Hate the Sin, but the Mermaid's Cute (2)

Breakfast with the kids was a very different scene from usual.

On a normal morning we would have all sat around the dining table together, but with Eunseo in the tank, Hana and Hayeon had dragged the little living-room table over beside it and were eating there.

Every time I watched Eunseo using the tank lid as a table, eating as if it were the most natural thing in the world, I felt a strange little twist in my chest. At a glance she looked like a girl of extravagant tastes, enjoying a meal while soaking in a half-bath — but then her fins would give a contented little flutter, and there was no mistaking her for anything but a mermaid.

In the end I ate alone at the dining table. Even so, just watching their innocent faces was seasoning enough to make the meal taste better.

I was washing the dishes when I happened to glance toward ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the living room — and there was Eunseo, wearing nothing but a T-shirt, strolling across the floor as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

…She's actually walking?

The moment our eyes met, Eunseo let out a flustered "Ahem…!" Her face went scarlet, and she bolted for the bathroom.

Ah. She just needed the toilet.

If I let my imagination go any further, I was going to inflict some kind of irreparable psychological damage on the kid. I shook my head hard, trying to scrub the image out of my mind.

Right. A mermaid with legs. This wasn't a fairy tale. Haha…

I'd finished the dishes, and Eunseo had slipped back into the tank and become a mermaid again, when Hana and Hayeon's ears both pricked up at the same time from the sofa. There was no wariness in it — which meant someone they knew was coming to the house.

"You kids keep playing. I'll go check."

"From the sound of it, that's the police uncle's car."

I looked out the window, and sure enough, a police cruiser was approaching in the distance.

"Wow, it really is a police car."

"Heh heh~ These ears aren't just for show~"

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Leaving a proudly preening Hayeon behind, I stepped outside. For some reason, Officer Lee had come to the house today with another officer in tow. He got out of the car, straightened his police cap, and walked over to me.

"Are you here about Eunseo?"

"Ah, yes. Is Eunseo doing well?"

"She is. She's eating fine, playing well with Hana and Hayeon. Looking at her, you'd never guess she was some kind of juvenile delinquent."

I glanced back at the house for a moment, then turned to Officer Lee again.

"So. Are you here to take her?"

"No, nothing like that. If you could just let Eunseo know that the case has been wrapped up cleanly, that would be sufficient."

"I heard the merfolk side was going to pay compensation."

"Yes. They said they'd compensate the fishermen in goods, and… the quantity was enormous. Mostly pearls, precious metals salvaged from the deep sea, that sort of thing. I suppose merfolk have a lot of money."

"Well… they don't exactly just live off whatever they can forage from the ocean, so that tracks."

"The chairman of the co-op is going to have a hell of a time, thanks to that. Converting it all to cash, filing the reports, paying the taxes…"

"Yeah, well. That's their problem to sort out."

"Hahaha. I suppose it is."

Officer Lee fidgeted with the brim of his cap and gave an awkward little laugh. At any rate, it was a relief the whole mess had ended well.

"So when are they coming to pick Eunseo up?"

"That's… apparently merfolk around her age tend to act quite independently. Meaning… her parents can't exactly drag her home by force."

That was the real problem. Eunseo had already grown attached to Hana and Hayeon. I couldn't very well grab her by the hair at this point and march her back to her family.

"Haa… yeah. That's the biggest issue, isn't it."

"Which is why… we'll be leaving her in your care for the time being, Huntsman Jang."

"Wait, hold on. Isn't that something for the Juvenile Division or whoever to handle?"

"The Juvenile Division isn't under our substation's jurisdiction. The county office said they'd send a counselor or someone from Immigration eventually, but… as for when that might actually happen, I couldn't say."

Having said everything he'd come to say, Officer Lee tipped his cap in a quick salute, turned on his heel, and headed straight back to the cruiser.

"Wait, wait, wait a second! Officer Lee!"

"Good luck with everything!"

Before I could get another word in, he hopped into the cruiser with impressive speed and vanished as if fleeing the scene.

"Hey! Lee Seok-hyeon!"

I even shouted his real name, but the police car didn't so much as glance back.

That little bastard…

I stood there staring blankly after the receding cruiser for a while, then trudged back inside, deflated. I'd been worried Eunseo might be cowering after the police visit, but Hana and Hayeon, with those sharp ears of theirs, must have explained the situation well enough — the three of them were playing in the living room as if nothing had happened at all.

Still, I had to pass on what I'd heard. I crouched down beside the tank and opened my mouth.

"You probably overheard, but they said the trouble you caused this time got wrapped up just fine."

Eunseo didn't look the least bit surprised — she must have already known. She simply answered with a bright, beaming smile.

"And… I might have to look after you until someone from Immigration or a counselor shows up. Or… if you want, you can go home."

"…Would it be better if I went back, Unnie?"

Eunseo looked up at me with faintly trembling eyes. Hana and Hayeon, sitting right beside her, were staring at me with the exact same look.

Ah, come on… Hana must have ratted me out. They ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠all knew I was weak to those eyes.

"Haa… Do whatever you want. But even if you say you want to go out, you can't borrow the tank anymore, got it? You'll get bored stuck in the house."

"Don't worry, Unnie! Hayeon and I can just take her with us!"

Hana, with no idea what was going on in my head, declared with total confidence that she'd take Eunseo around herself.

"How? You gonna carry the tank on your back?"

"Heh heh! I already looked into that, Unnie~"

This time Hayeon, buzzing with excitement, held out her smartphone. On the screen was a product page.

"An aquatic pocket…?"

"Yep! It's like a little water droplet, made for people like Eunseo!"

"If I carry it on my back, she'll be fine!"

Hana chiming in too told me they'd put some real thought into this plan. Then again… that kid had strength to spare. She probably could haul a whole tank around on her back if she felt like it.

"…And the money? This thing's gotta be expensive."

"Hehe… well…"

Hayeon gave an awkward little laugh and couldn't say another word. I'd figured as much.

I checked the tiny price tag. It was the kind of sum you'd need to hunt one more mantis to afford.

I could have gone begging to Eunseo's family or the merfolk association, but I didn't want to ask for help over something like this.

"Guess I'll have to bag one more mantis."

"So… we can't get it…?"

Hayeon's ears drooped in disappointment.

"Commissions aren't something I can just take whenever I feel like it."

And I sure as hell wasn't about to tell a bunch of minors to go earn the money themselves. That was the kind of thing that got you struck by lightning.

It was a rock-and-a-hard-place situation… but a few more easy jobs would cover it, one way or another. Until then, Eunseo would have to live in the tank, or make do with the occasional walk on cloudy or rainy days.

"I didn't say no, so quit looking at me like that. Who even taught you those eyes…"

They must have caught the roundabout way I'd said I wasn't kicking her out, because all three of them broke into bright smiles and nodded.

If I let myself get swept along by their pace any further, I really was going to end up taking out a loan to buy the damn thing. I fled into my room like I was running for my life.

Back in my room, I collected myself and started sorting through what I needed to do next.

I'm not going so far as to take out a loan, but… that's still about the price of a pretty expensive bicycle…

I shook my head hard. Without even realizing it, I'd already started planning how to buy the thing for them. Who was the guardian around here, again?

No. First I need to go see the village elders and properly close the book on this incident. That way the kids won't get dirty looks later when they're wandering around the neighborhood.

Yes. That was the right order. First, soothe the elders who'd been thoroughly furious over Eunseo's reckless stunt. After that, I'd grab the kid by the hair if I had to and march her over to apologize in person.

Decision made, I changed into going-out clothes and stepped back into the living room. Eunseo was soaking in the tank watching TV, Hana sat beside her, and Hayeon was sprawled across the sofa staring at her phone. They weren't just settled in — they already seemed to think of this place as home.

"I'm heading out for a bit."

"Huh? Unnie, why are you wearing a dress?"

"Ooh… so you've finally decided to get married?"

"No. I'm going to see the elders. I need to apologize for the mess Eunseo caused."

"Why a dress if you're going to apologize?"

"If I wear this, the old folks tend to be a little more agreeable."

Old men were still men, at the end of the day. They went weak in front of a young woman. That was an immutable law of the universe. No elder on earth was going to coldly turn away a girl young enough to be his daughter-in-law when she showed up all dressed up and asked a favor.

At my words, Eunseo slipped back underwater, looking guilty. I walked over to the tank, dipped my fingers in the water, and said it like I was tossing the words away.

"I'm doing this because I want to. Don't hide."

With that, I walked out of the house.

I figured I might as well return the truck to the substation while I was at it, so I drove over toward the village hall. I parked the truck roughly in front of the station, then stopped by a nearby restaurant and a convenience store to load up on snacks and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠liquor — plenty of both, enough to soothe some elderly tempers.

The moment I stepped into the village hall, the elders greeted me the way they always did.

"Well now, our Huntsman Jang. What's the occasion, dressing up so pretty?"

"She only ever comes in looking like a bride when she's got something to ask for."

"So. What is it this time?"

Their words were gruff, but there were smiles on their faces like they were looking at a daughter-in-law, and I couldn't help smiling back.

"Nothing much… we never even had a proper wrap-up for last time, and there were a few things I wanted to talk about."

They say as you get older your ears go dull but your instincts go up to the tenth dan. The elders read my meaning instantly, cleared their throats once, and accepted the liquor and snacks I'd brought.

"Don't you worry. That merfolk association already paid the full amount up front."

One of the old men said it bluntly.

"That's that, but the mermaid kid doesn't even show up, and instead someone who isn't even her mother comes to apologize first?"

"Haha… I know, right. I guess I became a mom without even noticing."

"Heh heh, you sure did!"

Laughter bloomed through the village hall again, chasing off the brief awkwardness.

Pretty clothes, a smile, liquor and snacks all helped when you were trying to soothe the elders.

But money, as always, was still king.