Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 174

The incident unfolded as follows:

Last night, Yong-Yong was curled up in bed, enjoying a deep and blissful sleep. That is, until Yoon-Hee, tossing and turning in her sleep, unintentionally shoved him off. Yong-Yong, who had been dreaming of savoring a heavenly bowl of braised short ribs, was jolted awake as he hit the floor like a pill bug.

“No, no! This can’t be happening!” Yong-Yong cried, trying to deny reality.

Hoping to re-enter his delicious dream, Yong-Yong tried to fall asleep on the cold floor. But it was no use. The same dream didn’t return, and for the first time in his life, Yong-Yong experienced a moment of profound disillusionment about his living situation.

The bed wasn’t small by any means, but it was a bit cramped for five to share.

“Sigh...”

***

A typical Korean dining table consists of one main dish, several side dishes, and soup. The main dish, naturally, the most delicious item on the table, often features meat. This was why Yong-Yong particularly loved main dishes.

“Time for seconds, hehe...” Yong-Yong’s smile gradually faded.

Unlike the other side dishes, today’s main dish—duck bulgogi—was completely gone. He had tried to make it last by piling his rice high and mixing in only a small portion of duck bulgogi. As a result, Yong-Yong ended up eating far less of the main dish than he had wanted.

“Yong-Yong, do you want more?” Yoon-Hee extended her hand, gesturing that she would serve him more rice if he handed over his bowl.

Still hungry, Yong-Yong was ready for another helping. After all, her cooking was exceptional. While it wasn’t the elaborate cuisine of a five-star chef, her home-cooked meals were unmatched in his eyes.

“Y-yeah,” he responded.

“Oh my, the duck bulgogi’s all gone already. Should I mix the rice with some vegetables instead?”

Yong-Yong nodded.

Yoon-Hee added soybean sprouts, spinach, and stir-fried zucchini mushrooms to the rice. She then drizzled sesame oil and gochujang over it, mixing everything thoroughly. As a finishing touch, she sprinkled perilla seeds and seaweed flakes on top, creating a perfect bibimbap.

“Wow.” A smile spread across Yong-Yong’s face.

He ate with gusto. It was definitely delicious—no doubt about that. However, he still felt a bit bothered. “Hmm.”

***

After finishing his meal, Yong-Yong would take a bath on days he didn’t visit the neighborhood store. Immersing himself in the warm tub marked the end of his day.

A toy duck floated on the water—not a real one, of course. Byeol watched the floating duck and, with her small hands, gently squeezed it.

Quack!

The sound echoed in the small bathroom.

Normally, Yong-Yong would have joined in playfully, grabbing the duck with his front paws and enjoying the quacking noises. However, today his expression was unusually serious.

“Yong-Yong, are you okay? Are you in a bad mood?” Byeol asked, her concern evident. Yong-Yong was almost always cheerful and energetic, making this somber mood quite rare.

Thinking he might be upset, Byeol grabbed the duck and brought it to him. With a quack, she nudged it toward his face. “Look, if you press it twice, it makes a funny noise!”

Qu—uack!

The toy emitted a sound reminiscent of a rooster’s cry. Byeol giggled, finding it amusing. However, Yong-Yong’s thoughts were elsewhere—on his nest.

What if he had never come to Do-Jun’s home? What if he had stayed in his nest? A vast grassland, spacious enough to fly all day in his true form without needing to polymorph.

“Hmm...”

As he pondered, the bathroom door creaked open. In walked Yoon-Hee, wrapped in a towel. She sat on the bath stool, grabbed the red toothbrush from the cup on the sink, and squeezed a line of toothpaste onto it. Then, she tapped the bath stool with her palm.

Yong-Yong, who had been soaking in the tub, got out and shook off the water. Droplets sprayed everywhere, but Yoon-Hee didn’t react, clearly accustomed to it. She waited for him to climb into her arms.

“Open up,” she said.

“Aaah.”

She then started brushing his teeth. Yong-Yong was now accustomed to this. Initially, he had a habit of swallowing anything that entered his mouth, including toothpaste, but over time, he learned to keep the foam in his mouth without swallowing.

“You’ve become so good at brushing your teeth, Yong-Yong. Let’s rinse.”

At her words, Yong-Yong opened his mouth, and Yoon-Hee rinsed his teeth thoroughly with the showerhead, washing away all the toothpaste foam. As the foam disappeared, Yong-Yong had a realization.

This wasn’t a life befitting a Dragon Lord.

He already had a nest.

***

“I’ve decided... I’m going to move out,” Yong-Yong declared.

It was a bombshell announcement.

After leaving the kids to get ready for bed in the bedroom by themselves, Yong-Yong hurried to the living room where Do-Jun was busy on his laptop. There, he shared his resolution with Do-Jun.

“Oh yeah? What about breakfast tomorrow?” Do-Jun asked.

“Pardon?”

“Are you gonna leave without eating breakfast?”

“Uh... I mean...” Yong-Yong wavered.

“I was planning to make sandwiches for breakfast.”

“Well, uh, you see... I’m planning to become more independe—”

Do-Jun interrupted him. “Then, who should I give your share of ham toppings to?”

At the mention of ham, Yong-Yong jumped in place. “I’ll eat it! I’ll eat it!”

Ham wasn’t something you gave up.

***

Yong-Yong burped in satisfaction after devouring five sandwiches. Do-Jun, the first to wake up that Saturday morning, had prepared them while the rest of the family was still asleep.

With his stomach full, Yong-Yong packed his belongings, though he didn’t really have much to pack. As he worked, he stole a glance at Do-Jun, who was absorbed in the morning newspaper, paying him no mind.

“Master,” Yong-Yong called.

“Yes?”

“Thank you for everything.”

“Sure.”

Yong-Yong hadn’t expected much of a reaction, but he still felt a bit disappointed. Who knew when they would see each other again after he moved out today?

He strapped his bundle onto his back, thinking to himself that life was a solitary thing. “I’m leaving, Master.”

Do-Jun didn’t respond.

Yong-Yong walked to the front door but turned back one last time. “I said I’m leaving, Master!”

Do-Jun nodded.

And yet, the saying goes that the one leaving feels the regret. Yong-Yong hesitated to open the door. Finally, he took a deep breath and opened it.

“Man, I’m really stepping into this dangerous world, huh...” he murmured as he exited.

The door shut behind him.

A few moments later, Do-Jun glanced at the wall clock. It was 7:50 AM. He got up, scratching his head and muttering, “I wonder what time he’ll be back.”

***

Every dragon had its own nest, varying in size, scope, and environment. Yong-Yong’s nest boasted a territory larger than most nations. A distant horizon stretched far and wide, while the familiar scent of the nest filled the air after a long absence.

“I’m back.”

Yong-Yong’s puppy-sized body gradually grew, soon regaining his true form as the Dragon Lord, the one who reigned supreme over all dragons. An overwhelming majesty emanated from him—a presence so dominant that even meeting his gaze could cause lesser creatures’ legs to give way, or, in severe cases, result in death by heart attack.

Whoosh!

He soared through the sky, flying freely over his vast domain for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. From mountains to seas, everything came into view. Countless monsters roamed freely below, creating an ecosystem that thrived in Yong-Yong’s territory.

A deafening roar tore through the air.

The monsters, sensing the return of the true master of the nest, grew tense and alert.

“Look how big this place is.” Yong-Yong sighed.

Yes, compared to this, Changshin Villa was far too cramped for a Dragon Lord. He couldn’t fly freely, the food was always scarce, and living with others often required him to restrain himself and follow rules.

“Hehe.” He couldn’t help but laugh with joy.

***

6 PM.

Yoon-Hee was starting to worry about Yong-Yong, who still hadn’t come home even though it was dinnertime. Byeol felt the same concern.

“Where Yong-Yong go?” she asked, face full of worry.

Tonight’s dinner was Yong-Yong’s favorite: spicy braised chicken.

Poking at her bowl with a spoon, Byeol glanced over at Do-Jun, who sat on the sofa, not eating. For some reason, Do-Jun had said he’d eat later and told them to start without him. After staring at the seemingly endless bowl of braised chicken, Byeol let her head drop.

“Today is chicken day...” Yoon-Hee sighed.

Karsiel then turned to Do-Jun and asked, “Master, aren’t you eating?”

Do-Jun smiled. “I’ll eat later.”

***

Achoo!

Back in his smaller form again, Yong-Yong sneezed and muttered, “Excuse me. Is someone talking about me...?”

Night had fallen over the nest. By a campfire, Yong-Yong roasted some orc meat he had caught earlier that day, but for some reason, it didn’t taste particularly good. Its faint meaty smell was off-putting.

Bzzzzz!

Mosquitoes swarmed around him.

“Ugh... Annoying little pests.” Yong-Yong chuckled as he looked around. “As soon as I grab the repellent, you’re all finish—”

Then he realized that this wasn’t Changshin Villa anymore.

“Oh, right.”

He poked the fire with a stick, waiting for the meat to cook. He took out the sugar he had brought just in case and sprinkled the golden-brown meat with it. As he bit into the meat, Yong-Yong’s expression hardened. He immediately spat it out onto the ground.

“Blegh! How did I even eat this stuff before?” 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

It was shockingly bad. Even the kimchi jjigae he made himself tasted better than this.

“Sigh. Guess I’ll just sleep.”

Yong-Yong blew out the campfire with a puff of breath. Lacking a proper pillow or blanket, he used a rock for a pillow and covered himself with a large leaf as a makeshift blanket. The chilly night was filled with constellations, and the wind howled fiercely.

Out of habit, he suddenly remembered that he needed to brush his teeth, or he would get in trouble.

But no. Here, Yong-Yong was never going to get in trouble again. He could skip brushing his teeth, eat all the snacks he wanted, and stay up as late as he pleased. There was no one to nag him, no one watching his every move.

Sniff.

“Master...”

He missed Do-Jun.

What were the others doing right now? Had they already finished dinner?

And yet... no one seemed to be looking for him—not even Karsiel, his own subordinate!

“Sob.”

Only now did he understand just how comforting that home had been for him. It had only been a day, yet he already felt lonely. After tossing and turning for another hour, Yong-Yong suddenly sprang to his feet as though he had made up his mind.

“I want to go home...”

***

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

The second hand of the wall clock ticked steadily. It was past midnight. While the rest of the family slept, Do-Jun remained awake, working on his laptop.

The automatic lock on the front door beeped as the code was entered. The front door opened cautiously, and of course, the one who entered was none other than Yong-Yong.

“M-Master? W-why are you still awake?”

When their eyes met, Yong-Yong flinched, clearly embarrassed. That’s when his stomach growled loudly. Without a word, Do-Jun stood up from the sofa. He walked to the kitchen without hesitation, turned on the light, and took ingredients out of the fridge. First came a whole raw chicken, followed by garlic, onions, carrots, and potatoes.

Yong-Yong watched in silent surprise.

Do-Jun blanched the chicken in boiling water, then added it to a pot with soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. As he sprinkled in red pepper powder, the broth turned bright red, and soon, a delicious aroma filled the kitchen.

Do-Jun was chopping potatoes on a cutting board when he paused and turned around. There, wagging his tail at Do-Jun’s feet, was Yong-Yong.

“You’re doing the dishes.” Leaving only that remark, Do-Jun resumed chopping.

A smile spread across Yong-Yong’s face.

“Yes, sir!”

Do-Jun chuckled softly.