Seokga narrows his eyes. The gumiho has come a long way from the timid girl she once was…and despite everything she’s claimed, he still doesn’t trust her.

Somi crooks a finger at Hajun. “I’ll need to borrow you,” she whispers.

The boy’s eyes widen. “Me?” he whispers, cheeks flushing a light blue that seems equally pleased and scared.

“Yes, you.” Somi grabs his shirt, bunches it in her fingers. “Unless you’re too frightened?”

“I, um, I, um…” Hajun straightens, staring down at a smiling Somi. “I’m not frightened at all.”

Seokga, sensing that it will be best for him and Kisa to keep out of the way, steps back around the corner and gently tugs Kisa with him. His heart flutters as he touches her, and as she stands with her back to him, nearly against him. Seokga hears her breathing hitch, and a moment later she’s turning around so she faces him directly. Seokga’s stomach sinks as he realizes she’s gone a bit pale.

Does she not want him to touch her? He won’t, if that’s the case, but it hurts all the same.

“It’s…” she murmurs as around the corner, Somi whispers something to Hajun. “It’s not…that. I just prefer not to have people directly behind me, if I can help it. An odd quirk, I suppose.” He would look away in embarrassment, but she’s worrying her lower lip and he’s fixated.

The unmistakable sound of a door crashing open hits him in full force. There are a few gruff cries of startlement, and then Somi’s voice, slurring slightly. “Oh, sorryyyyy,” she sings. “I thought this was our rooooom!” And there’s another unmistakable sound: this one of a sloppy kiss.

Kisa’s eyes widen, and her mouth drops open. Seokga can’t hold back a snicker of his own as Kisa begins to giggle. Hwanin grins up at the trickster as he laughs, and Seokga reluctantly gives the baby something that’s not quite a scowl. His brother is delighted, grabbing his own foot and shaking it excitedly as Seokga rolls his eyes. Kisa’s smile grows as she adjusts her grip on him. She really is so natural with him, and Seokga once again wonders how.

“Oh,” Hajun says hoarsely, sounding incredibly dazed and therefore entirely drunk as well. “Oh, wow…That was…I’ve never…Um…”

“I’ve always wanted to dooo it in public,” comes Somi’s response, and Kisa loses it. Seokga can hardly breathe as she covers her mouth with her hand and laughs, eyes pinching in the corners from the effort of smothering the soft, gentle peals. And he can tell, even with Kisa’s hand muffling the sparkling chimes, that her laugh is Hani’s laugh, as much as her eye roll was. “Do you mind if weee take your chair? Pleeeaaase?”