Chapter 8

EP 1 – Cause of Death

"I'm sorry, I don't know."

The six parents who failed to catch Magihun at the high school came all the way to the Saebitneulbom Nursery.

However, the director, Moon Chung-jae, only shook his head and sighed.

"Actually... even if a child suddenly disappears, we have no way to find them."

"Is that even a reasonable answer?! Right now!"

"I'm sorry."

"Are you out of your mind...! Are you hiding the perpetrator now? You're running this place with our tax money, aren't you?! How can you do this?!"

"I'm really sorry."

The director only repeated that he didn't know where Magihun was, while the parents suspected him and demanded that he hand over Magihun immediately.

Indeed, given the circumstances, it wasn't strange to suspect the director of hiding Magihun.

However, they couldn't just grab the director and twist his arm. So the parents resorted to the most effective threat in modern society.

"Do you think you'll get away with this?! My friend is a lawyer! A lawyer! Let's see how things go by the book!"

But to me, it seemed futile.

After all... if we were to go by the book...

The director was telling the truth.

Nurseries can't find runaway children.

To be precise, they don't have to find them.

Children who leave the nursery before they are of age are called 'discontinued protection children,' and the reasons for this include returning to their original families, transferring to another nursery, foster care, and adoption.

Runaways or missing children fall under 'other.'

If a nursery child disappears one day, it's simply recorded as 'other' on the documents.

No one actively searches for the child, and the nursery isn't even obligated to report them missing.

That's the law.

In a world that operates this way, how could they find a single orphan who was determined to hide?

Finding a runaway would be a rare occurrence, even with a loving nursery teacher, a duty-bound police officer, and a nursery director who spares no expense or time to find the child.

Magihun knew this.

Fortunately, around that time, I learned Magihun's whereabouts through a rumor circulating among the children.

"He's relying on a gang in the building next to the billiard hall..."

"Runaway gang? Aren't they really dangerous kids?"

"The gang leader, Seung-joon, used to be close to Magihun. He should be safe. And the director seems to know a bit. This has happened a few times before. The director will handle it and he'll come back..."

Only then could I ease my worry that Magihun might be in trouble because of me.

And because the children kept their mouths shut about the issue, the parents couldn't find Magihun.

Now, I just had to get through this.

* * *

"Is this the kid?"

"Yes..."

The homeroom teacher served instant coffee to the parents who filled the school reception room.

Six parents were seated or standing behind the sofas in the elementary school reception room.

On the opposite side were, of course, me and my assigned nursery worker, Bang Jeong-a.

The parents, who had been searching for Magihun in the mountains and fields, at the high school, and at the nursery, finally came to my elementary school.

At first, I didn't know why they were there.

Did they come to apologize to me?

It turned out to be the opposite.

"You said our kids hit you, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any evidence?"

"Excuse me?"

"Without evidence, you told the teacher and even asked the orphanage gang to beat up the kids?"

"Me?"

"If you keep lying like this, you'll end up like your brother, a bad person."

Ah, I see. Only then did I understand why this meeting was set up.

The parents, unable to find Magihun, wanted to completely erase their children's bullying records by making me out to be a liar.

One of the six parents seemed a bit uncomfortable with the situation, but the parent in front of me, determined, was forcing me to apologize.

"If you apologize for lying, we'll let it go."

It was such a cliché line that I felt like I was the tragic hero in a drama.

According to the cliché, I would probably stand up and refuse to apologize.

– The one who should apologize is you!

But the nursery worker next to me would hold me back.

She would press my head down and force me to apologize.

She would apologize too, saying her child was wrong.

– I'm sorry! My child was wrong!

Then I would go back to the nursery, upset, and confront her.

Why did she force me to apologize?

Isn't that wrong?

– I hate you, teacher!

The teacher, instead of explaining, would hug me and cry.

– I'm sorry...! I'm sorry! The adults are sorry!

And years later, the student would confess to the teacher, saying he's an adult now.

– This can't be...! I'm your teacher and you're...

* * *

"Are you not going to apologize?"

"Ah."

The drama in my head ended. Sometimes, my creativity is hard to control.

Anyway.

In front of me was a letter of apology, and behind it were six parents hoping I would give a false apology.

Fortunately, I wasn't a naive child. I was an adult who knew that life is easier when you submit to unreasonable power.

"Ha...! You're not going to apologize? You're really asking for it...!"

"Ah, yes. I should apologize. I'll do it right now."

I picked up the pen and slowly wrote the apology out loud.

"I did not tell the teacher that my friends hit my chest and called me an orphan, but I said the kids were bullying me. And the kids never took me to the playground and beat me up. I'm sorry. That's all."

The reception room fell silent instantly.

The six parents, the homeroom teacher, and my assigned nursery worker, Bang Jeong-a, were all silent, unsure of what to say.

I got up without any hesitation.

"Phew... This was unfortunate for both of us. The letter of apology is written, so I hope this doesn't happen again. I'll be going now."

There's something called nonverbal communication. Even I could tell that my voice lacked sincerity. I didn't overdo it, though.

I just calmly finished speaking and stood up.

Of course, it would be uncomfortable. But what could they do? Would they grab me and force me to apologize again? A forced apology with no justification?

It's best to leave now and save each other's dignity. I believed they had that much common sense.

My expectations were betrayed.

"Wh-What kind of mouth do you have!!!"

"Hey...!"

The parent who had been leading the group and forcing me to apologize couldn't control their anger and stood up.

Their spouse tried to stop them, but the parent, with a red face, waved their arms wildly.

"Is this an apology! After what you did to someone else's child! What?!"

"Calm down, parent...!"

"Let go! You little brat, you didn't get proper parenting! You disrespectful brat!"

The parent was so angry they couldn't form proper sentences.

So I wasn't really bothered. Making this person angry meant I had control over their emotions.

Why would I be angry at someone under my control?

"Hey!"

But then the parent changed their target.

My assigned nursery worker, Bang Jeong-a, who was trembling, became the victim.

"Are you his guardian? How did you raise him to be such a mouthy brat!"

"That, that, that's..."

"You apologize instead. You apologize instead – !"

The parent, who had been shouting, picked up the mixed coffee cup the homeroom teacher had given out.

I flinched, thinking they might throw the hot coffee, but fortunately, it was empty.

They crumpled the empty paper cup and threw it at Bang Jeong-a.

The crumpled cup hit Bang Jeong-a's head and bounced off.

A few drops of coffee splashed onto Bang Jeong-a's face.

"......"

At that moment, I recalled a few memories I had of my assigned nursery worker, Bang Jeong-a.

Nursery worker Bang Jeong-a. 25 years old. High school graduate.

Failed to get into college due to financial difficulties and started working immediately.

Taught math to the children and always spoke politely with a smile during class.

– Inseop, you know this is a secret from the other kids, right?

Bang Jeong-a always bought me manuscript paper.

It wasn't expensive, but in a nursery where everything should be equal, buying something for one child was a big no-no.

Of course, I don't know if she whispered the same thing to other children and gave them gifts separately.

But I remember the joy I felt as a child every time I received manuscript paper from her.

I also remember being scolded harshly when I said I wanted to go to an arts high school.

And I remember her crying because she couldn't send me there due to money.

Bang Jeong-a was that kind of person.

That person, who had just been hit by a crumpled paper cup, was now pale with fear, bowing repeatedly. After all, 25 is an age when one is an adult but not yet a grown-up. I understand that now.

"Phew..."

I picked up the coffee the homeroom teacher had left. It was lukewarm, as if someone had blown on it.

Fortunately, the coffee next to it was still steaming.

I picked it up and threw it.

Splat – !

The parent, who had been raging like a madman, the five other parents trying to stop them, the homeroom teacher, and Bang Jeong-a all looked at me in shock.

Before the parent, who was suddenly drenched in coffee, could confront me, I took the initiative.

"What are you trying to do?"