’s hit the road.”

  The deep rumble of the bus’s engine filled the air as they started their journey.

  .

  .

  .

  

  A little while later, they arrived at their destination. Ha-neul wasn’t the type to get rattled easily, but this time, he couldn’t help feeling a bit thrown off.

  [To a Bigger World!]

  A huge banner with this message hung at the front, while a massive tarp covered the building. In front of it stood a bunch of people dressed in Rudolph costumes.

  “Bada-ssi, what… is all this?”

  “These are our security team members.”

  “Don’t you think one or two would’ve been enough?”

  “Well, if we’re doing this, we might as well go big.”

  Kang Bada was clearly all in on this plan.

  Before Ha-neul could fully process the absurdity of the situation, one of the security team members, the only one dressed as Santa, stepped forward to help guide them with parking.

  Meanwhile, the kids and the orphanage staff were glued to the windows, their eyes wide with curiosity about what was happening outside.

  “Alright, kids, let’s get off the bus carefully.”

  Everyone nodded in unison!

  The kids, too fascinated to speak, excitedly stood up. Any disappointment they’d felt earlier had already vanished.

  Yena, as always, clung to Kang Bada like a little shadow. The term “clingy” fit her perfectly.

  “Welcome.”

  As Ha-neul was the last to step off the bus, the man in the Santa suit greeted him right away. His face looked oddly familiar.

  “Haven’t we met before?”

  “Your memory’s sharp. I’m Go Gangcheol, I work under Director Kang Taeyang.”

  “I’m Kim Ha-neul.”

  This was the same guy who had driven him when he got caught up in that drug case. He was probably one of Kang Taeyang’s most trusted people, right after secretary Jang.

  Go Kang-chul looked as solid as his name suggested. Even through the thick costume, his muscular build was clear, and his intense gaze peeked out from behind his sunglasses.

  “It’s been a while, young miss.”

  “Thanks for taking on my request, especially when you’re busy. I have to say, though, you pull off that Santa suit better than I expected!”

  “Thank you. My team’s actually enjoying the change of pace.”

  Go Gangcheol delivered the lie with a straight face, but Ha-neul couldn’t help but notice the Rudolphs nearby, sweating buckets.

  He had no idea how they managed to get those costumes so quickly, but they were clearly winter-only, judging by how thick the fabric was.

  Surprisingly, though, Go Gangcheol didn’t seem to be entirely lying.

  “You’ll be well-compensated for your efforts.”

  “Thank you.”

  The moment the word “well-compensated” left Kang Bada’s lips, the smiles on the security team’s faces seemed a lot more genuine, not just for show.

  Wonder if they’ve got any spare costumes.

  Ha-neul mused to himself, half-jokingly thinking it wouldn’t be too bad to score one of those bonuses Kang Bada was offering. But before he could get too lost in thought, Yena came up to him.

  “…Santa?”

  “That’s right, little miss.”

  “Hic!”

  Go Gangcheol had tried his best to give her a soft smile, but his naturally stern face made it more intimidating than comforting.

  Yena quickly darted behind Ha-neul, hiding. Then she looked up at Kang Bada with teary eyes.

  “He’s not Santa.”

  “Yena, well, you see…”

  “You lied, unnie.”

  “…!!”

  Kang Bada was visibly shaken by Yena’s words, her eyes going wide as she took a step back.

  Go Gangcheol didn’t seem to take it well either. He looked genuinely downcast, clearly hurt by the little girl’s blunt rejection.

  From an outsider’s point of view, the whole scene was pretty entertaining, but Ha-neul was starting to feel the awkward stares from everyone around. Clearing his throat, he tried to break the tension.

  “This is way bigger than I thought it’d be.”

  “Oh… right! The CEO told us to ‘put together a proper event for the little guests.’ We’re ready to reveal it whenever you are.”

  Little guests?

  There’s no way Kang Taeyang actually said something so cutesy. Ha-neul guessed Go Gangcheol had probably cleaned it up a bit.

  Ha-neul glanced at the group. The kids, along with Park and the director, were all eagerly waiting for the reveal, their eyes practically pleading for it.

  “Go ahead, please.”

  “Everyone, step back just a little, please.”

  *Swoosh* – *Pop, pop!*

  After moving everyone back, Go Gangcheol hit a button on a remote. The tarp dropped with a soft whoosh, and party poppers went off, revealing the orphanage.

  “Whoa…”

  “Wowww!”

  “Is this real, or am I dreaming?”

  Everyone had their own reactions, but Ha-neul was just as blown away by what he saw.

  The old, broken-down walls and rusty gate were gone, replaced with a sleek fence and an electronic gate.

  Around the fence, new trees had been planted, not only blocking the view from the outside but also completely changing the dull, dreary vibe of the place.

  “Shall we head inside?”

  Following Go Gangcheol, they walked into the building, and their amazement only grew.

  Clean, paved walkways.

  A modern playground with artificial grass.

  And even a gym built from the renovated auditorium.

  ‘…This is insane.’

  There was no need to do the math; just by looking at everything, it was clear this cost a fortune.

  He had thought they might just fix up a classroom or two, but this was on a whole other level.

  “This way to the main building.”

  And they hadn’t even seen the best part yet. Everyone, including Ha-neul, followed quietly, too stunned to speak.

  “These are the kids’ classrooms.”

  “Oh my gosh…”

  The director, overwhelmed with emotion, covered her mouth. The old asbestos and worn wooden floors had been replaced with sleek, modern designs.

  Not only were there computers and projectors, but they’d also set up personal tablets for the kids to use during their digital lessons.

  “This is the cafeteria.”

  “Oh wow, that’s the latest oven model! And is that a smart fridge? It tracks supplies automatically!? We can actually use all this?”

  “Absolutely.”

   Park-nim, the nutritionist, was practically giddy with excitement. He especially seemed to like how much closer the fridge and cooking area were now.

  Since the building had originally been an elementary school, the kitchen had been too big for him to manage alone. But with the new layout, everything was much more efficient.

  “And here we have the kids’ bedrooms.”

  “This is…”

  “Unfortunately, we couldn’t provide individual rooms due to the orphanage’s setup. But the designers did their best to create as much personal space as possible for each child.”

  The rooms had individual beds and storage units, and if the kids wanted some privacy, they could pull curtains around their beds to make their own little space.

  ‘Kind of reminds me of a military dorm.’

  Given that a small staff had to care for a large number of kids, this was probably the best setup they could have. Thankfully, the kids seemed thrilled.

  “Beds!”

  “They even have name tags!”

  “This is so soft! This is amazing!”

  The kids, who used to sleep on the floor with blankets, were now thrilled as they jumped onto their new beds. The rooms had platforms where they had to take off their shoes, and there was a central table where everyone could gather and play together if they wanted.

  Adding to the Santa vibe, various gift boxes of all sizes were placed on the table.

  “A Nintendo!”

  “There’s a scooter too!”

  “I’m taking this one!”

  The boys started arguing over the coolest gifts, and the director and Mr. Park had to step in to calm things down.

  “Hey, what about us?”

  “Hurry up, let’s go!”

  “Huh?”

  Seeing the boys, the girls got impatient, so Ha-neul and Kang Bada took them to the next room.

  “This one’s mine!”

  “This is my bed!”

  “Let’s open the presents first!”

  The girls immediately got to work decorating their beds with the dolls and items they’d brought with them.

  Luckily, there were plenty of gifts for the girls too, and since they all had different tastes, there was no fighting.

  The only thing that seemed off was Yena, who stood quietly holding Kang Bada’s hand, not really paying attention to her bed.

  Noticing this, Kang Bada knelt down to meet Yena’s eye level and gently asked,

  “Yena, is there anything you want to do?”

  “Something I want to do?”

  “Yeah. Is there a gift you like?”

  “Hmm…”

  After thinking for a bit, Yena finally joined the other girls and came back with a sketchbook and some coloring supplies.

  “You want to draw?”

  Nod, nod!

  Yena nodded excitedly, more enthusiastic than ever. Ha-neul and Kang Bada exchanged a quick glance, holding back their smiles at how bright her eyes were.

  “Go ahead and do whatever you want, Yena.”

  “Okay!”

  Yena smiled from ear to ear, and watching her, Ha-neul and Kang Bada couldn’t help but smile too.

  * * *

  “Bada-ssi… this is…”

  “Ha-neul-ssi, you’re thinking the same thing, right?”

  “Yeah, honestly, I can’t believe it.”

  “Me neither.”

  Ha-neul and Kang Bada shared a serious look, both staring at the sketchbook in front of them.

  “Did… Yena do something wrong?”

  Yena, noticing the change in their expressions, looked a bit anxious. Kang Bada quickly shook her head and reassured her with a gentle pat.

  “No, no, not at all. It’s just that…”

  Kang Bada trailed off, unsure how to put her thoughts into words.

  Ha-neul understood exactly how she felt. He was just as stunned.

  On the page of the sketchbook was a landscape, drawn with creativity and skill far beyond what you’d expect from a 7-year-old.

  It was clear that Yena was gifted.

  And not just any kind of gifted—exceptionally rare.

 

[Note(1) : Hyung-nim – Hyungnim: more respectful way of saying older brother.]