[43rd Chapter]
Where do children play on a rainy day?
I had a simple thought that they would just play at home, but lately, children seemed more grown-up than I thought. Specifically, Eunji was more mature compared to her peers, and Ho Young, with his quiet personality, also gave off a composed vibe despite his age.
The two came to the manga cafe and sat side by side, reading books together. I sat next to Blue, spending an awkward moment.
I never expected to run into Eunji instead of Kirk.
Initially, I pondered how to handle the situation when the two kids expressed their desire to play. I met Blue’s eyes, and she said it didn’t matter. We then asked if the kids wanted to go anywhere.
Both kids said they liked comics and wanted to read them, leading us to the quiet manga cafe.
“Unexpectedly, we ended up here. Is your time okay?”
While I had plenty of time, I asked Blue if she was okay with the situation, as she didn’t know what kind of work I did. She responded with a gentle smile, saying it was fine, which relieved me.
“I didn’t know Ho Young had a girlfriend. We never talked about it at home.”
“Children don’t usually talk about such things at home.”
Though I have no children, I could understand. Even I had a childhood, and while friends might talk about it, children rarely discuss such matters with parents. As they grow older, they keep more secrets from their parents.
“Sorry for not greeting you earlier. I’m Yoo Ha Young, Ho Young’s aunt.”
After hearing her introduction, which was similar to her nephew’s name, I bowed my head to greet her.
“I’m A, Eunji’s father’s colleague. Today, I came in place of a friend who had something else to do.”
“Oh, so you’re not really their uncle.”
“Yes. I often play with Eunji and they call me ‘uncle’ casually.”
I often heard stories about team members from Yubin and Yura. The most discussed was Green, whose conversations had recently increased.
There wasn’t much talk about Blue or Yellow, though I could hear a bit more about Blue. However, the details were not very specific.
I learned that she often attended meetings only during battles because she was busy taking care of her niece. While she doesn’t attend all meetings, her occasional presence suggests she feels some responsibility as a HunterKiller.
“My parents went out for their wedding anniversary today.”
“Ah, so they went out today.”
Seeing Eunji’s lively manner and her calm response, I could indirectly tell she had experience taking care of children.
“Do you think it’s okay for Eunji to be left alone?”
“It’s fine. My parents sometimes need time to relax without me.”
Blue wondered if Eunji felt any sadness, but Eunji’s response seemed too mature for a six-year-old, making Blue widen her eyes and smile proudly.
“Thanks to Uncle coming in my place, I can play with Ho Young too.”
I knew Kirk usually takes Eunji. Therefore, Eunji didn’t have a boyfriend who could take her out separately. Her parents’ special time for their wedding anniversary made this a special time for her too.
“That’s good news.”
Eunji replied warmly, and she whispered to me, “Is Eunji more mature than her peers?”
“Yes. It’s been a couple of months since I last saw her, but she’s always been smart.”
She found Eunji surprisingly sharp, even though she hadn’t seen her for a while. Despite not being her child, I felt a strange pride.
“By the way, Ho Young is your nephew?”
“Oh, he’s my older brother’s child. He has two other siblings who are elementary school students, so I don’t have to be with them all the time.”
Taking care of three nieces must be challenging at a young age.
Imagining myself in my parents’ shoes, taking care of three young nieces, it would be overwhelming.
Of course, her brother and his wife would help, so it wouldn’t be too burdensome.
Guessing, her brother and sister-in-law work during the day, leaving her to take care of the children. Meetings might be difficult due to the lack of time in the mornings.
Kindergarten is closed during school holidays, so the children’s schedules differ, making each day hectic.
Compared to Yubin, Yura, and Green, she seems to have a normal family.
“Still, you’re amazing. Taking care of three nieces. I’d struggle even with one son.”
“It gets easier over time. The kids are quite energetic, so it’s still tough sometimes.”
Though Ho Young doesn’t seem energetic, different bloodlines mean differences. But if even a hyper-human gets tired, childcare isn’t just about physical strength.
“How old are the other kids?”
“The eldest is 10 and the second is 8.”
All are two years apart and are elementary school students. Fortunately, Ho Young is relatively calm, but if he were as active, taking care of two low-grade elementary schoolers would be exhausting.
“I don’t have kids or nieces, so I can’t judge the difficulty. You must be very tired.”
“It’ll get better when they’re older.”
Seeing her smile, I realized she was struggling but not in an unbearable way. Perhaps meeting the hyper-human after Green’s incident influenced my perception.
After several months of overcoming challenges, I felt like I was becoming conscious of my own righteousness. Realizing this made me feel exposed.
My nature is to avoid standing out. I dislike excessive self-awareness and prefer to live naturally. Realizing I lost sight of this made me feel foolish.
Looking at me, Blue tilted her head and looked down at my face.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
“No, I was just thinking.”
Even on our first meeting, she worried about my well-being. Seeing her smile reassured me. Unlike other hyper-humans, she seemed balanced.
Should I say she’s less likely to be shaken?
“Still, thanks to the kids, I got to visit here. I haven’t played in a long time.”
Unlike Yubin, Yura, and Green, she too had been busy and couldn’t find time to play. All hyper-humans were busy, unable to rest properly.
Rest, in my view, isn’t just lying around doing nothing. It involves going somewhere, meeting someone, experiencing something new.
But hyper-humans couldn’t afford such rest.
“Resting when possible is good, but you must be busy with the kids.”
“Yes.”
“Parents must be tired too.”
“Yes.”
A sudden discomfort arose, and I looked at Blue. She continued talking with a warm smile. Did I touch on a sensitive topic?
Thinking back, just before Blue arrived, Ho Young was about to answer when Blue interrupted.
I couldn’t tell the reason, but if my assumption is correct, I should be careful.
I didn’t know how to continue the conversation. Ho Young’s parents’ situation was just a guess, and Blue hadn’t mentioned her brother’s family yet.
If the subject didn’t bring it up, I shouldn’t have either. I hoped I hadn’t been too careless.
“Do you like books?”
This was the best response I could give. Since we were at the manga cafe, discussing books was fitting. I couldn’t engage in more sophisticated conversation.
“Yes. I enjoy cooking books.”
While not typical literature, cooking books are still books. Reading them counts as reading.
Before joining the training facility, my instructor at the academy once said, “People who don’t consider comic book reading as reading are outdated and culturally backward.”
Though I don’t read many comics, I was deeply moved by this statement. It taught me that any activity with literary or cultural value should be recognized as a genre.
“Cooking books? So you like cooking?”
“Yes. If I get the chance, I want to become a chef.”
She had a dream of becoming a chef. Knowing she’s a hyper-human, “if I get the chance” sounded heavy.
Yubin wants to attend college but can’t due to HunterKiller activities.
Yura wanted to go to college but had to work to earn money.
Green hasn’t found her passion but also struggled in a repressive environment.
I understood that “if I get the chance” meant difficulty, but her bright voice suggested she truly believed in her future.
“Cooking… That’s cool.”
“Chef?”
“No, having a goal is cool.”
To someone who lives spontaneously like me, having clear goals seems admirable.
“True, but I haven’t achieved anything yet.”
As we talked, Eunji and Ho Young noticed us and looked over.
“Huh? Why?”
Noticing their gaze, I asked them what was wrong.
“Aunt and uncle aren’t reading books?”
Seeing the coffee table, we both glanced at it.
“It’s fine for Uncle. You can read a lot.”
Eunji started calling Blue “sister.” She seemed too young to be called “aunt,” so “sister” suited her perfectly.
Eunji and Ho Young returned to their books, and we made eye contact.
Though it was a chance encounter, I learned a few things about Blue. Not all information was accurate, but it was a good start.
…
Thinking this, I paused.
Being a Spacystro and having more information on HunterKillers is beneficial.
But recently, meeting hyper-humans made me see them only as data points.
It’s the same as usual. I was just more sensitive after Green’s incident.
“Are you okay?”
Today, I’ve been deep in thought more than usual.
I didn’t know my expression, but Blue checked on me again.
“I’m fine.”
Though I wasn’t physically ill, forcing a smile felt forced, leaving a bitter taste.
