OMH Chapter 48

48. Hooligan (12)

Now the task is set.

In next week’s mission, I have to create a performance from Woojin that even unfamiliar people can acknowledge.

First, I decided to pour everything into Woojin’s training. He’ll need to know a lot to make a difference.

If possible, I want to start right away.

But the situation didn’t allow it.

Woojin, who had a fever since yesterday morning, is still sick.

‘I’ve already missed two classes, what should I do?’

Because I took two days off in a row, the Research Center and the Central Center are all over me. Even the Guide Bureau is calling.

Seriously, it’s not like I wanted to take a break, why is everyone being so harsh? I understand the Research Center and the Central Center, but why is the Guide Bureau doing this? Woojin, who is a Guide, is sick, why are they acting like this? Everyone is just so impatient.

I sent a message to our ‘High-Risk Esper’ kids to film their training today and send it to me, settling today’s class in that way.

If I leave data like this, the researchers and the Central will be satisfied, right?

After tidying up the situation with my laptop and Smartwatch, I turned my head towards Woojin.

Woojin, still with a fever patch on his forehead, was weakly eating porridge.

‘His face has become half its size in just two days. If I had forced him to attend class yesterday and today, Woojin would have died.’

I reached out to Woojin, who looked pitiful.

I brushed away the hair sticking to his forehead due to sweat and measured Woojin’s temperature with the back of my hand. Woojin tensed up at my touch, as if he was still not feeling well.

I massaged Woojin’s neck and shoulders to relax him.

“Are you very tired? Do you want to go to the bed instead of the table? Should I move you?”

“Ah, no… I’m okay… I’m okay, so please take your hand away…”

Woojin stopped eating and hunched his shoulders and neck.

‘Why is he doing that? Is it ticklish?’

I took my hand away as Woojin asked. Woojin sat up straighter with a relieved expression.

I watched Woojin eat in silence for a while before speaking.

“By the way, Woojin-ssi, as you know, we have another mission this weekend.”

“Ah, yes…”

“You don’t have to answer, just eat comfortably. Um… this mission was arranged by the Director of the Guide Bureau.”

*gulp*

Woojin swallowed what was in his mouth and stared at me.

“So, you need to show some results to prove that you’re team leader material. So, if possible… if we could start training right away… that would be good…”

I brought up the urgent matter boldly, but I couldn’t bring myself to say that we should start training right after he finishes eating.

‘How can I shamelessly say that to Woojin, who is clearly sick?’

His skin was already pale, but it was even more so now, making him look like he would break at any moment.

If I could, I would persuade Director Kim to cancel the mission.

Is performance more important now? Human life is more important.

Should I just cancel the mission? I think I can coax Director Kim if I try.

I was even having ridiculous thoughts when Woojin spoke to me.

“Then, are we going to the training grounds later?”

“Oh, that would be nice, but… since Woojin-ssi isn’t feeling well, let’s just do some theory here. Actually, there’s a lot you need to know to be a team leader. I’ll show you the materials one by one and explain them to you.”

Is it just my imagination? It seems like Woojin’s face is even paler now.

*

“So, what type of combat is this mission we’re going on this time? I just told you. Answer me, Woojin-ssi.”

“Th, that’s… guerilla, defense combat… type…”

“Hmm~ Guerilla combat is the perspective of the hooligan. Our purpose is to protect the civilians. Our purpose is to protect an area.”

“Protect an area?”

“Yes, if we classify it, it’s a base defense type. The residential area outside of Downtown is also protected by the Association. So, there are always people patrolling there. The personnel in charge take turns guarding it. However, they are constantly recruiting additional personnel through missions. We are going as those additional personnel.”

“Ah, I see…”

“So, it would be good to know the people in charge there, so I brought the list here. Take a look. The top is the team leader, and the bottom is the team members. The team members are not in alphabetical order, but in classification number order, so it’s good to remember that too. The alphabet in front of the classification number is the grade. Easy to understand, right?”

To cram in as much as possible in a short period of time, I systematically explained everything I knew.

Woojin was flustered but tried his best to follow my explanation. His perplexed expression was cute and pitiful, but it couldn’t be helped.

Team leader-level people need to know more information than regular Espers or Guides, but Woojin knows less than the teenagers in my class.

If possible, it’s good to convey all the information essential to a team leader during this time when we are alone.

What would kids stuck in the Research Center do with this information? They don’t even have enough time just to train.

Although I didn’t have class, my work didn’t decrease from when I did.

After teaching Woojin, I have to check the kids’ training videos, write a report on them, make a lesson plan for tomorrow, and prepare the list of items to borrow for the mission equipment.

While organizing the things to do in my head, I glanced at Woojin.

Cha Wooreen, who had been playing alone, was clinging to Woojin and complaining that she was bored.

Seeing that he can easily withstand Cha Wooreen’s weight, I can take her to class tomorrow.

While I was having these pleasant thoughts, Woojin spoke again.

“By the way, Hana-ssi.”

“Yes? What’s wrong? Is something difficult?”

“No, it’s not that… I was wondering if there are any facilities like kindergartens. I’m worried that she’s always being neglected.”

‘Ah, is that so? I haven’t really thought about that problem.’

I looked at Cha Wooreen, who was clinging to Woojin like a baby monkey. Was it wrong to just keep her by my side so she wouldn’t get lost? I thought it was enough to make sure she ate regularly and take care of her bathroom needs.

Cha Wooreen, who was burying her face in Woojin’s arms, mumbled.

“No. I don’t need to go to kindergarten. I’ll be with my brother.”

“If you go to kindergarten, you can meet friends and there are a lot of fun things to do. You’re bored right now, aren’t you?”

Hearing Woojin’s words, Cha Wooreen shook her head and clung to Woojin even more tightly.

‘She doesn’t seem to want to go, but do you really have to send her, Woojin-ah?’

*

I went straight down to Downtown and inquired around, and surprisingly, a daycare center existed.

“Seriously, the Korean passion for education is amazing. They’re creating educational institutions even in a world that’s almost a ruin. An educational zeal that even monsters can’t break.”

I stood in front of a building with the sign “Hope Daycare” with admiration.

They’re using an entire building as a daycare center. How many kids are there these days? Moreover, the sign is attached to the daycare’s name, and it’s full of confidence.

I opened the front door and the chime rang.

There were shoe racks attached to each wall in the entrance, and there were quite a lot of shoes in them.

Perhaps because the bell rang, a man with messy hair and a beard appeared in the empty entrance.

“Hello, what brings you here?”

The man’s impression, smiling brightly, seemed good, but I couldn’t guess what he did. He seems like he would burn incense and meditate outdoors, claiming it was naturalistic psychological treatment, but why is he in a daycare center?

“Hello. I was wondering if she could attend here. Cha Wooreen, come out and say hello.”

Woojin exchanged greetings with the unknown hairy man.

Cha Wooreen, who was holding onto Woojin’s waist and refusing to let go, also greeted him with a sullen expression.

“…Hello.”

“Hello? Is your name Wooreen? How old are you?”

“Uh… six years old.”

The unknown man showed great interest after seeing Wooreen.

Then, he told the child to come in and look around, leading us inside.

The man’s name was ‘Seon Woo-hyun’ and he said he was the director here. ‘Seon’ is the surname and ‘Hyun’ is the name.

Seon Woo-hyun, walking a little ahead of us, enthusiastically explained this and that.

If I were to briefly summarize his explanation, it would be like this.

He said that there are various children here, from babies to teenagers. It can’t be helped because it’s the only educational institution in this neighborhood. Usually, the teachers do all the teaching, but they use teenagers as part-timers because they don’t have enough manpower to feed the children or change diapers.

There are a total of 56 children, and 20 of them are under 3 years old. There are only 5 teachers including the director, but he said that the other 4 teachers besides the director are in class, so we can’t meet them right now.

And fortunately, there is a 6-year-old attending this place.

Woojin’s expression brightened when he heard that there was a child the same age as Cha Wooreen.

“Wooreen-ah, if you go here, you can meet friends. You always said that your older siblings and adults don’t play with you. Now you can play with your friends.”

“What’s a friend?”

“Someone who is about your age and will play with you. You haven’t met any friends your age until now, so this is good, right?”

Cha Wooreen had an expression that she didn’t know what was going on, but Woojin was so happy that his eyes were welling up with tears.

‘I don’t really know, but I guess I have to go along with it since Woojin likes it.’

We decided to send Cha Wooreen to daycare tomorrow morning.

There’s no such thing as a school bus, so when taking the child to and from daycare, we have to bring her and pick her up directly.

‘Hmm, my work has increased.’

*

Since we came out anyway, we bought Cha Wooreen’s toys and school supplies, and bought some kitchen utensils like pots. I’m tired of borrowing and returning Kim Sanghyuk’s every time, so it’s better to buy my own pot.

After finishing our errands, we got in the car to go back.

But Woojin, who was sitting in the passenger seat, was fidgeting.

‘What is it? Is his condition getting worse again?’

“Now you’ll have to take Wooreen every day from tomorrow… I’m so sorry.”

He didn’t have any particular complaints, but Woojin, whose heart is as soft as silk, seemed to be worried about that.

“Ah, it’s okay~ Just think of it as driving for fun. It’s not that far either.”

“I, I’m really sorry. I wish I had gotten a license…”

“A license? What license?”

Woojin looked at me with a slightly dazed expression after hearing my answer. But even that face is handsome.

“…Driver’s license.”

“Hey, you don’t need that much to drive. You just need to know how to step on the accelerator and brake, and how to grab the steering wheel. There aren’t even traffic lights. Do you want to drive, Woojin-ssi? Should I teach you?”

“……”

Woojin didn’t answer my words and tightly grabbed the handle above the window.

‘Why is he doing that? I’m a really good driver. I really am.’

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