Levi Nas's Cinderella Dream
Playing house with Levi Nas, we were digging in the dirt when we took a break and sat on a nearby bench. My clothes were torn here and there, caked in dust, but for someone like me who craved the raw touch of nature, it felt perfect. I wonder if I'll ever be able to mimic En Sia's wild side someday?
Sipping dandelion tea on the bench, I watched Levi Nas strike a triumphant pose in front of me, hands on her hips and chest puffed out.
"King! Wanna see something amazing Levi Nas found?!"
"Something amazing?"
"Yeah! Levi Nas discovered you can eat two chocolates at once!"
With that, Levi Nas popped two small, wrapped chocolates into her mouth in one go. It was exactly the kind of cute idea you'd expect from her.
"Whoa, that's incredible."
Clap clap clap—I applauded her enthusiastically. A group of young men resting nearby joined in, looking at her with the fond admiration adults reserve for impressive kids.
"That's genius."
"I never would've thought of that when I was little."
Did our applause make her happy? Levi Nas giggled and hopped up from her seat.
That's when someone approached us.
"Um, h-hey, kids...?"
Kwon A-rin stood hesitantly by our side, looking a bit scared.
"Ah! SupremeKwonArin!"
SupremeKwonArin. One of the applauding guys snorted at the name, choking on his cola and coughing it up.
"Kids, could you just call me Kwon A-rin...? Or even just A-rin...?"
"No way! Levi Nas is gonna call you whatever Levi Nas wants!"
Despite Kwon A-rin's earnest plea, Levi Nas shook her head. Maybe it stung not to be called by her preferred name—Kwon A-rin's lips trembled like a child's on the verge of tears.
"F-Fine... Call me whatever you want..."
Her shoulders slumped in resignation.
"Um, did you need something?"
"Y-Yeah. Summer unnie said she'd be a little late, so she asked me to play with you guys."
"Pl-Play?"
Levi Nas's ears perked up at the word, though she pretended not to care while sneaking glances at Kwon A-rin. She clearly wanted to play.
"Yeah. Any games you wanna play...?"
"Well... Levi Nas actually kinda wants to play house..."
"House?"
Kwon A-rin and I voiced our surprise in unison. If she wanted to play house, why not just say so to me? We could only tilt our heads in confusion.
"Yeah... Levi Nas wants to play Cinderella house..."
"Then let's play Cinderella house. Sounds fun."
It was up to the kid, Levi Nas, to decide what we played. All us adults had to do was go along with it.
"B-But Levi Nas wants to be Cinderella..."
"Sure, you can be Cinderella."
If she wanted to, why not? What was with all the hesitation? Levi Nas's behavior didn't make sense.
"But... doesn't King fit Cinderella better than Levi Nas...?"
"Uh..."
Was she worried she wouldn't get to be Cinderella? That explained why she hadn't brought it up earlier. Though why did she think I suited the role?
I was about to tell Levi Nas she could have it when Kwon A-rin spoke up first.
"Then you two can both be Cinderella."
"Both?"
"Yeah. Twin Cinderellas—how about it?"
"Whoa! There's a way like that?!"
Surprise, joy, relief—Levi Nas cycled through a whirlwind of emotions in seconds.
"Roles can always be swapped around anyway."
"Amazing! Just like two chocolates!"
"Uh, y-yeah."
Two chocolates? Kwon A-rin muttered to herself.
Hmm...
Me as Cinderella? The abused princess role. It'd be tough for me, but I'd endure it to play with Levi Nas.
"Hehe, so Levi Nas and King are Cinderellas, and SupremeKwonArin is..."
Hmm. Levi Nas pondered, shaking her fist up and down like Sophia tapping her cane on the ground. Of course, she didn't have a cane.
She must've learned it from watching Sophia.
Those bright eyes observed the adults so keenly, picking up all sorts of habits. I'd have to show her only the best examples from now on.
I'd just resolved to do so when Levi Nas shot her hand up triumphantly.
"Decided! SupremeKwonArin is the stepmother!"
"St-Stepmother?"
"Yep!"
Levi Nas beamed innocently at Kwon A-rin, whose face fell the complete opposite way.
"C-Could I do something else besides stepmother...?"
"SupremeKwonArin has to do stepmother and stepsister and fairy godmother! We don't have enough people otherwise!"
"A-All of them...?"
"Yep!"
Realizing Levi Nas had a point, Kwon A-rin nodded cautiously. Ecstatic at finally getting her Cinderella play, Levi Nas cheered and jumped for joy.
"K-Kids, isn't this room dirty...?"
Kwon A-rin addressed Levi Nas and me quite politely. Levi Nas stomped her feet in protest.
"That's not stepmother! Too nice!"
"R-Really...?"
"Yeah! Gotta be scary enough to make Levi Nas cry!"
Kwon A-rin's face paled at the explanation. She seemed thrown by how seriously Levi Nas was taking the game.
"For example...?"
"Say mean things to Levi Nas and King, and hit us too!"
Levi Nas swung at the air—or rather, flailed—her fist.
"Um... c-can we play something else?"
"D-Do you... h-hate it...? If you do, you don't have to play..."
Maybe because Kwon A-rin wasn't fully committed? Levi Nas's rabbit ears drooped.
"N-No! I super wanna play! Cinderella sounds awesome!"
"R-Really...?"
"Yeah! I was just practicing a bit! Now for the real thing!"
"...Okay!"
Levi Nas pinky-swore, and Kwon A-rin closed her eyes for a deep breath, steeling herself for the performance.
"L-Levi Nas! Han Gyeowol!"
Kwon A-rin dove into the role with surprising seriousness, jabbing a finger at us with a fierce, booming voice. Everyone resting nearby turned to stare.
"U-Uuu..."
Levi Nas trembled dramatically, and I put on my best scared act too. Honestly, Kwon A-rin's anger was a little intimidating.
"I told you to clean the whole house and hang the laundry!"
"S-Sorry...!"
"Levi Nas did wrong...!"
"Quiet! No dinner tonight!"
Kwon A-rin huffed and glanced around. When her eyes met a rough-looking guy's, she flinched. Clearly embarrassed to be play-acting as an adult.
Was I too loud?
Lots of people were watching now, frowning at the noise. We'd have to play quieter.
"Forgive Levi Nas just once... Levi Nas only ate one carrot for three days...!"
Levi Nas dropped to her knees and begged Kwon A-rin. I knelt beside her.
"C-Could we at least have some moldy bread...?"
"N-No...! Even moldy bread's too good for you! F-Fine?!"
"Hiiing."
Levi Nas covered her face with her hands, sniffling like she was really crying. She had a real talent for this. Inspired, I threw myself into the role more.
"Levi Nas, I'll catch some grasshoppers today—we can eat those..."
"Wh-What?! Grasshoppers?! Didn't I say no food...?!"
As Kwon A-rin, fully immersed, raised her fist at us, someone suddenly grabbed her wrist. It was Jeong Yu-na, the guild's red-robed mage.
"Hey, what the hell are you doing?"
"Wh-What...?"
"What are you doing, I said."
Jeong Yu-na glared daggers at Kwon A-rin, a sickening crack coming from the gripped wrist.
"I-I'm Kwon A-rin..."
"Did I ask your name?"
Jeong Yu-na's demeanor was downright feral. Had she seen our play and gotten the wrong idea? As I started to stand and intervene, Levi Nas launched herself into Jeong Yu-na's arms.
"Prince!"
Prince? The prince from Cinderella, obviously. Maybe Levi Nas had secretly roped Jeong Yu-na into the game. She'd said she was preparing something before we started.
...The prince getting mad at the stepmother makes sense.
But why show up here? It was weird, but with two Cinderellas already, story logic was out the window.
"Are you insane?"
"I-It’s, this is..."
Jeong Yu-na seethed with rage, Kwon A-rin quaking in fear. If this was acting, it'd be award-worthy. But it probably wasn't. I rushed to calm things down.