episode_0013

Narin was using a soft toothbrush, but she didn’t think it would hurt when she rubbed it on her bare skin.

No matter what, a toothbrush needs to be quite strong to do its job of removing foreign substances stuck to the teeth.

Narin regretted not being able to stop Na-min from scrubbing her body with a toothbrush with such complacent thoughts.

At first, when I rubbed my arms, I thought it was cute because I thought he was just going to rub them gently, but when I actually moved on to brushing my legs, I saw that my arms were so red that they would bleed even if I scratched them just a little.

I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t stop him from brushing his teeth. So I thought it was fortunate that I could at least wash his back with my own hands.

And yet, while I brush my body with toothpaste, I see Hamsik’s body being carefully soaped with those cute hands.

I wish my body could be treated that gently. Na-rin, barely able to swallow her tears, asked Na-min carefully.

“Namina. By the way. Is there a reason why you wash with toothpaste and Hamshik washes with soap?”

“Ah, is soap bad for animals? Hamshik, I’ll buy you some shampoo for the animals with the grant money. Just soap today… … . Oh my, it’s a bubble ray!”

Maybe I misunderstood what he said. When I asked why Namin had to use toothpaste, Namin seemed to have understood it as why Hamshik was washing with soap.

Hamshik, who either understood what Namin was saying or was just being playful, put his mouth under the water and started bubbling bubbles at Namin.

At first glance, you might have thought Hamshik was foaming at the mouth and having a fit, but seeing him chase after Namin as she ran around in the small sink and spit out foam, it seems Hamshik was just playing a prank.

When she saw that, she couldn’t help but laugh. But since she was asking about something serious, Narin hardened her expression and asked again.

“Namina, that’s not it… … . I’m asking why you have to wash with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Look, your skin is red right now.”

“Huh. But they say toothpaste cleans the best. And it feels cool, right? Skin gets better with time. Oh, is that because I didn’t wash it with toothpaste, Hamshik? Hmm, Hamshik, should I wash it with toothpaste next time?”

“Phuuu.”

“Ah …

They say that hamsters can store a lot of food in their cheeks, and water kept spurting out of Hamshik’s mouth towards Namin.

Is he really listening to what Namin said and making it clear that he doesn’t like it, or is he just joking?

Narin, who didn’t know anything about the average hamster’s intelligence, decided not to think much about Hamshik’s water cannon.

More than that, the problem was Namin’s misconception. What kind of treatment had she received in her previous place?

“Namina. You don’t necessarily need toothpaste, just body wash or shampoo will do the trick. These days, every home has a water purifier, so you don’t have to wash it that hard.”

“Ah, I know people wash with that. But I’m not a human, right?”

So that’s what I asked. As expected, the truth that flowed out of Namin’s mouth was harsh even in fragments alone.

Are you saying that they didn’t even treat me like a human being there? Of course, I didn’t think that Narin or Namin were creatures like humans.

But Namin is a person. She speaks just like me, laughs when she’s happy, and feels pain when she’s sick.

Although she had never cried before, Narin could not forget the desperate look on her face as she froze to death on that cold street.

If she had been a small child who could speak like that, even if her appearance was different, Narin would have felt the same pain in her heart as she does now.

Narin believed that everyone thought the same way she did. And that she shouldn’t keep this to herself and bury it.

He was abused to the point where he thought such cruelty was normal. If we just ignore the truth and say, “You’re my little brother, so I’ll treat you well from now on,” then it’ll be easier for us.

Having joined a large guild, he knows that if he just works hard, things will be smooth sailing for him, and since he and his partner Na-min will also receive immediate support, he will be able to live without any material shortages.

Since you get along so well with Hamshik, you won’t be lonely. So, let’s just move on, the sweet whispers slowly tempted Na-rin.

What if there were more kids like Namin out there? What if they were screaming while being scrubbed by a hard toothbrush right now?

In Narin’s mind, the place where Namin was was already a bad place that illegally brought in small and cute foreign species and sold them.

Of course, it is illegal. After the Gate incident, not only species that resemble humans, but also all intelligent beings are now classified as pets and cannot be traded.

So, they must have thought that such a small and lovely child had some kind of rarity value. Even in this world, the upper class can have illegal and secret hobbies.

But since it didn’t sell well, he probably just threw Nami out on the street. He didn’t want to care whether she froze to death or not.

“Namina. Human or not, you are my sister. Right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“No older sister likes to see her younger sibling get sick. So let’s wash so that we don’t get sick in the future. And this is a bit of an awkward question, but… … Were there more kids like you over there?”

So Narin asked a deeper question. She planned to consult the manager based on this and provide information to the Interspecies Association.

It is a world where people of different races can live equally, bearing freedom, responsibility, and duty. But there was a group that worked for those who were oppressed like Namin.

Narin thought that there should not be another child like Namin, but at the same time, she was clearly aware of her own limitations.

You are just one of the powerless citizens. So, you should listen to Namin’s story, gather enough information, and then pass that information on to the Human Rights Commission of the Interracial Race as an anonymous whistleblower.

Then they will either arrest those bad guys or punish them.

You could say it was a sense of duty, a sense of justice that was simply for one’s own comfort, but Narin simply thought it was her duty.

“Hmm… … . I guess there was something missing. Strangely, I can’t remember. Did I lose my memory? Anyway, after I woke up, there were only white mice and birds. Oh, Hamshik was the only one who was brown. I told you, he was always hiding somewhere and stealing my food? Oh, oh, oh!”

Once again, Narin felt her heart break. Could it be that she had been abused so painfully that she lost her memory?

There used to be more kids like Namin there, but they’re gone now.

They were all sold off, leaving only Namin behind, but Namin was considered dead stock and didn’t sell. That’s why it was thrown away.

However, one question remains here. Although he seems to be ignorant of the ways of the world, he is such a smart child.

They must have known that they had this level of intelligence. If someone picked up Namin, the world would know that they were doing such a thing. Why would they risk abandoning Namin?

It’s cruel to say this, but… … why didn’t you kill Namin?

While Na-rin was worrying, Ham-sik climbed on Na-min’s back and threw her into the water. Na-min struggled and flipped over, causing Ham-sik to fall into the water upside down as well.

Watching the two of them joking around like that, I felt like I could forget about my serious thoughts.

“I see. Anyway, from now on, I’ll wash my body the same way as you do. Use body wash for your body, and shampoo for your hair. Okay? I’ll buy some animal shampoo for Hamshik, too.”

“Yes!”

For Namin’s sake, Narin firmly engraved that thought in her head. And she hid it. Because Namin didn’t need to know.

It is Namin’s job to report on where she previously lived.

With that thought in mind, Narin grabbed the two cute little creatures and drained the water in the sink. Then she turned on the shower.

“Okay, let’s wash up and go. The soap has to be washed off with water.”

“It’s raining, raining! Hamshik-ah, cheers, cheers! Then it’ll be cleaned well!”

The stream of water falling from the shower head in multiple directions felt like rain to Na-min. Although Na-min was depressed by the heartbreaking information, she couldn’t help but chuckle at Na-min’s bright voice.

Namin, you just have to stay here and smile happily. Eat delicious food and play with Hamshik. That’s all you need.

As expected, Hamsik ignored Namin’s words and just watched the water flowing out of the sink hole in vain.

It seems like playing in the warm water was fun. Seeing Hamshik looking sad, I wondered if I should have let him play a little longer.

For Narin, who had to finish today for tomorrow, it was difficult to spend any more time in the bathroom. And she also had to consult with the manager first.

“Hamshik-ah, wash up and go out. I’ll give you some food. I’ll go to the convenience store and buy you something delicious.”

So I tried to console him by just talking to myself. Hamshik must have understood the word food well, because he obediently accepted Nalin’s hand.

Then he raised his head, took the water dripping from the shower head, and put it in his mouth. Then he squirted it at Namin again.

“Ahhh! Hey! Mr. Wooi, you should try it too!”

Namin couldn’t just take it anymore, so she turned on the water in the sink.

“Keeek!”

“Kkiyaaak! It’s cold!”

But in the end, we ended up becoming a pair of donggui.