At 11 p.m., all the lights on the ceiling of the orphanage went out.
After confirming that all fourteen children sharing the room were asleep, Yeonwoo secretly got up from her bed, turned on the flashlight, and unfolded a book.
Although she had seen the book plenty during the day, reading it at night when the darkness swallowed the world had its own charm.
“Yeonwoo, Mom went abroad to study. If our Yeonwoo grows up beautifully, she will come to see you someday.”
Four years ago, her late father, when Yeonwoo stared blankly out the window, would bring up her mom without being asked.
Every time, Yeonwoo would silently nod her head as if she didn’t care.
“Look at this? Yeonwoo, if you arrange your hands like this, wow! It’s a butterfly. A butterfly.”
“This time, woof woof. Woof woof. You became a puppy, huh?”
“This one looks like a rabbit resembling our Yeonwoo. How about it? Dad is cool, right?”
On nights when sleep wouldn’t come, her dad would sometimes play shadow games.
Reading the book, Yeonwoo suddenly remembered those times and quietly moved her hands over the pages.
“…Butterfly.”
Even at the age when she could make cute puppies and rabbits resembling herself, the one who could create them was gone from her side.
The weight of death, her dad’s empty seat, and her mom’s heart that still hadn’t come to find her—Yeonwoo still didn’t fully understand.
What kind of person is her mom?
Is she someone she doesn’t want to see?
Sometimes overwhelmed by intense curiosity, Yeonwoo invariably looked out the window.
Certainly, the world inside the thick pages of the book was more peaceful than the outside world. Breaking through the darkness, Yeonwoo turned the pages again.
The next day, rain drizzled down. Going to school early in the morning and unexpectedly encountering rain brought deep sorrow to young Yeonwoo.
Especially, she disliked rainy days. The truck her dad was driving slipped on the wet road, causing a big accident that day.
So, heavy rain was the button for tears for Yeonwoo.
Among the children who noisily chatted during break time, Yeonwoo read her book alone again today.
“Jeong Yeonwoo, are you reading a book again?”
Her classmate Jinsoo teased her, but Yeonwoo showed no reaction.
Jinsoo, who was big in size, often made fun of Yeonwoo, calling her a bookworm. But in fact, it was because he liked her.
Yeonwoo had no interest in Jinsoo’s sincerity.
“Do you want this?”
What Jinsoo secretly took out of his pocket was a vitamin with a drawing of Pororo. Yeonwoo glanced at it briefly, then turned her eyes back to the book with a perplexed expression.
“Do you want some? It’s not something kindergarten kids eat, right? Childish.”
“What? Childish? Hey! You’re always wearing the same clothes. Are you a beggar?”
Unable to bear it any longer, Yeonwoo forcefully scratched the back of Jinsoo’s head.
Other kids who were watching the scene immediately rushed to report to the homeroom teacher as soon as the class started, and Yeonwoo eventually had to be called forward after all the classes were over.
“Yeonwoo, come here. Would you like this? It’s hot cocoa milk.”
“…….”
Without touching the cup of milk or meeting the teacher’s eyes, Yeonwoo just stared blankly out the window where the rain was falling.
The homeroom teacher, who sighed heavily, kept silent for a while and then spoke with difficulty.
“Did Jinsoo bother you again?”
“…….”
“If Yeonwoo speaks up, the teacher might be able to help Yeonwoo.”
Only then did Yeonwoo look directly at the teacher. She had bright and clear eyes.
Yet, on the other hand, those eyes were too cold and dry for a nine-year-old.
“It’s okay even if you don’t help.”
“What?”
“I’m fine.”
“Yeonwoo.”
“…….”
Once again, the homeroom teacher let out a long sigh.
For over nine months, Yeonwoo never spoke of her grievances.
While every other child complained about trivial matters dozens of times a day, saying, ‘Teacher! Teacher! He did this. She did that,’ and sought help, Yeonwoo never once talked about herself.
The homeroom teacher spoke with a warm smile.
“Yeonwoo, you shouldn’t hit your friends. No matter what happens.”
“…Yes.”
“But the teacher is really curious why Yeonwoo had to hit Jinsoo today.”
“…….”
“Can you tell me next time? The teacher will wait.”
“…Yes.”
“Okay. Just go home now. By the way, Yeonwoo, did you bring an umbrella?”
“Yes, I brought it.”
It was a reflexive lie.
On rainy days, the children at the orphanage subtly fought to claim good umbrellas. Since Yeonwoo always stayed a few steps away, she had never used a good umbrella. Today, she didn’t even have one.
It was because the rain suddenly started. Just like when she lost her dad, she couldn’t prepare for anything.
“Yaaah. Take my sword!”
When she left the classroom and entered the hallway, kids from other classes were playing with umbrellas as if they were toys, swinging them around.
Wincing, Yeonwoo avoided them, huddling her body in the opposite direction.
Unfortunately, her shoulder accidentally bumped into the top part of an umbrella wielded by someone.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
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