The wheels of the airplane touched down with a soft screech, and a few passengers clapped politely as they rolled down the runway at Incheon International Airport.Jin Hwan stretched with a yawn, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Beside him, Isumi—still sleepy and rumpled from the long flight—tried to discreetly fix her hair and adjust her hoodie to hide her fox ears.
[System Mood: LANDING COMPLETE. FLUFFY COMPANION IMPORTED SUCCESSFULLY.]
"Finally back," Jin Hwan murmured, slinging his duffel bag over one shoulder.
They made their way through the arrival gate.Just past the security check, two familiar figures were waiting.
Choi Hana stood there with arms crossed and an unreadable expression.Min Joo-Yeon was waving excitedly with both hands, her brown hair bouncing in a ponytail.
"Hwan Oppa!" Joo-Yeon shouted cheerfully.
They ran up, and for a second Jin Hwan thought it would just be a normal reunion—
Until Hana's sharp eyes flickered toward Isumi, who stood close beside him.
There was a noticeable pause.
"Who's... that?" Choi Hana asked, voice a little too calm.
Jin Hwan blinked."Ah, this is Isumi-chan. She's... uh, coming with me."
Hana's lips twitched slightly, and she muttered so quietly that Jin Hwan didn't hear—
"...Were you on vacation... or scouting new wives?"
A dangerous little heat sparked behind her cool gaze, even as she kept smiling politely.
Meanwhile, Joo-Yeon gasped in wonder and practically sparkled as she looked at Isumi's twitching fox tails.
"Waaah! She's so pretty! And fluffy! Are you a beast-kind too?!" she blurted.
Isumi blinked, slightly overwhelmed by the excitement, but nodded shyly."I'm... a fox-type hunter. My bloodline awakened recently."
"So cool! Can I pet your tails someday?" Joo-Yeon asked innocently.
Isumi's ears twitched, flustered."T-That's not something you just ask, stupid…!"
But the faint blush on her cheeks softened the scolding.
After the greetings—and Hana throwing a few more dangerous side glances at Jin Hwan—they all piled into a taxi.
Joo-Yeon, ever the chatterbox, filled the ride with excited stories about the latest monsters she had tamed and how she wanted to introduce her wolf spirit to Isumi later.
Hana mostly stared out the window, arms crossed tightly, occasionally giving Jin Hwan a side-eye that made him sweat nervously.
[System Mood: DETECTED INCREASE IN LOVE RIVALRY TENSION. RABBIT IN DANGER.]
A Cozy Cafe
Before heading to Jin Hwan's apartment, they decided to stop by a cozy little cafe near downtown Seoul.
It was a quiet place, with warm lighting and wood-paneled walls. The smell of roasted coffee beans filled the air.
They sat at a corner booth.Jin Hwan took the middle seat (unwillingly becoming the human buffer between Isumi and Hana).
"So... Isumi-chan," Hana said, stirring her coffee lazily, "what brings you to Korea?"
Isumi sipped her tea carefully, tails curling around her legs under the table.
"...I just didn't want to stay in Japan anymore. And... Hwan invited me."
The way she said "Hwan" so casually sent a little twitch through Hana's brow.
"I see," Hana said sweetly, a vein practically throbbing at her temple.
Meanwhile, Joo-Yeon was practically bouncing in her seat.
"You're gonna live here? Yay! We should go shopping together! And maybe—"
"Joo-Yeon," Hana interrupted smoothly, "maybe don't get ahead of yourself."
"Eh? But it'll be fun!" Joo-Yeon pouted.
Isumi giggled under her breath, feeling oddly welcomed despite the hidden daggers flying across the table.
At Jin Hwan's New Apartment
Later that afternoon, Jin Hwan led Isumi to his new apartment building.
It wasn't huge or fancy—but it was clean, modern, and most importantly, it had two bedrooms.
They stepped into the small living room.White walls, a simple black sofa, a modest kitchen off to the side.
Isumi dropped her small bag by the door and looked around quietly.
"...It's cozy," she said.
Jin Hwan scratched the back of his head.
"Yeah, I figured it's enough for now. I mean, until things get crazier..."
Isumi's ears twitched.She smiled a little and set down her things.
They ended up deciding on the rooms quickly—Jin Hwan took the one on the left, Isumi took the right.Simple.
And then, without too much fuss, they both retired to their rooms for the night.
As Jin Hwan flopped onto his bed, staring up at the ceiling, he couldn't help but think:
"My life's getting crazier by the minute…"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, Isumi curled up against her blanket, her nine tails wrapping around herself protectively.
She whispered into the quiet:
"...Good night, Rabbit Boy."
[System Mood: NEW HOME ACQUIRED. FIRST FLUFFY SQUAD MEMBER MOVED IN.]