“Let’s go eat, kids! Our restaurant’s food is super delicious!”
“Okay!”
Jiyu waved her hand, looking happy. She was so excited she could’ve jumped up and down.
“Yep!”
Yumi followed Hana. Today, it seemed like Maru would stay until the end, following the kids. Normally, she would trust Hana, but something still felt off. Hana swayed side to side excitedly as she headed out, with Jiyu and Yumi trailing behind like ducklings.
Maru thought the elementary school kids looked adorable. They were huddled together like little chicks, and she finally understood why teachers doted on young kids. Seeing such cute kids gathered and chatting made her feel like Hana had multiplied into three. Of course, Maru didn’t have to take care of the kids 24/7, so that helped.
It felt like watching nieces and nephews—enjoying the happy parts of raising kids while leaving the tough stuff to others. There’s a saying, right? These days, marriage is tough, so people treat their nieces and nephews like their own kids. And now she totally got why people adored their nieces so much.
The kids gathered around, chattering like sparrows while waiting for the elevator. Maru felt relieved seeing Hana adjusting well to school life. Hana was so unique that Maru had worried she wouldn’t fit in with kids her age. She was a girl but had tastes almost like an uncle—like a guy who’d just come back from the military.
They took the elevator to the restaurant. It was packed with people coming for dinner. Starlight Research Institute wasn’t one of those black companies that forced overtime. They had flexible hours, encouraging employees to come in at 9 or 10 AM and leave by 6 PM. Unlike most workplaces where people preferred eating dinner at home, Starlight was different.
Before Hana joined, Starlight employees were like any other company’s—rushing out the doors at 6 PM. But after Hana arrived, the restaurant got a major upgrade. Delicious food started pouring in, and the employees cheered. The meal tickets weren’t expensive either—just enough to cover the basics.
“Wait, you can eat such delicious food for just 5,000 won?”
“Nice! I’m too lazy to cook at home anyway. Might as well eat here. And the tickets aren’t even that pricey.”
“The menu changes every day, and you can take as much as you want. I’ve been to many company cafeterias, but this one’s the best.”
Even the managers and directors preferred eating at the cafeteria over company dinners. And since it wasn’t a massive manufacturing company, one cafeteria in the building was enough to feed all the employees.
Of course, not everyone stayed to eat, no matter how good the food was.
“Kids! If you run and fall, you’ll get hurt!”
Maru scolded the kids running around the lobby, but they weren’t listening. Next to the long line was a small entrance—Hana’s personal entrance. The door was low, as if telling adults not to use it. Sure, you could bend down and go in, but if you got caught, who knows what humiliation you’d face.
“Let’s go!”
“Yay!”
Jiyu and Yumi followed Hana through the entrance. Inside, they were greeted by an incredible sight. Unlike the usual dull, standardized company cafeterias, this one was dazzling, with shiny decorations everywhere, like a buffet.
“Wow!!! It’s so big!”
That was Jiyu’s reaction. The cafeteria was as spacious as a soccer field, with seats and tables for hundreds of people. The delicious smell wafting through the air made their mouths water.
Dozens of chefs were busy cooking. Most were middle-aged uncles who’d been cooking for years. There were some younger people too, but they were just handling side tasks.
“Hana’s here? Are these your friends?”
The auntie checking meal tickets at the entrance greeted Hana. Hana nodded.
“Yes!”
“Go on in. There’s some really tasty steak today.”
“Wow!”
Hana excitedly headed to where the trays were. Jiyu and Yumi, having finished admiring the scenery, followed her like little ducklings. She picked up a tray. Most trays had three compartments for side dishes, but here at the Starlight Research Institute, the trays had six compartments. You could load up on all kinds of side dishes.
“This is like a buffet!”
That was Jiyu’s one-liner as she carried her tray around, picking out food. Yumi, nodding in agreement, chimed in:
“I bet it’s way tastier than my mom’s cooking!”
If Yumi’s mom had heard that, her heart would’ve shattered, but luckily, there was no chance of that happening. The kids, bustling around to grab rice and side dishes, eventually huddled together and started eating.
“This is seriously delicious!”
“Right? You don’t find restaurants like this every day!”
Jiyu and Yumi, experiencing this for the first time, couldn’t hide their excitement. When Hana mentioned living in a building, they had given her weird looks, but if it meant eating like this every day, living in a building didn’t seem like such a bad choice.
Plus, the rooms were spacious, and the air conditioning was top-notch. Honestly, it might’ve been better than living at home.
After finishing their meal, they discovered a separate area for dessert. Eating dessert after a meal? This place was heaven. The Starlight Research Institute’s cafeteria was truly something else.
—
“Take care, Hana!”
“Have fun playing!”
After chatting and watching TV in Hana’s room, it was time for the kids to leave.
“Huh? I’m coming with you!”
Even though Maru was driving, Hana decided to join them so they wouldn’t have to go alone. They headed to the parking lot and got in the car.
It was summer, so even past 6 PM, the sun was still up. They zoomed down the bright road and soon arrived at Jiyu’s house.
Jiyu, Hana, and Yumi carried boxes of strawberries, while Maru lugged a watermelon as they headed to Jiyu’s place. Grateful, Jiyu came out to greet them even though they were already at her house.
After dropping off the goodies at Jiyu’s and Yumi’s houses, they finally headed back home. Maru, noticing Hana looking a bit tired, asked:
“Did you have fun today?”
Hana smiled and replied:
“Yeah!”
—
Back at Jiyu’s house, an impromptu party had broken out. The family, having tasted the strawberries and watermelon on the table, couldn’t stop eating. They had never tasted strawberries and watermelon this delicious.
“Jiyu, where did you get these?”
Jiyu’s older sister asked, curious, as she devoured the strawberries and watermelon.
“My friend grew them in her vegetable garden!”
“Oh, Hana?”
“Yeah!”
Jiyu’s family knew about Hana. She had visited before.
Usually, parents weren’t too fond of kids without parents. It was just how things were. But Hana was different.
“Hana’s really smart! She’s the top student in our school!”
Jiyu’s parents were shocked. Their own child, Jiyu, wasn’t great at studying, yet she was friends with the top student in the school!
“And she’s loaded! She makes more money than most professionals!”
Though they didn’t know Hana earned as much as a big company CEO.
That’s why Hana didn’t get much flak for hanging out with Jiyu and Yumi.
Parents didn’t like kids who were both poor and bad at studying. Hana was neither. In fact, they’d probably encourage their kids to befriend her. Being the top student wasn’t an easy title to earn, and Starlight Elementary wasn’t exactly a school for slackers.
