One Day, I Picked Up a Mom - Chapter 6

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

One Day I Picked Up a Mother – Episode 6

“What’s this, Iban. You forgot our promise, what were you doing?”

As soon as he came outside, the children chattered as if they had been waiting.

“Iban, why are you so late. Here, candy. Let’s go now.”

“Who’s at your house? Grandmother said she’s not your mother.”

Iban roughly pushed the children crowded narrowly in front of the door down to the bottom of the stairs, worried the woman might follow him out despite his request.

“Iban, Iban, don’t push. It’s dangerous.”

“If you don’t want it to be dangerous, just go down quickly. Run.”

“Yeah, let’s go. We need to hurry to the mountain.”

Watching the girls run off as he said, he gestured to Hank to hurry up too.

However, Hank looked back up at the house on the stairs with his chubby face full of distrust.

Not liking that gaze, when he pushed Hank forcefully once more, he opened his mouth.

“Who is it exactly? All the neighborhood people are curious. Who exactly is staying at your house?”

That story again.

What does it matter who it is.

“…My aunt.”

“Huh? Aunt?”

“Yeah, my aunt.”

Iban sighed and pushed Hank again. The child kept moving his mouth annoyingly even while being pushed.

“You had an aunt too? Our dad said you were alone with just your mother. That you’d be an orphan if only your mother died.”

“Hey, I told you to mind your own business.”

When Iban growled fiercely, Hank pouted his lips.

“But you’re not bringing anything again? We’re all bringing food, but you’re just coming to mooch again?”

“What?”

“That’s right, if you don’t have food, shouldn’t you not come?”

Hank spoke hesitantly while trailing off, looking toward his house where his dad and grandmother would be, but stubbornly finished his words.

“Hah? I’m not going anyway.”

“What? Why?”

His eyes that had been full of complaints suddenly sparkled.

When En, who had run ahead first, shouted loudly to hurry up, Hank’s head turned.

“Then, should I tell the kids that? I’m going.”

“Tsk, that pig bastard…”

Iban muttered curses while watching Hank’s back as he ran off excitedly without looking back, then quickly shut his mouth with an “oh no” feeling.

“Anyway, he’s so fucking interested in other people’s business. Damn, when was it that he was begging to play together.”

Iban kicked a stone rolling on the ground hard.

He definitely hadn’t felt bad until just a moment ago, but again. Again it felt like bugs were crawling up his feet, making his whole body feel twisted.

“Shit…”

If he walked around the village with the woman, they’d definitely ask who she was.

No, would that pig’s grandmother spread rumors first?

‘She says she’s Iban’s aunt? Cherry doesn’t know when she’s coming back? A child’s mother shouldn’t be away from home for long. Sister, please talk to her properly.’

The old woman’s hoarse voice chattered dizzyingly in his ears.

“Iban, did your friends already leave?”

When he went back into the house, the woman asked.

“Yeah, but Mother… I want to go wash up first.”

The woman who had been blinking tilted her head sideways.

“Why?”

“I want to wash up quickly and play with the kids.”

“Hmm, I see. Then after you wash up cleanly, you have to play nicely and come back. You understand, right?”

The woman took out a money pouch from the shelf, rummaged through it, then pushed it back behind a glass bottle.

That seemed to be the woman’s way of hiding money.

Soon the woman came close and pressed some coins into his hand.

“This much is enough for the bath fee.”

Iban tapped the coins as if telling the clueless woman to look properly, then returned the remaining coins.

Then the woman smiled happily and ruffled Iban’s hair.

“No, Iban. You said you’re going to meet friends. Buy something delicious with your friends and eat it.”

“You want me to buy for them?”

Iban asked while quietly leaning his face into the hand stroking his head.

The woman just nodded silently.

“…Why?”

He suddenly worried if she had heard what Hank said earlier. Did she also hear me lie that she was my aunt?

“Why should Mother pay for my friends too…”

“Why? They’re Iban’s friends.”

The woman smiled quietly and stroked his cheek.

Fortunately, it seemed Hank and he hadn’t talked that loudly. Judging by her unsuspecting, affectionate expression.

Iban rolled the coins the woman had given him in his hand.

With the sweet apple scent filling the house, he didn’t want to leave this place.

They had promised to eat the jam with bread once it was finished.

“When is Mother going?”

“I’m going to finish making this jam first. But don’t go around alone, you must go with your friends.”

“…Okay. Mother, don’t listen when people talk to you either. You understand? No matter what anyone says, you have to come back here. Got it?”

“Alright. Be careful. You have to come back before sunset.”

Nod. Iban nodded weakly.

He wanted to hear more of that strange story from earlier.

He was curious if that lady had safely escaped from the thing called a tiger.

Something kept pushing his back.

Forcibly, forcibly pushing his back, so Iban had no choice but to leave the house, leaving the woman behind.

* * *

After circling around the large stone wall of the public bath for a while, Iban suddenly headed to the plaza.

Maybe the crazy woman from the next neighborhood would be there.

He had often seen her loitering around the plaza or vacant lots. If not there, then wandering around the market.

If he found that woman… Iban’s steps quickened.

Iban climbed up on the statue in the plaza and hurriedly looked around.

The crazy woman would grab every passerby and chatter at them, and the caught people would shake her off in disgust.

Where she was, commotion would usually break out, so if she was here, he’d be able to find her quickly.

“You brat! Why did you climb up there! Come down right now!”

Until someone grabbed him and brought him down to the ground, Iban’s head moved busily.

Iban hurriedly went to the vacant lot, leaving behind the man who seemed quite angry, gesturing here and there.

But there were only children playing in small groups, and the crazy woman wasn’t there.

“Damn, what. Didn’t she come out today.”

Iban hurriedly ran to the market, leaving behind those who approached him familiarly.

And finally found the woman there.

Dark brown hair braided in two strands and a fluttering red dress.

The woman was handing the flowers she had been holding to a fat man.

“Sir, have you been well?”

“Tsk, you again.”

Even though the man frowned as if annoyed, the woman didn’t mind and stroked her belly while putting her ear to it.

“Baby, come out quickly. The flowers will bloom fully soon.”

The man, his face bright red, forcefully pushed the woman away and hurriedly left.

“Sir, wait a moment. I haven’t finished greeting you yet!”

Iban watched the situation and quietly followed her. She acted familiar with everyone in the village.

“Excuse me.”

“Huh?”

Iban, who had been chasing after her for a while, suddenly stopped the woman.

“What?”

“Wait a moment.”

Leading the woman into an alley, Iban quietly looked at the woman who was grinning and looking down at him, then opened his mouth.

“Do you really think you’re a princess?”

“Oh, how did you know that? Mother said it was a secret.”

The woman looked around with exaggerated gestures, then brought her finger to her lips.

“So don’t tell other people either.”

“That’s a lie. There’s no princess in this country. This country only has one prince.”

“No! You’re the one who’s wrong.”

As if angered by his words, she spoke faster and faster until her face turned red.

She seemed to forget to swallow her saliva as foam formed around her mouth.

The woman was rambling incoherently, insisting she was a princess, when—

“Hey, what are you doing? Didn’t your mother tell you not to talk to this woman?”

“Lady, is this woman really a princess?”

Iban asked loudly as he was dragged away by the worried-looking woman pulling him along.

“Sigh, no. She’s crazy, so don’t ever talk to her again. Go home now.”

“No, I’m a princess! I really am a princess!”

The crazy woman trembled, then threw the flowers she was holding to the ground and burst into tears right there.

The woman still seemed to think she was a princess, crying pitifully as if she felt wronged.

This was definitely the situation I had hoped for…

But somehow my heart didn’t feel light at all.

I had searched the entire village looking for this woman. To see this.

“What, she’s nothing like her at all.”

But even so, my heart didn’t feel any lighter.

“This is too stupid.”

This woman didn’t resemble my mother—that woman—at all.

So that woman was definitely crazy too, but…

That woman didn’t seem like she would cry like this even if she learned the truth. If she learned the truth, she would probably leave me decisively.

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