‘It reminds me of Bomi when she throws a tantrum…’

Meiana thought.

Bomi was one of the pet dogs she had raised in her past life.

That year, the family had been deeply saddened after sending off Sundali, their first pet dog they’d lived with for over a decade. At sixteen, a sensitive age, and having grown up playing with Sundali since she was a toddler, her grief was indescribable.

Her father, unable to watch his daughter skip meals out of sorrow, asked around among his colleagues who had pet dogs. One day, he brought home two fluffy young Maltese puppies. They were the first and second-born of a litter of four.

“[Aren’t they cute? Look, they’re healthy. Their names are Spring and Summer. Their siblings are Autumn and Winter. They’re not even a year old. We need to take good care of them. Especially you.]”

Seeing the puppies sniffing around and running freely on her bed, she started crying again. But thanks to Bomi and Yeoreum, she could slowly let go of Sundali.

Whenever she saw Sundali’s old toys, she hoped he had been reborn as another happy dog somewhere.

Bomi and Yeoreum were siblings but had completely different personalities. Unlike Yeoreum, who was always gentle and naive no matter what happened, Bomi would demand and fuss until things changed to her liking.

How well she could hold a grudge. Thinking of the time she had to beg Bomi after getting caught sneaking medicine into her food for an eye infection, a faint smile formed on her lips.

“Meiana!”
Lost in her thoughts, Meiana was suddenly jolted awake by a loud voice. Ariante was glaring at her with a furrowed brow.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I was lost in thought. What’s the matter?”

“Why are you lost in thought!”

Throwing another tantrum. Meiana nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m allowed to have my thoughts.”

“No! Don’t you dare. From now on, no more daydreaming.”

“So what should I do? Think only of you, Your Highness?”

“Yes!”

Caught off guard, Ariante snapped her mouth shut. She didn’t realize she had let her true feelings slip… It was impossible for Meiana to hold back her laughter at the glare Ariante was giving her.

Meiana said,

“Fine, from now on, I’ll only think of you, Your Highness.”

Saying this, she sat across from Ariante, propped her chin, and widened her eyes as she tilted her head.

“Why are you so bothered, Your Highness? Why are you acting out? You say you dislike sherbet, books, and even games, what exactly do you want to do?”

“Iieek…!”

Irritated, Ariante furiously shook her legs as if she was about to kick. But her legs were too short to touch the ground…

“Meiana, you stupid pig!”

“Stupid pig, you say? How can you say that when I’m paying all my attention to you, Your Highness? Why are you clenching your fists like that? Are you going to hit me for being a stupid pig?”

“I don’t know!”

Ariante slammed her palm onto the table and leapt down from her chair. Then she ran towards the door, turning back to stick out her tongue.

“Stupid pig! Cicada shell!”

Cicada shell…

The sound of Ariante’s hurried footsteps faded away. Meiana rested her forehead on the table and chuckled. Cicada shell, of all things! She must have thought it was a bad word.

“Ah… really, so cute I could die.”

Meiana grinned as she turned her head. Where had Ariante gone? What mischief was she up to this time? Maybe sliding down the banister to startle the maids… or perhaps stealing flowers from vases to scatter petals all over the hallway.

“I have to follow and see what our cute princess is up to.”

Muttering to herself, Meiana rose from her seat.

“What are you doing here?”

It was Vainty. For some reason, he looked unusually anxious and rushed.

“What’s the matter? What happened?”

At Meiana’s question, Vainty raised his voice.

“Is that what you call a question right now? Hurry up! The Princess is causing another scene!”