Chapter 815: Cheering On (5)

“Hello, uncle!”

“Please take good care of us!”

“I thought you might get thirsty while driving, so here…”

Uncle Choi blinked his eyes in stupefaction while accepting the offered drink.

“Uhm, uh… T-thank you very much.”

Was it okay to address these kids excessively politely? Since they were being polite to Uncle Choi, he couldn’t bring himself to treat them like little brats either.

‘Huh. These kids are all so well-behaved.’

The way they greeted Uncle Choi and smiled so warmly gave off the impression that these kids weren't faking it, that their attitude was genuine.

‘Compared to my kid, they are angels. Angels, I tell you!’

When his thoughts naturally strayed to his son, who only briefly nodded once at his father coming home from work and resumed playing that bloody computer game for the rest of the day… Uncle Choi suddenly felt a nasty heartburn in his chest.

A group of children without parents was growing up to become future model citizens, so how did Uncle Choi's son stray so far from the light?

‘Uh-whew. It’s probably all my fault.’

Uncle Choi groaned under his breath. If he wanted to blame someone, he might as well blame himself. Even without parents, these orphans were still growing up properly, yet here was Uncle Choi, ostensibly a responsible father but still failing to properly bring up his own kid!

‘But it’s still not too late.’

Watching these kids helped Uncle Choi see the errors of his ways. He should start talking more to his son at home and do his best to fix this situation.

Kang Jin-Ho was the last person to climb inside. “Is everyone here?”

“Yes, hyung!”

“Everyone’s on the bus.”

Kang Jin-Ho scanned the kids sitting obediently on their seats.

‘Geez. This guy really looks like a local hoodlum, doesn’t he?’

Uncle Choi couldn't help but frown slightly. Although, he had to admit that this young man was a bit too good-looking to be a local hoodlum. Considering how good this young man looked while wearing the worn-out tracksuit, imagine him kitted out in some proper duds. He might turn some heads, alright!

All those well-mannered kids looked so much at home with that young man, too. Didn't that mean they trusted him a lot? As if he was a family member?

‘Just what is his identity?’

Uncle Choi grew very curious about the young man’s background just then. He sneakily glanced outside the bus at the black-suited man, Chief Jo. It seemed he wasn’t going to join the kids on the bus.

‘It sounded like he’s a big shot, didn’t he?’

Judging from the contents of the phone conversation taking place earlier, Chief Jo seemed to wield enough status to determine the fate of contracts between companies.

‘Who does he work for, though?’

Bus brokers, like the one Uncle Choi was contracted to, usually signed contracts with various companies simultaneously. Their method of operation was either to provide various transport solutions over a specified period or source vehicles whenever they were needed by the customers.

A customer running out of transport would've forced the broker to pull vehicles from other assignments. So, they ensured such things wouldn't happen in the first place. Uncle Choi knew this, so the earlier conversation between Chief Jo and the rude driver confused him even more.

Who did this Chief Jo work for? Considering his attitude and the manner of speech, it couldn't be some random little company. In that case, why…

‘Why is someone like that getting involved here…?’

Uncle Choi turned his head slightly to stare at Kang Jin-Ho next. And that young man was…

Crunch…

“Ah? Hyung?! Go buy your own, will you?”

Kang Jin-Ho was busy stealing crisps from a boy sitting in the front. That boy was doing his best to keep the crisps bag away from Kang Jin-Ho's hand, but the tracksuit-wearing older man remained committed to his hunt, eventually succeeding in stealing several pieces of crisps and dumping them into his mouth.

“You've developed a weird habit lately, hyung. Don't you have plenty of money? So why!”

Kang Jin-Ho shrugged his shoulders. “Stolen snacks taste better, though.”

“Wha? Really now?!”

The longer Uncle Choi observed that young man, the more he seemed a bit… pathetic?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Of course, bros who rocked wife-beaters and shorts and dragged slippers around everywhere but drove around in expensive foreign cars did exist in this world. A gold spoon born into a posh household could still get people’s respect even if he was utterly useless in everything.

‘Still, is he really a gold spoon?’

Considering how worn-out the young man’s tracksuit was, it’d be a minor miracle if his clothes didn’t already have holes somewhere!

The natural-born gold spoons didn't know the meaning of conserving stuff. Even if they were taught the preciousness of money, gold spoons wouldn't try to hold on to tracksuits that didn't even cost all that much brand-new.

Also, there was the parent factor to consider. Even if the gold spoon wanted to hold on to his old clothes, his parents would never let their son walk around looking like that.

‘In that case, what the heck is up with him?’

All kinds of questions entered Uncle Choi’s mind nonstop, only for him to sober up when Kang Jin-Ho sneaked closer and bowed slightly. “I think we’re ready to depart now.”

“Oh… uh, I see.”

“Please take care of us.”

When Kang Jin-Ho politely bowed his head, Uncle Choi also tried to reciprocate by bowing as much as he could while in the driver’s seat.

‘Dang it. This could get mighty uncomfortable, eh…?’

And that was how a trip of suspicious circumstances got underway.

***

“How are other buses? Any problems so far?”

When Kang Jin-Ho asked that, Han Jin-Seong sat down next to him and began messaging someone on the other bus with his phone. A reply arrived almost soon afterward.

After collecting reports from various 'agents' placed in the other buses, Han Jin-Seong faced Kang Jin-Ho and performed a splendid military salute.

“Sir! All personnel are accounted for in other vehicles! No reports of problems, sir!”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, hyung. Really. Caregiver aunties also have entered the buses now.”

“I see. But why are you here?”

“…!” Han Jin-Seong painfully clutched at his chest. “B-but! I, I wish to take time off and have fun, hyung. I…”

“Yes, I get that you want to have fun, too. However, now is a bad time for you to have fun like this, isn’t it?”

“...Urgh!”

Han Jin-Seong was one of the few high school seniors still left in the orphanage. Those seniors who chose to forego tertiary education to join the labor market after graduation didn’t need to study for the entrance exams. So, only the kids who decided to further their education, like Han Jin-Seong, were being tormented by the horrifying level of pain right now.

“Hyung, I study like nobody's business, even on weekends, you know?”

Kang Jin-Ho narrowed his eyes. “Oh, really?”

“S-so, like… Just for today, please?”

Kang Jin-Ho chuckled slightly. “Right. You gotta relax when you get the chance.”

“I always knew you were a smart and reasonable dude, hyung!”

“Your problem is that you’re always relaxing, though.”

Han Jin-Seong promptly clamped his mouth shut.

Even though Kang Jin-Ho had turned his head to stare outside, the glass still reflected his face, and the corners of his lips were subtly curling up.

‘This hyung… His floodgates have opened for good, huh.’

When Kang Jin-Ho first showed up at the orphanage, Han Jin-Seong mistakenly thought he was a mute. Who could blame him, though?

All Kang Jin-Ho said was 'Mm!' for everything, while he used head nods or shakes to express his opinions.

Han Jin-Seong could clearly remember this since he tried to avoid talking to Kang Jin-Ho in the early days out of fear of creating awkward situations.

A dude who seemed so dead-set on maintaining his silence began speaking more frequently with every passing day until… Now it was like he had a motor running constantly in his mouth!

‘Even worse, he’s only getting better at teasing people, too…!’

Han Jin-Seong wasn’t sure who was responsible, but that person had a lot to answer for… For corrupting a good man like this!

‘Well, saying Jin-Ho hyung has been corrupted is a bit of a stretch, though…’

Between the old Kang Jin-Ho and the current one, Han Jin-Seong didn't even need to spend a second thinking about which of the two was better. Without a doubt, the current Kang Jin-Ho was a hundred times better.

Sure, the past silent-strong type Kang Jin-Ho was undoubtedly cooler as a dude, but the current one was so much easier to talk to, not to mention much more fun to hang out with.

‘Although… I guess the girls might miss the old hyung?’

Quite a few girls used to hold various fantasies about the 'stoic' Kang Jin-Ho. That kind of made sense, considering Kang Jin-Ho's facial features. Him maintaining a stoic silence with a face like that was enough to paint the image of a cool, mysterious main character, wasn't it?

Han Jin-Seong knew that several girls in the orphanage used to pine for Kang Jin-Ho. Of course, their dream could never come true since Kang Jin-Ho had Choi Yeon-Ha.

Girls who held onto the fleeting hope of things somehow working out had to wake up to reality and throw their dreams away in the nearby trashcan when Choi Yeon-Ha suddenly barged into the orphanage one day.

If Han Jin-Seong was being brutally honest… They weren’t even on the same level of existence. Telling those girls to fight Choi Yeon-Ha in things like charm or sex appeal was like telling Han Jin-Seong to charge straight at an angry dragon while wielding a spoon. Since that was the case, they had no choice but to give up.

‘Well, you’re still free to dream whatever you want.’

Indeed, no one was going to stop those girls from having fantasies. Besides, those girls weren’t really serious about taking their chances with Kang Jin-Ho, anyway. It was similar to how plenty of idol super fans weren’t interested in getting romantically involved with the idols they worshiped.

It was the case of the person before their eyes being nice to them, so they liked him back. Something like that.

Han Jin-Seong sneakily glanced behind him. He could see Jo Mi-Hye sitting on one of the back benches.

She narrowed her eyes. “What are you looking at?”

“...Nothing,” said Han Jin-Seong, then sheepishly sat back straight in his seat. How scary! He glanced at Kang Jin-Ho next. “Hyung?”

“Mm? Yeah?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“I’m asking because you might know something about this, you see? That girl’s been treating me like a dummy lately, you know?”

“That girl? Who?”

“Jo Mi-Hye.”

Kang Jin-Ho glanced behind him, then nodded. “Okay. So?”

“You see, I wanted to regain the initiative here, hyung. What should I do to stop her from putting me down? I don't want our relationship to get weird, though.”

“Mm…” Kang Jin-Ho pondered his answers. He stared outside the bus’s window, clearly deep in thought. Eventually, he looked back at the boy. “Listen, Jin-Seong.”

“Yes, hyung!”

“I’ve thought about this long and hard, and…”

“Yes?”

“I don't think I'm in any position to advise you on this subject matter. I'm sorry.”

“…”

The two men’s heads slowly and pitifully faltered.

The bus continued to carry the two men mired in manly sorrow to their destination.

***

“Is it here?”

“Come on! Let’s go!”

“Wait! Don’t go anywhere when you get off the bus. Stay there.”

The Seongsim Orphanage kids hurriedly disembarked from the bus after reaching their destination. Kang Jin-Ho bowed deeply at Uncle Choi.

“I’ll give you a call when it’s time to leave. It’ll take a few hours, though, so please get some rest in the meantime.”

“Don’t worry, sir. I’ll park the bus nearby and wait for you.”

“I see. Then, we’ll speak to you later.”

Once Kang Jin-Ho also disembarked, Uncle Choi closed the bus door shut while sighing deeply in relief.

‘Gee whiz. Now that was scary…!’

Uncle Choi was pretty sure that this was the first time he had felt this nervous during one of his drives. While shaking his head, he drove the bus to the nearby parking lot.

After watching the bus drive away, Kang Jin-Ho turned his attention to Han Jin-Seong. “Did others safely arrive at their destinations?”

“I think so,” said Han Jin-Seong while nodding slightly, his eyes glued to the phone’s screen.

The original plan was for everyone to go to one place, but the orphanage’s caregivers viscerally opposed that idea.

“No! A divided bomb will cause less damage when it goes off, you know?”

“You want to take these many kids to somewhere with lots of people? And not a desert or the middle of the ocean? Eii, you must be joking, Mister Jin-Ho.”

Kang Jin-Ho couldn't push through with his idea anymore. He was just some dude who stopped by at the orphanage once in a while to hang out with the kids and treat them to a feast or two. Meanwhile, the caregivers basically lived with these kids all the time.

They obviously knew more about this subject matter, so when there was a clash of opinions, abiding by their wishes was the right call.

That was why the Seongsim kids were divided into three groups. Those three were the littlest kids group, the not-as-little kids group, and then…

Han Jin-Seong called out to his orphanage peers. “Oii! Come over here and get in line, you hopeless brats!”

And then, the group of hopeless… No, slightly older kids!

Han Jin-Seong's gruff summoning only led to the kids voicing their discontent.

“We aren't on a school trip, you know? Why do we have to stand in line? It's embarrassing!”

Han Jin-Seong tutted. “You could get lost, you know.”

“Hah? You think we can’t find our way back home even after getting lost in there? We aren’t morons like you, Jin-Seong hyung!”

“Wanna die?!”

When Han Jin-Seong threateningly raised his fist, the kids hurriedly hid behind Kang Jin-Ho.

“Jin-Ho hyung! Hyung, look! Jin-Seong hyung wants to hit us!”

Kang Jin-Ho flatly replied, “Sue him, then.”

“…”

“…?”

All the kids there dazedly stared at Kang Jin-Ho. However, he remained unfazed.

“Do not hesitate to use the law to your advantage. The laws are meant to be abused, after all.”

“Oh, I… see?”

“...Okay, we will.”

The kids sneakily backed away until reaching a corner in the distance, then began whispering to each other about how weird Kang Jin-Ho had become lately.

Of course, Kang Jin-Ho coolly ignored their reactions and began guiding the kids like a dog herding a flock of sheep. “Okay, let’s go inside, everyone.”

The orphans began rushing toward the entrance of the park.

“Oiii! I told you to get in line! What the heck?!”

“You stand in line, hyung!”

Even though Han Jin-Seong tried his mightiest to keep the kids in line, they cleanly ignored him and rushed inside the building.

“H-hyung! Is it okay to let them be like that?”

Kang Jin-Ho nodded. “It’ll be fine.”

“What if they get lost?”

“Don’t worry. I can find them.”

“…” Han Jin-Seong had nothing to say to that. He began silently walking ahead, his shoulders slumped in dejection.

‘...Eii, I don't care anymore. I'm here to have fun myself, anyway. Let's stop worrying about others and just focus on myself.’

Han Jin-Seong looked up to stare at the humongous signboard above. The name "Sea Paradise Aquarium" was written in flashy colors on it. Apparently, this place opened its doors only five days ago, and it was the largest aquarium in the country. And it'd also serve as their playground today.

“I wonder, do they have sharks in here?”

“What about a whale? Do they have whales?”

Han Jin-Seong tutted loudly when the kids excitedly shouted at each other. “What gives? You guys aren’t even babies anymore, so why are you…”

“Wait, they have sharks here?”

Han Jin-Seong clamped his mouth shut and slowly turned his head to look. The mention of sharks had brought hints of excitement to Kang Jin-Ho’s usually taciturn expression.

Han Jin-Seong blinked his eyes in silence.

Well, uh…

It's a good thing to hold on to one's child-like innocence, I guess?

Yup, it should be a good thing. Hah. Hahaha…