Apocalypse’s Teacher

Chapter 53
T his wa s copie d f ro m k in g m tl . o r g

I Have a Dream

***

Chun-bae returned to the penthouse.

It was late afternoon.

As soon as he opened the door and stepped inside, Hyesung spotted him and jumped up.

She ran over with a bright face.

Holding her in his arms, he looked inside where the familiar faces he had grown accustomed to over the past few days were smiling warmly.

“Your head is slippery!”

T h i s w a s copi e d f r o m ki n g mt l . o r g
Hyesung, who had slapped her hand on his sweaty scalp, shouted.

Chun-bae felt a peculiar sentiment.

A life where people welcomed him.

A life with a place to return to.

That was the feeling that came to him.

“…I see.”

Chun-bae realized.

The long, lonely time had finally come to an end.

***

I was dazed.

…No, I was dazed and kept thinking.

– The religious fanatics! They have that guy’s nephew as a prisoner in Dongdaemun!

It was because of the old man’s words.

The name I had tried not to think of for a long time kept stirring in my head.

I moved my mouth absentmindedly.

It was the moment I was eating the boiled egg I could now have once every eight days.

But for some reason, I wasn’t happy, and it didn’t taste good.

Then.

Ouch.

I bit my finger.

“Ouch.”

I finally realized there was no egg in my hand.

I must have subconsciously tried to eat my finger after finishing the egg without noticing.

The surroundings were quiet.

When I looked up, the children, Helen, and the old man were looking at me with strange expressions.

Hyesung was staring at me.

She looked at the egg in her hand and then at me, and with a sulky face, she handed me the egg.

“Do you want to eat more?”

It seemed she thought I was acting this way because I was hungry.

Seeing her tearful face as she offered me the egg, probably suppressing her own desire, made me chuckle.

I patted Hyesung’s head and said.

“No, uncle is full. You eat it all, Hyesung.”

Hyesung’s face brightened up.

The egg, which she quickly brought back to her chest, disappeared into her mouth like melting snow.

The old man laughed heartily and gave her his share of the egg.

“Little one, you did a good deed. Here’s a reward.”

“A reward!”

With a face full of disbelief and emotion, Hyesung grabbed the egg and gobbled it up.

“Grandpa is shiny!”

It seemed like she was praising his character, but for some reason, it sounded different to my ears.

Laughter echoed in the living room.

I steadied my wavering heart as I looked at the brightly smiling children.

‘…Revenge? What for?’

What could be so important about revenge when these children were laughing so brightly?
T h is wa s co p ie d f r o m k i n g m tl . o r g

Forcing a smile, I started to laugh out loud.

“Hyesung, you eat well.”

“Yes! Hyesung eats well! I’ll grow a lot!”

“Like Kong-kong?”

“Like mommy Kong-kong!”

She spread her arms wide.

A beaming smile blossomed on her face.

The child’s world was still a happy one today.

***

Knock, knock.

On the hotel rooftop, I looked at the back of Dabin, who was crouched in front of the chicken coop.

‘How many hours has it been?’

It was an unbelievable concentration.

Dabin had been observing the chicken for hours from that spot.

Was it because she was Dayoon’s twin?

She didn’t seem particularly good at studying, but her concentration was just like Dayoon’s.

Feeling exhausted by her intense focus, I shook my head and approached Dabin.

“Is it fun?”

Dabin’s gaze, which had been fixed on the chicken coop, turned to me.

Her unfocused eyes adjusted and then looked at me clearly.

“I’m training.”

“Training?”

“Yes, I want to be like Mr. Chicken.”

Her gaze returned to the chicken.

The hen we received from Mapo Shelter.

Mr. Chicken, responsible for our special meals, was dozing off in the chicken coop.

‘What does she mean by that?’

Did she mean she wanted to nap all day like that chicken?

My brain couldn’t keep up with Dabin’s four-dimensional thinking, causing it to overload.

It felt like all the common sense I knew was crumbling one by one.

Meanwhile, Dabin added an explanation.

“When does it shoot feather bullets?”

Gulp.

My body trembled.

My heart sank.

Of course.

I was the one who lied about the chicken having a special ability to shoot feather bullets.
T h is w a s c o p i e d f r o m k i ng mt l .o r g

‘Did she still believe that?’

Oh, what a pure and dangerous child she was.

Feeling a mix of regret and concern, I pondered.

‘Should I tell her now?’

Should I tell her that chickens don’t actually have such abilities?

The thought vanished when I saw Dabin’s sparkling eyes.

I didn’t have the courage to break a child’s fantasy.

“Well… it’s shy, so it doesn’t shoot in front of people.”

“Why? Why is it shy?”

“Uhm….”

My eyes darted around.

Crossing my arms, I continued to think and then came up with a somewhat plausible answer.

“Because it loses feathers! Once it shoots feather bullets, the spots become bare, and it’s shy to show bare skin!”
T h i s w a s co pi ed f r o m k i n g m tl .o rg

Dabin frowned.

T h i s w a s c o p ie d f r o m k i n g m t l. or g
Then she tilted her head.

“Is bare skin embarrassing?”

“Of course! Isn’t it?”

“But grandpa isn’t embarrassed.”

“Huh?”

Dabin’s gaze turned back to me.

“Grandpa has bare skin because he lost all his hair. But he isn’t embarrassed.”

Oh no.

I had forgotten about the old man.

A grudge towards him welled up inside.

‘Why! Why is he bald!’

Why does he have to interfere with preserving a child’s fantasy!

Why isn’t he embarrassed about his baldness, causing all this trouble!

I was trembling with frustration and felt like crying.

Swallowing my panic, I said to Dabin.

T his w a s c o p i e d f r o m k i n g m tl.o rg
“Because he’s shameless! The old man doesn’t know shame!”

“Hmm….”

Dabin squinted at me.

I stood with a confident posture as if I were telling the truth.

I didn’t feel guilty about the old man.

Regardless of what others say, I believe it’s his fault for being bald!

“…Mr. Chicken is shy.”

Dabin’s lips pouted.

Seemingly disappointed, she sat down with a thud.

Relieved to have passed a crisis, I let out a sigh.

Then a thought struck me.

‘Come to think of it….’

I hadn’t spent much time talking with Dabin alone.

She had always stuck to Dayoon’s side, and aside from her four-dimensional tendencies, she took care of herself quite well.

But that couldn’t be an excuse.

A teacher should never discriminate against a child.

Unknowingly, I might have done so, and now I needed to get closer to Dabin.

“Dabin.”

“Yes?”

“How have you been these days?”

Dabin, tapping her legs while sitting, made a ‘hmm’ sound.

“It’s okay.”

The answer was indifferent.

Sensing that, I brightened my eyes.

“Really? It seems like something’s bothering you.”

Gulp.

T h i s w a s c o p i e d f r om k i n gm t l .or g
Dabin’s body trembled.
T h is w as c o p ie d f r o m kin g m t l.o r g

‘You’re just a kid after all.’
T h i s w as co p i e d fr o m k in g m t l . o r g

You’re too young to hide anything.

I didn’t miss the fleeting expression on her face.

“Want to tell uncle? Uncle is a teacher, so I can help you.”

Dabin’s gaze alternated between me and the ground.

She seemed to be in deep thought, and then slowly.

Dabin’s reply came out.

“…Dayoon.”

“Dayoon?”

“Dayoon doesn’t play with me….”

“Oh.”

Dabin’s expression grew more sullen.

Her fidgeting fingers clearly showed her sadness.

Unable to find the right words, I opened and closed my mouth, then sat down next to her.

‘…That must be it.’

Life in the penthouse had settled into a routine.

Much better than the initial plan, with high-quality academic studies in addition to mere survival.

Dayoon, being very good at studying, spent most of her day on studies, and Dabin, thinking she shouldn’t disturb Dayoon, came to this conclusion.

‘It wasn’t just because she liked Mr. Chicken.’

It was an adorably childlike, yet heartbreaking, concern.

I quietly looked at Dabin and then patted her head.

Dabin’s head drooped lower.

“Dabin is bored?”

“…A little.”

Dabin’s feet shuffled.

Wanting to do something for the dejected Dabin, I began to think.

‘The problem is that she’s bored while Dayoon studies.’

But taking away Dayoon’s books wasn’t an option.

I shifted my thoughts.

‘How about giving Dabin a hobby?’

How about giving her a hobby she can enjoy alone?

So she wouldn’t be too bored while Dayoon studied.

It was a brilliant idea.

‘What would be good….’

I thought of things Dabin might like.

Space police, feather-shooting chickens, emergencies, robot dinosaurs.

Dabin continuously carried on with her four-dimensional fantasies.

Fortunately, I knew the perfect hobby for her.

“Dabin.”

“Yes….”

“Do you like comics?”

Dabin lifted her head.

Our eyes met.

Her face was filled with curiosity.

I said to her.

“How about we try drawing comics?”

Dabin’s eyes sparkled.

End of Chapter