READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 33
Episode 33
“Oppa, we’ve arrived.”
Seems like I was sleeping like a log.
When Ha-young shook me awake, I finally came to.
“Yawn… What?”
As I stretched, I looked outside to find that the bustling city we departed from had turned into a cloudy mountain view.
“Thanks for your hard work, Ha-young.”
I said this to Ha-young and rubbed my eyes as I got out of the car.
“Hmm, nice.”
The earthy smell that was hard to find in the city filled the air. Being so rural, there were hardly any houses around, making the road feel deserted.
Woof woof.
A dog barked joyfully. It was the family of the Pungsan dogs my father had adopted. I heard they had puppies about a month ago, and two plump white pups with curious eyes were staring at me.
“Hey, it’s been forever. You shouldn’t bark so excitedly. How are you gonna guard the house like that?”
I chuckled and patted our old Pungsan dog.
The Pungsan wagged its tail. It’s meant to be a hunting dog, but it seems they brought home a particularly gentle one.
“Oh, so cute.”
Ha-young had already approached the puppies, unable to resist their cuteness, and was taking videos with her smartphone.
“Are you guys here?”
I could hear our mother’s voice as she appeared outside the door.
“Yes, we’re here. We’ll be in soon.”
I replied.
◈ ◈ ◈
“Father, we’ve come.”
Dad, sitting in the room with reading glasses and a newspaper, lifted his head.
“Oh, really? What’s that you have?”
He asked, looking at the item I brought in.
“I brought some red ginseng. Thought it might help you regain your strength.”
“I’m fine now. You kids should be the ones taking care of yourselves.”
“Ha-young and I are still young. Please, do eat it.”
After setting the red ginseng box in a corner of the room, I sat down. Ha-young joined me.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m perfectly fine.”
I looked closely at Dad. There was a scar left, but it seemed the wound on his head had mostly healed. His face, which had been injured, had returned to its original state.
But I knew the issue wasn’t just physical.
There are common sayings among crime victims. They say they can’t sleep well at night and suffer from overwhelming stress. There are even papers stating that crime shocks damage the victim’s brain.
Dad’s outside injuries may have healed, but his insides were probably still burning with pain. As I pondered how to broach the subject, Mom came in with refreshments.
“Eat this.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I picked up a tangerine.
Ha-young also peeled a tangerine and munched on it.
Mom sat next to Dad.
“…I heard about what happened.”
Eventually, I was the first to break the silence. I had already informed Ha-young that I would take the lead in this discussion, and she was aware of my intent.
“What do you mean?”
“Father, I heard you were scammed.”
I had heard that Dad wanted to hide this from us, but I didn’t think it was something we could simply gloss over, so I spoke directly.
“….”
Dad just sat there with an incredibly heavy expression, not saying a word. He didn’t even scold Mom for bringing it up when he would have preferred to keep it from the children. He must have known that Mom wouldn’t remain silent about such matters.
As Dad remained silent, the atmosphere grew tense. Both Mom and Ha-young were just looking to him for cues.
I didn’t shy away; I locked eyes with Dad, waiting for him to speak.
“Huuh….”
Dad sighed. Finally, he broke the silence.
“Yeah, I’m ashamed.”
“You don’t need to feel that way. It’s the scammer at fault, not you!”
I spoke with a strong voice.
Having worked in a correctional facility, I knew there were just too many scammers out there. Most of them looked perfectly normal, but their records would say they were fraudsters. If you met them outside, you’d never think they were criminals. I once overheard them gossiping amongst themselves:
– “What’s wrong with scamming? It’s the victim who’s just naive.”
That was one of the moments that made me the angriest as a correctional officer. These people would act all remorseful in court as if they were genuinely sorry, trying to shave off a bit of their sentence.
The problem was that it wasn’t just the criminals who thought that way. From voice phishing to petty reselling scams, there was always a reaction blaming the victims for being foolish enough to fall for it. The prevalence of such people in society made me feel that over 200,000 scam cases occurring every year was just the tip of the iceberg.
“Oppa’s right. Don’t think like that, Father. Hold your head up high. If you show weakness, it’ll only encourage the criminals.”
Ha-young chimed in, and though Mom didn’t say it, her eyes conveyed the same sentiment to Dad.
“…Alright, I see.”
It seemed Dad understood his family’s sincere feelings and responded as such. Seeing Dad’s reaction, I decided to continue.
“Thank you for understanding my words. But Dad, I heard you’re looking for a job.”
“That’s the plan.”
“I’ll provide living expenses. Just as you planned, enjoy life while farming.”
“No, that won’t do.”
This time Dad cut me off sharply.
I scooted a bit closer to him.
“Why not?”
“Mind your own living expenses. I can take care of myself.”
“There’s more than enough for me to help with yours.”
“You need to save every penny. You’re going to be over thirty next year. When will you save for a wedding or buy a house? Just because I’m a civil servant doesn’t mean I’m clueless about how salaries work.”
“….”
I fell silent for a moment.
I had planned to keep my hunting endeavors a secret from my parents. Given their personalities, they would certainly worry, and I didn’t want to burden them with that concern. Moreover, if they knew I was working two jobs, it would make them fret even more.
That’s why I felt trapped. My income was actually higher than what a typical civil servant earns, but I couldn’t speak the truth.
Just then, Ha-young spoke up.
“I’ll handle it. You know I’ve been doing well lately, right? I probably earn more than you do now. It wouldn’t be a burden for me to support our parents.”
“You need to save up for your wedding costs too.”
“I can support them and still save plenty for my wedding.”
“Huuh.”
Dad sighed shortly again. His expression twisted with complex emotions. After what seemed like contemplation, he finally spoke again.
“Let me speak frankly.”
Both Ha-young and I paid serious attention to Dad’s tone.
“Yeah, Ha-young, I know you’re doing well financially. It might be okay to help out without it being a burden. But I don’t want to take money from my children. I didn’t raise you guys to receive from you.”
“….”
“I only wished for one thing. If my children could live a slightly better life than I did, that would be enough. I’ve spent my life working in factories without finishing high school, but I wanted you to attend good universities, find decent jobs, and live well.”
“….”
This was the first time I was hearing these thoughts. Dad wasn’t one to open up like this.
“I was terribly worried when you, Ha-young, dropped out of college to pursue that webtoon thing. But hearing that you managed to stick it out and find success made me so happy. And the joy I felt when you, Si-hyun, passed your civil service exam was boundless.”
Dad continued.
“Just seeing you both thrive is enough for me. This old man still has the strength to take care of your mother. So don’t worry, and live your lives. When I grow too old to work anymore, at that time, I will gladly accept your help.”
I was at a loss for how to respond. I had just heard Dad’s firm feelings, and it seemed his resolute heart wouldn’t be swayed. Ha-young looked equally puzzled.
“Why not just accept today?”
Mom interjected.
“What? What is it you’ve been saying until now?”
“You have to think of the kids too. We’ve come this far; it’s not fair to make them feel awkward….”
“Absolutely not.”
“Seriously, you’re just as stubborn.”
Mom shrugged her shoulders and shook her head as if she had given in.
“You kids understood me, right?”
“We understand your feelings, Father. But….”
“Enough.”
Dad cut off my words.
“If you truly want to help me, don’t give me money. Instead, succeed in your respective fields. Just seeing you two succeed will be enough for me.”
“Dad, I’m already successful….”
Ha-young tried to respond, but I silenced her with a raised hand.
“I understand. I won’t bring this up again. Instead, I hope you don’t let the scam weigh you down and continue to live confidently.”
“I will.”
◈ ◈ ◈
“Why did you, of all people, give up? I thought you’d try to convince Dad for at least three days and nights.”
On our way back, Ha-young asked.
“You saw it too; Dad’s mind is set too firmly.”
“That’s true, but…”
“I’ve known Dad since I was a kid, but I’ve never seen him talk like that before. Given how serious he was, we should respect his wishes.”
I gazed out the window lost in thought.
Success, huh….
I had never realized just how much Dad wished for our success. It felt like another reason to strive for it.
‘Just how far can I go?’
I tossed this unanswered question into my mind.
◈ ◈ ◈
I felt lighter than usual on my way to work.
Today marked the day I officially became a teacher. My uniform now sported three blooming hibiscus flowers.
Nice, nice.
It was the joy of a promotion, something I could experience only a few times in life. I wanted to enjoy it to the fullest even if just for a day.
Just as I stepped into the external gate with a joyful face,
a message popped up.
[Your rank has increased, and Po-ahim is filled with joy. He is eager to bestow one of his techniques as a congratulatory gift.]
[Active skill ‘Fearsome Guard’s Roaring Shout’ has appeared.]
‘This is it.’
It was just as I expected. The cheerful Po-ahim sent a congratulatory gift for my promotion.
As I slowed my pace, I opened my status window to check on myself.
[Current Status]
Fame: Slightly Known
Position: Level 8 Teacher
Just a single number and letter had changed, but the feeling was completely different.
Level 8.
Yeah, it felt great. Smiling, I checked the skill.
[Skills]
Passive: Experienced Guard’s Insight
Active: Restraint Technique, Fearsome Guard’s Roaring Shout, ??? (Inactive), ??? (Inactive)
The name of this skill was ridiculously long. Just the name seemed like it could have some extraordinary effect. But at the same time, it gave off a vibe that the naming sense was a bit cheap, like it could turn out to be just a flashy skill.
With a somewhat nervous heart, I opened the detailed skill window.