I Like You (2)

“Junior Hana, would you like some?”

Ma Hana stared blankly at the suddenly appearing giant popcorn.

She was a bit surprised, but soon remembered what Choi Mari had explained before.

A Rare-grade divine law known as [Remnants of Relief].

Choi Mari had told her it used divine law to create food that had no nutritional value but could fill one’s stomach.

This must be that ability.

“Meow. I’ll eat well.”
“Ahh~”

Chew.

Ma Hana grabbed a handful of popcorn handed by Choi Mari and stuffed it into her mouth.

Her tail wagged automatically at the salty flavor.

“Ah! It seems they’re moving.”

Hearing Choi Mari’s exclamation, Ma Hana turned her gaze.

Yu Seha was moving quickly, and Ju Na-young was making a retching sound.

Watching Choi Mari secretly following behind, Ma Hana pondered for a moment.

How did it come to this?

‘Certainly…’

It all started with the personal message that came from Choi Mari.

(Choi Mari invites Ma Hana.)

【Nun with Unusually Good Fur】: Meep! Junior Hana! Big news, big news!

【The Cat that Dominates Men】: Meow? Senior Mari? What’s going on? No, more importantly, how did you get my number…?

【Nun with Unusually Good Fur】: Hehe. I asked Junior Seha, and he told me. Anyway, that’s not the important part. Do you know? Do you know?!

【The Cat that Dominates Men】: Meow?

【Nun with Unusually Good Fur】: Oh my goodness! Junior Ju Na-young and Junior Seha are dating. They’re dating!

Ma Hana immediately went, ‘Ah~’.
Because she already knew.

‘Seha and Na-young told me.’

Yu Seha had invited Ju Na-young on a date to both apologize to her and help her with her fear of heights.

Ju Na-young reluctantly accepted it, saying, ‘Oh, I’m only going because I have to.’

Incidentally, Moon Bora knew about it as well.
It was a bit surprising that she didn’t react much, though.

Anyway, Choi Mari’s big news wasn’t really big news.

Because everyone already knew.

But the subsequent proposal was unexpected.

【Nun with Unusually Good Fur】: Let’s go together!

【The Cat that Dominates Men】: Um, Senior Mari. St-stalking isn’t a good thing…

【Nun with Unusually Good Fur】: No, no, it’s not stalking! We’ll just hang out and maybe watch them once or twice. We won’t interfere, I promise.

【The Cat that Dominates Men】: Meow? Hang out together?

【Nun with Surprisingly Good Fur】: Yes, exactly! That’s what I mean. Let’s go have fun too! If Junior Seha and Junior Na-young are having a great time, we can’t lose out!

【The Cat that Dominates Men】: Meow.

The proposal was to let Yu Seha and Ju Na-young enjoy themselves while they had fun in their own way.

Ma Hana’s heart was naturally tempted.

She was also someone who, like Yu Seha, had never been to such an amusement park.

‘Meeeooowww…’

It sounded fun.

And this was proven when they actually arrived and rode various rides with Choi Mari.

It was fun.

She was happy.

If there was one thing to regret…

‘Meeoow, it would have been better if I could ride with Seha.’

But she knew it couldn’t be helped.

Even though they were at the same place at the same time…
Seha was comforting Na-young.

After spending a long time having fun, they came back to the present moment.

“Oh my goodness…!”

At Choi Mari’s exclamation, Ma Hana turned her gaze.
Across the bench row, on the other side, she saw Ju Na-young and Yu Seha sitting together.

-…Young-aah…
-Ju Na-young, are you okay?
-…Do you think I’m okay?!

Ju Na-young huffed in anger.
Yu Seha handed her <Choco Mint Leaf> Mentos and cola.

“Kyaaa~ It’s so sweet. Sweet! I understand why Director Divine Light Garam insists on them being a couple.”

Choi Mari stomped her feet in delight as she watched.

Ma Hana silently watched the two.

To be precise, she had been quietly observing them since this morning.

The feelings she had then and now were the same.

‘…As expected…’

They looked perfect together.

Anyone would agree.

The two, with appearances so striking that every passerby couldn’t help but admire them, seemed like the happiest couple in the world.

It was as if the space around them existed in a different world entirely.

‘……’

If an ordinary person had seen this scene, they might have felt admiration or jealousy.

No, even if it wasn’t Ma Hana here but Moon Bora…

She would have been tormented by the murky, dark emotions that inevitably rose despite knowing better.

However, the thoughts Ma Hana held were entirely different.

A gentle smile played on her lips.

Surprisingly, not a trace of dark emotions arose.

‘Meow.’

If it were the past…
Ma Hana’s heart would have sunk quite a bit.

Perhaps worried that Yu Seha might be spending more time with Ju Na-young…
Fearing she might be sidelined.

“But not anymore.”

Ma Hana placed her hand over her small but certainly swelling chest.
She knew well.
That would never happen.

The certainty that Yu Seha would not leave her.
And it was the same for her.

No matter how great his adventures became, no matter how famous he grew…

Ma Hana would never leave Yu Seha’s side.

If his journey ended, if he decided it was time to rest, she would rest with him.

Like a pampered house cat loved by its owner, she would curl up beside him, purring contentedly.

To Ma Hana, that was the true endpoint of all journeys and adventures.

“But…”

When she imagined it being just the two of them…

The image felt far too barren.

Ma Hana hoped for more warmth beside Yu Seha.

She looked toward a future beyond the present.

In a way, it could be called Ma Hana’s dream.

‘Meeoow…’

An even more splendid Yu Seha.

Ju Na-young with long hair flowing down to her waist.

Moon Bora with shorter hair, nagging at them about something or other.

Professor Peng Jin-ah watching subtly.

And Senior Choi Mari… well, she was hard to predict.

Other diverse and warm people surrounding them.

And finally…

“Meow.”

She imagined a more mature version of herself, smiling brightly right at Yu Seha’s side.

“Ah, Junior Hana! The two are moving. They seem to be going to the Ferris wheel! Let’s go ride it too.”

“Meeow… yes!”

She followed Choi Mari, pondering.

Why did she wish for something like this?

It wasn’t exactly a normal dream to have.

The answer came to her immediately.

Memories from the past overlapped with the present.

She recalled the time after her father had passed away. She’d been left in a damp, filthy room, living in solitude.

She hated it.
She hated being alone.

Thus, Ma Hana could define her own heart.

“I see.”
“…? Junior Hana?”

***Ma Hana’s goal had not changed. ***
***To be Yu Seha’s shield and protect him. ***
***But now, one more goal had been added. ***
***For no one to feel left out and for everyone to be happy. ***

It was the moment a new star, a new dream, filled Ma Hana’s heart.

Clunk. Clunk.

The noise from the machinery moving tormented Ju Na-young’s ears.

“Yo-Yongeh…”

Her heart pounded as they climbed to a dizzying height.

She swallowed dryly, stealing a glance outside.
The dizzying view made her squeeze her eyes shut.

Currently, Yu Seha and Ju Na-young were on a Ferris wheel.

‘…This isn’t what I expected.’

Ju Na-young admitted a misjudgment.

She’d thought the Ferris wheel, with its slow movement, would be better than a roller coaster, Viking ride, or gyro drop.

But it was actually worse.

The slow, gradual, and clear view of the surroundings…

Ironically, it made Ju Na-young even more miserable.

Eyes tightly closed, trembling in her seat, she suddenly felt a firm hand rest on the back of her own.

“Na-young?”
“Heh…”

Yu Seha.

Th-that infuriating guy was grinning at her.
She felt a surge of irritation.
She wanted to complain about his overconfidence just because of his good looks.

However, his words cut in even faster than that.

“Ju Na-young.”
“…Why?!”
“Trust me and look outside. Not down, but at the sky.”
“…?”

Ju Na-young looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Soon, she gave in.

Right.

Since she had come this far, she might as well take a chance; she thought as she quickly glanced outside the window.

The same dizzying view… or so she thought.

“…Oh?”

Surprise.
Followed by a quiet exclamation of awe.

Ju Na-young found herself staring blankly at the scenery.

The time between afternoon and evening.

The sky painted in the golden hues of a setting sun.

A breathtaking, magical sight, often referred to as twilight, unfolded before her.

“…Wow.”

“Isn’t it nice?”

The enchanting moment made her momentarily forget her fear of heights.
Here, Ju Na-young let her imagination take flight, if only a little.
Right now, she pictured herself soaring through this sky with wings spread wide.

And, naturally…

‘It’d be nice if Yu Seha were flying beside me, too.’

‘If I could unlock [Wings], could I perhaps lift a grown man?’

Such thoughts crossed her mind.

“Huh?”

Ju Na-young turned her gaze to the unfamiliar sensation in her palm.

Before she knew it, Yu Seha had placed a beautifully crafted hairpin with a red gemstone in her hand.

“This… what’s this?”

Surprise flickered in Ju Na-young’s eyes.
She recognized it immediately.

The [Salamander’s Tail Needle].

A Rare-grade growth artifact.

An accessory that increased the wearer’s flame attack power to a certain level and, as a bonus, enhanced its potency.

‘…I saw it at the auction.’

She’d tried to bid on it but had failed due to a last-minute mission.

“Judging by your reaction, you recognize it?”

“Uh-huh. Yu Seha. Where did you get this…?”

“I mentioned a few days ago that I went to the <Underground Waterway> dungeon, right? This is what the boss dropped.”

“Wow, really…? You must be really lucky.”

Ju Na-young silently gazed at the hairpin.

Yu Seha smiled gently.

“This is a gift from me. And it’s also a thank you for the [Pilgrim’s Dagger].”

“Ah, no, that was… it got destroyed while fighting the troll—”

“Just take it. I want to give it to you.”

“……”

Thump.

A single heartbeat.

Then another, louder and more rapid.

Heat began to circulate through Ju Na-young’s body.

The gift she had wanted so badly…

Something Yu Seha had gone out of his way to prepare just for her.

Finally, she had it in her hands, like Ma Hana and Moon Bora had before her…

Was it because of that?

She couldn’t muster a response to the apology that followed.

“I’m sorry about the <Sea Dragon Temple>… For kissing you like that without asking…”
“……”

Words tumbled out of Yu Seha’s mouth.

In retrospect, he could have stepped back.

He mentioned having no excuse for hurting her due to his selfishness, among other things.

But like words heard in a dream, they all floated around Ju Na-young’s mind.

‘Get a grip…’

She had an instinctive premonition that things would really go wrong if this continued.

Ju Na-young decided to distance herself from Yu Seha for a while.

She thought it might help calm these emotions.

However.
Even her attempt to retreat was undone.

“…!!!”

The moment Yu Seha leaned in and fastened the hairpin into her hair, all of her thoughts scattered.

The shimmering [Salamander’s Tail Needle] glowed brilliantly on her red hair, radiating beauty.

“Hmm, as expected… With a face as pretty as yours, anything would look good.”
“……”

The setting sun overlapped behind Yu Seha, who was smiling brightly.

The scene, like a painting, had the effect of gripping Ju Na-young’s heart as if to shatter it.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.

‘Ah…’

This was bad.

‘Ah…’

She was doomed.

She couldn’t…

‘I can’t hold back anymore.’

Crack!

Ju Na-young felt dragon scales emerging under her shirt.

[Dragon Transformation] was activating, even though she didn’t want it to.

It was evidence that <Dragon’s Greed> was devouring her rationality.

“Ah… ugh… ah.”
“…Ju Na-young?”

Ju Na-young hugged herself with both arms.

Something huge inside was raising its head.

The power of the <Crimson Dragon> that she could now clearly feel.

It drooled and shouted, as if it could no longer be contained.

To devour the man in front of her right now.

“Yong… aaah…!”

Ju Na-young’s eyes trembled.

Green pupils, a diamond-shaped pattern vividly drawn.

Within, the sharp, reptilian glare shone.

She wanted him.

‘Yu Seha…’

I want him…
So badly…
I want to make him mine.