Chapter 125: Change (3)

 

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t surprised, but Eun-ha looked utterly adorable.  

 

To be honest, I wanted to see it again, but Eun-ha kept pouting.  

 

She was huddled in the corner of the bedroom, cheeks puffed out with air.

 

“Eun-ha, can you show me your face now? How long are you going to stay like that?”  

 

“No… It’s embarrassing! I’m so embarrassed—!”

 

She doesn’t seem to realize how cute she looks, all curled up in the corner.  

 

It makes me want to tease her even more.

 

“Why~ You looked like a mischievous little girl. It was cute~”

 

As I teased her with a grin, Eun-ha’s head creaked toward me.  

 

Then, biting her lip, she lunged at me on the bed.

 

“Ugh—! I told you not to tease me like that—! Forget it! Forget it now! Just forget it—!”  

 

“How could I forget that? Can’t you do it just one more time? I didn’t get a good look.”  

 

“I hate you! I hate you, Han-gyeol! Get out! Get out of the bedroom—!”  

 

“No way~ I want to cuddle with my cute girlfriend.”

 

I wrapped my arms tightly around Eun-ha, refusing to let go.  

 

She struggled with all her might, but it wasn’t enough to break free.

 

“Ugh…! Let me go—! I’ll leave!”  

 

“That’s not happening~ You started this. You can come in as you please, but you can’t leave just like that~” 

 

“Argh—! Just forget it! Please! I’m twenty years old, I don’t want to create any more embarrassing memories!”

 

Oh wow, she’s stronger than I thought.  

 

I might actually lose my grip.

 

“I thought you looked cute with pigtails though. Can’t you show me sometimes when we’re alone?”  

 

“No way—! Not even you can see that—!” 

 

“But the only hairstyle I’ve seen you with is a ponytail. I’m curious.”  

 

“Ugh… Even if you say that, pigtails are off-limits! Absolutely not!”

 

She’s really not budging.  

 

I thought she’d give in by now, but she must be super embarrassed.

  

But I can’t back down here.

 

“You looked so cute, though.”  

 

“I said no!”  

 

“You really did look cute.”  

 

“No way—! That’s not happening—!”  

 

“So cute I want to see it again.”  

 

“…”

 

Oh—she’s wavering.

 

“You were so cute I’d love to see it again, even in a dream. Usually, you’re so pure and lovely, but with pigtails, you were just pure cuteness. I mean it in a good way. I’d love to see that side of you again, but if you really don’t want to, I won’t ask anymore. But just one last time, could you show me?”

 

I pulled Eun-ha into my arms and spoke softly.  

 

After a moment of hesitation, she murmured quietly.

 

"Do you… really want to see it that much?"  

 

"Yeah. But if you really don’t want to, that’s okay."  

 

"What… How can I not show you when you say it like that—!"  

 

"It’s really fine~"  

 

"Your tone says it’s absolutely ‘not’ fine—! Fine! I’ll show you—!" 

 

"Thank you~"

 

I grinned at her, feeling triumphant.

 

"Wait a moment."

 

Eun-ha pouted, then fetched a comb from the vanity and handed it to me.

 

"But you have to tie it yourself—!"  

 

"Me? I don’t know how to tie hair."  

 

"I’m not backing down anymore—! If you want to see it, you have to do it yourself!"  

 

"At least give me some instructions."  

 

"Just comb it out and tie it on both sides… that’s it…!"  

 

"That’s a pretty vague explanation."

 

It seemed she didn’t want to explain any further. 

 

Handing me the comb, Eun-ha sat down right in front of me.

 

"Is this the first time I’m combing your hair?"  

 

"I guess so. You’ve dried it for me before, but I don’t think you’ve ever combed it."

  

"Really? Well, I’ll do it now. Come a little closer?"

 

Despite her grumpy expression, Eun-ha scooted closer to me.  

 

I carefully started to comb her hair.  

 

The scent of her shampoo filled the air, and her silky hair became neatly arranged.

 

"Your hair is really soft, Eun-ha."  

 

"Is it…? I didn’t really do anything special."  

 

"The shampoo smells nice too."

 

I gently held a section of her hair and inhaled the fragrance.  

 

Eun-ha’s ears turned slightly red, as if she was embarrassed by the situation.

 

"Are you embarrassed by the smell of your shampoo?"  

 

"N-no… It’s just been a while since someone’s combed my hair…!"  

 

"That means you’re embarrassed."  

 

"Just tie it up already—! Ouch!"

 

There was a loud snap as her hair tangled and pulled.

 

"Oh no, sorry."  

 

"Han-gyeol, you…!"  

 

"It was an accident, an accident. I’ll go slowly. Look straight ahead."

  

"Be gentle, okay…?"  

 

"Yes, yes~"

 

Eun-ha seemed to secretly enjoy me combing her hair, as she sat silently, without complaint.  

 

I considered saying something to break the silence, but the quiet moment didn’t feel so bad.  

 

Once her hair was smooth, I divided it into two sections, taking one and attempting to tie it with a hair tie.

 

"This isn’t easy…"  

 

"Do you like me better when I’m cute? Or when I’m pure? Or maybe when I’m sexy?"  

 

"Hmm. Each has its own charm. When you’re like this, you’re cute and lovable, when I see you from afar, you’re pure and beautiful, and at night… you’re incredibly sexy. Are you by any chance sweet by day and wild by night?"  

 

"Ah—! Stop right there! Why are you raising the stakes all of a sudden?"  

 

"I’m just saying you’re pretty no matter what. There— all done."  

 

"Really? Let me see."  

 

"It might be better if you don’t…"

 

Eun-ha got off the bed and walked over to the vanity, gazing at her reflection in the mirror.  

 

There's no way I could tie her hair well, given that I barely know how to do it.

 

"What is this—! It looks totally weird!"  

 

"It’s my first time, so what do you expect?"  

 

"Do you really think this is cute?!"  

 

"I told you, you’re pretty no matter what."  

 

"So that’s what you were leading up to earlier?! Get over here—! Han-gyeol, come here!"

 

Eun-ha jumped back onto the bed.

 

"Ack—! Sorry! I’m sorry—!"

 

***

 

"Why does it end up like this?"

 

Eun-ha fiddled with my hair, eventually tying it into a small ponytail on top of my head, often called an "apple hair."  

 

Eun-ha’s expression was adorable as she looked up at me, clearly happy, but this hairstyle...

 

"You look so cute, Han-gyeol…! Super cute…! Can’t you do this apple hair sometimes?!"  

 

"Impossible. While you actually look cute, I definitely do not."  

 

"As long as I think you’re cute, that’s all that matters~ Right now, you’re so cute! I just want to nibble on you—!!"

 

Eun-ha with pigtails is objectively adorable, so that’s fine.  

 

But me, with my stoic expression and this ridiculous apple hair… 

 

there’s no way it’s cute.  

 

But why is she looking at me with those sparkling eyes, making it so hard to refuse?

 

"Han-gyeol! Just once a month! No more, no less, just once!"

  

"No way~ I’m not cute, so let’s skip it."

 

When I refused, Eun-ha mumbled in disappointment.

 

"But I really want to see it."  

 

"I said no~"  

 

"I really, really want to see it."  

 

"No way~ This is absolutely—"

 

Wait, what?  

 

Isn’t this the exact same situation from earlier?  

 

Except our roles are reversed?

 

"Really not happening?"  

 

"Nope."  

 

"Really, really, ‘really’ not happening?"

 

Eun-ha slowly crawled toward me on the bed.

 

"Not even once a month? How about once every two months? You know, Han-gyeol, you usually look so serious, but sometimes you’re unexpectedly cute like this. The contrast is so striking that I really want to see it again. But if you really don’t want to, I won’t push it. Just one last time, can you show me?"

 

I lost. I totally lost.

 

"Later, you can do apple hair for Hanbyul, and I’ll do pigtails for Eunbyul. Let’s think of it as practice until then. Okay? I love you, Han-gyeol. So, just once every two months—!"  

 

"Alright. But not for life, okay?! If I hate it, I’m stopping."  

 

"What—?! Where’s the fun in that! If you’re going to do it, you should do it for life—! You’re so stingy!"  

 

"I’m just trying to find a compromise here."  

 

"Fine, until Hanbyul and Eunbyul are born!"

 

They’re not even born yet…  

 

Is this all part of Eun-ha’s grand plan?

 

“If you don’t like it, then let’s hurry up and have kids—!”  

 

“You really don’t hold back, do you?”  

 

“I always mean what I say, you know?”

 

Eun-ha’s serious tone caught me off guard.

 

“Lately, living with you, Han-gyeol, I’ve realized that a lively home is really the best! We haven’t had any big fights, and we get along so well, don’t we?!”

 

Eun-ha spoke with a happy smile, recounting our daily lives.

 

“Other couples say they fight a lot, but I don’t think we’ve ever had a serious argument. The more I think about it, the more I want to build a proper family with you as soon as possible. We can have Hanbyul, Eunbyul, Saetbyul, and even our youngest, who we haven’t named yet. It sounds wonderful. I’d love to take pictures with our son in an apple hair and our daughters in pigtails, just like today~”

 

“You start by tying hair and end up talking about kids who aren’t even born yet.”  

 

“Don’t you want to be the kind of dad who ties his daughters’ hair?”  

 

“I do want to be loved by a daughter who looks just like you.”

 

I’ve never seen Eun-ha as a child, but… 

 

Imagining a daughter who looks like her running to me, calling “Dad”...  

 

What is this? I could die happy right now.

 

“I knew it. Then we need to practice. I’m offering my hair, so go ahead and practice.”

 

Eun-ha smiled and handed me her hair.

 

“Be honest. You enjoyed tying my hair, didn’t you?”  

 

“Was it that obvious…?! For some reason, it made my heart flutter. I also liked it when you combed my hair.”  

 

“What if our daughters ask me to comb their hair too? I’ve only got two hands.”  

 

“Then I’ll have the boys tie my hair~”  

 

“If someone overheard us, they’d think we already have kids.”  

 

“So what? It’s just a story that will become reality someday.”

 

Eun-ha has always believed in and waited for our future together.

 

“Yeah, you’re right. Let’s graduate quickly, save up money, and get married.”  

 

“Yeah! And let’s have kids right away!”  

 

“Sure, sure.”

 

Knowing that someone wishes for a future with me makes me incredibly happy.  

 

It made me feel like I was someone really special.

--- The End OF The Chapter ---

 

[TL: Hello everyone! I’m thrilled to announce that my friend Parth just picked up a new novel from the brilliant author of InterspeciesWives and WhyAreYouBecomingAVillainAgain?! Though it’s still in its early stages with only a few chapters, this one feels even more promising than his previous works. Please do check it out. https://www.readingpia.me/series/a-knight-who-protects-his-enemies

 

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