97. Friendly Man

Ashley suddenly turned her head when she saw Jason tilt his head toward her. 

The man then patted the shoulder of a child sitting next to Ashley and asked him to make room so he could sit with them. The child happily moved over—not only because Jason asked him very politely, but also because they already knew each other and Jason was known as everyone's favorite at that place.

“Thank you very much, Suji,“ Jason gently patted the head of the almost four-year-old girl. Then he squeezed in and sat on the long wooden bench between her and Ashley.

”Wow, your drawing is amazing. Is that the front yard? That's the main building... and that's the pine tree in front, right?” Jason pointed to each shape on Suji's drawing paper.

“Uh-uh!” Suji nodded enthusiastically. She was happy that Jason could immediately understand the meaning of her drawing. “This is me!” Suji pointed to the drawing of a girl in a pink dress with two braids that she had drawn at the front. “And this is Mrs. Yoon!” She continued her explanation by pointing to a woman taller than her drawing, standing with her hand held from the side. 

“And this is you!“ Suji laughed as she pointed to a round drawing there, “But it's not finished yet.” She blushed shyly and then drew another line to continue her work.

”Ah—that's me?” Jason nodded his head without realizing it. Yeah, it's not finished yet... but I can already see that my drawing will be very good. You are really talented, Suji.”

Suji giggled softly, still blushing.

“That's because you're handsome!” A girl two years older, sitting across from them, suddenly chimed in.

Jason pretended to gasp, covering his mouth and widening his eyes, feigning surprise. “Is that true, Yuri? Am I handsome?”

Yuri nodded shyly. Her reaction was followed by many “yes” and “you're handsome, uncle!” from the other children there. Jason burst into laughter. Ashley, who sits beside him, couldn't help but laugh along, finding the children's innocent and sweet behavior highly amusing.

"I drew you too, uncle! Look at this!” One of the children held up their drawing high to show Jason. What the child did automatically prompted the others to do the same. They shouted that they had also drawn Jason. This instantly made the long table bustling and noisy as everyone suddenly scrambled to show and display their artwork to Jason.

Jason quickly took control and instructed them to be quiet and stay seated properly in their places.

“Very smart. Come on, Junho, go back to your seat, okay. Smart kid. Now, I'll start going around to look at your artwork. Are you ready?”

“Ready!” All the children shouted immediately.

Jason pretended to look surprised again, “Why are you answering so quietly? One more time, okay? Are you ready?”

“Reaaady!!” The children answered again, louder and more excitedly.

Jason then stood up and walked toward the child sitting at the far end, patiently going around each of them one by one. He also didn't tire of cracking jokes during his ‘inspection.’ From where she was sitting, Ashley could hear Jason continuously showering each child with praise in different ways, as if he knew them very well and understood exactly how to communicate with and win over each of the different children.

Ashley praised him when Jason had finished his impromptu performance and sat back down next to her. “You're so friendly.”

“Me?” Jason was a bit surprised when he heard Ashley suddenly say that to him. “Did you hear that, Suji? She said I'm friendly.” He teased Ashley instead.

“What does friendly mean?“ Suji, who didn't know the word Jason had used, answered innocently.

Jason and Ashley burst into laughter together because of it.

”Friendly means when you genuinely treat others well with all your heart. Not pretending to be nice, or lying to appear nice.”

Suji nodded. Though she still didn't fully understand even after the longer explanation.

“I've never been mean to my friends. Am I friendly, uncle?” a child sitting next to Ashley chimed in on their conversation.

“Yes,” Jason immediately agreed with a proud expression, “Of course you're a friendly child, Mina.”

“Me too!“

”Then me too, uncle!“

”Me too! Me too!“

Like a domino effect, they echoed each other's words. Until Jason had to intervene again to calm them down.

”Really? Yes, I know. You are all friendly children.”

Ashley smiled at the children, who became more cheerful after Jason joined them. The man had clearly lightened the somewhat serious atmosphere, as all the children, who had initially been focused on their own drawings, began to interact with each other cheerfully.

“Uncle Lim is the kindest person in the world!” Suji suddenly joked, then lowered her face, blushing.

Ashley shook her head and smiled broadly.

“You really know them all, don't you?”

Jason answered Ashley's question with a slight nod.

“I just found out from my mother a little while ago that you come here often.”

Jason took a breath and let his gaze wander over the yard and the people scattered there.

“I used to work in this area. At first, I just followed my boss to attend a charity event here. Then, from accompanying him, I ended up often replacing him. Before I knew it, I had become a volunteer here and started visiting this place even more frequently.“

”Why?“ Ashley asked briefly.

”Hm?” Jason didn't immediately catch the meaning of the girl's question.

“Why did you want to become a volunteer here? Isn't your own job already busy?"

Jason laughed softly and heartily. ‘I really love children. Being here feels like escaping from my daily routine, which is… too stressful,’ Jason exhaled heavily, ”Maybe I could say I find solace here. Besides, I can also help them.”

“So that's why you're still participating in this event even though you no longer work in this area?“ Ashley asked again, her curiosity genuine, without any ulterior motives.

”Actually, it's because I can't refuse every time your mother invites me,” Jason smiled, ”I'm already connected to this place. So it would feel wrong for me to refuse such a pleasant invitation.”

“I knew it,” Ashley smiled. She had only guessed, but seeing the interaction between her mother and Jason that she had witnessed earlier was enough to show that Jason indeed knew her mother well. And Jason's “clean” reputation—at least that's what she found online when she looked into Josh's family background the day after she found out he was getting married—wouldn't be wasted by her mom to maintain the orphanage's reputation.

"This place is so far from everywhere. You must be having a hard time because of my mom.”