The Reincarnated Cop Who Strikes With Wealth

The Young Accomplices (1)

“It looks like you have a lot of people making donations.”

“It’s not that many, but there are a few who donate regularly.

“The children’s clothes are clean, and your orphanage also has a good environment.”

“Speaking of our Aeryuwon,”

Jin Hwa-An interrupted me with a firm nod of her head.

Although she appeared to be in her mid-thirties, her behaviour resembles that of a dignified, older lady.

This meant that I felt just the slightest bit pressured by her.

“we make sure to regard each of our children as their own valuable existence. Each of them has the right to live as a human should. To ensure this, we must maintain at least the minimum standards of dignity.”

Her gaze was aimed at a window that had a clear view of the yard.

Young men, who appeared to be part of the staff, were leading the children indoors.

It seemed that the children’s time was divided between class and rest periods, just like in a kindergarten.

Including the director, there were quite a few staff members.

“Do you have any questions, perchance?”

“I would like to see what the welfare facilities are like. Would that be okay?”

“Of course it is. However, since this is a place where children live, I hope you will respect their privacy. We can only guide you through the public areas.”

Following Jin Hwa-An’s lead, I rose from my seat.

Then we went through the rooms, in order of the study room, the multi-purpose room, the dining room, the playroom, and a few others.

Overall they seemed to be very well maintained.

From the outside, the place appeared to be a paradise that was unequalled in the entire world.

“Teacher. I didn’t get a sausage.”

“Me too!”

“I got one, but it’s too small.”

“Just hold on for a moment.”

Currently, it appeared to be lunchtime, the children were standing in lines while holding their trays.

The employee who was serving the food awkwardly turned and looked to Jin Hwa-An for help.

She raised her eyebrows slightly, before offering me a thin smile.

“Would you mind waiting for just a moment? I need to help feed the children.”

“Of course. There’s nothing more important than a good meal.”

Jin Hwa-An left along with her employee, leaving behind a dining room packed full of toddlers. Their sparkling eyes all immediately turned towards me.

The children closest to me crouched down on the spot and smiled up at me with bashful curiosity.

“Is uncle a guest as well?”

“Mhm. That’s right.”

“Why did you come here?”

“Will you keep coming back from now on?”

A flood of questions came pouring in from the children.

Caught off balance, I took a few steps back.

After getting used to Black’s constant smokey stench and the constant stream of harsh curses from the detectives, I couldn’t adapt to this situation.

While edging away from the children, I said to them.

“Now now. You need to eat your lunch. Don’t mind me and take your seats.”

“It’s fine. We’re all supposed to eat together. But when the teachers leave to get more sausages, that means we have to wait for a long time.”

Could it be that they often had trouble with supplying the right amount of food.

Now that I had a closer look, it seemed like the number of chairs and tables in the dining room were insufficient compared to the number of children.

I asked one of the children in front of me.

“Do you enjoy living here?”

“Yes. The principal is great, and the other teachers are good too.”1

Although it didn’t seem like a bad environment for the children themselves, its connection to Wang Ong-Gu left me feeling a little uneasy.

While responding to the children’s conversation, I slowly looked around the place.

“Hey now. You all need to line up so that we can head inside. Make sure to wash your hands before you come here!”

At that moment, children from another class arrived to have their lunch.

They were led into the room by a few school students.

Judging from the fact that they were wearing their school uniforms, it appeared that a couple of friends had come together to do some official volunteer work. How youthful.

From my seat, I took in the sight, only to slowly rise to my feet with a name on the tip of my tongue.

Hiis babyish face with a round nose. His affable smiling eyes. And his uniquely curly hair.

“Choi Sang-Beom?”

“Yes?”

Upon suddenly hearing his name called out, the boy turned his head towards me.

What in the world? What is he doing here?

“…were you calling for me?”

Choi Sang-Beom. The youngest of my fellow cellmates.

Although the time we had spent together was the shortest, he had such a good personality that we had been able to get close without any hitches.

Of course, he had relied on that personality of his to make a living by scamming people on the outside.

Sang-Beom looked at me and tilted his head to the side as he tried to recall if he knew who I was.

Since this was the first time he had ever seen my face, that was the natural reaction.

Footnote:

1 Jin Hwa-An is treated as the principal as well as the director of the orphanage.