Royal Roader on My Own Chapter 56: Mother like Daughter (II)

Chapter 56: Mother like Daughter (II)

“Honestly, I have a couple students that I am supporting.”

“Supporting?”

What is she suddenly talking about?

“Mmhmm. I can’t do much, but it’s only about 50,000 won a month. I couldn’t tell you earlier in case you got the wrong idea. I’m not doing it with your money. Oppa’s money is still in the account.”

You punk, what are you saying right now?

“You punk, why is that, ‘ my money ’ ? I gave it to you to spend however you want, so it is your money.”

I wasn’t disappointed about her not telling about her supporting other students, but I was really disappointed at her saying, “Oppa’s money.”

And that wasn’t what I was asking right now.

“Why did you suddenly decide to do that?”

“You know how I received help from here and there starting from middle school.”

She sure did. 50,000 won a month, 100,000 won a month, from this person and that person.

Since we really had nothing, even those small amounts helped a lot.

“Since I started to make money, I should return the favor. So I joined a group called the Upright Teachers. It’s a large national organization.”

“Since when do you make money.”

“I’ve been making a good amount of money through tutoring. Since oppa is doing well, I guess my luck has changed too. I suddenly got more students and I’m making over 3,000,000 won a month.”

She thinks just 3,000,000 won is making a lot.

I guess for a student, that is a large amount.

It makes sense. Unlike , Minji was always good at studying. If our family situation was better, she would have easily made it into dical school.

She’s also pretty, has a bright personality, and her major is math education, so it makes sense for her to be popular as a tutor.

But still.

“Aren’t you just filling up so scamr’s pockets? Don’t you know how wicked the world is these days? Forget sunbae or hoobae, you can’t even trust your own cousin in this world.”

Recently, I read an article about an organization called the ‘Seed of Hope’ that used trillions of mber funds to live a luxurious life.

There was also an article about a gangster scamr nad Uncle Molar.

Minji is more knowledgeable about society than I am. I’m sure that if I’ve heard about it, she knows about it as well.

“It’s not like that. Plus, I’m scheduled to et regularly with the students I am supporting. I’ve already t them twice and I will et them again soon. Oppa, do you think I am that gullible?”

No, Minji is not that gullible. She grew up in an environnt where she wouldn’t have been able to survive if she was gullible. And since she ets regularly with the students she supports, it shouldn’t be a scam.

But they say that you don’t carelessly take care of an animal with black hair.

“There is no guarantee that those students will grow up morally upright like you did. Just be prepared that you might be betrayed by them.”

“I know. It’s not like I’m helping them while expecting sothing in return. I just felt sorry for them because it reminded of my old self. Lots of passion, but the environnt doesn’t provide the ans to unleash that passion. So how could I turn a blind eye?”

After hearing what Minji had to say, it made sense. Especially the part about how it felt like seeing her old self.

But she should have just said one sentence and stopped. Instead, it feels like she’s about to go into a monologue.

“It’s not their fault that they were born and raised in a difficult family environnt. It’s so sad for their wings to get broken before they had a chance to follow their dreams even once. It’s also a waste for society and the nation.”

‘Society’ and even ‘nation’ have made an appearance. Isn’t she taking it too far?

“I believe it is the job of us as adults, and as teachers, to help lead those children to grow up properly. That is the only way for the nation to stand upright. I want to be that type of morally upright teacher.”

She has such a cute dream. With that type of ntality, she might even beco the Minister of Education.

Anyways, if she is helping with that type of mindset, I am relieved. At least she won’t be hurt by betrayal.

I also understand why she feels bad for those students.

But if there is one thing I was worried about,

“Don’t let mom find out. She’ll get angry.”

“Pfft.”

“Oi, why are you laughing?”

“Nothing. Oppa doesn’t need to know.”

Doesn’t need to know? That ans there is sothing. Sothing that I do not know and is a secret between Minji and my mom.

But Minji stopped there and ran away to the living room.

Fine. Let’s trust Minji. If her own brother doesn’t trust her, who will?

Plus, the desire to ‘return as much as I receive’ struck deep. People should definitely be that way.

I ca out to the living room as well. Our family chatted together for the first ti in a long ti. But then,

“Who turned the boiler on?”

She’s so observant. It hasn’t even been 10 minutes since I secretly turned it on.

I just scratched my head and my mom just gave a look. Of course she was half smiling.

“Son, get ready and co out.”

Is it ti already?

I changed into the clothes I wore when I ca down from Seoul and ca out to the living room.

My mom and Minji were already ready to go. But,

Oh! Who is this?

“Are you really Minji?”

I subconsciously looked up and down Minji’s whole body.

Minji did a twirl as if telling to look all I want. It was like she was doing a fashion show all on her own.

“Well? Isn’t it pretty?”

I usually don’t say things like this to Minji that often. I don’t want people to say I’m just saying it because she’s my sister. But this ti, it just slipped out.

“It’s stunning. Where did you buy it?”

It is a one piece that feels like a hanbok [1], but is very luxurious and fashionable. Plus, when you add Minji’s beautiful face to it, it is stunning.

“I didn’t buy it. The designer made it just for and stitched each stitch with their own hands to make it. A one of a kind piece of clothing.”

“One of a kind my ass.”

Cheapskate Minji would not have custom ordered clothes from a designer. She must have gotten it off a website sowhere.

But it does look good. It looks much better than an outfit you could buy at the departnt store. Good enough to claim it ca from a designer.

But my mom said sothing weird. It feels like my mom knows exactly where the clothes ca from.

“Is it the clothes Soo Jung made for you?”

“Soo Jung? Who is that?”

“A student I’ve been supporting since two months ago. She made this for to say thank you.”

I was surprised to hear that. She probably isn’t supporting a college student. So then a high school student designed and made that?

It is definitely worth supporting such talented individual.

“She made you all of that for just supporting her with 50,000 won?”

“Okay fine, I bought it. She said she would make it for free, but how could I let her do that? She’s going to beco a famous designer in the future.”

A famous designer.

Just looking at Minji’s clothes was enough to believe it. Good seeds go on to beco great trees.

But it was too soon to tell. This outfit might be the first and last work of her life. The important factor is whether she can continue to create designs like this.

But it does make curious.

“Tell her to make one too. I’ll give her a good price for it.”

“Depends on how you act. But is it really that pretty?”

Asking once is enough. Why ask again?

But I will answer up to twice. Especially so that I can get one too.

“The shaul is okay but the clothes are really pretty. But it might be cold.”

“Tada, I have this as well.”

It was a thick overcoat. Even when soone like , who has no fashion sense, was looking at it, it matched perfect with the hanbok style one piece.

“That too?”

“I bought this one. Soo Jung helped pick out one that goes well with the outfit. Guess how much it was?”

“How much?”

“Seeeeecret~!”

Minji just seems to want to tease .

Whatever. I’m not curious at all.

But I am a bit interested in the student nad Soo Jung. How old she is, and how she ca up with such a design. I want to go with Minji and et her once.

“Let’s hurry. We’re going to be late. Hwi Ram, you hold the King Crab.”

I guess we can’t show up to soone else’s place empty handed.

I carried the King Crab and followed my mom out of the apartnt.

The place my mom headed to was the villa next to our apartnt. The size was about the sa as ours, but it was really old.

“Whose house is it?”

“Hayeon’s house.”

I heard the na before. Every ti I ca down to Daejeon, the na Hayeon ca up every so often.

But I was never really interested in who that was.

“You don’t know how cute the kids in this house are. I don’t even realize how much ti is going by when I am with them. Our Minji and Hwi Ram need to get married soon and have so kids.”

My mom does love children quite a bit. Even if we are walking down the street, if there is a baby, she’ll stop walking and forget about everything.

But still. Minji and I are barely twenty four and twenty six. Why is she talking about marriage already?

We arrived at the entrance of the villa talking like that.

But are there a lot of kids? We’re not even in the entrance and I can hear the ruckus.

Once we got up to the second floor, my mom pressed the doorbell.

“Who is it?”

“Auntie.”

– Wah, it’s Aunt Gongju.

My mom’s hotown is Gongju. That must be why she is called ‘Aunt Gongju.’

The door opened and a little kid who looked like they were in elentary school jumped out. No, kids. There are also so older students. There’s a whole range of children from toddlers waddling around to middle schoolers.

All of them ran over like they were seeing their own mom when they saw my mom. Even the little baby who looked to be about three years old followed their siblings and grabbed my mom’s thigh.

‘Ah, that little one is really cute.’

The baby is like a koala. The way he looks, and the way he acts.

Now that I think about it, all of the kids are cute. They must have so good genes.

“Unni, you’re here? Please co in.”

A lady’s voice. I soon saw her and she seed to be in her mid-40s. She must be Hayeon’s mom that mom was talking about.

The kids are all pretty because they look like their mom. They have great smiles as well.

Hayeon’s mom greeted my mom and Minji brightly before hesitating a bit after seeing .

“Is this your son who lives in Seoul?”

“He’s handso, isn’t he?”

“Wow! He looks like a model. Please co in.”

I entered the door and handed her the King Crab first.

“This……”

“Omo, you brought sothing again? You should have just co on a day like today. But I’m sorry the house is a ss. I cleaned a bit but it still looks like this.”

It would actually be more abnormal if a house with a lot of kids was clean.

I avoided the toys and dolls scattered all over the place and went into the house.

There was a birthday feast in the middle of the living room.

Seaweed soup was a given, and there was also kalbi, stir-fried baby octopus, japchae [2]……

‘Isn’t this too grand?’

But the food wasn’t the problem. The house was like a chaotic marketplace. There were kids running all over the place and it was so hectic.

So ca out of the room. So ca out of the restroom. Why the heck is that one coming out of the closet? Scared . Just how many of them are there? One, two, three……

Gasp! There are seven of them.

Oh, wait! Am I wrong? Who are those ladies who are cooking away at the sink? She seems like a full grown lady, but her dolled up face is similar to Hayeon’s mom.

“We didn’t prepare much. But our Hayeon and Jiyeon prepared it all.”

“Ay, Hayeon and Jiyeon must be good with their hands like their mom and dad.”

So those lady-like students are Hayeon and Jiyeon.

Then nine?

Oh my gosh! It’s not that these kids were from four or five families, but just one family has nine kids.

Seeing my surprised expression, Hayeon’s mom looked a bit embarrassed.

“There are quite a few kids, right?’

“Ah, yes. Haha.”

I don’t know why I am laughing. This is definitely not just ‘quite a few.’

But my mom’s already in lalaland. Does she like children that much?

I can’t just sit still.

I started to talk to the first grader who seed to be the biggest pushover.

“Little kid. What’s your na?”

“My na is Lee Min Young.”

“Your na is pretty too. Co over here.”

I took my wallet out of my pocket. Min Young quickly put both hands in front of him and got close to .

“Buy sothing yummy at school.”

“Thank you very much.”

Just looking at the way he received it makes feel like they were taught well.

“You co here too.”

I called the kids one by one and gave each of them a 10,000 won bill.

“Since you are all grown up, 20,000 won for you.”

“Thank you very much.”

Hold on, is it okay to give an allowance to ladies? They don’t seem to be much younger than .

Eh, whatever. I’m not giving it with ill intentions. I just have to pretend to be an adult at tis like this.

Plus, I heard that you are considering the parents when you give their kids an allowance. Since you can’t give money to the parents, you give it through the kids.

Thankfully, I had a 50,000 won bill.

I went toward the sink and handed out the money.

“You two must be Hayeon and Jiyeon. This is for preparing the birthday al.”

“That’s okay.”

“It’s okay.”

“You’re supposed to take it in tis like this.”

I forced a 50,000 won bill in each of their hand and headed back to the living room.

Thanks to that, my wallet felt empty. My heart was also just as light.

Anyways, why is that little one so cute. I really want to hug him, but he’s fast for just waddling around.

Finally caught you.

I lifted up the three year old boy.

But I had to quickly put him down. As soon as I lifted him up, he started to cry really loudly.

“Waaaaaaaaaaa.”

“Ah, sorry. Sorry.”

It was the sa even when I put him down. He hid behind my mom’s leg and looked at with a cautious gaze.

I guess 10,000 won wasn’t enough to make a kid get over their shyness.

I couldn’t help but watch him from afar.

But isn’t this too loud?

There is a mat for kids on the floor so it shouldn’t be too loud, but the noise of the kids talking was ringing throughout the apartnt.

This wasn’t the level of a family ho. It was more like a children’s playhouse or kindergarten.

At this level, their downstairs neighbor, as well as their next door neighbor, and even their upstair neighbor would be complaining. Even , who ca here as a guest, feels uncomfortable just thinking about it.

Just as I predicted.

Not too long later, the doorbell rang.

Dingdong-

The elentary kid ran toward the door as if saying ‘ first.’ He then shouted loudly as soon as he saw the screen of the intercom.

“Mom, downstairs grandma!”

‘Oy, it finally happened. I thought it would be like this.’

I was getting nervous just sitting there.

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[1] Korean traditional outfit

[2] Japchae or chapchae (Korean glass noodle stir fry with at and vegetables), is a very popular Korean dish. It is the number one sought after dish during the Korean festive holidays (e.g.New Year’s day and Harvest festival) but it is also enjoyed on any other common day as well.

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Translator : Miraclerifle

Proofreader : Borderline Masochist