The SSS Rank Babysitter chapter 39

After three rounds of games, the winner was Lee Cheongmyeong, who focused on precise control.

Aileen threw a fit, refusing to accept the result and insisting on playing again.

However, since the second game involved not just skill but also some physical tussling, both children were too exhausted to continue.

As they coaxed them out of the dungeon, both children fell asleep as soon as they stepped out.

The dungeon experience was so enjoyable for them that they kept asking when they could go back.

“Hajun, when can we go back to the dungeon?”

“Go back?”

The two kids clung to Do Hajun on either side.

“Well, have you both finished your drawings?”

In response to Do Hajun’s question, Lee Cheongmyeong energetically answered, “Yes!” but Aileen Spencer hesitated and shrank back.

“I’d like to see them. Can you show me?”

The drawing Lee Cheongmyeong brought was grotesque enough to remind Do Hajun of Munch’s The Scream, unlike when he had modeled for them.

“What is this supposed to be?”

One of the team members, who had been peeking, whispered to Do Hajun.

“It’s scary.”

“Yes!!”

“How is that even possible?”

The team member, who had come for approval and was also looking at the drawing, muttered under his breath.

After elbowing the team member in the side, Do Hajun patted Lee Cheongmyeong’s head and handed back the drawing.

“You did well.”

“Thanks.”

Lee Cheongmyeong squirmed in embarrassment from the praise.

This time, Do Hajun extended his hand to Aileen Spencer.

“…I couldn’t draw well.”

“It’s okay.”

The reason for drawing was to test if Aileen’s delicate attack power would increase, like Lee Cheongmyeong’s.

Unfortunately, unlike Lee Cheongmyeong, Aileen Spencer did not see any improvement in her delicate attack stat from drawing.

Aileen Spencer reluctantly handed over her drawing, which was a landscape of a wheat field at sunset.

The picture was too perfect to be drawn by a child with underdeveloped fine motor skills.

“…Aileen might have a talent for art.”

Even after being hit once, the team member whispered again, and Do Hajun elbowed him again before smiling and patting Aileen Spencer’s head.

“You drew a landscape. It’s very well done.”

Aileen Spencer’s eyes widened.

“Really?”

“Yes. You drew very well. Both Aileen and Cheongmyeong have a talent for drawing.”

Adding a bit of a white lie, he praised them and kissed both children on their foreheads.

It was advice from Doctor Oh Yeongeun that children grow with praise.

Both children blushed and squirmed with delight.

“Now, go wash your hands and let’s have a snack.”

“Yes!”

“Okay!”

As the two kids ran excitedly to the bathroom, Do Hajun frowned at the team member beside him.

“Don’t speak carelessly in front of the kids.”

“I wasn’t.”

“And don’t compare them.”

The two already saw each other as rivals. While competition can be positive, they acted like mortal enemies.

‘Following Doctor Oh Yeongeun’s advice, what’s the problem?’

Waving the team member away, Do Hajun picked up his phone.

You can’t call on an expert in childcare whenever there’s a problem.

He decided to call someone who was moderately knowledgeable about childcare.

-What is it this time?

Recently, with daily calls, Kim Hana’s voice carried a tone of exasperation.

“The kids are fighting.”

-Kids grow up fighting.

“No, they act like mortal enemies.”

-All siblings do that. The sibling harmony shown on TV is an anomaly.

“Can’t they get along?”

There was a sound of clicking tongues over the receiver.

-This is why being an only child isn’t good. Goodbye, I’m busy!

The call was abruptly cut off.

Clicking his tongue, Do Hajun tossed his phone onto the desk.

If the moderately knowledgeable person spouts nonsense, should he ask the expert again?

-Ding-dong.

Hearing the messenger alert from the speaker, Do Hajun looked at the monitor.

[Urgent]

An urgent team leader meeting will be held today. Please gather in the main conference room immediately.

“A meeting on a day like this.”

“I’ll clean it up.”

“I’ll eat a lot!”

Hearing the sounds of a scuffle from outside, Do Hajun stood up.

“Feed the kids their snack and put them down for a nap. I’ll be back after the meeting.”

“Yes.”

Yoo Mia, who was familiar to Lee Cheongmyeong, nodded at his order.

“Have your snack. I’ll be back in a bit.”

As the children entered the office, Do Hajun bent down to meet their eyes.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going too!”

Curious, Lee Cheongmyeong tilted his head, while Aileen Spencer, who had turned pale, grabbed Do Hajun’s jacket.

“I’ll just be upstairs for a moment.”

He pointed upwards with his free hand, but Aileen Spencer shook her head vigorously.

“No! I want to go too!!”

Do Hajun looked at Aileen Spencer with a troubled expression.

Everyone knew he had the kids, so taking them to the meeting wasn’t an issue.

‘The meeting will be too long.’

Since it was in the main conference room, it meant the center’s elders would also be there.

The elders were cantankerous old men who always extended the meeting time with their nagging.

There was no way the kids could endure such a long time.

“Aileen, are you crying?”

The one who stopped Aileen Spencer, who looked about to cry, was Lee Cheongmyeong, who tilted his head.

“Aileen, are you a baby?”

“……”

“Are you a baby?”

Provoked by Lee Cheongmyeong, Aileen Spencer shouted.

“I’m not a baby!”

“Then why are you whining?”

Aileen Spencer glared at Lee Cheongmyeong, who was interfering.

Lee Cheongmyeong’s lips twitched.

“Baby.”

“No!!”

“Then say oppa.”

At Lee Cheongmyeong’s teasing, Aileen’s tears vanished, replaced by anger.

“I’m not saying it!”

“Babies don’t say oppa. Cheongmyeong isn’t a baby because he says oppa, but Aileen doesn’t say it, so she’s a baby.”

Aileen Spencer looked between Do Hajun and Lee Cheongmyeong.

Although the space was familiar, she was scared to be apart from Do Hajun.

But what she hated more was being treated like a baby by Lee Cheongmyeong, who was trying to take Do Hajun away from her.

Aileen Spencer, as if she had made up her mind, released her grip on Do Hajun’s sleeve.

“Go, go.”

Her voice trembled slightly. She felt tears welling up from fear, but she held them back.

“Are you sure it’s okay if I go?”

At Do Hajun’s gentle voice, Aileen Spencer closed her eyes tightly and nodded.

It meant she would rather close her eyes than watch him leave.

However, Aileen Spencer was startled by the low laughter that echoed in her ears and opened her eyes.

“I’ll be back soon. Thank you.”

“Okay. Okay.”

“Thanks to you too, Cheongmyeong. Don’t fight with Aileen.”

With a smile still on his face, Do Hajun kissed her forehead softly and headed to the conference room, leaving Aileen Spencer staring blankly at his back.

“Cheongmyeong, Aileen. Come here and have a snack.”

“Yes, leader!”

Even as Lee Cheongmyeong pulled her along, Aileen Spencer remained dazed.

Do Hajun was usually more expressionless. Although he occasionally smiled at Lee Cheongmyeong and her, it was the first time he had smiled so broadly.

Do Hajun’s smile, which she saw for the first time, was a powerful weapon that instantly dispelled Aileen Spencer’s fears.

* * *

As expected, the elders were gathered in the large conference room Do Hajun arrived at.

The elders of the center.

The first-generation hunters who founded the center, the heads of each region’s center, were loyal to the country and loved the hunters who were willing to sacrifice their lives for the nation.

Therefore, they created the Elder Council to protect the national hunters, positioning themselves as the supporters of the center hunters.

However, as the first-generation hunters died and time passed, the Elder Council began to fill with old men clinging to power rather than offering support.

The current elders were like greedy old demons, obsessed with power and money.

“Good day.”

As Do Hajun greeted and entered the conference room, the elders, who had been chatting with friendly laughter, fell silent.

“Yes. I’ve been hearing about your recent achievements.”

At the elder chairman’s words, Do Hajun bowed his head.

“Thank you.”

The old man looked at Do Hajun, as if expecting more words from him.

Ignoring the gaze, Do Hajun turned to look at Chae Yiwon entering.

Dressed in a gray checkered suit and a reddish-brown cloak, Chae Yiwon spotted Do Hajun and approached with a wide smile.

“Hello.”

While the elders could participate because they helped establish the center, what relationship did Hwarang’s Chae Yiwon have with the center meeting?

“Hello. What brings you here?”

“I heard there was a meeting.”

Glancing at the nameplate, Chae Yiwon gestured to his secretary and sat next to Do Hajun.

“…What’s the relationship between Hwarang Guild and the center?”

“No. I’m here as a sponsor, not as a member of Hwarang Guild.”

“Oh! Guild Master Chae Yiwon. You’re here.”

As if to confirm Chae Yiwon’s words, one of the elders approached him.

“Hello, Elder Min Seokyoung.”

Unlike the elder who stood, Chae Yiwon remained seated and extended his hand.

Seeing the elder humbly shake his hand, Do Hajun clicked his tongue inwardly and looked ahead.

“Then, shall we have a meal later?”

“No. I have another meeting right after this. Excuse me.”

Ignoring the elder who still had more to say, Chae Yiwon turned to Do Hajun.

“Team Leader Do Hajun. How have you been?”

“Yes.”

“The Nangdo team members miss you.”

“Yes.”

“Would you like to visit?”

“No.”

Do Hajun answered curtly, looking straight ahead, clearly not wanting to engage.

“How are the kids?”

“They’re doing well.”

“Really.”

Do Hajun, who had been responding while looking straight ahead, turned to Chae Yiwon.

“What do you mean by ‘really’?”

“I mean, they’re doing well.”

“Why do you say ‘really’ about them doing well?”

“Because if they weren’t, they might join Hwarang.”

“That will never happen.”

At Do Hajun’s reply, Chae Yiwon shrugged.

More than 30% of a hunter’s salary went into a pension. The accumulated pension amount was too significant to quit.

“Don’t be so sure—”

“Now, let’s start the meeting.”

Ignoring Chae Yiwon, Do Hajun looked around the conference room at Kang Wontae’s words.

Even for an emergency meeting, the attendance rate of team leaders was too low.

The only team leaders present were Do Hajun from Delta Team, Kwon Young, the deputy leader of Alpha Team, and Lee Haekyung from Mu Team.

“Please understand that the absent teams are currently dealing with cracks and dungeons.”

Kang Wontae, seemingly aware of the situation, explained with an awkward smile.

“We have enough key members, so it’s fine.”

“Thank you. Then, I will begin the report.”

Kang Wontae started the briefing.

The briefing was merely about what each team had been doing, making Do Hajun question the necessity of gathering for such a report.

As the briefing began, Chae Yiwon, who had been lounging in his chair with his hands clasped, leaned slightly towards Do Hajun.

“I want Team Leader Do Hajun more than this place does.”

Do Hajun ignored the whisper.

“We’re running out of time, so it’s urgent. Are you sure you don’t want to join?”

‘Time?’

Chae Yiwon smiled broadly when he glanced at him.

It meant he had to join Nangdo if he was curious.

Determined not to be swayed, Do Hajun ignored him again.

However,

“This time, you might want to join Nangdo. The Elder Council is targeting the kids.”