Yuna, My Pet!
There's a story that when people die, their pets who passed on first come out to greet them. I don't like that story.
"My pet is Yuna!"
"Ch, ch, Ch-Chaerin."
This was a modern fantasy world. Specifically, the kindergarten in what's known as Hunter City.
The little girl shouting brightly beside me had jet-black hair and emerald-green eyes. Her eyes were sharply slanted, her nose perfectly straight. A fox-faced girl who anyone would call pretty. Yoo Chaerin. She was hugging me tightly right now, beaming with an innocent smile.
Is this what they mean by a smile pure as the driven snow? Even though I knew what kind of smile she'd have in the future, right now it was crystal clear.
The future S-rank Hunter. And the girl who would later gain a reputation as the delinquent queen bee of the academy. Yoo Chaerin—just her name alone would make the whole academy tremble in fear.
But the words coming out of her mouth laid her personality bare without a hint of shame.
How could she so casually call a person her pet?
She was amazing in all sorts of ways.
Well, at least the future S-rank delinquent hunter likes me and cherishes me.
I'd normally be thrilled. But right now, I was barely holding back a sigh.
Me, tightly embraced by Yoo Chaerin, and my reflection in the mirror beside us. A girl in the same kindergarten uniform as her. Fluffy hair mixed white and blue, bright blue eyes. A cute, timid-looking face to top it off. That was me, squeezed in Chaerin's arms.
Yoo Chaerin's cherished pet, Ha Yuna. The nickname stuck because the S-rank hunter and delinquent dragged me around with her every day.
No, wait. It was a nickname she gave me.
Why did I have to possess a girl, of all things?
If I was going to possess someone, why not the protagonist who awakens as a cool future S-rank hunter?
Instead, I just stared bitterly up at the kindergarten ceiling.
Possession happens in an instant.
I'd been happily reading a modern fantasy web novel, lying in bed to sleep. Then I opened my eyes, and everything had gotten smaller.
"Ugh, waaah?!"
"Aww, our Yuna's awake~?"
A cooing voice reached me. I turned my gaze, and there was a stunningly pretty, petite woman.
Wh-who are you? Why are you so gorgeous?
"Hungry, huh? Time for milkies."
With that, she started unbuttoning her top. Whoa. My vision spun as her snow-white breast came into view.
What is that? Melon flesh?
I gaped blankly, and suddenly the melon was shoved into my mouth. Its sweet juice flowed straight down my throat.
I didn't know what was happening, but a wave of bliss filled me, and I had to close my eyes.
And soon after, I learned one key fact.
First off, I'd been reborn as a girl. Ha Yuna.
I knew that name. She was a character from a hunter web novel that had gained some popularity and even gotten a webtoon adaptation.
Nickname: S-rank Hunter Yoo Chaerin's cherished pet.
Thanks to her cute looks, petite stature, and those rare, impressively large breasts. Not as much as Chaerin, but after the webtoon, she'd been pretty popular.
Readers said she was the top character they'd have the dirtiest, most perverted thoughts about.
What bullshit.
I don't think that way. At least, not now that I'm Ha Yuna.
"...Honey, Yuna's asleep now. How about tonight?"
"We did it three times last night."
"Three's not enough. Look at this—what'd I wear today? Nya~."
"To the bedroom."
But apparently, they weren't my parents. Or maybe because I was still just a baby with barely formed self-awareness, they kept at their baby-making every night.
Seeing parents love each other helps a child's development, sure. But isn't this a bit much?
And Mom was usually the one seducing him. Mom, who looked just like my future self.
Does that mean I'll...?
Ughhh, nooo.
My vision spun again. Please, puberty, be kind to me. Don't let the hormones torment me.
"Ahhn♥"
Hearing my parents' love sounds, I squeezed my eyes shut again today.
The older you get, the faster time flies. Which means, for kids, time drags on forever.
Still, the silver lining was how kids get sleepy all the time. Spending most of life asleep, I somehow turned six.
Finally, on the cusp of kindergarten.
"Honey, will Yuna be okay? She lacks social skills."
"She'll be fine. We should raise her right now, anyway."
While I dozed off from post-meal sleepiness, my parents chatted worriedly beside me.
Like other kids, I'd spent two years in daycare. Naturally, I never mingled with the others.
My mental age was totally different, after all.
How do you play with kids whose whole day is crying and tantrums?
So I sat in the corner assembling Legos alone, which must've caught the daycare teacher's eye.
She tried group activities with the babies a few times. But I always went right back to Legos.
Legos are fun even as an adult.
They're baby-sized, sure, but that makes stacking them satisfying.
Mom and Dad must've thought I loved them, 'cause the house is full of Legos now. Today, I'd even built a dinosaur beside me.
Tyrannosaurus is justice.
"They say Yuna's developing faster than other kids. She might be too smart to fit in."
Dad soothed Mom's gentle worry. Unlike Mom, who fretted over everything I did, Dad was always calm.
"Smart kids get bullied sometimes. That's what worries me."
"Yuna won't get bullied. She takes after you—too cute for that."
"Heehee, what?"
So lovey-dovey. But no need to worry, parents. I just literally can't play with babies, so I spend time alone.
No stocks or anything here?
Too young for a phone. I could've killed time researching blue-chip stocks with my adult knowledge.
Six years old—the perfect age to study stocks.
Thus passed the peaceful—if you can call it that—days.
A well-off family. Beautiful, handsome parents. Me, Ha Yuna, raised with overflowing love.
Today, I proudly entered kindergarten.
Amid the flock of chicks, I stood blankly, staring up at the ceiling.
Daycare or kindergarten—still a paradise for immature babies. Free time here probably meant more Legos.
Now that I'm a kindergartener, maybe I can play with smaller ones.
Babies shove everything in their mouths, so it's tough. One next to me was drooling right now—that said it all.
"Hey."
Suddenly, my hair got yanked from behind.
"Ow!"
My special constitution—snow-white hair mixed with blue. It felt like it was getting ripped out, tears pricking my eyes.
I whipped around in shock, and there was a boy pulling my hair.
"Why's your hair white?"
"W-Wait, l-let, let go."
Unlike the chatty kids, I rarely spoke, so my voice came out awkward. And the weird stutter made me sound extra timid.
But that wasn't the point. Mom had brushed and cherished this long hair—now it was all gonna get pulled out.
I tried to call the teacher, but she was wiping the drool from that kid.
Unexpected trouble. I couldn't shove the boy away, just teared up a bit.
Thwack!
Someone kicked the boy in the back.
Crash!
"Waaahhh!"
The boy's wails echoed. A six-year-old hit with sudden violence—natural reaction.
I wiped my tears and turned. There stood an unexpected figure.
"Who pulls a girl's hair like that? Wanna die?"
A brutal word choice for a six-year-old. The girl flicked up her kindergarten cap with her index finger, revealing sharp eyes.
A face destined to be a beauty. But a wickedly pretty one.
S-rank Hunter, Yoo Chaerin.
Finally, a major character from the hunter novel appeared.
I figured she'd show up eventually.
Did our relationship start in kindergarten?
"Hey, kids! What happened?!"
The teacher rushed over late, hearing the commotion. Shocked to see the boy sprawled and crying.
"Teacher! She, she kicked me!"
The boy pointed at Chaerin, bawling.
"Chaerin, is that true?"
Chaerin snorted, arms crossed.
"Yeah, I kicked him."
Such brazenness. Classic of the infamous delinquent Chaerin.
But this would leave Chaerin in trouble. She helped me—I couldn't let that happen.
"T-Teach, T-Teacher."
Damn, why do I stutter like this? My hands shook with embarrassment as I stepped in front of Chaerin, pointing her way.
Stuttering made speaking in front of people mortifying.
"N-No, it's not. He pulled my hair. Ch-Chaerin helped meee."
I trembled all over defending her, and Chaerin behind me widened her eyes.
"Is that so? Still, Chaerin, you can't use violence on other kids."
The teacher looked troubled, tending to the boy first. Maybe because I'd teared up too.
I glanced back at Chaerin, and after a silent moment, she nodded.
"Yeah, I won't do it again."
No apology even if it killed her. So Chaerin.
As the teacher soothed the boy and stepped away briefly, Chaerin stared at me intently.
Why's she staring? As I wondered, she raised her tiny hand and pinched my cheek hard.
Then she kneaded it like mochi.
"Eugh."
"You're cute."
Never thought I'd hear "cute" from a kid.
"What's your name?"
"H-Ha Yuna."
"Great! Then Yuna's my pet from now on!"
?? How'd it turn out like that?