Chapter 57: Splashing Troubles

Jinhyang felt Harang’s tiny hand trembling on her shoulder.

Her frail arms shook, as if she were a mouse before a cat.

Ironically, she was the cat in this scenario.

“Why is this kid trembling so much?”

Jinhyang scooped Harang up and placed her on her lap.

“I-I don’t want to…”

Harang squirmed, trying to resist as she got closer to the tiger, but Jinhyang didn’t let go.

She had her own method for calming a frightened Harang.

All she needed to do was place her hand gently on Harang’s belly and let a minuscule amount of mana flow into her.

The well-controlled mana worked like a sedative, instantly soothing Harang.

This was a technique Jinhyang had developed specifically for Harang.

It was a skill that only worked on her, as it tapped into her innate need for security.

The principle was simple Jinhyang’s mana created a protective cocoon, mimicking the safety of a warm embrace.

Like an incubator shielding a vulnerable child.

“Oh?”

Harang’s tail started to sway side to side within the protective cocoon.

A surge of confidence overtook her clenched fists.

Instinctively, she realized Jinhyang’s mana would keep her safe.

“Roooar!”

Harang let out a throaty growl, scratching at her neck as if summoning her inner beast.

The growl was intended to overpower the tiger.

But

“Hack!”

She coughed after straining her throat, though the effort was there.

‘This kid’s competitive streak is something else.’

Jinhyang could see what Harang wanted.

She wanted to beat the tiger.

“Haah…”

Jinhyang sighed and extended her mana toward the tiger.

She imbued it with her dominating presence, forcing the tiger to submit.

Although Jinhyang had no desire to intimidate animals, she didn’t want Harang leaving the zoo disappointed either.

Growl…

Under the oppressive force of Jinhyang’s mana, the tiger let out a low, distressed whimper.

It lowered its shoulders and head, assuming a submissive posture.

Harang’s lips curled into a wide smile at the sight.

“Hmph.”

She scoffed, pressing her soft cheek against the window as she stared down at the tiger.

The scared little girl from moments ago was now nowhere to be seen.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have done that,’ Jinhyang thought, looking at Harang with a complicated expression.

‘She’s going to pay for this confidence someday.’

The tiny girl was acting as if she were a real tiger now.

A single flick to her forehead would have her bawling like the child she was.

Still, telling Harang the truth wasn’t an option either.

That would involve explaining just how weak and powerless she truly was.

“Tch.”

With no better options, Jinhyang decided to let Harang enjoy her moment.

She gently stroked the tip of Harang’s swaying tail.

Swipe, swipe

As Jinhyang played with the proud tail, Yoon Bora glanced back at her from the driver’s seat.

Her gaze carried a knowing look, as if she fully understood what Jinhyang had done.

“Harang, looks like the tiger’s afraid of you now,” Yoon Bora said with a smirk.

“Yeah, I guess I was just too scary.”

Oblivious to the truth, Harang wagged her tail confidently.

Now brimming with self-assurance, she used a skewer to tear a piece from the raw chicken and extended it toward the tiger.

“Sorry, did I scare you too much? I’ll try not to be so scary from now on.”

The tiger greedily devoured the chicken Harang offered, as if the gesture had won it over.

Harang giggled, clearly pleased with herself.

She was brimming with pride, thinking she had conquered the king of beasts.

Unbeknownst to her, the tiger’s submission had less to do with her and everything to do with the chicken wing Jinhyang had discreetly hidden in her pocket.

Harang decided she’d save her victory snack for later.

“Roar!”

In her imagination, her roar sent every animal in the forest fleeing in terror.

Birds took off from the trees, and four-legged creatures sprinted across the meadow.

“Hmph.”

With the world bowing before her, Harang saw herself as the true king of beasts.

She clenched her tiny fists and raised them above her head triumphantly.

That’s when Jinhyang interrupted her fantasy.

“How long are you going to torment the animals?”

Jinhyang’s voice carried a note of disapproval, but Harang bared her teeth in response.

She even raised her hands like claws, as if to strike.

“Rawr!”

How dare someone challenge the king of beasts?

The wild animal inside Harang was ready to pounce.

It was a miracle no blood had been spilled in the process.

“Where did you learn such cheeky behavior?”

Jinhyang frowned and grabbed Harang’s cheek, pulling it out far longer than usual.

Unlike her usual playful teasing, this time it stung a punishment meant to teach a lesson.

The sharp pain snapped Harang out of her feral state.

“Ahhh!”

Drool slid down her canine teeth as she instinctively reached up to wipe her chin.

Her hand accidentally brushed Jinhyang’s, a stark reminder of her earlier audacity to bare her teeth.

Her wild instincts had overpowered her reason.

“Are you sorry or not?” Jinhyang demanded.

“I-I’m sorry!”

Harang clasped her hands together, pleading like a repentant sinner.

She knew this level of contrition was necessary to calm Jinhyang’s anger.

“Hah…”

Jinhyang sighed, finally letting go of Harang’s cheek.

Harang rubbed the swollen area, grateful that she hadn’t been brought to tears.

After all, the king of beasts only cried under two circumstances: when yawning or when utterly terrified.

As she tended to her sore cheek, Yoon Bora glanced back from the driver’s seat.

“Hey, this place has a nice café. Want to stop and grab some coffee?” Bora suggested.

“Sure,” Jinhyang replied.

Harang’s ears perked up.

This was her chance.

With Jinhyang distracted, she could sneakily eat the piece of chicken hidden in her pocket.

‘I’ll eat it later,’ she thought, her fingers brushing against the now slightly damp meat.

As they got out of the car, Yoon Bora turned to Harang.

“What do you want to drink, Harang?”

“Something with milk in it,” she replied confidently.

“Anything with milk?”

“Yep.”

Harang was determined to drink as much milk as possible.

Her goal? To grow taller than Jinhyang, the tallest among them, so she could finally look down on her.

“How about… a café latte? Harang, can you even handle coffee?” Yoon Bora teased.

“Of course! I’m not a kid. I can drink coffee just fine,” Harang declared proudly.

“You’re definitely still a kid…” Yoon Bora mumbled under her breath, but Harang chose to ignore her.

In Yoon Bora’s eyes, she would always be a little girl.

“Unnie, I’ll go grab coffee with Raxy. Can you watch Harang for a bit?”

“Got it,” Jinhyang replied.

‘I don’t need anyone to watch me,’ Harang thought indignantly.

‘I just need to eat my chicken.’

Her fingers toyed with the raw chicken in her pocket, her disappointment evident.

“What’s that in your pocket?”

Jinhyang’s sharp eyes zeroed in on her suspicious movements.

‘Uh-oh.’

Harang hesitated, remembering Jinhyang’s strict order not to eat the chicken.

If she got caught, she’d surely get another earful.

She needed to defuse the situation quickly.

“Boss.”

“Hm?”

“You know, you can’t possibly know everything about me.”

“Oh… uh, really?”

Caught off guard, Jinhyang seemed unsure how to respond. Harang gave her a sage nod for added effect.

“Let’s just find a seat, shall we?”

With that, Harang moved toward the café’s outdoor terrace.

“Wow.”

Below the terrace lay a vast gorge, stretching out endlessly.

Harang, mesmerized by the sight, tugged at Jinhyang’s sleeve.

“Can I play in the water?”

Her eyes sparkled with hope as she glanced up at Jinhyang.

But Jinhyang shook her head.

“You’ll get swept away if you go in there.”

“Oh…”

The current did look swift, and Harang realized her lightweight frame might indeed be carried off like a leaf.

‘Bummer.’

She slumped, tail drooping in disappointment.

Seeing her deflated expression, Jinhyang sighed and offered, “I’ll let you dip your feet in, but only your feet.”

“Really? Yes, please!”

Harang’s mood brightened instantly as she grabbed Jinhyang’s hand and headed toward the stream.

She sat on a smooth rock, quickly removing her boots and socks.

As soon as her feet touched the water, a chill ran up her legs.

The water rose to her calves, while Jinhyang, unwilling to get wet, stayed on dry land, keeping a hand on Harang for safety.

“Ahh!”

The coolness was electrifying, making her shiver delightfully.

The pebbles beneath the surface pressed against her feet like a gentle massage, adding to the refreshing sensation.

“Hehe.”

Splash, splash.

Harang stomped on the water’s surface, creating ripples.

The harder she stomped, the bigger the ripples became, turning into tiny waves.

Enjoying the little game, she decided to see how high she could splash.

‘What if I stomp really hard?’

Excited, Harang lifted her foot high and slammed it down into the water.

Splat!

Water splashed so high it reached her head.

In her imagination, she had created a colossal tidal wave,

and this level of success was more than satisfying.

“This is fun!”

Harang continued splashing, glancing back at Jinhyang to thank her for staying close.

But Jinhyang’s expression was less than amused.

Her clothes were soaked, likely from Harang’s ambitious splashes.

“Oh no.”

Harang hadn’t considered that the water might reach Jinhyang.

Quickly, she moved closer to wipe the water off Jinhyang’s clothes.

Lacking a towel, she resorted to using her tail, known for its superior absorbency.

Swipe, swipe.

She started with Jinhyang’s face, moving to her arms, and finally toward her expensive-looking shoes.

“Stop.”

Jinhyang stepped back, protecting her shoes.

Realizing it was an act of kindness, Harang felt a pang of guilt.

“I’m so sorry! I got too excited playing around,” she said, lowering her head.

“Well, it’s normal to get wet near a stream,” Jinhyang replied, her voice calm.

“Ehehe…”

Grateful for her understanding, Harang wanted to show her appreciation with a hug.

But her tail, now heavy with absorbed water, pulled her backward like a weight.

‘Oops. I forgot to wring it out.’

Before hugging her, Harang grabbed her tail and shook it vigorously side to side.

Jingle, jingle!

The bells on her tail jingled as droplets of water sprayed everywhere.

“Ah—!”

Unfortunately, Jinhyang got soaked again.