Episode 16
“If there are no more questions, we’ll end the briefing here.”
After the meeting ended, a few people walked over to Geum Seong-hwan.
“Hello, Sol-ah’s dad!”
It was Byeon Joo-ah, the owner of the special weapons company ‘Geomseong.’
She was the mother of Sol-ah’s kindergarten friend and Su Ji-hyun’s longtime best friend.
Geum Seong-hwan pressed his throbbing temple and stood up when he saw Byeon Joo-ah’s face.
“If you’re just here to start something again, I’ll pass.”
“Oh my, how can you say that? You don’t even know what I was going to say.”
Geum Seong-hwan didn’t like Byeon Joo-ah.
As Su Ji-hyun’s friend, she always complained that Seong-hwan had “stolen” her friend and took every chance to annoy him.
Normally, Ji-hyun would be nearby to keep her in check, but today she seemed busy chatting with other people.
“I heard from the kids that Sol-ah came back to kindergarten yesterday.”
Everyone already knew something bad had happened to the Geum family’s only daughter recently.
It wasn’t really a topic for public discussion, but it wasn’t something to hide either.
Except it made Seong-hwan uncomfortable.
Byeon Joo-ah obviously brought it up just to mess with him.
“Yes. Thanks to everyone’s understanding, we were able to assign her a bodyguard.”
“Oh, not at all. We’re just glad the kids are safe without us having to worry. It’s a relief. Actually…”
Byeon Joo-ah looked at his face with a sly smile and trailed off.
“Actually, what?”
“Well, there’s been a lot of kidnapping lately, right?”
“…Kidnappings?”
“Oh? Haven’t you heard? It’s crazy in some other countries. Young awakened kids have been disappearing. I actually
thought Sol-ah might’ve been taken too.”
“That wasn’t the case.”
The person who tried to kidnap Sol-ah was a shameless criminal who pulled a child into their miserable life.
“Yeah, I figured as much. But still, you can never be too careful about kidnappers. Hohoho~”
People in the weapons trade really do get news fast.
‘I’ll need to beef up security.’
No matter her intentions, Seong-hwan appreciated the new intel.
‘He really has the funniest expressions.’
He didn’t realize Byeon Joo-ah was secretly laughing at him.
The only time he ever showed any emotion was when talking about Su Ji-hyun or his daughter, Sol-ah.
Byeon Joo-ah found that amusing and liked teasing him for it.
‘And he still doesn’t know Ji-hyun enjoys watching me mess with him while pretending to stop me?’
“Well then, I’m off to catch up with Ji-hyun.”
With a satisfied smile, Byeon Joo-ah waved and walked off, leaving Seong-hwan behind.
They’d probably see each other again soon anyway.
In any case, she had dropped her bait for the day and was satisfied.
“……Sigh.”
Sol-ah let out a quiet sigh.
It was only her second day back at kindergarten, and not much had changed.
The kids were slightly less wary of her than yesterday—but only a little.
When she tried to greet them:
“Hi—”
They would run away before she even finished.
If she tried to sit next to someone:
“Oh, this seat is—”
“Ahhh!”
Everyone nearby would clear out instantly.
“…It’s not working at all.”
Sol-ah fiddled with the star-shaped hairpin on her head and muttered.
Maybe a cute animal hairpin would’ve been better… No, the plan was a failure!
Today, Daniel came with a scarf around his neck.
‘He cried so much yesterday, no wonder he lost his voice.’
She looked at him with concern, and just then, Daniel’s big black eyes met hers.
She smiled at him gently—
And he ran away even faster than anyone else.
It was like she was a wild animal on a hiking trail—nobody wanted to come near her.
Sol-ah looked at her empty side sadly.
“Where’s Geon-yul?”
It was way past the time he usually arrived, but he still wasn’t here.
Even though they only spent one day together, she felt kind of empty without him and a little worried.
‘Hope he’s not sick or anything…’
She was right.
“Geon-yul’s absent today. He has a slight cold,” the teachers said during their chat, which Sol-ah overheard.
“Oh no. Daniel brought cookies to make up with him, too. What a shame.”
Yesterday, Geon-yul suddenly hit Daniel and got scolded.
When Daniel started crying because of Sol-ah, Geon-yul shouted, “Don’t make Sol-ah noona sad!” and caused a scene.
‘I feel like it was my fault…’
Sol-ah even had a nightmare because she felt guilty about getting Geon-yul in trouble.
‘Did something like this happen before…?’
From what the teachers said, Geon-yul and Sol-ah weren’t very close before.
That’s why they were so surprised when Geon-yul stuck to Sol-ah yesterday.
‘Anyway, I hope he gets better soon and comes back.’
A cold can be serious for kids.
As she sat on the mat lost in thought, someone passed by carrying a basket.
‘Something to do!’
If no one wanted to play with her, she might as well do something helpful!
“I’ll help you, teacher!”
It was Teacher Dambi, setting up supplies for the next activity.
“Haha, that’s kind of you, but why don’t you go play with the others?”
Though she tried to sound relaxed, Dambi clearly looked nervous, not knowing what Sol-ah might do.
But Sol-ah didn’t mind.
At least teachers wouldn’t cry like the other kids!
‘Which means I can bug them all I want!’
Sol-ah smiled her most innocent smile and said,
“It’s okay! None of the kids want to play with me anyway!”
“Uh… okay then…”
In this back-and-forth, the one who gave in was obviously Teacher Dambi.
After thinking for a second, she nodded.
“Alright. But no quitting halfway, okay?”
“Of course not!”
Sol-ah confidently replied and began placing drawing paper and colored pencils neatly on the desks.
“Getting the corners straight is key.”
Even if the desks would be a mess later, it didn’t matter.
“…Thanks, Sol-ah.”
“Oh, don’t mention it! I’m a good kid who listens well. Is there anything else I can do?”
This was all very confusing.
Was the sun rising in the west?
Dambi blinked at the “good kid” in front of her.
This was definitely the same Sol-ah.
Still, any positive change in a child was welcome.
Sol-ah, who used to hate even talking to her, was now being helpful.
Maybe something happened while she was away from school?
Dambi figured this might be a good time to test her with a harder task.
“Remember, you said you wouldn’t say you can’t do something with me?”
“Just give me the task! I’m a kind, promise-keeping kid!”
She sounded super determined, like she had something to prove.
She really wanted to be seen as a model student.
“Then, could you bring me the crayon box?”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Sounds easy enough! Sol-ah answered cheerfully.
“…Uh, but where is it?”
She scratched her head and asked again.
“Top of that toy shelf over there.”
What?! The top shelf was way out of reach for kids.
“You want me to get that…?”
“See that step stool? You’ll need help from a friend.”
“I… I don’t have a friend. I can’t…”
“Didn’t we agree no saying ‘I can’t’ to the teacher?”
So that was her plan from the start…
“Everyone in this classroom is your friend. Take your time. I’ll wait. Bring it with a friend.”
In that moment, Teacher Dambi, who always looked so kind, had never looked so evil.
