Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 163

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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 163

 

Looking at the Status Window floating in the air, I unconsciously tilted my head to the side.

 

‘Wait, isn’t this attitude too different from when it was with Nabi?’

 

With Nabi, it went beyond building friendship to cultivating special bonds with a friend… and what was it recently, something about strengthening trust as childhood friends.

 

I don’t remember the exact wording, but it was definitely friendly.

 

However, looking at this Status Window now, the ‘Seat of Discernment’ is the complete opposite.

 

It’s not exactly hostile, but there’s this strangely uncomfortable tone. Anyway, it doesn’t seem friendly at all.

 

‘Though that smiling emoticon is still there.’

 

I felt it before too, but should I say there’s a strange sense of self coming from the Status Window?

 

‘This is difficult.’

 

Trying to think about things I’ve never seriously considered before doesn’t get organized easily.

 

Still…

 

‘Well, since I’ve made up my mind once, let’s not back down.’

 

The absence of memories tied to my parents’ past.

 

And the existence of ‘Nabi’ and one of my abilities, the ‘Status Window’.

 

At least I need to properly investigate these things. Before, I didn’t have the capacity for such thoughts because I was focused on getting a job, and before that, just on the act of surviving.

 

Rather, even though it’s a headache, I feel fortunate that I can even have these thoughts now.

 

…In that sense, I should ignore the Status Window’s advice.

 

‘That Sang-jwa guy definitely seemed to know something.’

 

I pulled the blanket up to my neck and closed my eyes.

 

‘I’ll have to ask him properly when I run into him sometime.’

 

Surely he’s not hiding just because Nabi pulled his hair a bit.

 

After tossing and turning several times like that, I finally managed to fall asleep.

 

***

 

The kindergarten, which I was returning to after a whole week.

 

I seriously pondered what words I should use to greet everyone when I went in.

 

‘Acting nonchalant would seem strange, but smiling would also…’

 

“Would that be okay? I’d probably just look like more of a crazy person.”

 

But once I actually entered the kindergarten, I realized such worries were completely useless.

 

The Principal approached me at almost a bursting speed from the Principal’s Office and asked:

 

“Teacher Hwiyeon! How are you feeling?”

 

“Feeling…?”

 

“I heard you caught a really bad flu. Oh my, I was going to send you some recovery potions, but Teacher Kwon Hae-seong already sent some…”

 

Ah… I get it now.

 

It seems Yu Jin-chae and Kwon Hae-seong explained the situation to others this way.

 

I quickly nodded with a natural smile to keep the atmosphere from becoming awkward.

 

“Yes, I’m fine now.”

 

“Is Nabi okay? Since you’re always together, I heard the flu spread to her too.”

 

Of course, Nabi, who had been a White Dog Doll for the entire week, had also been transformed into a flu patient.

 

Though this was better than the Principal hearing about our actual situation and being shocked to the point of fainting.

 

“Maybe it’s because fall is coming, we catch the flu easily.”

 

“You should exercise, Teacher. How about going to the gym with Teacher Hae-seong?”

 

As expected, Park I-deun and Kang Sa-gwa, who didn’t know the full story like the Principal, worried about and comforted my paper-thin body.

 

“Teacher, you only studied even as a student, right? I can tell just by looking – you have a total bookworm’s body. You don’t seem to have any muscle… Ugh, if you exercised with Hae-seong, you’d get a completely new body.”

 

“Older Brother ran away himself, so who are you recommending it to? And Teacher Hwiyeon won’t move unless it’s for work or money.”

 

Wait, is this an insult or concern?

 

I suffered briefly between Park I-deun, who was feeling my shoulders and evaluating them, and Kang Sa-gwa, who was scolding him, before escaping.

 

And I hurriedly headed to Dolphin Class.

 

‘Somehow, what should be a normal commute seems to be getting more difficult.’

 

The morning went smoothly.

 

After Yu Jin-chae and Kwon Hae-seong arrived later, we naturally exchanged morning greetings along with our morning meeting…

 

We received enthusiastic cheers from the children who came to kindergarten, had fun morning activities for the first time in a while, and ate lunch.

 

“Seo-ro, you can’t float your spoon in the air.”

 

“Kim Noah kept asking me to do it.”

 

“Ah! Teacher! Just once! I saw this on TV and it was totally cool!”

 

Yes, of course the standard for “smooth” is strictly based on our Dolphin Class standards.

 

The trick continued with Noah catching the spoon that Seo-ro had scooped rice with using telekinesis and delivered it like a circus act, chomping it down with his mouth.

 

“Kim Noah, you need to open your mouth wider.”

 

“Me! Lee Seo-ra is confident she can do better! Throw an apple!”

 

“Kids, just don’t let the rice grains fly around.”

 

…Cheonji has also changed quite a lot in a strange way.

 

“Seo-ro! I can do it with snacks! Nabi, throw me snacks too!”

 

I caught the floating spoons one by one and said firmly.

 

“If you sit quietly and eat your meal, I’ll give you snacks. Today’s snack is bear cookies, so anyone who doesn’t want to eat them can lift their bottom off the seat now.”

 

“I, I just put glue on my bottom.”

 

“Lee Seo-ra too! I’m going to eat bear cookies!”

 

“Teacher, I’ll stay still too.”

 

I put my hands on my hips and looked at Seo-ro and Noah, who hadn’t answered yet.

 

When I stared at them with a ‘What about you two?’ look, an answer came back before long.

 

“Bear cookies… I guess there’s no choice. Sigh, if it were cat cookies I’d give up!!”

 

They’d taste the same anyway, what difference does that make, Noah?

 

“I won’t be swayed by mere cookies. But… I’m going to be a disciple who listens well to Teacher.”

 

Where did our Seo-ro learn the word “disciple” again?

 

‘I remember Lee Seo-hyeok consulting me recently about how Seo-ro keeps wanting to watch historical dramas… I should stop that.’

 

…Anyway, all the children stuck their bottoms to the floor and began eating their meal quietly again.

 

‘Still, at least the dining table didn’t go flying in the middle of it.’

 

Lunch time ended like that, without even noticing the significantly lowered standards of peace.

 

Then came afternoon playtime.

 

I left the classroom in the middle and stopped by the 1st floor to get snacks.

 

As soon as I entered the 1st floor, a strange sound hit my ears.

 

Crying?

 

Hearing crying sounds in a kindergarten is the most common thing, but…

 

“…?”

 

The problem was that it wasn’t a young child’s crying.

 

It was more low, sorrowful, and worn down by life…

 

“Listen here, you can’t just come here in broad daylight like this…!”

 

“Director, no, Beom-seok!! Please save me! I really can’t go alone!!”

 

“…How old are you that you can’t go there alone?”

 

“After resting well, I can’t go even more!”

 

A middle-aged man was sobbing while clutching the hem of the Principal’s apron in front of the entrance.

 

I approached there carrying a basket filled with bear cookies and milk.

 

As I got closer, I could see the man in patient gown more clearly.

 

His hair was completely disheveled and his face was bright red, but I couldn’t mistake him.

 

“…Section Chief Kwak Cheol-man?”

 

For a moment I thought I was seeing things.

 

That person was… Section Chief Kwak Cheol-man.

 

“Wait, what brings you here?”

 

And in a patient gown, as if he had just come out of an inpatient room.

 

‘Don’t tell me he ran here without even being properly discharged?’

 

I was already feeling bad that we parted without even saying goodbye…

 

Of course, that didn’t mean I wanted to encounter him at the workplace.

 

But the section chief also hadn’t thought it through and jumped in surprise when he spotted me.

 

“Hwiyeon…!!”

 

Then, like someone who had suddenly changed their target, he grabbed onto the hem of my apron and wouldn’t let go.

 

“Hwiyeon!! I think I made the wrong judgment! I should have stayed there!”

 

“Hey! Don’t bother the teacher, let’s talk separately…!”

 

“I-I just don’t have the courage to go in there alone…!”

 

He had workplace PTSD originally, but it wasn’t this severe.

 

‘Just how much does he hate it that he ran out of the company still wearing his hospital gown?’

 

He must have run out immediately after waking up in the inpatient room inside headquarters, as his appearance was a complete mess.

 

As the section chief grabbed and shook my apron, my vision holding the basket swayed helplessly along with it.

 

“…”

 

The section chief clutching my apron and sobbing.

 

The principal frantically trying to stop him.

 

And me swaying like a reed.

 

‘What kind of absurd dream-like situation is this?’

 

Just as my head was about to go blank in that chaos, I opened my mouth with a brilliant idea.

 

“Section Chief.”

 

“…?”

 

The section chief, who had been sitting on the floor sobbing, looked up at me at the sudden call.

 

“How about coming upstairs with me to get some advice? I know some good counselors.”

 

“…!!”

 

Section Chief Gwak Cheol-man had experienced the counseling I conducted inside the restraint item.

 

‘Back then, I was in a hurry too, so other concerns took priority over sincerity.’

 

It was counseling conducted with escape taking higher priority than looking into his heart.

 

And indeed, such counseling couldn’t achieve complete resolution of the problem.

 

But this time would be different.

 

I took his hand and helped him stand up.

 

“If you’d like, let’s proceed with counseling.”

 

“…”

 

“You said you can’t go to the company alone, right? If that’s really the case, I’ll accompany you after work.”

 

Having gone this far, he would think it wouldn’t be a loss to listen to what I had to say.

 

After a moment, Section Chief Gwak Cheol-man nodded slowly but surely.

 

It meant he would accept my proposal.

 

I smiled so the other person wouldn’t be frightened.

 

At least this time, he would be able to get transparent advice without any other intentions mixed in.

 

Because…

 

He would only hear 100% pure, sincere advice.

 

From counselors who can’t lie.

 

***

 

I offered a folding chair to the principal, who was confused about my relationship with Section Chief Gwak Cheol-man and this sudden situation.

 

Then I skillfully handed out warm milk and cookies I had brought as snacks.

 

‘For now, please hold onto these.’

 

After that, I seated the children around the round table and placed Section Chief Gwak Cheol-man in the seat of honor.

 

I also set out two bear cookies and a cup of milk in front of each person.

 

‘For the section chief’s peace of mind too.’

 

I specially gave up my portion for this.

 

Once all preparations were complete, I looked down at the section chief and children who were awkwardly facing off.

 

‘The timing is perfect.’

 

Lately, the topic I’d been most concerned about regarding the children’s education was the attitude of trying to understand ‘others’ hearts.’

 

Since this is an age where personal emotions take priority over others, I felt the necessity of such education.

 

Just like what happened during lunch time earlier… Etiquette education also begins with an attitude of trying to understand ‘others’ hearts.’

 

‘Originally, this kind of thing is commonly taught at home, but…’

 

Considering that they are Awakeners and each of their family circumstances, I thought it wouldn’t be bad to conduct it at the kindergarten.

 

‘And, separate from that, I genuinely thought it would be helpful for Section Chief Kwak Cheol-man too.’

 

Good.

 

So, I flipped over a banner I had previously shoved into the storage room, scribbled some phrases with a marker, and hung it on the wall in one corner of the classroom.

 

‘It has to be this authentic for the children to take it seriously too.’

 

I even took out glasses I rarely wore and put them on, creating an even better atmosphere.

 

Holding a magic wand toy in one hand, I pointed at the banner and said.

 

“Now, children counselors, please give us your sincere advice.”

 

[ Children’s Counseling Center ]

 

[ The advice may be somewhat harsh, but it’s free anyway. ]

 

And the counseling session that followed was very spicy, just as I had expected.

 

“Huh? Mister, why are you crying over something like that? You have no courage and no money?”

 

“Seo-ro, do adults usually cry because of their company?”

 

“I don’t know, Seo-ra, don’t become that kind of adult when you grow up.”

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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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