Feline Fears and Future Dreams
Why would the happy future me feel fear at something like a yawn? I looked up at Han Yeoreum, but she just hesitated, clearly with no intention of telling me. It looked like I'd have to ask her directly.
"What's a haak?"
"Well... it's..."
"It is?"
"Um... Doesn't Gyeowol do a haak when cats feel threatened?"
Han Yeoreum bared her teeth like some fierce feline predator. It felt like she was about to lunge at me and rip out my throat.
"Hey, with Levi Nas here, you shouldn't show anything too scary..."
"Ugh, yeah. Sorry. Big sis got a little mean there."
As I accepted her apology, I glanced at Levi Nas. I was worried she'd be terrified, but she just stared at us blankly. She didn't look scared at all.
"Levi Nas, weren't you scared just now?"
"Scared of what?"
"That haak thing just now."
Han Yeoreum was infamous even in Yeomyeong Guild for her strength, and her threat had felt like a tiger's, not just some housecat. I had been terrified—how could Levi Nas act like it was nothing? I knew she was skittish, so the situation didn't make sense.
"Why would a haak be scary? Levi Nas isn't scared of haaks."
"...Really?"
"Yeah."
Did she not know that was how feline predators threatened someone? Puzzled, I just tilted my head, and Han Yeoreum poked my shoulder.
"Hey, Gyeowol."
"Yes?"
"Looks like since you're a feline beastkin, you're extra sensitive to feline threats."
"...Oh."
It was pure beast instinct. Startled, I reached up to my head. My ears, which had perked up straight, flattened under my hand.
"Probably because you haven't been like this for long."
"Ah..."
She was right—I'd only become a beastkin recently. It was natural for issues like this to crop up. It had taken ages to adjust when I'd first become a girl, after all. Since this wasn't my first body change, I quickly regained my composure.
"Don't worry too much. I hear beastkin can control their instincts freely once they grow up."
"Okay. That's a relief."
As a beastkin, I was like a child. I decided to accept my shortcomings and focus on growing.
"I'll hold back on yawning around Gyeowol."
"No, it's fine as long as you don't yawn while looking at me."
"Ah... Is that how it works?"
"Yes. Yawning alone was okay."
Come to think of it, Sophia had always covered her mouth and turned away when she yawned. I'd thought it was just about maintaining dignity, but maybe she was being considerate of me.
She's been looking out for me in all sorts of ways.
I needed to treat Sophia even better. With that thought, we entered the building.
Back home, I spotted Sophia sitting in the massage chair. Had Kwon A-rin managed to calm her down somehow? As I recalled Kwon A-rin tearfully apologizing, Levi Nas suddenly hid behind me.
"Kitty! The shark's sitting in the ghost chair again!"
"Ghost chair?"
"Yeah! Last time Levi Nas sat in it, the chair went bap bap bap and attacked Levi Nas!"
Levi Nas glared at Sophia with eyes full of enmity. Or rather, at the massage chair she was sitting in.
"Levi Nas, that's just what massage chairs do—they go bap bap."
"R-Really? Why does the chair go bap bap?"
"It pounds your back or legs to give you a massage. Feels super refreshing."
"Massage...?"
Maybe because she was still young, Levi Nas didn't know the joys of a massage. Wanting to introduce her to something new, I took her hand and approached Sophia.
"Sophia, can I try sitting there too?"
"By all means, have a seat."
Sophia stood up, and I took her place. Her lingering warmth felt nice.
"You just sit like this, and it taps your back or legs?"
Tap tap tap—
The chair started pounding my back. But for some reason, the taps were twice as strong as what I remembered.
"...!"
The massage hurt way more than I'd imagined. I jumped out of the chair without thinking. My ears and tail had shot up in surprise.
"Why is this so intense?"
"It's not the chair being strong—it's your skin that's delicate. You're still a child, after all."
"Aha..."
She was right. Without mana, my body was just like any ordinary kid's. The mana didn't activate against the chair, either. I'd been an idiot, sitting down without considering my sensitive skin. Embarrassed, I scratched the back of my neck.
"Kitty, is it still too hard for us?"
"Y-Yeah, seems like it."
I'd use the massage chair after my body grew tougher. As I resolved myself inwardly, Han Yeoreum approached with some drinks.
"Gyeowol, wanna sit here for a sec?"
"Sure."
I followed her to the sofa. She was holding a thick stack of unknown documents.
"You know that tea you sell? We settled the accounts—wanna take a look?"
"Yes, please."
I nodded, and she handed me a single sheet. It was covered in financial details.
"No need to look at the rest—just check this part. That's your cut of the profits."
How much had we made in total? Starting from the bottom, I counted up the numbers—and my eyes went wide.
Fifty million won.
An amount I'd never touched in this life was boldly printed there.
"How did it sell this much...?"
"It's the buff effect. Buffs are always like that."
"Ah..."
With profits like this, I could pay off the debt in no time, right? My tail swished happily.
"Let's lock in the profits here for now. We could sell more, but that'd just mean more hard work for you."
"I'm fine with working hard..."
"Just hold out a bit. Once you grow as an adventurer, you'll make way more than this—tens of millions at least, easy."
"Ah..."
She meant don't get blinded by immediate gains—focus on training and hunting for a better future. Knowing she was right, I decided not to argue.
"And the profits..."
"Put them all toward paying off the debt, please."
"A-All of it...? Big sis really doesn't mind if you don't pay it back..."
"No. When someone owes a debt, they have to repay it."
Feeling my resolve, Han Yeoreum sighed, making it clear she didn't like it.
"...Fine, got it."
"Yes. And use this for the debt too."
I pulled a wad of bills from my pocket. It was most of the money I'd earned from hunting, empty bottles, and selling mushrooms and veggies at the street stall.
"...Gyeowol, what if big sis said she wouldn't take it—what would you do?"
"Nothing I could do... Maybe just go quiet."
"Ah, yeah. Big sis will take the money."
Han Yeoreum, startled by something, accepted the cash. Relief washed over me at the thought of chipping away at the debt bit by bit. Well, I still hadn't paid even one percent, but still.
"I'll keep paying it off like this from now on."
"Y-Yeah... But Gyeowol, you don't need to pick up empty bottles anymore, right? You're making plenty from hunting and dandelion tea."
"Yes. I don't need to, but Levi Nas still does. I'm just helping out."
"Ah... What a great big sis."
Han Yeoreum, sitting beside me, wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I felt so good that my tail kept swishing for a good while.
"I'll head out now."
"Yeah. Big sis has some work to do. If anything happens, ask the people around for help, okay?"
"Yes."
As Gyeowol and Levi Nas left, Han Yeoreum stayed home to tally the money. She had no intention of putting the precious cash Gyeowol had given her toward repaying the debt into the guild vault. That was the conclusion after discussing with the guild members.
This money should all go toward making Gyeowol happy.
Yeoreum knew Gyeowol's will to live wasn't that strong. A life that could snap at any moment. To change that, she needed to make Gyeowol feel joy and happiness in living.
Best to focus on growth for now, right?
Nothing was more satisfying than watching yourself improve bit by bit. That was one reason Yeoreum didn't stop Gyeowol from doing her feral training in her grubby state.
Gyeowol lives a long, long time, becomes an amazing adventurer, gets married...
Eh... married...? Our Gyeowol getting married?
Absolutely not.
Bam—!
Han Yeoreum slammed the table without thinking. Sophia, dozing in the massage chair, jolted awake.
"Wh-Why the sudden loud noise?"
"Ah, sorry. I was thinking of Gyeowol living happily, and it made me mad all of a sudden..."
"Why would happy Gyeowol make you mad...?"
"W-Well, I imagined it, and it went all the way to Gyeowol's wedding..."
Ah. No wonder she was mad. Yeoreum doted on Gyeowol to an almost obsessive degree. Sophia nodded in understanding just as light footsteps pattered from the hallway, and the front door opened.
"D-Did you call me?"
It was Gyeowol's voice. Startled, Han Yeoreum poked her head toward the entrance.
"Gyeowol, didn't you take the elevator down?"
"No, just Levi Nas did. I'm going down the stairs."
"R-Really?"
"Yes. I was trying to keep my distance from civilization as much as possible. Then there was a bam, and I heard my name, so I came back."
How sharp were her ears to hear her name through a closed door? Maybe the bang had focused her hearing. She'd been training to ignore sounds because her ears were too good.
"It's nothing—just talking about the future."
"The future?"
"Yeah. A very happy one. And you were in it?"
"I-I see..."
Embarrassment colored Gyeowol's voice. Both Han Yeoreum and Sophia caught it.
"Then I'll head out again."
"Yeah. Try not to take the elevator if you can?"
"Okay..."
Gyeowol closed the door and, at Han Yeoreum's request, pressed the elevator button. No one saw her tail wagging faster than ever before.