CH 405

The situation for the orphanage kids changed drastically.

They began experiencing similar events as Han Jin-Seong. The changes were so extreme that Han Jin-Seong started worrying about the orphanage kids growing skeptical about their fellow human beings.

Fortunately, though, it seemed Han Jin-Seong was a unique case among the children. Uniquely filled with negative energy, that was. Once he realized that about himself, his worries no longer seemed necessary.

Maybe other children were still too young and immature to understand, or they never had any expectations from their fellow men in the first place? Either way, they weren't perturbed by the drastic changes in the attitude of their peers.

“Jin-Seong hyung, I think you're still stuck in that eighth grader syndrome phase.”

“...!” Han Jin-Seong was gut-punched by that reply from one of the younger orphanage kids. Even though he was asking them out of concern for their mental health, how could they...!

What Han Jin-Seong had been most worried about was cleanly dealt with… Just like that. He thought this kind of method wouldn't adequately deal with the girls' problems, but…

'How the hell did the girls' problems get handled even cleaner than the boys?'

After comparing 'hyungs' to the boys with 'unnies' to girls, Han Jin-Seong rapidly realized that women could be so much more frightening. Someone once told him that scary unnies from the past used to stick razor blades in gums and spit them out, and well...

However, once Han Jin-Seong began accepting this situation, he immediately ran into another, more fundamental, problem.

Seriously!

Just from where!

Where did all these people appear from?! It was so weird to hear about how every 'chew and spit gum in class' thug attending the orphanage kids' schools would obey the orders from some random 'hyungs' showing up out of the blue!

Even worse still...! An even bigger problem soon reared its ugly head.

***

“...This can't be right. Anyone?” Han Jin-Seong asked while glancing at his companions with a worried face. Unfortunately, no positive reply returned his way. Han Jin-Seong faltered slightly. “But… But why?”

One of the orphanage boys helplessly called out to him. “Jin-Seong hyung.”

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“Y-yeah?”

“It'll be easier for you if you just give up.”

“...”

Han Jin-Seong shuddered at the sight of Bang Jin-Hun approaching him and the other orphanage boys. How could he not, though? Especially when Bang Jin-Hun was smiling like a sinister villain?

With a face like that, Bang Jin-Hun really had no need to use his fists! If he worked as a debt collector, Bang Jin-Hun would probably make a fortune in no time. After all, who would dare lie to that face and say they didn't have the money?!

“Fufufu, you little brats. Did you enjoy your extended break?” Bang Jin-Hun cackled ominously.

“...It was only two days, though?” Han Jin-Seong cautiously piped up.

“Two days are more than enough for your body to fully recover. Yes, more than enough, I tell you. Indeed…”

Han Jin-Seong's hunch was right. Being a debt collector suited Bang Jin-Hun to a T!

Words weren't getting through to Bang Jin-Hun. He didn't even pretend to listen to excuses, so what other job would suit him as much as collecting debts?! Exactly!

“So! Everyone, are you ready to sweat again like men today?”

“Excuse me!” Han Jin-Seong hurriedly raised his hand.

Bang Jin-Hun tutted. “You can save your questions.”

“Can I ask this one question, please? I mean, my question is incredibly fundamental in nature, you see?”

“Oh? Very well. I'll answer one question, then. However, the time spent answering your question will not count toward the overall exercise hours.”

“S-sure…”

“So, what's your question?”

“No matter how much I think about it, is there a need for us to continue exercising like this? When our situation seems to be more or less taken care of?”

“Listen to yourself, brat. Tsk, tsk…” Bang Jin-Hun loudly tutted while staring at Han Jin-Seong with open disdain.

Sensing that he had just unknowingly committed a terrible mistake, Han Jin-Seong hurriedly shrunk into his spot.

Bang Jin-Hun scanned the boys. “More or less taken care of, you say? What is? Were you thinking of asking other people to step up again when something similar happens to you in the future?”

“...No, sir.”

“If you're a man, learn how to protect yourself! Didn't you see what the 'hyungs' paying a visit to your schools look like?”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“How did they look to you?”

How did they look? How was Han Jin-Seong or other kids supposed to answer that question? Those 'hyungs' looked like excellent thugs? Or they all had the potential to become the next violent offender incarcerated for life?

Bang Jin-Hun stood proudly before the boys. “They are all my disciples!”

“...”

“Even though they haven't fully matured yet... If you are a man, at a bare minimum, you should try to reach their heights! Yes, at a bare minimum!”

At a bare minimum...? Their mere entrance was enough to flip the school on its head, and all the bullies acting like the world was their oyster had to become cute little puppies in front of their presence, yet… If that was what the 'Bare Minimum' looked like, what kind of a world were those people living in?!

“You should be even more honored since those punks never got a chance to receive my teachings directly! They are merely under the wings of some bastards reporting to some other bastards who report to my disciples.” Bang Jin-Hun roared in a pride-filled voice. “However, you are all under my personal guidance! Do you understand the significance of that!”

“Yessss…”

The orphanage boys replied, but their voices lacked energy or conviction.

“A man needs to have enough strength to protect himself! That is the inescapable fact established since time immemorial!”

...Sir, that theory has fallen out of favor in recent times, you know?

“I cannot stand the idea of people I know going around getting their asses beaten! If we weren't acquainted like this, I wouldn't have cared, but that's not true, now is it! Since we're acquainted, I shall turn you all into human weap... Oops, I mean, I shall all turn you into healthy men of South Korea!”

For a moment there, it seemed Bang Jin-Hun inadvertently let his real intention slip out. That wasn't important in the grand scheme of things, though!

What was important in this situation was that Bang Jin-Hun had no desire whatsoever to let these kids go because their bullying had been dealt with, and... The chasm between the 'Bare Minimum' Bang Jin-Hun talked about and the minimum these kids were thinking of was way too wide to be crossed!

“Well, then! Let's get started, gents! First thing first, some light exercises to loosen your muscles!”

Han Jin-Seong's expression progressively grew more cramped.

***

After the boys returned to the orphanage...

“Aigoo…”

“I, I'm dying…”

“Hyu~nnnng… We might really die at this rate...!”

While listening to the other orphanage boys, Han Jin-Seong seriously pondered what had changed about their training routine.

'You know what, it feels like… Nothing much has changed compared to when Jin-Ho hyung was in charge of our training...!'

Of course, Han Jin-Seong could see that some things were indeed different. If Han Jin-Seong were to verbalize Kang Jin-Ho's method, it would be like this: Kang Jin-Ho would place a massive wall before the children and tell them to leap over it. Unfortunately, that wall would be over ten meters tall.

Kang Jin-Ho's style was to install a wall that could never be overcome no matter what and half-threaten the kids with, 'As long as you overcome this, your life will become a little bit better.'

However, Bang Jin-Hun was totally different. He'd place a wall only two meters tall before the boys and tell them to jump over it. Once the boys managed to overcome that obstacle, Bang Jin-Hun would grant them enough time to rest and impart his know-how. Then, he'd bring a three-meter-tall wall next and sweet-talk the boys with how easy it'd be to overcome this obstacle as long as they stuck to his teachings.

What infuriated Han Jin-Seong was that… This method was working. Bang Jin-Seong would only issue trials that could be overcome as long as the boys were willing to work their butts off. And he'd reward the boys with more carrots and break time before putting them through their paces again.

“In the end, though… We're still exhausted as hell, aren't we?!”

Bang Jin-Hun took over not because Kang Jin-Ho's methods were ineffective but because it was too tough for the boys to handle. However, if Bang Jin-Hun's method was just as tough, what was the point of switching out the instructor?!

What pissed Han Jin-Seong off even more was all the 'Hahaha, hohoho~' coming out of the girls' room!

“Wooow, they are having a whale of a time, huh…!” Han Jin-Seong's expression crumpled hideously.

While Bang Jin-Hun was in charge of the boys… Actually, it'd be more correct to say his assistant, Cheon Tae-Hun, was in charge, but that would be splitting hairs. In any case! Choi Yeon-Ha was leading the orphanage girls.

Under her… 'tutelage', the orphanage girls were mastering how to decorate themselves to look prettier. And they were also being taught how to spend a crap ton of money to doll themselves up!

It was blindingly obvious that girls were having a much easier time than boys. Boys were being pushed to the brink of death here, after all! And the girls seemed to be enjoying a more pronounced effect from their learning, too!

“How can there be something this blatantly unfair?!”

Just as Han Jin-Seong began complaining, Choi Yeon-Ha entered the living room and heard his whining.

She loudly tutted. “You're complaining again? What a pathetic fool you are.”

Han Jin-Seong frowned deeply at how Choi Yeon-Ha kicked the door open.

'Seriously now, does that woman think this is her living room or something?!'

Since this wasn't the visiting hours, nor was Choi Yeon-Ha here to do community service, Han Jin-Seong was oh-so-tempted to tell her to come back later at a more suitable time, but… But, if he did that, he had an eerie hunch about not going to sleep tonight.

The high school girls would cuss him out to high heavens, the middle school girls would try to rip him apart with their glares, and then…

'The elementary school girls would cry and bite my head off…’

Oh, dear Lord...!

How could you grant that woman the power to enchant and manipulate other people!

And no, Choi Yeon-Ha hadn't just captivated the girls. She had also captured the hearts of the caregivers, teachers and volunteers by performing miracles (?) of replacing all the old appliances during her first visit, then installing aircon units in every room during her recent visit.

Such was Choi Yeon-Ha's sway over the orphanage that her fingerprint had been registered in the front door lock, too!

That was practically the same as Choi Yeon-Ha receiving a lifetime free pass to enter the orphanage whenever she felt like it.

In such a situation, the only reward Han Jin-Seong would receive for carrying out the lonesome resistance was... a bunch of cold shoulders.

Not only that, but...!

“Noona! It's great to see you!”

“Noona! I've brought you a glass of water.”

“Goodness, Unnie! Don't drink that filthy water! Hey, you! Take that thing away! Don't you know we bought coffee specially for Unnie?!”

“Unnie, I'm so happy to see you! Why are you late today, though! We have so many things to tell you, you know!”

'You rotten little...!'

Han Jin-Seong didn't have siblings or any other family members, either. So, he always considered other orphanage kids as his family. He firmly believed their trust and affection toward each other would never be betrayed.

Unfortunately, he was the only one thinking that way.

While watching the other kids urgently run around like loyal servants welcoming their queen after Choi Yeon-Ha had made her entrance, Han Jin-Seong began wondering if these kids were really the same brave warriors of the Seongsim Orphanage. He truly couldn't recognize them at all!

'You bunch of traitors!'

Choi Yeon-Ha glanced at Han Jin-Seong. “Mm? Why do you have such a sour look on your face?”

“...It's nothing, Noona.”

“Are you unhappy about something?”

“N-no. Not really.” Han Jin-Seong, finally brought to his knees by the cruel reality, swallowed back his tears and cautiously asked Choi Yeon-Ha. “By the way, Noona?”

“What is it?”

“Why don't you help us with that?”

“That? What do you mean?”

“I meant that,” Han Jin-Seong pointed at the girls.

Choi Yeon-Ha finally realized what Han Jin-Seong was on about and began snorting derisively. “Oh? So, you wanna know why I'm not helping you look better. Is that it?”

“Yes, Noona.”

“Ohohohohoho!” Choi Yeon-Ha threw her head back and laughed uproariously before staring at Han Jin-Seong with a serious look on her face. “Yes, I know how to improve someone's looks. But that's limited to humans, you see? I've no idea how to improve a squid, unfortunately.”

Han Jin-Seong began shuddering from anger. “S-s-squid?! Who is a squid here, Noona!”

“Haven't you seen yourself in a mirror before? When I first came here, I thought I stumbled into a seafood market by mistake, you know? You should just forget about it, Jin-Seong. Getting a good job will be better for you. Your problem can't be solved by nicer clothes and hairstyle, you know? After all, a squid will always be a squid no matter how much you pretty yourself up.”

Having devolved successfully into an invertebrate against his will, Han Jin-Seong began tearing up as he yelled at Choi Yeon-Ha. “How can you say that without even trying first!”

“A squid will still be a squid, though?”

Han Jin-Seong finally lost himself to anger. “What the heck?! Yes, I admit it! I admit that I'm a squid, okay! But I'm not asking you to transform me into Won Bin, okay?! I just wanna have a better chance while competing against other squids! I mean, isn't a cleaned-up squid better to look at than a freshly-caught one?!” [1]

“...!” For the first time since Choi Yeon-Ha came here, she began making an apologetic face. “...I don't have any excuses if that's how you feel, Jin-Seong. Okay, got it. I'll try to help you as much as I can, so please stop berating yourself like that, okay? Being born with an ugly face isn't your fault, after all…”

Even a hint of panic began setting in on Choi Yeon-Ha's face.

“I didn't know you'd be this hurt by the truth about your looks. Please forgive me, Jin-Seong.”

“D-don't apologize!”

Just how far are you willing to go to make me feel miserable?!

Warm tears trickled down Han Jin-Seong's eyes. And other squids sympathizing with the plight of their chief representative squid also began shedding tears.

The heavens were crying, soon joined by the ground below.

Choi Yeon-Ha seemed to have steeled her resolve as she reached out to the squids.

“I will help you. However, I have a condition.”

“What condition?”

Everyone stared at Choi Yeon-Ha.

1. Won Bin (real name Kim Do-Jin) is a South Korean actor and a heartthrob. ☜