Starting Today, Raising a Fox

01. (灬╹ω╹灬)

“Hey, master! What’s your name?”

"Kim Yeoju..."

“Wow, such a pretty name!”

“Th-thanks.”

“I’m Jeongin! Yang Jeongin! I’m a fennec fox!”

“A... fennec fox..?”

“Yep!! Don’t you know what a fennec fox is??”

Why is there a full-grown man sitting on my sofa...?

The tiny little creature I brought home earlier had disappeared, and in its place, a man now sat.

I froze in shock, and the man tilted his head slightly and gave me a gentle smile before asking my name.

I don’t even know what I was thinking—I just told him.

As soon as he heard my name, he smiled brightly and said it was pretty…

Why… is he cute?

When I thanked him, he introduced himself.

His name is Yang Jeongin.

A fennec fox, apparently…

I remembered the tiny creature earlier being a fennec fox, so I asked again, thinking no way…

But he nodded vigorously and asked me if I didn’t know what that was.

“I do… I mean, I know…

But is it okay for a fennec fox to be here?”

“Jeongin’s a half-human, half-beast!”

“Oh… right.”

“You’re a dumb master.”

Of course I know what a fennec fox is…

He seriously thinks I’m that ignorant?

I was just wondering aloud if it was okay for one to be living in a house, and he told me he’s a half-human, half-beast.

I slowly nodded and agreed…

And this smiley fox just called me dumb.

“But… how old are you?”

“In human years, 21! In animal years, 3!”

“Twenty-one?!”

“Yup! Why?”

“Wait… you’re older than me…?”

He looked so young I asked his age, and he said he’s 21 in human years and 3 in animal years.

Hold on… if he’s 21, he’s older than me...!!

Seeing my shocked face, he looked confused.

Still stunned, I told him that meant he’s older.

“Whoa, I’m older than you?”

“Y-yeah, looks like it.”

“Wow… then can you call me ‘oppa’?” (Korean term for an older guy)

Hearing that, he was just as surprised and gasped.

I stammered a bit, and then he asked if I’d call him ‘oppa’.

I was shocked again—turned to stone.

“...”

“Don’t want to?”

“...”

“...”

“Gasp..!”

I couldn’t say anything.

Of course I was stunned.

How can someone that young-looking be older than me?

He asked again if I didn’t want to call him that.

I still couldn’t respond.

Then, he leaned his face really close to mine.

Seriously, it was so close that if he moved a bit more, we’d touch.

And then, with that face so close, he said...

“I want to hear you call me oppa.”

...My heart fluttered. Damn it.