#200
“Min-woong and Ju-hee want to go to the amusement park, and… they want you to come with us.”
“Ah.”
Indeed, a request quite different from what Dan Joo-hyuk had been expecting emerged. As soon as he heard it, a smile escaped his lips.
Though unexpected, it was typical of Yoon Pa-ran. Moreover, surprisingly, rather than disappointment, a different kind of anticipation grew within him.
He understood what it meant for Yoon Pa-ran to bring out his family, especially his younger siblings.
Dan Joo-hyuk unconsciously covered his mouth with his hand. Whenever he realized that he was indeed closest to Yoon Pa-ran, he felt like tearing open his chest and scratching inside.
Just like when Yoon Pa-ran showed concern for him.
“Sure. Let’s go.”
“Huh, really? …The kids are still young, so they’ll be really bothersome.”
Seemingly not expecting such immediate acceptance, Yoon Pa-ran’s eyes widened.
Seeing that adorable face, Dan Joo-hyuk’s hand moved on its own again, lightly tapping Yoon Pa-ran’s cheek.
“I’m really looking forward to it.”
He meant it with every fiber of his being.
❖ ❖ ❖
Two days later.
“Is that really all there is?”
The night he slept with Yoon Pa-ran, Dan Joo-hyuk had ordered an investigation into the orphanage’s security company employee.
Though he couldn’t remove him immediately, he wanted to gradually eliminate potential risk factors. For that, he needed to gather information first.
During that process, if any concerning elements appeared, he planned to use them as an excuse, quite cowardly. If there were another pretext, he could easily remove the man while Yoon Pa-ran didn’t even remember the advances made toward him.
However, unexpectedly, the findings on the security employee were peculiar.
“…Understood. Keep watching.”
Ending the call, Dan Joo-hyuk tilted his eyebrow askew. Not because there was a problem, but rather because there was nothing at all.
The employee had lived an utterly monotonous life. Without a single flaw, without a single close acquaintance. Given his behavior toward Yoon Pa-ran, he seemed like someone who wouldn’t hold back, so this was unexpected.
Moreover, he didn’t engage in suspicious money transactions or meet strange individuals. Even if he had accepted bribes related to this safe zone issue, which Dan Joo-hyuk could have used to remove him, he was clean.
From the beginning, the employee only traveled between his room near the orphanage and the orphanage itself. He appeared to have no personal outings beyond that.
If someone were trying to manipulate him, it would seem impossible unless they used some far-fetched method like telepathy.
“Oh, there he is. Everyone, say hello!”
Hearing Yoon Pa-ran’s voice from behind, Dan Joo-hyuk, lost in thought, slowly turned around.
Today was exactly the day Dan Joo-hyuk had promised Yoon Pa-ran.
“Wow! It’s the really big brother!”
“Hello!”
Yoon Pa-ran and his siblings had just arrived in a security vehicle. All the children from the orphanage who were old enough to ride the attractions.
Dan Joo-hyuk, who had been waiting at the amusement park entrance, tried his best to display a kind-looking smile.
“You’re here?”
Several supervising teachers accompanying the children also followed. Among all those faces, Dan Joo-hyuk easily found Yoon Pa-ran’s.
“Wow. It really is that hunter from before!”
The children created a commotion upon seeing Dan Joo-hyuk. Receiving all their attention, Dan Joo-hyuk lowered his body while trying to minimize his presence as much as possible.
Min-woong, still lacking any sense of danger, ran straight toward Dan Joo-hyuk.
“Big brother…!”
In contrast, Ju-hee followed her brother with a slightly wary expression, stopping at a distance before bowing politely.
“Hello.”
“Hi.”
“Thank you for the gift.”
The question of what gift was quickly resolved as Dan Joo-hyuk noticed the item dangling from Ju-hee’s neck.
“You’re welcome.”
Seeing the reactions of the other children who stood awkwardly, Dan Joo-hyuk once again carefully contained his aura. Meanwhile, he gently gripped Min-woong’s shoulder to prevent him from falling as he clung to one leg.
“You’re early?”
Yoon Pa-ran, who had been retrieving bags from the car, belatedly approached and spoke. Meeting his eyes as well, Dan Joo-hyuk smiled gently.
“I just arrived a moment ago.”
Though they had met yesterday, it had been a whole 12 hours since he’d seen that face. Feeling somewhat regretful about this, he was about to speak again when:
“Brother! Let’s go quickly!”
“Min-woong, don’t be so impatient with him.”
As the conversation between the two seemed likely to extend, Min-woong shouted loudly. Ju-hee, who had somehow drawn closer, verbally restrained Min-woong, but her gaze continually drifted toward the entrance of the quiet amusement park.
Seeing his siblings’ reactions, Yoon Pa-ran blushed slightly and said:
“Sorry. The kids have been extremely excited since yesterday.”
“They’re cute.”
“Min-woong occasionally asked for you. And after Ju-hee heard you gave her the necklace, she said she wanted to see you too.”
“Really?”
Though the content was simple, it seemed Yoon Pa-ran had been quite badgered by his siblings before directly suggesting that Dan Joo-hyuk join them at the amusement park.
A brief look of reluctance crossed Yoon Pa-ran’s face before disappearing.
“Let’s go in first, and if too many people recognize you, we can leave midway. I’ve firmly instructed the kids about this too.”
“Ah.”
Unfortunately, Yoon Pa-ran seemed concerned endlessly. Originally planning to bring only two siblings, he now seemed even more worried after being told to bring all of them.
Yet Dan Joo-hyuk appreciated how he spoke resolutely, as if telling him not to worry.
“Still, today seems to be a day with fewer people. That’s good.”
Yoon Pa-ran commented brightly, looking at the sparse ticket booth entrance. Dan Joo-hyuk briefly pondered how to inform him that this was a worry he didn’t need to have.
After all, Dan Joo-hyuk had rented the entire amusement park for today.
Moreover, it wasn’t completely empty; he had ensured an appropriate number of people were circulating. All individuals with verified identities who would be of great help in finding lost children if necessary.
It would have been simpler to completely empty the amusement park, but that wasn’t possible. Though he didn’t know for certain, Yoon Pa-ran probably wouldn’t want to show his siblings an entirely empty amusement park.
“Brother! Hurryyyy!”
“Min-woong, calm down.”
“Shall we go in then?”
Instead of explaining, Dan Joo-hyuk gently pushed Yoon Pa-ran’s back. He would find out eventually anyway.
Though wearing a puzzled expression, Yoon Pa-ran obediently followed his siblings who had already run ahead.
❖ ❖ ❖
Several hours later.
Outside, it was already getting dark. For the children’s safety, they had all moved to the indoor section of the amusement park after sunset.
“Hah…”
Exhausted, Yoon Pa-ran sighed and slumped onto a bench. Though playing with his siblings was a daily routine, it had been surprisingly taxing.
It was because the children were extremely excited about being at the amusement park. Exaggerating a bit, the children’s stamina seemed to exceed his own, despite him being an A-rank hunter.
“You look tired.”
Dan Joo-hyuk, sitting beside him, whispered softly.
The distance where their thighs were almost but not quite touching was strangely distracting. Feeling this anew, Yoon Pa-ran casually ran a hand down his nape while looking at Dan Joo-hyuk.
He had stayed with them all day, accommodating all the children’s demands. Though the siblings could have been bothersome, he showed no sign of it.
Surprisingly, Dan Joo-hyuk’s face even appeared quite joyful. Perhaps he genuinely liked children by nature.
In any case, no matter how enjoyable, it must have been quite troublesome for Dan Joo-hyuk. Especially since he had been constantly suppressing his aura for the children’s sake.
It was something to be grateful for in many ways.
“…I think it’s the first time I’ve seen my siblings this excited.”
Within Yoon Pa-ran’s sight were the backs of his siblings waiting for the parade that was about to begin. Entry-restriction lines were set up along the parade route, and the siblings sat closely in front of it with sparkling eyes, behaving well.
Dan Joo-hyuk had informed them it was the best spot to enjoy the parade. After hearing this explanation, the children had all insisted on sitting in front, making it quite a struggle to seat them in an orderly manner.
Though it was somewhat distant from the bench where he sat, he could see the children at a glance, which was fine. Anyway, thanks to the parade, they finally had a moment to catch their breath.
“Really? We should come often then.”
“That’s a bit, I’d feel bad.”
“Why?”
At the suggestion to visit frequently, Yoon Pa-ran gave an ambiguous smile. It wasn’t because taking care of his siblings was difficult. It was because he hadn’t known Dan Joo-hyuk would rent the entire place.
Even now, what he had heard upon entering still didn’t feel real.
Yoon Pa-ran awkwardly looked around. Besides the children, there were many people coming and going around them. Enough to feel the amusement park’s vibrancy, but not so many as to be crowded.
Occasionally, security personnel in civilian clothes were noticeable. They quietly followed groups of children to ensure they didn’t get hurt.
To think that people who appeared to be ordinary visitors were all employed for this purpose. It was such an unexpected aspect that it strangely didn’t feel real.
If he hadn’t noticed that the numerous people around didn’t watch him and Dan Joo-hyuk to an unnatural degree, he might have continued to not comprehend the situation.
So, unconsciously, Yoon Pa-ran tilted his head slightly toward Dan Joo-hyuk and whispered:
“I didn’t expect things to get this big. I originally planned to bring just Ju-hee and Min-woong, you know. The two of them are my limit to supervise alone.”
Dan Joo-hyuk momentarily startled and stiffened. Yoon Pa-ran observed this reaction with confusion.
Was what he whispered really that unexpected?
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
