* * *

“Bwa-ba, bwa-ba?”

Is this… home?

Excuse me. If this is a home, then what was the place I lived in?

A chicken coop?

That chicken coop was really expensive too…

‘I worked all my life just to get that chicken coop in my previous life?’

How emotional I felt when I finally achieved my dream of owning a home.

‘But this is a real home?’

It’s too big.

I blinked. Mom adjusted her hold on me and said,

“Kongja, this is our new home.”

Wow, Mom.

“Bwaa!”

Wow.

‘Is this really Seoul?’

The land area alone seemed vast.

‘Come to think of it, all the nice houses in Korea are in that place…’

Could this be that place? The place I had only heard of but never visited!

“Bwoo-bwoo?”

Seongbuk-dong? (A neighborhood for the rich)

At that moment, Mom shook her head.

“No, you are wrong.”

“Bbyua, yubbbuyapi?”

Is it not Seongbuk-dong?

‘No, more importantly, do you understand what I’m saying, Mom?’

Is this the power of a mother? I looked at her in amazement, but she shook her head.

“Kongja, let me try again. This is indeed the house we’re going to live in.”

Mom pointed to a large mansion with her finger.

“But this is not the place.”

“Bbyo?”

Huh?

I rolled my eyes and looked at where Mom was pointing.

It was a huge mansion with an impressive gray exterior.

‘How many floors does that have?’

I counted the windows vertically.

‘One, two, three, four?’

At this point, it seemed more like an apartment disguised as a house.

‘But we’re not going to live there?’

Mother, where are we going to live then?

My beautiful mom, Ma Soo-jung, smiled brightly.

“We’re going to live over here!”

Mom pointed to the left. There was a small house that seemed detached from the massive mansion.

“Bbyobyu?”

Is it over there?

Mom nodded.

“Yes. It’s our own little paradise, unlike that sinister mansion.”

I looked at where we were going to live. It looked like a cookie broken off from the gigantic mansion.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter whether it’s this or that.’

Isn’t this an expensive neighborhood?

‘Even if office workers saved for 10 years, they couldn’t afford a single room here.’

Ah, my homeland, the empire of real estate.

Mom looked at me anxiously.

‘Why are you so nervous?’

I clapped my hands with a bright smile.

“Bbyabbya! Bbyua!”

Alright! Mom!

“Oh, Kongja, do you like it?”

“Byubyu bappa!”

Of course!

Mom hugged me again and moved forward energetically.

“That mansion is hell, Kongja.”

“Bbyobbbipi?”

Is that so?

‘Does she have a lot of family issues?’

My mom, the third daughter of Sungjin Group.

‘Now that I think about it, this place is quite something.’

I recalled Sungjin Group.

‘The owner always had a somewhat gloomy atmosphere, didn’t they?’

I remembered all kinds of incidents and accidents.

‘In the first place, my mom also died in a car accident, right?’

I frowned.

The Sungjin Group said it was a car accident.’

Come to think of it, more than one person had died.

“Bbuuunng.”

This is serious.

I looked up at my mom. Her beautiful cheeks were slightly flushed.

‘It must be really good for me to be here.’

I rubbed my face against her.

“Bbyua!”

No!

‘I can’t let her get into a car accident.’

“Kyabbya! Bbuabbua, bbuyabbuabbu!”

I plan to be filial! You need to live pressed down to 120 years old!

Mom held my hand and shook it.

“Our Kongja, are you excited? Well, the garden is pretty. It’s the only decent place in that wicked mansion.”

Mom, oblivious to my thoughts, adjusted her hold on me and showed me around.

“Bbyaaa.”

It’s pretty.

‘But can I see that right now?’

The huge mansion and the well-kept garden didn’t impress me. What mattered now was my mom’s health and longevity.

“Bbyaaa!”

I’ll stop it.

I’ll definitely stop it.

‘Then, what should I do?’

At that moment, the awaited subtitle popped up.

[Would you like to use the Love and Peace Coin?]

“Bbyua, bbobbuyabya?”

Is it really the coin?

So, how do I gather coins?

“Bbyubbu! Bbyuaibbyabya.”

I need an audience after all.

In the end, my worries returned.

‘There should be a lot of people here….’

Lost in these thoughts, Mom had already entered the annex. A clean white porch came into view.

‘It’s bigger than I thought.’

Mom patted me and said.

“Kongja, this is our house.”

“Bbyuayu!”

Great!

[Ma Soo-jung is happy to be home with you]

[Love and Peace Coin +1]

[Total Coins: 332]

Mom is really happy with the smallest things.

‘Then I should show her something even cuter.’

I flapped my arms. Then I smiled brightly.

“Bbyauu!”

“Oh my! Our Kongja likes it too.”

Mom patted my back and entered. As soon as the sensor light turned on, a middle-aged lady came running.

“Young lady, you’re here.”

“Yes. I brought our Kongja with me.”

“You really brought him.”

What’s this? Really? Did she think mom wouldn’t bring me?

“What do you mean, auntie An? I told you I’d bring him.”

“Oh, well. But still, raising a child isn’t easy. Oh dear…. So this is the child?”

The housekeeper didn’t seem very welcoming.

‘Well, considering Mom’s position, it’s understandable.’

Even I would hesitate if a beautiful actress said she’d bring a child.

‘But still.’

I’m already on the family register!

‘Then, since Sungjin Group is a chaebol, does that make me a golden spoon?’

But I’m not blood-related….

‘So, I’m not a golden spoon.’

What should I call this?

‘A plated spoon?’

As I tilted my head slightly, the lady called Auntie An looked at me.

‘A new audience.’

Even though she wasn’t friendly, I needed to gather new coins.

I smiled brightly with all my heart and sincerity.

“Bbyabbya, byubbubbbu!”

Let’s get along!

I extended my arms to look cute. The Auntie didn’t move for a moment.

“Oh, my goodness.”

“Auntie An, isn’t our Kongja adorable?”

“Is, is that really a person?”

“What are you talking about?”

I kept wriggling my arms for Auntie An.

‘This is the time for some baby talk.’

Rise, coins!

“Bbyuya!”

Auntie An stepped back a pace. Then she blinked rapidly.

“Oh my, oh my… How can a child be so handsome?”

“Right? Our Kongja is quite beautiful, isn’t he?”

“No, really! I thought he was sculpted from jade.”

So she thinks I’m like a precious gem.

‘I guess I am pretty cute.’

Not that I’ve seen it with my own eyes.

‘I haven’t had a chance to look in a mirror.’

I’d like to see myself at least once.

‘So I can figure out my best angle. No matter how good-looking you are, everyone has their best angle.’

Auntie An took two more steps back, startled.

“Oh, miss? Did you bring him here because he’s so pretty?”

“Oh, Auntie An, who would take a child just because they’re pretty?”

“But he’s just too cute.”

Her reaction was impressive.

‘Seems like a successful first meeting.’

Well then, let’s do it again.

I made a cute babbling sound once more.

“Pyoopyoo!”

“Oh, how adorable!”

Mom held my hand and spoke.

“See? Even our Kongja is happy to see you, Auntie An. Say hello. This is our Kongja.”

“Oh, uh, why bother greeting him? Can a baby understand us?”

“Still, our Kongja knows how to greet.”

She was absolutely right. I waved my hands as if to greet her.

“Pyoopa!”

‘Hello!’

Auntie An stepped back a few more steps.

This time, it seemed too far.

But my mom was strong.

She stepped forward, closing the gap.

“Auntie An, give your greetings.”

“Oh, yes. Hi there, baby.”

“Pyoopoopewpew!”

‘Hello!’

I greeted her again.

Auntie An covered her mouth with her hand. Then she took a deep breath and let it out.

“…Oh, Buddha.”

So, she’s Buddhist. I’m an atheist myself.

“So this is the child you were talking about bringing?”

“What do you think?”

“Well, he’s certainly cute. Very cute.”

Auntie An glanced at me and then looked away.

“He’s so beautiful, it’s almost unbelievable.”

“Haha. Kongja, Auntie An thinks you’re cute.”

“Oh my goodness! He’s smiling. Look at him smile. Oh, heavens.”

Wait, wasn’t she Buddhist? Now she’s calling on the heavens?

* * *