Levi's Rival and the Terrifying Yawn
Yawn, grrr. Levi Nas kept making threatening gestures toward Kwon A-rin—stomping her feet or chomping viciously on her snack carrot. Sophia, watching Levi Nas's antics, patted my shoulder.
"Gyeowol, why is the little one so angry this time?"
"She thinks she's being bullied, I guess."
"...I see."
Sophia glanced at Kwon A-rin with a look of understanding, while Levi Nas glared at her with wary eyes. It was subtle, but there was a hint of wild ferocity in her gaze.
"Hey, have you ever eaten choco?"
"Uh, yeah. I have."
"R-Really?! How many have you eaten?!"
Was she trying to compete based on the number of chocolates she'd eaten in her life? It was a poor choice on Levi Nas's part, and I felt sorry for her. Any normal person must have eaten way more chocolate than us.
"Hmm...? Probably too many to count..."
"Th-That many?"
"Yeah..."
Kwon A-rin nodded, and Levi Nas looked shocked. She froze for a moment, swallowed hard, then spoke up.
"Th-Then, have you been to a department store?"
"Yeah, I have."
"...How many times?"
"Hmm...? Too many to count, probably..."
She'd been to department stores so often she couldn't even tally them up. Stunned by that fact, Levi Nas rushed over and whispered in my ear.
"King, big trouble...! Levi Nas can't win at anything...!"
"Yeah. She must be super rich."
Chocolate was one thing, but going to department stores that many times? It was unimaginable for me right now.
"Hing... Levi Nas wanted to beat at least the Supreme Ultimate Kwon A-rin..."
Levi Nas slumped her shoulders in despair. Seeing her so dejected tugged at my heart.
"Levi Nas is still young, that's why. Kids usually can't beat adults with experience."
"Really...? But King can beat adults, right...?"
"W-Well...?"
I was an adult, after all. I could probably win in some areas. But I didn't particularly want to fight anyone to prove it.
"King, can't you beat Supreme Ultimate Kwon A-rin for Levi Nas?"
Levi Nas looked up at me with pleading eyes. I couldn't help but meet her gaze.
"I don't like fighting..."
"...True, if King fights, Supreme Ultimate Kwon A-rin might actually die."
At the word die, Kwon A-rin flinched. Her eyes were fixed on the bow slung across my back.
"Um, this is all my fault, so..."
As Kwon A-rin slowly approached us, Levi Nas took a step back. I got pulled back along with her since she was holding my hand.
"Supreme Ultimate Kwon A-rin, Levi Nas will really hate you now."
"I-It's just Kwon A-rin..."
Hiiing. Kwon A-rin let out a whimpering sob. Maybe Levi Nas had already won, in a way.
I wish they'd stop fighting now.
I liked the kind and gentle Levi Nas. I didn't want to see her all riled up like this.
To calm her feral side, I'd have to show her beating Kwon A-rin. Not by actually fighting, of course—just comparing experiences like Levi Nas had been doing. It was childish, I knew, but that's how Levi Nas wanted to win.
With my mind made up, I cautiously approached Kwon A-rin. She looked terrified every time I got closer.
"Um..."
"Y-Yeah...?"
"I've read more than ten comic books this time..."
I held up ten fingers toward Kwon A-rin. Those slightly more than ten volumes were all the comics I'd read in this new life. I brought up comics specifically to brag about having so much free time. It was embarrassing, but it was all for Levi Nas. I couldn't actually fight someone in front of her.
This kind of 'lighthearted spat' would be good education for Levi Nas.
"Whoa, I love comics too."
"You do?"
"Yeah. Webtoons, mostly, but I probably read a few hundred a month."
"H-Hundreds...!"
Hundreds a month? I had no idea, but even counting in physical comic books, she must have read way more than me. What kind of person was she? She had enough money to visit department stores constantly and enough free time to binge hundreds of webtoons?
She was someone I could never beat.
"Don't you have a job or something...?"
"Oh, no, I don't...?"
"Whoa... How do you read so many comics without working?"
Inherited wealth? Real estate income? I leaned in to hear about her rich life experiences, but Kwon A-rin just avoided my eyes.
"W-Well..."
"You read that many comics and play games too?"
"Uh... S-Sob..."
Had I said something weird? Tears welled up in Kwon A-rin's eyes. As I panicked at her sudden crying, Sophia tugged at my clothes.
"Gyeowol, let's stop now."
"W-Why...?"
"A child's innocence can sometimes hurt adults."
A child's innocence? Had Levi Nas done something? I looked at Sophia expectantly, but her gaze was on Kwon A-rin.
"Don't take it the wrong way. It's not teasing—it's genuine curiosity."
"Yeah, I know that, but..."
Kwon A-rin wiped away her falling tears. Not knowing why she was crying, Levi Nas and I just stared blankly at her.
**
Sophia went off to console Kwon A-rin, and Levi Nas and I returned to the pit. Even then, Levi Nas was still venting her anger.
"Someday Levi Nas will beat Supreme Ultimate Kwon A-rin!"
"Yeah. But no hitting, okay?"
"Yeah! Levi Nas won't use violence anymore!"
That was a relief. The adults must have taught her well. In my happiness, I stroked Levi Nas's head—right as someone approached the pit. I could tell it was Han Yeoreum just from the footsteps.
"Knock knock, anyone home?"
Unable to actually knock, Han Yeoreum mimicked the sound with her mouth. Her tail swished at the sound of her voice.
"Yes, it's me and Levi Nas."
"Aha, can your big sis come in?"
"It's too cramped here; you probably can't fit."
"Got it. Then I'll just walk on the ceiling."
Crack—She brushed aside the branches and leaves on the ceiling and appeared. Her face looked a bit tired, somehow.
"What brings you here?"
"I need to talk to you about your income issue."
"Income?"
"Yeah. I asked A-rin to call you over, but she was crying over there for some reason."
"Ah, um..."
I didn't know the details, but we'd made her cry. I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly.
"Gyeowol, so can you chat with your big sis inside the building for a bit?"
"Sure. Let's talk."
I reached up toward Han Yeoreum from the bottom of the pit. It was too deep to climb out alone, so I was asking for a lift.
"Hehe, you dug this tunnel awfully deep, didn't you?"
Han Yeoreum pulled my hand, asking as she did. She yanked so hard I ended up in her arms.
"I-I just don't like dirt above my head... It gives me the chills for some reason."
"Ah, yeah. Sorry, big sis said something dumb."
Pat pat. Han Yeoreum patted my back. It was an incredibly warm touch. Was hugging people always this happy? Not knowing how to react, I just wagged my tail furiously. Han Yeoreum set me down and reached for Levi Nas.
I felt a twinge of regret.
"Yeoreum, Levi Nas is gonna dig a super deep and wide tunnel, so let's live together later, okay?"
"Uh, sure. Why not?"
"Yeah!"
And so we walked side by side toward the guild building. On the way, Han Yeoreum looked so tired that I glanced up at her.
"Um, are you okay?"
"Huh? What?"
"You look really exhausted."
"Oh, it's nothing. Big sis started doing office work recently."
Office work? Wasn't Han Yeoreum the physical type? I tilted my head in confusion.
"Since I'm used to using my body, my brain isn't the greatest. So I'm training it little by little by learning desk jobs."
"Aha."
Makes sense. Desk work uses your head, so it probably activates the brain some.
"And, yaaawn..."
Han Yeoreum, looking sleepy, let out a big yawn mid-sentence. I jumped in shock, my ears and tail perking straight up.
"Gasp!"
Fear surged through me. I was so startled I nearly bolted without looking back. It was just a yawn—why was my heart pounding like this? Clutching my chest, I looked back down the path. Han Yeoreum was slowly approaching me.
"Gy-Gyeowol...?"
"Sorry! Your yawn was so scary..."
"My yawn?"
"Yes. Seeing you yawn made me think you might attack all of a sudden..."
My terrified ears and tail drooped. I was so scared to look at Han Yeoreum that I stared at the ground.
"Ah... Is that it?"
"You know what it is?"
"Y-Yeah. Probably because yawns sound like roars..."
Roars? What was that? I just stared up at Han Yeoreum blankly in confusion.