* * *
“Recruit?”
Do Hajun frowned slightly.
He knew that adult Lee Cheongmyeong had appeared on many shows.
That was Lee Cheongmyeong’s choice as an adult, so he thought it was not his place to interfere. However, as the guardian of child Lee Cheongmyeong, he had no intention of letting him appear on TV.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“A few days ago, you went to an amusement park, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know that the videos people took then became a hot topic?”
He didn’t even watch TV, let alone use the internet.
Do Hajun’s only hobby was exercising and more exercising.
Seeing Do Hajun’s expression, Ha Yundal awkwardly laughed and said.
“You didn’t know.”
“No. What do you mean by hot topic?”
“What else? Everyone’s saying he’s cute.”
As Kang Wontae nonchalantly mentioned while crunching on his lollipop, Ha Yundal nodded vigorously.
“That’s right. After the video of him playing at the amusement park was uploaded to Mytube, many people on our viewer’s bulletin board requested we recruit Lee Cheongmyeong.”
“Sorry, but Hunter Lee Cheongmyeong is a child and a national hunter, so TV appearances-”
Kang Wontae interrupted by waving his hand and tossing the finished lollipop stick into the trash can.
“Permission has been granted from the top.”
‘No way. I’m his guardian. With his guardian here, why did they get permission from the top? When it comes to childcare, they need leave it to me!’
“They said they want to solidify the positive public opinion about Hunter Lee Cheongmyeong.”
With his face stiffening, Do Hajun spoke firmly.
“I have all the authority over Lee Cheongmyeong.”
“I know. That’s why we called you to ask your opinion. If not, the higher-ups would have just informed you.”
“Then I refuse.”
At the decisive rejection, Ha Yundal grabbed Do Hajun’s hand.
“Please reconsider!”
“No. It’s not something to reconsider-”
“Our program is not just a simple baby entertainment show.”
Ha Yundal rummaged through the bag he had placed next to the sofa and pulled out a thick stack of papers titled ‘Program Introduction.’
“I should have given you this first. Please read this and decide.”
Though he intended to refuse, Ha Yundal handed Do Hajun the program brochure.
“Please take a look. If you still want to decline, I won’t push further.”
“What is that, Jun?”
Cheongmyeong, who had been eating candy in Hajun’s arms, peeked out, intrigued by the colorful cover and the duck illustration.
“It’s a duck! Jun, it’s a duck!”
Since the brochure wasn’t stapled, Hajun handed the cover to Cheongmyeong.
“It is a duck!”
Cheongmyeong smiled brightly, simply because of the duck drawing.
“Please, just take a look.”
Unable to refuse Ha Yundal’s earnest plea, Hajun sighed and looked at the brochure.
The brochure’s main goal was to foster independence in children and build their confidence in their own abilities. Below that, a name even the usually indifferent Hajun recognized was prominently displayed.
“Dr. Oh Yeongeun?”
“Yes, she’s one of our advisory board members. As I mentioned earlier, our program isn’t just a simple kids’ show. It’s developed and reviewed by experts.”
Noticing Hajun’s expression soften slightly, Ha Yundal sensed an opportunity.
“You mentioned that Cheongmyeong has separation anxiety, right?”
“Yes.”
“Dr. Oh has said that separation anxiety takes a long time to overcome, right?”
Hajun nodded, recalling what Kim Hana had told him earlier.
“Long time means it requires time, but this program is designed to offer a quicker path for children.”
“A quicker path?”
“Yes. A child’s first errand gives them satisfaction from helping their parents, a sense of independence from doing it alone, and a feeling of accomplishment from succeeding on their own, which boosts their self-esteem.”
Satisfaction, independence, accomplishment, and self-esteem—all essential for a child. Hajun nodded slowly.
“As I mentioned, our program is carefully crafted by experts, and you can also receive counseling.”
Hajun’s eyes widened at the mention of counseling.
Not experienced with children, he often asked Kim Hana for advice. However, since she was also a first-time parent, she often didn’t have the answers.
Even inquiries on parenting forums often yielded unhelpful responses, as every child’s behavior and thoughts differ.
Seeing Hajun’s interest, Ha Yundal delivered the final push.
“You can receive counseling from an expert at the end.”
Hajun put down the brochure and nodded.
“Producer, I understand the filming needs to take place outside, but Cheongmyeong can’t go outside.”
“Why?”
“As I mentioned, Cheongmyeong has separation anxiety.”
If Cheongmyeong was psychologically unstable, his skills could activate involuntarily, like during the Seoul Center incident.
While manageable in a controlled environment, it was impossible to handle such incidents in public.
“Sorry, but if it’s not outside, it doesn’t fit the program’s intent. The program supports children’s independence.”
“There is a store within the center.”
“The center is a familiar space for Cheongmyeong, so it can’t be considered true independence.”
Ha Yundal was firm.
“A short distance is fine, but it must be a completely external location.”
“What if something goes wrong?”
“Isn’t there always a guardian following behind in case of emergencies?”
Ha Yundal nodded at Kang Wontae’s suggestion.
“Exactly. Since the child is the main focus, a guardian follows secretly to handle any unexpected situations.”
“Then that’s fine. If Cheongmyeong seems like he’s going to cause trouble, you can stop him.”
Hajun gritted his teeth. The center director, who should be on his side, was siding with the broadcasting crew.
“Director.”
“No matter how well you control it, Cheongmyeong is a child and will eventually make mistakes. It’s better if it happens during the broadcast.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s easier to manage a child who gets anxious due to the absence of their guardian than one who just acts unpredictably.”
Ha Yundal nodded in agreement.
“I agree. Despite the viewer feedback, we chose to involve Cheongmyeong because we want him to be seen as a real child, not just a hunter who became a child. Viewers believe what they see on screen. If Cheongmyeong causes trouble, viewers will empathize with him if they understand it stems from his anxiety rather than resenting him.”
Hearing this, Hajun understood why Shin Misuk approved the program. They needed a safety net for any potential incidents.
With this reasoning, there was no need to oppose. Furthermore, if they followed secretly, there would be no major issues.
“Alright, let’s film.”
Ha Yundal smiled brightly and extended his hand to Hajun.
“Thank you so much! We’ll do our best to make sure you don’t regret choosing our program!”
“Yes, please take care of us.”
* * *
The filming crew moved quietly but busily. Cameramen checked their cameras, while writers and the PD were busy planning the scenes.
With people bustling in his previously quiet home, Hajun scratched his head, feeling strange.
“Hello, team leader. I’m writer Noh Youngshim for ‘Our Child’s First Errand Adventure.’”
“Hello.”
“I’ve been wanting to meet you.”
“Me?”
Noh Youngshim nodded, handing over the cue sheet.
“Yes, you’re famous as the handsome Babysitter of the Nationl Hunter Lee Cheongmyeong.”
Me…? Since when?
He wanted to ask but felt it might stir unnecessary trouble. He remained silent, frowning slightly, which made Noh Youngshim giggle as she pointed to the sofa.
“This is the script. We’ll start with an interview. Please have a seat here.”
“Okay.”
As Do Hajun sat down on the living room sofa, following Noh Youngshim’s direction, three cameras focused on him.
“You look good on camera.”
“Thank you.”
Through the lens, Do Hajun appeared handsome enough to be a celebrity. He had brown hair and healthy-looking light brown skin.
His eyes were thin without double eyelids, and his features were sharp and clear.
His muscular body, neither too excessive nor too thin, sat upright, giving the impression of a young master from a wealthy family rather than a hunter.
“The interview will be brief. The detailed content is on the cue sheet, so let us know if there’s anything you want to exclude.”
Do Hajun shook his head.
The questions on the cue sheet had been reviewed by President Shin Misook and Director Kang Wontae. The answers were the same.
Do Hajun was merely stating the responses prescribed by the state, not his own thoughts.
“Shall we start? The camera will show a red light when it’s on.”
“Okay.”
Since they needed to finish the pre-interview quickly while Lee Cheongmyeong was napping, the interview began promptly.
“Please introduce yourself first.”
In response to the PD’s words, Do Hajun looked at the camera with the red light on and spoke.
“Hello. I am Do Hajun, the leader of Delta Team and the guardian of Hunter Lee Cheongmyeong.”
After a pause to create an editing point, the PD continued.
“Please introduce Hunter Lee Cheongmyeong, whom you are guarding.”
“As everyone knows, he is an SS-class hunter, currently 3 years old after transforming from an adult to a child. He likes meat and, like all children, dislikes bell peppers.”
Adult Cheongmyeong might have been different, but child Cheongmyeong genuinely hated bell peppers.
After unknowingly eating a bell pepper stir-fry, Cheongmyeong had thoroughly avoided them ever since.
However, if Do Hajun fed him, Cheongmyeong would chew and eat them with a grimace.
Recalling Cheongmyeong eating bell peppers, Do Hajun briefly smiled and then answered the PD’s next question.
“What errand do you plan to give Hunter Cheongmyeong?”
“I plan to make toast as a snack, so I’ll have him buy bread and cheese, as well as his favorite snacks.”
The place Cheongmyeong would go to was a supermarket five minutes away.
It was on a main road rather than an alley, with not many customers, and a place Cheongmyeong often went with him, so it wasn’t unfamiliar.
“Do you think he will do well?”
“Yes, I believe he will do well and return safely.”
Once the interview filled with miscellaneous personal questions ended, everyone except for the hidden cameras left the house.
Meanwhile, Do Hajun memorized the script the writer had given him earlier.
Though he knew all broadcasts were staged, seeing a script detailed down to the gestures made him think that the senior hunters were right about not trusting TV stations.
“Jun?”
At the sound of the door clicking open, a round face with messy hair peeked out.
“Come here.”
Rubbing his eyes, Cheongmyeong approached Do Hajun.
Still half-asleep, Cheongmyeong rubbed his eyes as Do Hajun lifted him up.
“Are you still sleepy?”
“Yes.”
Although nap time had been sufficient, Do Hajun gently patted his back to wake him up.
As he gradually became more alert, Cheongmyeong, who was rubbing his head against Do Hajun’s chest, lifted his head.
“Are you awake now?”
“Yes.”
After lightly shaking his prominent nose, Do Hajun stood up.
“Shall we have toast?”
“Toast?”
“Yes, toast.”
“Okay.”
Cheongmyeong happily hopped off and ran into the kitchen.
Even as a child, he was perceptive enough to notice anything too artificial, so it was necessary to naturally guide him rather than suddenly give him an errand.
Arriving in the kitchen, Do Hajun opened the pantry door and let out a loud sigh for Cheongmyeong to hear.
“Ah, we don’t have any bread.”
Cheongmyeong, who was climbing the dining chair as if hiking, quickly came back down.
Then he ran to Do Hajun and grabbed his leg.
“No bread?”
“Yes, no bread. Do we have cheese?”
Carrying Cheongmyeong, who was tightly hugging his leg, Do Hajun walked to the fridge and opened it, letting out another loud sigh.
“No cheese either.”
“No cheese.”
“Yes, we need to buy both.”
Lifting Cheongmyeong who was clinging to his leg, Do Hajun spoke.
“Cheongmyeong.”
“Yes!”
“Jun’s legs hurt today, so can you buy bread and cheese for me?”
* * *
*Summary page is only available for login users. Non-users can view the chapters on the chapter list.*
QUE TIERNOS. Ya quiero leer su primer mandado
this is so cute
Tan lindos