Return

Return

I was trying my best to calm down by pressing my burning lips against the cold cup.

‘It hurts…’

Usually when I ate spicy food, I felt it was hot, not painful.

This time it was so spicy that it felt painful, causing tears and snot to quietly trickle out.

‘I didn’t know it would be this spicy.’

As I was thinking that I now understood why tourists in Korea said that tempura udon was spicy, while licking some water.

The counselor looked at me and jokingly said.

“Ha-eun, didn’t you like ramen? Aren’t you overreacting to the spiciness?”

The moment I heard such a question, I felt somewhat embarrassed, as if I had told a lie.

I wanted to say that it wasn’t a lie and that I really ate like that.

In the current situation, whatever I said would only sound like an excuse, so I decided to just accept it silently and said.

“Yes… I like it, but it’s spicy.”

“Really? Maybe it’s because you haven’t had it in a while?”

I’m not sure if I should express it as fortunate, but the counselor didn’t seem to mind much and calmly smiled at me.

While I was feeling grateful for the counselor’s consideration and fidgeting.

Chae-a took out an apple from her chest and said.

“Ha-eun, eat this…!”

It seems to be the apple she had picked from the tree earlier.

As I carefully received it and bowed my head in gratitude.

The counselor asked us a question.

“I have something I’d like to ask Ha-eun. How’s life at the association? Have you gotten used to it?”

At that question, I nodded and recalled my recent life.

I met many good people, more than I deserved, and received a lot.

Even though I tried my best not to receive too much or to give back as much as I could, based on my belief of returning what I receive, I felt I had only returned a tiny fraction, smaller than an ant’s antenna.

I had received so much from everyone I met at the association that it was difficult to express.

So I nodded because I had become accustomed to life at the association and had adapted quite well to this world.

The counselor smiled as if relieved and continued to speak to me.

“Is that so? Then for the next question, if Ha-eun were to live somewhere other than the association, where would you like to live?”

That question left me completely stunned and frozen in shock.

Initially, I started broadcasting so I could survive on my own even after being kicked out of the association.

I realized that lately I’ve become too lazy, focusing only on having fun with Chae-a, Seo-rin, and Han A-rin.

‘This isn’t right.’

Nothing is eternal, and nothing should be taken for granted.

So I shouldn’t get used to kindness and set my standards based on that.

Without realizing it, I became too happy and subconsciously thought this would continue forever.

‘I need to reflect and get my act together…!’

I bit my gently swaying tail to calm myself down and decided to think ‘realistically’.

While everyone was helping me now so I didn’t need to face reality, once I left the association, I would be swept up in the harsh sandstorm of reality.

‘So the first thing I need to do is…’

My mind doesn’t work well when I try to solve problems I’ve been putting off.

As I was wondering what to do, the counselor waved her hand at me with a worried expression and said.

“Ha-eun, are you okay?”

It seems I had made her worry.

I nodded to indicate I was fine, but the counselor still looked concerned and said to me.

“Just in case, I want to tell you that you don’t have to worry about anything, Ha-eun. If you want, you can live in the association for the rest of your life.”

I appreciate the sentiment, but that would be too much of an imposition, so I shook my head and said.

“I’m fine!”

“R-really? It’s really okay, you know.”

I answered with a chuckle and looked to the side.

Next to me was Chae-a, staring intently at the ramen and fidgeting, and Somteol dozing off beside her.

Thinking that these were the children I needed to protect, I brightened my eyes and rubbed my cheeks, determined to do my best.

* * * * *

Jung Su-a, who was in charge of counseling at the association, bit her lip as she watched Ha-eun pretending to act mature.

If a third party who didn’t know Ha-eun well were to see this situation.

They might think that Ha-eun, who is only 3 years old, sounds very mature or grown-up saying such things.

But because children’s maturity was not something they wanted, but rather something society had ‘made’ them become.

Knowing this process, she could only feel sorry for them.

‘Moreover, Ha-eun’s behavior of constantly talking about repaying favors is close to self-defense.’

All of Ha-eun’s behaviors were likely based on wounds.

Her heart ached wondering what kind of wounds could have caused her to act like this.

But showing such emotions in the current situation would only hurt Ha-eun, so she tried her best to act as if nothing was wrong and continued speaking.

“Ha-eun, I’m not saying this as a counselor, but as an older sister who likes you. If there ever comes a time when you really need help, the counselor will definitely help you, so you need to tell me, okay?”

At those words, Ha-eun hugged her tail and chuckled awkwardly.

Then, as if embarrassed, she nodded and expressed her gratitude.

“Thank you…”

“No, there’s nothing to thank me for. This is only natural.”

At those words, Ha-eun flinched and glanced at her cautiously.

It was so heartbreaking that she wanted to say something, but she held back and tried to smile as kindly as possible at Ha-eun.

* * * * *

I listened to the counselor’s words and smiled awkwardly.

Ha-eun quietly closed her eyes and began to think more deeply about what to do.

After pondering for a while, Chae-a seemed to get bored of sitting still and stood up, saying to me.

“Shall we go then?”

She seems to want to play.

I was nodding my head, deciding to put aside my worries for now and play with Chae-a, when.

Chae-a led me forward for a while, then suddenly spoke to me as if she had realized something important.

“But Chae-a has never cooked before…! What should we do?!”

Come to think of it, we came to the kitchen to cook, but all we’ve done so far is crack eggs.

Feeling regretful that I couldn’t give her a proper experience, I thought for a moment and decided to let her experience it again later, focusing on something else for now.

The counselor was on the phone with someone, then smiled brightly and told us.

“Kids, the attack tea… I mean, your older sisters and brothers will be back sooner than expected.”

Did they succeed in catching the terrorists?

I was curious about the results, but if I asked, everyone would likely respond with serious expressions saying.

Is that so… Did that happen…

You don’t need to know…

Now is not the time…

Knowing they would probably say such things, I decided to check the TV or my phone later.

Chae-a spoke to us with a very urgent expression.

“Then… we need to cook!”

It seems she really wanted to follow through with the original plan of cooking.

Chae-a shouted again that she had to cook, rolling up her sleeves as she spoke.

“Got it!?”

Seeing that she wanted me to join her, I nodded in understanding.

Chae-a grabbed my hand and headed towards the kitchen we had been to earlier.

Then, with her eyes sparkling, she said to me.

“Now Chae-a can crack eggs well. Chae-a will crack the eggs for you!”

In truth, ‘smashing’ would be a more accurate description than ‘cracking’.

But not wanting to confront her with the truth and make her sulk, I just nodded.

Then the counselor spoke to us in a bewildered voice.

“Huh? You’re going to cook again?”

“Yes. We need to eat a lot to be happy.”

“Oh, I see. I understand.”

The counselor thought for a moment, then laughed helplessly as if unsure, and reached out her hand, saying.

“Alright then, let’s cook together. We should make enough for about 20 people.”

“……?”

Is it possible to make that much?

I had my doubts, but decided to follow the counselor’s lead and was about to move forward.

Then, noticing an apple tree with newly grown apples, I stopped them, thinking it would be better to gather ingredients from there first.

Since it was impossible for me to pick the apples directly, I put Somteol on my head and asked it to pick them for me.

To gather additional ingredients, I asked the counselor to buy various seeds for us.

There was a bit of a fuss where I insisted on paying for it myself, but that’s another story.

That’s not important, so let’s move on for now. What matters is that through our combined efforts, we’ve gathered a decent amount of ingredients, even if it’s not abundant.

‘This should be enough.’

While I can’t make enough for 20 people, I think I can make enough for about 5 people. As I’m pondering what to cook,

The counselor checks the time and tells me in a flustered voice,

“They’ll be here in about an hour. What do you want to do?”

I shook my head at the suggestion to compromise.

Then I suggested a dish that could be made in a short time.

“I think sandwiches would be fine…!”

“Sandwiches?”

The counselor seemed to think that would be okay, so they ordered additional ingredients on their phone and then told us,

“Shall we start making them quickly then?”

At those words, I nodded and steeled my resolve.

*

About an hour later, I hear murmuring voices in the distance.

It seemed that Seo-rin, Han A-rin, and the other hunters had returned.

I tried to put the sandwiches we had made on a tray to greet them, but.

‘… It’s heavy.’

It was so heavy that I could only waddle like a penguin.

With each step I took, I thought I might drop the tray, struggling and grunting.

The counselor took the tray from me and said,

“I’ll carry this. Ha-eun and Chae-a, you each bring one of the remaining sandwiches, okay?”

I tried to shake my head to indicate that I was fine with those words.

But since there was nothing more foolish than being reckless, I had no choice but to nod.

As I was running forward quickly, holding a sandwich each with Chae-a after those words.

I could see Seo-rin spotting me from afar and smiling brightly.

As I watched Seo-rin trying to run towards me, I smiled back, and I could see the little black spirits I had parted with long ago attached above Seo-rin’s head.