Isara's House
I grumbled as I left the study and headed to the living room. There, sprawled on the sofa and watching a Korean drama with bated breath, was Monica.
"Monica, I wanna go to Isara's house, you know."
"Huh? Suddenly? Why Isara's place?"
"……."
I pouted and said, "She's mad at me. For not telling her about the magic tower...."
"What? What do you mean?"
"Well, you see...."
After hearing the full explanation, Monica burst out laughing. "Puhaha! You two are so cute! So you're going to apologize?"
"...Yeah."
"Ahahaha!"
Monica clutched her stomach, laughing hard. "Stop laughing already.... More importantly, are you coming with me or not?"
"Huh? Can't you just take a taxi? My drama's not over yet~"
Monica pointed at the TV. Just then, the heroine—or so she seemed—slapped the man with a magic slap powered by ether.
Slap—
[I trusted you! Why didn't you tell me? About building a new magic tower!]
[Ria, do I have to report every little thing like that?]
[Report? You don't even know what you did wrong? Fine.... We're done.]
"Gasp!" Monica turned back to the TV and said, "That jerk male lead secretly built his own tower to hog the power and steal the artifact she gave him, then ditched her. Isn't it ridiculous...."
My mouth hung open as I raised my trembling hands. "D-Did I do something really bad...?"
Monica looked at me and giggled. "Ahaha."
"D-Don't laugh! Does that mean Isara's gonna slap me too?!"
'Is there some unspoken rule among mages that you have to tell your close friends when you build a tower?'
While I racked my brain in tension, Monica shook her head. "Nah, nah. That guy hid it on the sly to swipe power and her artifact."
"Oh...."
Monica rubbed her aching stomach and flopped back onto the sofa. "Ahaha. Our little one's so innocent."
She glanced at the TV and continued, "Master's busy with her drama, so take a taxi, okay?"
Embarrassed by Monica's words, I mumbled, "I don't even know where she lives...."
"Just ask if you have her number."
I smacked my lips. "I don't have her number either...."
Only then did I realize how little interest I'd shown in Isara. Monica snickered and eyed me. "Aigoo, with you like this, how's Master ever gonna let you out into society?"
She chuckled, got up, and turned off the TV. "It's fine, you can go after the drama ends...."
Monica grabbed her phone and stretched. "Nah. Our little one's been cute today, so I'll take you."
She narrowed her eyes and ruffled my hair wildly. "Hehe, plus I'm curious what you two are like together...?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"What do you think about dating girls, little one?"
"Wha...?!"
"Never mind, what am I saying to an 8-year-old."
*
Isara's house was a massive standalone mansion.
'She's loaded.'
A neatly manicured garden outside the huge house—it was practically chaebol level, leaving me stunned. Come to think of it, she'd been on TV and in ads since she was little, so of course she had money.
I met Isara after a while, and following her lead, entered the parlor.
"So you really came to apologize~?"
"Indeed. But wouldn't it be better to sit a little apart...?"
She plopped right next to me, slyly taking my hand. "Aw, what's wrong~? We're close, aren't we~?"
"We're close...."
She smirked and leaned in close. Her sparkling round forehead and big eyes filled my view. I chuckled at her round pupils. "Your hair's back to navy, huh?"
"Ah, yeah. White was too eye-catching."
She showed me the white roots growing out. "Time to dye it again soon."
As she chattered on about dyeing her hair and the salon she went to, I realized she put a surprising amount of effort into her looks.
'I thought she only cared about magic.'
Right now, she seemed less like a solitary mage and more like an 11-year-old girl full of curiosity.
"So anyway~"
I was listening to her soft, drawling tone when—
Beep beep beep—
A dry ringtone echoed.
"Huh? What's that?"
"Ah, it's my phone."
I proudly held up my new flip phone. "……."
Isara pointed at it in bewilderment. "That's a grandpa phone."
I tilted my head and snap opened the flip phone. The screen showed big letters: Hong Jiyeon.
"Look, the font's nice and big—love it."
"Uh.... Yeah, sure. Unique taste."
The moment I answered, Hong Jiyeon's shrill voice rang out.
"You! Hajieun's stream was on today!)
"Ah, yeah."
As I tilted my head at her obvious statement, she yelled,
"And you left me out!)
"Uh...."
"I'm one of the Four Heavenly Kings too! And you go on stream with that weirdo Seong Jiho, leaving me out!)
"……."
I glanced at Isara, who giggled. "Aww~ Really? But Jiyeon-unnie lives far away, and she's kinda low-key for Four Heavenly Kings material~"
Her words made my eyes widen—did I hear that right? "Huh?"
"You! What'd you just say! Brat! That's Isara! I knew it! Finally showing your true colors!)
"True colors~? I just stated facts~"
"Hiss!)
"……."
I blankly watched the chaos unfold when the wrath suddenly turned on me.
"Yu Eunha, you with Isara right now?)
"Ah. Yeah...."
"That's it! You two are dead meat!)
"M-Me too?"
"You hung out without me!)
"Sure~ Whatever~ Eunha's sleeping over tonight. In my bed with me."
"What?"
As I stared in shock, a crash came from the phone.
"Isaraaaa! You fox brat!)
Something shattered, then a panting Hong Jiyeon screamed,
"See you in the Ranking War! You're all dead!)
Click.
The call ended. I stared blankly at the flip phone, which flopped backward limply. "……."
As I puzzled over the situation, Isara closed the phone and handed it back. "No need to worry. Just think of me, Eunha."
"……?"
She leaned in like she wanted to devour me. I stared, and she burst into laughter. "Ahahaha! Kidding, kidding. Phew~ I just had to tease Hong Jiyeon once."
"Th-That was it?"
"Yeah."
Isara nodded and continued. "She kept bragging about meeting you first, being your closest friend—talk about chatty."
'So that's what she says behind my back....'
As I pictured the adorable Hong Jiyeon, Isara suddenly grabbed my hand. Her childlike warm palm felt comforting. "Anyway, thanks for coming. I saved tons of snacks just for you—take 'em all."
"Huh?"
"C'mon, follow me!"
Led by Isara's hand to the storage room. It was a mountain of snacks.
Seeing them, emotion welled up.
'A mere 11-year-old scrimped and saved all this for someone else....'
It felt too precious; guilt tugged at me for accepting. Staring at the snack mountain, I stroked Isara's head endlessly.
'Yes, grow up to be a kind mage like your big brother....'
*
After seeing Yu Eunha off, Isara tilted her head and sat on the sofa. Hugging her favorite rabbit doll tight, she said to her dad, "Dad, she's younger than me, but why does she have this grandpa vibe?"
"Huh? Grandpa?"
"...Never mind. Just curious."
Isara stroked the rabbit's head, tilting nonstop. A kid three years younger had patted her head, but it didn't feel bad.
'First time someone's treated me like a kid....'
Isara blankly recalled Yu Eunha's face. She prided herself on reading people now, honed by years of broadcasting.
Yet today, from someone three years younger, she felt like the adult.
'Is she an old soul inside?'
With that thought, Isara hugged the rabbit tighter. "Dad. This year's Ranking War's gonna be fun."
"Yeah...? Don't overdo it...."
"Yeah. I'm heading to bed first."
"Ah, okay. Sleep well. See you tomorrow?"
Isara stood, a bitter smile on her face. Her dad eyed her cautiously—the family head who made him uneasy. She could read his feelings clear as day, but why was Yu Eunha's so elusive....
"Well, I'll figure it out soon...."
Isara glanced at the calendar on the wall, clenching her fist.
The day she'd stake everything was approaching.
"Haa...."
Her eyes gradually filled with worry and resignation.