20. Bath Time

20. Bath Time

“I’m home!!”

A hearty greeting directed forward.

However, my greeting only echoed through the hallway. I didn’t hear any response. Mom and Dad were probably in their room, but as soon as I got down from Sister’s arms, I ran and started opening every door in the hallway.

“Dad!”

Not here.

“Mom!!”

Not here either.

“Dad!”

“Seol-ah?”

Here!

In front of the warmly lit stove, Dad was sitting alone on the living room sofa, drinking with snacks. He had an incredibly tired look, as if he had hunted a giant monster.

This was the first time I had seen Dad look so exhausted. Dad always had a dignified and cool expression. Could it be….

“Dad, did you go hunting while I was gone?!”

“What are you talking about? No way.”

Fortunately, it seemed that the family hadn’t gone hunting without me. If Dad had gone hunting while I was away, I would have been incredibly upset by the immense betrayal. Then I would have shouted, ‘I hate Dad!’ and hidden in my big tail, refusing to come out.

I climbed onto Dad’s lap with a grunt, then sat with my tail held high and my arms crossed, pondering. If my family hadn’t gone hunting behind my back, why was Dad so exhausted?

“Hmm….”

Think, Rang Seol-ah. Wolves are highly intelligent, so naturally, I, a wolf suin, am also smart. Deduce!

Sister came to the house next door, next door, next door, next door, next door to find me. It wasn’t a short distance, so it probably didn’t take her a very short time to get here. Furthermore, after arriving, she stopped my crying and even brushed my tail, so the time she spent outside must have been quite long.

During that time, only Dad and Mom were at home. With all their children out playing, the only thing the parents could do together, and something that could exhaust Dad this much, was….

“Huk!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing!!”

I am an adult. My knowledge was not so shallow as to not know that at times like this, I should shake my head and pretend to know nothing. For the sake of my parents’ loving relationship, I desperately acted like an innocent child.

It was then that Sister came into the living room. Seeing me nestled in the arms of a tipsy Dad, she strode over and picked me up.

“Kkang!”

My body stretched vertically. It seemed to be due to the flexibility unique to young children. Sister said.

“Seol-ah, Dad is resting, so don’t bother him.”

“Yes!”

Sister tilted her head in confusion, seeing my strangely beaming face. Perhaps Sister hadn’t anticipated what Dad and Mom had been doing while she was out.

Heh heh, Sister. You can look forward to it. A younger sibling might be born in 10 months!

Wait, if that’s the case… could I be getting a younger sibling…?

My tail shot up high into the sky. My eyes sparkled. My heart pounded, my ears perked up. My body became excited.

I’ve been doted on as the youngest for 8 years. No matter how cool and strong I looked, I was always petted and called cute. But if I have a younger sibling, that life will be over. It means I will be recognized as a fully grown wolf.

And just as I admire Sister, my sibling will surely admire me. By the time my sibling grows up a bit, I will also have the tall and dignified appearance of Sister. Naturally, that will be the case.

The image of my grown-up self clearly comes to mind. White hair like freshly fallen snow, fluffy triangular ears, and of course, the plump, fluffy tail. A tall, beautiful woman with all of these, with a good figure.

It’s a bit unfortunate that I imagine a female form instead of a male one, but since I was born female, there’s no other way. At least, I should be relieved that I’ll escape my current tiny, cute appearance.

I continue imagining.

As an adult, I would resemble Sister, but with subtle differences. My eyes would be softer, and my ears a bit blunter than Sister’s. But those differences would actually enhance my beauty. Following that, behind my wide hips, there would be a tail, exceptionally large and soft even among wolves. Unlike the jagged tails of other wolves, it would be a perfectly groomed, incredibly beautiful tail.

My sibling would surely stare at the mesmerizing beauty of my tail with wide eyes. They would cling to me all day, wanting a beautiful tail like mine. Then I would embrace my little sibling, who reminds me of my own childhood, and say.

‘If you eat your side dishes evenly, your tail will become beautiful. So you shouldn’t be a picky eater, right?’

‘Yes!’

Huk… I’m so mature!

Sister, Mom, and Dad would all praise me for taking good care of my sibling. ‘Seol-ah is amazing, Seol-ah is cool, Seol-ah is incredible’ – countless exclamations would adorn me, and I would humbly laugh, saying it was only natural.

“Kkang, hee hee….”

It’s a wonderful future.

While I was lost in my own imagination, giggling to myself, Sister took me to my room. Without hesitation, I jumped onto the bed and was immediately grabbed by my tail, dangling upside down in the air.

“Sister?”

“You have to wash before you lie down.”

“What?!”

Wash…?

“D-do I really have to wash…? I look perfectly clean to me….”

“No. I’ve let you off the hook enough.”

I hate washing. My body stays clean enough without washing, and more importantly, I don’t like the creepy sensation of water touching my body when I wash.

My tail is especially problematic, because when it gets wet, it collapses completely. My always large, beautiful, and magnificent fluffy tail becomes shapeless and pathetic when wet…!

“Seol. Ah. Ya.”

“Kkae, kkaeng….”

Sister’s usually gentle voice was never more terrifying.

——

The structure of our bathroom was quite confusing. In the center was a wooden tub large enough to submerge my body, and next to it was a stove for heating water. Seeing some kind of device between them, it seemed that wasn’t all.

If we heat water using fire every time, we’ll use too much firewood. The North doesn’t have abundant resources, so it’s likely that some kind of fantasy technology was used to solve that, but I don’t know about that part.

At that moment, warm water was poured over my body.

“Kkang!!”

“Hold on, Seol-ah.”

Even as I shivered, shaking off the water droplets, the volume of my tail inevitably decreased. The majestic, large tail was no more. All that remained was a shrunken, pathetic tail.

“Hing….”

“Done.”

Sister and I were both naked now. Since we decided to wash together, that’s why. Sister slowly lowered her body into the tub where I was already sitting, and the water level rose accordingly, overflowing slightly.

If you ask if I’m okay seeing a woman’s bare body, I can say that I’ve seen it so much over the past 8 years that I’ve become accustomed to it. It’s also troublesome to flinch every time I wash.

The warmth of the hot water enveloped me. In it, Sister hugged me tightly.

Although I dislike getting wet, I couldn’t deny the pleasant drowsiness of soaking in warm water. It’s a strange feeling, disliking it yet liking it.

“Let’s wash thoroughly, brush your tail, eat, and sleep.”

“Yes….”

Splash, splash. The water moves. When I shake my tail, ripples form accordingly. Even if I have to do it, no matter how much I dislike it, enjoying it is the mark of a true professional. I started playing with the water, splashing around.

Water is strange. If I hit the water hard with my palm, it makes a “Chap!” sound as if the water has become a solid floor, stopping my hand, but if I gently push my hand into it, it goes right through as usual water without much resistance.

I don’t know the principle, but it’s strangely fun.

Come to think of it, I can do this too.

“Sister!”

“Yes?”

Splat! A stream of water shot out from my clenched fists. Sister, hit by the stream, was startled and raised her tail high.

Heh, this is a water gun. A water gun that even surprises Sister.

“Haha, Seol-ah… are you teasing me?”

“Kkang!”

Then, as if to retaliate, Sister flicked her fingers in the water and splashed water droplets at me. I couldn’t lose either. We started playing, splashing water at each other several times.

After playing like that for a while, I leaned my back against Sister, tired. Sister’s embrace was large enough to hold me.

If I have a younger sibling, I’ll be doing this too. Someone my sibling can lean on anytime….

“Sister.”

“Yes?”

“Will I be as tall as you when I grow up?”

I look forward to that time. The time when I become as tall as Sister. The time when I can look down at the world from a high place, not from below.

“Y-yes… it will… happen, surely.”

“Hee hee.”

Sister answered, stuttering. I smiled brightly and splashed water at Sister one last time, and in return, I was hit with a bucket of water, ending bath time.

What should I play tomorrow? Should I visit Uncle Polar Bear’s house, or Yura and Yuri? Yes, it would be good to practice hunting with Sister.

My thoroughly soaked tail dried, and it became plump and fluffy again, as always. Shaking my fur, which had become even fluffier thanks to the bath, I drifted off to sleep.