Chapter 145

Since being pulled out near the fence where the unicorn was, every time people approached us, Yoon Si-woo emanated a tense atmosphere, as if he were on edge.

He seemed fine earlier, so I wondered why he was acting like that all of a sudden.

As I tilted my head in confusion, I suddenly realized how lacking my consideration had been when I caught sight of Yoon Si-woo, who was wearing a hat and a mask.

Upon reflection, Yoon Si-woo was a well-known figure whom most people would easily recognize.

It was clear that if people noticed him, there would be annoying things like asking for pictures or autographs, so he must have come out like that to have a relaxing time without drawing attention.

But of all times, I had to draw everyone’s eyes by joyfully saying goodbye while riding a unicorn, despite him already being someone who was likely to attract attention…

From Yoon Si-woo’s perspective, it made sense that he was anxious about being recognized.

… I had just told him that it might be better not to ride if possible, and now this situation made me feel suddenly sorry.

Still, we came out together to have fun, and I felt that I was only thinking about myself while he was being overly cautious, so I lowered my head slightly and apologized to Yoon Si-woo.

“Um, I’m sorry. I said earlier that it might be best not to ride, but I didn’t think people would pay that much attention…”

“…Just be careful. Actions like that might cause some trouble.”

“…Yeah, I’ll be careful next time.”

As I answered, I felt embarrassed about my actions.

No matter what, it wasn’t childlike to excitedly wave at people at my age.

This had always been one of the issues I had been told about by my friends.

When things got tough, I tried to focus only on positive thoughts, which sometimes led to my thoughts and actions not being filtered before they came out, causing awkward situations.

After doing something like that and being pointed out, the embarrassment would hit me, and I couldn’t raise my head. At that moment, Yoon Si-woo murmured at me.

“…You know, Scarlet, you looked really happy when you were riding the unicorn. It’s the first time I’ve seen you smile so brightly.”

“…Well, it was my first time. Riding and even seeing something like a unicorn.”

Yoon Si-woo’s words somehow sounded to my ears as if he were teasing, saying, “Hey, was it really that great?”

Normally after an event like this, I would become the target of my friends’ teasing, so I subconsciously responded curtly, as if defending myself.

“It was my first time… so yeah, it makes sense that it was my first time…”@@novelbin@@

However, Yoon Si-woo’s next words were a bit different from what I expected.

“…I just warned you, but when you’re with me, if you want to do something, just go for it. Don’t worry about other people.”

“…But then, there could be trouble.”

“If trouble arises, I’ll take care of it. So just do what you want and enjoy yourself, okay?”

Looking into Yoon Si-woo’s eyes as he spoke to me as if to emphasize his point, I felt his true feelings.

He must have said that because he was worried I wouldn’t do what I wanted, thinking too much about him.

Even if it meant he might suffer a bit, his deep consideration made it impossible for even me not to feel touched.

Seriously, what a friend…

I realized that if I withdrew now, it would be embarrassing for him too, so I nodded in agreement.

“Okay, is there anything else you want to do?”

“…For now, let’s go check out the other animals. My goal today is to touch as many animals as I can!”

“Sure. We have plenty of time, so let’s go in order.”

With that lofty goal in mind, I started wandering the zoo with Yoon Si-woo.

Not long after, I sensed that there was something wrong with my goal.

It all started when I tried to pet a sheep in the pasture after seeing the unicorn, but it evaded my hand and ran away.

“…Huh?”

“…Ahaha, that’s strange. Our sheep usually love people.”

I decided to let it go, thinking that maybe the sheep was just a bit timid.

However,

“Um, excuse me. Zookeeper?”

“Why are they suddenly acting like this?”

The puppies delivering food to people sweetly, the birds flying to peck at food placed in my hand, and even the penguins annoyingly bumping their heads against my hand to receive treats.

Even the horses, despite looking very much like unicorns, all bolted in shock whenever I tried to touch them, convincing me I had to accept the fact.

It seemed that I, for some reason, had a body that animals disliked.

“…Why is everyone avoiding me?”

After wandering around, I finally arrived at Cat Town, where cats were known to be friendly. With a sigh of despair, I mumbled to myself.

Every passerby had at least one cat with them, while I was left alone in a deserted open area.

Perhaps I looked pitiful, as Yoon Si-woo tried to comfort me.

“Hey, don’t be too disheartened. Everyone has their own temperament.”

“…You’re lucky. The animals love you. Ugh, I want to hold a cat… The unicorn was fine, but…”

Hearing such words from him, who had cats clinging to him, didn’t comfort me at all.

Could it be that every other animal, besides the unicorn, just hated me?

It seemed that unicorns were just on a hipster trend.

Damn it, I want to hold a cat too.

As I glanced at Yoon Si-woo with envy, he grabbed one of the cats that had been clinging to him and offered it to me.

However, the moment I hesitantly reached out towards the cat, it hissed loudly and broke free from his hands, darting away.

Moreover, just my approaching caused the other cats clinging to Yoon Si-woo to display their raised fur in alarm. With a bittersweet smile, I mumbled.

“…I think they would dislike me if I’m here. I’ll wait outside. You should play with the cats slowly.”

“Ah…”

Holding back tears, I stepped outside and sat down on a bench nearby, letting out a deep sigh.

I had never smoked, but was this what it felt like to crave a cigarette?

But all I had in my pocket was a lemon candy I had brought just in case.

Popping a lemon candy into my mouth, I lamented to myself, “The tears aren’t from sadness; it’s just the sourness,” when I suddenly spotted Yoon Si-woo emerging from Cat Town.

He was holding a strange bag in his hand.

“…Why did you come out so quickly? You could have played with the cats longer.”

“No, um… that is…”

As I poked fun at him, Yoon Si-woo stammered and hesitated before pulling something out of the bag and handing it to me.

It was soft and felt fuzzy, so I looked closer.

“…A doll?”

It was a cat-shaped doll that looked like it was sold in Cat Town.

“W-Well, it’s not possible to have a real cat, but at least this… Hey, don’t misunderstand! I’m not trying to tease you! It’s just that you looked so upset…”

Yoon Si-woo blurted out hurriedly in a trembling voice.

…I know. I get it. He wasn’t trying to tease me.

I felt that he wasn’t that kind of person, and above all, his frantic expression conveyed his genuine desire to cheer me up.

Although I didn’t have a hobby of collecting dolls, I couldn’t help but feel touched by his kindness.

You damn… what a friend…

Not wanting to reject him, I nodded in understanding as he smiled and asked.

“Alright then, do you want to do anything else?”

“…For now, let’s go see the other animals. Today, my goal is to pet all the animals I can!”

“Sounds good. We have more than enough time, so let’s go in order.”

With that lofty goal in mind, I set off to explore the zoo with Yoon Si-woo.

Soon enough, I began to feel there was something wrong with my goal.

It all started when I tried to pet a sheep in the pasture after seeing the unicorn, but it evaded my hand and ran away.

“…Huh?”

“…Ahaha, that’s strange. Our sheep usually love people.”

I decided to let it go, thinking that maybe the sheep was just a bit timid.

However,

“Um, excuse me. Zookeeper?”

“Why are they suddenly acting like this?”

The puppies delivering food to people were sweetly peeking into my hands. All the way from the birds flying in to pick from my hand to the penguins annoyingly bumping their heads to accept treats.

Even the horses that looked just like unicorns, every time I reached out to them, they all bolted away, making me accept the troubling truth.

It seemed for some reason, animals disliked me.

“…Why is everyone avoiding me?”

After wandering around, I finally arrived at Cat Town, where they were known for their friendliness, only to collapse to my knees in despair.

Everyone around had a cat or two except for me, left alone in the empty square.

Maybe it looked pitiful from his perspective, Yoon Si-woo tried to console me gently.

“Hey, don’t take it too hard. Everyone has a temperament that fits them.”

“…You’re lucky. Animals like you. Ugh, I want to hold a cat. The unicorn was okay, but…”

Hearing words like that from someone enveloped by cats didn’t help one bit.

Could it be every other animal, except for the unicorn, found ways to hate my guts?

It seemed like the unicorn was on some peculiar trend.

Damn it, I just want a cat in my arms.

Casting an envious glance toward Yoon Si-woo, who somehow had cats clinging to him, he pulled one from his arms and offered it to me.

But the moment I stretched out my hand, the cat yowled and clawed its way out of his grasp, darting away.

Along with that, I felt the fur of the other cats on Yoon Si-woo bristle yet again at my mere approach, leading me to murmur with a rueful smile.

“…If I’m here, I think they’ll dislike me. I’ll wait outside. You should take your time playing with the cats.”

“Uh… Ah…”

Swallowing back any tears, I sauntered outside, taking a seat on a nearby bench and letting out a long sigh.

Though I had never tried it, was this how it felt when craving a cigarette?

Yet the only thing in my pocket was the lemon candy I had brought, just in case.

Popping a lemon candy into my mouth, I lamented, “This isn’t me crying; it’s the sourness,” just as I noticed Yoon Si-woo emerging from Cat Town.

He was holding some strange bag.

“…Why’d you come out so quickly? You could have played with the cats a little longer?”

“No, um… that is…”

When I shot a tease at him like that, Yoon Si-woo stammered, hesitated, and then pulled something from the bag, presenting it to me.

It was soft and felt fuzzy, so I leaned closer to it.

“…A doll?”

It seemed it was a cat-shaped doll they sold at Cat Town.

“W-Well, it won’t be possible to have a real cat, but this… um, you’re not misunderstanding, right? I’m not teasing you! It’s just that you looked too sad…”

Yoon Si-woo shouted in a panic, his voice trembling.

…I know. I’m aware he wasn’t trying to make fun of me.

I recognized he wasn’t the type, but more importantly, his desperate expression clearly reflected his need to comfort me.

Though I didn’t collect dolls, his good intention was endearingly sincere.

I thought, you silly… what a friend…

Not wanting Yoon Si-woo to feel awkward for his good intentions, I nodded as he smiled and asked.

“Alright then, is there something else you want to do?”

“…For now, let’s check out the other animals. Today, my goal is to touch as many animals as possible!”

“Sure. We have plenty of time; let’s go in order.”

With that lofty goal set, I began wandering the zoo with Yoon Si-woo.

Not long after, I sensed that there was something wrong with my plans.

It all started when I tried to pet a sheep, having seen the unicorn and moving on that way, but the sheep evaded my hand and dashed away.

“…Huh?”

“…Ahaha, strange. Our sheep usually love people.”

I figured that maybe the sheep was just a bit timid and decided to let it go.

But then,

“Um, excuse me. Zookeeper? Why are they acting this way all of a sudden?”

The puppies that were accepting food from others would approach them affectionately, the birds would fly to eat the food on my palms, and even the penguins would nudge my hands while receiving fish.

Even horses that looked no different than unicorns would bolt whenever I reached for them, making me reluctantly accept the reality.

For some reason, it appeared I had an innate knack for being disliked by animals.

“…Why is everyone avoiding me?”

Eventually, I reached Cat Town, where cats were known for their friendliness. I sank to my knees in despair.

Everyone there had a cat or two, and I stood alone in an empty spot.

Maybe I looked pitiful, as Yoon Si-woo tried to comfort me.

“Don’t be too disheartened. Everyone has their own temperament.”

“…You’re lucky. Animals like you. Ugh, I want to hold a cat… The unicorn was fine, but…”

Hearing that from the one who was wrapped in cats didn’t help one bit.

Do all the other animals just hate me?

Perhaps the unicorn was a unique specimen.

Damn, just once, I wanted to hold a cat.

As I shot Yoon Si-woo a glance of envy, he pawed at one of the cats clinging to him, offering it to me.

However, as soon as I hesitated to reach out, that cat yowled loudly, wriggled out of his grip, and fled.

Moreover, just my approach made the other cats on Yoon Si-woo fluff up their fur in agitation. A bittersweet smile crept on my face as I muttered.

“…I think they’ll dislike me if I’m here. I’ll step out for a bit. Go play with the cats, okay?”

“Ah…”

Suppressing tears, I made my way outside and slumped onto a nearby bench with a sigh.

While I had never lit up a cigarette, was this what the craving felt like?

But the only consolation in my pocket was the lemon candy I had brought just in case.

Popping a lemon candy into my mouth, I muttered aloud, “It’s definitely not tears; it’s just the sourness,” when out of nowhere, Yoon Si-woo emerged from Cat Town.

He was holding a strange bag.

“…Why did you come out so soon? You could have played with the cats for longer.”

“Uh, um… that is…”

Teasing him, I watched as Yoon Si-woo stuttered and hesitated before pulling something from the bag and offering it to me.

When I leaned in closer, it felt soft and fuzzy.

“…It’s a doll?”

A cat-shaped doll looked like something sold in Cat Town.

“Well, I know it’s impossible to have a real cat, so at least here’s this… And hey, don’t misunderstand! I’m not trying to tease you! You just looked so down…”

Yoon Si-woo mentioned hurriedly in a panic-stricken voice.

…I got it. Yes, I could understand he wasn’t teasing.

His intent came off clear, and that earnest expression suggested he truly wanted to cheer me up.

Although I typically wasn’t one for collecting dolls, I couldn’t help but feel moved by his thoughtfulness.

Oh, dear, truly a good friend you are…

Just from that moment of kindness, my heart felt warmer.

Forcing me not to reject this gift, I accepted it with a smile.