Coffee is Bitter
Coffee is bitter. I was the only one kicked out of the blood donation van among the three kids. "W-wait a second..." I clung to the van door with three fingers, trying to ask why I had to leave. Saebyeok hesitated for a moment before prying my fingers off one by one. "Winter, you can't do this."
"Why only me..." Saebyeok's strength was overwhelming. I couldn't resist at all, so I just swung my legs back and forth in protest. "Sorry." "...Yeah."
Saebyeok carried me over to a nearby bench and sat down. Even after settling on the bench, she kept me in her arms. 'What the heck is going on.' Why had Han Yeoreum sent only me outside? Amid the confusion, I retraced my memories. 'She told me to look away.' Because it would be too scary for me. But if it was really about something frightening, Levinas should've been the first one sent out—she was the most timid among us. Maybe the "scary" excuse was just a cover to get me out. There had to be another reason.
I crossed my arms and furrowed my brows. "Winter, are you mad?" "No... it's just that something feels off." "Don't think too deeply about it. She did it because she cares about you." "For me?" "Yeah." Saebyeok rubbed her cheek against mine. Even while I was upset, her tail wagged gently.
"Ah." Only then did I realize why Han Yeoreum had kicked me out. 'It was because of the tail.' My tail automatically wagged whenever I saw my family's faces—faster and stronger than Saebyeok's. Inside the blood donation van, where cleanliness mattered, a wagging tail was bound to cause problems. She must've worried the fur would scatter everywhere and contaminate the space. Beastkin fur didn't shed easily, but the nurses wouldn't know that. Han Yeoreum had sent me out with an excuse before I could get scolded. Telling me to look away was probably her way of hoping my tail would stop if I didn't see their faces. Everything fit together like a puzzle. It really had been for my sake.
"It's all my fault..." "Ah, no... how is that your fault..." Saebyeok looked visibly flustered. It was clearly my fault for failing to control my tail, so why was she reacting like that? While I tilted my head in confusion, Saebyeok pulled me into a tight hug. My tail immediately started wagging like crazy again. "Ugh..." This kid would never learn to control it. I grabbed my tail tightly enough that my arms trembled, trying to stop the motion. "W-Winter..." Saebyeok's face turned even paler at the sight.
Just as I was about to speak to her, Han Yeoreum and Levinas walked out of the blood donation van. Han Yeoreum ran straight to me without even putting a bandage on her arm. "Winter, are you okay?" "Yeah... I'm sorry. I acted so stupid..." I apologized to Han Yeoreum, who had to make up excuses because of me. But for some reason, she just frantically waved her hands. "W-Winter isn't stupid at all. It was Unni's fault." "No, it's all my fault." There was no room for excuses.
Haah. As I let out a long sigh, Han Yeoreum pulled me into a tight hug. "No, Winter is the best. Our Winter is the smartest and prettiest in the world." "Th-that's..." There was no need for that. Han Yeoreum was too kind for her own good. Even now, she was trying to comfort me first. Embarrassed, I fidgeted with my fingers. "Winter, this was entirely Unni's fault. You can't blame it on Winter, got it?" "U-um..." Why would this be Han Yeoreum's fault? It was one hundred percent my fault for not controlling my tail. I hesitated and avoided answering, but she only smiled gently. "No matter what happens, Unni will always be by Winter's side."
With those words, Han Yeoreum held me in her arms. The hand patting my back felt warm and comforting. "Levinas too! Levinas wants to stay with the King forever!" Levinas came running over. Saebyeok glanced over and joined in as well. "Hehe, shall we go have some cocoa?" "Cocoa?! What's cocoa?!" "It's super sweet and delicious." "Whoa! Cocoa! Let's have cocoa!"
Han Yeoreum led everyone toward the cafe. Even as we walked, I silently fidgeted with my fingers out of guilt. Han Yeoreum simply held me close, stroking my head and patting my back. She really was a kind person. I looked up at her and smiled awkwardly. She smiled back with her eyes. For some reason, there seemed to be a hint of sadness in her gaze. Of course, it must have been my imagination. There was no reason for it.
** The next morning. I yawned as I harvested cherry tomatoes. Listening to the soft pop of tomatoes being picked, I heard pattering footsteps approaching. "Levinas?" "Yeah!" Levinas was holding a mug with both hands, gripping it tightly as if it were precious. I sniffed the rising steam. I could tell it was coffee just from the aroma. Coffee for Levinas, who was still a child. She'd never sleep at night if she drank it. I looked at her with worried eyes. "Are you going to drink that?" "Yeah! We're sharing it!" "Uh... you'll be in big trouble if you drink that." "Big trouble?! We drank it together yesterday too?!"
What we drank yesterday must have been the cocoa. Levinas had clearly brought the wrong drink. "What we drank yesterday was cocoa. What you're holding is coffee." "Coffee?! Isn't this cocoa?!" "Yeah. Kids aren't supposed to drink it." "B-big trouble..." Levinas's body trembled. She stretched her arms holding the mug forward while leaning her body backward, looking like someone holding poison. "Give it here." "Ung..." I took the mug from her. Whew. Levinas wiped her forehead. "King, is this only for adults?" "Hmm... it's not only for adults, but it's still too much for Levinas." "Why is it too much? Will something scary happen if I drink it?" "Yeah. Something really scary will happen." So coffee was still off-limits. I earnestly warned her. "Something scary...! What scary thing will happen...?!" "You won't be able to sleep." "Huk... Does that mean we can't sleep while hugging tightly?!" "Right?"
Levinas loved sleeping while hugging someone. It must have been quite shocking for her. "L-Levinas brought poison..." Her ears drooped. I might have scared her too much. I scratched my cheek and looked down at the mug. The dark coffee looked incredibly bitter. Come to think of it, I hadn't drunk coffee even once since coming to this world. I took a light sip. My ears and tail twitched at the shockingly bitter taste. "U-uwah..." It was so bitter, probably because my sense of taste was sensitive. The coffee I couldn't swallow trickled down my chin. "Wa, King...?" It was the first time Levinas had made that expression. Her eyes were wide, but I couldn't sense any emotion from them. It was different from her usual sparkling rabbit eyes. "Why?" "Aren't you not supposed to drink that...?" "Only kids aren't supposed to drink it." I emphasized the word "kid," meaning that since I was an adult, it was fine. "A-a kid... The King is a kid..." Was she surprised that I drank something kids couldn't? Levinas muttered strange things. I took another sip while watching her. "Uek." As expected, it was too bitter, so I probably couldn't finish it. I'd save it and give it to someone else.
** Levinas perceived Winter as a child. A real child, much younger than herself. That was why she couldn't help but be shocked when Winter drank coffee. The King had drunk something she wasn't supposed to! A drink that would keep her from sleeping at night! How much would it keep her from sleeping?! Levinas knew the value of sleep. Not sleeping would make you unhealthy, and if it lasted long enough, you could even die. "Uwaa!" She needed to ask an adult for help. Having made her decision, Levinas ran toward the guild building. "Levinas...?" Levinas was in such a hurry that she ignored Winter calling her name from behind. "Y-Yeoreum! Yeoreum, something terrible happened!"
Levinas, who had returned home, tugged on Han Yeoreum's clothes. Even though Han Yeoreum's pajama pants slid down and exposed her thighs, no one paid it any mind. "Wh-what's wrong?" "The King! The King!" Levinas stomped her feet. She was so startled that she couldn't speak properly. "Did something happen to Winter?" "Th-that's, the King!" What on earth had happened to make her this urgent? Han Yeoreum decided to calm Levinas down first. "Levinas, can you calm down and take a deep breath?" "Huuup!" "Now, breathe out." "Haa." "Now repeat that two more times."
Levinas regained her composure after repeating the deep breaths. Seeing this, Han Yeoreum crouched down in front of her. "Can you tell me what happened now?" "The King drank poison...!" "Poison...?" Poison? What did I just hear? Han Yeoreum blinked, her judgment delayed. "P-poison, who forced Winter to drink it?" "No! The King drank it herself!" "What...?" Why would that smart kid drink poison on her own? Han Yeoreum's mouth fell open. "It's poison that only works on kids!" "Kids...?" Could it be? Maybe it was just Levinas's misunderstanding because she didn't know much about the world. Han Yeoreum decided to go see Winter first.