Chapter 78

Yuna asked if the feed would taste good to Somtul, but from the clerk’s perspective, since Yuna didn’t specify a subject, it probably sounded like, “If I eat this, will it taste good?”

Thus, the clerk seemed quite flustered upon hearing this and looked at Yuna with bewilderment. After hesitating for a moment as if pondering something, they finally spoke calmly.

“Uh… hmm. It shouldn’t taste bad?”

Though not exactly an endorsement of its tastiness, Yuna took this as gospel and gleefully turned to us, saying:

“He said it tastes good!”

The first to react was Chae-a. Upon hearing “it tastes good,” Chae-a stared at the feed with interest, then turned to us with great anticipation and said:

“Woah! Then Chae-a wants to try it too!”

“Sure thing! Let’s ask Somtul later and eat together!”

“…Huh?”

The clerk, realizing things were spiraling out of control, waved their hands frantically and interjected desperately:

“That’s not food for humans, so you can’t eat it.”

At this, Yuna quietly looked down at her tail before tilting her head inquisitively and asking:

“But what about nine-tailed foxes? Can they eat it?”

“Eh?”

Caught off guard by this unexpected question, the clerk was momentarily speechless. Figuring we’d caused enough trouble, I decided to quickly buy the item and leave. Pulling out a ten-thousand-won bill, I handed it over with both hands and said:

“I’ll take it.”

The price was 5,500 won. Though a bit expensive, I figured spending this much on Somtul was worth it. As I received my change, the clerk rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a snack, offering:

“What about this instead of the feed? This one might taste better.”

Chae-a was about to accept eagerly, but given how much inconvenience we’d already caused, accepting snacks felt excessive. So I politely declined with a shake of my head:

“No thanks… Thank you for the offer though.”

“A-Ah, okay…”

Leaving the bewildered clerk behind, we collectively lifted the feed and made our way out of the convenience store with a cheerful “Heave-ho!”

*

When we brought it back, the counselor teacher looked rather surprised and asked:

“Feed?”

Apparently, they had expected something more snack-like, hence their confusion upon seeing the feed. After explaining why I bought it, the counselor nodded understandingly upon hearing Somtul’s name.

“Oh, this is for Somtul. By the way, is it heavy? Let me carry it for you.”

To this, Yuna shook her head and replied:

“Nope. It’s a gift for Somtul, so I should carry it myself.”

“You really are responsible for being an older sister, aren’t you?”

“Yep! Since I’m Hae-un’s older sister, I have to work extra hard!”

I’ve heard this kind of misunderstanding so many times that I no longer bother correcting it. Lost in thought while absentmindedly fiddling with the feed, I suddenly noticed Somtul bounding toward us from afar.

‘She must have been bored.’

Even though I told her to wait, she must have felt lonely and come looking for us. Waving my tail to greet her, Yuna excitedly called out in a slightly higher-pitched tone than usual:

“I brought you a present!”

Then, carefully extending the feed, Yuna apologized for earlier:

“I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad.”

Afraid the apology wouldn’t be accepted, her tail and ears drooped pitifully. While I reassured her by patting her back, Somtul looked at the feed and let out a delighted “Pii!” before enthusiastically rubbing her face against the bag.

‘She seems to like it.’

Did she want to eat it all along? Regretting not getting it sooner, I regained my composure and headed toward the lair.

*

After placing an appropriate amount of feed into Somtul’s dedicated bowl—mostly done by the counselor—I carried the bowl over. The expression “gave it to her” isn’t entirely wrong.

‘Anyway, the important part is that Somtul is enjoying the feed immensely.’

Whether it’s because the feed is exceptionally tasty or because Somtul simply loves it, I couldn’t tell, but watching her eat happily made me feel good. As I stroked her back, Chae-a, who had been observing quietly, suddenly spoke up:

“She’s eating it!”

Drooling slightly, Chae-a stared intently at the feed. Concerned she might try to eat it, I moved to stop her—but it was too late. Chae-a had already grabbed a handful and shoved it into her mouth.

A crunching sound came from beside me. Though I’d heard that eating dog or cat feed isn’t particularly harmful…

Still, it didn’t seem right to let her eat it, so I was about to tell her to spit it out when…

“It’s good!”

An unexpected review came from beside me.

“Really?”

“Yeah! It has a nice grainy flavor. Does Hae-un want to try?”

This comment sparked immense curiosity within me. I’d always wondered what pet food tasted like while watching animals eat it.

‘If Chae-a and Somtul say it’s good…’

Curious whether the feed itself was actually delicious, I hesitated while staring at it, then eventually nodded.

“Okay.”

“Here.”

With that, Chae-a scooped up another handful and offered it to me. Staring at the brown pellets in front of me, I hesitated before picking one up and putting it in my mouth.

“Wait, hold on!”

Suddenly, the counselor gasped and rushed to stop us.

“If you’re hungry, I’ll buy you something tasty. You shouldn’t eat that. No, no, no!”

Confused by the term “no-no,” Chae-a tilted her head and questioned:

“This isn’t ‘no-no’… It’s good!”

Seeing this, the counselor paused briefly, blinking in surprise before stammering:

“Oh… Well, Chae-a… If you eat Somtul’s food, she’ll be sad, so let’s eat something else, okay?”

Understanding this reasoning, Chae-a nodded. Watching this exchange, I felt a mix of regret and relief for not having eaten it. Nearby, Yuna discreetly slipped a pellet into my hand and whispered:

“This is our secret.”

What does “our secret” mean?

Judging by how Yuna subtly checked the counselor’s reaction, it seems she stumbled over her words trying to whisper.

As I contemplated the texture of the pellet in my hand, the counselor sighed deeply and addressed us:

“Is there anything you’d like to eat? I’ll buy it for you, so next time, please tell me if you’re hungry, okay?”

Despite this, I couldn’t resist my curiosity and popped the pellet into my mouth.

“Blugh!”

It tasted awful. Too bland! The flavor was strange, and the texture was oddly off—it was just weird overall!

Unconsciously drooling, I grimaced in discomfort as the counselor panicked and urged:

“H-Hae-un, here, spit it out! Spit it out!”

I’ve never seen the counselor so flustered. Finding it somewhat amusing, I wiped my mouth with a tissue while spitting it out. Nearby, Yuna looked at me apologetically.

“Hae-un, I’m sorry…”

From Yuna’s perspective, she only wanted to give me something she thought I’d enjoy. Seeing my distressed expression likely startled her. Noticing her deflated tail and ears, I nodded reassuringly and said:

“It’s fine.”

Gratefully patting her head, I picked up Somtul, who had finished eating and now lay sprawled on the floor. Just as I prepared to return to the room, someone called out from afar:

“Hae-un!”

Looking over, I saw Seorin waving and running toward us. Worried she might trip, I watched anxiously until deciding to meet her halfway.

“Have you been doing well?”

Before I could react, Seorin scooped me up and spun around.

“Whoa, I’m dizzy!”

Spinning too fast made my head spin. Laughing nervously, Seorin shared some news:

“There’s good news!”

Curious, I tilted my head, prompting Seorin to hang a small pass around my neck and say:

“Starting now, if Hae-un wishes, you can freely roam outside the association.”

Surprised, I widened my eyes and looked at Seorin. Never in my dreams did I think this restriction would be lifted so suddenly. Thrilled, I wagged my tail furiously.

Meanwhile, the counselor added:

“However, you must always wear the hairpin given to you by Grandma Leseia when going out. Got it?”

Upon hearing this, I understood why outdoor access was now allowed.

‘The hairpin must have various protective functions.’

Gently stroking the pin in my hair, I happily wagged my tail. Excited, Chae-a asked:

“Does that mean we can go to the park and playground too?”

Affirming this possibility with a nod, Chae-a joyfully listed her plans:

“I want to make a worm sister’s house and create a secret base with Kamangi!”

Their ideas sounded fun, so I nodded in agreement. Nearby, Yuna spoke calmly:

“And while we’re at it, let’s search for Mom and Dad.”

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