28 – twenty

February 4, 2030.

With a little over a month left until the entrance ceremony, Nam Seo-hee visited the academy.

“Confirmed.”

“work hard.”

Having received a temporary pass at the checkpoint and hanging it around her neck, she slowly opened the envelope in her hand as she walked down a quiet street.

‘I don’t know if I’ll like it.’

Inside the envelope were quite expensive aroma candles that beast-type transmutation-type Awakeners love, carefully wrapped.

The reason she visited the academy today was because she was invited to celebrate Baek Ha-na’s birthday.

After taking the entrance exam, I haven’t been in touch, but I met Baek Hana again at the place where I went to get my school uniform tailored.

For some reason, she was being scolded by a professor whose sweet voice tickled her ears, with tactile ears and a drooping tail.

And before he even said hello, the professor invited him to a party to celebrate Baek Ha-na’s birthday today.

“Hey!! Nam Seo-hee!!”

Nam Seo-hee, who was walking while reminiscing about what happened at that time, turned her head toward the sound of her name being called from a distance.

Even from a distance, I could immediately spot Idney, whose pink hair was neatly braided and waving her hand.

Nam Seo-hee approached Idni.

“what. What did you buy?”

“Aroma candle.”

“… … Wow. This is fucking expensive.”

Idni, who checked the contents of the envelope in Nam Seo-hee’s hand, looked at her with a slightly tired face.

It looks like a pretty candle from the outside, but considering that the cheapest candle from that maker is around 1,000,000 won, the one wrapped in an envelope is probably more expensive than that.

“… I don’t know what Hana likes.”

So, I just chose the most comfortable one.

In the case of money, I said that I was going to a party to celebrate my friend’s birthday, but somehow my mother lent me a card and I was able to solve it.

Heading to the street of light, Idney said to Nam Seo-hee.

“One likes sweet things. Actually, if it’s something to eat, I just like it.”

“Sweets?”

“uh. You will especially like the Seven Chocolates.”

“… … Aren’t those for babies?”

“uh. right.”

Chocolate for children containing calcium and other nutrients that are good for the growth of children.

Nam Seo-hee thought for a moment.

Oneself holding out chocolate to Baek Ha-na.

Hana Baek approaches her wagging her tail.

“Hey. saliva flows What are you thinking?”

“… … nothing.”

Nam Seo-hee wiped the saliva that flowed slightly from the corner of her mouth, and Idney, who was watching it, shook her head with a slight frown on her forehead.

“This is the street of light. what. I won’t be able to hear it anyway.”

Not all Awakened people worship God and offer prayers.

Because they know that the power given to them is not given by them.

Of course, it was not voluntarily found out, but it was known as Viar, a game god, naturally spread the fact through the followers.

“Sleep, come in.”

“yes.”

Nam Seo-hee and Idni went into Yu-hee-sin’s temple.

“It came just in time.”

Just in time, Maria came down from the next stairway and waved goodbye to Nam Seo-hee.

“Then can I go out again?”

“No wait.”

said Maria, poking her head toward the stairs.

“Executive officer. Shall we go first?”

‘… … ?’

Before Nam Seo-hee had time to express her doubts, a cold-looking beauty came down the stairs, exclamations that even a woman like her looked beautiful.

A beautiful woman with elegant blonde hair neatly tied up and wearing a black coat.

‘Claire bin Asen… .’

I heard that she had completely stopped her outside activities a few years ago, so why did she appear here now?

Nam Seo-hee’s eyes naturally moved to the envelope in Claire’s left hand.

An old-fashioned feel from the envelope.

Anyone could see that it was for a gift.

‘… … .’

Nam Seo-hee seriously contemplated whether to stop by the mart for a while and buy some chocolate.

**

“hello~!”

“Excuse me.”

Idney and Maria greeted each other according to their personalities, then took off their shoes and walked straight inside.

Nam Seo-hee is momentarily taken aback by the unexpected situation.

She calmly took off her boots and looked at Claire as she hung her coat next to the one the professor had been wearing before at the dressmaker’s.

“You should also go to Miss Hana.”

“… … oh Yes… .”

Nam Seo-hee nodded at the voice as cold as her appearance, took off her shoes, and went inside.

– Ugh!! Hey… … !!

-So, who wants to pick it up and eat it?

– Stupid Idni.

Three voices coming from inside.

Nam Seo-hee carefully turned the corner and headed towards the place where the sound came from.

Kitchen nothing special.

Food laid out on a large table.

And Idney, who gulps down the milk with a red-hot face.

Hana Baek, who was laughing while watching Idney suffering from eating a cookie made with wasabi, found Nam Seo-hee quietly entering the kitchen and approached her.

“long time no see.”

“Uh, uh… . This is a gift… … .”

Contrary to what she had expected, Nam Seo-hee was slightly taken aback by Baek Ha-na’s friendly approach and greeted her, and handed the envelope she was holding to Baek Ha-na.

“Is it a candle? thanks!!”

“Yes.”

With a pure smile without any pretense, Nam Seo-hee calmed down and smiled the same way.

‘It seems I misunderstood.’

He thought that he had made a mistake and wanted to keep his distance, but it seems that there were other circumstances.

-Pooh-hip… … Sin, sorry… .

At that time, everyone tilted their heads at Claire’s voice from the hallway. And it wasn’t long before I found out why.

“Kyaa!! what is the professor? Very cute!!”

“Isn’t it a good fit? It was a gift from me.”

“… Is it okay if I take pictures?”

“Hey. What are you doing rudely? and Nam Seo-hee. Send that to my email too.”

The four children clung to Baek Woo-jin, who appeared wearing slippers with cute wolf faces on them, and did not fall for a while.

Baek Hana, who was the first to come to her senses, quietly stepped back and came out with a plate full of cookies.

“Woojin!! Try this!!”

Cookies made mostly from doughs with strange ingredients added to them.

There were really only a handful of normal cookies.

The children clinging to Baek Woo-jin stepped back for a moment, and Baek Woo-jin quietly reached out and picked up a cookie with the same appearance and scent and brought it to his mouth.

Misread-

After swallowing exactly half of it, Baek Woo-jin put the other half into his mouth and said.

“Well done.”

“Ha, try one more.”

Baek Woo-jin bit off another cookie as Baek Ha-na requested.

“what… … ?”

“Why?”

“Oh, no. just… ?”

“You made it better than that.”

Baek Woo-jin picked up a cookie, bent down slightly, and brought it to Baek Ha-na’s mouth.

“No, I, I… … .”

Baek Ha-na was taken aback, but Baek Woo-jin tried to shove the cookie into her mouth without saying a word. Her cheeks blushed slightly and her lips opened.

“… … !!”

As soon as she bit into the cookie, the spicy pepper aroma burst out, and Hana Baek hurriedly ran to the table and swallowed the milk.

“I knew it would be like that.”

“It is one. To be honest, it just felt a bit like Idni.”

“What bitch?”

When Idney and Maria’s eyes were on Baek Ha-na, Nam Seo-hee was the only one looking at Baek Woo-jin.

‘… … You’re laughing.’

It’s really weak, but the corners of the mouth go up slightly.

Baek Woo-jin picked up another cookie from the board handed over from Baek Ha-na and held it out to Claire who was standing behind him.

“Professor… sir?”

“Let me taste it.”

“uh… that, uh… … .”

Claire accepted the cookie from Baek Woo-jin with her lips slightly blushing, even though she knew that it was wrong to hold it in her hand like a white one.

Nam Seo-hee, who watched that scene again, thought as she saw the feverish flowers that bloomed little by little on Claire’s face, which was extremely cold.

‘… I don’t think you’re dating.’

It’s a woman’s intuition.

Nam Seo-hee made that decision.

**

Late hours, closer to midnight.

“Whoa~”

“… … .”

Baek Woo-jin, who is sitting on a chair in the study, and Baek Hana, who is sitting on his thigh, are sipping coffee made from melted chocolate that they received as a gift today.

“Tomorrow in a little while.”

“… … .”

“Hey~”

“… … .”

“Mr. Woojin~?”

When Hana Baek leaned back and began to babble, Ujin Baek opened the drawer while covering the notebook. Then he took out a set of black gloves and held them to one hundred and one cheeks.

“… Now brush your teeth and go to sleep.”

“Ooh~”

Baek Ha-na liked it even though her cheek was pushed, and quickly took the glove from Baek Woo-jin’s hand.

Baek Ha-na held the glove to her chest and slightly raised her head.

“… … thanks.”

Then he shyly expressed his gratitude and showed a subtle smile that he had only shown to Baek Woo-jin.

“… … stop going.”

“Chi~”

Baek Ha-na clicked her tongue briefly and came down from Baek Woo-jin’s thigh. Then he went to the window behind the chair and looked up at the bright yellow moon.

“Woojin.”

“… … What.”

“In a little while I’ll be an adult.”

“… yes. So in the future-“

“huh!! didn’t i say that? Woojin first said it was okay to be a fool three times a day!!”

“… … that’s.”

Baek Woo-jin, who was about to say something, finally shut his mouth.

At that, Baekhana smiled silently and looked at the small clock placed on the desk.

The watch he gave me as a gift.

The hands of the clock were gradually approaching the number 12.

“Mr. Woojin.”

“… … I lost, so go away.”

Baek Woo-jin sighed briefly.

And the clock hands on the desk all pointed to the number 12.

“I am 20 now.”

“… … .”

Baek Woo-jin turned the chair to look at Baek Ha-na in a slightly different atmosphere.

“me. Can’t you just do one favor to celebrate becoming an adult?”

Baek Ha-na took a step closer to Baek Woo-jin, her sky-blue eyes wide open.

“… … That’s absurd.”

“No~ I know.”

Baek Woo-jin looked at Baek Ha-na for a moment and then nodded.

Then Baek Ha-na approached Baek Woo-jin a little more and said,

“… … glasses. I want to see you naked.”

A hidden part that has not been shown to anyone in the meantime.

Baek Ha-na did not want anyone other than herself to see his hidden part first.

The first to see his hidden side is to be himself.

Baek Hana sincerely thought so, and strongly hoped that it would happen.

Silence lasted for a while.

After that long silence, Baek Woo-jin’s hand moved slowly.

Toward the large glasses that he hadn’t taken off for years.

“… … It’s a simple request for setting the mood.”

Baek Woo-jin, unaware of Baek Ha-na’s feelings, said that and finally took off his glasses.

And.

“ah… … .”

A small exclamation escaped from Baek Ha-na’s mouth.

Sharp eyebrows and sharp eyes.

Golden eyes shining softly in it.

Baek Woo-jin’s face is much more than he had imagined–

Swoop.

“… … ?!”

Baek Ha-na was shocked by Baek Woo-jin’s sudden gesture of bringing her forehead to her forehead.

“Ooh, ooh, woojin… ?”

“Where are you sick? I have a fever. The pulse is too fast… … .”

Knock-!!

At that moment, pointed ears sprouted from Baek Ha-na’s head.

“Ah, it doesn’t hurt!!”

Hana Baek opened the door to the study and went outside as if running away.

Dadadadak-!!

Baek Ha-na, who had been running away, came back and stuck her head out through the crack in the open door and said firmly.

“… … Don’t take your glasses off in front of other people.”

Then, as if running away, he runs back to his room.

Baek Woo-jin looked at the door of the study that Baek Hana had opened for a moment, then put on the glasses he had taken off and opened the notebook he had covered again.

But hands that don’t move easily.

Baek Woo-jin closed his eyes at the slight heat remaining on his forehead and slowly leaned against the backrest.

“… … Trouble.”

that day. This is the first time Baek Woo-jin has not written down his thoughts in a notebook since he started recording.