Treating Me Like a Child

"Alright then, I won’t interfere for now." After the girl Ye Shuang finished speaking, she went upstairs.

Alice held a cup of water, blowing softly on the steam—she didn’t even understand why she had come here. By the time she snapped out of her thoughts, she was already in this place.

Alice wasn’t the type to trouble others, so when she saw Ye Shuang brush her off and head upstairs, the girl began wondering if she should just leave.

But where could she go?

It felt like nowhere truly belonged to her.

"Tap, tap, tap." Footsteps sounded from the stairs again. Alice turned her head and saw Ye Shuang coming back down.

In his hands was an extra piece of clothing.

"Huh?" Alice was surprised.

"What’s with the ‘huh’? Change into this. It’s Yu You’s," Ye Shuang said. "You’ll catch a cold if you stay in those wet clothes. Go take a shower first."

"……" Alice stared at the clothes handed to her, but before she could say anything, Ye Shuang had already guided her into the bathroom.

……

Steam rose from the showerhead, water droplets splashing onto the damp floor.

Alice soaked in the bathtub, only her flushed knees peeking out above the water.

"Mmm…" The girl sank deeper, half of her face submerged, bubbles rising as she exhaled. Her golden hair fanned out in the water, shimmering under the light like strands of gold.

"He… doesn’t seem to dislike me," Alice thought. But then she glanced toward the door outside.

"Surely… he wouldn’t suddenly barge in, right?"

The warm water had tinted her cheeks a soft pink, her mind growing hazy—but the next second, a voice from outside jolted her awake.

"Alice, I’m heading out for a bit."

"Ah—huh? Oh… got it. Eek!!!" Water splashed everywhere as Alice flailed, nearly slipping entirely underwater.

"What’s wrong? You okay?" Ye Shuang’s concerned voice came through the door.

"D-don’t come in! I’m fine!" Alice blurted.

"Be careful, don’t pass out in there," came the teasing reply, making Alice feel like she was being treated like a child. Instantly, the golden-haired girl’s face burned red.

Soon after, the sound of the front door locking echoed.

"He’s gone?" Alice wondered, relaxing slightly.

"Probably a good person."

Feeling more at ease, she decided to soak a little longer. But barely a few minutes later, the sound of the door unlocking reached her ears.

Footsteps approached, and Alice frowned. "Back already?"

She brushed it off, assuming Ye Shuang had just gone to take out the trash.

Then, the bathroom doorknob rattled.

Alice’s heart leaped into her throat, her eyes widening in disbelief.

W-what’s he doing?!

Is he really trying to sneak in on me?!

Couldn’t resist my charm after all?!

B-but—

The next second, the door swung open, and Alice shrieked, "Eek, no!!!!!!!"

Meanwhile,

Ye Shuang, who had paused mid-step while carrying a basket to buy more groceries, turned to glance at the apartment building behind him.

"Hmm… did I forget something?"

……

"Eek!!! …Huh?"

In the bathroom, Alice’s scream trailed off as she squinted through the steam—only to see a slender, long-haired girl standing there, completely bare.

She blinked. The other girl blinked back. The two stared at each other in silence—

"Ye Shuang… shrank?" Bai Yuyou tilted her head, observing Alice curled up in the tub. "So tiny."

"W-wait, it’s you?!" Alice exhaled in relief upon realizing it wasn’t Ye Shuang but Bai Yuyou. But when she heard the comment about being "tiny," she instinctively looked down, then bared her little fangs.

"I-I’m still growing, okay?! What’s that supposed to mean?!"

Bai Yuyou had only meant that Alice was petite. She studied her a moment longer, then leaned closer. "Ye Shuang, small now."

"I’m not Ye Shuang! I’m Alice!" Alice snapped.

Only then did Bai Yuyou seem to remember. No wonder Alice had looked familiar earlier.

"Don’t just barge in like that! You scared me!" Alice huffed, then suddenly froze. "W-wait, did you think I was him? And you just waltzed in here like this?!"

Bai Yuyou tilted her head. "Is… there a problem?"

"You’re not wearing any clothes?!"

"Showering. Clothes get wet," Bai Yuyou replied matter-of-factly. "Remember that."

"Why does it sound like you’re lecturing me?! That’s not the point—do you just walk in on him like this too?! Naked?!" Alice’s head spun, unsure if it was from the heat or Bai Yuyou’s logic.

"Because… showering means no clothes."

Alice: "……"

"Whatever." Giving up, Alice sulked, her cheeks puffing up like a steamed bun.

Meanwhile, Bai Yuyou began rinsing off under the shower.

Alice peeked over, then muttered under her breath, "How is her figure that good… Didn’t look like it with clothes on."

Noticing the stare, Bai Yuyou glanced back. "?"

"Hmph." Alice turned away, though her hands drifted underwater to poke at herself.

Soon, Bai Yuyou finished showering and stepped into the tub.

"Hey, this tub’s too small for two!"

"It’s fine… I’ll hold you."

"No way!!"

……

When Ye Shuang returned, he found the two girls sitting on the couch.

"Ye Shuang…"

As Bai Yuyou approached, Ye Shuang smiled and patted her head. "You’re back. Did you greet our guest properly?"

"Mm. We showered together."

Ye Shuang paused, then looked past her at Alice—only to find the girl’s face puffed up, as if she’d endured some great ordeal.

What on earth happened?

"Alice will be staying with us for a while due to some circumstances," Ye Shuang said, setting the groceries aside. "Yu You, you’re the older sister here. If Alice needs anything, help her out, okay?"

"Needs?"

"Yeah, girls always need certain things."

Bai Yuyou seemed to understand. She returned to Alice’s side and sat down.

"What now?" Alice asked.

After a brief internal struggle, Bai Yuyou slowly pulled a single chocolate-coated peanut from her pocket—almost reluctantly—and offered it. "Here."

Alice’s eyes widened. "You’re treating me like a kid?!"