My Adopted Daughter’s Mukbang Chapter 2 part 2

 (MADM 2.2)

Lee Cho-ah made a strong first impression.

Unfortunately, not in a good way.

From the moment I arrived at True Love Orphanage to watching the children through the counseling room window—most of the children were bright and cheerful thanks to the love of the nuns. But Cho-ah was different. She seemed quiet, as if she had matured far too early.

Of course, she could simply be shy. But the moment Bada’s eyes met Cho-ah’s, he sensed it.

A deep sorrow.

Old wounds.

And a child's desperate effort to survive them all alone.

As a result, her voice had grown faint, her gaze hollow, and her natural expression wasn’t a smile—but a blank stare.

He couldn’t help but understand. He had been the same way as a child.

And now, so was the niece he was meeting for the first time.

‘So… my brother had a daughter.’

Bada was so stunned that he couldn’t speak for a moment. 

Then Cho-ah cautiously approached him and asked:

“Mister… are you Uncle Bada?”

“…I am… no?”

Then came the most unexpected part.

This niece he never knew existed—already knew his name.

“Daddy told me. He said Uncle Bada would come to see me soon.”

“My brother?”

“Yes. So when Uncle Bada comes, he told me to greet you well… and give you this.”

As if she'd known this moment would come, Cho-ah handed Bada a small pouch.

His hands trembling, Bada unzipped it. Inside was a bankbook and a personal will.

Lee Cho-ah.

It was an account in her name. 

When he opened it and checked the records, he only saw the deposit that was ₩50,000(36.89 usd), made five years ago.

Judging by the date, it must’ve been opened when Choa was born. If so…

‘The password 1004—that must be for this account.’

The puzzle pieces slowly started fitting together.

He had no idea what to do with an account that only held ₩50,000, but the money didn’t matter at this moment.

The nun, who had been quietly watching them, finally spoke.

“Cho-ah is a very kind child. It’s hard to believe she’s only five. She’s so selfless, always taking care of the other kids.”

“Is that so…”

“But… she also has many scars. Her father—your brother—used to visit once or twice a month. But he suddenly stopped coming about six months ago.”

That timing made sense.

It was around then that his brother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and hospitalized.

When Bada last saw him—right before the cremation—his head was bald, and he was so thin even a breeze could’ve broken him.

In that state, he wouldn’t have been able to come see Cho-ah.

Of course, neither the nun nor Cho-ah knew about the cancer.

“Since then, Cho-ah began closing herself off. She used to play a little, but suddenly stopped. She barely speaks, locks herself in her room, and only reads. I can’t even remember the last time I saw her smile.”

Bada understood that feeling too well.

When his mother passed.

When his brother disappeared.

At first, he waited, thinking they’d come back. But eventually, he gave up.

Even when he wanted to hate them, guilt and gratitude silenced him. That horrible, helpless feeling.

He hated it—but he knew it intimately.

And he knew it was far too cruel for a five-year-old to endure.

“Um… Mr. Bada.”

“Yes, Sister?”

“It might be impertinent, but… what do you want to do about Cho-ah?”

“That…”

Bada couldn’t answer right away.

He glanced over at Cho-ah. She sat in a corner with a storybook in her hands, her expression blank.

She was pretending to read—but she was really listening to everything.

“Honestly… I want to adopt her. Raise her myself, if circumstances allow.”

His brother? He was a terrible person. Bada had hated him since he left home.

But Cho-ah—his niece—had done nothing wrong.

He wanted to raise her right away. Because he understood her pain all too well. He wanted to show her that the world still had warmth, and love, and laughter.

But money was always the problem.

‘I still have student loans… just started my job… Raising a kid is impossible right now.’

Realistically, Bada’s situation wasn’t bad.

He had worked harder than anyone else. The hungry child who had once dreamed of being a chef was now working at Korea’s only Michelin-starred Korean restaurant.

But he worked from morning till night. Enough to live alone and plan for his own future—but to raise a child?

He couldn’t give her anything better than what she already had at the orphanage.

“Then, how about you check it?”

“Check?”

“There was a password in the will. We only knew Choa had the bankbook—not the password. Of course, we weren’t interested in the contents. But… why don’t you check it out?”

The nun suggested Bada take Cho-ah to the bank.

After a moment, Bada asked:

“What if I take the money and run? I don’t even know how much is in there.”

“Then that, too, would be your brother’s will.”

“…Haha. I have no words.”

Seeing how naturally the nun replied, Bada felt defeated.

He received her contact info just in case, then left the orphanage with Choa.

“Oh, right. I didn’t properly introduce myself. I’m your dad’s younger brother.”

“Daddy told me. Uncle Bada.”

“Is there anything you want to eat? It’s almost lunchtime. If you’re hungry before we go to the bank, I can buy you something.”

“It’s okay. I can eat lunch when we get back.”

Just as he feared—Cho-ah had shut herself off emotionally, numbing herself for protection.

Watching her like that made Bada’s chest ache.

The other children seemed so happy—playing, eating, sleeping peacefully. So simple, yet so joyful.

Lost in thought, Bada found himself standing in front of the bank.

Inside, he took a number. He and Cho-ah waited in silence.

When their number was called, he sat in front of the clerk and handed over the passbook.

“I’m here to update this passbook.”

“Oh, sure. Just a moment.”

After a basic ID check, the clerk blinked in surprise.

“There are a lot of transactions here. Too many to fit in the book. Would you like it printed out?”

“Yes, please.”

A lot of transactions? Just how much was in there?

Bada took the printout, still stunned.

It was three full A4 pages long—detailing the last five years of his brother’s life.

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