One of my vacation homework assignments was “Making a Hamburger” for our independent study project.
Through this assignment, I thought of a way to help my younger sibling’s friend who was struggling financially.
I figured there was no better way than this—natural, unburdening, and unobtrusive.
“Seong Hyein......”
I did some research about my sibling’s friend.
She was a basic livelihood security recipient, living in a cramped one-room apartment with her grandmother.
She often forgot to bring the necessary materials, and wore nearly the same clothes every day.
Perhaps due to poor nutrition, she was shorter and noticeably thinner than her peers.
Her arms and legs were so thin I worried she might blow over if the wind was strong.
Just listening to my sibling talk about her made it clear how tough her daily life was.
“The more wounded a child is, the more sensitive they are to even small acts of kindness. If you try to help them too much, it might just make them feel pressured.”
Helping without thought could actually backfire.
I had to choose a way that wouldn’t make Hyein shrink back even further.
“When I was young, I felt small whenever I went to a friend’s house that was better off than mine. All I did was compare myself, wondering why our lives were so different.”
That’s why I wanted to avoid the “inviting her home to take care of her” approach.
Instead, I wanted Hyein to feel like she was someone who “belongs,” not someone just “receiving help.”
As I mulled it over—
“Huh? Oh, that’s it!”
An idea came to me.
[Volunteer Activity Time.]
“How about we make hamburgers together at the nursing home? We can prepare and serve them to the grandmas and grandpas, all together. If Da-hye’s friends join too, it’ll be a great experience.”
Let’s create a meaningful time for my sibling and her friends, while naturally helping Hyein fit in.
A win-win: we could complete the assignment and make some good memories.
“Now that the plan’s set, let’s go shopping.”
Shouldering my bag, I headed to the market.
It took about ten minutes on foot, and once I arrived, I started filling the cart with ingredients, one by one.
“The most important thing is, of course, the meat. We’ll be in trouble if it’s not enough, so let’s get plenty. Onions, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, breadcrumbs, and hamburger buns. Can’t forget garlic powder, either.”
After adding several drinks, the cart was soon overflowing.
“Good thing I called Taeho and Daesik to help.”
Just in case the groceries were too heavy, I’d asked them in advance.
Daesik grumbled about the hassle, but when I said it was for “vacation homework,” he didn’t complain any further.
“There you are, Daesik. Taeho.”
After checking out, I waved to the two standing by a pile of boxes in front of the supermarket entrance.
“Hey, you already finished shopping? I said we should do it together!”
Taeho approached with a slightly aggrieved look.
“You opening a restaurant or something?”
Daesik’s eyes went wide as he scanned every item in the cart.
“It’s not just for us. Da-hye’s friend is coming, and we’ll be serving the elderly at the nursing home, too.”
I answered Daesik’s skepticism plainly.
“Wow, what’s up with you today?”
Taeho laughed in surprise.
“Let’s just say I grew up early.”
I chuckled as I neatly packed the groceries into boxes.
“Let’s go to my house and marinate the meat. If we finish preparing and leave by noon, the timing should be perfect.”
It was 10 a.m.
Once we finished preparing the hamburgers, my sibling, her friends, and I would serve a warm lunch to our elderly neighbors.
Each of us took a box and we slowly headed home together.
---
11:30 a.m., in front of XX Elementary School.
“Da-hye, is your brother really going to make hamburgers for us?”
Arin asked, eyes sparkling.
“Yeah.”
Da-hye nodded and glanced naturally at Hyein standing beside her.
Hyein was a new friend she’d made since the start of the school year.
Her parents divorced a long time ago, so she lived alone with her grandmother.
Perhaps because of her situation, Hyein was always quiet and extra wary around other kids.
“Can I really come with you guys?”
Hyein asked carefully, her voice tinged more with worry than excitement.
“Of course. We’re friends, aren’t we?”
My brother had said you only needed to say one thing to a kid like Hyein, who was always shrinking back from teasing:
“We’re friends.”
What Hyein really needed wasn’t special help, but a friend who approached her without making a big deal of it.
So without hesitation, I said what I’d learned from my brother.
“Don’t worry about what others think. Friends aren’t supposed to act like that. That’s what my brother said.”
“......Okay, thank you.”
A gentle smile gradually spread across Hyein’s face.
“Hehe. Arin, Hyein, let’s hurry up and go!”
Grasping my friends’ hands tightly, we headed toward the meeting place.
---
12:00 p.m., in front of the nursing home.
“Oppa!!”
Da-hye’s voice rang out cheerfully.
We had already arrived at the nursing home, gotten permission from the staff, and finished preparing.
“You’re here. Come say hello, these are my friends.”
I called Da-hye over and introduced her to my friends.
“Hello.”
Da-hye greeted them carefully, and Arin and Hyein bowed their heads nervously.
“They’re adorable. Hi, I’m Taeho.”
“Hem, I’m Daesik.”
They’re both the youngest, too. Maybe that’s why my sibling was acting a bit awkward.
They looked very different from how they did at school.
“I’m Yoo Da-hye.”
“I’m Lee Arin.”
“I’m Seong Hyein......”
The kids each introduced themselves.
They all looked tense and stiff.
I’d have to break the ice.
“Why are you all so stiff? You’re Hyein, right?”
I bent my knees slightly to meet Hyein’s eye level, just a bit shorter than Da-hye.
Then, as I gently patted her head, I said,
“Da-hye talks about you all the time. She says you’re cute, pretty, and kind. Hmm, you’re even prettier than I heard.”
“A-ah, no...... Th-thank you......”
Hyein’s face turned bright red.
It was obvious she was starting to relax.
“The reason I called you all here today is for something special. We’re going to make hamburgers.”
I pointed to the neatly arranged ingredients and the portable burner on the table.
“I bought all this. The hamburgers we make will be shared with the grandmas, grandpas, and the staff here.”
The kids’ eyes grew wide.
They looked half excited, half nervous.
“It’s called the ‘Eat Something Delicious While Volunteering’ project. I’ve already gotten all the permissions, and any trash from cooking goes in this bag—not on the floor. The big brothers will handle the cleaning, so you guys just need to enjoy eating.”
“Yes!”
The kids nodded in agreement.
“Great, let’s get started! Come here and watch carefully.”
I lit the burner and lined up the ingredients on the table.
Taking the well-marinated ground beef in my hands, I shaped it into patties and placed them on the pan.
Using a spoon, I pressed them gently into perfect rounds.
Ssszzzz.
As the meat cooked, a savory aroma filled the air.
The butter melted, blending with the meat, and the juices sizzled, making everyone’s mouth water.
Wow.
My siblings and their friends stared with wide eyes, awed by my cooking skills.
“If you studied this hard, you’d be the top of the class.”
Daesik’s muttered comment brushed my ear.
What a punk. If you’re going to whisper like that, at least do it more quietly.
It stings more because it’s true.
“Okay, once the meat’s done, place it on a bun. First, spread a thin layer of strawberry or grape jam, put on the meat, drizzle a bit of bulgogi sauce, add lettuce, a slice of cheese, and tomato, and you’re done!”
A hamburger—a slightly upgraded version of the so-called “Gundaeria.”
I added a bit more care to the flavor I remembered from my army days.
For the kids, I wanted to give them a taste of those memories, in my own way.
“Da-hye, Arin, and Hyein, you three try it first. Taeho and Daesik, you guys make your own.”
Angel mode for my sibling, drill sergeant mode for the boys.
“We’re cooking all the meat, right?”
“Yeah, cook it all. I’ll pack up anything that’s left over.”
But they turned out to be surprisingly enthusiastic.
They got really into grilling the patties, flipping the meat and arranging the ingredients with excited faces.
“Wow, oppa! This is so good!”
“It’s really delicious!”
“Yeah.”
Even quiet Hyein’s eyes sparkled as she ate my hamburger.
So cute.
Heh.
“Eat slowly. There’s plenty of hamburgers, so don’t worry. Drinks are over there, so help yourselves.”
Seeing the kids eat so happily filled me with satisfaction.
Not wanting to miss the moment, I captured every scene with my camera.
Making hamburgers, eating, laughing faces—all these precious memories piled up in the camera.
After about thirty minutes of taking photos, I grabbed the tongs and started cleaning up the trash around us.
Before I knew it, the clock pointed to 2 p.m.
“Oppa! We finished making all the hamburgers!”
As I was finishing up, Da-hye shouted.
The table was piled high with hamburgers, enough to open a store.
“Whoa, how many did you guys make?”
I admired the mountain of burgers.
“Great job. Da-hye, Hyein, Arin—you guys hand these out to the grandmas and grandpas, and to the staff working here too.”
I carefully packed the foil-wrapped hamburgers into boxes and handed them to the kids.
“Okay! Arin, Hyein, let’s go.”
With a determined answer, Da-hye led her friends into the nursing home building.
“Taeho, Daesik. Can you two tidy up out here? I’ll take this box over to the community center.”
The community center was right next door to the nursing home.
Carrying the box of hamburgers, I headed that way.
“If you sold these for a thousand won each, you’d make a fortune. Seems like a waste to just give them away.”
I heard Daesik grumble behind me.
“A thousand won is a loss. You’d have to charge at least fifteen hundred.”
I murmured quietly, smiling to myself.
Then I opened the door to the community center and went inside.
“Hello. These are hamburgers we made as a summer homework project. I’ll leave them here, so please enjoy. Thank you so much for letting us use the space!”
I bowed deeply in greeting.
“Haha, you’re a rare kind of kid these days. Thanks. We’ll enjoy them.”
A middle-aged man in a blue polo shirt smiled and nodded.
He placed the hamburger box carefully on the staff’s desk.
“Thank you.”
“And here’s your certificate for today’s volunteer work. Take it.”
“Yes! Thank you.”
Holding the certificate, I headed back toward where the kids were.
My steps felt light, and my heart even lighter.
“Oppa, the grandmas and grandpas gave us allowance money to say thank you. What should we do with it?”
When I stepped outside, Da-hye approached, looking up at me while holding out some bills, her face full of uncertainty.
“That’s their way of saying thank you. So it’s okay to accept it with gratitude.”
If it were me, I might have refused, but I decided it was better to tell the kids otherwise.
Turning down heartfelt thanks can sometimes be impolite.
“Really? It’s okay to take it?”
Da-hye still hesitated.
Maybe she felt awkward taking money from strangers.
“Of course. You guys did a wonderful thing today. The grandmas and grandpas wanted to reward your kindness. Arin, Hyein, you both worked hard today, too.”
I patted Da-hye’s head, then did the same for Arin and Hyein, praising them all.
Despite how hard it must have been, none of them complained, sticking with it until the end.
“This is your reward for today’s hard work. Hyein, Arin, take some hamburgers home and enjoy them with your families.”
I carefully packed the remaining hamburgers into shopping bags and handed them to the two girls.
Making sure no one was left out was important.
“Ah, thank you!!”
Just then, quiet Hyein suddenly spoke up in a clear, loud voice.
Da-hye and Arin’s eyes went wide with surprise.
‘So she really is a bright kid. It’s just her difficult circumstances that made her this way.’
My heart tightened for a moment.
“If things ever get tough, talk to Da-hye or Arin. Or, if not, you can tell any of us who were together today.”
I met Hyein’s eyes and spoke clearly.
She doesn’t have to rely on just one person.
Not just three, but everyone here today can be on Hyein’s side.
I wanted her to know that.
“You really did well today, Hyein.”
‘You’re not alone anymore. We’re right here by your side.’
I whispered that softly to her.
I hope that everyone I know will always be happy.
That’s the reason I keep living this life.
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