Chapter 931: I’m going to buy New Black at the supermarket (2)

The kids are way too cute.

“Uncle.”

“Uncle!”

Kids calling us “uncle” even though we just met.

It already felt like we were best friends, so I high-fived them one after another.

“......”

“......”

A chilling gaze pressed into my back.

When I turned around, the others were huddled together like grumpy meerkats, glaring at me.

“Why?”

“Hmph.”

Jiho snorted.

“It’s nothing.”

It wasn’t just him.

Even Biju, who usually grinned whenever he saw me, was now shooting me a sulky look.

Their eyes were full of jealousy.

“Ah.”

I realized immediately why they were acting like that.

“Want me to give you a high-five too?”

“That’s not it!”

Jiho and Ri Hyuk snapped back like angry chicks, and I turned forward again.

Leaning closer to the three little kids who tilted their heads at us, I whispered,

“They’re weird uncles.”

I scrunched my nose playfully as I said it, and the kids burst into bright smiles.

Kids are really pure.

They laugh at the smallest things, and they’re kind enough to offer yogurt to someone they just met.

“What are you doing there? Come inside already.”

“Ah.”

Hye Won gestured to us from inside the entryway.

“Come in and have some tea.”

“Thank you.”

Rustling the gift bags, we stepped into the house.

Maybe it was a professional habit.

The moment I crossed the threshold, the number and placement of cameras caught my eye.

One, two, three... there are a lot.

Guys, there’s even one disguised as a doll over there.

That’s not a doll, that’s a camera.

We exchanged glances and checked the camera angles.

In childcare variety shows, the goal is to capture natural moments, so cameras are usually hidden as much as possible.

Junghyun said,

“This is my first time on an observation show. It’s fascinating.”

“Same.”

In fact, it was our first time on one.

Totally different from shows where staff line up behind the cameras holding cue cards.

Here, there was only one cameraman tucked away in a strange little booth.

We whispered toward him.

“Hellooo.”

“......”

“We look forward to working with you today.”

“Y-yes......”

After greeting the director hiding inside, we moved to the kitchen.

We each took a cup of herbal tea prepared for us and sat around the table.

“I’ll go get close to the kids first!”

“Go ahead.”

“Kids...! Let’s play with uncle!”

Jiho ran off energetically, and Hye Won chuckled.

“He’s exactly the same as on TV.”

“Only his body grew. That’s all.”

“I know, right? His body’s an adult, but watching him, he’s still a kid.”

“Kids are at least cute...”

“Why, he’s cute too.”

She smiled softly.

Even though it was our first meeting, there was no awkwardness at all.

I remembered what Seri had said.

Hye Won is really kind.

You know those people who make you feel comfortable just being around them? That’s her. No wonder Yeoul turned out like that.

I think I understood.

The kind of person who feels familiar even when you’ve just met.

I took in the scent of the herbal tea and looked around.

Plants on the balcony, a gentle atmosphere throughout the house.

Although...

“Sunbaenim.”

“Hmm?”

“What happened to the TV? Why is it cracked?”

“......”

Hye Won silently sipped her tea.

It looked like she was suppressing countless thoughts.

“Minwoo broke it last week.”

“How?”

“He saw a penguin jump in a cartoon and tried to copy it... by jumping onto the TV. I seriously thought I’d lose my mind......”

I blinked.

“Did he get hurt?”

“We rushed to the hospital and everything. Thankfully, there’s no scar.”

“That’s a relief.”

Unlike the warm atmosphere, there were signs of destruction everywhere.

Cracked flowerpots.

Wall scribbles that Jackson Pollock might admire.

Bright slides and floor mats ruining the aesthetic.

Corner protectors stuck onto every edge.

Hye Won smiled in resignation.

“Looking at this, prenatal education doesn’t seem to matter. I worked so hard when I was pregnant with twins...”

“Maybe that’s why they’re so kind.”

“Maybe...”

She smiled awkwardly, then tilted her head.

“Come to think of it, who gave you the yogurt?”

“Yuna and Minwoo.”

“They did?”

“Yes.”

She clicked her tongue.

“Wow. That’s basically treasure. If my husband or I eat it, they cry and tell us to leave the house......”

We burst into laughter.

Apparently, it was a very precious gift.

“They must really like you.”

“Seems like it.”

As we chatted, tea time came to an end.

While Jiho sat cross-legged whispering with the kids, Hye Won spoke.

“Please take good care of them today.”

“Of course. We’ll have fun with them.”

Today’s filming concept was that we would take care of the kids for the day instead of their parents.

She gave us a few instructions.

“When you go to the mart, they’ll ask for this and that. Don’t buy everything.”

“Yes.”

“Minwoo might lie down and throw a tantrum for a toy. If that happens, just walk away. He’ll pretend to cry and follow soon. If there’s no snot, it’s fake tears. When he really cries, the snot comes first.”

“What about Yuna and Yeoul?”

“Yuna runs off everywhere, so keep an eye on her.”

She looked toward the eldest.

While the twins were laughing loudly, Yeoul laughed softly among them.

“As for Yeoul...”

A smile spread across her lips.

“She’s a real angel.”

“Ooh.”

“If you can, could you pay a little more attention to her? She always takes care of her siblings, so today I’d like you to treat her like the younger one.”

“Of course.”

“Thank you. I’m counting on you.”

Smiling warmly, she picked up her bag and put on sunglasses.

“Kids! Mommy’s heading out!”

“Where are you going?”

“Where?”

“I’ll go work and come back.”

“Bye!”

“Mom, you can come back late today! We like the uncles!”

While the twins spoke, Yeoul ran over and hugged her mother.

Clinging to her leg, she looked up.

“See you later, Mom. I’ll wait even if I miss you.”

“Okay, Mommy will be back~”

Hye Won smiled happily.

She waved to us too, and we bowed as the door closed.

Now it was just us and the kids.

The twins, sipping their yogurt, looked at each other.

“Mom left...?”

“She left.”

They had seemed indifferent earlier, but now stared at the door.

Their shoulders drooped.

It hadn’t even been five minutes, yet their emotions changed drastically.

“I miss Mom.”

“Me too.”

We smiled at the sight of them suddenly clinging to thoughts of their mom—

when they ran toward the balcony.

From below, Hye Won was waiting for her manager’s car.

The kids waved.

“Bye Mom!”

“Bye!”

As if she expected it, she looked up from the first floor and waved back at the seventh.

Blowing kisses with both hands.

The kids burst into laughter.

Watching them, we smiled too.

They’re adorable.

Seriously adorable.

Now I understood why people watch childcare shows.

After saying goodbye, the kids quickly returned to normal.

I asked,

“You’re not too sad that Mom left, right?”

“Mm.”

“Let’s have fun with the uncles until she comes back!”

“Mm!”

They responded brightly to everything, making conversation easy.

While the others watched me coldly, I kept chatting with the kids.

“Do you know us?”

“Mm! We... uh, we met before.”

“Met? On TV?”

“Mm.”

“Thought so.”

I didn’t know how much kids their age understood from TV...

but they definitely recognized us.

Junghyun asked,

“Do you know our names?”

“No.”

“Want us to tell you?”

Nod, nod.

We introduced ourselves one by one.

Jiho asked,

“So what’s my name?”

“?”

A look that clearly said, When did you ever say your name?

Jiho looked wronged.

“I told you several times. Wang Jiho.”

“Why is your name Wang?”

“Then why is your last name Jung?”

“Because Dad is Jung Taeho.”

“My dad is Wang Hyuntak.”

What kind of conversation is this?

Yet the child nodded in understanding.

Jiho tried again.

“So, Minwoo. What’s my name?”

“Wang?”

“...This won’t be easy today.”

Then he pointed at me.

“What about this uncle? Do you remember his name?”

“Mm. Uncle Wooju!”

I cheered and high-fived Minwoo.

While Jiho pouted, the others introduced themselves.

Thankfully, aside from Jiho, the kids quickly learned our names.

We praised them and kept chatting.

“Yeoul, your name is really pretty.”

“Mm. Mom gave it to me.”

I remembered reading that it came from a word meaning abundance.

Jung Yeoul. Five years old.

The most beloved child on the show.

Big eyes, a sharp nose, dimples when she smiled.

Her short bob and hairpins felt like her trademark.

“What do you want to do today, Yeoul?”

“Anything is fine.”

She was also the most mature child I’d ever met.

Some kids are just naturally perceptive of adults’ feelings.

Yeoul was one of them.

At first, she kept watching us carefully, so I wondered how to make her comfortable—

“I want to have fun with you today.”

“Really?”

“Mm!”

Luckily, she seemed to have opened up after observing us.

Like we’d earned a “good person” badge.

As I smiled at her—

“What are we doing today?”

“Can we eat chicken?”

“I want pizza, uncle.”

“And cola!”

Unlike Yeoul, the twins were exactly what you’d expect at their age.

Carefree.

Quick to cry.

Running around laughing.

And—

“Hehe.”

“Hi hi.”

Seeing them cling to Yeoul’s shoulders, giggling, it was clear they were close.

“We’re going to do this today......”

The kids looked at us with sparkling eyes.

“We’re going to the mart with your uncles.”

“Mart!”

“I like the mart.”

Their excitement rose instantly.

“And we’ll buy ingredients and cook together.”

“Cook?”

“Mm.”

“......”

That’s... not the reaction I expected.

Instead of excitement—

only Yeoul smiled shyly.

The twins looked reluctant.

Biju laughed.

“Should we cook for you instead?”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

Instant answers.

I realized you can tell kids’ preferences by how fast they respond.

Yeoul whispered,

“When Kevin uncle came before, we tried cooking.”

“Really?”

“But it was a bit hard. He wanted us to make dumplings together...”

Ah. That explains it.

So we decided we’d do the cooking ourselves.

“Shall we go out then?”

“Yes!”

Yeoul calmly dressed her siblings.

Soon, she came out in a pretty dress, the twins in overalls.

“Waaah.”

“So cute.”

They spun around proudly at our praise.

Meanwhile—

“Um...”

We looked at their backpacks.

“Since we’re going to the mart, shouldn’t you travel light? Won’t that be heavy?”

Even for slightly older kids, it looked heavy.

Minwoo shook his head.

“No! I can carry it!”

“Really?”

“Mm!”

Seeing him puff his chest, we nodded.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

After notifying the staff, we left with the three kids.

In the elevator—

“Uncle.”

Minwoo tugged his strap.

“My bag is heavy.”

“Mine too.”

“......”

“......”

Junghyun and I each took a bag.

We were starting to understand childcare... just a little.

What is a mart to a child?

The moment we stepped into the underground parking lot, they were practically humming with excitement.

“Mart!”

“Mart!”

Near Hye Won’s home stood a large supermarket.

[Welcome to K Mart]

The kids tried to run toward the sign.

“Aaaah!”

“Wait, no!”

We grabbed the twins just in time.

My heart nearly stopped.

Thankfully, we were holding their hands tightly.

They giggled in our grip.

Ri Hyuk crouched down.

“Running in the parking lot is dangerous.”

“Why?”

“You never know where cars will come from. And drivers might not see you.”

“Why?”

“Well, the height difference...”

Seeing him getting emotional, I patted him and crouched down.

“No running.”

“Mm.”

“Okay?”

They nodded.

That should be enough.

“Got it?”

“Aaaah!”

The twins immediately tried to run again.

...This won’t be easy.

“Kids.”

Yeoul placed her hands on her hips.

“Uncle said no running.”

The twins glared at each other.

“She ran first.”

“No, Minwoo did!”

“Dummy!”

“You’re the dummy!”

As we stepped in—

“Apologize.”

“......”

“If you don’t, only Yeoul and the uncles will go to the mart.”

“Sorry.”

“Sorry.”

They hugged as told and burst into laughter.

As if nothing had happened.

Yeoul sighed.

Watching her constantly monitor her siblings, I said,

“Yeoul.”

“Mm?”

“We’ll take care of them today. You don’t have to worry.”

“But...”

“See? There are other uncles too.”

She glanced at Jiho and Ri Hyuk.

“Hmm.”

Then nodded at Biju and Junghyun.

“Today, don’t worry about them.”

“But...”

“No. Yeoul is a kid too. Kids don’t take care of other kids.”

“......”

“Just have fun with me today.”

She hesitated, watching her siblings—

“Come play with me instead. Okay?”

“Mm... okay.”

“Okay?”

“Mm.”

Suddenly shy.

“Let’s go!”

Holding her hand and swinging it lightly, she laughed.

Ah... so cute.

Biju, walking beside me, smiled.

“They must be really excited.”

“I know. They’re adorable.”

“I’m excited too. It’s been a while since we’ve been to a mart, right?”

“It really has.”

Since we became famous, we couldn’t really go anymore.

Even with masks and hats—

“Hello, Wooju.”

People still recognized me instantly.

“How did you know?”

“By your silhouette.”

Like recognizing Pikachu by outline alone.

The automatic doors opened.

“Uncle! We came to the mart!”

“Are you happy?”

“Yes!”

As we watched them—

“Hm?”

“Hmm?”

We all froze.

The last time we’d been to a mart was years ago with TNT.

It had changed completely.

“Look! There’s Biju hyung’s photo!”

“Our pictorial is over there!”

“Ri Hyuk, you’re on that ad!”

Our images were everywhere.

Then—

“Mom! That’s the mart uncle!”

“Mart uncle!”

Kids pointed at us.

Their parents replied lazily—

“Yeah, yeah. Mart uncle.”

“Which mart uncle?”

“No, really! That mart uncle!”

The parents turned—

“Gasp!”

“Gasp!”

Shock.

Meanwhile—

the kids holding our hands tightened their grip.

Their shoulders rose.

Their smiles turned proud.

Like kids saying, We have a giant robot at home.

“Hehe.”

Watching them, we blinked.

“Mart...?”

“Uncle...?”

Ri Hyuk said,

“Minwoo said earlier he was happy to come to the mart with the ‘mart uncles.’”

“Right...”

And then it hit us.

“Kids, what do you think we do?”

They answered immediately.

“You’re uncles who sell things at the mart!”

“...!”

A truly shocking identity.