Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 43

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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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Episode 043

 

I thought I had found the wrong classroom.

 

Why is Kwon Hae-seong sitting in our classroom?

 

“What are you doing there?”

 

Kwon Hae-seong was sitting on the only teacher’s chair placed in the corner of the classroom. He had even pushed it further into the corner than it originally was…

 

At my entrance, Kwon Hae-seong jumped up from the chair.

 

“Ah, I had something to ask you…”

 

Something to ask?

 

I pulled out the observation record journal from the bookshelf and approached Kwon Hae-seong.

 

“Go ahead and ask. I just need to finish writing the observation record journal anyway.”

 

When Kwon Hae-seong subtly offered me the chair, I didn’t refuse and sat down.

 

Right across from me, he sat cross-legged on the floor.

 

‘What could he possibly want to ask that made him come all the way here?’

 

And he’s even nervous about it.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

However, even after a long while, Kwon Hae-seong showed no signs of opening his mouth.

 

I held out, thinking I’d wait for him, but after enduring for 30 minutes, I finally spoke up.

 

“Is it a personal concern?”

 

“…No.”

 

“Then perhaps some difficult relationship issue?”

 

“That’s not it either…”

 

“Are you thinking about quitting?”

 

“…N-no… Absolutely not!”

 

Then what the hell is it, you bastard.

 

Did you also catch the “no” disease from our kids?

 

“So what do you want to ask?”

 

“…Well.”

 

I wanted to tear my hair out from frustration.

 

‘It’s been a while since someone tested my patience like this.’

 

I looked at the clock showing it was almost time to leave work, then turned my gaze toward my bag nearby.

 

Just then, I heard voices coming from the White Dog Doll.

 

[ No! ]

 

[ What’s “no” about? ]

 

[ They keep saying no? ]

 

[ This is frustrating. ]

 

…Amazing.

 

Making even Nabi feel this way.

 

After several more suffocating minutes passed…

 

Kwon Hae-seong finally began to speak in a completely intimidated voice.

 

“I…”

 

“Yes.”

 

Come on, speak quickly so we can go home!

 

“Lately, Da-yeong and Won-gang haven’t been eating their meals well…”

 

Excuse me?

 

The answer I got after all that waiting was disappointingly trivial.

 

I looked at Kwon Hae-seong, dumbfounded in a different sense.

 

I mean, what’s the big deal about that? He could have just said it confidently…

 

Thud.

 

“…?”

 

Wait a minute.

 

Something had fallen to the floor.

 

Something transparent, liquid-like….

 

Tears?

 

I looked at Kwon Hae-seong in shock.

 

His large frame hung his head low, hiding his face.

 

Are you, are you actually crying?

 

[ Crying? ]

 

***

 

Are you, are you actually crying?

 

[ Crying? ]

 

[ Disgusting. ]

 

Nabi, that’s a bit much.

 

I was flustered.

 

Had there ever been a situation before where such a mountain-sized adult man would cry in front of me?

 

I’m confident in comforting children, but comforting adults is something I’m… not confident about.

 

First, I should help him find some stability, then make empathetic statements….

 

“Um, please calm down first.”

 

“….”

 

“When people live, things don’t always go the way they want. Especially with children… even more, hmm?”

 

While I was drawing out as much gentleness as possible to continue speaking.

 

His deeply bowed head suddenly shot up. Kwon Hae-seong pushed his wet hair back and looked at me.

 

Wet hair?

 

“Ah, ah…! It was so hot that I splashed some water on myself before coming… It all dripped on the floor…. I’m sorry. I’ll clean it up.”

 

“….”

 

Oh shit.

 

He wasn’t crying?

 

“Where’s the mop…?”

 

As Kwon Hae-seong lifted himself up and fidgeted restlessly, I spoke with a serious expression.

 

“Leave it. It’ll dry anyway.”

 

Though I feel so embarrassed that my blood might dry up too.

 

It’s even more annoying knowing this big oaf didn’t do this on purpose.

 

I was going to pat his shoulder after my next comment….

 

‘If I had done that too, I would’ve bitten my tongue and jumped out.’

 

Kwon Hae-seong hesitated at my words, then awkwardly settled back down on the floor.

 

Since this is embarrassing, let’s quickly get to the main point.

 

“So Da-yeong and Won-gang haven’t been eating well lately?”

 

I watched the bear nod his head vigorously and thought for a moment.

 

‘Won-gang and Da-yeong are different from our kids.’

 

I know this well since the twins stayed in Seal Class for about two days while Dolphin Class was being restored after they burned down the classroom.

 

I know what those two children’s personalities are like.

 

‘They’re incredibly gentle.’

 

So when I heard yesterday that these two had also caught the “no” disease, I was secretly surprised.

 

Kids will be kids, I thought.

 

“Actually, for gentle and well-behaved children like Won-gang and Da-yeong, expressing their own will might be a better sign. Even if it’s a form of rejection.”

 

It’s also something I worry about with Cheonji.

 

“…Yes, I think so too. But….”

 

But?

 

“They say it’s delicious.”

 

Hmm?

 

“They don’t eat their rice well, but they keep saying it’s delicious. It doesn’t even look like they’re chewing, and the food on their food tray doesn’t decrease either… When I ask them, they say it’s delicious, but it doesn’t seem like they’re lying either…”

 

“This is something new.”

 

“…Right.”

 

“Do both of them do that?”

 

“Yes, both of them…”

 

What is it. What’s the problem.

 

I was carefully recalling their previous behavioral patterns and racking my brain to find the cause of the problem.

 

Kwon Hae-seong takes out a familiar memo pad from the pocket attached to his apron.

 

That’s…

 

Gone was the pristine appearance I first saw, replaced by a crumpled and tattered memo pad.

 

‘That’s what he was secretly scribbling in the corner by himself.’

 

He quietly hands it to me with the memo pad opened.

 

The contents were as follows.

 

-12:00 PM: Da-yeong, Won-gang barely finished their food trays.

-3:20 PM: Castella cake and milk for snacks. (Da-yeong has a flour allergy, so substitute with boiled egg)

-5:30 PM: When leaving the center, tell Won-gang’s mother about Won-gang’s cold symptoms.

The meticulously written schedule and notes showed considerable care.

 

I was quietly looking at it and even flipped to the next page…

 

-Making eye contact with the children seems important. (Teacher Hwiyeon always kneels down when talking with the children.)

-Momentum is important for storytelling performance.

 

This was… surprisingly what I had casually mentioned to him as a tip.

 

He wrote this down too?

 

-To prepare for school life, don’t let them nap from now on. (Teacher Hwiyeon said)

 

This was something I explained when we were together because he was trying to put them down for naps without knowing.

 

Next page.

 

Next page and the page after that.

 

My advice, daily schedules, and comments that seemed to be found from the internet and books continued in succession.

 

I looked at the bear in front of me with somewhat proud eyes.

 

‘Instead of mugwort and garlic, he decided to gather information…!’

 

I nodded at Kwon Hae-seong, who was looking at me with bewildered eyes.

 

Good boy.

 

I was worried because he seemed a bit slow, but maybe that was my mistake.

 

And thanks to this memo pad, I was able to quickly identify the cause.

 

“It hasn’t been long since you started not letting them nap, right?”

 

“Ah… It’s been a week now.”

 

Hmm, then that makes sense.

 

“Probably, when they say the food is delicious, it’s not a lie.”

 

“…Then, why?”

 

“Because they’re sleepy.”

 

“What?”

 

Until now, their daily routine was eating lunch, playing a little, then taking a nap, but let’s say that was completely cut off a week ago.

 

‘They’d be dying of sleepiness.’

 

They eat meals and snacks but don’t get to sleep.

 

If this is repeated for about a week, they could get sleepy while eating meals or even while eating snacks.

 

“It’s not that they don’t eat their rice, but they couldn’t eat because they were sleepy. But you don’t need to worry. Probably after just a month, they’ll adapt like ghosts and eat well again.”

 

The children I saw during practicum and volunteer work were the same, so it probably won’t be different.

 

“Ah… If that’s the case… that’s a relief.”

 

Kwon Hae-seong drops his shoulders with a relieved face.

 

I folded the memo pad again and handed it back to him.

 

“You’re doing well, so why are you so worried.”

 

This is sincere.

 

Of course, the attitude of asking right away about things you don’t know is very good, but it’s not such a big deal that you need to be this nervous.

 

“…I’m worried I might make a mistake because I don’t know well enough. In the past, it was a habit to stay tense because of the environment… But here, since it’s safe, I’ve been getting slack.”

 

What kind of environment makes being tense a habit?

 

However, I decided to set aside my questions for now and start with a typical comforting comment. But then.

 

“Mistakes are…”

 

“Something everyone makes. But the results of mistakes are always the worst.”

 

?

 

Kwon Hae-seong spoke without pausing for a single breath, as if swallowing my words.

 

His jet-black eyes were filled with conviction.

 

Look at this guy?

 

“Even things done with good intentions are useless if the results aren’t good. I don’t want to repeat such mistakes again. And starving is… starving is dangerous, isn’t it.”

 

As he said this, he clenched both fists.

 

I silently stared at the memo pad being mercilessly crumpled in his palm.

 

Come to think of it, this guy’s Status Window too…

 

-Ding.

 

Right on cue, it appears.

 

 

What I should focus on here would be this.

 

Status abnormality.

 

 

…I can roughly understand what it means without dwelling on it.

 

‘A typical case of being held back by the past.’

 

And that past that’s holding him back is probably related to what’s at the very bottom of the Status Window, reminiscent of scenario chapters… this thing.

 

 

I narrowed my eyes. It was to see more clearly.

 

NEW?

 

A new chapter that didn’t exist before has appeared.

 

Moreover, the title reads ‘Mistake’.

 

It was a word that perfectly matched the current situation.

 

A strange conviction bloomed in my mind.

 

If this newly created chapter is related to Kwon Hae-seong’s current status abnormality…

 

‘Wouldn’t it be okay to check it out now?’

 

Before I knew it, my finger was positioned below the Status Window.

 

 

As soon as I applied pressure to my finger, I immediately regretted it.

 

…Wait, do I even know what this is?

 

However, regret was already too late.

 

My vision was turning upside down.

 

After being unable to collect myself due to the swirling dizziness, the moment I suddenly opened my eyes.

 

“Ah.”

 

I was standing in the middle of a snowstorm.

 

And in Kwon Hae-seong’s body, no less.

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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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