Scary Uncles
"You, what were you just trying to do to the kids?"
"Th-that..."
"Don't stutter. Speak clearly."
Jeong Yu-na's eyes brimmed with killing intent. It didn't look like acting at all. Even I, standing right beside her, felt my body trembling—so how terrified must Kwon A-rin be, facing her head-on? Yeah, I definitely had to stop this. I urgently tugged at the hem of Jeong Yu-na's clothes.
"Um..."
"Yes, Gyeowol?"
Jeong Yu-na wiped away the killing intent like it had never been there. It was a gentle voice, completely different from the one she'd used on Kwon A-rin. My tail started swishing, oblivious to the tension, so I quickly grabbed it with both hands.
"We were playing Cinderella..."
"Cinderella?"
"Yes. She asked me to play the stepmother while we were doing Cinderella..."
"Uh..."
Did she really think Kwon A-rin had been bullying us? The moment she heard it was just play, Jeong Yu-na froze in place. She flicked only her eyes toward Kwon A-rin, who looked ready to burst into tears at any second.
"You can't get mad if it's just playing..."
"I-is that so? Just playing?"
"Yes."
I nodded toward Jeong Yu-na, and a hush fell over the park. It was a silence that felt surprisingly long, broken at last by Jeong Yu-na.
"...Miss, are you perhaps an adventurer? Your mana feels higher than a normal person's."
"Yes. I'm a beginner adventurer."
"Ah... Then, I have some unused gear lying around. Would you like to take it...?"
Ahem. Jeong Yu-na cleared her throat awkwardly, stealing a glance at Kwon A-rin. She'd picked a fight out of nowhere with someone who'd been playing with the kids, so of course she'd feel bad.
"N-no, it's fine."
Terror-stricken, Kwon A-rin cast her eyes downward. Startled by the sight, Jeong Yu-na seized her hand in a pleading grip.
"I'm just going to throw it all out anyway. Please, take it as my apology."
"Ah... Then, if you insist..."
"Heh, hehe... Insist? I was the shameless one here."
Jeong Yu-na let out an awkward chuckle. Levi Nas was still nestled in her arms.
"Mage, was there a scene like this in Cinderella?"
"W-well...? Somehow the scene just... changed along the way?"
"I see."
Levi Nas cocked her head and wriggled free from Jeong Yu-na's embrace. She seemed to mull something over, then looked up at Kwon A-rin.
"SupremeKwonARin, wanna be Cinderella this time?"
"M-me?"
"Yeah! Cinderella's the best role, so let's take turns!"
Cinderella's the best role, so let's rotate. Only sweet Levi Nas could come up with something like that.
"Uh... I don't mind not being Cinderella..."
"Yeah? Trying other roles sounds fun too, right? Levi Nas wants to be the pumpkin carriage."
"Ah, yeah. Then I'll be Cinderella."
Kwon A-rin sniffled and flashed a hehe grin. Things had worked out nicely—such a relief.
The next morning. Per the association's policy that we needed to play hard too, I'd decided to spend the day goofing off to our hearts' content with Levi Nas.
"Gyeowol, sis has training for the newbies today. You two can play by yourselves, right?"
"Yes. We can play by ourselves."
As I answered, I glanced up at Kwon A-rin, who was standing beside Han Yeoreum. The gear she had on looked seriously impressive.
"Th-this is the spare gear Senior Jeong Yu-na gave me..."
Blushing as she caught my gaze, Kwon A-rin explained.
Maybe those really were Jeong Yu-na's spares.
"It looks really good on you."
"Yeah. They're the absolute top-tier among stuff I can equip. Never dreamed I'd get to use gear like this..."
Kwon A-rin wore an expression of pure gratitude. I'd felt bad for her before, but seeing her this happy was a weight off my mind.
"Gyeowol, if a stranger asks you to play, what do you do?"
"Say no."
"Yeah. Even if they offer snacks, don't go with them? Run away fast, dragging Levi Nas along?"
"Yeees..."
Wasn't this basically treating me like a little kid? Glancing up at Han Yeoreum in confusion, it hit me—this was meant for Levi Nas's ears, not mine.
"Sis is heading out now. Sophia's got work starting too, so no playtime there. You two be good today, okay?"
"Yes, we'll be good. See you later."
I waved to Han Yeoreum as she left, then turned back to Levi Nas. Mischief danced in her big, childlike eyes as she stared at me.
"King, let's go on an adventure!"
"An adventure?"
"Yeah! We'll go super far and come back!"
"Super far...?"
Not too far, I hoped. But the destination Levi Nas suggested wasn't all that distant, thankfully.
"Let's adventure all the way to that department store from last time!"
The department store. About ten minutes by car. Walking would take longer, sure, but it wasn't that far.
"Okay, to the department store and back."
"Gasp! Then Levi Nas will grab the weapons and potions!"
Weapons and potions? Kinda overkill for a quick jaunt. I worried, but thankfully, they weren't real. Levi Nas's "sword" was a long stick. Mine was a slingshot. Potions: two chocolate milks.
"King's the sniper, Levi Nas is the swordsman!"
"Got it."
I took the slingshot from Levi Nas. It felt nice in my hands after so long.
Whoosh, whoosh—
Levi Nas swung her stick as she marched ahead. I trailed a short distance behind, maintaining positions like proper adventurers—this was adventurer play, after all.
"Aw, look at those kids walking."
"Playing adventurers, huh."
Onlookers smiled warmly at Levi Nas. She really had that special something that lit people up.
"Levi Nas, no swinging the stick around people, okay?"
"Yeah. Got it."
With folks nearby, she hugged the stick to her chest. The pointy end snagged and tore at her clothes, but whatever—they were already filthy and ragged anyway.
"King, when we get to the department store, wanna poke around a little?"
"Just us? No money—they won't let us in."
"R-right...?"
"Yeah. But I'll ask anyway."
How much cash had I brought? Just emergency funds, I thought. Fumbling in my pocket as I walked, I suddenly smashed face-first into the back of Levi Nas's head—she'd stopped dead.
Thonk—
My head snapped back with a light sound, but it didn't hurt.
"King! King!"
"Yeah?"
"Levi Nas found a scary path!"
She thrust her stick toward a narrow alley. Even in the morning sun, no light reached inside—thoroughly creepy.
"Go that way?"
"Yeah!"
"Looks dangerous though..."
"But Levi Nas wants to go this way?!"
Way too risky for a little kid like Levi Nas. Time to scare her straight.
"Snakes might pop out here, y'know?"
"Sn-snakes?!"
Eek. Levi Nas shuddered hard. A passerby snickered.
"Snakes, she says."
"Scary stuff, huh."
I'd whispered it low to spook her, but my enhanced hearing caught every word. I'd exaggerated just to scare the kid, but now I looked like I was terrified of real snakes? My face burned with shame. All I could do was stare at the ground, mumbling.
"Levi Nas, it's dangerous—let's take another..."
Before I could finish, Levi Nas bolted straight into the alley.
"Hyah!"
Stick raised high just like the hero from that anime she'd watched last night.
"Levi Nas!"
I chased after her in a panic. The alley twisted like a maze, but her footsteps guided me—I could keep up.
Footsteps stopped.
She halted at a corner. I rounded it after her... and came face-to-face with Levi Nas—and about ten guys huddled together, smoking.
"Uh..."
Scary carp tattoos snaked up their beefy arms.
"...Carp beastkin?"
Levi Nas strode right up to them and asked. The men scowled and stubbed out their half-smoked cigs against the wall.
"Yeah. We're carp beastkin."
"Levi Nas is horn rabbit beastkin."
"That's something."
"Right?! But Levi Nas's king is even cooler?!"
Her ears perked up as she whipped around to me. At the same instant, all the tattooed guys turned their eyes my way. Cigarettes. Irezumi tats. Danger in every inch. My tail glued itself to my belly in fear. Trembling and speechless—that was all I could manage.
"Hey, Jong-seok, you're scaring the kid."
"Psh, how handsome am I, bro?"
"Cut... the bullshit, Gwang-deok."
Crunch—
The guy called "bro" ground his cig butt underfoot and lumbered toward me. He towered at least fifty centimeters over little me. I found myself blurting an introduction without thinking.
"I-I'm Han Gyeowol..."
"Yeah, nice to meet ya, Gyeowol."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted behind me. I turned instinctively—and spotted a group heading our way. Armed with knives, bats, the works. Looked like they might charge any second.
Did we stumble into a gang turf war? No matter what, I had to protect her. I yanked Levi Nas into a desperate hug.
"Levi Nas, close your eyes."
"Huh?"
"Qu-quick..."
"U-uh."
Trembling helplessly between the two groups, a scarred-faced man drew his dagger and advanced on us.
"Hey, Kim Du-sik...!"
"Hey, kids."
Kim Du-sik jabbed a finger at us. The dagger guy clamped his mouth shut.
"H-huh... Kids, huh."
The dagger man peered down at me with an awkward look, then hastily pocketed his blade. His buddies scrambled to hide their weapons behind their backs.
"F-fight...?"
"N-no? We're pals."
Hahaha. Har har har.
The two big guys threw their arms around each other amid booming laughs. But veins bulged fiercely in their gripping hands.
Squeeze—!
For some reason, it felt like they were crushing each other's shoulders. What the hell was going on? No clue.