Maybe I should stop worrying about my budget

At dawn, Chang Seol's eyes snap open. She scowls at the glimpse of the sky being illuminated by the morning sunlight through the window.

She absolutely hates it when she wakes up two hours before her alarm rings.

It's been three weeks since she visited her parents. Life has been busy. Her routine is quite set: wake up in the morning, make breakfast for Mister and herself, go to college, attend all the lectures without falling asleep and that is quite a challenge but she's getting better at it, look for a part-time job in Z City, return home and make dinner for mister and herself, and then sleep.

Either she gets rejected because she looks underaged or she gets accepted at shady places. There are too many part-timers. The competition is high.

Nowadays, employers prefer people who know foreign languages because Z City has many visiting foreigners because of the nearby tourist spots.

She only knows Korean and a few English words to get by. Then again, her skill sets are quite limited.

There's a demand for musicians and singers but she doesn't want to break her promise to her father.

Her father might run after her with a sword if she starts singing.

Anyway, her 'job hunt' hasn't been successful so far.

"Maybe I should give up and hope for better things in my next life," She grumbles while massaging her forehead. "This life isn't working out at all."

And her twentieth birthday is today.

"Get married before you turn twenty," She mutters her father's words. "Why? Because your grandmother got married before twenty… all the women in our family must follow the law. Even Mi-Young will get married before she turns twenty."

She is legally adult at nineteen and she must get married before she turns twenty, according to some ancient family law.

Her parents are not bothering her about marriage anymore. They still don't know that she's not married. She plans to keep it a secret as long as she can.

Besides, No Shi Won isn't married yet. Maybe his grandfather hasn't been able to find a bride for him.

"I am not married at twenty." She crosses her arms. "Why am I thinking of this as an achievement? Soyoon Sunbae is older than me. She isn't even thinking about marriage."

Mun Soyoon is dead asleep on her bed, snoring lightly.

"Married or not, I must find a part-time job." Chang Seol drags herself to the bathroom, scratching her neck. For the last few days, her skin has always been itchy. Her temperature is always high. She needs to take a bath a few times at night. "By the way, why am I talking to myself?"

If she needs someone to talk to, there's an insomniac mister downstairs. He certainly likes to eat her head.

A cold shower in the midst of winter feels good.

"It doesn't make sense." Chang Seol runs her fingers through her shampooed hair, untangling the knots. "I didn't like cold showers in winters before."

And she's always thirsty. For some inexplicable reasons, she is always looking for some alcohol in the refrigerator but the men in the house are keeping it hidden somewhere. All the bottles are filled with sweetened water.

Chang Seol sighs. "I will buy my own when I start earning."

Her budget is too low for luxuries like alcohol and a doctor.

She wipes the mirror and stares at her reflection.

Under the mass of black feathers with bluish glow, a pair of malignant midnight-black eyes burn in the reflection. Its beak is also black, bigger than her palms, and sharp.

A black chicken's head appears instead of her face.

"Okay, maybe I should stop worrying about my budget," The chicken's beak in the reflection also moves along with her lips, "and see a doctor or a therapist, perhaps."

There's something wrong with her body, eyesight, and definitely, her head.

***

Sitting on a chair, Sin Jeong-Hyuk cocks his head and looks up at the top of the stairs. When is the Chicken coming down?

Recently, he's been keeping his distance from her, especially after what happened that day. Yeon-Sik is right. He might see her as a kid, but she's… legal on papers. So he should maintain a certain physical distance from a female chicken.

It's just that his hands are itching to touch her hair. Maybe it's because he's been keeping himself from touching her fluffy and glossy furs. He misses touching them more than petting his dog, Dani.

"Damn." He puts his head on the kitchen counter. "Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn…"

"Why are you cursing so early in the morning?"

Her chirpy voice elevates his mood. He turns around and looks at her with a wide smile. "Chicken, good morning, my sweet goddaughter. I missed you."

"You miss the food," She states calmly.

Today, she's dressed in a black baggy shirt with an oversized jacket and the same dark jeans that she wore yesterday, carrying a black side-bag. Her long midnight black hair is tied into a bun with a few loose strands of hair falling on her face.

"No, I miss you more." He tells her teasingly, "Come and give a hug to your godfather."

"I would rather die." She starts making breakfast as if she's on autopilot. "Don't babble too much. I have a headache today."

"You are taking too much stress." Mister props his chin on his hand, resting his elbow on the kitchen counter, watching her make black coffee for him. This is the same place where she poured coffee on his head. "Take advantage of me. I will allow you since you are my goddaughter."

"I took advantage of you once." She gives him a dark look. "You accused me of using you."

"I don't like being lied to." He waves his hand. "Didn't I let it go already? You never apologized to me though."

"You never apologized to me either." Chang Seol hands him the cup of black coffee. "For bullying me, making me your maid, and talking to me nonstop."

"Why is talking a sin?" He leans toward her with the kitchen counter blocking him from getting closer to her. "Your eyes… are they darker than they used to be?"

Her eyes are a few shades darker -- so black that there's a bluish glow in them. Her skin is smoother, leaning toward a warmer tone, and glowing. That redness on the tip of her nose is also fading.

"The Internet told me that it's usual for adults to change eye colours." Chang Seol takes a deep breath as she places a plate of toasts between them. "I wish my height would change. I want to look like an adult."

"You are fine the way you are." He winks at her. "I would be worried if you grow up too fast. What if a bastard tempts you and you marry him? I don't want grandchildren too soon."

"Don't talk shit." Chang Seol's vocabulary has improved since she started hanging out with Sang Hee-Chul and Mun Soyoon. She takes a sip of her coffee with extra sugar and cream. "I won't get married in this lifetime."