She was no different from a beast

Chapter 13

—–CROW—– 

“Mister~ How about some flowers?”

Seriously, what is this?

“Flower meanings, huh?  Nah, don’t really need ’em…”

“What do you mean, you don’t need them? If you give your wife flowers, she’ll treat you like a king! Real flowers are so boring… Ta-da! Flower soaps!”

“Oh. Soap?  Wow, they make these now? Fancy.”

“Heehee. Right? They smell great and never wilt! Plus, they’re so pretty~”

Less than 30 minutes after moving everything from the storage room, she was out on the street, bringing in customers.

Even now, she’s running up to the factory workers on their lunch break, showing off rose-shaped soap flowers and making sales.

If a grown woman did that, she’d get ridiculed, but I guess it’s a kid’s prerogative?

Smiles spread across the older men’s faces, and they came into the shop, buying one after another.

“Oh, right! Mister, mister. When you give her the flowers, sneak some money in there!”

“Huh?  Little one, I barely have enough for my own lunch!”

“Come on~ You’re giving your wife an allowance, right? Don’t just transfer it! Roll up this month’s allowance and put it in the bouquet! She’ll love it!”

“Hey, team leader, that’s a good idea! Smart kid.”

“Heh, you’re right.  Getting the wife some flowers now and then isn’t a bad idea.”

“I think I’ll get a huge bouquet when I confess my feelings.”

Seeing Yuna fearlessly mingling with adults several times her size, smiling brightly…  I understood why Grandpa adored her.

It wasn’t just because she was a cute kid.

‘Who could hate such a bright and adorable child?’

“Ah! If you’re confessing… Hmm~ Instead of a bouquet, wait a sec! Unnie! A flower box! With peonies or tulips!”

“Uh, uh. Okay.  Hold on.”

And she’s so thoughtful for a kid.

Confessing with a bouquet is so cliché these days.

It’s better to have nothing, it’s more straightforward, less pressure, and less cringey.

With a flower box, you don’t know what’s inside until you open it, so it builds anticipation. And it’s not too flashy on the outside, so it’s a safe choice.

“Oppa! How about this? These pretty pink flowers are peonies, and they symbolize shyness, or being so in love that you can’t leave their side!”

“Oh…”

“These pretty flowers are better than bright red roses, right~? Oh! And don’t ever confess in public!”

“What? Why?  Wouldn’t she be happier if I boasted about our relationship?”

“Wow, our youngest. You almost made a girl cry.”

“This little kid just saved you, you know. Even I didn’t confess like that back in the day.  Dummy. She watches too many dramas.”

“Oh dear! That’s a recipe for disaster! The girl will slap you and run away! Confess when you’re alone! Don’t make it too dramatic! You know, like when you’re watching a movie together at home, and when it’s over, you casually give it to her.”

‘How does a seven-year-old know that?’

She nudged the relatively young man in the group, making a disgusted face.

She acts like a child, but her thinking… isn’t childlike at all.

Kids usually give candy or snacks when they confess, right?

A man and a woman watching a movie alone at home.

The woman must be interested in him to some degree.

Yeah, right. Even if she’s not expecting a confession, she must like him or feel comfortable around him to be alone with him.

‘Is she a reincarnated person or something?’

“Heehee.  If you succeed, you have to come back and buy a lot! Promise!”

“Okay, okay. I promise.”

She sent them off with a cheerful goodbye and a reminder to enjoy their meal. Then she went to other customers, young men and women, even students in uniform. Hmm.

‘I want to ask her if she wants to work here for real.’

I seriously want to beg her to work here.  I’ll feed her, house her, everything.

Sales are higher than during the summer tourist season.

It’s not even evening yet, and we’ve made this much… Wow.  Just wow.  Crazy.

“Yuna, let’s eat. What do you want?”

“Huh? Food? Hmm… Anything is fine! Even a simple meal is good!”

“Wow, our Yuna isn’t a picky eater?”

“Nope!”

When I was Yuna’s age, I’d throw a fit if there were only vegetable side dishes.

Even now, I don’t touch things like seasoned bellflower root or cucumber kimchi.

‘Did she say she was preparing a wedding anniversary gift for her parents?’

I was going to give her something small, but… I’ve changed my mind.

I need to make her something special, something I don’t even sell in the shop.

I need to get on her good side, so that later…  in a few years, when I move to the mainland and start my own business, she might come with me.

“?? Is it okay for me to take this?”

“Of course. You worked so hard today, so I prepared this for you.”

A white box tied with a simple but elegant gold ribbon.

I was taken aback. It wasn’t a typical flower box.

Is it really okay for me to take this?  I wasn’t expecting this…

It was a whole cake!

A whole cake with white whipped cream and strawberries, decorated with beautiful carnations, roses, and other flowers.  Even the cake board had pink petals glued to it, making it look like a work of art.

What really surprised me was the photo in the center of the cake.  She’d asked me to take a picture during my break, and I’d posed with a V-sign.

“What do you think? Do you like it?”

“Y-Yes, I like it… but is it really okay? Isn’t this expensive?”

“Expensive? The cake was made by the lady at the bakery near the pier. I asked her as a favor.  And I borrowed the camera from the hardware store owner.”

Decorating the cake was a good experience, and I wanted Yuna to have it. Just let me know how happy your parents were with the gift you prepared.

The slender, but flat-chested, shop owner patted my shoulder.

But custom-made cakes are expensive. I didn’t work *that* hard.

I basically just chatted with people and had fun.

I would have been grateful for something from the display worth 20,000-30,000 won.

“I’m telling you now, I made this for you, so I’ll be angry if you give it back.”

“…Th-Thank you!!”

“Heehee. Now you should hurry and deliver it. Here.  Good work today.”

I thanked the flower shop owner and carefully carried the cake, making sure not to tip it over, towards Mom and Dad’s secret villa.

It was up the hill, along the main road.

I could run there in 10 minutes, but with my short legs, it took me 30 minutes to walk to the white villa Dad prepared for Mom.

*Knock, knock, knock!*

“Mom~ Dad~ Yuna’s here~!”

“Our lovely daughter. You finally made it? You should have come a little earlier. We wanted to eat with you~”

“That’s right. We had grilled pork belly over charcoal for dinner.”

Pork belly!!

“D-Don’t tell me… our neighborhood pig…”

“Haha. Daddy doesn’t want to be beaten to death by his daughter~ Burari’s alive and well, so don’t worry. What’s that in your hand?”

“Oh! Really? Heehee. It’s a present for Mom and Dad! Let’s eat it together!”

The thought of delicious pork belly flashed through my mind, but a cake shared with Mom and Dad would be even better.

Mom carefully accepted my gift, looking surprised.

Looking closely, her eyes were glistening.  She seemed touched.

“Y-Yuna…”

“Mom! Dad!”

I spread my arms and hugged them both.

These are words usually reserved for birthdays, but they’re fine for a wedding anniversary, right?

“Thank you for having me!”

They loved each other, got married, and had me.

“Thank you for always loving me so much!”

And for the past seven years, they’ve raised me with genuine love.

It’s only natural for a child to express gratitude to the parents who nurtured and supported me.

But it’s also difficult to say.

When you’re young, you understand it intellectually, but not emotionally.

When you’re older, the distance between you and your parents makes it… embarrassing to say such things.

Or maybe it’s too late for some.

But I’m still young.  My body is seven years old.  I’m not embarrassed at all.

“I love you! Mom! Dad!”

“…Yes. Mommy loves you too, Yuna.”

Mom hugged me with her slender arms, sniffling.

“Daddy loves our daughter as much as Mommy.”

Unlike his usual playful self, Dad’s response was serious, but warm. He stroked my hair.

“I’ll keep listening to Mom and Dad! And I’ll grow up to be a healthy and pretty daughter!”

At my final, heartwarming statement, Mom and Dad’s hands faltered…?

…?

Huh?  Why did your hands stop?

More pats and strokes, please.  Mom. Dad.  *Wahhh.* Seven-year-old Han Yuna here.

I still crave your touch.

“Healthy and pretty… you are… but…”

“Yuna, if you have any conscience, you shouldn’t say you’ll be obedient.”

“…”

Damn it.  

Give me my touching moment back.

—–CROW—–