Chapter 88: Koala Hug
I shrugged modestly, leaning back against the leather cushion.
"Honestly, it’s just my good luck that someone as lively as Yerin likes hanging out with me."
Yoona smiled warmly, studying my face. "So... how was your trip to Uruk?"
The moment she asked, a wide, completely uninhibited smile broke across my face. Memories of the golden twilight city, the grand ziggurats, and the wild street food flooded my mind.
Seeing my sudden, dazzling smile, Yoona froze mid-breath. For a brief split second, her calm, practiced composure completely faltered as she blinked in stunned surprise before quickly regaining herself.
"It was incredible," I chuckled, rubbing the back of my neck. "I loved every second of it. I actually cut the trip short today because I decided I wanted to come back and explore the city properly with everyone later."
Yoona quickly composed herself, straightening her posture as she offered an approving nod. "I had a very similar reaction the first time I set foot in Uruk as well."
For the remainder of the flight, the two of us continued chatting as the military transport glided smoothly across the dark night sky toward the glittering skyline of the Capital.
Yoona was exceptionally pleasant to talk to, but as the conversation flowed, I couldn’t help noticing how remarkably formal she was. Her posture was immaculately practiced, her speech was smooth and perfectly refined, and she possessed a trained, effortless ability to engage in any topic I brought up.
Looking at her, I realized that while she shared Yerin’s exact, stunning heart-shaped face, Yoona was fundamentally different from her twin. Where Yerin was chaotic, expressive, and completely unfiltered, Yoona was poised, composed, and every bit the high-society heiress.
Twenty minutes later, the transport descended onto a private, illuminated helipad atop a towering skyscraper in the heart of the Capital.
As the side cabin door slid open, I stepped out onto the breezy roof, my eyes instantly falling on a familiar figure standing near the helipad access doors.
It was Val.
She was standing at attention in her dark suit, but the moment she spotted me, her usual stoic posture faltered. She marched straight toward me, dropping into a quick, formal bow before looking up at me with a sharp, scolding pout.
"Young Master Seth..." Val complained, her dark eyes heavy with deep, visible exhaustion and frantic worry. "You shouldn’t just disappear like that with just a word on text. At the very least, you should have taken me with you. What if something had happened?"
Standing right behind me, Yoona raised an eyebrow in mild surprise, clearly caught off guard by the unusually emotional, scolding tone the bodyguard was taking with the family heir. However, she kept her mouth shut, remaining politely silent.
I completely ignored Yoona’s subtle reaction, focusing entirely on my exhausted bodyguard.
"Sorry, Val," I said with an apologetic smile. "I was with Grandfather the whole time, so I knew I was completely safe."
Seeing that Val was still visibly upset and pouting, I stepped forward, lightly grabbing her shoulders and giving her a gentle, playful shake as I grinned down at her. "Alright, alright. I promise I’ll take you along everywhere I go from now on. Deal?"
Val stared at my grin for a second before the sharp tension in her shoulders completely melted away. She let out a quiet sigh, giving a firm nod. "Understood, Seth."
I turned back toward the transport, offering Yoona a warm nod. "Thanks again for the ride, Yoona. I really appreciate it."
"It was my pleasure, Seth," Yoona said smoothly.
Turning back to Val, I reached out, grabbing her arm and dragging her toward the roof stairwell while starting my own lecture. "Now come on. I’m willing to bet you haven’t eaten a single bite of food or slept a minute since I left, have you?"
Val remained completely silent, keeping her head lowered as I pulled her along. She didn’t offer a single word of argument because every single word I said was dead accurate.
Just as we reached the heavy metal door leading down to the stairwell, it suddenly swung wide open from the inside.
"SETH!!"
Out burst Yerin, wearing a cozy, loose silk nightie with her dark hair slightly messy.
The second her dark eyes locked onto mine, she didn’t even hesitate. She launched herself straight through the doorway, jumping into the air and wrapping her arms and legs around my torso like a clinging koala.
"You’re back!!" Yerin squealed happily, burying her face into my neck as I instinctively caught her under her thighs to keep her steady. "I missed you so much!! Don’t you ever run off on a brilliant magical adventure without me again, you hear me!"
I let out a genuine, delighted laugh, squeezing her close.
What Yerin didn’t realize in her chaotic, overjoyed excitement... was that her twin sister, Yoona, was standing right behind me on the brightly lit helipad, watching the entire affectionate display with wide, flabbergasted eyes.
I didn’t mind Yoona seeing Yerin clinging to me in a tight koala hug at all. I had a strong feeling that her sharp twin sister had already pieced together the relationship between Yerin and me anyway. As for how, I didn’t know that.
Besides, I wasn’t about to turn down a sweet, enthusiastic hug from my adorable girlfriend. I’d shoot myself if I ever made a stupid mistake like that. People should learn from someone like me, but then again they probably didn’t have girlfriends, especially someone like Yerin.
[Oho?!] Paige’s chaotic voice instantly erupted inside my head, practically bursting with unhinged excitement. [Need help with that, Host?! I can happily summon the absolute highest-caliber anti-material sniper rifle to shoot you right now!]
I completely ignored her.
That was when Yerin finally paused her excited, rapid-fire ramblings and noticed her twin sister standing a few feet away on the breezy helipad.
In total shock, Yerin instantly slid off me, her sneakers landing on the ground with a soft thud as she stared at Yoona with wide, bewildered eyes.