Mental Realm (2)
There’s an old saying: men and women shouldn’t share the same roof after age seven. A wise maxim from the ancient sages.
But now they wanted me to lie in the same bed as Yu-hwa? Sure, I understood that “sharing a bed” didn’t mean anything risqué. It was just literal—lying on the same mattress. In a way, it was no different from staying in the same lodging.
“I guess that’s true, but...”
Still, it was hard to accept. She was my precious junior, but she was a full-grown adult, and it felt... off. Awkward, maybe. And above all, I was a married man. Sharing a bed with another woman right in front of my wife? It wasn’t even a blatant affair declaration—what the hell was this?
[Zzzip...]
Cough, cough.
A prickling gaze bored into my back. Not her usual affectionate stare, but the look of a wife who’d caught her husband eyeing another woman. It felt like my back was about to be pierced clean through.
Shin-nim...?
[Why call?]
If it’s not too much trouble, may I step out for a bit?
[Rude.]
Damn...
I’d asked Shin-nim just in case, but as expected, no dice. She usually granted my requests, but this time she seemed dead set against it. Bad vibes—I had a feeling it wouldn’t be easy.
“Any other way?”
“Unfortunately not. This bed is the key to the foreign object.”
I pleaded earnestly, but there was no alternative. We had to lie on the bed to enter Yu-hwa’s mental realm through the foreign entity.
Isn’t there really no way around this?
Hmm...
Honestly, if I pushed, she might relent reluctantly. But I wanted to get her permission properly, show respect. That’s what marriage was about—mutual respect.
Praise. Lots.
Pardon?
I was racking my brain for a hundred ways to convince Shin-nim when she suddenly whispered. I caught it and immediately pulled up the stored data from my mental notes.
You hug me warmly every night, give me brain massages to melt away my fatigue, hesitate to sneak a forehead kiss when I’m asleep because it’s embarrassing—that’s adorable. You close your eyes and hum during showers, you’re ridiculously cute but oblivious to it, so pretty I fell for you at first sight even without touching, your gentle speech overflows with affection that pierces even TTS filters. And when it’s dangerous, that cool “Need a hand?” line? Swoon-worthy. If I were a girl, I’d have confessed ages ago.
Ehhh??
Shin-nim floundered, speechless under my barrage of praise. I could practically see her temperature rising, her tentacles flushing red.
Idiot dummy! Go already!
“Hahaha!”
She finally realized I was teasing and playfully thumped my back. But it wasn’t a lie—every word was sincere. Just this once, Shin-nim.
“How’d it go?”
“Got permission. Let’s proceed.”
“Thank you both again!”
With that, permission secured, I lay on the bed and looked at Grandmother Yu-seon.
“No other preparations needed?”
“Just lie down.”
She suggested pajamas, but I politely declined and kept my regular clothes. Pajamas felt too intimate—like the goal was cuddling, not medical procedure.
“Close your eyes and count to three.”
“...”
“Beginning now.”
I lay there. Yu-hwa’s breathing came from beside me, and the bed was so comfy it felt weird.
One, two, three.
Counting silently, I slowly opened my eyes. The scenery had changed. No bedroom—instead, I stood in the middle of a rural village.
“Younger now?”
And the changes didn’t stop there. My hands were half their adult size. Glancing at a glass window, I looked about twelve or thirteen.
“Eyes still work.”
Testing, my snake eyes activated fine. Physical abilities seemed unchanged too. Magic was out—Shin-nim was outside. Expected.
“Hm...?”
Swoooo...
As I checked my body, a chill wind blew from beyond the mountains, brushing my cheek. Eerie, like something lurked behind me.
Anomaly.
Having tangled with anomalies plenty, I pegged it instantly. Perfect spot too: remote village, kids vanishing one by one into the mist...
“Come on, then.”
Not scared. I could smash most anomalies, and this was a mental realm—death here probably meant waking up in reality.
“What.”
“...”
Staring at the approaching fog, suddenly someone grabbed my hand and yanked me away. Panicking but trusting her intent—to flee the fog—I ran with her.
“That way!”
“...!”
How long we ran, I don’t know, but she pointed to a shrine with a statue. Faint, gentle mana emanated from it. Safe from the fog, probably.
“Huff... huff...”
“Hoo...”
Screech! Thud.
Inside, door shut—the fog didn’t follow, as expected. The girl sighed in relief. I was fine, but played along, panting.
“What’s with the fog?”
“Monster fog. Covered the village recently.”
After a breather, we swapped info.
“How dangerous?”
“No one swept up by it has come back.”
“Hm...”
Physical monster would be easy. Shapeless anomaly, though—tricky without magic.
“Safe here?”
“For now. Even if breached, we’ve got backups.”
Good—she’d found a safe zone and planned ahead. No fog worries for a while.
“Rest there.”
“Got tasks?”
“Reinforce the door. Fog has some physical force.”
She headed to the door. Watching, I sized her up mentally.
One hundred percent match.
First time meeting her today, but she eerily resembled the woman I knew—like her kid version. Still, not quite certain.
But her calm beyond her years, and not abandoning me in danger? Yeah, this was definitely her.
No need to overthink.
Just ask.
“What’s your name?”
“My name?”
I asked as she hauled furniture. She paused, then beamed.
“Yeon Yu-hwa! Call me Yu-hwa!”
“Heh.”
Of course. Little Yu-hwa confirmed.
Fun.
First saw her at 25—kid version was novel. Like peeking at a friend’s black history. Kinda uplifting.
“I’m Lee Jin-seok.”
“Jin-seok! Cool name!”
We introduced properly. I stood, helped move furniture.
“I can do it alone.”
“Faster together.”
“True!”
Kid Yu-hwa was sturdy; I had monster strength. Furniture piled up at the door in no time.
“You’re super strong. Monster?”
“...Bit direct, no?”
Kid bluntness—straight-up asking my identity. Not hiding, but still awkward.
“Might be gross.”
“Ooh... so cool! Not gross at all!”
“Thanks...?”
Showed snake eyes and claws. Expected squeamishness, got glee instead.
Typical Yu-hwa.
Unusual kid from the start.
“Let’s head in.”
“What’s inside?”
“Caretaker quarters. Rest there!”
She led me past prayer room and garden to quarters.
“Hm?”
Something off. Light through windows, presence inside. Occupied?
Possible, but caution never hurt.
“Hold up. Someone inside.”
“No biggie.”
Yu-hwa chuckled, shook head, called out.
“Yuri! Sis is here!”
“...?”
What? Yu-hwa’s an only child, right?
Whoever it was emerged. I faced “Yu-hwa’s sister.”
“Don’t call so early. You know I sleep in...”
“...”
Nearly identical to Yu-hwa—same face, really. But opposite vibe: lazy, delinquent aura wafting off her.
Our eyes met, both froze. No words exchanged, but we knew each other’s identities.
Why the hell is she here?
The girl before me—Yu-hwa’s “little sister”—was none other than Gung-gi, the one I’d beaten down just recently.