Chapter 4

Translator: Roshi

Why is this child relying on him so much when he hasn’t done anything for her?

Why did she burst into tears the moment she saw him, when she had been holding it back all on her own?

A cracked stone, a flower with a broken stem.

And a crying child.

All three came into his view at once, weighing down on his heart.

"Are you the kid's father? How could you…."

"Someone plucked out the flower."

"Huh? What are you…."

"It couldn't have been her, so it must have been him?"

Ignoring the ajumma who was about to protest, he looked at the child who had picked the flower.

A fight between children.

He could let that slide.

"What kind of education does one receive to do something so ignorant? Pulling out and throwing other people's property."

"W-what!? Who do you think you're talking to like that!?"

"I see you've only learned how to shout without using proper judgment."

"This man!"

The ajumma, who had jumped into a children’s fight and ended up hurting the child, he couldn’t just let this go.

"Your kid did this to my kid…."

"Ah, I see you've learned how to lie too. Isn't that right?"

Ignoring the ajumma, he asked the child.

"Waaaah!"

The child burst into tears the moment their eyes met.

"Why are you making someone else's child cry!"

Exactly.

He wondered why he was even doing this himself.

In the past, he would have used force without needing to go this far.

He just felt like saying something.

He wanted to return the same verbal hurt to the one who had hurt the child with words.

Childishly.

"Oh my, who made such a mess on the ground?"

"Right? Looks like someone pulled it out and threw it on the ground."

"So inconsiderate. Who would mess up the flower beds that the hospital walk around every day?"

"Must’ve been kids. I mean, kids might do such things, right?"

Just as he thought how childish this was and was about to use his power, the timing was stolen by the whispers of people behind him.

When he looked back, quite a few people were watching this side and whispering.

Many of them were patients from the same ward who had followed along.

Most of what they were whispering was directed toward the ajumma and her son.

…No, to call it "whispering" didn’t seem accurate; it was loud enough.

Thanks to that, the ajumma’s face gradually turned red.

"But what were the kids' parents doing?"

"Who knows."

"They must’ve been busy. I mean, no way would they just leave them alone right beside them, right? If that’s the case, the problem isn’t with the kids but with the parents’ lack of education."

These were words spoken with feigned innocence, despite clearly understanding the situation.

That made it even more effective.

The ajumma, her face flushed as if it would burst, ended up retreating.

Perhaps it was because she felt guilty with so many people around.

Or maybe it was because the roundabout criticisms made it hard to lash out. Either way, it looked like the situation was about to settle down.

But Do-yoon had no intention of letting it end here.

Swish.

Parts of Ddugi and Chuchu’s shadows slipped into the shadows of the ajumma and the child.

They wouldn’t be able to sleep until they realized the wrongs they committed today.

They would dream endlessly of being chased by Ddugi and Chuchu.

"Ah!"

At that moment, the ajumma, who was moving away from the crowd, tripped and fell with a loud thud.

Embarrassed, she quickly got up and walked away, but everyone had already seen it.

‘What was that?’

However, he saw something slightly different from the others.

Just before the ajumma fell, something like a small stone suddenly popped up from the ground and disappeared.

He hadn’t done that.

"Ajosshi…."

"Hm?"

Though it was a bit odd, he immediately turned his attention to Hanuri, who was calling him.

The child, hesitating shyly in his arms.

Not at all like her usual bright self.

For such a child, he was the first to speak up.

"I found a house."

"…!!"

At his nonchalant statement, her eyes went wide, like a startled rabbit.

"Waaah! Really?"

"Really."

"…Can Hanuri go too?"

In the past, she would have eagerly suggested they go right away, but now, feeling somewhat dispirited, she asked cautiously.

It was indeed right to punish that mother and son more severely.

If he had let it go, he would be regretting it now.

Watching the ajumma fall down earlier had been satisfying.

"Of course. It’s our house."

"Our… Hehe. Then can we go see it now!"

"Sure, why not."

It wasn’t difficult.

He set Hanuri down and took her small hand.

At that moment, a shadow beneath their feet wrapped around them instantly, and then they disappeared.

The place they reappeared seemed to be Chuncheon.

"Waaah!! It's so big!"

He worried she might get scared by the sudden change of scenery, but judging by her reaction, that wasn’t the case.

The child looked around the open space he had created and started running all over.

She looked just like a little puppy.

The dispirited look from earlier had completely vanished.

“Hehehe!”

The child ran around for a long time without showing any sign of fatigue.

Then, suddenly, she stopped in front of the house and turned to him.

"Ajosshi! Is this our house?"

"Yes."

"Woah! It's super big! Pretty!"

She kept craning her neck to take it all in, exclaiming in awe.

It was a two-story hosue, so it was indeed large.

For just one child and one adult, it was more than spacious.

“Do you like it?”

“Yeah! I love it!”

Since the child liked it, the size wasn’t an issue.

But there was another problem.

“Ah… Ddugi and Chuchu….”

The child who had been so happy now looked sad again.

It was because of the two friends she was holding in her hands.

The cracked stone, Ddugi, and the flower, Chuchu, whose stem was broken beyond recovery.

The stone was at least not shattered, which was a relief, but the flower…

“Ddugi, Chuchu, this is our home. It’s big, isn’t it?”

As if she wasn’t ready to part with them, Hanuri put Ddugi down in front of the house and planted Chuchu in the ground.

He quietly watched her.

“Let’s live here for a long, long time with Hanuri.”

She seemed to believe that if she planted Chuchu in the ground, it would come back to life.

After carefully planting Chuchu in the soil, the child sprawled out on the porch.

With her feet dangling above the ground, she looked up at him and smiled brightly.

She was such a cheerful child.

The exact opposite of him.

“Hehe~. I love it!”

“Do you really like it that much?”

“Yeah! I love it so, so much!”

She must really like the house.

Seeing her smile as if she had never been sad reassured him.

For now, he was grateful that, being a child, her moods could change so quickly.

“Hehe, so we’re going to live here now, right?”

“Not yet.”

“Hmm? Why?”

The interior still needed more work.

It wasn’t ready to accommodate a child yet.

“It’s not fully built inside.”

Not wanting to explain everything, he offered a vague excuse.

“Then when? How many more nights do we have to wait?”

“At most, five nights?”

“Hmm… I guess I can wait that long.”

He smiled slightly at her words and sat down next to her, looking out.

A vast, open view stretched out before them, with a river visible in the distance.

It was indeed a good location.

Thud.

“…?”

Just as he was feeling satisfied with the excellent choice of spot, he suddenly felt a weight on his leg.

It was the child’s head.

“Ajosshi… I’m sleepy….”

Lying down with her head on his lap, she fell asleep right after saying those words.

Well, it made sense.

After running around wildly and releasing all the tension from the events at the hospital, it was no wonder she was sleepy.

snore... snore...

‘Guess I’ll have to stay a little longer.’

He decided to linger a bit longer.

Just sitting here, zoning out, wasn’t so bad.

The river breeze was gentle, and the sunlight was pleasant.

‘This will become our everyday life now.’

On rainy days, they’d cook pancakes, on hot days, enjoy cold noodles.

When it got colder, they’d roast sweet potatoes, catch fish from the river, and cook them.

It would be an ordinary life, but a good one.

It was indeed a good choice.

“Hmm… Ajosshi… hehe.”

Looking down at the one responsible for this choice, who was now sound asleep, he couldn’t help but smile warmly.

*

After a long while of sitting idly like that, they returned to the hospital, which was bustling with noise.

Part of it was because coming back from a peaceful countryside made it feel that way, but mainly it was because of the commotion caused by the sudden disappearance of him and the child.

He left the child in her hospital room and then went to meet Hanuri’s primary physician in the consultation room.

“When I discharge, I’ll be taking Hanuri with me.”

Breaking the awkward silence, he spoke up first.

“Huh?”

“I’m saying I’ll be her guardian and sponsor.”

At his words, the doctor looked bewildered.

"Hanuri's health is still…."

"I've already taken care of that. Why do you think the child suddenly became healthy?"

"Hmm…."

The doctor couldn’t find the words to continue.

He knew it too.

Hanuri’s health had suddenly changed.

Recent tests showed that her condition was far better than even that of average, healthy children.

‘Hanuri’s body became absurdly healthy just recently.’

The doctor also knew that Hanuri had been visiting Do-yoon frequently.

"What did you do? There are others with similar symptoms as Hanuri. If there’s a treatment method…."

"I transferred a portion of my life force."

"……!!"

Of course, it was a lie.

It was a bit bothersome, but boosting her vitality didn’t actually diminish his lifespan.

However, this explanation was the simplest. Other people didn’t matter much to him, anyway.

He wondered if the doctor would believe him.

"…It sounds like a method that isn’t easy to perform or explain. I understand what you mean."

Unexpectedly, the doctor accepted it readily.

Moreover, he even expressed sincere gratitude, which Do-yoon hadn’t anticipated.

"It must be an ability of yours as a Hunter. As a doctor, I feel a bit conflicted, but it’s a relief that Hanuri’s health has improved. Thank you."

Do-yoon’s expression became somewhat complex at the doctor’s words.

Maybe it was because he had lived so harshly in a hellish place for too long.

He thought he’d softened up a bit, thanks to the child…

Suddenly, he wondered if maybe it was because of doctors like this that a child like Hanuri could live happily in this hospital.

"But you’re planning to take Hanuri with you? I’ve heard she follows you well, but… would you mind if I ask something, without taking it the wrong way?"

The doctor who had just thanked him now hesitated a bit, yet looked him straight in the eye.

"What is it?"

"After reviewing your personal information, it appears you may not meet the qualifications for adoption. Ah, I only accessed information within the scope allowed for me as a doctor."

He didn’t mind his personal information being viewed here.

But the qualifications for adoption—that was a concern.

"The qualifications for adoption?"

"First, you need a stable job, but it seems you’re not yet officially registered as a Hunter, Kim Do-yoon ssi. And you also lack the required assets. You only have compensation money, and… with just that, adoption isn’t possible."

"Job, money…."

"Yes. Oh! Do you have a place of residence? Even a rental would work. Depending on the deposit, it might be possible without meeting the other requirements."

"…I don’t have one."

Should he create one immediately?

It wasn’t impossible.

It would cause a bit of a stir, but he could do it.

As he considered the doctor’s words and was about to fall into thought,

"It's good that I looked for other methods just in case. With the doctor’s recommendation and the hospital’s endorsement, you can become a legal guardian. Given that Hanuri currently has no legal guardian, she’s in need of a temporary protector. You’ll become her temporary guardian and obtain a provisional certification. Since your identity itself is certain, this shouldn't be a problem."

The doctor smiled as he explained this.

Then, as if he’d been waiting for this moment, he handed over a piece of paper.

“So, this means?”

“Yes, here’s the letter of recommendation. Submit this to the court, and bring back the confirmation. And please, as soon as you can, fulfill the remaining requirements to formally adopt Hanuri.”

“…Understood.”

He wanted to say thank you, but the words wouldn’t come out.

He, who possessed the power to shake the world, felt somehow smaller than the ordinary doctor standing before him.

‘I was planning to move to an isolated countryside where none of this would matter anyway….’

For now, he decided to follow the doctor’s advice.

Taking Hanuri with him and raising her well.

That, in its own way, felt like the proper way to show his gratitude to the doctor, the nurses, and the other patients in the hospital who had taken care of Hanuri.

So this small effort was no big deal.

*

The five days he had promised Hanuri passed quickly.

And in that time, he became Hanuri’s temporary legal guardian.

Hanuri’s attending doctor, a nurse named Ha-eun, and the patients who shared the same room as him—all of them helped him in becoming her guardian, so everything went smoothly.

Their time together had only been about ten days.

In truth, he found it puzzling that these people trusted a complete stranger like him, though he couldn’t understand why.

-We trust in Hanuri's judgment.

The words of the nurse, Ha-eun, made him accept it without question.

She was a child who had managed to touch even his heart with her innocence.

Others had similar sentiments, if slightly different in their expression.

-Hanuri chose you, so of course she chose well!

-Of course, of course, our Hanuri has such a good eye.

-And that friend… there’s something solid and dependable about him, unlike most young people these days.

Thanks to Hanuri, people’s impression of him also improved.

With everything concerning Hanuri settled, it was now time to go back home to prepare and furnish the house.