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“Airport smell, there’s definitely an airport smell.”

Iarin, in her pajamas, rubbed her sleepy eyes and dusted off her wrinkled sleepwear with a flick of her hand. Then she tiptoed towards Jinseong, circling around him like a predator eyeing its prey, her messy hair waving about as she did.

Every now and then, she playfully poked Jinseong’s arm with her head, acting all sleepy and animalistic.

“A mix of smells from various cultures. Cheese smell…? No, maybe it’s the smell of meat? Yeah, definitely a meaty smell… and there’s a hint of saltiness too… Is that a fishy smell I detect? And something woody as well…”

With half-closed eyes due to her drowsiness, she sniffed at Jinseong, trying to pinpoint the scents emanating from him. After a while, when she was somewhat awake, she stopped that behavior and stepped back, her eyes sharp as she inspected Jinseong from top to bottom.

“Hmm.”

Her gaze landed on the luggage that Jinseong was gripping tightly.

It was a pretty large carrier.

She stared at the shiny carrier, which looked like it had been purchased recently, as if it were a can of tuna, her eyes pleading with Jinseong like some needy cat wanting its treat. This look, combined with her wild hair, truly resembled a leopard or a lion.

“…”

But no matter how fiercely she glared with those wild eyes, Jinseong was not swayed by her demand.

He maintained a calm expression, seemingly oblivious to Iarin’s eager gaze, which was now filled with a growing desire instead of sleepiness.

Thus, the two found themselves in a peculiar standoff filled with tension for a brief moment until Iarin broke the silence.

“Brother.”

“What is it?”

“Why are you taking so long?”

With an attitude of assertiveness, she extended her hand towards him.

Her open palm boldly reached towards Jinseong as if urging him to place something in her hand, her fingers curling with impatience.

“Don’t you have to bring back something when returning from a trip?”

Iarin even poked Jinseong with her outstretched hand, signaling him to hand over whatever he had.

However, Jinseong wouldn’t let go of the carrier and definitely wasn’t going to place anything into her palm.

Instead, he simply smiled and stated,

“There are no gifts.”

At this, Iarin tilted her head as if hearing something she shouldn’t have, staring at Jinseong as if in disbelief. Then, as if time rewound, she repeated the same expression, the same tone, and once again extended her hand.

“You should bring back something when returning from a trip.”

Jinseong equally matched her with his response.

“There are no gifts.”

He reiterated in the same tone, wearing the same smile. Only then did Iarin gaze at Jinseong with a look of shock, as if he had just uttered a forbidden phrase.

“What…?”

Her expression was as if to say, ‘Could this really be happening?’

“This can’t be real?!”

No, it didn’t end there.

Iarin, stepping in with her footwork, swirled her hair around and charged right at Jinseong, lifting her arms to grab his shoulders and shaking him back and forth in protest.

“You went on a trip and didn’t buy me any local specialties?! Where did you go?!”

“That’s a secret.”

“Why is it a secret?! Did you go somewhere where you couldn’t buy souvenirs? Antarctica? The North Pole? No, judging by the fishy and salty smell, it must’ve been by the sea or some island nation, with a diet that likely involves pickled food!”

Iarin, delving into her deductive skills, twisted her hair as she tried to figure out where he had been.

“Wait, since there’s a meat smell too, does that mean you were inland? Europe? Either way, if you traveled, there should be a souvenir!”

Feeling that shaking him wasn’t enough, she held tightly onto his shoulders and tapped on his chest with the crown of her head, playfully yet lightly, like a child gently bumping against a wall.

“Seriously, you could have bought something from the duty-free!”

“Duty-free? Is there a need to buy from such places?”

Upon hearing the term duty-free, Jinseong asked in surprise, as Iarin had no interest in those types of goods.

There were no cosmetics or clothing for her there; she used items from a subsidiary of the Gwangyang Group owned by Lee Yang-hoon. Handbags, shoes, dresses—those were all direct gifts from top designers. Watches were received from first-rate Swiss artisans, and furniture came from the best craftsmen worldwide.

So, naturally, the materials used to make them were extremely hard to come by without connections or lots of money.

As for perfumes? She used those custom-created by a perfume company owned by Lee Yang-hoon.

Health supplements? Again, there was no need to purchase them from duty-free.

Instead, she regularly partook of rare items directly sourced from nature.

Not to mention, she had access to elixirs and other health-boosting substances, all thanks to her connections and wealth, which she routinely consumed to maintain her health and enhance her energy.

So there was absolutely no reason for Jinseong to be fixated on duty-free.

He questioned Iarin with a raised brow, while Iarin sighed in frustration and then leaned in and whispered to him.

“You know, the one—the Water of Life.”

“Water of Life?”

“Oh, come on, brother—you’re so clueless! The Russians catch on quickly.”

With a sly smile, she declared,

“I’m talking about alcohol.”

“Alcohol…?”

At her demand, Jinseong let out a gentle laugh.

“I’m a minor, how could I bring that back?”

“Oh right…?”

Iarin pondered softly in realization at his ridiculousness. She looked at him with an utterly confused expression, tilting her head slightly.

“That’s strange. I’m sure you’re not an adult, but why did I think you were one…?”

Iarin murmured in confusion, gazing at Jinseong’s youthful face as if trying to imprint it in her memory. Then, inexplicably, she nodded, released her grip from his shoulders, and instead clung onto his arm, almost as if pulling him along.

Like an animal tugging at someone’s clothing to lead them somewhere.

“Hey brother. Since you didn’t bring me any gifts, you have to make one for me, right?”

She said this with a tone as if trying to squeeze money out of him, leading him to some room in the mansion’s basement.

Creeeak.

As she opened the metal door, a heavy sound echoed and the creak of the hinges filled the quiet darkness, wafting the scent of beasts through the crack.

“Hmm.”

A scent one would expect from a furry creature.

It was more reminiscent of rodents than an ordinary dog or cat.

Moreover, the smell had a fishy hint to it as well.

“Capybara?”

“Yeah. Capybara.”

Inside the room she guided him to were plenty of capybaras.

Countless capybaras bustling about in their favored spots—some lying flat on the floor with their stiff fur drooping, eyes closed, while others enthusiastically exercised on a large hamster wheel they had made in the corner.

The majority, however, were relaxing in a swimming pool installed underground, enjoying the steaming water like old men in a hot spring, their eyes blissfully shut as they soaked in the warmth.

The scene was reminiscent of creatures half-melted into the hot spring water, showcasing their cute yet strangely fluffy forms floating about.

As soon as the sound of the door reached the capybaras, they perked their ears and turned their heads towards the entrance, which seemed as if they were ready to rally and charm anyone they deemed delightful.

However, the moment they recognized Iarin through the slight opening of the door, the capybaras’ fur bristled, and they fled in a panic.

Splash!

Splash-splash!

The capybaras lounging outside the pool dashed in like lightning, while those near the swimming pool began energetically paddling and swimming to deeper waters, huddling together and staring at Iarin.

As soon as they made eye contact with Iarin, they trembled and dove underwater, surfacing only for a brief moment to breathe before plunging back down. Of course, the pool was clear, making the submerged capybaras quite visible, but they carried on with their antics without a care in the world.

Watching this unfold, Jinseong turned his gaze toward Iarin.

“Hmm.”

“What is it?”

Thud.

Iarin pouted, displeased with Jinseong’s gaze, and in a huff, lightly kicked the door. But the sound it produced was heavy enough to resonate like a bell.

Splash-splash!

Naturally, the capybaras were utterly spooked by that sound, diving deep underwater as if they were fish.

“Capybaras shouldn’t be scared like this. Why are they so frightened?”

In response to his query, Iarin answered proudly,

“I don’t know?”

 

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