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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Halo's Angel
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033
One of the members, Kim Jinhyung, crouched down in front of me, meeting my eyes.
“Gongja. Hyung is sorry for teasing you.”
A normal child probably wouldn’t have understood. And even if they did, they’d most likely just turn their head away.
‘But I’m different.’
I patted Kim Jinhyung’s cheek with my hand. Then, with a gentle smile, I said,
“S’okay!”
Kim Jinhyung’s eyes widened at my touch.
“Wow, Gongja forgave me!”
Just then, a caption appeared.
Wow.
‘That’s more than I expected.’
Seriously, why was he so moved by this?
I blinked, looking at Kim Jinhyung. The Halo member seemed so surprised he even scratched his cheek slightly.
“I just… I didn’t think you’d forgive me.”
It’s not a big deal, though?
“Why?”
“Ah, no. Hmm, you’re right. Why did I think that?”
How should I know if you’re asking me?
“Because usually, when you make a mistake, people don’t forgive you?”
“Weally? Who?”
“Everyone?”
Tough world. Then again, the entertainment industry is like that.
‘There are so many idols out there.’
Ah, but you guys are Halo.
‘Well, everyone has to start somewhere.’
Come to think of it, I think I’d heard that Halo had a rough time when they were just starting out.
“Is weally everyone like that?”
“Yeah.”
Oh dear.
“Hyung.”
I patted Kim Jinhyung’s head.
“Gongja is okay.”
At that moment, the other members standing nearby let out a collective groan.
“Wow!”
“The baby… he’s so nice!”
“He’s even more mature than Jinhyung!”
Kim Jinhyung blinked, then pressed a hand to his forehead.
“Damn it. Stop teasing me.”
“Mr. Kim Jinhyung, how does it feel? To be comforted by a baby?”
“Ah, honestly.”
Kim Jinhyung blinked and said,
“It’s nice. So nice that I feel weird right now.”
“Puhahahahahaha!”
“This is crazy.”
“You should be Gongja’s little brother!”
“Hey! Stop teasing me!”
Kim Jinhyung grumbled but held my waist to support me.
“Gongja, try kicking the ball.”
He’s a good kid.
“Okay!”
I kicked the ball. The soft rubber ball bounced its way to the other side.
“Aww. His legs are so short and cute.”
‘Sh-short?’
I take back what I said about him being a good kid.
‘Well, it’s true that my legs are short because I’m a baby.’
Just you wait. I’m going to grow super tall.
‘With long legs, too.’
And if that doesn’t work, I’ll just have to use my coins.
As I was making this small resolution, the ball rolled back to me.
This time, I tried to kick it carefully. But I still wobbled. Kim Jinhyung steadied me again.
Another member in front of us kicked the ball back. But something about the way it was flying looked a little dangerous.
‘I think it’s heading for his head…’
It would be a big problem if it hit someone in the eye.
I stretched my hands out with all my might and wrapped them around Kim Jinhyung’s head.
*Thump.*
The ball grazed my arm and fell to the floor. For a moment, the living room fell silent.
“Wh-what was that!”
“Hey, why would you kick the ball so high!”
“Ah, sorry. Hey, you two are okay, right? I mean, of course you’re okay, but still!”
“What did I just see!”
The Halo members all rushed over.
“Jinhyung, are you alive?”
“I’m alive! Wow, did you guys see Gongja just cover my head?”
“Of course we did! Gongja’s short arms wrapped around your big head!”
“Hey! My head’s not big!”
They were so loud.
But the Halo members’ fuss wasn’t over.
“Mr. Kim Jinhyung. One year old? Gongja, are you one? Anyway, how does it feel to be protected by a one-year-old baby?”
‘They’re having fun.’
Kim Jinhyung stood up, holding me, and said,
“Uh, it’s a little weird… but I like it.”
“You really like it?”
“Yes. At the same time, I’m wondering why I’m so weak that I need a baby’s protection, but I’ll pass all these worries on to the one who kicked the ball, Yoo Jichan.”
Kim Jinhyung held up my arm and ran toward the other member.
“How dare you put us in danger! He shall be punished by Gongja’s hand!”
Kim Jinhyung used my hand to lightly hit Yoo Jichan.
“You dare threaten us?”
“Ah, I’m sorry!”
Yoo Jichan dropped to his knees and clasped his hands together.
“I was careless.”
“What would you have done if our Gongja had been hit in the eye by that ball!”
“I-I didn’t kick it that hard.”
That was true.
‘It just went a little high, that’s all.’
But Kim Jinhyung was merciless.
“Do you not realize that such carelessness puts our Gongja in danger? Guards!”
Huh?
“Yes, sir!”
Oh?
“Twist that scoundrel’s legs!”
Wow.
‘They’re really good at this.’
The other members quickly brought over a chair. They made him sit down as if tying him up, but there was a different problem.
‘The chair is a pumpkin chair.’
That’s the one Ansan-daek bought as a set with the watermelon one.
Maybe because of that, the whole scene looked incredibly adorable.
“Pfft! The chair is too cute.”
“Hey, don’t laugh. We have to be serious.”
“Okay. Twist the sinner’s legs.”
“I am innocent, Your Honor~”
They were perfectly in sync. Yoo Jichan, sitting on the pumpkin chair, shivered and cried out,
“Please give me another chance!”
“How dare you ask for forgiveness without acknowledging your crime! Guards, twist his legs harder!”
“Yes, sir~!”
“He said to twist his legs!”
Wow, this is chaotic.
‘Is this how young people play these days?’
It was kind of hard to keep up.
“Please for~give~ me~”
Kim Jinhyung held out his arm.
“Guards. Stop the torture.”
“He said to stop!”
“Sob. Sob.”
I blinked. Kim Jinhyung, still holding me, stood before Yoo Jichan.
“I have no intention of forgiving your crime, but Gongja might feel differently. Gongja. What do you want to do?”
Oh. The choice is mine now?
I smiled brightly and patted Yoo Jichan’s head.
“Gongja is okay!”
“Gasp!”
“That’s insane!”
Yoo Jichan looked at me, then slowly collapsed onto the floor.
Kim Jinhyung asked again.
“Mr. Yoo Jichan, how are you feeling?”
“I think I know what you were talking about earlier.”
“Right? You have to experience it to know.”
“The baby is an angel.”
Yoo Jichan quickly got back up.
“Gongja. Thank you for forgiving me.”
I smiled and said,
“S’okay!”
“Ugh, I’m dying.”
Yoo Jichan took me from Kim Jinhyung. Then he patted my back.
“So cute! I wish I had a little brother like this!”
“Jichan, you have a little brother.”
“That one’s not very cute.”
Oh dear.
I looked at Yoo Jichan and said,
“Hyung is cute.”
Indeed he was. You guys are really good at playing.
Just then, the members suddenly collapsed all at once.
‘What’s with them?’
Looking around, I saw them all muttering on the floor.
“Oh my god. He said Jichan is cute.”
“That’s because he doesn’t know about Jichan’s stinky feet.”
“Maybe Gongja is just a really nice person?”
“It’s not like his eyesight is bad, is it? How is Jichan cute in any way?”
Kim Jinhyung held up two fingers and said,
“Gongja, how many is this?”
Excuse me, future global idols.
‘There’s no way I’d know numbers right now.’
I know, but I have to pretend I don’t. For now.
Kim Jinhyung muttered,
“He really doesn’t know.”
“See. That’s why he said Jichan is cute.”
Guys.
I tilted my head and said,
“Everyone’s cute!”
“Huh?”
“What did he say?”
I gave them my brightest smile.
“All the hyung-ahs are cute!”
“Gah!”
“Hngh!”
They all rolled over on the floor.
“He’s an angel. An angel.”
“Ah, seriously, maybe he just doesn’t know what ‘cute’ is yet.”
“Gongja, ‘cute’ is what we call a child like you.”
“Whatever, Gongja is an angel.”
I toddled over to Yoo Jichan.
“Hyung-ah, you okay?”
“Hm? I’m okay. Since Gongja forgave me, everything’s okay. I’m sorry. I kicked it too high.”
He’s seriously apologizing for something so trivial.
“S’okay. Gongja saved Jin-hyung-hyung-ah.”
“Keuk.”
“I’m losing my mind.”
The other members rolled around on the floor.
“Ah, he’s so cute.”
“He said he saved Jin-hyung-hyung-ah.”
“Jin-hyung-hyung-ah, how are you feeling?”
“Ah, why are you asking again? Of course, I feel great. It’s like… a feeling of wanting to forget everything in the world and just take a nap with Gongja.”
Another member shifted on the floor and said,
“Ah. A nap. Come to think of it, I’m sleepy.”
“No. We’re in the middle of filming!”
They really were exhausted. They must not be getting any sleep.
‘Just hang in there a little longer. You’ll make it big soon.’
I smiled gently.
“Nen-ne? Let’s! Now!”
“Huh?”
“Let’s nen-ne with Gongja!”
Kim Jinhyung turned around.
“What’s ‘nen-ne’?”
“Oh, I know. A nap.”
“Gasp. Is he asking me to sleep with him now? Because I look tired?”
Kim Jinhyung hugged me tightly.
“You really are an angel. Hyung is okay, Gongja.”
Kim Jinhyung stood up and lifted me.
“We’re on a childcare show, right?”
“Right?”
“Then why does it feel like Gongja is raising us?”
Oh, you’re sharper than I thought.
“You felt that too?”
“Yeah. It feels like we’re the ones being healed.”
“Now that you mention it?”
Kim Jinhyung patted my shoulder and said,
“Well, whatever. It doesn’t matter. Gongja, let’s play with hyung!”
Ah. I have to play with them again.
I smiled and nodded.
“Okay!”
“Alright, Gongja. What should we play?”
The members all got up and started walking. I let out a small sigh.
Honestly, I was a little tired.
‘Is it just me?’
These idols were kind of like beagle puppies.
* * *
It was already afternoon.
‘Is that going to be okay?’
I glanced toward the kitchen. A few of the members were busy stirring something.
‘Guys. I’ll eat almost anything, so please just don’t burn it.’
They said they were making baby food, but I was very anxious. As I couldn’t keep my head from drooping toward the kitchen, Kim Jinhyung picked me up.
“Hey guys. Gongja’s worried.”
“Gasp!”
“It’s okay, Gongja! We’re succeeding!”
“That’s right! We’re making delicious baby food!”
Will it really be edible?
As I watched them with suspicion, Kim Jinhyung carried me to the window.
“Let’s let the hyungs work hard on the baby food, and you can play with me, Gongja!”
Ah, do I have to play again?
Kim Jinhyung adjusted his hold on me and said,
“Gongja. What’s your dream?”
Excuse me.
‘If you ask a one-or-two-year-old baby what their dream is, are they going to understand?’
I looked at Halo’s Kim Jinhyung. For a question directed at a baby, he looked quite serious.
“Gongja likes big things! I wanna be on there!”
Will he get it?
‘This is the best I can do with my language skills.’
But his reaction was surprising. Kim Jinhyung understood immediately.
“You want to be on something big? Is your dream to be an actor, Gongja?”
Wow. For a moment, I was touched.
‘He actually understood that.’
I nodded my head.
“Yes!”
“Wow. To have a dream of being an actor at such a young age! Who do you take after?”
Why ask something like that?
“Mama!”
“Ah, right. Your mom is Ma Sujeong-sunbaenim.”
Thanks for understanding, Jinhyung.
Kim Jinhyung adjusted his hold on me again and said,
“Gongja. Hyung has a dream too, you know?”
Of course, he would.
‘But I should ask.’
It seemed like that’s what he wanted.
“What is it?”
“Hmm, my dream is to hold concerts in many different countries around the world.”
Ah. That.
‘You’re going to do that.’
No, you’ll do more than that.
‘Didn’t they gain popularity in North America and go on a world tour?’
Kim Jinhyung, oblivious to his own future, muttered,
“So I’m learning English, but everyone kind of scoffs at us. They say things like, ‘You think you guys can do it?’”
Oh dear.
‘No matter where you go, there are always people who talk like that.’
Kim Jinhyung sighed and looked out the window.
“Do you think we can do it?”
“You can!”
Of course, you can. I’ve seen that future!
“Oh, really?”
“Uh-huh! And they get a spanking!”
“A spanking?”
