# Chapter 88
“Oh no, the wounds are serious.”
“We should take him to the hospital… Little one, do you have your parents’ number?”
“Uh, hic… waaah…”
Jeongyeon nodded frantically while unable to stop crying. Not knowing exactly why he was so upset, his face crumpled completely as tears streamed down. It was the first time he had cried so loudly.
His parents, who received the news belatedly, came rushing over.
“Jeongyeon!”
The moment he saw his parents’ faces, Jeongyeon snapped back to his senses. His clothes and face were a mess, he had disobeyed his teacher’s instructions to never approach a mutant, and even the cat that could prove his intentions had disappeared. The blood drained from his already pale face. What if they thought he was a troublemaker? But that wasn’t it, he really wanted to behave well…
“I’m, I’m sorry…”
He was so nervous he could barely speak properly. Before his stammering sentence could be completed, a warm palm urgently cupped Jeongyeon’s cheek.
“They said you were hurt! Where are you hurt? Are you in a lot of pain? Let’s get to the hospital quickly.”
It was a fast and anxious tone that Jeongyeon had never heard from his father before. To Jeongyeon, it sounded like he was quite angry. He rolled his eyes nervously as he examined his parents’ faces. Should he apologize again? Would they forgive him? …Would they send him back? But the cat…
Just then, his mother, who had been quietly observing his frightened face, tapped his father’s shoulder. As his father turned to look at her with confusion, she pushed him aside and reached out to Jeongyeon. Jeongyeon unconsciously squeezed his eyes shut.
And then he was wrapped in warm arms.
“It’s okay.”
“…”
“It’s okay, Jeongyeon.”
Even as he heard those words, Jeongyeon didn’t know exactly what was okay or how. But after hearing her words, he truly felt like everything was okay. So the child relaxed and leaned into her embrace. In an instant, his eyes, nose, and cheeks turned red again.
“…Hic…”
“You were scared, it’s okay. We’re here now.”
Jeongyeon cried his eyes out again. Even though he cried for a long time like a disobedient child, his parents didn’t rush him and continued to comfort him until his crying stopped.
Later, while receiving treatment at the hospital, his parents listened in detail about why Jeongyeon had acted that way. After hearing Jeongyeon’s full story, his parents told him that if something seemed too difficult, waiting for someone else’s help was also a good approach. The conversation was conducted in such a gentle and warm atmosphere that Jeongyeon could nod without feeling afraid.
“Still, it’s not easy to naturally feel that way in such a moment. Jeongyeon, you really are a good child.”
His father stroked his head as if proud of him. Though Jeongyeon had never thought about whether his actions were good or bad, being praised made him feel good. He quietly accepted the touch with a shy face.
After that, he got into similar “accidents” a few more times. Staying late to accompany a child who lost his mother, getting bruised after being pushed while stopping a group from bullying a dog, getting lost with an elderly woman while giving her directions…
But his parents never once said they should send Jeongyeon back. They never called him a troublemaker or said he was annoying or burdensome.
They just said they loved him.
About half a year after they started living together, Jeongyeon addressed them as Mom and Dad for the first time. His parents were surprised and delighted as they embraced him. Jeongyeon keenly noticed that their embrace trembled slightly with tears.
It was truly like a dream. The feeling of warmth in his heart came every day. The boy gradually grew accustomed to his loving parents.
It was impossible not to love them.
A year after his adoption, Jeongyeon’s superpower manifested by chance. Naturally, the first people he told were his parents.
“That’s amazing!”
His parents rejoiced as if it were their own achievement. His father said they should move to Chohosi when Jeongyeon was old enough for high school. His tone was excited, as if they were going on a picnic.
“If you become a hunter, you can help people with your superpower. That’s a very meaningful thing to do.”
After saying that, his father added:
“Our Jeongyeon likes helping people, after all.”
There was a mischievous note in his voice, but by now Jeongyeon knew it wasn’t a criticism.
Not just Jeongyeon, but his parents also enjoyed helping others. They always said it was important for everyone to live together. They often participated in volunteer activities and social contributions.
Sometimes they took Jeongyeon to those events. Although the volunteer activities his parents encouraged were sometimes difficult, he liked hearing how much people there appreciated his parents. It was very satisfying and rewarding to hear others like the parents he loved.
He wanted to be like them. He wanted to resemble them. He wanted to see their proud smiles.
So Jeongyeon decided on his career path.
“I want to become a hunter.”
“Jeongyeon is really such a good child.”
In truth, that decision was only for his parents’ sake, but Jeongyeon swallowed his words because he liked being praised as a good child. Following his father’s gentle hand patting his head, he clung to him and nuzzled his cheek. It was a broad, warm embrace that he could stay in for a lifetime.
Time flew by. Soon Jeongyeon graduated from elementary school and entered middle school. It was a prestigious private school famous in the area.
The neatly fitted uniform was unfamiliar and uncomfortable, but his parents made a fuss about taking pictures of Jeongyeon in his uniform to cherish forever. The three of them actually gathered to take photos, and the frame containing them was placed in the very center of the living room shelf. So Jeongyeon came to like wearing his uniform too.
Middle school life was both different from and similar to elementary school. He tried hard to do well, but he didn’t make friends easily. It was because rumors had spread that he was adopted.
But in Jeongyeon’s own mind, that wasn’t a bad thing at all. If he hadn’t been adopted, he wouldn’t have met his current parents. Jeongyeon even felt somewhat grateful to his birth parents, whose faces he didn’t know, who had abandoned him. Because of that, he didn’t care at all what others thought.
All that mattered to him were his parents. When Jeongyeon chattered away during dinner time about what he had done that day, his parents would smile and say it must have been fun. They asked what he liked, and told him what they liked too. Jeongyeon learned that his father loved green, the sea, and coffee; his mother loved purple, oranges, and fluffy blankets; and both of them loved the number 7, traveling, and movies. That alone was plenty of fun for him.
Literally, every day was so enjoyable.
Jeongyeon wished this moment would last forever. Even after two years, reality was so overwhelming that he would often wake up in the middle of the night, turn on the light, and examine his room. Only after confirming his spacious room would he bury his head in his pillow and go back to sleep.
One day, a guest came to the house. He was his father’s younger brother, who would be Jeongyeon’s uncle.
“So you’re my brother’s new son. You look quite bright.”
Jeongyeon immediately liked his uncle who spoke kindly to him at their first meeting and patted his head.
His uncle said he had come to visit his brother’s house while taking a short vacation. He played with Jeongyeon, who was spending his summer vacation, in place of his busy working parents. He bought him delicious food, watched movies together, and helped with homework.
As they spent more time together, the uncle naturally learned that Jeongyeon had a superpower.
“That’s an amazing ability.”
Jeongyeon felt proud at the eyes that made no effort to hide their surprise. He showed off by creating various things. Soon the wide dining table was filled with pure white bowls and mugs.
“What do you want to do with this ability?”
“I want to become a hunter and help people.”
At the answer that came out without hesitation, his uncle stroked his chin thoughtfully, making a “hmm” sound.
“But you have to be over twenty to become a hunter. That’s still six years away.”
“That’s true… But I’ll have to wait.”
“Are you not interested in helping people in other ways besides being a hunter? There are many methods these days.”
At his uncle’s words, Jeongyeon pondered. Even if not as a hunter, if Jeongyeon helped people, his parents would surely be happy.
When his parents were happy, he was happy too.
“How would I do that?”
The man’s face was reflected fully in the sparkling black eyes. His uncle smiled with satisfaction.
His uncle said that he needed Jeongyeon to help a certain child. Childcare. That was one of the volunteer activities Jeongyeon enjoyed. It would certainly be a good deed. Jeongyeon nodded willingly.
His uncle explained it to his parents too. And to fully utilize Jeongyeon’s help, he said he would take him to his research facility and look after him throughout the summer vacation.
“It’s like a camp. A summer camp.”
His uncle’s face, winking as he said this, looked mischievous.
