Knock Knock Knock
I knocked on the door, my heart light with joy yet weighed down by a heavy sense of duty.
A frantic rustling came from inside, followed by a spirited voice.
"Coming!"
I eased the door open. My eyes met the round, curious gaze staring back at me.
"Huh? It's Hura oppa!"
The cute girl with pigtails came dashing over and threw her arms around me in a big hug.
"Unnie's here too!"
"Sera unnie!"
Eunhee lavished hugs on my sister without holding back.
"Aigoo, has our Eunhee been good?"
"Yep!"
My sister ruffled Eunhee's hair wildly as the girl answered brightly.
"When did you get here? I didn't hear the doorbell!"
"Hehe, Eunhee must've been too focused on studying to notice," Aunt said innocently from where she watched behind us.
"Oh, really?"
Eunhee grinned shamelessly and nodded, chuckling to herself. You weren't studying at all, you little rascal. Neither were you, Aunt. Like mother, like daughter.
Eunhee, who'd been hugging my sister, came back to me.
"Oppa! Why haven't you come to see us in so long? Huh?"
"I've been busy."
"Tch, busy with what?"
"Hey now, grown-ups have their own circumstances."
"I'm in second grade now! I'll be a grown-up soon too!"
"What grown-up? You're pint-sized."
I pinched and tugged at Eunhee's soft, rice-cake cheeks as I said it. My sister burst out laughing beside us.
"Eeeek, that hurts."
Pain or not, she kept beaming with that wide grin.
Eunhee turned to Aunt, who was watching contentedly from the doorway.
"Mom! Can I play with oppa and unnie? I finished all my workbooks!"
"Of course! Have fun!"
Aunt beamed back. She wasn't the type to force studies on kids anyway—she'd shoved Eunhee into the study room just to pitch her secret deal to me. Since the deal had gone smoothly, she approved without hesitation.
"Yay!"
As Eunhee bounced around excitedly, Aunt slowly closed the door.
"Play nice until it's time to go to Grandma's~"
She shot me a meaningful look through the narrowing gap. In other words: complete the request before we head to Grandma's. A quest with a time limit.
The bills in my pocket suddenly felt heavier.
"Oppa, unnie! Sit here!"
Eunhee, still hopping with glee, patted the bed enthusiastically. Her adorable pigtails, perfect for her age, bounced around her tiny face. We sat on the bed and chatted idly. She had endless stories to tell—mostly trivial kid stuff she treated like world-shaking news—and we nodded along, chiming in appropriately.
She showed off drawings she'd made and some mysterious school art project.
Then the conversation drifted to birthdays.
"Oppa, my birthday's coming up soon! You coming? Unnie said she is!"
I rubbed my chin with a mock-serious expression.
"Hmm... Let me check my schedule..."
Thwack—Eunhee glared daggers and smacked my shoulder.
"Ow!"
"Serves you right."
Her little hands packed a punch. As I rubbed the spot, my eyes met my sister's. She winked. I know what to do without you saying it.
"Ahem."
Operation: Mother's Trick. Time to commence.
"Eunhee, what do you want for your birthday?"
I dangled the bait casually.
"Oh, yeah! Um, that... what was it? Oppa, you seen Frozen 2?"
She bit without a second thought.
"Huh? No."
I replied coolly, and she gave me the most pitiful look imaginable.
"What? You haven't even seen that? What have you been doing?!"
She crossed her arms and tapped the mat with her heel, imitating Aunt but coming off awkward.
"Oppa, you don't know it, you'll get bullied by your friends."
"Oh yeah?"
"You don't know, so you already got bullied!"
"Nah, couldn't be."
"Sigh. Oppa, do I have to spell everything out for you?"
"...Sorry."
I got scolded. Unfairly. Not watching a movie isn't some huge crime warranting bullying.
"Tsk tsk. That's why you need me, oppa."
She clucked her tongue and turned to my sister.
"Unnie, you saw it?"
"Of course! Oh, Hura. What have you been doing not watching it?"
Seizing the moment, my sister sided with Eunhee to tease me. She's a pro at this.
"Your soul's completely dried up."
"Right! How could you skip Frozen 2? No wonder you're bullied."
I wasn't bullied!
"You didn't watch the first one either, did you?"
"Sigh, I knew it."
I did watch the first one!
"Outdated loser!"
"Culture destroyer!"
"Disgrace to the Lee family!"
"Popcorn thief next seat!"
"Go die!"
Eunhee and my sister took turns hurling insults at me. Obviously, Eunhee wasn't coming up with them—my sister whispered them in her ear. Eunhee parroted them innocently without understanding.
What are you teaching the kid...
"Oppa, watch Frozen 2 and write a review!"
"...Okay."
The roast session ended with me promising a review. I shot a glare at my sister, who grinned mischievously behind Eunhee.
"Anyway, oppa. There's Elsa in it—"
Her eyes lit up.
"Oh? We got a college Elsa right here."
Perfect. I pointed accusingly at my sister with my finger-blade of revenge.
Eunhee followed my finger to my sister, then exploded at me.
"What're you saying?! Elsa's way prettier! She sings way better too!"
Innocent words cut deepest. College Elsa clutched her chest behind Eunhee, sobbing silently. Hueeek—
I smiled contentedly. Revenge served.
"In Frozen 2, Elsa wears this super-duper pretty dress. I asked Mom to buy it for me!"
"Oh... really?"
"Yeah! If I wear it, I'll be total Elsa!"
No, that's not how it works, Oh Eunhee. One corner of my mouth twitched up, my gaze turning icy as I stared at her.
Eunhee, from now on, cold, harsh words wrapped in bitter reality will fly your way. Brace yourself.Though bracing won't help much.
"Hmm... Elsa's dress, huh."
"Yeah! It's super pretty!"
I straightened up and faced her, launching the "persuasion."
"Eunhee."
"Yeah?"
"Do you think putting that on makes you Elsa?"
"...Huh?"
"Is Elsa Elsa just because of the dress?"
"Uh..."
She blinked at me.
"First off, you can't use magic. Second, Elsa's got white hair and blue eyes—different race entirely. Plus, she's super pretty and sings great, like you said. And she's older than you. An adult."
I'd skimmed the Frozen 2 plot before knocking. I'd seen the first one too, so my research was solid. The words flowed sharp and unrelenting.
"Elsa mastered her ice powers after years of loneliness and pain. Life-or-death struggles. But you? No sacrifices, just buying a dress with money? Delusional much?"
Eunhee stared at me, eyes wide.
"You're insulting Elsa. Apologize to her right now."
"S-Sorry..."
"And you're not even buying it with your own money. What Elsa are you gonna be?"
"......"
"Look at yourself. You're just one of a million kids who watch the movie, get hyped, and beg Mom for the dress. Even if she buys it, you're not special. All you did was watch with Mom's money and beg with Mom's money."
"......"
"What did Elsa do? She braved adventure, stared death in the face."
"......"
"Be ashamed! No responsibility, no grit, yet demanding more? Shut that greedy mouth! At least buy the dress yourself to show effort. Even then, it's a knockoff Elsa at best. If you wanna be fake Elsa, go for it!"
"......"
Eunhee gawked at me, eyes huge. Tears welled up slowly.
"U... Waaaaaah!!"
She flung the door open and bolted out.
"Phew..."
I sighed, clenching my fist. Mission: success.
My sister eyed me dubiously.
"...Was that really necessary?"
I nodded without hesitation.
"Yeah. It had to be done."
The world doesn't just have things you want to do. There are things you must do. Did I want to hurt this little lady's feelings? No. It tore me up inside. But someone has to. If someone's gotta do it, better me than anyone else. I won't let outsiders hurt our Eunhee!
I bravely took the bullet. I get pocket money, Aunt saves cash, Eunhee gains wisdom. Sister happy, brother-in-law happy, niece happy. Win-win-win.
"......"
But even with a fat wallet, this aching heart... My pockets are full, but my chest is empty.
If one person takes all the hate, the world can be happy. Every story needs a villain.
I clutched my sore heart and muttered resolutely.
"Yeah. One person's enough to hate."
My sister stared at me like I was nuts.
"...What're you on about?"
Click. Molrangkau stepped out of the transparent jelly elevator into the Flame Palace. Dahyun and Tteoksoon-i rushed over—they'd been waiting eagerly.
"How'd it go?"
Molrangkau sighed wearily.
"Tougher than expected. Took a bit longer, but I chased 'em off."
"Didn't kill 'em?"
"Nah. Would've taken even longer, and for what?"
She shook her head like she didn't want to think about it, then clucked her tongue in annoyance.
"...Tch. That uncle wouldn't listen to me till the end. What a pain."
"You mean Beda?"
"Yeah. If he'd just listened, it'd be over quick. But that brute had to prove himself, dragging it out."
Dahyun peeked behind her.
"Where's Beda?"
"Said he'd stand guard nearby in case Sap Gisa comes back. Not inviting him here anyway."
"Ah..."
Molrangkau glanced around.
"Where's Hura?"
"He waited a while, but you two took forever, so he went ahead. Family event or something."
"...I see."
Molrangkau mumbled, sounding disappointed. Dahyun, who'd been watching her, spoke up.
"Guess I'll head out."
"Huh?"
"Business wrapped up fine, and I've got work piling up."
She'd just been sweetly grilling her Fantasy Games colleague Min Jaehong over the phone.
"Plus, I hit my goal."
Dahyun smiled faintly. While waiting for Molrangkau and Beda, she'd friended Hura in-game.
"Time to log off."
"Oh... okay?"
Molrangkau replied, conflicted. Part relieved, part sorry to see her go. Bittersweet. Guess she'd grown fond without realizing.
"...How're you getting back?"
She fidgeted, eyes on the ground.
"Gonna make it to Yuten first, then log out."
"You sure you can?"
Dahyun was a newbie despite her gunner talent. Even pros dropped in that brutal blizzard.
"Uh... lots of people still around. I'll join a party somehow."
Molrangkau sighed and pulled out a pouch. She sprinkled gray powder on the floor.
"Stay there."
"Huh?"
"I'll draw a teleport circle."
"Oh, thanks."
"...Whatever."
Grumbling tsundere-style, she traced a complex magic circle with the powder.
Dahyun watched quietly, then asked.
"You like Hura, don't you?"