Inside the Summer (2)
I moved the laser slowly, winding it around like a wriggling bug.
Aqua kept her eyes glued to the laser, inching toward the wall. When she was about thirty centimeters away, she crouched low, like a predator ready to pounce.
'It's a hunting game!'
It had been ages since I'd seen this wild side of Aqua.
Before I knew it, Jang Gilsan, Han Areum, and Han Deuri had noticed too, holding their breath in anticipation.
Aqua wiggled her hips a few times, timing her strike, then shouted, [What art thou!]
She leaped at the wall.
Chop!
Aqua's hand slapped down with a sharp smack, snatching at the laser pointer.
[……Huh?]
But lasers don't get caught that easily. The red dot just stamped itself onto her palm.
Aqua slammed her left hand over her right. The dot reappeared on top.
[Thou art swift!]
Whoosh. I swung the laser sideways.
Swish. Aqua's head whipped around to follow.
[Stand still!]
Aqua started chasing the red dot across the floor.
Chop! Chop! Chop!
She pursued it relentlessly. Then, the moment she clapped both hands over it, I timed it perfectly and clicked it off.
[Ha!]
Aqua whipped her head around, scanning the walls frantically. Then she yelled,
[I caught it!]
Her voice brimmed with excitement.
Aqua bounced on her heels a few times, unsure what to do next, then turned to me.
[I hath caught the bug!]
She seemed to think it was some kind of firefly.
"Kukukuku…"
Laughter bubbled up from behind me. I fought back my own chuckles and asked,
"What're you gonna do with it?"
[Hmm… What should I do?]
"You've caught the bug—kill it or let it go."
Aqua hesitated, mumbling to herself, then lifted her hands. She didn't want to kill it, apparently.
[Ha!]
But the dot was gone. I'd fired it onto a distant wall.
[It fled already!]
Aqua dashed across the floor after it.
"Kukukuku…"
I toyed with her like that for a good while.
But secrets don't last forever.
[…….]
Aqua was staring at my hand now. Specifically, the remote with the laser pointer attached.
Betrayal dawned in her eyes.
"……."
I averted my gaze and lowered the remote. I could feel my friends quietly slipping away behind me.
[Thou hast deceived me!]
Furious, Aqua pumped her stubby legs and charged at me.
"Ahahaha!"
I burst out laughing at the sight.
Aqua puffed out her cheeks and rampaged even harder.
[Thou wert toying with me!]
She smacked my body with her palms—slap slap slap!
"Ow, ow!"
It hurt more than expected. When Aqua swung in earnest, it was like a water slap.
"Kukukuku!"
Pain or not, I couldn't stop laughing.
[Cease thy laughter! Thou art unworthy!]
"Ahahaha!"
[I said cease!]
Aqua even growled as she punished me vigorously.
"Sorry, it was just a joke."
[To deceive me! To toy with me!]
I quickly pulled out my insurance policy from my pocket—the Choco Pies I'd bought earlier, just in case she figured it out.
[With mere trifles like…!]
I pulled out another.
[Such…!]
At the third, Aqua snatched them with a pop, ripping open a tube with her teeth.
"Want me to feed you?"
She glared at me as I spoke. I gently took the tube from her hand.
Aqua preferred being fed over eating alone.
[……Hmph!]
Still baring her teeth and huffing, she leaned in to suck on the Choco Pie.
I stroked her back diligently to soothe her rage. Holding back the laughter bubbling up was the real ordeal.
'Gotta hold it in. If I laugh now, she'll really get mad.'
I bit my lip and barely managed.
Only after devouring three Choco Pies did Aqua's anger subside a bit. Her pout lingered, but her glare had softened.
[What was that thing from before?]
"It's called a laser."
[Laser? Is it not a weapon of attack?]
She must've been thinking of some movie.
"This is the weakened version."
I handed her the remote.
"Try pressing it."
She hit the laser button, and a red dot shot out from the end.
[Ooooh…!]
Aqua fired it everywhere in wonder. She even flipped the remote to aim it at her own eye, curious about the mechanism.
I gently pulled her hand down.
"Not at your face."
[It mustn't?]
"Bad for your eyes."
A fleeting thought crossed my mind—She's a spirit; does it matter?—but I ignored it.
[The human world hath so many marvels!]
Aqua giggled and aimed the laser at the floor next to Mandu's sleeping face.
[Mandu!]
[Shi-it?]
Mandu, who'd been napping on a tray just ten minutes into the movie, stirred at the call.
[Shhit?]
His eyes widened at the dot.
[Shi-sit?]
Mandu stared curiously, then licked the floor with his tongue. Nothing came up, of course. He tilted his head.
[Heeheehee!]
Aqua, her anger fully forgotten, started playing with Mandu using the laser as a toy.
* * *
That evening, Han Deuri suddenly wanted to try making cocktails. He came back from the convenience store loaded with drinks: banana milk, strawberry milk, pear ade, lemon ade, and such.
"Cocktails, huh?"
"Aqua and hyung don't drink alcohol. I got non-alcoholic ones so we could all share."
Han Deuri grinned and brought over several glasses.
"Mixing these makes 'em cocktails, right?"
"Mixing these?"
Han Areum, popping open some bottles nearby, smirked.
"Sunbae, you've never tried this? It's totally trending."
As an upperclassman, I was weak to the word "trending."
The Areum-Deuri siblings got to mixing. They filled big glasses with ice and poured in two drinks each.
"Here, Aqua—this one's yours!"
Han Deuri handed her a mix of banana milk and iced chocolate. The yellow and light brown swirled beautifully.
[Ooooh! So pretty!]
Aqua admired it briefly before taking a sip.
[Oh! Delicious! Thou hast made it well!]
Han Deuri beamed at the praise, rubbing under his nose.
"Hehehe!"
Mine was yuzu drink with pear ade. The zesty yuzu paired perfectly with the pear's crisp refreshment.
"This is actually pretty good."
"Told you. It's trending."
Han Areum laughed, whipping up Jang Gilsan's and their own in no time.
We sipped and chatted for ages.
'Who knew lounging around like this could feel so good.'
I couldn't remember the last time I'd been this relaxed. During term, it was all studying; on break, part-time jobs or grinding my Spirit Affinity.
'Leisure really comes from the heart.'
Since contracting Aqua—since defeating Niagara—I'd finally found some peace. A fat wallet helped, too.
As that thought crossed my mind, Han Areum piped up.
"Course registration's in two weeks."
"Already?"
July was nearly over. Only a month of break left.
Han Deuri turned to me.
"I'm most curious what'll happen to you back at the academy, hyung."
"What do you mean?"
"It's like, 'The F-rank guy at the academy turns out to be a Spirit King contractor?' Classic."
I chuckled softly.
"Professors fighting to make me a grad student? Oh, wait—they already are."
"Nothing'll change much. Spirit Studies profs don't play favorites based on spirit ranks."
"Doesn't mean gen-ed classes won't be different?"
Gen-ed meant mixing with other majors' professors.
"Academy profs are all top-notch. No special treatment."
"You think that, but others won't let it slide."
Han Areum stroked Aqua's cheek.
"How could they stay calm with such a cute spirit in class?"
[Heeheehee!]
True—spirit users would flock to Aqua. Especially undines, dying to stay near her.
Han Areum giggled a bit, then asked,
"Sunbae, what classes next semester?"
"Matching yours?"
"Your classes are always fun. No downside."
"Haven't decided. Plenty of time before registration."
"Fair."
Plus, I planned to take school easier now. No more all-out for top grades or assignments.
'It's the academy with Aqua.'
I wanted memories over study grinds.
As if sensing it, Aqua—nearly done with her half-glass of Han Deuri's mocktail—looked up at me.
[Hey.]
I smiled back.
"Yeah? What's up?"
[What classes dost thou take at the academy?]
Aqua had always been curious about it.
"Hmm… Hard to say."
I took a sip to gather my thoughts.
"Exaggerating a bit, the academy teaches all the world's knowledge."
Not just there—all universities did.
"Awakeners, literature, math. History, tech, you name it."
Awakener-focused, so some bias, sure.
[Dost it teach of spirits?]
"Of course. I'm from the Spirit Studies department."
[Specializing?]
"Yeah. I know more about you guys than you think. Like, tickling here feels good."
I wiggled my fingers on her belly. Aqua giggled and squirmed.
"Anything you wanna learn?"
Her interest might stem from a thirst for knowledge.
[Hmm… Not sure.]
Eager, but clueless what. Natural—even academy kids struggled with that.
"Let's plan classes together before registration. Shared classes and all."
[Of course!]
Aqua beamed, purely thrilled at the prospect. Her joy warmed my heart.
I patted her plump cheek.
'But first, settle things in the Spirit Realm.'
We still didn't know why Uluru called us. Maybe Aqua's king trial, but something felt off.
'No worries, though.'
With Aqua and Mandu, a spirit contractor was invincible.
* * *
But two days before our meeting with Uluru, everything veered into uncharted territory with the arrival of the Fire Spirit King.