As Long as We Can Be Happy

"U-um..."

I brought Levi Nas home, her body rigid like she'd committed a grave sin. It was heartbreaking to see her so terrified of getting scolded.

"Levi Nas, you're not saying anything, got it?"

"Y-yeah..."

I took the trudging Levi Nas by the hand and led her into the living room. Han Yeoreum, Jeong Yu-na, and Choi Jin-hyeok were in the middle of a conversation there.

"Just let him go without forgiving him?"

"Yeah. That Park Min-gyu guy is..."

Park Min-gyu? Did she just say Park Min-gyu? I cautiously stepped toward the living room.

"Ah, Gyeowol..."

Han Yeoreum trailed off and clamped her mouth shut. Her eyes widened at the sight of me and Levi Nas, both looking so downcast. It took a few more seconds before she spoke again.

"Gyeowol, what happened?"

"Just... a little worried, that's all."

"Worried about what?"

It wasn't easy to say outright that we'd been scammed by a bad person. Better to lead her into figuring it out herself.

"I've been doing this thing called investing lately?"

"In-investing?"

"Yeah, they said I could make a lot of money..."

Han Yeoreum raised an eyebrow and glanced back at Jeong Yu-na and Choi Jin-hyeok. They seemed to exchange looks, then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠turned to me in unison.

"You know how to invest, Gyeowol?"

I flinched at Han Yeoreum's question—it was exactly what I'd asked Levi Nas. After agonizing over what to say, I decided to answer just like Levi Nas had.

"No, I don't really know much about investing..."

Investing when I don't know anything? That'll seem weird. I fidgeted with my fingers for no reason.

"Where'd you invest?"

"I got a message saying it'd multiply my money a ton."

I pulled the smartphone Levi Nas had given me from my pocket and showed everyone the screen with the "We'll Multiply Your Money" message.

"...Huh?"

Han Yeoreum, Jeong Yu-na, and Choi Jin-hyeok all froze in their seats, staring at the phone. I could guess what they were thinking, but I acted like I had no clue—for Levi Nas's sake, I had to lie to everyone. It didn't sit right with me.

"Gyeowol, that..."

"Uwaa."

Han Yeoreum's mouth fell open, Jeong Yu-na clutched her head in shock, and Choi Jin-hyeok rubbed his dry face with his eyes squeezed shut. I felt a bit embarrassed, but at least it would reassure Levi Nas. For now, that was enough.

"Gyeowol, how much did you invest?"

"A-about a million won."

"A million won..."

Good. It's not that much money. Of course, she knew even that was a huge sum for Gyeowol. She didn't even want to imagine the heartbroken look on Gyeowol's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠face once she realized she'd been ripped off for a million won.

Tsk.

Anger surged toward the scammer, but she kept her emotions in check. Showing anger would just scare the kids. Right now, acting like it was no big deal was priority one.

"Gyeowol, looks like you got scammed."

"S-scammed?"

"Yeah. They probably won't give the money back."

"Oh no."

Surprisingly, Gyeowol stayed calm even after hearing she'd been scammed. If anything, Levi Nas was the one trembling beside her.

Hm? Hadn't her attitude changed a bit? Han Yeoreum found it odd but decided to comfort Gyeowol first. She might just be in shock, appearing numb from the loss.

"This isn't your fault at all, so don't worry too much, okay?"

"...Y-you're not gonna scold me?"

"Why would I scold you? The scammer's the one at fault."

She was a kid who worked hard every day just to earn money. No decent adult would scold her for getting scammed.

"I see... I thought I'd at least get a knuckle on the head."

"Hey, no matter what, I would never hit you! Got it?!"

"Y-yes...!"

She was assuming beatings were the baseline for mistakes? Knowing what kind of life Gyeowol had lived from the videos, Yeoreum just felt bitter.

"You're young and don't have much life experience yet—that's all. It's not your fault, so never say you deserve to be hit. Okay?"

"Yeah..."

Young and lacking experience. Gyeowol bowed her head at those words. She wasn't young, and she had plenty of experience, but right now she was playing the role of the one who'd messed up. She just accepted it.

"Even if you do mess up, hitting isn't right—so don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠misunderstand."

"You don't hit even if I mess up?"

That was weird. Wasn't getting hit for mistakes just how it worked? Gyeowol and Levi Nas both tilted their heads.

"...If Yeoreum hits you kids, tell me. I won't let her get away with it."

Choi Jin-hyeok raised his fist toward everyone. Han Yeoreum waved her hands in flustered denial.

"No, I would never hit the kids..."

She glanced nervously at Gyeowol and Levi Nas while playfully smacking Choi Jin-hyeok's shoulder. That's when Jeong Yu-na spoke up.

"I'll track down the culprit for you."

Jeong Yu-na placed a hand on Gyeowol's head. Gyeowol's drooping ears perked up at the gentle touch.

"I'm an expert at this stuff."

"R-really?"

"Yeah. I just trace the mana generated when they send the message."

"Ah, I see..."

So this world runs the internet on mana. Gyeowol learned another new ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠common sense fact.

"I'll definitely find the culprit, so don't worry—just relax, okay?"

"Y-yeah..."

She hadn't really expected to get the money back, but could they actually catch the guy? Gyeowol felt a spark of hope but stayed passive, like a guilty kid. It was all for Levi Nas.

"Levi Nas."

"Ung..."

Levi Nas sat on a bench by the pond, head hung low. Empty bottles lay scattered around her, uncollected.

"You gotta pick up the bottles. If Levi Nas doesn't, the park gets dirty."

"Yeah..."

Levi Nas nodded, but didn't pick any up. How deep was her sense of loss that she was even ignoring valuable empty bottles? Worried, I sat beside her.

"It's all in the past now. Why are you like this?"

"Levi Nas feels pathetic..."

"What about?"

"Can't help at all and just messes up..."

Levi Nas says she can't help? Ridiculous. I firmly patted her thigh.

"Levi Nas helps me a ton."

"Levi Nas helps...?"

"Yeah. The house feels more lively thanks to Levi Nas."

"...?"

Levi Nas looked baffled. For her sake, I stuck to the truth.

"Lady Sophia is always so serious, and I'm not that outgoing either."

"Yeah. Both kinda quiet."

"Right. The house felt pretty gloomy. But since Levi Nas came, it's full of life, and I love it."

"R-really?"

Exactly. Levi Nas's unique energy made every day more fun. It was a whole different level of happiness from my lonely days alone.

"And this."

I pulled a wad of bills from my pocket. Exactly one hundred 10,000-won notes—the full amount Levi Nas had been scammed out of.

"Wh-what's this?"

"They caught the culprit today and got the money back. This is yours, Levi Nas."

"H-heck!"

Levi Nas held the bills up to the sunlight, inspecting them. It reminded me of my past self somehow.

"Money's back, no scolding, and thanks to Levi Nas, the real bad guy's caught?"

"Thanks to Levi Nas?!"

"Yeah. Now no one else will get hurt because of it."

Did my words cheer her up? Levi Nas straightened her slumped shoulders, back to her usual spirited self.

"Levi Nas helped?!"

"Huge help."

"Wooow!"

Levi Nas jumped up from the bench. My tail swished on its own at her happy expression.

"But this is all a secret, okay?"

"Why secret?"

"It's on record as my mistake. You can't ask or tell anyone, got it?"

"Y-yeah...!"

She nodded so vigorously it was like an afterimage.

"Then shall we pick up the empty bottles? The park's gotten pretty messy."

"Yeah! Levi Nas will pick up bottles!"

Levi Nas dashed off, gathering bottles one by one. I watched her back with a bittersweet smile. Truth was, they hadn't caught the culprit yet, and the million won I'd given her was my own money. I'd have to live off dandelions for the next month or so. It'd be poor days ahead, but I felt good. Seeing Levi Nas happy made it worth it.

This is enough.

I hope we can all live like this forever.

Feeling my tail sway, I chased after Levi Nas. Today, we'd collect every last bottle in the park.