86) Chapter 14. No, That’s Not It? (7)

I don’t think my life is entirely gloomy or unhappy.

Of course, compared to an ordinary life, there are undeniably unfortunate parts.

First of all, compared to my previous life, this one does have a few twists and turns. How many people around you have ever had their life threatened?

No, well—if it’s just being threatened by someone, plenty of people might have experienced that. But how many people can say they’re the daughter of an actual murderer?

So yes, there are definitely parts of my life that are more unfortunate than others’.

But for me to call my life unhappy now would be an insult to the environment I’m blessed with.

The people who took me in from the orphanage and raised me are incredibly kind. Not just ordinarily kind—people literally called heroes.

Not just “heroes” in the professional sense, but people who truly deserve the word in its purest meaning.

Wonderful people who raised me without a drop of shared blood, never once treating me differently from their own daughter.

To call my life pitiful or unhappy in that situation would be no different from dismissing the efforts of those who care for me.

Trying to overcome my trauma was also because of that.

And because I think that way, what Hyeonji and Nam Jinwoo said was a little hard to just brush off.

“……”

Blank stares.

That’s how I’d describe the atmosphere between the two of them after entering the amusement park.

Of course, their “blank stares” were different.

Hyeonji’s blank stare was the kind you wouldn’t notice unless you looked closely.

She wasn’t completely expressionless, but she was the type who didn’t show emotions very intensely, so at a glance she just looked indifferent.

But that was only because her mouth was closed—her eyes were quietly wandering around the indoor amusement park. From the moment we were in line until now, she seemed fascinated by the crowd of people gathered around.

You’d think living in Seoul would make this normal… but then again, Hyeonji gives off the vibe of someone who wouldn’t go to a mall unless someone physically dragged her there.

Nam Jinwoo still looked pretty nervous.

Thinking back, for a first‑person novel, there weren’t many descriptions of Jinwoo herself. Her appearance was vaguely described through other characters’ lines, and her past was brushed off as “ordinary.”

And “ordinary” varies wildly depending on the person. What someone from a working‑class family considers ordinary is completely different from what a middle‑class or upper‑class kid considers ordinary.

She looked around nervously, but her steps were strangely light, almost excited. It felt less like she avoided places like this and more like she wanted to come but never got the chance.

“……”

Maybe they noticed me watching them.

Hyeonji and Jinwoo’s gazes snapped toward me at the same time.

I quickly turned my head away.

Seeing Soi and Chae-yi sweating bullets, the two of them exchanged a look and sighed deeply, as if resigned.

“Since we’re here, we should buy souvenirs first.”

“Yeah, totally.”

“Souvenirs?”

Hyeonji tilted her head.

“Yeah, souvenirs. I mean, they’re not anything special once you actually see them.”

“But having one and not having one makes a huge difference in the mood. Let’s go.”

Chae-yi picked up where Soi left off.

Then she hopped over to my side and wrapped both arms tightly around my right arm.

“Uh.”

My face warmed a little.

I mean, I guess it’s “now of all times,” but still.

Ever since what happened with Soi last time, I’ve become overly aware of physical contact.

Maybe it’s the trauma, or maybe my brain just remembers these sensations too vividly.

“Hmph.”

Seeing that, Soi snorted and immediately clung to my left arm.

Now I was even more aware.

No, seriously—

That memory of pressing down with my hand keeps resurfacing. I can’t help imagining it.

“Hehe.”

When Soi saw my ears turning red, she let out a laugh, and Chae-yi shot her a glare.

They weren’t acting much different from usual, so why was I the only one embarrassed?

“Let’s go.”

Chae-yi, looking oddly sulky, turned her head sharply and tugged my arm.

“Uh, yeah.”

In the end, I had no choice but to be dragged along by the two of them.

*

“……Do we really have to do this?”

“We have to. It’s basically tradition.”

“……”

When Soi answered firmly, Hyeonji looked around.

“A lot of people aren’t doing it.”

“Those are parents. Teenagers like us have to.”

“No, but over there—”

“Why? You don’t want to?”

“……”

At Soi’s words, Hyeonji pressed her lips together.

Ah, right. That’s the kind of character she was.

You know the type—always studying or training, doesn’t know how to have fun. Obviously pretty, but insists “cute clothes don’t suit me.”

As expected of the Discipline Committee member, Hyeonji was exactly that type.

The kind who buys a skirt for the first time because she’s going on a date with the protagonist.

…….

Wait. Now that I think about it, that’s weird.

Our school uniform is a skirt. And because it’s based on subculture standards, it’s pretty short. Even though Soi, Chae-yi, and I shortened ours, the difference from Hyeonji’s unaltered skirt is barely over a centimeter. The only real difference is whether the hem flutters or clings.

If anything, the dress from the date illustration the author drew went below the knees, so it was less revealing. Why was she embarrassed?

“Why, you don’t like cat ears? Want dog ears instead?”

“No, that’s not the issue.”

“H‑Hyeonji.”

When I suddenly spoke, both Hyeonji and Soi looked at me.

“Oh.”

Soi’s eyes widened.

Well, I was wearing a dog‑ear headband.

“Rua, that suits you so well.”

“R‑Really?”

Before I could say anything, Soi said it first, making me even more embarrassed.

“Right? It suits her, doesn’t it? Rua looks best with dog ears.”

“……You picked it?”

“Yeah. Why?”

At Chae-yi’s sudden interjection, Soi narrowed her eyes.

“There, there.”

“Ch‑Chae-yi.”

She tickled under my chin, making me flinch. It wasn’t traumatic or anything—it just tickled.

Soi looked like she was about to explode.

“Here. Paw.”

“P‑paw?”

When I reflexively placed my hand on hers,

“Aww, good girl. Here, candy.”

She pulled a candy from her pocket—when did she even prepare that?—and popped it into my mouth.

“Eh?”

I blinked in confusion as the candy rolled in my mouth, and Soi’s expression grew even more exasperated—

“H‑Hyeonji!”

“Uh, yeah.”

Hyeonji, who had been staring blankly at the scene, snapped to attention.

“L‑Look, I—I did it too.”

I pointed at my head, and Hyeonji blinked.

And? So?

Her expression said exactly that, making my face heat up again.

But then, after tilting her head, she hesitantly took the headband from Soi.

And awkwardly placed it on her head.

“……Like this?”

“Uh, yeah. It suits you.”

I wasn’t sure if it actually suited her. Hyeonji was pretty enough that anything would look good on her.

Even wearing cat ears with that dignified expression…

“Me too.”

Soi said.

“Pick one for me.”

“Huh?”

Startled, I looked around and picked another cat‑ear headband.

“I want the same one as Rua.”

“O‑Oh.”

So I picked dog ears again.

“How is it? Does it suit me?”

“Y‑Yeah.”

It did suit her. Her bright expression made her look exactly like a puppy out on a walk.

“Paw.”

“P‑Paw?”

When I held out my hand, Soi placed hers on top.

“Woof!”

“Uh—g‑good job?”

“Hehe.”

Well…

If they’re having fun, that’s what matters…

Scratching my head, I looked around and spotted Jinwoo standing a few steps away, fidgeting nervously.

Good grief.

I frowned slightly and walked over to her.

“H‑Huh?”

Then I gently tugged her sleeve with my fingertips and pulled her toward us.

“You pick one too.”

“M‑Me too?”

“Soi said it’s tradition.”

“Well, I mean, she did, but…”

She glanced at Soi, who looked a bit conflicted for some reason.

But in the end, no one objected to a boy wearing something on his head.

Nam Jinwoo ended up with dog ears.

And somehow… they suited her.

She looked like a scared puppy who’d just been adopted.

Even if it suited her, though…

Are we still that intimidating to her…?

“Rua.”

“Eek!?”

“You have to pick one for me too.”

“O‑Oh, o‑okay…”

With a strangely menacing smile, Chae-yi said that, and trembling, I picked out cat ears for her.

They suited her perfectly.

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Pub: 22 Apr 2026 09:52 UTC

Edit: 22 Apr 2026 10:01 UTC

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