Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 84

On the way home, Yoon-Hee stopped by the local grocery store to pick out ingredients for dinner. Since she now had two friends coming for dinner tonight, she had to buy more than usual.

“Hmm...” Yoon-Hee carefully examined a pack of king oyster mushrooms, reading the label.

Watching her from the side, Hye-Jung suddenly felt like she was witnessing the aura of an experienced homemaker emanating from Yoon-Hee.

“Wait, are you the one cooking?” Hye-Jung asked her.

“Ah, yeah. My father’s not a great cook. He only ate takeout before I came here.”

“Before you came? What do you mean?” Hye-Jung wondered if Yoon-Hee’s father had been living alone in Seoul. It would make sense if Yoon-Hee had moved to Seoul after getting into the Academy.

Yoon-Hee’s reaction was odd. She blushed as if she had said something she shouldn’t have.

“Oh, it’s nothing. A-ah! Let’s go check out that flash sale over there...” Yoon-Hee quickly changed the subject, steering the cart toward a sign that read “duck meat half off.”

She sighed quietly, reminding herself to be more careful. It would be better not to talk about her family too much. If her friends found out about the “dad contract,” it would be a huge problem.

***

“Hello,” Hye-Jung said quietly as she entered the apartment.

“I’ll put away the groceries in the fridge and bring out some drinks. Meanwhile, make yourself comfortable on the sofa,” Yoon-Hee told her friends.

“Okay, sure,” Hye-Jung replied.

Upon entering the apartment, they were greeted by an immaculately clean, spotless, and tidy interior. The apartment had a simple one-bedroom layout with a living room and a bedroom. It was just the right size for one or two people to live in, perhaps slightly larger than the Academy dorms.

The furniture was minimal, giving off a somewhat bare feeling.

The living room had just a sofa, a TV, a small bookshelf, and a tiny coffee table, while the kitchen had a dining table for four.

As Hye-Jung’s eyes wandered, she noticed the tightly shut bedroom door.

Does Yoon-Hee sleep in the living room? she wondered.

Still, there was no sign of any bedding like blankets or pillows.

Normally, snooping around someone’s house without permission would be rude, but since Yoon-Hee was busy putting away groceries from the mart, Hye-Jung figured she could take a quick peek inside the bedroom.

Just then, Jin-Soo broke the silence. “Hey, Yoon-Hee, where do you sleep?”

Startled, Hye-Jung stopped in her tracks and shot him a glare. Confused by her reaction, Jin-Soo gave her a look as if asking what he had done wrong.

On the other hand, Hye-Jung actually found his direct question a relief, thinking it was better just to ask outright.

Still organizing the fridge, Yoon-Hee absentmindedly answered, “Huh? I... sleep...”

She suddenly closed her mouth as she was about to tell them their sleeping arrangements.

Why hadn’t she thought about this before?

Surely, others might find it strange. It hadn’t crossed her mind because she had become so used to sharing a bed with her family.

“I-I sleep... in the living room... I guess,” Yoon-Hee blurted out haltingly.

“Ah, I figured. For a second, I thought maybe you were sharing a room with your dad. But yeah, high schoolers usually sleep alone,” Jin-Soo replied, scratching his head.

Though he seemed satisfied with her answer, Hye-Jung wasn’t entirely convinced.

Why was Yoon-Hee so flustered?

It wasn’t odd for a father and daughter to share a room when she was younger, but at seventeen, it would definitely seem strange to anyone else.

Yoon-Hee tucked a cabbage into the fridge’s vegetable drawer, thinking she absolutely could not let them see the bedroom. If they saw the king-sized bed adorned with just two pillows, there would be no way to hide the fact that she shared the bed with her father.

Suddenly, the bedroom door opened and out walked two tiny dragons.

Yong-Yong noticed the two humans looking at him—no, the bedroom behind him. Regardless of what caught their attention, Yong-Yong recognized the two strangers as Yoon-Hee’s friends.

He said to Yoon-Hee, “Oh, you brought friends ov—”

Before Yong-Yong could finish, Yoon-Hee quickly shut the door and looked down at Yong-Yong with a frosty expression.

“...er?” Yong-Yong finished the sentence uncertainly.

Yoon-Hee’s eyes were cold and unfocused—the look she had when she was truly angry.

Yong-Yong felt cold sweat dripping down his back, and Karsiel swallowed nervously, slowly backing away.

Yoon-Hee carefully turned around, checking to see Hye-Jung and Jin-Soo’s reaction. They were just staring at her, dumbfounded.

“I’ll... get you some tea,” Yoon-Hee said with a forced smile as she awkwardly headed for the kitchen.

***

At 7 PM, Do-Jun came home after leaving work right on time.

“I’m home,” he called out.

Yoon-Hee came to the door to greet him, still wearing her apron as she was still cooking.

“Welcome home!”

“Thanks. Where are your friends?” Do-Jun asked after receiving Yoon-Hee’s greeting with a smile.

Yoon-Hee took his coat and glanced toward the sofa. Hye-Jung and Jin-Soo were watching TV but quickly stood up and rushed to the entrance to greet him.

Jin-Soo, in particular, bowed at a sharp right angle. “H-hello, sir! I’m Seo Jin-Soo, Yoon-Hee’s classmate.”

“I’m Jung Hye-Jung, also Yoon-Hee’s classmate. Sorry for dropping by unexpectedly, and thank you for having us, sir.”

Do-Jun smiled and replied, “No worries. I’m happy to meet Yoon-Hee’s friends. Please keep taking good care of her.”

At that, Jin-Soo nodded enthusiastically.

Watching from the side, Hye-Jung clicked her tongue in disapproval.

It was obvious to her that Jin-Soo was trying hard to make a good impression on his future “father-in-law,” but she knew Yoon-Hee herself wasn’t interested, so his efforts were futile.

But... how old is this guy? Hye-Jung thought, eyeing Do-Jun curiously.

No matter how she looked at him, he didn’t seem older than his late twenties. His well-toned muscles were clearly visible through his dress shirt, making it even harder to believe he was the father of a seventeen-year-old daughter.

“I’m going to take a quick shower,” Do-Jun said.

“Okay! I’ll finish making dinner. Oh, I put some fresh clothes out for you.”

“Thanks.” Do-Jun patted Yoon-Hee on the head before heading to the shower.

Yoon-Hee grinned and quickly skipped back to the kitchen.

***

For dinner, they had freshly made rice with king oyster mushrooms, smoked duck salad mixed with various greens, and doenjang soup with large chunks of tofu.

It was a simple, home-style meal, nothing too fancy, but the flavors were extraordinary.

“Woah...” Hye-Jung exclaimed as her eyes widened after taking a sip of the soup.

Honestly, she hadn’t expected Yoon-Hee’s cooking to be this good. The soup was rich, and the king oyster mushroom rice was perfectly cooked, melting in her mouth.

“Is it okay to feed them human food?” Jin-Soo asked, looking under the table where the two “dogs” were happily eating the mushroom rice.

Yoon-Hee nodded and replied, “They don’t really like dog food.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t either after tasting Yoon-Hee’s cooking,” Hye-Jung added while munching on the smoked duck salad.

Then, she turned to Do-Jun and joked, “I’m so jealous, sir. You get to eat this delicious food every day.”

“Right? Oh, by the way, Jin-Soo, was it? Are you Yoon-Hee’s boyfriend by any chance?” Do-Jun asked.

Jin-Soo nearly choked on his food, coughing awkwardly. Smiling nervously, he asked, “D-do I... really seem like it?”

“No, he’s not,” Yoon-Hee cut in sharply.

Seeing Jin-Soo deflate a little, Hye-Jung couldn’t help but giggle.

Do-Jun had many questions for Yoon-Hee’s friends—about her academy life, whether she was getting along well, and if she had any difficulties—but he chose not to ask.

It would be rude to do so in front of her.

As Do-Jun watched the three of them chatting happily, a smile crept onto his face without him realizing it. Seeing Yoon-Hee doing so well made him happy.

Suddenly, Do-Jun felt grateful to his past self, who had texted Yoon-Hee and made this connection possible.

When he was in the Central Plains, it was hard for him to remember the last time he smiled. But these days, every day was filled with joy.

***

“I’ll be back.”

“Okay, see you.”

Yong-Yong waved his small paw as he saw Yoon-Hee head off to school. Then, he walked into the kitchen and jumped up onto the sink. He turned on the faucet, gulped down a few mouthfuls of water, and turned the faucet off again.

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“Ahh, refreshing.”

With both Do-Jun and Yoon-Hee gone, he and Karsiel were the only ones in the apartment.

“Right now... I’m the master here.”

He walked over to the bedroom to check on his subordinate. The weather was nice today, and he had planned to suggest a walk in the park. However, perhaps still tired from the previous day, Karsiel lay peacefully on the bed, completely at ease.

“Tsk. Look at you, still lazily sleeping when your master is already up,” Yong-Yong said, even as he fetched a blanket with his mouth and carefully covered Karsiel to keep her warm.

Then, he walked over to the two dog bowls under the dining table. The two bowls, made of stainless steel and adorned with paw print designs, were labeled “Yong-Yong❤” and “Siel❤.”

“Thank you for the meal.” Yong-Yong clasped his front paws together in a little prayer, then devoured the sausages in his bowl in just a couple of bites.

He walked to the front door, jumped up to twist the automatic lock’s button, turned the handle, and opened the door. Once outside, he heard the lock click shut behind him. He jumped again to check that the door was securely locked before heading to the park.

As he entered the small neighborhood park, he saw a group of kids, no older than four, playing with a ball. As soon as they spotted Yong-Yong, they shouted excitedly and ran toward him.

Yong-Yong had always been a star among the kids.

“It’s Yong-Yong!”

“Woaah.”

The kids threw their ball aside and started petting Yong-Yong all over.

Frowning as their hands roamed across his body, Yong-Yong shouted, “Let go, you little devils! Hey! Where do you think you’re touching?!”

“Yong-Yong’s angwy.”

“Hehe, this is fun.”

“Ugh, where are your moms? What if you get hurt?” Yong-Yong grumbled, though, around this point, he always gave up.

“Fine... Do whatever you want, you little—wait, what is that?”

Suddenly, a spark flashed across the bright, cloudless sky. With a deafening roar, a Fissure tore open in the air.

It released a pulse so powerful that it felt like it was a forewarning of humanity’s end.

[Core Distortion is occurring due to the Encroachment.]

[Vapula has appeared.]

The Great Demon Vapula was one of Solomon’s seventy-two demons. He had acquired a hidden piece, the Book of Transfer, one of the relics of the Deep Realm.

Finally able to arrive on Earth, Vapula’s grand plan was to kill humans, plant seeds in their corpses, and raise an army of evil to storm the Deep Realm and reign as king.

However, the children naturally were unaware of the gravity of the danger.

“That thing looks weird!”

“Lion!”

“A funny lion.”

A giant lion with griffin wings appeared from the Fissure.

The once peaceful park was now at risk of turning into complete chaos.

Picking his nose, Yong-Yong glanced nonchalantly at Vapula. “Earth must really seem like an easy picking, huh? Even a small fry like you managed to crawl up here.”

Despite his casual words, this was an unprecedented danger for ordinary humans. Clicking his tongue, Yong-Yong checked on the kids. If they got caught up in this, they wouldn’t survive.

“Look, there’s candy over there!” Yong-Yong pointed to the far corner of the park with his paw, drawing the children’s attention.

“Candy?”

“Where is candy?”

“Behind that tree. The first one to grab it gets to keep it,” Yong-Yong said.

“I want candy!”

“Yay!”

All the children ran toward the tree as fast as they could.

“Don’t run! Walk slowly so you don’t get hurt,” Yong-Yong called after them.

Then, he turned to face Vapula, who had almost fully emerged from the Fissure, raised his tail, and focused his mind.

Voom.

Energy gathered at the tip of Yong-Yong’s tail, a force so overwhelming it seemed to devour everything around it and soon transformed into a shining spear. It was the Lord Spear.

With a twang, the spear shot toward Vapula, ripping through the air with a loud screech.

***

“No candy.”

“Yong-Yong lied. That was mean.”

With Vapula defeated and the Fissure closed, the sky returned to its usual bright blue, and peace was restored to the park.

Yong-Yong was once again surrounded by the little devils, enduring their “torture.”

“Teacher’s here!” One of the children pointed to their daycare teacher, who had just emerged from the bathroom.

The teacher hurried over, scanning the area with a worried look after hearing what sounded like a bomb exploding.

“There was a lion.”

“A funny lion. It was over there.”

Hearing the children’s recollection, the teacher asked, “Hmm? A lion? Are you talking about this puppy?”

“No, no. Yong-Yong no lion.”

Worried that something might happen, the teacher decided to lead the kids back. “Alright, let’s head back inside, everyone.”

“That worked out well, I guess,” Yong-Yong muttered as he watched the kids walk away. “I didn’t do it for recognition, anyway.”

The true hero always worked from the shadows.

“I’m just a warm-hearted dragon in this cold, cold city,” Yong-Yong muttered to himself.

“Yong-Yong,” one of the children called out.

“Huh?”

Then, the kids turned around, waved at him, and shouted in unison, “See you tomorrow!”

Yong-Yong let out a chuckle, wiping his nose. He waved a paw at the little devils and muttered, “Guess I’ll have to come back tomorrow too.”