Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 154
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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 154
“…Tae-jae?”
Just as Na Hwi-yeon noticed Nam Tae-jae’s absence, the person in question had already slipped out of the party hall.
“It’s boring.”
Ironically, he was the one who had suggested coming to the party in the first place…. But that wasn’t what mattered now. Right now, he was simply acting according to his mood, just like any 7-year-old child would.
With dragging footsteps, Nam Tae-jae walked alone through the hotel corridor.
Along the way, unfamiliar adults and employees would occasionally approach him….
“Little guest, did you perhaps lose your guardian?”
“I don’t have a guardian.”
“Excuse me…?”
“Just kidding. They’re over there.”
By pointing to some random adult passing by in the distance, he could get past them like this.
“…Haha, I see.”
‘Noah taught me this, and it really works.’
Step by step, he had no destination but his footsteps were confident.
‘I want to go somewhere with no one around and be alone.’
A quiet place with no people.
A place where he could be truly alone without having to feel isolated.
After all, feeling alone in a place full of people was even worse….
The hotel corridor was bustling with people.
There were people in pretty dresses and business suits like those in the party hall, and occasionally people in hanbok or casual clothes passed by.
Since this was a hotel located in the heart of the city, large events like weddings were held regularly, so it was natural to see people in various outfits….
But to Nam Tae-jae’s eyes, it looked different.
‘Everyone looks like they’re having fun.’
People in fancy clothes, exchanging smiles and conversations.
With each step he took, the laughter he heard made the child feel intimidated.
‘Quickly.’
With his heart growing more anxious, his legs were soon kicking off the floor as he ran.
Whoosh whoosh.
After running through the long, long corridor until most of those many people had disappeared….
Nam Tae-jae finally found the perfect place.
Through a slightly open door, he could see the empty interior.
There were several round dining tables, and he could see a long platform connected to the open door.
White flowers were decorated throughout, and fancy lights hanging from the ceiling sparkled prettily, reflecting the light from the indoor lamps in the corridor.
“….”
Nam Tae-jae entered the place as if enchanted. And he didn’t forget to close the door behind him in case someone came in.
Click.
Then, silence descended.
The moment the outside noise was completely blocked out, his heart settled calmly.
Nam Tae-jae felt more stability than fear as he walked through the dark interior.
Then, he crawled under a round desk covered with a white tablecloth.
“….”
Inside there, he drew his knees together and slowly leaned back.
He closed his eyes and exhaled.
The place was different, but it felt familiar.
‘It was the same at home.’
“So…. it’s okay.”
“What’s okay?”
“!!”
At the sudden voice, he opened his closed eyes and looked up.
The white tablecloth was lifted halfway, and what he saw beyond it was….
“Teacher?”
“Hello~ Tae-jae, why is my sports day partner hiding here?”
A teacher with yellow hair similar to his own and a pretty smile.
It was Yu Jin-chae, the teacher of Jellyfish Class.
“Just….”
“Just? Then, can Teacher rest in here too? Someone asked me to run around frantically, so I’m tired….”
At Yu Jin-chae’s pitiful expression, Nam Tae-jae reflexively nodded.
Then, the teacher carefully crawled under there and settled next to him.
The space under the desk that had seemed spacious instantly became cramped.
“Wow~ it’s cozy in here.”
“….”
“Tae-jae, how do I look? I put some effort in today.”
Nam Tae-jae forgot his gloomy mood and came to his senses at Yu Jin-chae’s rapid-fire questions.
Yu Jin-chae’s appearance with her blonde hair more lustrous than usual and wearing a white dress shirt with a black tie was….
“Cool. Sparkling.”
“Wow! Really? I’m glad I made the effort! Tae-jae looks really cool today too.”
“…Thank you. But Teacher, why did you come here?”
“Me? My family asked me to come to the party together.”
“I see…. I also came…. to party with a friend.”
Nabi is also a friend, so it’s not a lie. Teacher Na Hwi-yeon is…. let’s not mention him.
“Really? But why are you here? If Tae-jae is here, isn’t the friend you came with alone? They must feel left out….”
“They won’t feel left out.”
Saying those words made him feel choked up for some reason.
‘Nabi is busy playing with Hae-cho, and Teacher seemed busy making phone calls….’
As he recalled the facts, emotions welled up inside him. Then his mouth, which had been closed all this time, began to move on its own.
“So…. no one will notice that I disappeared. Just like with my mom and dad.”
“….”
“Teacher, I think I’m a bad child.”
The presence he had felt beside him stopped.
“Today when I saw Hae-cho, I thought it would be nice if she was also hated by her mom and dad like me. Hae-cho and I are the same….”
“….”
“We’re the same age and have the same ability….”
Why do only I have to be hated?
“Why do only I have to be alone? Why doesn’t anyone like me…?”
Nam Tae-jae looked at the teacher. However, she was looking down at him without any expression.
“I hate feeling this way. Grandmother said you get punished for coveting other people’s things. Hae-cho’s mom and dad are…. Hae-cho’s.”
It wasn’t that Nam Tae-jae completely disliked his parents.
However, from the day he became capable of thinking for himself, they weren’t by his side, so he naturally came to accept it.
That unlike other parents, they didn’t love him.
Giving up wasn’t something you did just because you wanted to.
The child had simply found a way to protect himself under parents who were cold to him.
A way not to get hurt.
A way to survive on his own.
Instinctively.
However, that wasn’t an easy emotion for a mere 7-year-old child to bear.
‘I want to be loved.’
Wasn’t that a perfectly natural thought for that age?
His eyes grew hot, and his head dropped.
All those emotions he couldn’t digest eventually created wounds in Nam Tae-jae’s heart.
And then, in the silence that followed, a gentle voice was heard.
“Tae-jae, you’re not a bad child.”
“….”
“Don’t you naturally covet what you originally couldn’t have? If you’re human, that’s only natural.”
The hand on his shoulder pulled him in strongly.
Nam Tae-jae quietly listened to the humming voice as he was embraced in Yu Jin-chae’s arms.
“Teacher used to wonder why I couldn’t have stronger abilities… and secretly cried loudly in my room. While being jealous of other people.”
“…Really?”
At the unbelievable words, Nam Tae-jae asked back. Adults also cry loudly from being jealous of others?
“Of course! Having desires but not being able to have them… Reality was so cruel… So, I cried. But, Tae-jae.”
Nam Tae-jae looked up as if enchanted.
Under the shadow, firm amber eyes were looking straight at him.
“Sometimes what you don’t have brings you something else instead. Teacher didn’t have strong abilities, but instead had stubbornness that surpassed that.”
“Stubbornness?”
“Ah, is that word too difficult? It’s the strength to endure desperately because you hate losing… Haha, I’m not good at explaining these things… Anyway.”
Light faintly appears beyond the white tablecloth that had only been dark.
“Tae-jae, you’ll have something different too. For example…”
However, that light wasn’t just one or two.
Enough to naturally draw his attention while listening to Yu Jin-chae’s words.
Light divided into several streams illuminates and ripples across the tablecloth.
Then.
“Nam Tae-jae!”
The tablecloth was pulled back sharply and strong light shone down on his face.
Teacher Yu Jin-chae’s voice pierced his ears.
“Like the power to bring this many people?”
His eyes snapped open.
Then, what he saw was…
“Teacher? Everyone…?”
Teacher in different attire than usual and his kindergarten friends.
“Tae-jae, why are you playing hide-and-seek alone?”
Nabi.
“Teacher, I found Tae-jae!! I found him first!”
Kim Noah.
“Tae-jae, we came to see you, so why are you here?”
Baek Cheonji.
“How is it? Lee Seo-ra wore a pretty dress today! But Lee Seo-ro says he’s a princess! So I’m the prince! Kekek!”
Lee Seo-ra.
“That’s right, I’m the princess. Nam Tae-jae, I’ll specially make you a knight.”
Lee Seo-ro.
And even Teacher Na Hwi-yeon and the other teachers…
“We found him… Thank goodness.”
“Wow, Jin-chae is fast as expected.”
“That’s why I said we should just wait.”
“Tae-jae… Teacher was really surprised…”
In the space that had been silent, the bustling sounds of conversation never cease.
While he was just surprised by their sudden appearance…
Suddenly, Nam Tae-jae’s eyes widened even more when he confirmed who was lifting him up from under the table.
“Mister.”
“Nam Tae-jae, I was worried you might leave alone so I came… only to find you playing hide-and-seek by yourself.”
Mister Lee Gyeon came too.
Flicker, flicker.
Inside the silent hall with the lights off.
In that empty place, they ridiculously laugh and chatter among themselves.
In that pleasant noise, Nam Tae-jae finally realized.
That all these people had come here to find him.
“Tae-jae.”
Teacher Na Hwi-yeon calls him.
“Was hide-and-seek fun?”
He wasn’t alone.
Even if his parents and grandmother weren’t by his side.
“I found Nam Tae-jae! Since I found him, now I’m it!”
“Why? Why are you it?”
Because he has friends. And…
“Teacher Hwiyeon said Tae-jae is the older brother today? Then I’ll be the eldest. I’m the oldest~”
“Then… I’m the youngest…”
“Hae-seong, why are you the youngest? Sa-gwa is here. The youngest princess has been decided.”
“Ah… Please, sister.”
“The family tree seems tangled.”
Because there are those who would replace his family.
“Nam Tae-jae, I’m… Um, just call me dad.”
“Mister and I don’t look alike though.”
“…Say you look like your mom then.”
Laughter burst out.
“Sometimes what you don’t have brings you something else instead.
He thought he understood what those words meant.
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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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