Apocalypse’s Teacher

Chapter 76

Tatak.

Tatak.

The stove spewed heat while making a faint noise.

In front of it, the children, Helen, and even the old man gathered closely together, basking in its warmth.

In my arms, a sleepy Hyesung dozed off, exhausted from playing.

"Hyesung, are you very sleepy?"

"Mmm...."

Her sleepy reply dripped with drowsiness.

Laughter leaked here and there at her response.

Hyesung squirmed at the sound of the laughter, then quickly went limp as if she had no energy left to move.

Well, it made sense.

She had been running around nonstop for a full three hours, so it would've been odd if she wasn't tired.

Stifling a laugh, I spoke to Hyesung.

"Let's go. You need to sleep in a bed."

My question was prompted by concern that she might not be sleeping comfortably.

Hyesung shook her head.

"No..."

"Hmm?"

"It's warm...."

Ah, it seemed she felt better soaking in the warmth of the stove than lying down comfortably.

The limp Hyesung clutched tightly onto my collar.

"Stove...."

Though her words lacked context, their meaning was clear.

"Alright, then let's stay by the stove."

Taking off the blanket draped over my shoulders, I wrapped it around Hyesung.

Adjusting her squirming body and resting her head on my stomach, I saw her face relax noticeably.

"Squish...."

Hyesung let out a squishy giggle.

Though I didn't think I had much belly fat, Hyesung seemed to love it. She smiled blissfully and rubbed her head against my stomach.

"You must never lose weight."

The old man chuckled and said.

I glared at the old man and replied.

"I haven't gained much weight. And who loses weight because they want to? You lose it because there's nothing to eat."

"Yet you managed to scavenge well."

Flinch-.

My body trembled slightly.

The old man's smile had vanished from his face before I knew it.

He seemed to know where I had gone.

"...I was just lucky."

"Right, it was luck."

The old man said that as he averted his gaze from me.

I could guess the meaning behind his words.

It was likely a rebuke for recklessly venturing out on my own.

I couldn't bear to meet his eyes and turned my gaze away.

The children tilted their heads, sensing the tense atmosphere between the old man and me.

Helen, meanwhile, continued to sit dumbfounded, enjoying the warmth of the stove.

Smiling as if nothing was wrong, I spoke to the children and Helen.

"How about we fry something for dinner?"

The children nodded.

*

After warming ourselves in front of the stove for a while.

As the sunset approached, I finally took out the fresh produce I had obtained.

They weren't anything special, just a few subsistence crops that could still be painstakingly cultivated in this world.

Potatoes, sweet potatoes, and a few ears of corn.

Back when civilization thrived, these were eaten for dieting purposes, but now they had become luxuries.

'I'll boil the corn, fry the sweet potatoes.'

As for the potatoes, I'd fry half and boil the other half for a balanced meal.

"What's this?"

While I was planning, Hyesung approached and asked.

Smiling, I answered Hyesung.

"This is a potato, this is a sweet potato, and this is corn."

Hyesung tilted her head.

Having never seen these vegetables in her life, it wasn't strange.

'The shelter feeds the children a mixed porridge.'

Shelters don't invest many resources into children who aren't yet part of the labor force.

Since the purpose of raising them is to eventually turn them into labor, it's fair to say their meals aren't nutritious or of high quality.

I offered Hyesung a short, simple answer to help her understand.

"They're delicious."

Hyesung's eyes widened.

"Ooh...!"

At the mention of something delicious, she immediately reached out.

Smiling, I stopped her movement.

"Not yet, it's not tasty."

Halt-.

Hyesung froze.

Her face turned to me, filled with resentment.

"You tricked me...!"

"I said 'not yet.' They'll taste good after cooking."

Stroking her hair gently, I explained, but Hyesung, unfamiliar with the concept of cooking, still didn't seem to understand.

How should I explain it?

As I pondered, I came up with a convincing answer and spoke to Hyesung.

"You like eggs, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Which do you like better, boiled or fried?"

"Boiled!"

"Right. Just like eggs, these can also taste different depending on whether you boil, fry, or roast them."

Hyesung's eyes sparkled as she finally started to understand.

"Boil them!"

"No, today's frying day."

Grinning, I looked down at Hyesung.

Swallowing her saliva, Hyesung clenched her small fists.

"Frying day...!"

I was sure of it.

Hyesung likely still didn't know what "frying" meant.

*

It just so happened to be Mr. Park's visit day.

"Come here~."

Swinging his tools, Mr. Park entered the penthouse, looking much tidier than the day we celebrated the New Year.

His appearance could only be described as that of a dashing middle-aged man.

It wasn't surprising that the children looked at him with a sense of dissonance.

A snake-like malice arose in my heart.

'His true nature has already been completely exposed!'

At this point, the kids would no longer treat Mr. Park the same way as before!

Since they now knew that his true nature was that of a shabby middle-aged man, Mr. Park would be treated like I was—ignored!

...Or so I desperately hoped.

But, as expected, a handsome face was the greatest weapon.

"Ah, hello...!"

Dayoon blushed, her cheeks turning red as she bent at a 90-degree angle to greet him.

Even the rambunctious Dabin became a well-mannered lady and followed suit.

Jinwoo stood there with his mouth agape, wearing a dazed expression, while Ki-hyun curiously examined Mr. Park's face as if it were fascinating.

I closed my eyes tightly.

'Damn this appearance-centered society!'

Even in a post-apocalyptic world, appearance-centered society wouldn't disappear!

I started to resent the parents who gave birth to me.

'If you were going to abandon me, at least make me good-looking first!'

How could they abandon me in this harsh world without even making me look appealing?

As despair washed over me, causing my body to tremble for no reason, Mr. Park asked the old man.

"What's with him now?"

"Just leave him. That's not just a one-day thing."

"Ah, that's true."

Mr. Park nodded in agreement and indifferently averted his gaze.

Then, he asked.

"By the way, what were you doing? No class today?"

He seemed puzzled by the cooking setup spread out in the room.

I tapped the crops stacked beside me and answered him.

"I gathered some potatoes and sweet potatoes. I was planning on eating these today. While I'm at it, I thought I'd fry some, too."

"Oh?"

Mr. Park's eyes lit up.

He threw his briefcase, filled with lesson materials, far away and approached me, saying.

"Do you have any alcohol left?"

"Did you leave some with me?"

"I brought cola. Seven bottles."

"Second shelf from the bottom."

Who would have thought he'd bring cola?

Erasing all traces of resentment I'd felt earlier, I responded with a smiling face.

Mr. Park went to fetch the alcohol.

Watching him for a moment, I turned back to pour cooking oil into the wok I'd retrieved from the big supermarket earlier.

"Alright, let's get started."

"Something delicious!"

"Yeah, let's make something tasty."

As I gently stroked Hyesung's hair, she started jumping up and down with excitement.

Dabin and Dayoon approached me after a long time.

Helen swallowed her saliva repeatedly and handed me a piece of chicken she had brought along.

"Chicken, please eat...!"

Finally, Helen could enjoy the chicken she had been dreaming of.

'It looks like a feast.'

It seemed tonight's dinner would be a plentiful one.

Thinking that, I let out a small smile as the boiling cooking oil began to bubble, signaling the start of cooking.

*

Sizzle—.

The sliced sweet potatoes plunged into the oil, making a mouthwatering sound.

Droplets of oil splattered onto the newspaper spread on the floor.

The three kids, peeking over my back to watch the scene, exclaimed.

"Wooooow...!"

Dabin cheered enthusiastically.

Dayoon's eyes sparkled, and Hyesung was busy swallowing her saliva.

As the savory smell filled the entire living room, Jinwoo, who was boiling corn, spoke to me.

"Mister! The corn is ready!"

"Alright, I'm almost done here too."

The sweet potato fries were almost finished.

After this, I just needed to fry the sliced potatoes, and everything would be ready.

"Ki-hyun! Go to the rooftop and grab the cola!"

This was why winter was great.

In this electricity-deprived world, nature itself became a refrigerator.

Ki-hyun, who had been buried under a blanket, jumped up and headed to the rooftop.

Already tipsy, Mr. Park, with a slightly flushed face, sneakily grabbed a sweet potato fry and ate it.

"Hey, wait until everyone's eating!"

"Geez, does anyone die from eating just one?"

Couldn't he see the kids, who were holding back and waiting to eat together?

The children's gazes locked onto Mr. Park's greasy mouth.

In the midst of this, Hyesung scolded Mr. Park with teary eyes.

"You're a bad mister...!"

It seemed the thought of her share of fries being reduced made her angry.

Mr. Park flinched.

Perhaps unable to argue with Hyesung, he awkwardly smiled and slowly backed away.

Hyesung's glare sharpened.

"Alcohol confiscated...!"

Mr. Park quickly hid the alcohol behind his back.