Chapter 117

The difference between a ponytail and twin tails, you see, is simply whether the hair is tied on one side or both.

Even though there’s not much difference, many women shy away from twin tails for one reason:

It makes them look like they’re trying too hard to be cute for their age.

“Listen up, Hae-un. Twin tails are a unique hairstyle that’s only acceptable until middle or high school… tops.”

I hid behind a pillar, wary of Han Arin who was spouting weird stuff up ahead.

Because if I came out now, she’d definitely do something cruel and unusual—like turning my hair into twin tails!

So, for what little dignity and pride I had left, I was dead-set on refusing…

But beside me, Chae-a, Yuna, and Seoa were all glowing with excitement, saying they wanted to try it!

“Sounds fun! Bring out the brush!”

“Cute is good!”

“…”

Alright, fine. Technically, Yuna was the only one who openly said she wanted to try it because it was cute…

But still, the general vibe was that everyone else wanted to try it too, making it awkward for me to keep shouting “no.”

“No way… absolutely not!”

Thinking I might die of embarrassment, I clung tightly to the pillar.

Then Han Arin leaned in, whispering a magical promise into my ear.

“If you let me do your twin tails, I’ll teach you Cleaning Magic.”

“…!”

Cleaning Magic—the very goal and dream of mine. There was no way I could resist that offer. Reluctantly, I let go of the pillar.

Sure, I knew my behavior wasn’t much different from Chae-a who’d follow any food bribe… but still!

This might be my only chance to learn such a valuable skill.

“Han Arin isn’t bad. She’ll probably teach me properly eventually…”

Still, I didn’t want to wait anymore, so I bit the bait she threw at me.

—

Twin tails involve tying the hair on both sides, creating two dangling locks.

It’s a style often associated with cuteness, and it really suits young kids well.

The problem? For an adult like me, it was quite embarrassing.

My face felt like it was burning hotter than the sun as I fidgeted uncomfortably.

Ponytails, sure—I could accept those for comfort—but twin tails? Those were purely for cuteness, and I knew it.

“Embarrassing…”

As I sat there shaking, trying to clear my foggy mind, Chae-a bounded over with her own twin tails swaying.

“Wooow, Hae-un, this is amazing! It feels like a fan blowing on my head!”

Glancing over, I saw her hair spinning around like a fan. Honestly, it just looked ridiculously cute, but since she said so, I nodded along.

“At least everyone seems to be having fun…”

Just as I was giving up completely, melting into a heap like seaweed, a cheer echoed from the side.

Looking over, I saw Seorin snapping photos of me with her phone, grinning from ear to ear.

“What? Why does Hae-un look so adorable in twin tails? Oh my gosh, you’re seriously the cutest thing in the world! Of course, Chae-a, Yuna, and Seoa are also super cute, leaving my heart with no room to beat!”

By the middle of her sentence, she was talking so fast it sounded like rap music, making my brain fuzzier by the second.

Sitting there dumbfounded, Han Arin approached me, poking my cheek with a sly smile.

“You can undo the twin tails after receiving the award, so bear with it for a bit?”

“…”

“Hae-un, who did you inherit this cuteness from? I have no idea.”

Though I didn’t understand how patience related to being cute, I decided it didn’t matter anymore.

As Yuna and Seoa grabbed my hands and pulled me closer, Yuna gently patted my head.

“Haeuni is so cute.”

I blinked, staring blankly at the twitching ears in front of me when Han Arin called us over.

“I don’t want to show this embarrassing side to others…”

But we had a deal, so I resolved to endure it and stepped forward.

—

This event was hosted by the Central Government, so unlike the chaotic celebration last time, the atmosphere was much more formal.

Even Chae-a, who usually bounced around happily, was tense, looking around nervously.

Yuna was trembling too, her tail standing straight up as she clutched my hand tightly.

Seeing their anxiety, I tried to calm them down despite my own nerves.

“Relax! Trust me!”

Surprisingly, my pronunciation was perfect this time.

Feeling proud of my growth, I basked in the moment when a man who seemed to be part of the Central Government staff approached me.

“So, Hae-un? I’m in charge of today’s event.”

Skipping over his official title, which he knew I wouldn’t understand anyway, he introduced himself with a warm smile.

“We’ll do a rehearsal soon. Follow the direction I tell you, then after receiving the award, turn around and bow…”

Listening carefully, I memorized every detail to avoid mistakes.

In the middle of this, Seoa, who had been asleep hugging my tail, woke up and mumbled something.

“…”

Not understanding, I turned to Chae-a for clarification.

“Seoa wants to come with us…”

At this, I hesitated, wide-eyed.

Last time, during the chaotic celebration, random antics were allowed, but this event seemed far stricter.

Before I could say no, however, the organizer surprised me by agreeing—and even going further.

“Really? Then why don’t all of you come up together?”

“…”

Is that even possible? Isn’t this supposed to be a super strict and difficult occasion?

Blinking in disbelief, the organizer made a call and then turned back to me.

“All of you will go up together. I’ll explain again how it works, so listen carefully.”

Though unsure if this was normal, I nodded since he said it was okay.

—

After hearing the instructions, we proceeded with the rehearsal.

While it was just a formality to ensure everything flowed smoothly, Chae-a, Yuna, and Seoa were thrilled, treating it like a grand experience.

“Wow, this is so much fun!”

“Indeed. I was so nervous before, but now I feel excited!”

“…”

Incidentally, thanks to storytime, Seoa had picked up phrases like “good” and “sore,” rarely saying anything negative.

With their positive reactions, I sighed in relief just as the announcement came that we were about to start.

“Nervous…”

Despite it being a small gathering of Central Government officials rather than a massive crowd, the tension was undeniable.

“But I’ve got Chae-a, Yuna, and Seoa here.”

Gathering my courage, I moved forward as our names were called.

“Yes!”

Chae-a, clearly enjoying herself, cheered enthusiastically, prompting me to nod and join her.

—

Everything went smoother than expected after that.

Unlike the previous event, this one was conducted with proper decorum: polite conversations, formal procedures, and nothing more than accepting the award and bowing.

“Han Arin mentioned this was already a big favor for us…”

Wondering why I agreed to the twin tails while pondering this, Han Arin approached me with a box.

“It’s time to head back.”

“…”

Surprisingly, it all felt rather anticlimactic.

Scratching my head in confusion, I quickly decided not to dwell on it and nodded.

“What did they give us, I wonder?”

Curiosity bubbled up thanks to Han Arin’s earlier hint.

Staring at the box in her hands, Han Arin smiled and said,

“I’ll show you as soon as we step outside.”

Accepting her words, I followed closely behind her as we exited.

Suddenly, voices buzzed around us.

Peeking out, I saw a large crowd gathered outside.

Scanning the area, I spotted a shocking banner.

[Special Celebration: Hae-un Award Day]

Recognizing the dragons gathered there, I realized they were from the old neighborhood.

—

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