Let’s Put Her to Sleep

Let’s Put Her to Sleep

 

I showed a puzzled expression as I watched Yuna, her eyes sparkling, saying that Chae-a was adult-like.

It would be understandable if she called me adult-like, but it was a bit strange to say that about Chae-a.

‘Of course, it’s true that Chae-a is mature for her age.’

While I was wondering if it’s a bit ambiguous to just praise her for being like an adult.

Yuna continued speaking while brushing off the hair on my clothes.

“Ha-eun is a baby. She’s like a younger sister.”

I wanted to object, but there’s nothing uglier than arguing with a baby, so I held back.

Yuna picks me up with a grunt and drags me somewhere.

“Let’s go to sleep.”

It has gotten dark, but it’s not bedtime yet.

I shake my head to indicate that I’m fine, but Yuna looks at me with a troubled expression and starts to coax me, saying something like ‘Then how about just an hour? Okay?’

“……”

By this point, I’m feeling a bit sulky, and my lips keep trying to pout while my cheeks want to puff up.

Of course, if I actually did that, it would be admitting that I’m childish, so I’m trying my best to hold back.

Chae-a, who had gone far away, hurriedly returns and tells us.

“I’m hungry…!”

It’s certainly getting close to mealtime.

I decided to take the initiative to prepare food for the babies and prove that I’m the most mature one. I rolled up my sleeves and opened my mouth.

“Then let’s go eat!”

I headed towards the kitchen counter with determination.

*

Usually, the counselor, Seo-rin, or Han A-rin would prepare the meals.

But today, everyone seemed busy, and no one was coming to make food.

So with a somewhat excited heart, I decided to cook the meal myself.

‘Last time, whenever I tried to do it, Han A-rin gritted her teeth and stopped me.’

This time, I thought excitedly that I would be able to cook without interference, and I asked the little ones behind me who were looking at me with sparkling eyes.

“Is there anything you want to eat?”

“Meat is delicious.”

“Chae-a likes everything!”

In Chae-a’s case, she eats well anything as long as she can eat, so it would be good to make food that suits Yuna’s taste.

As I was wondering what to make.

An advertisement on one side of the wall caught my eye, which read ‘Marinated Ribs’.

Seeing this, I thought marinated ribs would be good and was standing there with a blank expression.

Yuna, standing next to me, spoke to me with an expressionless face while drooling.

“I like marinade. It’s delicious.”

It seems she wants to try marinated ribs.

I said with a triumphant smile in response to Yuna’s words.

“I know. I’ll make it for you!”

At those words, Yuna wagged her tail vigorously and opened her eyes wide.

Then she started patting my head enthusiastically and praising me.

“Ha-eun is smart. You’ll grow up to be a great child.”

“…?”

The words sounded a bit odd, but I decided not to pay attention to the details and turned my gaze away.

Anyway, the important thing now was to cook…!

Thinking that, I stared blankly at the first hurdle: the ‘kitchen counter several times taller than me’.

‘First, I need to get up there to cook. How do I get up?’

Thanks to Han A-rin always lifting me up to the counter as if it were natural, I never even thought about other ways to get up there.

While I’m seriously contemplating this situation, thinking it’s like a punishment for my complacency.

Chae-a, who was next to me, tilts her head and asks me a question.

“Ha-eun, are you sick…?”

At that slightly worried-sounding question, I quickly shake my head.

Then I consulted Chae-a about the problem I’m currently facing.

“I wanna get up on the counter. But I can’t.”

At those words, Chae-a smiles proudly along with her fluffy hair and tells me.

“There’s a way! Just trust your big sister… Okay!?”

Wondering what it could be, I tilt my head and look at Chae-a.

Chae-a points to a large chair nearby and says.

“If you use that, you can get up there.”

“Ah.”

It was such an obvious solution that I hadn’t even thought of it.

While briefly reflecting on why I didn’t think of that, thinking “Why didn’t I think of that?”

I pat Chae-a’s head to praise her for this, and Chae-a smiles happily and tells me.

“Then shall I bring it over?”

She quickly approaches the chair and tries to push it with a grunt.

…

But maybe because she’s too weak, it doesn’t even budge, let alone move.

Ha-eun and I, who were watching this, nodded to each other and quickly approached to help push the chair.

Swoosh.

Indeed, with the three of us combining our strength, we somehow managed to push that heavy and large chair.

As I was pushing hard, thinking how amazing this was, Chae-a collapsed on the floor, panting, and raised her finger to speak.

“I want to rest for just 7 seconds…! So Chae-a will sleep for a bit.”

I wonder if she’s seen that the number 7 symbolizes luck.

Saying she wants to rest for 7 seconds, she lies down on the floor with her fluffy hair and closes her eyes.

As I watched this, worried that Chae-a might catch a cold lying on the cold floor.

“7 seconds are up. Get up.”

As soon as 7 seconds passed, Yuna raised Chae-a and ordered(?) her to work again.

“Okay!”

Chae-a nodded with an energetic voice as if she had really recovered in just 7 seconds.

I giggled at this and was about to push the chair again when.

“Meong?”

The Kkamangis, who had disappeared somewhere, approached.

They mumbled to each other, and then started pushing the chair for us.

“Kkamangis are amazing… Kkamangis seem so strong they could lift heavy stones…”

“Meong!”

Along with Chae-a’s admiration, the chair was quickly moved in front of the counter.

I was sighing in relief, seeing that the task was completed much more easily than expected, when.

I stroked Kkamang’s head to express my gratitude, then looked up.

‘Now all that’s left is to go up.’

I wonder if I can climb up there?

I was contemplating whether I should find something like a rope, tie it, and then climb up.

“Meung meung!”

Kkamang, who was behind me, approached as if telling me to trust him.

They laid down on the floor, signaling me to step on them and climb up.

“Mmeung meung meung.”

I quickly shook my head and refused, as I couldn’t bring myself to step on my friends.

But the Kkamang bounced their bodies, insisting that it was really okay.

They loudly cried “meung meung,” urging me to step on them quickly.

‘… I guess I have no choice.’

Thinking there was no other way, I reluctantly stepped on the Kkamang and stood up.

The Kkamang bounced their bodies, lifting me up onto the chair.

As I looked up, deciding to apologize to the Kkamang later.

‘It’s still so high…!’

Even though I was on the chair, the countertop seemed endlessly high.

I was wondering how to solve this problem this time.

The Kkamang came up again, crouching down once more, signaling that they would lift me up higher.

Since the first time was difficult, the second time was easier.

Ha-eun climbed up on the black creatures with less hesitation than before.

Still, the feeling of guilt didn’t disappear, so her tail kept swaying back and forth, not knowing what to do.

‘I’ll have to apologize later.’

Thinking that she couldn’t lift her face because she felt too sorry, she hesitated for a moment.

Then, pulling herself together, she looked around the kitchen counter.

‘I can’t just stand here while the kids are hungry.’

Thinking that even if she went hungry, she couldn’t let Chae-a and Yuna starve, she checked the cooking utensils and useful items.

Since she wasn’t particularly skilled at cooking, it was impossible to create an amazing dish.

But she thought she could make something similar to seasoned beef ribs, so she gathered the seasonings and sauces placed here and there.

‘Soy sauce, sugar, pepper, and soup stock!’

Thinking that this should be enough to make something close, 

She made a request to the black creatures that had already climbed up.

“Can you bring me some onions, green onions, and meat?”

Remembering the leftover ingredients from making sandwiches, she asked for these.

The black creatures seemed to think it wasn’t difficult, and after making some sounds, they headed straight for the refrigerator and started searching inside diligently.

While waiting for the ingredients to arrive, Ha-eun peeked down to see what the little ones were doing.

“Lift us up.”

“Ha-eun is a baby and shouldn’t be alone… We need to bring Ha-eun quickly. What should we do!?”

She could see the two of them flailing their arms upwards from below.

As much as she wanted to tell them to come up, it was too dangerous here, so she tried to look away while holding back.

Just then, I see Kkamang-i approaching with all the ingredients.

Thinking it would be better to cook quickly and feed them, I was about to start preparing the ingredients.

From below, I hear sobbing voices gradually getting louder, calling for me.

“……”

If I pretend not to hear, it might lead to a disaster.

So I had no choice but to ask Kkamang-i to bring the ingredients down.

I carefully went downstairs and comforted Yuna and Chae-a.

“I’m here.”

At those words, Chae-a immediately stopped sobbing and giggled, then.

As if she was feeling better, she proudly said again.

“Found you…!”

While patting Chae-a who was clinging to me, I explained what we needed to do now.

“We need to prepare these.”

Onions, green onions, and beef.

When I was an adult, these weren’t difficult to prepare.

But now, with small hands, it had become quite tricky to handle them.

‘Still, if I don’t do it.’

A disaster of going hungry might occur.

Gathering courage, I start peeling the onion, but tears keep streaming down due to the spiciness.

“……”

It’s too hard to endure.

As I’m peeling the onion while trying to hold back from crying out loud.

The fluffy one watching from the side went ‘peep’ and laughed, then quickly moved forward and swiftly trimmed the onions and green onions with its claws.

“Wow.”

Chae-a and Yuna, who were watching this, clapped their hands in admiration.

While I was also expressing surprise, the fluffy one smiled with a ‘peeep’ and once again neatly cut the green onions and onions, finishing all the preparation.

“Fluffy is amazing!”

“Peeep.”

“Yeah!”

After patting the head of the now very proud fluffy one,

I poured the previously found seasonings and sauces into a large bowl, added the beef and other ingredients, then said.

“Now, if we marinate the meat, it’ll be…”

 

At those words, Yuna, who was standing nearby, sparkled her eyes, nodded quickly, and ran off somewhere.

As I stood there wondering where she went,

Yuna came back from afar, dragging a blanket, and said to me.

“We can sleep with this.”