Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 1788

Looking Back (4)

“Can someone explain to me why they’re acting like this?”

“Well, that’s….”

Cho Mi-hye’s cheek twitched.

Her eyes clearly saw Kang Jin-ho and Han Jin-sung enthusiastically playing a game on the console connected to the daycare center’s living room TV.

A game?

Oh, they can play. Sure, they can play.

But the snack bags and drink cups scattered in front of the game console were making her head spin slightly.

“Hey! Retaker!”

“Ugh, damn it!”

Han Jin-sung whipped his head around.

“I told you not to call me that, right?”

“I’m calling a retaker a retaker, what else should I call you! What are you doing instead of studying?”

“Ha….”

Han Jin-sung clicked his tongue and then looked at Cho Mi-hye, saying,

“People can work hard when they get proper rest. Don’t you even know that?”

“……Hey, you guys.”

“Yes, sis.”

“How long has that good-for-nothing been acting like that?”

“I think it was before dinner?”

“Huh? Before dinner? It’s 11 o’clock now?”

Cho Mi-hye rushed forward and kicked Han Jin-sung in the back.

“Hey, you damn human! Are you even human, acting like this!”

“Ouch! Ouch! It wasn’t me, it was hyung who wanted to! Jin-ho hyung!”

“There’s no way oppa [older brother or a term of endearment for an older male] would do that? You must have coaxed him. Right, oppa?”

When Cho Mi-hye’s eyes turned to him, Kang Jin-ho smiled gently.

“Sure.”

“See, you jerk!”

“Wow, they say you can’t trust anyone in this world!”

“Jerk? How dare you call your oppa a jerk!”

Watching Han Jin-sung getting hit on the back, Kang Jin-ho carefully put down the controller.

Even while getting hit, Han Jin-sung glared with resentment, but Kang Jin-ho cleanly ignored his gaze.

You should have behaved better normally.

“Go, human! Go! Why is someone who left the dorm still here playing at this hour! Go home!”

“No! But, the director is playing with me, why only me….”

“Because the director is the director!”

“Wow….”

It was very unfair, but it made sense.

“……But oppa, why aren’t you going home at this hour? Are you planning to sleep over tonight?”

“Huh? No. Well, it’s not like that….”

Kang Jin-ho glanced at Cho Mi-hye and said in a small voice,

“It’s just that, well, there’s nothing I need to rush home for.”

“Huh?”

Cho Mi-hye, who was quick to notice the subtle change in his expression, narrowed her eyes and looked at Kang Jin-ho.

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho subtly averted his gaze.

“Well, do as you please. If you’re going to sleep over, sleep in that room.”

“Is that okay?”

“……Director, why are you doing this? Isn’t this building owned by you?”

“The foundation is not owned by an individual, but by the foundation….”

“Ah, never mind.”

Cho Mi-hye, who swallowed the words ‘That foundation is yours,’ chuckled and said,

“Anyway, do as you please.”

Whether he plays games or lies down to sleep, Kang Jin-ho is always welcome. Basically, when Kang Jin-ho is at the daycare center, the atmosphere improves.

It improves….

“But why are they all acting like that?”

Cho Mi-hye, seeing the children dozing off in the corner, tilted her head. Indeed, she also felt a bit drowsy. It wasn’t time to sleep yet.

“Is there any problem?”

At Kang Jin-ho’s words, Cho Mi-hye frowned.

“Again, again, you’re trying to buy something. Oppa, you’re a shopaholic.”

“You were calling me director a moment ago.”

“It’s because you’re using your personal card!”

This was a subtle matter.

The capital of the Sungsim Welfare Foundation was simply money contributed from Kang Jin-ho’s personal account. Of course, they were supplementing operating expenses by running some profitable businesses, but if any problems arose, it meant that Kang Jin-ho would have to cover it with his own money.

‘It’s much easier to use my own money than that money.’

No need to worry about complicated accounting procedures.

Of course, it’s not like Kang Jin-ho is the one doing it.

“So, is there anything you need?”

“Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“We also have a conscience. I hope you know that we’re not just taking without giving.”

“……I’m sorry if I made you feel bad.”

“Why are you taking it like that! You’re making me feel awkward!”

Cho Mi-hye yelled, and Han Jin-sung chuckled.

“Why is she getting angry?”

“Want to die?”

“Yes….”

Han Jin-sung glanced at Cho Mi-hye and whispered to Kang Jin-ho.

“Hyung [older brother or a term of endearment for an older male].”

“Yeah?”

“The kids don’t have cell phones these days. They need them for online lectures and stuff.”

“Hmm, the kids need phones?”

“Oppa, I told you to be quiet.”

“No, no, it’s not like that.”

Han Jin-sung said confidently.

“Think about it. It’s not for playing, but for academic purposes. Then it’s not Jin-ho hyung’s problem, but the daycare center’s problem. Jin-ho hyung, as the director of the foundation, should know this!”

“We can just take care of it ourselves.”

“Ahem!”

Han Jin-sung massaged Kang Jin-ho’s shoulders and said,

“You don’t know this, but Jin-ho hyung is someone who takes pride in the fact that Sungsim Daycare Center receives the best support in Korea. So, if that reputation is tarnished because of something he doesn’t know, how upset would he be? Right, hyung?”

“What are you talking about?”

Han Jin-sung shrunk back, and Cho Mi-hye looked at Kang Jin-ho and said,

“Oppa, we don’t need it, so don’t worry about it. I think you’re spending too much money on the daycare center.”

“But if you need it….”

“How are you going to manage if you waste money like that? It’s not like you can keep earning well forever. We’re okay, so don’t do that. Okay?”

“No….”

“I said we don’t need it.”

At that moment, the door burst open.

“What don’t you need?”

Kang Jin-ho and Cho Mi-hye looked towards the door with trembling eyes. Choi Yeon-ha, wearing a tracksuit, was glaring at the two of them.

It felt like some eerie aura was emanating from her.

“……Did she come from hell?”

“Oh, unnie [older sister or a term of endearment for an older female], you’re here? I heard you went to the States?”

“I just arrived.”

“Ah….”

“So, what is it that you need?”

Choi Yeon-ha’s eyes blazed, and Cho Mi-hye’s face showed that she had given up on everything.

“Well….”

“It’s simple.”

After listening to the explanation, Choi Yeon-ha took a sip of her instant coffee and said cheerfully,

“So, you’re worried that this guy is spending too much money, right? You feel burdened?”

“……It’s a bit like that. It feels wrong to just accept it without any thought.”

Cho Mi-hye said, looking a bit embarrassed.

“Of course, since we’ve received so much so far, it’s not like I can say anything carelessly.”

“You’re so thoughtful.”

Choi Yeon-ha reached out and patted Cho Mi-hye’s back.

It was admirable that a child would think like this, but she didn’t necessarily like it.

“But that’s a useless worry.”

“Yes?”

“A child should just say ‘thank you’ when they receive something. Have you ever seen other kids your age complain to their parents about why they’re giving them such expensive gifts?”

“But oppa is….”

“Ah, right. This person isn’t your parent.”

“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant….”

“It’s okay.”

“Yes?”

Choi Yeon-ha gestured towards Kang Jin-ho with a nonchalant expression.

“He probably doesn’t want to be seen that way either. He’s not sensitive enough to be hurt by those words.”

Ah, that could be true.

But is it okay to say that in front of him?

Cho Mi-hye subtly glanced at Kang Jin-ho. But Kang Jin-ho’s expression didn’t change at all.

“Buy it.”

“Unnie, that’s….”

“Okay, look. There are two problems right now. The first is whether it’s a problem for the kids to just accept whatever Jin-ho buys them.”

“Yes.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“Unnie.”

Choi Yeon-ha chuckled and looked at Cho Mi-hye.

“Do you know what your biggest problem is?”

“……I don’t know.”

“It’s that you expect the other kids to be as considerate as you are.”

Cho Mi-hye slightly opened her mouth. But it was Kang Jin-ho who flinched at those words.

“Of course, it would be nice if they were all kind, considerate, thoughtful, and even pretty.”

“Why pretty?”

“It’s nice, isn’t it?”

It felt a bit random, but it probably wouldn’t hurt.

“But people aren’t all like that. Not everyone can be kind, considerate, and thoughtful. When kids from other families show off expensive things, you might think it’s unavoidable because you’re different, but someone might be crying inside.”

“Still….”

“It’s not good to expect them to understand that either.”

Choi Yeon-ha chuckled and said,

“You’ve experienced it a lot before, haven’t you? People who come to the daycare center running away in disgust.”

Cho Mi-hye nodded.

People who come to volunteer have a strange fantasy about daycare centers. A strange fantasy that children without parents, starved for affection, will all be kind. When that fantasy is shattered, those who came with good intentions turn their backs more coldly than anyone else.

“Helping isn’t like that. I help because they’re kind. I help because I like them. If I don’t like them, I don’t help. That’s just self-satisfaction, isn’t it?”

“That’s true, but….”

“So, don’t try to fit in too much. You don’t have to think that you won’t be cared for if you’re not a good person. Even if you’re a bit cunning and only look out for your own interests, that oppa won’t ignore you.”

Cho Mi-hye slightly lowered her head.

“People should be able to accept each other as they are. You’re worrying too much. This guy can handle my personality, do you think he’ll be disappointed if you guys are a bit cunning?”

“It seems like you’re aware that your personality isn’t good….”

“Jin-ho, shut up.”

“Yes.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled gently and slowly backed away.

“And don’t be intimidated by that, it’s annoying. If the kids show off something good they bought, tell me. I can’t stand seeing our kids being looked down on. Who do they think they are, flaunting their money in front of me?”

“Unnie, that seems like your true feelings….”

“You be quiet too.”

“Yes.”

Choi Yeon-ha, who had subdued Kang Jin-ho and Cho Mi-hye in an instant, raised her chin.

“And about the problem of spending money like crazy….”

“……Yes.”

“Do you know how much money this person has?”

“……I don’t know.”

“Then just spend it.”

Choi Yeon-ha added,

“This guy has mountains of money, but he doesn’t spend it and just wears stretched-out tracksuits, so he has nowhere to spend it. No matter how much you guys spend, you won’t even use up his interest, so just spend it comfortably.”

Kang Jin-ho smiled gently.

‘It’s my money, why are you saying that?’

Of course, it wasn’t wrong.

“Mi-hye.”

“Yes, unnie.”

“It’s a good thing to make the kids better people. But… you shouldn’t make them feel like they won’t be recognized or loved if they don’t become better people.”

“There are plenty of people in the world who can accept you as you are. Look, even with this personality, I’m dating.”

“Yes, unnie. I think I understand what you mean.”

“Want to die?”

Kang Jin-ho watched the two bickering with a strange expression.

‘As they are….’

The people at the General Assembly would faint if they heard that.

But….

‘That’s right.’

Kang Jin-ho felt a strange urge to visit the General Assembly.