TAPHEG 80🔐

Chapter 80 …

I held back a laugh and poked Rashid’s ear with my finger.

“Why are your ears turning red?”

“W-What are you doing?!”

The moment my hand touched his ear, Rashid flinched and hurriedly covered it with his other hand. Then he shot me a look—resentful, but not exactly angry.

“D-Don’t just touch people’s bodies like that!”

“Alright, alright. Sorry. So it’s fine for you to grab my hand whenever you want, but I touch your ear once and you scold me?”

“Th-That’s…!”

He lifted our clasped hands and shook them, but no matter what, he didn’t seem willing to let go, gripping my hand tightly.

I was teasing Rashid because he looked funny and cute when suddenly someone carefully tugged on my sleeve. Feeling a weight behind me, I turned around to see Zion fidgeting, his lips moving hesitantly.

“What is it?”

“…Me too.”

“…?”

At his incoherent words, I stared at him blankly, not understanding. Zion’s face slowly began to redden.

Whenever one of them returned to normal, the other would blush—like some sort of conservation law of blushing between the two of them.

“…I want you to pick one for me too….”

“Both of you, let go first. I can’t choose otherwise.”

I detached the two kids hanging onto me—one on each side—and walked over to the display. What would boys like?

I scanned the accessories one by one, looking for something that would suit them.

“…A bracelet.”

“A bracelet? Wouldn’t that be uncomfortable?”

Rashid sidled closer and casually voiced his opinion. I’d actually excluded bracelets from the candidates, thinking they might be a bit cumbersome for boys.

“Still… I want the same one as you.”

“M-Me too…!”

Zion chimed in from the side.

“Tsk, tsk. Kids these days really have no individuality.”

Clicking my tongue in mock disappointment, I spoke to the shop owner.

“Could you show me something with a similar design to this?”

“Oh dear! That one’s a limited edition, so there’s only one left now….”

Limited edition. Only one left. The magic words that awakened dormant buying instincts. Two people, one item—this was getting troublesome.

If kids don’t get what they want, it leaves a big knot in their hearts…!

“How about cufflinks for the other young gentleman? They sell just as well as bracelets. We can’t keep them in stock, that’s how popular they are. And this one—there’s only one left as well.”

I carefully asked the two of them, alternating my gaze.

“Anyone want cufflinks…?”

Both of them pressed their lips together, clearly set on wanting the bracelet.

“No one, huh. Then should we play rock-paper-scissors? A clean, fair match?”

I suggested the most peaceful and straightforward solution. Just then, Yuria jumped in with a novel idea.

“Rock-paper-scissors is boring. If it’s similar in design to Tia’s bracelet, there should be a gemstone in the center, right?”

“Yes, yes. That’s right.”

“We chose the bracelets to match our eye colors, didn’t we? Then how about the person whose eye color matches the gemstone gets the bracelet?”

“It’s a clever idea, but what if neither of them has that color?”

I pointed out the flaw. But Yuria answered brightly without a moment’s hesitation.

“Then we play rock-paper-scissors.”

“…That’s a perfect answer.”

“Anyone object? If not, let’s check the bracelet.”

Amid everyone’s anticipation, the owner brought out the bracelet from the back. The gemstone set into it was a fresh green, just like Rashid’s eyes.

“…!”

“…!”

After seeing the gemstone’s color, joy and despair clearly split between the two. Rashid accepted the bracelet from the owner and puffed up proudly, while Zion stared at him with open envy.

His eyes even looked a little watery…. I’m not usually fond of people who cry easily, but when a child with an angelic face looks like he’s about to cry, it’s impossible not to feel softhearted.

Avoiding the excited Rashid and Zion’s lingering gaze fixed on the bracelet, I quietly asked Yuria for her understanding.

“Unni, if you’re okay with it, would it be alright if I give my bracelet to Zion?”

“That one? To Zion? Of course. The moment it came into your hands, it became yours.”

I’d been worried she might be upset, but she agreed readily.

“But Tia, you know this, right? Rashid gets very jealous.”

“…Why are you telling me that?”

I subtly avoided Yuria’s eyes as she kept spilling unnecessary trivia about Rashid. Seeing my reaction, she asked again with a knowing look.

“If you know, why ask?”

Her perceptiveness was honestly frightening. It felt like she saw through everything I tried to hide, so I just spoke frankly.

“Because I don’t want to know.”

“Oh? You really dislike it that much? Our little one is going to have a hard time—his first love won’t be easy.”

Her voice carried sympathy, but the enjoyment on her face was impossible to hide.

“It says ‘this is fun’ all over your face, unni. At least try to hide it.”

“Is it that obvious? Still, Rashid isn’t bad. There’s no kid like him in this empire.”

Because he was her younger brother, Yuria started making her case.

“He doesn’t even seem aware of it yet. At most, he probably just feels like his friend is being taken away. And that’s more comfortable for me, too.”

“That’s only when there’s no competition. You know jealousy is the best stimulant for awakening, right?”

“…Did we mess up by putting them together….”

It was far too late to regret it now.

Then, suddenly, something about this conversation felt off.

Even if I considered myself mentally twenty-four, wasn’t Yuria only nine? How was this conversation flowing so naturally? The topic, her words—everything felt unusual, almost like…

Like she was a modern transmigrator, just like me.

Could it be…?

“Donghae mul-gwa Baekdusan-i….”

“…?”

When I suddenly started singing the national anthem, Yuria looked at me as if asking why I was suddenly singing.

Does she not know it? It’s a song no Korean could possibly not know.

Right. She could be a foreigner. It’s not like only Koreans are allowed to transmigrate into romance fantasy novels. Drop the prejudice, Yoon Se-a!

Then how about this…?

“Unni, do you know kimchi?”

I never thought I’d actually use “Do you know kimchi?” here….

“Kim…chi…? What’s that?”

Yuria struggled with the pronunciation, trying several times before she managed something close.

“Kimchi…? What is that? A new designer’s name?”

“Yeah. It exists. It’s very spicy and world-famous.”

Hiding my disappointment, I took off the bracelet I was wearing. Well, even if she wasn’t a transmigrator, as long as we got along, that was fine.

“You’re giving it now?”

Yuria asked curiously, looking at the bracelet in my hand.

“Yeah. Why not?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to give it later? Rashid’s going to make a fuss.”

“It’d be weirder to give it secretly.”

After answering that, I walked over to the two who were locked in a meaningless battle of wills. Rashid was wearing his bracelet, the corners of his lips lifted in a good mood. I handed my bracelet to the teary-eyed Zion.

“Here. Now it’s fair—both of you have bracelets. That’s fine, right?”

“Wh-What is this…?”

Still not fully grasping the situation, Rashid alternated his gaze between me and the bracelet placed in Zion’s hand. Zion, holding the bracelet, stared at me with wide eyes, as if asking whether it was really okay for him to accept it.

“If you want it, you should take it.”

“This is… unfair!”

At that moment, Rashid glared at Zion and protested to me.

“Ow, my eardrums. I can hear you just fine even if you speak softly.”

“I won it fair and square—why does he just get one? And from you, no less? One you were wearing? Then give him mine instead. Hey, hand it over.”

‘Oh, come on.’

Rashid took off the bracelet from his own wrist and shoved it toward Zion. He fixed Zion with an intense stare, pressuring him. Looking frightened, Zion slipped behind me for cover. That only seemed to fuel Rashid’s anger further, his gaze sharpening.

Just as I was about to step in, worried that already-fragile Zion might start crying again under Rashid’s intimidation, Zion hugged the bracelet to his chest and protested.

“N-No! Se-a gave this to me!”

‘Well, I’ll be damned.’