Personal Meeting (4)
Personal Meeting (4)
"That's enough."
Claire stood alone in the center of the wrecked garden, completely unruffled, and declared it over.
Right on cue, Baek Ha-na sprawled onto the dirt-caked lawn as though she had been waiting for permission to collapse.
"Everyone, wash up and get ready for lunch."
After enduring Maria's healing more times than she could count, and throwing herself at Claire until her mana ran dry, Baek Ha-na watched Claire's departing back. The woman walked away without a single bead of sweat on her skin, just as composed as when she started. Ha-na let out a quiet sigh.
She thought she had grown a little, but she still couldn't see the end of this sturdy fence that shielded her.
"Ha-na, here."
"Thanks. Can you feed it to me?"
"Huh? Ah—uh, yeah."
Pop.
Lee Na-young uncorked the bottle, carefully pressed its rim to Ha-na's lips, and slowly tilted it. Baek Ha-na swallowed the liquid without hesitation.
"Yeah, tastes better than last time."
"Good. You said it was chalky, so I added a little mint."
"I like it."
After all, she liked mint and mint chocolate alike.
"Ugh, mint... Lee Na-young, when you hand in your assignment, do not, under any circumstances, put mint flavoring in it."
"What's wrong with mint?"
It made your mouth feel fresh afterward.
"Baek Ha-na, your taste buds are weird."
"Woo-jin said he likes it too."
"What? D-Don't lie! There's no way the professor likes that sort of—!"
Smack!
"@#$!^#!"
Maria's crisp palm-strike sent Idni rolling across the ruined lawn, howling gibberish.
"Good grief. I heal you and the first thing that wakes up is your mouth?"
Maria tidily left Idni to flop around on the ground and rose to approach Baek Ha-na.
"But does the professor really like mint?"
"Yeah. He eats mint chocolate with me sometimes. And—this was a while ago—I bought some mint-choco-flavored Max Sticks. I messed up making it for him, but he still drank it."
"That's..."
"......?"
"Mm, no, never mind."
It had looked like she meant to say something, but a warm sensation spread through Baek Ha-na's body, and she let the thought drift away as she closed her eyes.
"There, done. Seo-hee, you're next."
Her body, which had been creaking all over, fell silent. But a leaden fatigue remained, and even after the healing ended, Baek Ha-na lay on the floor for a while longer.
"You two, time to get up. Wash up and change your clothes, quickly."
"If I hit a bed right now, I could seriously sleep like the dead."
"Me too..."
In a rare show of solidarity with Idni's supine declaration, Nam Seo-hee agreed as she pushed herself upright.
"Yes, yes. If you want your nap, up you get. You too, Ha-na."
"Nngh..."
"Yeah..."
Sensing the first stirrings of a proper lecture, the two brushed themselves off and climbed to their feet.
The group clumsily dusted off the worst of the dirt and shuffled into the mansion in their battered state. And on the way to the bathrooms—
"So, where'd Na Yeon-ju go?"
"Ah, Yeon-ju? She's probably in her meeting with the professor."
Idni scratched her hair as dry soil crumbled from it.
"That's really long. Haven't seen Ppiyaki either."
"I'll go check on her."
"Looking like that?"
"It's fine. I can wash up later."
She rounded the corner, leaving a trail of footprints on a corridor floor so clean it didn't hold a speck of dust.
"I'll be going, yes'm!!"
—Peep~
Standing before the study, Na Yeon-ju was bowing politely, and perched on top of her head was the tiny fairy.
"Oh, Big Sis Ha-na."
"Let's go wash up."
"Yes'm!!"
Na Yeon-ju beamed and clung to her arm, and the moment she did, a very familiar scent brushed Baek Ha-na's nose.
'Idni had that scent yesterday too.'
She remembered Idni leaving the study with a flushed face—and how her hair, neatly tied when she went in, had looked different when she came out.
"Big Sis, you're dirty."
"Hehe, it's fine~ I'm gonna wash up anyway, so getting dirty doesn't count!!"
At her little sister's silly affection and bright smile, Baek Ha-na snorted a laugh and gave Na Yeon-ju's hair a light ruffle.
"That's true, but you don't have any clothes to change into."
"Ah...?!"
Only then did Na Yeon-ju realize she had no spare clothes. Flustered, she tried to let go of Baek Ha-na's arm.
"Heh, too late."
"Ah—aah...!!"
"Alright, bath time."
Baek Ha-na pulled the squirming Na Yeon-ju tight against her and bolted toward the bathroom.
·
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"Ahh... is this heaven?"
After a refreshing shower and a stomach stuffed full of cream stew, Idni flopped face-down across Baek Ha-na's bed and sprawled out.
"It's weird—anytime I come into Ha-na's room, I just get so sleepy."
Maria lay on a blanket spread on the floor with the youngest tucked snug in her arms, and shut her eyes softly. Baek Ha-na leaned back against the side of the bed with the fairy on her head and Lee Na-young cradled in her arms, letting out a long yawn.
Click.
Just as a creeping drowsiness began to pull everyone's eyelids lower, the door opened and Nam Seo-hee returned from her own interview in the study.
"Ha-na. The professor is calling for you."
"Mm..."
She had resisted napping for exactly this moment. Baek Ha-na carefully shifted Lee Na-young, who had already begun to nod off, onto the bed next to Na Yeon-ju and rose to her feet.
—Scoot over.
—...I'll give you a pillow, so go sleep on the floor.
—Deal.
Behind her, Idni and Nam Seo-hee started bickering the moment they were next to each other. Ha-na pulled the door shut and stepped into the hallway.
—Peep-awum~
"Oops."
The fairy had been so still that she had completely forgotten it was perched on her head.
'It should be fine.'
Baek Ha-na moved carefully toward the study so the tiny creature wouldn't fall.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
She tapped the door lightly as usual, then—
"...Come in?"
She cracked the door open and poked her head through the gap.
"Come and sit."
"......Okay."
The deep voice, pleasant no matter how many times she heard it, drew a small smile from her. Baek Ha-na quietly shut the door and entered the study. Then she hefted the chair in front of the desk and moved it.
"...I told you to sit there."
"I like it better here, though?"
"......."
Baek Woo-jin watched her place the chair right beside him, then turned his head away without a word. Baek Ha-na gave a tiny smile at his reaction and was just about to sit down—
—Peep-woong....
The moment she bent forward slightly, the fairy that had been resting on her head slipped and slid downward.
"Ah...!!"
Startled, Baek Ha-na thrust both hands out, but Baek Woo-jin was faster.
—Peep-aaah... woong...
The fairy, now floating gently in midair, curled up adorably as if it had no idea what had happened, then promptly began to breathe in soft, even puffs.
Like a leaf carried by the breeze, the fairy drifted through the air and vanished into the bedroom.
"Baek Ha-na."
"......Huh?"
Her eyes had been fixed dazedly on the bedroom where the fairy had disappeared, but Baek Woo-jin's voice called her back.
"How is academy life?"
"Academy...?"
It was a question she had never really thought about. But it didn't take her long to answer.
"...Sometimes it's hard, and sometimes it's boring, but."
A faint smile crossed her face, and she carefully rested her head against Baek Woo-jin's arm.
"It's fun."
Every morning was joyful the moment she opened her eyes.
Every night she shut them looking forward to the next day.
"I see."
"Yeah."
'...And I'm grateful to you for giving me these happy days.'
Baek Woo-jin's hand stroked her hair with a touch so full of affection it made her heart tingle. Wanting to feel the warmth and texture of it a little more deeply, Baek Ha-na let her eyes drift shut.
"Baek Ha-na."
"Mm...?"
When the hand on her head lifted away, she tilted her chin up to look at him.
"What do you plan to do after you graduate from the academy?"
"......I haven't thought about it yet."
"Is that so."
"Yeah. Is there something you wish I'd do, Woo-jin? If you wanted me to, I could work hard at anything."
"Don't get cocky."
"Mmph~"
He gave her cheek a light pinch. Letting herself be drawn by his hand, Baek Ha-na settled onto his lap, then wriggled around to face him properly and called his name.
"Woo-jin."
"What."
His indifferent reply almost made her lips jut out in a pout, but she held it in.
"You know... I'm so happy with my life right now. So sometimes I wonder if I'm just dreaming—owww~!!"
Unlike before, his fingers now pinched her cheek hard enough to sting. Baek Ha-na scrunched her brow.
"Wh-what was that for...?"
"It's not a dream."
"I-I know that, okay? Do you know how many times my sister smacked me...!!"
"Quiet."
"Tch..."
A tiny part of her wanted to nip that annoying finger with her teeth, but something even more embarrassing kept her from doing it.
"...Hmph. So, there's nothing in particular I want to do."
"Don't think you can just laze around, though. I'll kick you out."
"I-I'm going to work!! I'm not... I'm not planning to just take an allowance forever...."
Her face flared hot again.
"So, in conclusion, nothing jumps to mind right now."
"......Not yet?"
"Understood. If something does, we'll talk about it then."
"Anything's okay?"
"Yes. Whatever you want to do."
"......Okay."
His unconditional trust warmed her heart.
"I've said what I needed to. You can go."
"Huh... You talked to the others way longer, though."
"I already know everything there is to know about you."
"Wha—?"
"Every chance you get, you drool—"
"Ack! Ack! Why are you bringing up stuff from forever ago?! Idiot!!"
So flustered that she even managed to startle herself, Baek Ha-na stretched both hands out and clamped them over Baek Woo-jin's mouth.
Ting.
"Augh!!"
A stinging impact to her forehead made Baek Ha-na yank her hands back to protect her own head. She gave him a teary grimace.
"...If you have nothing more to say, get out."
"Ngh... I-I do have something to say!!"
"Then say it quickly and leave."
At that utterly heartless reply, Baek Ha-na puffed her cheeks slightly before speaking.
"...Couldn't you take the Head Professor of Guidance position?"
"So you've joined the Guidance Department."
Busted.
He'd nailed it in one, and Baek Ha-na nodded meekly.
"I-I'll use my wish, too. O-or, if I use a childhood-favor token—"
"Fine."
"......Huh?"
Had she heard that right?
"Really...?"
"Yes."
"B-but... when Big Sis I-seul asked, you turned her down...?"
Baek Woo-jin answered her question plainly.
"If I didn't want to, I'd refuse."
"No—I-I didn't mean—no!"
Baek Ha-na shook her head hastily.
"Now, before I change my mind, go back to your room."
"Y-yeah!!"
Baek Ha-na scrambled off his lap and straightened up.
"For real? You'll really do it?"
"If I said no—"
"I'm going!!"
Baek Ha-na fled out into the hall so fast she forgot to close the study door behind her.
But as hurried as her footsteps were, the face heading back to her room was brighter than ever.