Apocalypse’s Teacher

Chapter 36

T h i s wa s c o pi e d fr om k i n g mt l . o r g
An Apology is Common Sense

***

Kang Ki-hyun’s gaze was directed out the window.

More precisely, towards Hyesung, who was standing blankly by the window, staring outside.

It was the morning of the second day since Seokho left.

The promise he made to return in a day was not kept, and from the moment Hyesung realized it, she had been in this state.

Ki-hyun felt a tight knot in her stomach.

-You’re going to disappoint them.

It was the thought that her words might have driven Seokho to his doom.

If something really had happened to him, she felt it was her fault.

Her head heated up.

Her insides felt as if they were burning coals, unable to control her emotions.

Ki-hyun took a deep breath and approached Hyesung.

Despite everything, there was still work to be done.

“Hyesung, you need to eat.”

Hyesung hadn’t eaten anything the previous day.

She stubbornly insisted that she would eat with Seokho when he returned, so by now, she must be starving.

Ki-hyun’s suggestion that she should eat something met with rejection.

“…When uncle comes.”

Her voice was devoid of energy.

Her face was blank, and her eyes were red as if she hadn’t slept.

Ki-hyun felt her heart sink.

“Hyesung…”

“He said he’d come…”

Hyesung’s voice quivered with tears.

“He said he’d come after one night, and he said he’d bring cake…”

Her hands, clutching the plant tightly, fidgeted in anxiety.
T hi s was c o p i e d fro m k i n g m t l . o rg

“He promised…”

Hyesung’s eyes welled up.

The young girl couldn’t understand the situation and was trembling.

Ki-hyun clenched her fists tightly and kept her mouth shut.

‘…It’s my fault.’

It was my fault.

***

Hyesung couldn’t understand.

Why hadn’t Seokho come after saying he would come in one night, even after two nights had passed?

Why wasn’t Seokho there when she woke up?

He should have been there.

The first thing she should see when she woke up was Seokho snoring.

And she should rest her head on Seokho’s soft belly and fall back asleep.

Then, when Seokho woke her up, they should have gone to the living room together to eat the hundred cakes.

But Seokho wasn’t there.

Today too, she was alone, and the cakes they were supposed to eat hadn’t arrived.

The young Hyesung, unable to find a reason despite all her thinking, eventually started looking for the reason within herself.

Maybe Seokho had gotten tired of her and didn’t come back.

That thought crossed her mind.

Hyesung, who was staring blankly out the window, suddenly stood up.

She placed the plant she always held onto the windowsill and headed to the bedroom.

Struggling, she climbed onto the bed and began to straighten the messy blankets.

-Hyesung, you have to straighten your blanket after you wake up.

-Huh?

-That’s how you start your day feeling fresh.

She was doing this, thinking that Seokho might be angry because she hadn’t straightened her blanket.

She thought that if she straightened the blanket, Seokho would come back.

Of course, straightening the blanket wouldn’t make Seokho magically appear.

Hyesung did her best, but the blanket was still crumpled, and she spent some time staring blankly at it.

Then she moved again.

-Hyesung, shall we brush our teeth?

-I don’t want to brush my teeth…

-If you don’t brush your teeth, we’ll have to pull them out again, you know?

-Ugh…

Thinking that Seokho wasn’t coming because she hadn’t brushed her teeth, she ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth.

Of course, young and inexperienced Hyesung could barely brush her teeth properly, and it ended in a mere imitation of brushing.

After rinsing her mouth with water as Seokho had taught her, she stomped her way to the door.

Seokho still hadn’t come.

-Hyesung, did you water Beanie?

-Yes!

-Really? Good job, Hyesung. You have to water Beanie once a day, okay?

This time, she poured water into the bean plant.

Then she ran to the door again, but Seokho still hadn’t come.

-Hyesung, did you study your letters?

-I don’t know letters!

-Gosh.

Hyesung went to her secret base.

She pulled out her workbook hidden there because she disliked studying and began to scribble Hangul in the blank spaces.

Her fingers hurt, but Hyesung endured it.

She thought if she filled it all in, Seokho might come back, or he might praise her, saying, ‘Good job, Hyesung.’

She filled in each blank space with Hangul, completing a page, and then came down from her secret base and headed to the door.

But even then, Seokho hadn’t come.

Hyesung’s eyes reddened.

A sob escaped her lips.

Her tiny, trembling shoulders looked pitiful, and her usually shiny goggles were now dusty from wandering around the house.

Hyesung finally thought.

‘Seokho doesn’t like me anymore…’

That Seokho had come to dislike her.

***

“My body is aching.”
T his wa s co p i e d f r o m k i n g m t l . o rg

I knocked on my waist and looked at the familiar building.

Th i s w a s c o p i ed f r o m ki n g mt l .o r g
The hotel where I lived with the kids.

It was right in front of me.

“Damn, that guy really worked me hard.”

It took longer than expected.

For a specific reason.

The backstabbing Hak-jong from the strike team, who I had only introduced myself to later, dragged me around to solidify his power.

What should have been done in one night turned into a two-day ordeal, enough to say it all.

As I continued to think, a sense of worry began to arise within me.
T h i s w a s co pi e d fr om k in g m t l . o rg

T h i s w as c o p i e d f r o m k i ng m tl .o rg
‘Are the kids waiting for me?’

I was less worried about the older kids, who had a firm grip on things, but Hyesung was always on my mind.

A young, innocent child who desperately needed adult attention and love.

And the child who spent the most time with me.

I couldn’t help but think she might be feeling lonely in my absence or upset because I didn’t keep my promise.

I swallowed my dry throat and checked the luggage I had brought once more.

Two suitcases in total.

One contained the luxury items Mr. Park had requested, and the other was filled with exactly one hundred cakes for Hyesung.

‘Please, you little rascal.’

I tapped the suitcase, uttering a heartfelt request.

Hoping that these cakes would cheer Hyesung up and that she wouldn’t ignore me.

With that little ritual, I steadied my resolve, took a deep breath, and started walking.

Rrrr—

The sound of the suitcase wheels echoed in the hotel lobby.

***

“I’m back, kids!”

With a grand entrance and a loud voice.

I announced my return, and the penthouse fell silent.

Six pairs of eyes stared at me.

Ki-hyun with a blank face and Jinwoo with a smiling one.

The twins who instantly lost interest in me and Helen standing beside them.

And then, Hyesung, looking more haggard than I had ever seen her.

“…Huh?”

My voice trailed off.

I’m not one to boast, but I’m not oblivious.

I could sense that something was off in this strange atmosphere.

“…Um.”

I felt awkward.
T h is wa s co p i ed f ro m k i n g m t l . or g

As I scratched my itchy back of the head, finally, there was a reaction.

“Uncle!”

Jinwoo ran towards me.

With a face full of relief, he looked me over and said.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Are you uncomfortable? We were so worried because you didn’t come back for two days…!”

A voice tinged with tears.

I felt a wave of emotion rising within me.
T hi s w as c o p i e d fr o m ki n g m t l.o r g

“Oh, there was a lot to take care of over there. But uncle is fine!”

I felt a sense of fulfillment knowing that someone cared so much for me.

A bright smile spread across my face, and a laugh escaped my lips.

My gaze turned to Ki-hyun.

“Ki-hyun! Did you take good care of the house?”

I spread my arms wide as I spoke.

Ki-hyun stepped back hesitantly.

Her face was wavering strangely.

“Huh?”

Ki-hyun turned and ran to her room, slamming the door shut.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

I wondered about her inexplicable behavior but soon brushed it off.

Ki-hyun acting weird wasn’t a new thing, and worrying about it would just make me lose my hair.

More importantly, there was something I had to do.

I turned quickly and shouted with all my might.

“Hyesung!”

And I ran to her.

I raised my energy to soothe the possibly sulking Hyesung.

Like a successful football player sliding, I approached Hyesung and lifted her up.

“Uncle’s here!”

Spin.

I spun around with Hyesung in my arms.

Meanwhile, cold sweat trickled down my back.

‘This is odd.’

Hyesung should be giggling and shouting by now, but she was unusually quiet.

So quiet it felt eerie.

I swallowed my saliva.

Then I started to open my eyes that had been squinting.

In my sight.

“Hic.”

T h is w a s c op i e d fro m k in g mt l.o rg
Was a sobbing Hyesung.

At that moment, I felt my heart drop.

“Hye, Hyesung?”

“Sniff…”

There are moments like these.

Moments when you don’t know why, but you feel like you’re screwed.

Moments when you feel like you’ve made the biggest mistake of your life.

This was one of those moments.

Hyesung’s face was a mess.

All red and scrunched up, filled with tears.

I was about to say something when Hyesung burst into tears.

“Waaaah!”
T h i s w a s c o p i e d fr o m k i ng m t l.o rg

…I’m screwed.

End of Chapter