03
Jimin’s expression and aura were something Hyeyeon had never seen before.
That’s why she was even more surprised and confused.
Sure, she had gone down without permission, but she never imagined he’d get this angry.
Hyeyeon lowered her head deeply and couldn’t meet Jimin’s eyes.
Jimin sighed heavily and put his hand to his forehead.
"I told you not to go down there. Why don’t you listen?"
"But I want to know why! Why can’t I go?"
Hyeyeon couldn’t understand why Jimin wouldn’t let her go down.
Kids her age were laughing and playing down there.
Why was she the only one left up here, unable to join them?
This place had everything—comfort, beauty—but no friends to share it with.
That’s why she disobeyed him.
"...There’s a reason for everything. Do you think I’m lying to you?"
"Please don’t keep it from me next time. Can you promise?"
"You never tell me the reason anyway."
Hyeyeon glanced at Jimin with sharp eyes and walked toward Jungkook.
Jungkook, who had taken the form of a creature, emerged from the water and returned to human form.
He sighed, saying, “Again? Can’t you two stop fighting?”
"You might not get it, water mister, but every time I try to go down there, the forest mister just totally flips out!"
"Didn’t I tell you my name?"
"You did. Jeon Jungkook, right?"
"Then why call me 'water mister' or 'fire mister'?"
"Because it’s easier."
“Fine, suit yourself,” Jungkook waved his hand, clearly uninterested.
Hyeyeon, sitting beside him, kept talking non-stop.
This wasn’t new to Jungkook—whenever she fought with Jimin, she’d always come to him.
Why not Taehyung? She once said he was too handsome—it made her nervous.
Jungkook, feeling stuck in a loop, asked her with a sigh.
"You know I don't like fighting either."
Then why do you keep ignoring Park Jimin?
"Because... he never tells me anything. It’s so frustrating."
"Then... how about waiting until you become an adult?"
"Wait, what? Six years?!"
"Yeah. By then, you’ll probably understand why Jimin did what he did.
When you’re an adult, you can know everything. I’m sure he’ll tell you then."
Hyeyeon was intrigued. Jungkook’s reasoning seemed oddly convincing.
She thought about it for a moment and smiled brightly, nodding.
"Okay! I’ll do that!"
"Then go and apologize to him."
"...Apologize?"
“Yes. You went down without permission. That was wrong.”
Jungkook was right. Her pride was a little hurt, but she had to admit her fault.
Jimin had raised her to take responsibility.
With a grateful heart, she ran back toward Jimin.
"...Park Jimin probably acts like this because of her parents, too."
A rude but soft-hearted guardian spirit.
As soon as Hyeyeon arrived at Jimin’s domain, she started calling out loudly.
“Mister! Forest Mister~!”
But he was nowhere to be seen.
Did he… get upset? No way… right?
She anxiously looked around and finally found Jimin sitting between some trees—not stuck, just sitting.
"...Mister?"
Jimin didn’t look happy.
The forest aura felt off, and there was a light mist.
Hyeyeon blamed herself.
She quietly sat beside him, but he didn’t even glance at her, which made her sad.
"...Mister… I’m sorry…"
She mumbled in a tiny voice, like an ant crawling.
Jimin didn’t respond.
Feeling even more worried, she grabbed his arm and repeated her apology.
"...Mister, I really am sorry… okay?"
The truth is, Jimin had already softened when she sat next to him.
It wasn’t him who went to her this time—she had come on her own.
But he wanted to tease her a bit, pretending to stay mad.
Her drawn-out words were cute, and he was secretly smiling inside.
"Next time... I’ll ask for your permission before I go down..."
"Please accept my apology..."
Hyeyeon shook his arm while pleading.
Honestly, it was almost dangerous how cute she was being, but the guardian spirit, Park Jimin, managed to stay cool—barely.
When it looked like he wouldn’t accept her apology, Hyeyeon pressed her face into his arm.
That’s when it happened.
He held the grudge too long—she cried.
Big, dewy tears fell from her eyes, and Jimin was flustered beyond belief.
"...K-Kid, are you crying?"
"You’re so mean… you won’t even talk to me…"
Seeing her burst into tears, Jimin learned a valuable lesson: teasing has limits.
He sat her on his lap and patted her gently.
Hyeyeon hugged him tightly, and after a while, she finally calmed down.
When Jimin admitted he was just messing with her, she hit his back—hard.
Apparently puberty made her strong.
"Ow... that hurts..."
"Do you know how nervous I was thinking you wouldn’t forgive me?"
"Sorry… I promise I won’t do it again."
"Okay!"
The moment Hyeyeon apologized, the forest energy returned to normal, and the mist cleared.
People thought their prayers were answered, but really, it was thanks to her.
Though she caused the mist, she also made it disappear.
Six years passed. She was now an adult.
Taller, with longer hair.
"Miss! Miss!"
She had climbed a large tree and jumped down.
At the bottom, a dragon-shaped Jimin was asleep.
She shook him so hard it was dizzying.
Her voice was so loud, it could wake all the guardian spirits.
Jimin yawned with his giant mouth and looked at her with brilliant green eyes.
"...Why are you awake? It’s not even morning yet…"
"Your mouth is huge…! Ah, I mean—today’s the day! I’m an adult now!"
She shouted with excitement.
Jimin quietly hushed her and blinked sleepily.
Hyeyeon kept repeating the same words, and Jimin struggled to stay awake.
"...The sun isn’t even up yet. Can’t it wait till after sleep?"
"...It is pretty dark… but I can’t sleep…"
"...Come here…"
Jimin hugged her and pulled over a giant leaf to cover her.
It was warm and soft—like a sleeping potion.
Watching her eyes slowly close, Jimin also drifted back to sleep.
But then, a human entered Jimin’s territory.
He was already tired and now had to deal with this.
He gently laid Hyeyeon down and transformed into a human.
Not far away stood… a woman.
That was unusual. Men usually showed up.
But today, oddly, it was a woman.
"Why did you dare enter this place?"
Jimin asked coldly, staring at her.
She immediately dropped to her knees.
"I-I’m sorry for trespassing… but I’m looking for a child…"
"A child? There’s no chi—"
"I lost my child… because of my husband…
They said… she was abandoned here."
Something clicked in Jimin’s mind.
He swallowed hard and asked her name.
"The child’s name is... Choseung-i."