Still, I wanted to give him such a name. Not too heavy, and a name that would let me remember that he was there, in that place, at that time.
With a loud sound, the sheep came running over. As I thought, no matter how much I considered it, that name was good. It would be nice to search for a name with a better meaning, but I still wanted to give him a name just as I saw and remembered it. Even if it’s a bit childish. Somehow, I felt like I heard a kind, laughing voice. It sounded pleasant, so I smiled.
“It seems you’ve decided on a name.”
“Mm… you really can’t laugh at me this time for being childish.”
As I spoke slowly with my eyes closed, Bihyeon sat down at the bedside.
“Naram…”
Certainly, he was on that mountain… The image of the squirrel I saw, and now the form of a tree. Thinking of those two scenes, the name Naram naturally came to mind. I fidgeted with my fingertips and watched his reaction. He was smiling as usual, but Bihyeon’s eyes were only serious.
“Naram, Naramsan…”
At the voice murmuring and calling the name, I opened my eyes slightly. Bihyeon, wearing a gentle smile, carefully stroked my head.
“It’s a good name.”
“Really? It doesn’t seem too light…? The thing is, the meaning of the name is…”
“Tree and squirrel.”
Right. I was a bit surprised he said the exact meaning. When I blinked and stared blankly at him, Bihyeon let out a low laugh.
“Since you’re the only human left who remembers that squirrel… I think it’s a meaningful name, rather.”
Ah… I thought he wouldn’t mock me but would at least tease me. I felt grateful that he spoke so seriously, unexpectedly. And I started to feel excited. So much so that I wanted to quickly inform the Mountain God of the name. As I fiddled with the blanket and smiled, the sheep had already approached my side. Then, his face turning pale as if my body’s fever was severe, he hurriedly left saying he’d bring medicine right away. Watching his retreating figure, I closed my eyes again.
Still, perhaps because I’d decided on a name, my heart felt at ease. Let me get better quickly. Let me recover quickly so I can convey the name, and go to the café… and return to the human world again.
* * *
1 PM.
On the grounds that going to work from early morning would be too much for my body, I went to the café for the first time in a while after eating lunch. Thanks to Munmun, opening the door led directly to the café, but I was with Bihyeon, who was being stubborn. The daytime café was a little different from dawn. It was bustling to the point where you couldn’t see any empty seats, and there were many non-humans I was seeing for the first time.
As I entered the café, it became quiet for just a moment. It seemed like everyone inside turned to look at me at once, but soon, as if it had been an illusion, everyone started conversing while doing their own thing. Probably they turned their gaze away because of the tremendous being called Bihyeon behind me, if nothing else.
“Aren’t you going to work?”
Since I started staying at Bihyeon’s house, I’d never seen him go to work. They say if Bihyeon-nim doesn’t go earn money, this world’s economy won’t turn. When I gave him a pointed look, Bihyeon burst out laughing with a “Haha,” and looked at me. Seeing him smile with his eyes, he seemed to be enjoying himself. He might have been in a good mood because he heard from the sheep this morning, “You still need to be careful, but you’ve really recovered a lot. Fortunately, your recovery speed is still fast, probably because you’re eating and sleeping well.”
“Actually, I have to go today. I’ll just get my coffee.”
Perhaps because Bihyeon spoke to me formally, the customers in the hall visibly flinched.
“Sola! You’re here.”
“Yes, Boss.”
Boss Ppik must have been in the kitchen, as he hurriedly popped out while taking off his apron. Then, with sparkling eyes, he approached me and spread his arms. I quickly ran over and hugged him. Splat. I felt smooth skin, but right now my feeling of gladness was greater, so I ignored it for now. My eyes met with the snake who was standing hesitantly at the counter, and I nodded my head slightly.
“Is your body okay? You don’t need to rest more?”
The question was directed at me, but the boss’s eyes turned toward Bihyeon.
“As long as you don’t push him too hard.”
“Oh my, of course! I’ll do all the hard work myself.”
The boss seemed to still be afraid of Bihyeon, as he fidgeted restlessly. However, perhaps in a good mood from my saying I was okay, he kept grinning and bowed toward him. Bihyeon gestured roughly and looked at me, pointing at the counter.
“Give me coffee.”
“Ah! Right.”
The moment I looked at the counter, I remembered what I’d forgotten. I hurriedly took out my wallet from my bag and held out the card that the Mountain God had once handed me to pay on his behalf.
“Things happened like that, so I couldn’t return it to you. You probably already blocked it, but…”
It’s not like I didn’t want to return it. Somehow I’d become a person who stole a card, so I was flustered. And not just anything, but a card… Come to think of it, it felt like I’d committed a tremendously bad act, so when I rolled my eyes, Bihyeon smiled and wrapped my hand.
“I didn’t block it, so keep it.”
“What… the card?”
“Yeah, use it to buy snacks.”
With a face that’s mature to the point of being seductive, saying ‘snacks’ is really strange. Mm… how exactly should I react? Should I say that entrusting or giving a card to another person is absolutely not right? As I was pondering, Bihyeon smiled with his eyes. It was a very ominous-looking gaze.
“Anyway, since I took out all the cards in your wallet, you won’t have anything to use.”
“…Pardon?”
Flustered, I gripped the card tightly and checked my wallet. Oh, there really aren’t any. I have my student ID and resident registration card, but…
“Bihyeon-nim…?”
“Hm?”
Bihyeon, who had tilted his head with eyes that said ‘I don’t know anything,’ let go of my hand and headed toward the counter.
“Will you give me my cards?”
“I don’t want to.”
“Even if I say I won’t use this? I’ll be starving all over the place because I can’t use my cards…?”
“Every time you come back starving, I’ll just lock you in the house and feed you until your stomach bursts.”
He was smiling, but his coldly shining eyes seemed quite serious, so I pressed my eyes firmly.
“I prefer the option of locking you up so you can’t go out.”
Even the words that followed were quite earnest, so I shook my head while holding out my hand.
“I’ll use it, I’m going to spend it lavishly.”
When I spoke through gritted teeth, Bihyeon stood in front of the counter and tapped it with his finger.
“Right, there’s no limit, so go ahead and spend lavishly.”
His smile seemed to say, “Let’s see just how well you can spend,” and it was irritating. Don’t be surprised every time it processes a payment. I’m really going to spend lavishly. I’ll even go to that expensive-looking meat restaurant near school that I could never visit. I’ll even order two whole menu items at the snack bar. I’ll show you what extravagance is. I looked at him with blazing eyes. Soon, I went to the POS and pressed the iced Americano menu, and before Bihyeon could even take out his wallet, I swiped the card he’d given me.
Then he burst into laughter as if delighted. I thought he’d be annoyed… but even the action I just did seemed cute to him, judging by his laugh, so my heart tickled for no reason.
“Did I spend lavishly?”
“No, not yet. This is just the beginning…”
Of course, I was conscious of his gaze, so I kept glancing at him and stuttered.
“I’m going to spend even more lavishly.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
With a low “Haha,” he took the drink, took a sip, and then waved his hand.
“Don’t overdo it. I’ll come pick you up later.”
“Yes, see you later.”
I waved my hand back at him. After that, I went to the staff room to put down my bag to properly start working, then came out to the counter. The snake son who had been staring at me from a distance while fidgeting with his hands hesitantly approached.
“Um, h-hello. I don’t know if you remember me…”
“I remember you.”
“Yes… Yes! My name is Bidan.”
“I’m Yoon Hansol.”
I shook the hand he shyly extended. The boss seemed to be very pleased with our first greeting, as he smiled warmly while watching us.
“Sola, since today is your first day back, let’s just do exactly three hours.”
“I can do more, Boss.”
“No. I’ll get scolded by Bihyeon-nim. And I don’t want to see you sick either.”
“Mm… if that’s the case… I’ll just do three hours.”
“If it gets hard while working, you must tell me.”
“Yes.”
By the way, there really are many customers I’m seeing for the first time. Even while pretending not to, their gazes glancing this way were full of curiosity.
That’s when it happened. Around the time when everyone was only exchanging glances, someone suddenly stood up and strode confidently toward the counter. Long hair mixed with white and gray. While resembling a human, there were three long vertical lines drawn on the cheek area. They looked like scars, or like someone had drawn lines. Moreover, the sharp teeth protruding out from the lips reminded me of a shark. Plus, below the neck, the skin had a dark gray tint…
‘Wow… if a shark were humanized and walked around, I think they’d look like that.’
Around the time I was having such thoughts, he approached me and suddenly held out a card.
“…Cookies!”
“Cookies?”
“Yes, give me cookies!”
His mouth was chewing as he suddenly yelled, making me flinch and step back. But I just arrived, so I haven’t made any cookies. When I glanced to the side, the snake was flustered and pulled out a packaged cookie from the display case.
“H-here…”
“Huh… who are you trying to fill up with this? I’m not a minnow!”
The snake panicked and pulled out two more cookies. Still, as if it wasn’t satisfactory, his face crumpled in irritation.
“Don’t you have walnut pie or something like that…?”
The shark who had been yelling suddenly started chewing his mouth and glanced at me before adding ‘like that’ at the end. He was someone who was really awkward with formal speech. Ah, not someone. Even though I saw so many non-human beings right before coming here, I’m still not used to it. The fact that I, a human, am involved in this world. Well… I’m not an ordinary human anymore either. From their perspective, I might be even more curious.
“I just returned today, so I haven’t made anything. If you come next time, I’ll definitely make some.”
Somehow it seemed like he wanted to eat snacks I made, so I spoke calmly with a smile. Then the shark-like person immediately showed eyes of understanding.
“You’d better make a lot. I mean… you should. Half the customers here came after hearing rumors about your snacks.”
“Huh? Really?”
Not even the dawn customers… I thought these non-humans who had no connection to me wouldn’t be interested in what I made. When I leaned forward and looked toward the tables, as if by promise, those who had been looking this way hurriedly turned their heads the other way.
“Have you been fooled your whole life? I mean…”
While speaking crookedly, the man was glancing and staring intently at the cookies the snake had offered. The snake stood in front of the counter, saying he’d process the payment. I stared at them and then rolled up my sleeves. Should I start by wiping tables to get used to the work? The drinks are already memorized in my head… When I took out the tools from the cleaning supply closet, the boss, who had been organizing coffee beans, looked at me with sparkling eyes.
