PAID

"Huff, huff, huff."

I finished breakfast and popped a spoonful of pudding into my mouth, my eyes fixed on Kris, who was tidying up the dishes at the table.

Clink, clank.

Sigh.

Even on a normal day, Kris’s behavior often left me puzzled, but today she was even harder to read.

She’d clean the dishes, suddenly stare into the void with a vacant look, and then let out a heavy sigh.

"…?"

I tilted my head, the spoon still in my mouth, watching her curiously.

She’s always a bit odd, but this morning, she’s especially weird.

"Unnie, what’s wrong? Did something happen this morning?"

"Huh…? No, nothing at all."

Kris glanced back at me with a faint smile before returning to her dishwashing.@@novelbin@@

But I could sense a slight tinge of frustration in her eyes.

What’s with that? Puffing out her cheeks like a sulking child? Isn’t she supposed to be an adult?

Kris was often like this. While she was usually the kindest, most caring person I knew, sometimes she’d sulk or get upset over the most random things.

And every time she did, it made me feel unnecessarily anxious.

What did I do wrong this time?

And inevitably, it would end with me feeling resentful.

As full of silent complaints as Kris’s cheeks were, mine puffed up too.

Seriously, what’s her deal?

What could I have done that’s so bad to make her act like this?