She was no different from a beast

Chapter 8

—–CROW—– 

“…”

“Yuna? Why do you look so glum?”

“I’m bored.”

Wow. This is the true terror of civilization.

Until last year, I was a pure country girl who found joy in climbing Geobuk Mountain and diving off cliffs, but after going to the city with Dad and tasting civilization… I’d lost interest.

It wasn’t that things weren’t fun… but they felt lacking.

Like ramen without the seasoning packet?  Too bland, like drinking plain water.

I’d become addicted to the dopamine rush from the gunshots and thrills in the PC room, triggered by the clicking of the mouse.  The natural, organic dopamine of the countryside could no longer satisfy me.

Suyeon naturally worried about her daughter’s quiet, listless demeanor.

Until last year, although her heart would skip a beat every time Yuna came home after playing outside, expending her boundless energy, she was also relieved that her first child was so healthy.

Yuna might have been a wild child, but she was also considerate and respectful to adults.

Her words and actions might have seemed like those of a typical child her age, but she never relied on her parents or threw tantrums.

She never pestered them for things she wanted to eat, and raising her had been effortless.

Even as a baby, she rarely cried. She only cried when she needed a diaper change… and even then, she would point to her crotch with her finger when Suyeon approached.

It was as if she had acted a bit like an adult from birth.

“W-Well, then shall we play together?”

“With Mom?”

Suyeon, reflecting on the past, realized she had never played with Yuna, despite being her mother.  She forced a smile and sat next to her.

Cute Yuna tilted her head, looking up at her with bright, sparkling eyes.

It seemed her daughter was a little lonely.

With no friends her age around and only adults, she must have been very lonely, even if she didn’t show it.

Come to think of it, I… as a mother, haven’t really paid much attention to Yuna.

She was a child who played well by herself…

So, in times like these, I, as her mother, should step up and make sure she doesn’t feel lonely!

“Then what should we play, Mom?”

“Hmm~ How about playing house?”

“That’s childish.”

“… “

Oh, no.  Playing house is fine for a 7-year-old, isn’t it?

That’s so mean.

Suyeon was inwardly hurt.

‘Is she bored these days?’

Dad was often away, preparing for their wedding anniversary next month.

He wanted to go to the city and play with Yuna, but he said celebrating their anniversary was more important for now.

Perhaps Suyeon wanted to fill Dad’s absence and spend time with her listless, dopamine-deprived daughter.

If Suyeon knew the real reason behind Yuna’s boredom, she wouldn’t know whether to be proud of her thoughtful daughter or to correct her ridiculous misunderstanding… but since she didn’t know, it didn’t matter, right?

“Oh my~ Honey, you’re home?”

Mom greeted me with a bright smile, wearing an apron and sitting in the living room.

Wow.  She’s so beautiful.

I understand why Dad always has a big smile on his face when he comes home.

She was about to turn 30, but her youthful looks, firm skin, slim waist, and perky, large breasts made it hard to believe she had given birth.

Hmm.  Mom is beautiful, but if I just play half-heartedly because I’m captivated by her looks, she’ll get bored again.

This is quite a predicament~ There’s no other daughter as filial as me, entertaining her own mother.

Think, Yuna.  Analyze this “playing house” situation from the perspective of a cold and objective adult who has tasted all the bitterness of society, even though your body is only 7 years old.

If it were children playing house, like in kindergarten or daycare, we could just play the roles of mom and dad and have fun.

But adult play? It needs to be more profound, realistic, and showcase the mature aspects of a married couple… uh. Hmm.

‘Bad thoughts, go away!!’

I pushed the image of my parents’ passionate display from last year back into the depths of my brain.

“Woman! Bring me some *jeyuk* and soju!”

“??”

When you play, you want to enjoy a different situation than your everyday life.

Since Mom and Dad are always lovey-dovey, shouldn’t we try the opposite in our play?

I sat down with my legs spread open next to Mom, frowning and looking up at her.

This was how husbands who wanted to ruin their families acted in dramas and YouTube videos in my past life.

“Y-Yuna?”

“Hey! How dare you! A wife calling her husband’s name so casually! Do I look easy to you, the husband who works hard to earn money?!”

Oh. Mom’s acting is amazing!

She called my name in a trembling voice, as if she was genuinely flustered and scared.  It seemed like she was seriously acting like a virtuous wife in a family on the verge of collapse.

As expected of me. I’m such a filial daughter, understanding Mom’s feelings so well.

“Bring it quickly! You woman… Aaaaaargh!!”

“Where did you learn to talk like that!!!”

Aaaaaargh!! The wife is attacking the husband! Help! Somebody! Neighbors!!

Mom’s soft knuckle sandwich landed on my head, and I rolled on the floor. Facing a spanking, I eventually sold out Dad…

*Click, click.*

“What did you do to your mother this time?”

“We played house.”

At the PC room, Dad, who had just returned from his secret base for the upcoming surprise party, and I were sitting side by side, clicking away at the mouse.

Dad, making eye contact with Mom, whose face was red with anger, silently took me and left the house.

No, to be precise, we were kicked out by her overwhelming aura.

Like the Red Devils, once the mascot of Korean soccer, Mom was furious… oh man. I almost peed my pants.  No, maybe I did leak a little.

“Why is Mom angry about playing house?”

“I copied what I saw on TV.  Like ordering drinks and *jeyuk*? … Oh, one enemy went B long.”

“Okay. Got it. Wow, our daughter.  But did you sell out Dad there? Sometimes, Dad is the most scared of our daughter in this house~”

“I’m most scared of Mom. I’ll pick up the TRG.”

“Kya. I’ll get to see my daughter’s sniping skills after a long time.”

Dad seemed to understand what had happened and chuckled, focusing back on the game.

We each had a cup of ramen next to our keyboards, slurping and munching every time the victory screen appeared.

A passing customer was startled to see a 7-year-old skillfully playing Thunder Attack with her dad in a PC room, where children shouldn’t be at this late hour.

It seemed like I’d have to sneak back home tonight.

‘No, it was a misunderstanding.’

I thought Mom wanted to play with me because she was lonely, but I heard the next day that she wanted to play because she felt sorry for me being listless due to dopamine deficiency.

In a way, it was a warm family moment where mother and daughter cared for each other, but due to a clash of misunderstandings, a very vibrant adult version of playing house and a spanking session unfolded.

I found it quite fun, so I suggested it to Mom a few times, but… hmm.

– Mom! Want to play house?

– Oh, no!!!

Mom was startled and vehemently refused.

I could be the wife this time.

It was a short play session, less than 10 minutes, but it was so fresh and fun that I would think about what roles to play next every night before going to bed.

The naked apron, a cliché once popular in anime and subculture games!

I’d still wear panties underneath, but it was a popular male fantasy, wasn’t it?

“Welcome home~ Honey~ Do you want dinner first? A bath first? Or… me first?”

I wanted to instill new knowledge in Mom and motivate her to produce the younger sister who still hadn’t arrived, but it’s such a shame.

It seemed like playing with Mom was a distant dream for now.

Playing with Dad until their anniversary also felt a bit awkward.

The only thing left was to play outside like before… huh?

“Wow.  Pretty!”

“??”

What? Who was this small, tiny kid who looked like they’d fold in half if I kicked them?

Today, I was planning to help with errands at the supermarket and get snacks from Grandpa, but… I made eye contact with a little girl looking around in front of the supermarket.

She had neat, black, mushroom-shaped bob hair and clear eyes that seemed to say, “I don’t know anything~ I’m still a pure and innocent child~”.

The girl, wearing a white long-sleeved T-shirt with strawberries and a pink skirt, pointed her finger at me.

Pointing fingers at a stranger? Was she gesturing for me to show her a magic trick where fingers bend in the wrong direction?

Of course not.

It was just a reaction unique to the innocence of children.

If I tried to give her an early etiquette lesson and bent her finger, she would scream… right?

‘Our village’s youngest had his front paw bent by me.’

That was already last year~ I miss it~

“Hey! What’s your name?”

Anyway, the innocent pointing of the unfamiliar girl was followed by a request for an introduction!

It’s important to make a strong impression when introducing yourself for the first time.

This is a valuable tip for interpersonal relationships, whether at school or work!

I put my hands on my hips, smiled confidently, and said in a powerful voice!!

“Greetings!  Strong and powerful morning! If you ask me who I am, I’m Han Yuna!”

I made a strong impression with a cheesy, machine-translated-sounding self-introduction!

—–CROW—–