537

 [Chapter 146]

[Summer Break Before the Gathering (2)]

Her body feels stiff.

Ariel stretched her arms and legs while half-asleep.

"Mmm..."

Then her fingertips touched something.

Ariel reflexively tried to grab whatever her fingertips touched.

"...Hm?"

It has quite a large build.

This works out well.

She felt something was lacking in hugging a pillow to sleep.

Ariel pulled whatever she grabbed into her arms with all her might.

A sound followed.

A sound like someone waking up from sleep.

Still in a half-asleep state, she ignored the following sound and hugged it with her arms and legs.

"It's warm..." "Ugh..."

Whatever is in her arms groans.

Regardless,

Ariel pressed her whole body against whatever felt warm.

She feels an indescribable sense of fullness.

She's not lonely.

She fell into a comfortable sleep.

And around lunchtime─

"─Huh?"

Her mind finally became clear.

She realized she had been sleeping in an unfamiliar room.

She blinked and checked the situation.

An unfamiliar ceiling.

Murmuring conversation sounds can be heard from outside the room.

And she was hugging a small girl.

"Ugh..." "..."

The girl in her arms let out a faint groan as if in pain.

Ariel slowly unwrapped her arms and legs that had been hugging her.

Then she frowned and carefully examined the sleeping girl.

"...It's Eunha Eunha's sister?"

The atmosphere, the face.

There was nothing resembling Noh Eunha.

But the frowning face somehow reminded her of Noh Eunha.

Above all, she had seen a photo of Noh Eunha's younger sister before.

"Oh, she's cute. Her cheeks are so squishy."

Noh Eunha's younger sister Noh Eun-ae.

Ariel pokes her cheeks.

Then she grasped the situation.

"Then this is Eunha Eunha's house?"

"Ugh... alcohol smell..."

Ariel blinked.

It seemed to be Noh Eunha's house.

It was her first time sleeping at someone else's house.

No, it was her first time setting foot in a family home.

It feels cozy and warm.

A delicious smell comes from outside the room, and waking up to find other people fills her empty heart with happiness.

"Ah, whatever! I'll sleep more!"

She feels good.

Ariel slept until Eunha's mother came into the room to tell her to eat lunch, to fully savor the happiness.

Of course, Eun-ae who had been in her arms the whole time─

"─Ugh... I'm dying..."

While Ariel enjoyed heaven,

Noh Eun-ae went through hell, they say.

☆

The previous night,

Eunha had no choice but to piggyback the blacked-out Ariel to his home.

Of course, there was an uproar at home.

Of all days, it was the day Eun-ah was coming home too.

Eun-ah, Eun-ae, and the family members who had been waiting for Eunha until late at night couldn't close their mouths when he came in with some girl on his back.

"Ah, I feel refreshed. I feel like I slept well after a long time. There really is a difference between sleeping while hugging something and not." "If you're done washing up, come here and eat lunch quickly." "Yes! Eunha's mother! I'll eat well! Wow, it looks so delicious. Noh Eunha, have you been eating such delicious food by yourself all this time? That's so mean. Am I mean?"

"...Just eat quickly."

And the next day at lunch,

Ariel, who had slept sprawled out for almost half a day, roughly washed up and ran to the dining table.

Whether Eunha's mother treated her disapprovingly or not,

Ariel instantly captivated Eunha's mother's mind with her mindlessly bright atmosphere.

In the end, Eunha's mother had no choice but to surrender to Ariel.

"You eat well. Have this too."

"Oh, it's delicious. Did you make this yourself too? Can I take a little of this when I go home later?"

"Hm? Why would you want... Alright, I'll pack one for you later. It's nice to see you eating well."

"Mother is the best after all! Ah, but why are you all so pretty? Everyone except Noh Eunha is so pretty? Ah, except Pa-rang oppa too." "What? Are you picking a fight with me while eating... cough!" "Pa-rang oppa spit."

"You... This little one keeps trying to match me. This is really..." "Oppa! Pa-rang oppa hit me!" "...Hey, when did I hit you? I was just trying to pat your head!" "Pa-rang. Be quiet and eat."

"Tsk... People in this house always nag only me..."

Is it truly calculated behavior?

Or is it sincere?

Ariel instantly captured the hearts of the family members.

The Noh family greatly liked people who ate well.

Ariel, who ate everything saying it was delicious, could be said to meet their standards.

Mother kept offering side dishes to her with a resigned expression.

Grandmother laughed heartily.

Eun-ah examined her this way and that before falling for her unique personality.

Even Eun-ae, who tried to distance herself from Ariel at first, quickly got along with her after exchanging a few words.

Jin Pa-rang was relegated to being the odd one out.

And there was someone who fell into an even worse position than the odd one out─

"─By the way Eunha Eunha. Why aren't you eating? There's so much delicious food but you're just picking at it, saying you're full, so full."

While being ignored by the family members,

It was Noh Eunha eating his meal in a corner while being wary.

Soon he stopped picking up side dishes and─

"─Whose fault is this..."

His hand holding the chopsticks trembled, they say.

☆

The previous day, Eunha who moved Ariel to Eun-ae's room had to face the glares of his family members.

How old am I now...

Saying he did well, drinking with a woman until late and bringing her home when he has a fiancée and girlfriend.

Mother made him kneel and receive punishment with a cold face.

No one sympathized with Eunha.

He sent a pleading gaze to Grandmother for help, but.

"─Yes, you shouldn't do that." "Grandmother..."

"If you did wrong, you should be scolded. Hoho."

Grandmother didn't take his side.

With no choice, Eunha asked his father for help.

Of course, Father who was unconditionally on Mother's side quickly turned away.

He didn't have any expectations for Jin Pa-rang who had no power in the household.

So Eunha received punishment for a long time, and had to be thoroughly scolded the next day too.

"Are you going to keep disappointing noona?"

"I'm sorry..."

"What were you thinking bringing her home? What if Seo-hyeon and Ha-yang find out? Really... I'm so ashamed I can't face them." "..."

After eating lunch,

While Ariel played to her heart's content with Eun-ae and Avenir who came down from upstairs,

Eunha was called separately by Eun-ah and was being scolded.

"When a kid drinks to the point of blacking out, you should stop her from drinking, not let her keep drinking. Where is there such a thing?"

"...I did stop her. I really tried to stop her..." "You tried to stop her but came home late with the kid on your back?"

"..."

He had nothing to say.

Eunha met Eun-ah's gaze and quickly lowered his head.

Before he knew it, he was kneeling on the floor.

But it feels a bit unfair...

I didn't ask her to drink, she forced herself to drink...

Why do I have to be scolded?

Eunha glanced at Ariel.

She's playing pranks while laughing brightly with Avenir and Eun-ae, finding something so fun.

He resented her so much.

Why does he have to be scolded?

But Eunha didn't have the courage to protest to Eun-ah.

In Noh Eunha's life, noona was king.

Meanwhile, perhaps because she had scolded Eunha for a long time,

Eun-ah's voice softened somewhat.

"You really need to be careful. What will you do if you cause an accident later?"

"...I won't cause an accident. Noona, you know me. I don't get drunk."

"What does it matter if you don't get drunk? The person drinking with you gets drunk. And you never know what can happen. What if in a drunken state... No, I don't want to say it so I won't. Anyway, you understand?" "I understand."

Like giving a carrot after the stick,

Eun-ah didn't one-sidedly scold Eunha.

She scolded him first, then admonished him.

Eunha nodded as if understanding her sincere concern.

"Still, it's fortunate. That Riel kid, she seems to have a cheerful and bright personality. She's fun too..."

"...Is that so?"

"So don't make bad friends in the future, and only make kind and good friends. Understood?"

"I understand, I will."

Ariel is dancing a grotesque dance.

Avenir follows along.

Noh Eun-ae bursts into laughter.

Even Eun-ah who was admonishing Eunha clapped while bursting into laughter.

Then she advised Eunha.

Noona doesn't know.

That kid's personality is so troublesome...

Of course, he outwardly said he would follow her suggestion.

But inwardly he gave a wry smile.

"Hm? It seems like you don't believe me?"

"No, I believe you. Who else would I believe if not noona?"

"No... This face is a face that doesn't believe..."

"Haha..."

But Eun-ah seemed to have quickly seen through his expression.

She looked down at Eunha with a displeased face.

Then she smirked and told Eunha to turn his head.

Eunha turned his head.

Ariel, Avenir, and Eun-ae are playing happily.

"Look."

"At what?"

"Eun-ae is following Riel well, right?"

"...She is." "If Eun-ae follows someone well, it means they're a good person." "...Huh?"

"Eunha, you're Eun-ae's oppa but you still didn't know?"

Tsk tsk,

Eun-ah clicked her tongue and shook her head.

Meanwhile, Eunha tilted his head.

Though Eunha was the same,

He thought Eun-ah was excessively worshipping their younger sister.

But Eun-ah said,

"Eun-ae doesn't get close to people unless she can trust and entrust her heart to them." "..."

"I can't express it well in words, but when I see the people Eun-ae gets along with, I can tell what kind of people they are. I think Eun-ae has good intuition."

Words imbued with trust in Eun-ae.

At Eun-ah's words spoken with a smirk, Eunha stared at his younger sister laughing brightly.

Come to think of it, it did seem that way.

His younger sister easily became friends with anyone due to her good social skills, but there weren't many people she continuously interacted with.

Her relationships seemed wide but were surprisingly very narrow.

It was evidence that she was picky in judging people.

On the other hand, she's following Ariel well now.

...Is it because of the gift?

Gift <Empathy >.

The ability to empathize and communicate with the emotions of living beings.

Eunha was assuming Eun-ae possessed a gift in the <Empathy > line.

Probably due to the gift's influence, she can feel the emotions of people approaching her.

I hope she can't feel my emotions?

Then suddenly, Eunha flinched.

Until now, Eunha had thought his younger sister could only feel the emotions of young children or animals and plants.

But if she could feel his emotions too.

"..." "Eunha? What's wrong?" "...It's nothing."

He feels scared.

Did that emotion show on his face?

Eun-ah called him.

Eunha shook his head with effort and looked at Eun-ae.

Their eyes met by chance.

For a moment Eun-ae's face hardened.

Then as if it never happened, a bright smile blooms.

"─Oppa! Riel unni says to play word chain! Let's play together oppa!"

"Come, come! I've never lost at word chain until now, you know? I can win even if you all gang up on me!"

Eun-ae waves her hand and calls.

Ariel who hugged her from behind provokes Eunha.

Eunha laughed in disbelief.

"...Maybe she just has a young mental age so she easily gets along with kids?"

Looking at Ariel's actions, she's no different from a young child.

She acts like Avenir.

No wonder Eun-ae likes her.

"I'm coming now!"

I must have misunderstood needlessly.

Soon Eunha approached them together with Eun-ah.

☆

Chicken is magic that decorates a day with happiness.

A person's mood is divided by whether they eat chicken that day or not.

It was Jo Ara's theory.

"─In that sense, isn't two chickens where you get one free when you order one the greatest revolution in human history?"

"Are there no other revolutions in human history? Liberty, equality, fraternity would cry."

"What are you saying. It's not fun at all if you respond seriously at times like this."

"Just take the chicken."

"Yes, yes."

The Friday of the week Ariel slept over at Eunha's house.

Eunha who had no date plans that day visited On Tae-hee's house with Jo Ara after a long time.

Since Ara introduced On Tae-hee, Eunha occasionally met with On Tae-hee or exchanged messages.

"Ah, oppa I'll eat the chicken well!"

"Alright, enjoy." "This place is delicious. I'll guarantee it. You probably won't even think about worries after eating chicken here?"

"Do you think I'm you?"

"Ugh. This kid is getting on my nerves? Ah, whatever. I can take the coupon, right? I'm almost at 20, I'll buy you chicken when I collect them all."

"Sure, take the coupon."

"Tae-hee! Let's split one each!"

Jo Ara trots out from the inner room and takes the ordered chicken.

On Tae-hee hurriedly sets up the chicken while unfolding the table.

When Eunha comes in after finishing payment, Jo Ara and On Tae-hee were giggling while dividing the coupons.

"You'll lose your hair if you like free stuff." "What? Can you not say unpleasant things? Noh Eunha, so insensitive..."

"Getting excited over 1+1."

"Can you call it saving money?"

"You'll go bald doing that."

"You, you come here. Are you going to keep saying that? Why are you picking a fight over someone else's hair? My hair is fine, you know? Want to see!?" "Grow grow hair."

"You bastard!"

Eunha teased Ara while giving Tae-hee a chicken leg.

Then Ara kept jabbing his side with her elbow.

Eunha and Jo Ara bickering.

On Tae-hee burst into laughter seeing the two of them.

Soon the two of them also smirked.

Still, it's fortunate.

That she's doing well.

Eunha looked at On Tae-hee, who was four years younger than him.

After receiving sponsorship from the Sirius Group, her mother began living as an inpatient at Alice Hospital.

They say On Tae-yang hasn't been coming home since becoming a second year student.

He briefly came home during break then returned to the Academy.

At that time, he was apparently outraged to learn he had been receiving sponsorship from the Sirius Group without knowing.

In the end, he decided to accept it reluctantly for his mother's health.

"It's nice that unni and oppa came. I was just bored being alone at home."

"Since it's break, I'll come visit more often from now on. You'll do that too, right Eunha?"

"I'll come whenever I have time."

"Really? You have to come visit, okay?"

Anyway, On Tae-hee had to spend time alone at home.

Perhaps she was that bored, she greatly welcomed Eunha and Ara's visit.

Realizing her feelings, the two promised to come visit during break when they had time.

"─I'll wipe the table. Can you two throw this away?" "What's the need for both of us to go? I'll go throw it away alone."

"No. I'll go together too!"

Time passed.

The three of them who finished off two chickens decided to clean up.

Jo Ara familiarly brought cleaning supplies from Tae-hee's house.

Eunha decided to do recycling. He decided to go out to throw away other trash as well.

On Tae-hee followed, saying it would be a shame to make Eunha do it alone.

"Why is there so much trash?"

"Hehe, it's fortunate oppa is here. I was going to set aside a day to throw it away anyway."

On Tae-hee says sheepishly.

According to her, it's clothes she can't wear anymore now that she's grown and things that have become useless.

She says she did a big cleaning recently.

She added.

"Actually, I was going to clean together with oppa. But he said he was busy with training..."

"You should tell him. To come home a bit because you're going to clean."

"Hehe..."

On Tae-hee who had been chatting happily soon made a dark expression when On Tae-yang was mentioned.

She trails off.

Eunha spoke while reading the mood.

On Tae-hee gave a bitter smile.

"But I feel bad asking oppa too much."

"What do you feel bad about?"

"Um... everything."

On Tae-hee answered vaguely.

Perhaps feeling her words were unkind,

Soon she continued speaking.

"After mom suffered from mana depletion syndrome, oppa became the head of our household. I was young so there wasn't much I could do, and most things had to be left to oppa."

"..."

"So sometimes I think. Since mom and I rely on oppa so much, if oppa disappeared, it would be hard to live from now on..."

"Why are you thinking such things?"

On Tae-hee muttering in a bitter tone.

Eunha who had been quietly listening to her story refuted as if it was no big deal.

Then she looked embarrassed.

"...I know that won't happen. But still... sometimes I have those thoughts. If oppa leaves, I'd have to take care of mom alone... That can't happen..."

"..."

"So I can't ask oppa for too much. Oppa must be working hard at the Academy for mom and me, I can't make it harder for him needlessly. I should endure. No, oppa and I are enduring together."

On Tae-hee laughs "ehehe".

It sounded deflated.

Then she lowered her head and mumbled.

"I wish oppa was our oppa..."

Saying it's a joke,

Soon she was startled and shook her head left and right.

To her like that,

Eunha didn't have much he could say.

"─Tell me if anything's hard. I'll help you." "...Yes, thank you!"

He could only give typical comfort.

But she smiled as if just that was enough.