NOVEL WEB Chapter 14
Ever since that incident, I haven’t exchanged a single word with Big Sister Wang—no, with Irina.
To begin with, both of us were always so busy we hardly even crossed paths.
After bringing Tia home and passing out, I woke up only when the next afternoon was almost over.
I gently pushed away Tia, who was pressing her warm, heavy bottom into my face, as a wave of dizziness swept over me.
“Aah. Was it all a dream?”
Though I distinctly remembered everything that happened yesterday, it all felt so unreal.
Or was it that damn woman suddenly revealing she’d figured out Tia’s true identity and reciting her entire backstory?
Then she declared she’d take care of Tia when I was busy?
It had to be that she’d gone crazy after downing a whole bottle of Rocs or that it had all been a vivid dream.
No matter how much I thought about it, it had to be one of those two.
“Boss! Stamp me in for work!”
“…”
The moment I entered the tavern with Tia in my arms, I froze upon meeting a familiar face.
Irina.
She’s usually late for work after the business starts, so what was up with her today?
Irina briefly locked eyes with me, then clicked her tongue and turned away sharply.
‘It was all a dream, then.’
It seems it really was a dream.
Of course.
There’s no way that woman could have acted so kind.
I felt much better.
After putting Tia in the room upstairs, changing her diaper, and stroking her to sleep, I returned downstairs.
“Hey. Go clean the restroom.”
“…?”
Irina abruptly handed me a mop after meeting me face-to-face.
After that brief command, she cast me a piercing glare and immediately ascended upstairs.
“Aah. The state of the restroom.”
The moment I walked into the restroom, I sighed.
Looks like yesterday’s designated restroom cleaner fled.
The Kimchi pancake left behind by yesterday’s customers had dried and hardened.
Sighing deeply, I was about to turn the faucet and spray water with the hose when suddenly, a sensation made my heart drop.
I tossed the mop away and hurriedly ran upstairs.
Sure enough, the room where I had left Tia was ajar.
“You thief!”
I rushed forward and dramatically flung the door open.
Inside, Irina was with Tia…
“Peek-a-boo! Do you still dislike big sister? I brought cookies; if you eat these, will you hug big sister…?”
“A.”
“A.”
She had been entertaining the child.
Tia, who had sharply turned her head as if to reject Irina, saw me and broke into a wide smile.
Irina belatedly noticed my presence and her face went deathly pale.
“It wasn’t a dream after all.”
*
“Julia! There’s a lot of serving to do on the group customer side!”
“Yes! I’m coming!”
The tavern echoed with the clamor of clinking glasses and lively chatter.
Julia hurried toward the crowded table, carrying trays in both hands.
The atmosphere was markedly different from the usual.
Instead of the usual seedy, exclusive vibe, today the place had the easygoing buzz of a regular after-work hangout.
It wasn’t even a special day; there were no different customers.
The usual patrons who every day sat with one woman at their side, fondling her thighs, today were all alone. They grinned goofily and slapped their hands in applause.
The reason?
“Y-Yulia! Tia’s about to stand up! Yulia, quick, come see! Yuliaaaa!”
“Ah! I’m busy serving!”
“Your kid’s about to take her first steps, and you’re not going to come look! Ah! Come quickly!”
On the long bar table.
There, Tia, with her fluffy hat, was seriously kneeling and clutching the table.
With intense effort, she strained her chubby legs and tried to stand.
Irina hovered nearby, ready to catch her if she rolled off the table.
“You’ve got to stand, Tia! You’re our tavern’s pride! Stand up!”
“I’ve bet 100,000 on Tia taking her first two steps within an hour! Go, go! Keep it up!”
“I’m all-in on her taking ten steps! Come on, goooo!!!”
The bearded men lined up in front of the bar table cheered enthusiastically for Tia.
The main bet was how many steps Tia would take during her first walk.
Not a single person bet on her failing.
With her sturdy thighs, it was unimaginable that she wouldn’t be able to stand up.
“Mooo~!”
“She’s up! Look at that determined face! That’s the sign of someone who’s going to walk all the way to the end of the bar!”
“She’s walking! Keep walking!”
“Ah! Julia! Quick, come check it out!”
Tia stood on her two legs.
For a moment, a hint of color appeared on Irina’s face, but she quickly shouted toward the table behind the wall.
That Julia girl doesn’t seem interested even though it’s her baby taking her first steps.
With the encouragement from everyone around her, Tia took her glorious first step.
The audience, who had been shouting, was momentarily struck silent as if their breath had been cut off.
And then she took one step.
And another.
Despite her flailing arms, Tia was definitely walking on two legs.
‘This kid is for real.’
Meanwhile, Julia seemed to be cleaning up some broken glasses at the table, her buttocks wobbling slightly around the corner.
She’s a confusing mother—hard to tell if she cares about Tia or not.
Irina shook her head, decided not to care about Julia anymore, but not before cursing her internally to never come back for the rest of her life.
“Ten steps breached!”
“Oh my goodness, is this really the first steps of a baby?”
“Eleven! Twelve!”
Tia continued moving, without losing focus, maintaining her balance.
As the number of steps passed ten, the previously silent audience began shouting again.
And finally, wobbling as if her strength ran out in her legs…
“Twenty!”
“She’s made it!”
“Keh keh keh! I trusted you could do it!”
Tia collapsed forward at the end of the bar table and immediately pulled out the little cookies—her victory prize—from the basket at the end, munching them happily.
These were the snacks that Irina often baked, ones Tia went crazy for.
Watching her sit there contently holding the basket and munching on cookies, Irina smiled fondly.
Just then, Julia’s face popped out from the corner, shouting.
“Ah! Don’t give her too many cookies! That’s not allowed!”
“Tch. You’re not even here and you’re complaining. Can’t I let her eat her fill today? You’re such a strict mom, don’t you think?”
“Muuuh!”
With Irina’s forced assistance, Tia clung to her, having taken twenty incredible steps just to eat cookies. But now she was denied the treat she deserved.
In a playful whisper, Irina rubbed her cheek against Tia’s head.
She could feel Tia’s stiff horns brushing her slightly under the hat.
By now, Tia’s attention was drawn to Irina’s fox ears, and she strained to grab them with her hands.
“Can I hold her too?”
“Not allowed. Julia only approved me. Also…”
“Muuuuu!”
“Tia doesn’t like it either.”
“Heeh….”
Without warning, as another staff member reached for Tia, Tia shook her head and dove into Irina’s small chest.
Tia was extremely resistant to physical contact from strangers.
Truthfully, it was because Irina feared exposing Tia’s horns, but this incident worked as a great excuse.
“Tia doesn’t like the smell of cosmetics.”
Watching the flustered staff members, Irina smiled smugly.
Once she noticed Tia disliked the scent of cosmetics, she consciously decided to tone down her makeup.
And it wasn’t just that.
She secretly changed Tia’s diapers regularly, played with her, baked her cookies, and built a solid rapport with her.
Gradually, Tia who initially cried and resisted being held by anyone, dropped her guard with Irina.
“Hmm. You’re really good with her.”
Having finished serving the group table, Julia stood at a distance carrying the tray, gazing toward the bar table.
It was undeniable that the tavern vibe had become much more positive since Tia showed up.
The damp, promiscuous atmosphere had dissipated.
Though individual customer requests decreased, which lowered the tips, the tavern’s overall revenue increased, raising the base pay.
In truth, everyone was working more but making less, but there were no complaints.
No one wanted to go back to the days before Tia and Julia came along.
“It’s all thanks to Irina.”
If it weren’t for Irina, things wouldn’t be like this.
Even if Tia’s identity had been revealed, she would’ve probably kept her locked up in the motel room and raised her like that.
Thanks to Irina figuring out Tia’s true identity, things turned out as they have today.
“Hehe. Do my ears feel that good?”
“Mwaah!”
Julia watched silently as Irina’s ears fluttered playfully entertaining Tia.
She looked much younger without the heavy makeup.
Maybe it wasn’t the makeup but her smiling face that made her look so young.
A warm smile crept onto Julia’s own face.
“Huh?”
That warm smile slowly twisted and contorted.
A strange sensation hit Julia’s lower body, causing her to tremble.
She could feel a warm, sticky liquid trickling down the inside of her thighs, soaking her skirt and dripping to her high heels as streaks of red blood appeared.
“A…”
Looking up, she met Irina’s worried gaze, her ears stiff and alert.
Everyone in the tavern was frozen, staring blankly at Julia.
For a moment, Julia felt as if she was about to faint as a wave of dizziness hit her.