Commitment
After school, we headed straight home.
A short while later, Yeon-ha-neul stood in front of the gate, her mouth hanging open as though she’d lost her mind.
There was no sign of it closing anytime soon.
“Wow….”
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Is this really your house?”
“Oh, is the house a little big?”
“It doesn’t seem that big….” she answered hesitantly.
I could understand her reaction to some extent.
The house was indeed big—on a whole other level compared to the one-room apartment I had lived in during my previous life.
“It’s just average to me,” I said casually.
Having lived here since birth, I didn’t find anything particularly special about it.
To me, it felt normal. In fact, some of my relatives lived in houses even grander than this one.
But I decided to be cautious not to sound like I was bragging, especially when Yeon-ha-neul seemed so overwhelmed.
“There really is a house with a garden… .”
“Your house has a garden too.”
“We’re a daycare center. Are those people working?”
“Yes, they’re servants.”
“Wow… . People with a lot of money really hire people like in dramas.”
“We don’t have that many… .”
“Well, you’re from a prestigious family.”
“… .”
“It feels like we’ve stepped onto a drama set.”
Honestly, it wasn’t that extravagant.
But to Yeon-ha-neul, it seemed like she had entered a luxury home straight out of a TV show.
She looked around the garden with curiosity, showing a mixture of amazement and hesitation.
Then, her enthusiasm faltered, and she hesitated.
“Is it okay for me to come here?”
“There’s no such thing as okay or not. I just invited you to hang out.”
“But… . Do your parents know? That I’m coming over?”
“Only my mom. My dad’s working at the clan, and my younger sister’s at the swordsmanship center.”
“So… your mother’s home right now?”
“Yeah.”
“… What did your mother say?”
“She said she was happy about it. Oh, and she asked if you like tteokbokki.”
“What?! You’re telling me this now… .”
“Do you not like tteokbokki?”
“I do! I love spicy food. I’m not picky at all.”
“Then there’s no problem.”
“Ugh… .”
She seemed nervous about meeting my mother.
Trailing behind me, Yeon-ha-neul stamped her feet anxiously.
I didn’t take her reaction too seriously.
I understood her worries, but my parents weren’t the type to judge someone based on their financial status or background.
The only thing I was slightly concerned about was…
I didn’t mention that she’s Ain. Shouldn’t be a problem, right?
I hadn’t told my family about it because it didn’t seem necessary.
It wasn’t as if we were dating or getting married.
“Mom, we’re here!” I called as I opened the door.
“Come on in!”
My mother, who had likely been informed of our arrival by the servants, was already waiting at the entrance with a bright smile.
When she noticed Yeon-ha-neul standing beside me, her smile widened.
“Oh, hello… .”
“… .”
“My name is Yeon-ha-neul. I’m Gyeon-woo’s classmate,” she introduced herself hesitantly, bowing politely.
My mother looked at her for a moment before smiling warmly, just as before.
“Yes, come in! Gyeon-woo must like you a lot.”
“Huh?”
“Mom, what are you talking about?”
“Be friendly with our son.”
“No, actually, Gyeon-woo… .”
“Oh, aren’t you hungry?” my mom interrupted cheerfully.
“… .”
“I heard you were coming, so I quickly prepared some tteokbokki. Do you want to eat it? It’s not spicy. Gyeon-woo doesn’t handle spicy food well.”
“Oh, I do! I can’t eat too spicy, but I can handle it.”
“You said you loved spicy food earlier… .”
“It’s not like I can’t eat it at all.”
“Great! I also made some fried food, so eat that too.”
“Yes, thank you, ma’am.”
“Wash your hands and wait in Gyeon-woo’s room. This servant will show you the way.”
Yeon-ha-neul’s face brightened at my mother’s warm welcome.
A servant stepped forward to guide her, and I quickly slipped off my shoes to follow.
“Mongsil, did you sleep well?”
Inside my room, we dropped off our school bags and checked on Mongsil, who was still dozing in her cage.
When she noticed us, her ears twitched, and she opened her eyes.
“Can I touch her?” Yeon-ha-neul asked.
“Sure.”
When Mongsil came out of her cage, she happily hopped around before letting Yeon-ha-neul pet her without hesitation.
“Wow, she’s so cute! I thought rabbits were shy, but she’s surprisingly friendly.”
“She seems to like you more than she likes me.”
“What? That’s not true.”
“But look—she’s only coming to you!”
Yeon-ha-neul laughed, clearly enjoying the attention from Mongsil.
When I called Mongsil over, however, she didn’t respond.
Even when I offered her hay, she stayed firmly planted on Yeon-ha-neul’s lap, glancing at me dismissively before turning away.
“She’s completely ignoring me… .”
“Maybe she likes me better.”
“She doesn’t even recognize her owner anymore.”
As Yeon-ha-neul fed her some hay, Mongsil happily nibbled away.
Watching her snuggle closer to Yeon-ha-neul, I finally realized what was going on.
“That’s… courtship behavior.”
“What?!”
“She’s neutered, so it’s fine. But, yeah… she’s showing affection for you.”
“Take her off!”
“She’s harmless!”
“That’s not the point!”
Reluctantly, I picked up Mongsil, who had started circling Yeon-ha-neul like a suitor. She squeaked in protest but eventually calmed down when I placed her back in the cage.
“Let’s leave her in there for now. She usually doesn’t act like this… .”
“I’ll stick to looking at her pictures from now on.”
“Fair enough. Or we can visit Mongsoon later. She won’t act like this.”
“Promise me.”
“I think… .”
“You think?”
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