Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 112

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 112

 

“Um, the Principal gave me a card to buy coffee… Would you like to go out together now?”

 

Kwon Hae-seong called me aside separately.

 

When I looked at the Dolphin Class children playing without giving an answer, he quickly added.

 

“Ah! The Principal said… she would watch them for a moment.”

 

Hmm… Really? Then, alright.

 

Nodding my head, I took off my apron.

 

After explaining to the children that I would be going out for a moment, I followed Kwon Hae-seong outside.

 

Then I could see the Principal hurriedly entering our classroom as if she had been waiting.

 

‘What? Was she waiting outside?’

 

“Um… I heard the coffee shop at that intersection has really good coffee, should we go there…?”

 

“Hmm… I don’t mind, but isn’t it too far?”

 

“Uh, uh, Sa-gwa! I mean… Teacher Sa-gwa said the coffee there is really delicious… I really wanted to try it too.”

 

That much? What kind of delicious coffee could it be?

 

“Alright, then let’s go. Sure.”

 

It’s not a difficult task, just going to a nearby coffee shop – how could I refuse that?

 

‘Come on, lead the way.’

 

Once I agreed, Kwon Hae-seong quickly began leading the way.

 

We headed to the coffee shop while having casual conversation for the first time in a while.

 

“Do you have any difficult matters or worries these days?”

 

You haven’t been asking me questions much lately.

 

I wondered if you had grown during that time, or if you were digging tunnels alone again, so I asked…

 

At my question, Kwon Hae-seong instead looked down at me with a mysterious gaze.

 

“I don’t have any… What about you, Teacher?”

 

“Me? I don’t have any either.”

 

“Really…?”

 

Well, would it be fake then?

 

Getting ready for work in the morning is damn hard, but isn’t that the same for everyone?

 

I’ve already mastered the art of mental victory by telling myself this is a privilege of having a job.

 

Therefore, I don’t have any hardships or worries. That sort of thing.

 

“If you do get any… please tell me for sure. Teacher, you never say anything even when something happens.”

 

“That’s because up until now I could handle things by myself, so I didn’t need to say…”

 

“That’s the problem. Just because you can handle it alone doesn’t mean it’s not difficult.”

 

Look at this kid. She only keeps her words short when she’s saying something absolutely right.

 

…But again, I had nothing to say in response, so I reluctantly nodded my head.

 

I strangely feel like I’m getting back the words I used to say to Kwon Hae-seong.

 

After picking up the coffee and returning to the kindergarten, about 30 minutes had passed.

 

‘It took longer than I thought.’

 

I found out for the first time today that there was such a coffee shop in the corner of the intersection.

 

‘It’s perfectly located for office workers to stop by and buy coffee. Good location choice. It’s close to the nearby broadcasting station too, so if they target people working overtime, the business would be quite profitable…’

 

I entered the Dolphin Class while mentally sharing brief thoughts about the coffee shop I had just visited.

 

?

 

It’s dark?

 

“Who turned off the lights?”

 

Why is our classroom, which should be bright as daylight, so dark like this?

 

The moment I reached my hand toward the light switch near the door.

 

-Bang!!!

 

Along with the ear-splitting sound of firecrackers, a Phone Flash shines from the opposite side.

 

Feeling something foreign touching my head and the bridge of my nose, I reflexively raised my hand… Something was caught in my palm.

 

I knew the identity of what had gotten between my fingers.

 

Confetti.

 

It was Sky Blue Confetti.

 

As I raised my head with a dazed expression, a lit candle was thrust right in front of my nose.

 

“….”

 

Birthday Candles of various lengths flickered and swayed with flames lit.

 

My thoughts stopped for a moment.

 

And then my frozen brain slowly started working again at the voice that followed.

 

“Happy birthday!”

 

Ah.

 

Birthday.

 

As I became aware of that fact, only then did the Cake beneath the candlelight come into view.

 

Mid-June.

 

A day when the length of daylight was at its longest.

 

Today was my birthday.

 

Even though I already knew this fact, I couldn’t quite come to my senses.

 

I looked around, somewhat dazed.

 

‘When did they all gather together to prepare this.’

 

Now that I look at it, large letters on the wall spell out ‘Happy Birthday to Teacher Na Hwi-yeon!’ made from pieces of sketchbook paper stuck together.

 

It was obvious they had prepared this in a hurry.

 

I couldn’t help but smile at that endearing sloppiness.

 

“Ah… Thank you.”

 

I answered reflexively as I blew out the candles.

 

Then, cheers and congratulations came flying my way.

 

“Happy birthday~!”

 

“Happy birthday to you.”

 

“Teacher, happy… birthday.”

 

“Hey~ Happy birthday!”

 

Look at that Park I-deun deliberately saying ‘birthday’ like I’m old.

 

You do know I’m younger than you, right?

 

“Teacher Hwiyeon, if we had known in advance, we could have prepared something better… But still, happy birthday!”

 

“Not at all, Principal. I like it. Thank you.”

 

As I was expressing my gratitude for the congratulations from my colleagues and the Principal, I heard chattering voices from below.

 

“Teacher! Happy birthday! Lee Seo-ra will congratulate you the most!”

 

“Ooh! I’ll do it more! Happy birthday! Eat lots of delicious food! Sleep with a full belly! That’s the best!”

 

“Seo-ra, Noah, for adults you should say ‘happy birthday’ formally, not casually. Teacher, happy birthday. May you live long and prosper.”

 

…Thank you so much. Seo-ra, Noah… And Tae-jae.

 

Where did our Tae-jae learn the phrase ‘live long and prosper’ this time?

 

“Teacher, happy birthday…!”

 

“I’ll make sure to remember Teacher’s birthday from now on. I won’t forget.”

 

“Thank you. Cheonji, Seo-ro.”

 

And… Seo-ro, you can forget Teacher’s birthday.

 

Of course, I somehow received birthday congratulations from Nabi too.

 

“What’s a birthday? Is it something you eat? Is it a day to eat cake?”

 

“That’s right. It’s a day to eat cake.”

 

“Oh! Really? Then it’s something to celebrate! Happy birthday! Cake!”

 

‘Yeah… Thank you. Living this life, I’ve even received birthday wishes from a non-human being.’

 

After the congratulations ended, the lights came back on. I looked around at everyone and asked.

 

“How did you know?”

 

I hadn’t told them, so how did they know it was my birthday?

 

Then Park I-deun shrugged her shoulders and casually brought up the story as if it was no big deal.

 

“Well, no matter how much I thought about it, I was really bothered by the fact that you bought a Limited Edition Cookie Set when you said the new guy was treating us. I’ve never seen anyone order just that from ‘Cloud Bakery’.”

 

“…”

 

“So, I figured you either bought a cake separately in advance or made a reservation to pick it up on another day… I kept thinking ‘why?'”

 

She said she indirectly concluded that since I don’t have a girlfriend, the only anniversaries I’d need to prepare for would be limited to family birthdays at most.

 

“But I happened to see your resume the day before you started work, and I remembered that your birthday was definitely in June, so just on the off chance…”

 

She said that after asking Kwon Hae-seong to look into it, they found out my birthday was today.

 

“Though we figured there was no way you’d buy your own cake…”

 

…Sorry.

 

I was being a bit pathetic.

 

It had become a habit from always blowing out candles alone.

 

I never thought that others would buy a cake and celebrate for me.

 

Park I-deun’s neat explanation made Yu Jin-chae hurriedly wrap up her words.

 

“Ah, anyway! Honestly, we were all envious during the monthly birthday parties for the children~ Since the topic came up, the Principal actively pushed for it and we set up something simple!”

 

…So that’s how it happened.

 

Strangely, my stomach felt a bit queasy.

 

I took the cake that was almost forcibly pushed into my hands.

 

Then I quickly lowered my eyes and shook my head slightly up and down.

 

“…Really, thank you. Everyone.”

 

‘My face feels like it’s going to burst.’

 

***

 

After holding the surprise birthday party, the teachers and Principal who had quickly finished cleaning up had returned.

 

I sat quietly on the floor, thinking about the cake I had personally put in the refrigerator just a moment ago.

 

Our children were busy resuming the house play that had been temporarily interrupted due to my birthday event.

 

‘Nabi and Tae-jae… I guess the setting is a bakery.’

 

Nabi approached Tae-jae carrying a basket full of bread models in her arms.

 

“Boss, it’s my birthday today. It’s cake-eating day! Please give me lots of cake. Hehe.”

 

“Yes~ That’ll be one million won in total.”

 

“One million won? Here it is! It’s my hyung’s card.”

 

Nabi, are you charging one million won to my card right now?

 

“Yes~ Should I process it as a lump sum payment?”

 

Tae-jae really… there’s no word he doesn’t know.

 

“Lump sum? Yes! Give me that too!”

 

“Here you go. I’ve processed the payment. Have a good day.”

 

“Wow! I’m rich with cake now!”

 

…It was Nabi rejoicing after I swiped my card for a one million won cake in a single payment.

 

She seems convinced that birthdays are days for eating cake… What if she starts begging to have birthdays every day?

 

“…”

 

Anyway… the remaining teachers have returned to their respective classes, and the children are busy with their own things, so naturally my thoughts are wandering.

 

‘I still feel strange…’

 

It’s a bit funny, but I’ve blown out birthday candles alone every year.

 

Even repeatedly declining when Aunt and Hyung tried to celebrate for me.

 

The reason… well.

 

‘It was just like a habit.’

 

After my parents passed away, I lived without the mental capacity to care about birthdays or anything else.

 

Even after I started living with Aunt’s family who returned from America when I was approaching twenty, nothing changed.

 

Throughout middle and high school, blowing out candles alone and wallowing in self-pity had already become a habit, so I neither needed nor thought about receiving anything from others.

 

No… I thought I didn’t.

 

‘What a ridiculous bastard. This is.’

 

A self-deprecating laugh escapes me.

 

‘When I’d be this happy about it.’

 

I was so happy I could barely lift my face properly. Eventually, laughter started flowing out like a child’s giggle.

 

I quickly covered my mouth with my palm.

 

Fine, I’ll admit it.

 

‘I wanted to be celebrated.’

 

It’s a surprisingly embarrassing fact.

 

‘I was planning to just skip this birthday since it overlapped with a work day.’

 

Well, as a substitute of sorts, that’s why I had brought cake to the hotel with Nabi.

 

‘I thought that would be enough.’

 

I took a deep breath in and let it out.

 

‘The excitement just won’t settle down.’

 

I couldn’t quite calm down even until I got off work that day.

 

And that evening.

 

I received congratulations from yet another unexpected person.

 

-Baek Cheonhyeong : It’s your birthday. Congratulations.

 

…How did he know.

 

It gives me chills.

 

-Baek Cheonhyeong : It’s nothing much, but I have a favor to ask.

 

And then, along with a birthday bonus deposited into my bank account as a so-called gift, I ended up receiving a rather bizarre request.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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