Chapter 4

“Princess, you need to get up quickly, right? You have kindergarten today.”

“Uh, what time is it?”

“It’s 7:30~ Hurry up and wash up, Mom has laid out your clothes.”

Waking up earlier than usual still left me a bit groggy.

Dad, who usually leaves for work by now and wasn’t home, must not have gone yet.

He scooped me up with a big grin on his face early in the morning.

“Our daughter is awake? Let’s go wash your face.”

“Okay…”

I couldn’t reach the sink, so I stood on a toddler stool and washed my face haphazardly, feeling a bit more awake.

After washing up, I threw on the clothes Mom had picked out.

It was a frilly dress full of Mom’s taste, and if it weren’t for the morning laziness, I would’ve rushed to her and protested.

“Yawn, I’m all ready.”

“If you’re done, Do-hee, come eat breakfast. Your brother needs to leave for work, it’s time.”

“Got it, I’ll be off. Do-hee, have fun at kindergarten, okay?”

“Yep, have a good day!”

After barely finishing breakfast, Mom and I headed out and took the elevator.

I felt completely drained waking up at such an early hour for something I need to do just today.

I figured I should skip kindergarten just this once.

After all, once I start elementary school, I’ll be suffering through this every day, so I might as well rest now.

While the elevator was going down, it stopped, and an auntie got on.

As soon as she saw me, she smiled.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you before, that kid is so cute! How old are you?”

Mom happily replied with a smile, “Ah, she’s 5 years old. Haha!”

“Looks like you’re off somewhere with your kid.”

“Today is her first day of kindergarten.”

“Oh, really? I thought with how cute she is, she was heading to a filming set as a child actor! If you have a chance, you should make her a child actor.”

Just as the chatter between Mom and the auntie was wrapping up, the elevator arrived at the underground parking lot.

“Well, I’ll be off now, Do-hee, say goodbye.”

“Goodbye!”

“Oh my, what a good little kid. Have a nice day~”

On the way to kindergarten in the car, Mom asked,

“Do you want to be on TV, honey?”

“TV? Well, that’s an experience too. Being on TV at least once could be fun.”

“Haha, our daughter talks like an adult. The auntie was talking about child actors, right? Well, child actors are…”

“I know that much.”

“Oh, our clever one knows everything! I hope you get to try everything you want to do, so think about it.”

“Okay.”

While chatting with Mom, we soon arrived at kindergarten.

We asked a teacher guiding students at the entrance and headed to the principal’s office.
I asked the teacher in charge of the group and went to the principal’s office.

“Welcome, are you Do-hee’s mother, who called yesterday?”

“Oh, yes, that’s me. Hello.”

“Hello, teacher.”

“Well, hello Do-hee, you are so pretty! You look just like your beautiful mother, hoho.”

“What are you talking about? Haha.”

Of course, I’m pretty, but something about the principal starting the conversation feels off.

“First, come here and take a seat.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Would you like coffee or tea?”

“Oh, please give me coffee.”

The principal, with familiar gestures, guided me and made coffee while asking my mom.

“So, you said you wanted to do a day visit?”

“Yes, since I’m not working, I could play with her instead of sending her to kindergarten. But I feel like she should make friends to develop her social skills.”

“Absolutely, ma’am. These days, kids need to build social skills starting from kindergarten to adapt well in school later on.”

“What’s the point of making friends with snotty kids at my age… although I do have the body of a five-year-old.”

“But if you only visit for a day, it’ll be over before she can build any social skills. How about a month instead?”

“Oh… my daughter really prefers to stay at home.”

“Ma’am, not only social skills, but at our English kindergarten, kids naturally learn English, so by the time they enter elementary school, they’ll do better than kids who’ve studied abroad.”

“Oh, right… English is indeed important.”

If things go wrong, she might end up attending kindergarten for a long time. I shook my head vigorously at my mom.

“But if the child dislikes it so much…”

“Well, ma’am, you know our English kindergarten costs 1,990,000 won a month, right? We have a special promotion—if you register by today, it’s only 990,000 won for a month for a whole year, and if you miss this chance, you will really regret it.”

“Is this lady running a gym or something with all these promotions? And the price is just ridiculous. No matter how much my mom is an easy target, even she can’t fall for such obvious tactics…”

My mom’s eyes are wavering. At this rate, she might sign up for a year before even doing the visit.

‘Sad thoughts… sad thoughts…’

‘My poor little buddy left from my previous life… brother… I’m sorry you never got a chance to use it…’

Thinking of my poor little one made tears well up.

Is this how it feels for a parent who lost a child?

“Mom… I want to stay with you.”

With that line, I gently closed my eyes. A single tear rolled down my cheek.

Seeing me in tears, my mom hugged me tightly.

“Oh, my little princess, I’m sorry, I didn’t understand your feelings.”

Whoa, that was a powerful performance. Should I consider a career as a child actor?
“Mom… Can we just do this for today… Ugh…?”

“Sure, sure, just for today. Then our princess can decide.”

‘Thank goodness I survived. I almost got played by the principal’s slippery tongue.’

“Ahem, so you just need to pay 99,000 won for today’s tour.”

“Okay, here’s my card.”

After the payment,

“Hmm… So where should I take you on a tour… Berlin class, Rome class, Paris class, Madrid class, Lisbon class…”

‘Damn it.’

This English kindergarten seems completely out of its mind. They named the classes after capitals of countries that don’t even speak English, completely skipping over capitals in England, the US, Canada, and Australia.

“Principal, is there any chance I can be in the same class as Baek-hwi? I think it would help our Do-hee adjust quickly.”

“Oh, really? Which class is Baek-hwi in? Here it is.”

The principal searched through the list and found that blessed little rich kid’s class, then picked up the intercom.

“Ah, teacher, there’s a new student coming to your class today, so please come to the principal’s office to escort them.”

After hanging up, she said,

“I’ve called the teacher, so she’ll be here soon, ho ho. And mother, if you can, after trying it out today, we hope you’ll sign up for a year since there’s a promotion, you know what I mean?”

“Oh.. okay.”

‘That principal is ruthless.’

knock knock

“Principal, I’m coming in.”

“The teacher is here.”

“Hello. I’m Yoo So-hee, the teacher of the Seoul class.”

‘Wow, Berlin class, Madrid class, and now Seoul class? This is the cherry on top.’

The teacher bent her knees and looked at me, asking,

“Nice to meet you! What a pretty friend we have! What’s your name?”

“I’m Do-hee Lee.”

“What a pretty name too. Let’s have fun today, okay? Your mom can go home and rest, and just come back by 3:30.”

“Okay, I understand. Do-hee, I’ll go home now, have fun today, okay?”

“Yeah, got it! Call me later.”

As soon as mom left, the teacher grabbed my hand and said,

“Do-hee, shall we go now?”

Just as we were about to leave, the principal called the teacher over and whispered something directly in her ear.

“Wait a sec, Yoo teacher, come here.”

One-day… 1 year… seduce…

At this point, I want to give the principal a round of applause. So that’s how you make money.

After the principal’s command, the teacher, whose expression turned unnecessarily serious, approached me and said,

“Alright, Do-hee, shall we go?”

“Yes… Let’s.”

And we stepped into the Seoul class.

As soon as we walked in, I saw kids running around, chasing and being chased.
Kids.

A kid building a tower and a kid knocking it down.

A kid snatching a toy and a kid getting snatched.

At least there’s a kid sleeping.

A kid trying to transform, claiming to imitate an anime they saw yesterday.

A kid pretending to shoot magic while waving around a magic wand…

‘Ah, the dreadful age of 5…’

“Alright, everyone pay attention.”

Even when the teacher shouts for attention, the kids are in a chaotic frenzy.

“We have a new friend in our class today. Shall we all say hello?”

‘No, is the teacher just going to blabber on about themselves…’

“Okay, once again, pay attention! We have a very, very pretty friend who has joined us.”

Surprisingly, one by one they glance at me, then quiet down and fix their gaze on me…

My looks are concentrating even the mischievous 5-year-olds.

Thankful for the miracle from Mom and Dad…

“Oh my, maybe it’s because Do-hee is so pretty that everyone quieted down so fast. Now, let’s do some self-introductions!”

“Uh… Hi, I’m Do-hee Lee, nice to meet you…”

“Alright, everyone, clap!”

Clap-clap-clap

“Now, who wants to ask Do-hee a question? Yes, Jang-mun.”

“Hi, I’m Park Jang-mun. I’m the 32nd descendant of the Milyang Park family of thieves. I’m the youngest of two brothers and one sister, and my dad is a baseball player, while my mom is a housewife. When I was at the LA kids’ café… then… and… so…that’s how it went…”

‘What on Earth? Why is there a sane person in this kindergarten?’

“I currently live in the Bando Yobora Central Parkview Edu River Marina the First City.”

‘Wow, even the apartment lives up to its owner, Jang-mun the chronic attention seeker.’

“So, if you don’t have a boyfriend, date me.”

“Y, you little sh*t!”

‘Ah. I couldn’t hold it in and a curse slipped out.’

‘I was hoping to live my life in this life without swearing…’

The teacher beside me looked shocked, her eyes wide in disbelief.

She seemed flustered, wondering if she heard a curse word.

“Ah… ah… my leg is going numb…”

While listening to Jang-mun’s speech, I pretended my leg was going numb.

“Hoho, Do-hee’s leg is going numb! You sound just like a noble lady from the Joseon era, don’t you?”

“Yes, I watched a historical drama on TV yesterday… heehee…”

As I perform an epic act, Jang-mun cluelessly shouts again.

“So, if you don’t have a boyfriend, date me!”

“Ah, sh*t!”

I need to take a slow breath.

Hoo… ha…

‘Ah, calm down…’

After taking a breath, I decided to say this.

‘Hoo… it can’t be helped.’

“Sorry, but I’m going to marry my dad.”

‘Ah, so even this kind of words come out of my mouth…’

It seems today is going to be quite eventful until I escape this English kindergarten.

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