Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 141

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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 141

 

Kang Ho-won watched the man running with gritted teeth.

 

Receiving enthusiastic cheers from all the employees, the person with chestnut-colored hair fluttering busily in the wind.

 

‘He’s working hard.’

 

“I thought you weren’t interested in this kind of thing.”

 

The final highlight and finale of the company sports festival – the relay race.

 

Na Hwi-yeon, who had become the last runner for the PR Team, was now running toward the finish line at this very moment.

 

“Wooooah!! Go for it! Go for it!”

 

However, the Field Team – no, today they were Team Turtle – could all vaguely predict the outcome of this relay.

 

‘No matter how hard Teacher tries, our team will win…’

 

Kang Ho-won didn’t think so, but his fellow Hunters surely would.

 

‘Well, that’s a more realistic approach.’

 

No matter how much the Field Team was given the penalty of being forbidden to use their abilities, wasn’t the result of a relay race against Hunters, who had far superior physical abilities compared to ordinary people, too obvious?

 

However, he who was originally a relay participant but had his participation rights stripped after being cursed out for a ridiculous mistake in the dodgeball game knew.

 

That there was something Team Turtle had overlooked.

 

‘But this must be frustrating to live with.’

 

At the last moment in the dodgeball game, Kang Ho-won was helplessly caught by Na Hwi-yeon’s ability and got hit by the ball, leading to defeat.

 

‘Since I made a mistake, I can’t say anything about it anywhere.’

 

Getting hit by the ball was already frustrating, but he couldn’t even tell the truth and ended up receiving all kinds of curses.

 

-You idiot, can’t you even hit that?

 

-Ho-won, is the prize money a joke?

 

-Well done.

 

…His actual team members didn’t say anything (it was closer to having no interest), so why were other people making such a fuss?

 

“…Ugh.”

 

Anyway, having had his participation rights taken away and now sitting in the spectator seats, Kang Ho-won, who had gained a more objective perspective than before, realized that there was something we had overlooked… that’s what this means.

 

First, the newly added penalty in the relay race.

 

The Field Team starts 20 seconds later than other teams from the starting line.

 

‘This is a bigger penalty in a relay than expected.’

 

Second, Na Hwi-yeon is an Awakener.

 

‘Everyone seems to be forgetting this fact.’

 

As if proving that fact, he could currently see Na Hwi-yeon following behind Hunter Bae Je-il from Field Team Ba as the last runner.

 

Of course, the gap had widened considerably.

 

Although most employees had increased interest in Ocean Kindergarten due to the series of recent incidents, they all didn’t know the detailed circumstances of the kindergarten.

 

For instance, the fact that all kindergarten teachers were Awakeners.

 

‘Most of the field workers found out unintentionally though…’

 

“Isn’t that the Field Team Ra Team Leader over there?”

 

“I heard she resigned…”

 

“Not resignation, it’s leave of absence. That… I don’t understand our Team Leader’s thinking either.”

 

“Wow~ that Bear bastard is mixed in there.”

 

“I heard he resigned, so why did he become a kindergarten teacher?”

 

“Former Hunter, today he’s a teacher. Is that how it works…?”

 

Those who noticed the presence of Yu Jin-chae and Kwon Hae-seong caught on one by one like this.

 

“But then, is Dolphin Teacher also an Awakener?”

 

‘But what’s the point of realizing it now? The game has already started.’

 

Kang Ho-won slowly crossed his arms and leaned his back against the wall.

 

At least, the fortunate thing was that Hunter Bae Je-il was still ahead and the gap between him and Na Hwi-yeon, who was working hard to catch up from behind, was quite wide.

 

Despite starting 20 seconds late, not losing the lead position was very much like the Field Team.

 

‘As expected, still… will we win?’

 

Kang Ho-won clicked his tongue with regret for reasons he didn’t understand and rested his chin on his hand.

 

Hmm?

 

Then, he discovered something.

 

A string protruding from the pocket of the windbreaker Na Hwi-yeon was wearing and a small wooden block attached to its end.

 

It seemed to have popped out of the pocket due to the recoil from running.

 

As he watched the wooden block swaying in the air, something vaguely crossed his mind.

 

“I feel like I’ve seen that somewhere before…”

 

“Huh???”

 

“Wait!! Hey, Bae Je-il!!!”

 

That was the moment.

 

The Assignment Team’s tent collapsed in front of Bae Je-il, who had been running fine.

 

“What, hey!! Aren’t you going to clear that?!!”

 

Bae Je-il, who had been running while controlling his pace without reducing speed, was buried under the suddenly falling tent.

 

Fortunately, it was a tent made of lightweight material, but his vision was temporarily blocked and he had clearly lost his pace.

 

And behind such Bae Je-il…

 

“Teacher Hwiyeon!!! Now’s the time! Run!!!”

 

“…!!!”

 

Na Hwi-yeon was flustered after confirming that the person who had been ahead suddenly disappeared under the tent.

 

And in that instant, everyone pictured Na Hwi-yeon passing by the fallen tent without hesitation…

 

Contrary to expectations, he suddenly stopped running and immediately lifted the tent so that Bae Je-il, who was trapped inside, wouldn’t lose his direction.

 

By the time Bae Je-il, having found his direction, crawled back out of the tent.

 

Na Hwi-yeon finally started running again.

 

‘He’s even taking care of his opponent in the midst of this.’

 

“…I just got a little excited.”

 

“Me too.”

 

Oh my.

 

In the midst of this, several Field Team members clutched their chests and acted overly dramatic as if they were falling.

 

It was such an impressive scene that they momentarily forgot their team was losing.

 

“As expected, Teacher Hwiyeon’s character is… truly outstanding! The spirit of taking care of others first even in such a tense situation seems as excellent as any Hunter… I really want to learn from him!”

 

His team’s Junior Member was already no different from a devotee…

 

‘I’d like to give him a cheering stick to hold.’

 

And the twins who were next to Lee Seo-hyeok were no different.

 

“Win! Teacher, please win!!”

 

“Fighting!!”

 

Oh my.

 

Anyway, leaving behind Bae Je-il who had lost his pace.

 

“Goal!!!”

 

“PR Team wins!!!”

 

“Complete reversal~!!!”

 

Na Hwi-yeon, that is, Team Dolphin, achieved victory in the final relay.

 

‘If luck is also skill, then he’s really amazing…’

 

The PR Team, having won even the relay, consequently became first place in the company sports festival.

 

And everyone there naturally knew who contributed most to this result.

 

“The outstanding employee is… Teacher Na Hwi-yeon!! Beating all employees, the kindergarten teacher has seized the prize money!”

 

There was no upset.

 

The PR Team was absorbed in the fact that they were the first-ever winners since the company sports festival began, and other employees just smiled and congratulated them.

 

Naturally, there was no one who objected.

 

‘Teacher did have noticeably clear achievements, but…’

 

Just a few months ago, Na Hwi-yeon had personally caught an industrial spy and recovered data that was on the verge of being leaked, saving employees from overtime hell. And naturally, it wasn’t just the PR Team employees who were working overtime.

 

‘You could say he saved all employees.’

 

Due to that incident, most employees felt at least some gratitude toward Na Hwi-yeon.

 

So everyone had been wanting to give him something, but since he went and won the prize money on his own, there was no reason to stop him.

 

‘Of course, except for those Assignment Team bastards.’

 

These guys are the type who live without thinking anyway, and I don’t even know if they did their job properly while others were working overtime.

 

The tent suddenly collapsing was also because they knocked it over while dancing and singing to curry favor with the director.

 

‘As for the prize money, it’s only natural they can’t make a peep since they didn’t win a single event.’

 

“Drop dead.”

 

“Hey, there are some dodgeballs left. Give me one. I’ll show you the trick of cracking someone’s head open with a dodgeball.”

 

Kang Ho-won hummed softly.

 

‘It’s a mess, but today’s peaceful too.’

 

Most importantly, Na Hwi-yeon receiving ten million won in cash on the platform looked very happy.

 

And no one got hurt.

 

Applause and cheers rang out loudly through the space.

 

Watching Na Hwi-yeon laugh like an excited child, Kang Ho-won smiled along.

 

‘He seems to be in a good mood, so I hope he’ll stop hating me now.’

 

***

 

I left work with both hands full.

 

Ten million won prize money + α (gift certificates won from competition events)

 

And even the prizes received from the lottery numbers.

 

Both Nabi and I won, so we got two prizes.

 

Company A’s headset and Company C’s microwave.

 

My hands were heavy, but my steps were light.

 

‘It feels like I’ve used up all the luck in the world.’

 

Because of the heavy prizes, I thought I’d need to take a taxi, so I hurriedly gathered everything and went outside.

 

“Today was fun, wasn’t it?”

 

“Yes yes!! It was so much fun! I ate lots of snacks! And rode the bouncy castle!”

 

It was when I got into the taxi I had called through the app and was catching my breath.

 

Through the taxi window, I saw a familiar back of a head holding someone’s hand and leaving the gymnasium.

 

‘Cheonji?… Who’s that next to him?’

 

A neat-looking man with glasses wearing light blue gym clothes. The employee ID hanging around his neck was the last thing that caught my eye.

 

‘A BOND employee who participated in the sports festival?’

 

Soon after, I saw Cheonji and the man getting into a black luxury sedan and driving away.

 

After watching that scene to the end, I exhaled with a slight realization.

 

“Ah…”

 

‘I guess someone else came to pick him up today.’

 

I was too far away to properly see the man’s face, but since it was the same vehicle that Cheonji always used for going to and from school, I didn’t suspect anything.

 

So I went home in the taxi with peace of mind.

 

“Aunt, here’s some spending money… This is for hyung.”

 

“Oh my~ Child, why did you prepare all this!”

 

“Hey, why did you put in so much? Where does a newbie get money to give hyung spending money too?”

 

I divided the prize money to give spending money to both of them, and bought lots of snacks for Nabi to refill the kitchen.

 

After showering like that, I spent the rest of the day as usual, munching on snacks.

 

Eating snacks while watching videos and falling asleep…

 

‘I wish every day could be like today.’

 

It was a completely satisfying day.

 

***

 

However, the next day when I went to work at the kindergarten, the happiness I felt the day before was nowhere to be found and I was endlessly depressed.

 

‘Ah, I shouldn’t be like this.’

 

Actually, it was closer to anxiety than depression.

 

Among the children playing well, I could see a gap.

 

An emptiness as if someone was floating away.

 

It was similar to the feeling I had when Noah didn’t come to kindergarten for a while.

 

But what was certain was that I felt a deeper anxiety than back then.

 

‘Is it because of what I saw yesterday?’

 

Cheonji didn’t come to school today.

 

As soon as I found out, I immediately contacted Baek Cheonhyeong, but the message that came back was just one line.

 

-Wait.

 

‘What exactly am I supposed to wait for?’

 

I wanted to contact him and immediately ask about and confirm the scene I saw yesterday.

 

‘I saw him get in a car following a man who looked like a BOND employee.’

 

The more I thought about it, the more I doubted whether I had seen it correctly… but now I felt like I had to tell him even about things like this.

 

I held my breath while trying to spend the day as usual.

 

And so, at the time when all the kindergarten children had gone home.

 

Just before leaving work, Baek Cheonhyeong came to the kindergarten and called me over.

 

“Cheonji has gone missing.”

 

In a tone that seemed calm if it was calm, trembling if it was trembling.

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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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