It was money given with good intentions. That’s why Jong-pal wanted to use it for a good cause.
“So you want to donate all the money that came into the account?”
“Yeah. There were quite a few affected business owners, more than I expected. Since we didn’t actually suffer any losses, it’s practically community money.”
“Hmm. Ultimately, it’s not really damage but rather benefiting from the situation.”
“So I thought it might be good to return the deposited amount to those who actually suffered losses.”
“Anyway, we need to acknowledge what others think, whether it’s Yeona or me. No, things have changed. In the past, I would have said to donate all the money earned today without hesitation.”
“Ahahaha.”
Jong-pal burst into awkward laughter at Jong-sik’s words. It seemed to have struck a chord. Yeona, as if confirming once again, asked.
“Hmm? Dad, are you really thinking like that?”
“For now, it’s just my own thoughts. I thought maybe we should give back as much as others have given. But if you or Uncle oppose it….”
“Huh! Hold on. Am I opposing it? How do you see me?”
“Yeah, exactly. He’s trying to make us look bad. What reason do I have to oppose it? Huh? Besides, technically, that’s your store’s profit.”
Jong-sik chimed in with Yeona’s words. Then Jong-pal retorted as if to ask what he meant.
“Ah, you shouldn’t say that. How can you say it’s my store? It’s our family’s store. I couldn’t have started it alone. You helped financially, and Yeona also contributed, so we’re doing this together.”
“This is completely flattering. Since you have no intention to oppose, do as you wish, you rascal.”
“I’m serious.”
Jong-pal scratched his chin with a smirk. That’s when Trigo, who had been silently listening, spoke up.
“Ahem. Well, I’ll do my best in the future too!”
Perhaps he felt left out. His tone hinted at an unusual determination.
“…”
For a moment, there was silence. Then, just for a moment, the family burst into laughter. There was no reason. The situation just seemed oddly amusing.
“Family effort, huh?”
Yeona wasn’t one to be left out. Taking another gulp, she stood up boldly and exclaimed.
“Alright! I can’t lose either. I’ll work harder too. I’ll help out at the restaurant and study hard to show what filial piety really means. That’s a promise!”
How could anyone resist that? Jong-pal suddenly messed up Yeona’s hair.
As a result, her neatly arranged bangs split into uneven sections. For a female student, the bangs were as important as life itself.
“Ouch, seriously. Dad, I told you not to do that!”
“Sorry, sorry. But it’s all your fault. Who told you to do such a cute thing? Oh, and Trigo, sir. You don’t have to make an effort like that. Just repairing the kitchen is more than enough to be thankful for.”
“Ahem. Well, still, as a dwarf, I should do my best.”
Just repairing the kitchen, huh? He’ll soon be making air-raid shelters. But for now, only Jong-sik and Trigo know about it.
Anyway, Trigo was ignited with enthusiasm. In the meantime, as Yeona finished tidying her hair, she looked at Jong-pal and asked.
“Yeah. But Dad, are you planning to donate all of it to the victims’ group?”
“No. I’m only planning to donate the amount that came into the account.”
“Then what about the rest of the profit?”
“I have a place I support personally called the Hunter Rehabilitation Center… and I wanted to contribute to that…”
“The Hunter Rehabilitation Center? Where Uncle Chang-joo is?”
For a moment, Yeona’s eyes lit up. It seems she also knows about it.
“Yeah. I’m planning to go there tomorrow during my break to see them and deliver the money.”
“Then I’ll go with you. I haven’t seen Uncle in a while.”
“Thanks, Dad. Oh, if Jong-pal and Trigo have time, do you guys want to come too? It’ll be a good opportunity to get some fresh air.”
Jong-pal suggested. Trigo rolled his eyes, and Jong-sik shrugged. Well, might as well follow the thread of a needle.
The next day.
Except for Trigo, the three of them stepped out of the house.
Excluding Trigo wasn’t intentional. It was out of respect for his desire to continue working indoors.
“He probably still feels uncomfortable with outside attention.”
So, Jong-sik set up barriers to ensure he could work comfortably. It was for noise cancellation. Thanks to that, the family could venture out with much lighter hearts.
“Wow, I can’t hear a thing.”
“No need to worry about complaints. As expected, Dad had everything planned out.”
“I told you not to worry. They said we don’t need to. But I guess we have to see it for ourselves to believe it.”
“Heh.”
The street in front of their house was eerily quiet.
The women exchanged glances with Jong-sik, giving him a thumbs-up.
It’s embarrassing for something so trivial.
Jong-sik, feeling self-conscious, changed the subject.
“So, we’re going to the rehabilitation center today?”
“Yeah. An old colleague is hospitalized there. I used to visit him occasionally… but ever since you came, I’ve been too busy to go.”
“An old colleague?”
“Yeah. Chang-joo. He’s the brother-in-arms from our Hunter days.”
Jong-pal explained about the rehabilitation center and their acquaintance staying there.
As they left, two notices were posted on the door of “Dok’s Restaurant.”
[Now hiring staff.]
[Temporarily closed for interior renovations.]
Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
Nestled halfway up a mountain with a clear view of the Han River, the Seoul Hunter Rehabilitation Center stood.
“Is that the rehabilitation center you mentioned?”
Jong-sik frowned slightly as he gazed at the crumbling building.
According to Jong-pal, this place was a nursing facility that helps rehabilitate injured hunters. However, not all hunters in need of rehabilitation come here.
The patients admitted here are hunters without family or relatives, in other words, unclaimed hunters. This also meant that Park Chang-joo, an acquaintance of Jong-pal, was an unclaimed hunter.
Perhaps that’s why. Even though it’s in the heart of Seoul, there’s no one coming or going. The building itself looks old and damaged.
“Yeah. The atmosphere feels a bit strange, doesn’t it? Sometimes volunteer groups come here, but it seems like today isn’t one of those days. But once you go inside, the atmosphere feels different.”
“Yeah, Dad’s right. It looks like one of those secluded mental hospitals from the outside, but inside, it’s not much different from any other hospital!”
Yeona’s words seemed to understand Jong-sik’s thoughts perfectly. Why wouldn’t they? They had the same thoughts when they first encountered the rehabilitation center.
But even if they touched on the wrong topic, they were still way off. Jong-sik’s dark expression wasn’t because of that.
The outward appearance of the rehabilitation center didn’t matter at all. Neither did the lack of visitors. The reason for his expression was the faint mana he felt from the rehabilitation center.
“A mana at a nursing hospital. How intriguing.”
Jong-pal and Yeona, who couldn’t possibly know about it, were just guessing. Anyway, they urged Jong-sik to open the hospital door.
“What are you doing, Hyung? Come on in.”
“Yeah, okay.”
There’s no need to overthink the point.
‘I’ll check it out myself, and if it seems dangerous, we’ll just head home.’
With his thoughts organized like that, Jong-sik stepped into the building. Inside, it was much the same. The lobby of the rehabilitation center was just as silent.
‘Not much different inside or out.’
There was no sign of the staff who should be guarding the desk. Jong-pal chuckled and raised his voice.
“Excuse me.”
“Excuse me! Is anyone here?”
Then, from inside, a hurried staff member emerged, making a clattering noise.
“Yes, just a moment!”
Though it wasn’t even lunchtime, the staff member appeared with sauce smeared on his cheeks.
‘is he eating tteokbokki?’
“Oh, it looks like something’s on your cheek. Let me check.”
It’s incredible how oblivious some people can be. Yeona chuckled softly as she pointed out the sauce smeared on the staff member’s cheek.
Instantly, the staff member’s face turned as red as a beet. He awkwardly wiped his cheek with a sheepish expression.
“How did you end up here….”
“I’m here for a visit. The name is Park Chang-joo. Could you please check if a visit is possible?”
At the mention of a visit, a momentary confusion flashed in the staff member’s eyes.
‘Of course, there were no visit reservations accepted for today. That’s why they hadn’t even had a chance to enjoy dessert time comfortably.’
“Well, there aren’t any reservations for today.”
“Oh, I came in a hurry and didn’t get to make a reservation. Can I still visit?”
‘Certainly, it was possible. Reservations were only recommended. The staff member couldn’t be unaware of such regulations. Yet, they seemed somewhat uncomfortable.’
“If you come without a reservation, you may have to wait. Is that okay?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“All right. Just a moment, please.”
Soon, the staff member was holding a receiver.
After a while, he finished the call and addressed Jong-pal’s group.
“Patient Park Chang-joo is currently taking a bath. It shouldn’t take too long, so please wait for a moment. Once the attending caregiver contacts us, we’ll guide you right away.”
“Um, understood.”
There’s no easy task in this world, but caregiving for someone is quite demanding. Some might even say there’s no good deed in caregiving.
It’s a job with significant stress, not just about money.
One must have at least a minimum of volunteer spirit. Otherwise, the accumulated stress could affect the patient.
Of course, not all caregivers are like that. But generally, caregivers at the Hunter Rehabilitation Center are.
Yeom Se-ra, a caregiver affiliated with the rehabilitation center, was one of them.
She was enjoying a leisurely time when she received a call, her face contorting with annoyance.
‘It was a perfect time for a relaxing nap.’
A visitor appeared, that’s why.
It meant having to do arduous work unexpectedly. So, it’s no wonder irritation followed.
“Argh! Seriously, coming without a reservation and causing a fuss.”
She pouted and roughly grabbed the patient’s bed with her hand. To a visitor, it might seem like an empty bed being dragged, but there was a patient lying on it.
His name was Park Chang-joo.
Soon, the bed brought in by Yeom Se-ra entered the bathroom. She roughly grabbed Chang-joo’s hair.
Even beasts wouldn’t be handled like this. For a moment, Chang-joo and Yeom Se-ra locked eyes.
“Well, what are you gonna do if I stare at you? You’re as good as a living corpse anyway.”
But Yeom Se-ra wasn’t afraid. Why would she be? Park Chang-joo, the patient, was practically a living corpse.
A patient who could barely move his pupils wasn’t intimidating. No matter how much he might have been a hunter in his prime, the present mattered.
Yeom Se-ra pouted and roughly moved her hand. Cold water was poured onto the pleading face of Park Chang-joo.
