I PICKED UP A CHILD IN A DUMPSTER-Chapter 52: A Very Serious Game.

Hana sighed deeply knowing at that moment she’s only mature person there.

"Why is Dad acting like a weird adult... and why is the drunk lady acting weird too...?"

Both of us stared at the floating window for a moment.

"Wait..." I muttered, slowly turning toward Seorin.

"We’re supposed to survive... not... play around."

Seorin nodded immediately casually.

"Yeah. Yeah... of course. Survival first. Sure."

We both quietly walked a few steps away from Hana—

Then I glanced back.

Hana was now sitting on the cold black ground, staring at the glowing skill list with complete focus, lips slightly parted like she was reading the most important book in the universe.

Meanwhile...

Seorin and I stood behind her... and continued arguing anyway.

"Agh! I’m telling you," she whispered dramatically, "Snack Detection is strategically valuable."

"It’s essential," she added, crossing her arms, and letting out a soft huff. "What if we’re starving? Boom. Chips detected. Survival secured."

"Yeah, yeah, that skill is good, but we need to survive and—"

I pointed at her.

"You’re thinking too small."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Enlighten me, oh great Kim Si-Heon."

I grinned slowly.

"What if... the snack is limited edition?"

She gasped DARAMATICALLY.

"OH... OMY GOSH... Take it."

Her voice trembled.

"W-we must take it."

"...I’ll think about it."

Then I instinctively looked up at the foggy sky.

It was getting darker.

"Oh... how many hours have we been here?" I muttered.

"Oh well... probably just hours... but, right. This floor has a weird time clock."

Seorin looked up too and nodded slowly.

"Yeah... for some reason it only happens here... and..."

She suddenly smiled proudly.

"My fellow... Korean person... I call this—"

Dramatic pause.

"...Floor too." She finished confidently.

"ಠ⁠_⁠ಠThat’s not even dramatic at all." I said.

She cleared her throat quickly, and waved her finger softly in the air.

"Ahem. Anyway, since you’re busy picking some pretty... cute... actually OP common skills... I’ll light the fire."

I nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks, Seorin."

She nodded back.

"Of course, pal Kim Si-Heon."

She walked toward the dead campfire...

Stopped...

Looked at it very seriously...

Then suddenly ran back toward me.

"W-wait— do you have any light or something?!" she whispered urgently.

"...Pfft, don’t you have any spells? Or something. Well, alright." I waved my hand lazily.

"Check my spatial bag."

I pointed toward the fluffy pile where Nivalis, Boreas, and Sixxy were all cuddling together peacefully.

"Check there."

"...Spatial bag," she muttered, giving me a suspicious side-eye.

"Hmm... sure. Spatial bags are rare, you know."

"Just go."

"...Fine."

She jogged toward the two fluffy, one Warm furless Ursa Canis..

Meanwhile—

I turned toward Hana, who was still sitting quietly on the cold ground.

I walked over and crouched beside her.

"So?" I asked softly.

"Did you pick any skills you want me to get?"

She looked at me... and smiled brightly.

"Hehe... yes! I did, Dad!"

She lifted one small finger, hovering it in the air... then tapped her chin like a tiny PHILOSOPHER.

Then she pointed proudly at the floating window.

"This one!"

「Random sparkle appears during cool pose」

"And this!"

「Can look mysterious while saying nothing」

"And... this one too!"

「Perfect Snack Detection within 10 meters」

"...ಠ_ಠ"

Hana beamed with pure happiness.

"Hehe... they sound so cool... And..." Her voice grew quieter as she looked down, gently fidgeting with her fingers. "Um... I wanted one more... but... you said I could only choose three..."

She slowly stood up...

Then hugged me tightly.

"I’m a good girl, right?"

I looked away.

"Yeah... you are."

And gently patted her head.

"Alright... alright... let me choose then..."

I opened my mouth.

"System. I choose— Perfect Snack Detection within 10 meters, Can Look Mysterious While Saying Nothing... and... Random Sparkle Appears During Cool Pose."

The familiar blue window flickered to life.

「(ಠ_ಠ)>⌐■-■ ...What is this... You need to survive... not play around...

...Oh well.

It’s not like I care or anything.」

The selected skills rearranged neatly:

Quick Get-Up — Stand faster after falling.

One-Breath Focus — Perfect concentration for one second.

Calm Mind — Slight panic reduction.

Stamina Flicker — Gain energy equal to one deep breath.

Perfect Snack Detection within 10 meters

Can Look Mysterious While Saying Nothing

Random Sparkle Appears During Cool Pose

A new line appeared below.

「You need to pick 3 more for your reward to be completed.」

"Alright..." I muttered quietly.

...At this point...

It honestly felt like Hana is slowly turning me into someone with an a- aura or something.

I cleared my throat and straightened my back a little.

"Now... it’s my turn to choose, right?"

The system window blinked.

「(⌐■-■) Y-E-S.」

"...woah, damn, god damn. Cool glass...?" I mumbled at the floating text.

I stared at the list for a long moment... thinking... thinking... and thinking some more...

Then finally—

Tap.

「Stabilize Body Heat — Reduces feeling of cold slightly」

...Again.

Tap.

「Can Pretend to Understand Instructions Convincingly」

"Hehe..."

A small, embarrassed giggle slipped out of my mouth.

"Well... that’s... yeah... that’s probably enough..."

The system window shimmered and rearranged the list:

「Quick Get-Up — Stand faster after falling

One-Breath Focus — Perfect concentration for one second

Calm Mind — Slight panic reduction

Stamina Flicker — Gain energy equal to one deep breath

Perfect Snack Detection within 10 meters

Can Look Mysterious While Saying Nothing

Random Sparkle Appears During Cool Pose

Stabilize Body Heat — Reduces feeling of cold slightly

Can Pretend to Understand Instructions Convincingly」

Then—

a new line slowly appeared underneath.

「(⁠ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ⁠)⁠>⁠⌐⁠■⁠-⁠■... you need to pick 1 more for your reward to be completed, Si Hon.」

"Oh..."

I slowly turned my head toward Hana.

Hana immediately looked back at me with sparkling puppy eyes.

"...Can I—"

"Let me choose."

Seorin suddenly cut in, leaning between us out of nowhere.

"!?"

Hana instantly hugged my side tighter.

"W-what?!"

"...Don’t keep popping out of nowhere, Seorin," I muttered, slightly startled.

Hana looked up at me with a small frightened face.

"T-that scared me..."

Seorin blinked— then giggled awkwardly.

"Oh... sorry, sorry."

She straightened her posture and gently patted Hana’s head beside me.

"Well then..."

She placed both hands on her waist like a confident strategist.

"You’ve got one skill point left, right?"

A slow smirk appeared on her lips.

"Let me choose it for you."

Hana quickly interrupted, clutching my sleeve.

"B-but..." She looked up at me. "Dad... I asked first..."

Seorin glanced at Hana... then shifted her eyes toward me.

"Oh?" she said casually.

"Then choose."

She pointed between herself and Hana.

"Me... or this little kid."

Silence.

Cold wind blew dramatically for absolutely no reason.

I tapped my chin.

"...Hmm..."

I stared at both of them while holding my chin like a serious judge deciding the fate of the world.

"...Do a rock–paper–scissors," I said.

Seorin smiled immediately and let out a soft, confident laugh.

"AIGOO~ Hehe... too easy..."

Then Hana tugged my sleeve and looked up at me with innocent eyes.

"...How do you play rock–paper–scissors, Dad?"

I blinked. ⁠

"⁠ ⁠ര⁠ ⁠ʖ̯⁠ ⁠ര⁠ ... You don’t know?"

She shook her head slowly.

So I sighed and leaned down to her height.

"Alright. Look carefully."

I raised my hand in front of her.

"Rock is this."

I made a fist.

"Paper is this."

I opened my palm.

"And scissors is this."

I formed two fingers.

"Rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, paper beats rock. You both say rock–paper–scissors... then show your hand at the same time. Whoever wins gets the point. First to three wins."

Hana’s eyes sparkled like she had just learned SOMETHING FORBIDDEN!!!

"...Okay," she whispered seriously.

While she practiced copying my hand signs...

I glanced to the side— and saw Seorin standing there with her head tilted back, staring at the sky... softly laughing to herself.

Not cute laughing.

Slightly unhinged laughing.

"...Heh... hehehe..."

"...Damn," I thought quietly.

"I genuinely forgot this girl is strong..."

...Oh well.

...I don’t really care, I continued in my head.

"We’re both Korean anyway... so she can’t be that bad..."

Pause.

"...I should ask her later how she even got trapped in here too."

I looked back down at Hana.

"Ready?"

She nodded with extreme seriousness.

***

Hana and Seorin now stood side by side... both in perfect rock–paper–scissors stance.

Cold wind blowing.

Snow drifting down. Then vanishing once it touches the ground.

Tension... completely unnecessary... but very real.

"Rock... paper... scissors!"

Hana: Rock.

Seorin: Rock.

Silence.

"Again." I muttered.

"Rock... paper... scissors!"

Hana: Rock.

Seorin: Rock.

Seorin’s eye twitched slightly.

"...You’re so lucky, kid..." she muttered under her breath.

Hana didn’t react.

She was fully focused like a warrior in the final battle.

Third throw—

"Rock... paper... scissors!"

Hana: Paper.

Seorin: Rock.

"...Oh."

Silence.

Then—

Hana slowly raised both hands into a tiny victory pose.

"...I... won?" she said softly.

Seorin froze.

Even though the air was freezing cold... a single drop of sweat rolled down her temple.

"Haha... of course..." she said stiffly.

"I let you win the first round."

I clapped slowly from the side.

Nice. Fair. Civilized competition.

Then the System window popped up beside me.

「(⌐■-■) Do you want to make a bet?」

I side-eyed it.

"...ಠ_ಠ Nah."

「Alright. (⌐■-■)」

They returned to position.

Round two

"Rock... paper... scissors!"

Seorin: Scissors.

Hana: Paper.

Seorin’s eyes widened— then she suddenly threw one arm into the air.

"YES—"

She froze mid-celebration.

"...Ahem. My bad."

Awkward cough.

Instant composure.

Like nothing happened.

Round 3.

"Rock... paper... scissors!"

Hana: Paper.

Seorin: Rock.

Hana gasped.

"HEHEHEHEHE— I did it???"

She spun toward me with shining eyes.

"I won!! Dad!!"

Seorin crossed her arms calmly. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"...You need three points to win."

Hana froze.

"...Oh."

She slowly walked back to her position... very shy... very quiet... Standing right in front of Seorin again.

Seorin smirked.

For just a moment—

her eyes gave off a very faint glow.

I noticed it.

...Then shrugged.

"...Eh. Probably nothing."

Hana didn’t notice at all.

She was too busy being serious.

Round 4.

"Rock... paper... scissors!"

Seorin wins.

At the same time— the System window appeared beside me.

「(ಠ_ಠ)>⌐■-■ She’s cheating. She used her personal blessing.」

I looked at the System.

"...Oh. Alright."

I walked over to Seorin and casually patted her shoulder.

"No cheating... Han— Seorin. No cheating."

Her whole body went stiff.

"...Hmm? Hahaha... what are you talking about?"

"I’m not cheating... and... uh..."

I stared at her.

Silence.

"...Just continue," I said.

"...Don’t cheat, alright?"

"...Okay." She answered back

I stepped back again.

Hana was still standing there— Serious. Very serious. Unbelievably serious. Cold wind blowing between them.

Round deciding everything.

And...

Cliffhanger.