Growing Independence and the Cheek-Pincher
"Shina, are you ready?"
Rose's voice drifted in from the entryway.
"Yeah."
I gave a short reply and headed toward the door, where she was already waiting by the shoe rack, hand extended just like always.
But I simply stared down at that hand for a moment before bowing my head and tying my sneakers on my own.
It wasn't so much refusing her touch as casually showing I could do it myself.
"……!!!"
In an instant, a frigid silence descended over us.
At the edge of my vision, her fingertips trembled finely, frozen in midair.
Sensing something off in the atmosphere, I looked up at her with a puzzled expression.
"……?"
"Shina… did Auntie… do something wrong…?"
Her eyes shook, unable to find purchase. They were already growing misty, on the verge of tears, her lips quivering.
"……Huh?"
"You won't even hold Auntie's hand… Are you mad at me? Did I mess up somehow without realizing?"
Her voice brimmed with moisture.
"N-no? It's not like that."
"Hic… Is puberty hitting already…? You don't want to hold Auntie's hand because it's embarrassing now…? That's it, isn't it…?"
She even dropped her head, shoulders starting to heave.
I swallowed a sigh and quietly stepped right up to her.
Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms tightly around her waist and burrowed into her embrace.
"……!!!"
Her breath caught at the sudden warmth.
"I'm not mad… It's not puberty… I just wanted to try putting them on myself."
"Hic…! Shina… really? You don't hate Auntie?"
She hugged me back.
Tightly enough to steal my breath.
"……"
This should do it. Hope she's calmed down a bit.
But with her face buried in my shoulder, she mumbled through sniffles.
"You're doing it to spare Auntie's feelings…? You've grown up so much… You don't need Auntie's help anymore…? You're becoming such a grown-up that you'll leave me…?"
"No…"
Vrooom—
Rose's car hummed along the road.
Today's outing with her was to her guild headquarters.
Moments later, the car pulled up, revealing the building.
The second we stepped out, her hand enveloped mine like it had been waiting.
"Oh? Shina's here again?"
As we entered her office, Minji, who was reviewing documents, spotted me and waved happily.
"Hi."
I bowed politely in greeting, and Minji turned to Rose.
"Guild master, today…"
"Ah, yeah. It's ready."
Before heading off, Rose came over, bent down, and gently stroked my hair with affectionate fingers.
"Shina, Auntie will be right back, okay? You can wait here nicely?"
"Sure."
Only after my reply did she seem reassured, glancing back repeatedly as she followed Minji down the hall and out of sight.
"……"
Once their footsteps fully faded, the office fell into perfect silence, just me.
I sank deep into the plush sofa, staring at the ceiling.
One minute, two… Only the clock's ticking filled the air.
"……"
Hmm, she said to stay put, but…
Maybe I'll take a quick look around the guild building.
I brushed off my butt, stood, and grasped the doorknob.
Exactly five minutes after she left, I slipped quietly out of the guild master's office.
Step, step.
My footsteps echoed more lightly down the hall than usual.
Mood, maybe, but my body felt lighter, a strange power in my soles.
Level up effect…?
Still nothing impressive, but feeling tangible progress wasn't bad at all.
"Status window."
User: Kim Shina | Age: 11
Class: Mage | Level: 8
Available Points: 12
Unique Trait:
Lightning Magic (Lv. 2)
Skills:
Thunder Needle (E-rank), Falling Thunder (B-rank)
"Heh…"
A satisfied smile crept across my lips at the steadily accumulating stats and points.
Lost in the achievement high from those numbers and ranks, I stared blankly at the window for a moment.
"……?"
Suddenly, a chill prickled my back, a thick shadow swallowing my feet.
Someone was behind me.
Instinctively shrugging my shoulders, I whipped around.
"Whoa…"
An awed exclamation poured down from above.
"……?"
"You're… seriously so cute…"
Filling my view was an unfamiliar girl's face.
She looked a few years older than me, bent low at the waist, eyes sparkling as she stared piercingly down at me.
Flustered by the sudden compliment on my looks, I stepped back involuntarily under her unabashed gaze brushing my cheeks.
A face I'd never seen, but she exuded an extraordinary aura.
"Hmm~"
A girl strode briskly down the guild hallway.
Kang Jiu, age 18.
Runner-up at Hunter Academy High School.
Today, ignoring countless love calls, she'd come to the hottest guild among young hunters—Hongryeon—for a contract consultation.
Despite its short history, bold treatment, and trendy vibe making it the envy of many, Jiu's expression was utterly bored.
To her, this was just tagging along with a friend. Nothing more, nothing less.
To fend off boredom, she glanced around idly, crossing the hall.
Then, at the far end, she spotted a small silhouette moving.
"Hm…?"
Plod, plod, plod…
A kid marching along with determined little steps.
Curiosity instantly lit Jiu's eyes at the sight of the back.
She was hopeless around cute things.
Jiu closed the distance.
As her shadow fell over the kid, the little one flinched and turned.
"……?" "Whoa…"
Jiu bent down, unable to hold back her gasp.
Framed by glossy black bobbed hair swaying like silk, the face was doll-like…
Soft, milky cheeks still holding baby fat, eyes wide with surprise.
Jiu's gaze locked on those chubby cheeks.
She could almost feel the chewy texture just looking, like they'd yield perfectly to a poke.
Poke.
"Huh?"
"……!!!"
"……!!!"
It happened in a flash.
The girl's slender finger dove into my soft cheek.
A novel sensation, like slipping into freshly steamed mochi.
I jolted back in shock.
My heart pounded loud enough to ring in my ears.
With wary eyes, I glared at her and backed away, swiftly securing a safe distance.
A chill raced down my spine, like my hackles were up.
"Ahaha… Sorry, sorry!"
"……"
The girl scratched her head awkwardly, flashing an embarrassed grin.
Sorry on her lips, but her sparkling eyes betrayed her.
That gaze lingered with regret over the soft feel at her fingertips.
Pure curiosity, like a kid who'd found treasure.
"Hey, seriously sorry! No bad intentions. Your cheeks just looked… so tempting, I couldn't help it! I just wanted to poke once! And then… hehe…"
"……"
Instead of answering, I gently rubbed the poked spot with my palm.
I felt her eyes boring into my burning cheek.
"Ehehe… I won't do anything bad, so don't stay so far away. Okay? Close the distance? I'm really hurt…"
"……"
At her desperately pleading, almost groveling outstretched hand, I halted in place.
Feet planted firmly.
Truth was, I wasn't sure I could escape further.
I'd realized it the moment I let her poke my cheek.
This grinning girl before me was leagues above me in skill.
"Heehee, good girl. So, little one, what're you doing alone? Lost?"
She cocked her head curiously again.
Her curiosity-filled eyes already scanned me head to toe.
But I kept my mouth shut.
Best not to give info to strangers—especially dangerous ones who poke cheeks on sight.
'Don't follow anyone offering candy, got it?'
Rose's voice echoed in my head.
"Huh? What's wrong? Say something~"
As she crept closer, peering coaxingly, I calmly calculated inside.
Resisting was futile; running would just get my collar grabbed.
In this overwhelming power gap, my best option was…
"C-can… you really touch however?"
"Yep!"
"Whoa~!"
Just stay still.
In resignation, I permitted her touch.