Trading Post

I was doing some more searching, and I found out that the government has actually proposed a new amendment to replace the old one. This new amendment provides more protections for ABDLs, and the language used is much less vague.  More info: https://www.reddit.com/r/ABDL/s/8zctO1hAtX

Thank yooou 🥰 Jae-yung gets all the gossip from Bak 🤭 Yesss... Jeong is coming up... 😁  -- ALSO this chapter lost its formatting in the copy/pasting which I shall be fixing now... before I post the next chapter!  Chapter Forty-Six: The Leap Forward Considerably less mature. What a word choice. Was that to denigrate Jeong or compliment Adam? Maybe both. How in the world could the Tweener be that much worse without the aid of hypnosis or, if possible, worse? Adam’s lips puckered. He was in his mother’s lap at the table, once more ceding his fancy high chair to Jae-yung, who gleefully made every possible attempt to activate its hidden buttons. He had tried using his hand, then his face, and then started covering his hands in different foods to make them seem bigger, which Bak was quick to clean up. Finally, he had moved on to trying to trick one of his fathers into waving their hands over it, which Mung nearly fell for twice, but Bak swatted his hand away both times. The blonde grinned, reclining against his mother’s stomach as he chewed on his chicken, floating between paying attention to the meal and mulling over Jeong’s situation. He had naturally assumed size would be a deterrent. As much as he hated to admit it (because of pride), it was easy to do this to Littles. The size and strength difference made it so easy, so conversely, it would be questionable to do the same to a Tweener… in theory. Adam angled his head to look at Joomi, though he presently had mostly a view of her chin, largely obscured by her breasts. He thought about the specialized baby equipment made for her and how easy it would be for her, personally, to Adopt a Tweener. She had all the large-sized accoutrements for it, and her unique size and strength would mean carrying a Tweener would be rather easy for her. He blinked as his eyebrows furrowed at the image of Kang and Naji’s wedding photo flashed in his mind, followed quickly by the festival photo on his dresser. He blinked a few more times. Adam swallowed his over-chewed chicken as his head snapped towards Mung, then Kang. Was that the source of the discomfort? Were they trying to dissuade him from engaging with Jeong because of their own discomfort dealing with an Adopted Tweener? Had there been a scare with Naji? A threat? Or maybe not her… maybe her family? Adam felt his mouth go dry as supposition flooded his mind, and sudden worry that his pursuit to reconnect with Jeong would cause a rift between him and Kang. He winced, feeling a churn and rumble deep in his gut. “I was teaching!” Jae-yung exasperated loudly enough to jerk Adam from his thoughts, and he blinked, noticing eyes were either on him or his cousin. Joomi smiled down at him, tapping her fingers on the sole of his foot. “Did you win your wrestling match?” she asked with a tease in her tone, clearly not as perturbed by their combative choice in play as Bak was. “No,” Jae-yung answered for him and thumbed to his chest. “I did.” “Did not,” Adam laughed. “We both fell.” “Yeah, but you hit the ground first,” the opposing dinosaur countered and then looked up to Mung. “So I won!” “That is how that works,” Mung nodded sympathetically. “Pffft,” Adam dismissed as he blew his lips, and Jae-yung cackled victoriously. The blonde grinned at his cousin, grateful for the diversion, and opted to engage for the remainder of lunch, rather than dwell on theories and anxieties. This was how he learned that Mung wrestled in high school, and that was how he and Bak met. Not on the mat, but that Bak was a “big fan” of the sport and attended every match (to which Jae-yung and Adam shared a silent exchange with grins, silently agreeing on what Bak actually was a big fan of). “So who’s Jeong?” Jae-yung asked as lunch was declared over; Adam recoiled a bit in his mother’s lap, his eyes threatening to look at Kang, but he only moved slightly, staring at his cousin, who was diligently watching the arm of the high chair as Bak activated it. “None of your business,” Bak chided gently and quietly, tapping on the illuminated button, causing the tray to shift forward. “Why??” the stegosaurus Little challenged indignantly, moving to punch a button, but his hand was deftly caught. “Because, Mr. Nosey,” his father began to explain as he tapped another button that released the belt. “You won’t be around for the answer anyway — you need a change.” “Nuh-uh,” Jae-yung denied by rote, glancing over at Adam as he squinted suspiciously. “Who’s Jeong?” Adam’s mouth had barely opened when he was intercepted. “That’s enough,” Bak declared as he scooped his son up and quickly moved towards the hall where a diaper bag was awaiting him just outside the door to Adam’s room. “WHO’S JEONG??” Jae-yung bellowed as he was carried down the hall, another round getting cut off as the door shut. Mung let out a small chuckle after shooting his brother an apologetic look, who shrugged it off. Adam briefly looked between them, but his world began to shift as Joomi stood up and slid him down onto the ground. He stepped under the table, swallowing as he felt another pang of pressure in his gut, but he now correctly identified its cause. He had grown accustomed to a certain amount of routine and had been timing his diaper use within a half to an hour window of when Joomi would normally change him. It wasn’t perfect, and he had (much to his own displeasure) found he could reasonably withstand and ignore the first wetting. Pooping was still a carefully constructed and planned event, and usually was forcefully scheduled for the morning or lunchtime. He grimaced in realizing he hadn’t gone this morning, and all of the activity on the playground had jostled his system. Glancing towards the hall, his room was now occupied and, if Jae-yung was going to be a pill about Jeong (which all signs pointed to yes), Bak was going to take as long as possible. Fudge, Adam cursed inwardly as he grimaced, placing a hand on his stomach as it gurgled. He didn’t want to debase himself in front of his great uncle and grandfather, regardless of the fact that they likely didn’t care. He had clawed his way to some semblance of respect, or at the very least acknowledgment, from this family, and he didn’t want to risk it by shitting his pants in front of them. “Eomma?” he asked as he spun around, finding her setting down plates in the sink. As soon as she made eye contact with him, he regretted speaking out so soon; he hadn’t thought of a reasonable excuse to go to her room, which was the only place he could think of to go for privacy that wasn’t his room. “Can I… um… see Omanjack?” “Omanjack?” she echoed, looking confused for a moment, but gasped as the memory hit her. Yet, despite that recall, she didn’t look that much less confused. “In my room?” “Yes, please,” he faltered, nervously grabbing at his jumpsuit as he grimaced, feeling another gurgle. It wasn’t… technically… urgent yet, but it was pressing and heavily distracting. Joomi stared at him, an eyebrow raising slightly, clearly attempting to assess his true motivation; he swallowed, realizing that was quite the downside to being accepted as intellectually still capable, while still trapped and monitored like a toddler… childish requests out of the blue weren’t going to be taken at face value. “I just… want to… think.” Her mouth clicked as she opened her mouth in understanding, and she nodded. Her eyes scanned the table, and she was clearly inclined to stay to help clean up. “Boja?” she asked as she looked over the table, and Adam resisted frowning; that wasn’t ideal, but he knew the tiger didn’t care. Might even let him poop privately in the bathroom. “I’ll take him.” A shock of panic slapped him in the face and radiated throughout his body. No. NO. Adam gaped as Joomi looked to her father, smiling and nodding at his offer. Shit shit — NO! “Uh!” he blurted out, stepping forward as he shot his mother a panicked look. “I - uh —“ Fudge fudge fudge. There was no way to decline his grandfather’s offer without it being taken poorly. Joomi looked down at him in confusion, but the colossal shadow drew the blonde’s horrified attention to his right, looking up to the suited grandfather who placed a warm palm on the top of his head. “Come on,” he instructed with an encouraging half-smile, gesturing his free hand towards the hallway. Adam gulped, his eyes sending one last panicked look to Joomi, who appeared to understand something was wrong, but was confused as to what. Barely squeaking out an ‘okay’, he began the walk down the hallway, feeling like he was walking to a metaphorical execution chamber. He pulled the sleeves of the jumpsuit down to his knuckles, nervously fidgeting with them as he desperately tried to figure out a polite way around this. As they passed by the door to his nursery, he could hear the muted back and forth between Bak and Jae-yung, and he winced, unable to hear the words, but the tone said they wouldn’t be coming out in time to save him. “Uh, Halbo, I…” he swallowed, looking back over his shoulder, then up to his grandfather, who gestured him forward. “I know,” he murmured; Adam clenched his jaw, highly doubting that. On the bright side, all his clenching seemed to have sent the proper signals to the organs, and the pressure momentarily receded. Blowing a sigh out of his nose as Kang opened the door to Joomi’s room, he kept a clench in his stomach but was able to relax ever so slightly otherwise. Taking a few steps in, the blonde spun around when the door shut behind him, and quickly two large hands lifted him from under his armpits and positioned him on the edge of the bed. Blinking, Adam looked down at his dangling feet, then up at Kang as the man adjusted the buttons on his jacket and slowly sat beside him on the edge of the bed. “Adam,” he started after a beat, his jaw shifting as he stared forward in thought, his weight shifted away as he stroked his chin. Adam stared up through the silent pause, his curiosity and concentration on the moment temporarily overriding the discomfort in his gut. “I think you may have the wrong impression of Adopted life here in Goryeo.” Adam’s eyes immediately dropped as his eyebrows furrowed. “Your situation — your mother — are both unique,” he continued stoically as he looked down at his blonde grandson, who sniffed and nodded, clenching his jaw as his intestines moved as if there was a roiling boil for a few seconds. Muting a grunt, the blonde nodded, pressing his palms against each other and rubbing them nervously. The topic itself was uncomfortable enough, let alone his increasingly urgent bowel condition. “Whatever you wish to communicate to your friend, or send to him, can be done,” his grandfather continued as he moved his hand over head and behind, placing it gently on Adam’s back. “But I think you should keep your distance.” Adam leaned forward, framing his head with his hands as he scratched his temples; why, why did this conversation have to happen now? This was the first time he was alone with Kang, ever, in this kind of context. He had been dreaming of something like this, hoping for an opportunity to speak with him candidly, and more than half of his concentration and energy was dedicated to his butt and gut clenching. He made a quick and silent prayer in his mind, to the spirits, god, gods, his lunar rabbit, Naji — someone, anyone to help him through this moment. Please. He took in a deep breath. “I…” he started, pausing long enough to open his eyes, sit up straighter, and visualize a dam. He stared straight forward at it, pretending that as long as he could see it, it would hold back the poop. “I can’t abandon him, Halbo. It’s my fault he’s in that situation. He never would have done it if I hadn’t been… an idiot. Wandering around town, asking anyone who would listen if they knew how to find Ma —“ he paused, realizing that despite telling a story, it was likely still inappropriate to use her name. “Eomma.” Adam gripped the jumpsuit at the thighs, but this time, it wasn’t because of his gut; the dam was still holding. This was guilt. “It was his plan, not yours,” Kang countered effortlessly, rubbing Adam’s back slightly. “And if not you, he would have found a different angle. I know his kind. Ambitious, impatient… reckless.” “Yeah… but so was I,” Adam sighed as he hung his head. Kang paused, staring down at him for a moment, then silently nodded. “You do not bear responsibility for him,” Kang mustered as a counter, but even Adam could hear the tone shift. He didn’t fully believe what he was saying… he was trying to make his grandson feel better. Lifting a sleeve to rub under his nose, Adam grimaced as he reinforced the dam visualization after a gurgle gave him a dangerous warning. This was it. He didn’t have much time, and he needed to make a definitive play before he ruined this moment one way or another. He needed to make this count. He grimaced and clenched his jaw, pulling his stomach in as he clenched everything he could. “I’ve been thinking what the shaman said… that my strength is also my weakness,” he started as he closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and then looked up to meet his grandfather’s dark eyes. He didn’t know how else to close this out. He desperately wanted to plead his case, but he knew that would take time that he didn’t have. In a better circumstance, he could have set this up so much better… laid a foundation before ceding anything… but urgency pushed the words out of his mouth, and he could feel the sting of regret even as he said them. “I trust you, Halbo,” he breathed, angling his head down as he winced, grabbing at the edge of the bed. “If you think visiting Jeong is a mistake, and… and will hurt me more than help him… I can… accept that… and work with other options.” There was a beat. But it was short. “Halbo, I’m sorry, I really have to poop!” Adam announced desperately as he pushed himself off the bed and made an uncomfortable waddling sprint towards the bathroom. Kang blinked in surprise, watching him in silence as the blonde almost… almost made it inside the bathroom. But his hand grabbed at the doorframe as he let out a groan and lurched forward, feeling the sweat build on his forehead as the dam in his mind broke. He let out a pained groan as he lurched and crouched, his knuckles turning white as he felt an all-too-familiar mushy warmth blast out and begin pooling. His brain went foggy as his body was sending mixed signals of pain and relief, which slowly gave way to more relief as his bowels emptied. He realized rather quickly he had been holding his breath as he pushed out a second wave, grimacing at the sensation of the added weight causing the diaper to droop, while simultaneously feeling the warm mush clinging to his skin. He heaved several breaths as he opened his eyes, his face flushed red from the experience, but now a shiver ran up his spine as the world around him, and the reality of it, returned to him. He stared forward in horror, seeing that he was standing in the bathroom entrance, in full view. Several beads of sweat ran down from his temples as his knees began shaking. He closed his eyes as he heard Kang stand, and Adam silently begged him to go get Joomi; I won’t move, I promise, you can leave me alone for a few seconds, just please don’t – He swallowed a pained noise as he felt a hand land on his head, and Kang slowly knelt beside him. Adam felt a pain in his chest, knowing he had to look at him. He couldn’t ignore the man’s presence, despite desperately wishing he could. He took in an unsteady breath as his head turned before his eyes opened… and he was greeted by the same stoic expression Kang always had. No pity, no disgust… no signs of judgment. “I will consider your words,” he stated, and Adam stopped breathing for a moment; was he seriously just continuing the conversation? “But for now, I think it’s best I get your mother.” “Yes, please,” Adam squeaked and nodded, his eyes falling to the ground. Kang breathed a chuckle out of his nose and ruffled the blonde’s hair before getting up and walking out of the room. Omanjack. Adam pursed his lips as he stared at the strutting peacock, his face still red, as he breathed out his mouth to avoid smelling his own mess, while Joomi cleaned him up, humming. He frowned, scratching at his cheek, unsure how he felt about what just happened. She had set up the mobile changing pad on the bed, as she had before his nursery was set up. It had been more expeditious than waiting for Bak to finish. The jumper had been fully removed and set to the side, while the onesie was pushed up to his armpits. He bit at his lower lip as he drummed his fingers on his chest, reliving the conversation over and over again, kicking himself for every bit of it. Two more steps… maybe three. If he had just darted to his right, he could have been out of the line of sight. Just two or three more steps could have spared him from having to relive – Adam winced and forced a pivot to a different regret. In his heart, he knew he couldn’t cede checking in on Jeong face-to-face. And with what Mung had said about him, it felt more urgent now than before. The more time went on, the less likely he was to be able to reconcile with the man he had met, rather than a babbling, drooling baby… if that opportunity wasn’t already gone. He let out a long sigh, unable to think of a way out of having given up that choice so easily. “Eomma,” he started, but bit his lip as he paused due to his bad timing, as she lifted him by his feet again, inspecting his underside. “Yes?” she asked unconcerned, running a clean wipe from the small of his back over his left cheek. Adam closed his eyes, waiting for the second wipe over the other side before speaking again. “Is it… common for Tweeners to…” he faltered, lifting a hand to scratch at his neck. “Be Adopted?” she offered when he paused long enough, and he nodded. She hummed in consideration, tilting her head to the side as she dropped the wipes in the nearby trash. “I don’t know. I would have to look at the numbers.” Adam pressed his lips together, chiding himself for being so stupid. Of course she wouldn’t just know; she lived in isolation, so she would be unlikely to have any anecdotal observations or theories, and with her own mother being a Tweener, he couldn’t imagine it would be a topic she’d actively be interested in. “Agaya, I know this is important to you,” she soothed as she placed her hands gently on his hips. “And I don’t know what Father and Uncle Mung are so hesitant about… but we will find a way to make it happen. I promise.” He smiled at her as the red in his cheeks returned, but thankfully for a better reason than before. She smiled warmly back, then proceeded to grab the paw-printed diaper. “Oh - I, uh,” he jerked in surprise, realizing he should tell her what happened (beyond the obvious). “I may have… told Halbo that, I… trusted his choice…” Joomi’s eyebrows flew up high in surprise, and her whole body froze as she stared at him; his shoulder rose in a nervous shrug, unsure if it was a good surprise or a bad one. “You did?” “Ye-yeah.” She lingered in this moment, her head tilted to the side and her eyes moving as she considered this new information. When she resumed unfolding the diaper, her expression remained impassive. “And what did he say?” she asked in a subdued but curious tone, picking up his lower half and sliding the diaper underneath him. “That… he’d consider it,” the blonde winced. “What would possess you to do that?” Joomi smirked, her eyes flashing to meet his face before looking back down as she folded up the diaper and taped it on. “I had a biological emergency I was dealing with,” he huffed indignantly; this made her burst out into a giggle, and she bowed forward as she laughed. “Why didn’t you tell him that?” she asked after she opportunistically kissed his stomach, then began shimmying the onesie down. “Eomma, when you’re wearing a toilet, it’s hard to excuse yourself for toilet reasons,” he deadpanned, pressing his lips together in irritation. She paused as she looked up, looking genuinely thoughtful, as if she hadn’t considered that. “That is fair,” she conceded softly, pressing the snaps together, and followed it up with a chuckle. Adam lifted and smacked the back of his head on the bed. “It’s not funnyyyy,” he whined, lifting his hands to cover his face. “Maybe not to you,” she chuckled, grabbing the jumper and winking at him. “I have made my promise, agaya, so I must keep it. Thank you for telling me.” He peeked through his fingers at her, then quickly dropped his hands as he sat up. “Really?” he marveled as he stood up, taking the hint as she motioned to the jumper. He kept himself steady by holding onto her hands as he stepped into it. “Yes,” she purred, leaning down and kissing the top of his head. He blushed as he put his arms through the sleeves, and he quickly began buttoning it up, as Joomi struggled earlier with it due to the small size of the buttons. He snorted when she lifted the hood to get a good look at him in full-stegosaurus mode, and he shook his head, rolling his eyes. Giddy and giggly, she kissed his forehead and set him on the ground to finish the cleanup. Once fully re-dressed and the bed no longer a makeshift changing station, the pair rejoined the family, where Jae-yung had emerged once more and perked up upon their entrance. Adam grinned at him, but Bak, the ever-watchful father and vigilant hawk, pointed to his son. “You can learn about Jeong or ride Boja,” he threatened, his eyebrows raising as he put on a serious expression. He lifted an index finger for emphasis. “Pick one.” Jae-yung’s jaw dropped as he looked at his father, incredibly indignant and, for the first time, appearing genuinely surprised. He looked over to Mung, who shook his head and put his hands up, indicating he wasn’t going to intervene. Jae-yung crossed his arms over his chest as he pouted, glaring down at the ground. Adam grinned, rather relieved; he’d rather tell his cousin about Jeong in private than risk his mother’s awful retelling of it… or worse, hear his grandfather’s version. “Speaking of choices,” Joomi deflected elegantly, brushing the tips of her fingers against the top of Adam’s head as she departed from his side and joined the other giants on the couch. “I was hoping for recommendations of places to take Adam for a burger.” Adam gasped, pausing in step as he was halfway to meet his cousin at the play desk, and he spun to face her. “You’re going out?” Kang asked in a subdued but surprised tone. “That was the request,” she shrugged, looking down in discomfort; Adam frowned, unable to tell if it was for show or a genuine reaction. “We can pick something up the next time we visit,” Mung offered as he looked to his husband, who gave a disapproving glare. Grimacing slightly, he turned to his brother, who nodded approvingly. Stuck between the two, the large, suited man shrank back into the couch, appearing as if he wished to disappear into it. “I can make,” Chana countered as she waved a dismissing hand in the air from the table where she had set out a puzzle to work on. “That is a kind offer, Mother,” Joomi bowed graciously. “And I know I personally would prefer yours. But I do think the… unhealthy version is more what Adam is craving.” The blonde grinned and nodded, finishing his approach to Jae-yung, who gestured to Boja, having made his choice. Adam nodded but quickly diverted his eyes in the direction of the conversation, trying to communicate he was listening. Jae-yung nodded, looking around for something to do to keep quiet, and began searching through the crayon bin. Chana clicked her tongue in disapproval, shaking her head as she grabbed a puzzle piece. Bak laughed as he leaned back and crossed one leg over the other, looking up to the ceiling as he considered. “I’m not sure how well they replicate the food, but there’s a Libertalian-themed restaurant that might do the trick,” he stated as his eyes looked either between the ceiling or Joomi, purposefully avoiding those who were not in support of this idea. “A sit–in restaurant?” Joomi asked in clarification, her eyes wincing ever so slightly. Adam and Jae-yung’s eyes met, and the blonde felt as if his cousin’s eyes pierced him. He raised his eyebrows slightly, asking a question, and, although he couldn’t definitively know what the question truly was, he nodded anyway. Jae-yung half-smiled and gave an approving nod. “Ah, you’re looking for fast food?” Bak clarified, arching an eyebrow in amusement. “You’re really going for unhealthy, eh?” In Joomi’s hesitation to respond, though she did let out an awkward laugh, the Amazon continued. “There are plenty of good places I can send you, most with a drive-through. Though that does mean you’d have to be driving…” Bak shot her a look and gave her a teasing grin; Joomi let out another awkward laugh and nodded in understanding, lifting her hand to gently rub under her nose in embarrassment. Kang heaved a heavy sigh, and whether he intended it or not, it commanded the room. Everyone stopped as all eyes turned to him; even Jae-yung, who had been lazily drawing circles on a piece of paper, stopped and stared. Lifting a hand, he rubbed his index finger and middle finger on his eyebrow for a long moment, then nodded. “Set a date with Zhang for a visit,” Kang ordered as he turned his head slightly to his right towards his brother. Mung sat up a little straighter, his eyebrows furrowing in a mix of surprise and concern, but he nodded all the same. Then Kang looked at his daughter, who raised her eyebrows curiously. “Mung will escort you two, and you can stop for burgers afterward.” Adam’s mouth opened as he very quietly gasped, a reaction that mirrored Joomi’s… though something in her face seemed less surprised than him. She looked, for a moment, confused, then smiled as if she pieced it all together and bowed her head in gratitude. Adam gaped more, feeling he had just witnessed a flawless social gymnastic landing. There was no way that it hadn’t been precisely what she had wanted. “Boja time!” Jae-yung bubbled, slapping the crayon down and grabbing Adam’s wrist. He pulled him, jerking him from his stunned state, and the blonde laughed, accompanying his cousin over to the tiger, whose tail and ears flicked as he lay on the ground. Eager and on his tiptoes, Jae-yung beamed at the tiger and then bowed as he asked, “We can ride now, please?” Adam smiled at Boja, who tilted his head curiously before nodding. “Yes,” he confirmed before lifting from his bed and descending to the floor. “Perhaps we can start with a walk around the garden.” “YEESSS!” Jae-yung burst into a celebratory cheer, lifting his arms into the air and jumping up and down with excitement. Chana quickly jumped to her feet to find her purse and phone, defaulting to Goryeoan as she demanded photos and videos of this. Bak agreed with the sentiment, getting his own out, and Joomi sat back as she watched, basking in the event. Kang reached a hand out and placed it on hers, giving it a gentle squeeze; she looked down at his hand first, then looked at him, and the pair shared a quiet, smiling moment. “I would suggest Adam in front,” the tiger replied as the two Littles were trying to coordinate how to do this. “Why?” Adam squinted suspiciously. “You’re heavier,” Boja replied simply with a slight shrug, and Jae-yung cackled. Adam pressed his lips together for a moment, then gave a nod; logistically, it made sense, and emotionally, he was glad to be bigger than anyone at this point. He’d take the very small win. Boja lay on the floor, and Adam quickly climbed up, grabbing handfuls of fur to help pull himself up. Jae-yung watched and eyed where he could do the same, but he spun around to face the couches instead, pointing to Boja as he looked at Mung. “Appa, help, please!” Jae-yung chirped; his father smiled widely and nodded, pushing himself to stand and walking over. “Uuuup!” Mung declared as he effortlessly lifted his son up and lowered him gently onto Boja’s back. Jae-yung giggled the entire way and quickly wrapped his arms around Adam’s waist, leaning against his back for support. “Smile!” Chana bubbled as she lifted her phone. “You, too, Boja,” Adam said as he patted the top of the tiger’s head, noting he hadn’t looked at the camera. There was a slight grumble from him, which caused both Littles to snort, and all three looked at the phone, though only the Littles smiled. “Ah, hold on, me too,” Bak ordered as he stepped beside Chana, getting in his own photos. “Okay, okaaaay,” Jae-yung complained, gently hitting his forehead against Adam’s back. “We goooo nooooow.” Boja took this seriously and began standing, causing Jae-yung to jerk in surprise and hug Adam from behind tightly, who likewise was gripping at a chunk of fur. He grimaced as he leaned forward slightly. “This doesn’t hurt, does it?” he asked quietly. “No. And even if it did,” Boja stated as he began walking slowly towards the front door. “I could turn the pain indicator off.” “Heh, cool,” Adam grinned. “Boja?” Jae-yung called from behind, and the tiger turned his head to the side, though he continued his pace. “Yes, Jae-yung?” “You’re really cool.” Adam smiled as Boja paused in his step, only for a second, then continued walking. “Thank you,” he replied quietly. “I find you chaotic and amusing to watch.” Adam burst out into a laugh, and Jae-yung immediately cheered. Boja chuckled as his eyes flashed, opening the front door, and he descended the steps out into the garden, with a parade of Amazons behind them, giggling, taking photos, and otherwise enjoying the show. For only a moment, the blonde blushed as the family fanned out into the garden for a better view of “the show”, but any embarrassment quickly dissipated in favor of appreciation for the fun of the moment, especially when Boja began narrating the garden like a tour guide. “Here, you will see the kameia flower, native to Goryeo and Yamatoa, found in tropical and subtropical areas,” he explained as his tail flickered in the direction of the vibrant crimson and violet flowers. “Tea!” Jae-yung chirped. “Correct, Jae-yung, the leaves of the kameia are frequently dried for tea,” the tiger stated. “That’s one point for you.” “Points?!” Adam protested immediately, stiffening in surprise. “I didn’t know this was a quiz!” “It is now,” Boja mused dryly, causing Adam to throw his head back and groan, while Jae-yung pumped his fist. Shocking no one, Jae-yung won the obviously rigged game, but on the bright side, Adam learned a lot about the garden, native flora to Goryeo, and how much of the garden was carefully designed for practical use. There were medicinal and cooking herbs, tea plants, and much of it was surrounded by natural pest control. “What about bunnies?” Jae-yung asked suddenly, after a long stint of celebrating his victory, as Boja was prowling back towards the house. “They don’t eat garden?” “Many such creatures have long stopped coming around,” Boja replied, dryly adding, “I don’t know why.” Adam grinned, immediately honing in on the tiger’s humor, but Jae-yung hummed in consideration for a good few seconds, before… “Oh,” he said, chuckled, then, “HAHAHAHA!” Boja chuckled as he lifted his head proudly. About halfway to the house, he paused in his step, and the two Littles looked down, feeling a shift under the fur. “Hold on tight,” he warned quietly. Jae-yung scooted even closer to Adam and hugged tightly, while the blonde frowned curiously and leaned forward, grabbing two handfuls of the orange and white fur. The mesh-muscle expanded slightly, feeling more like a seat or a stabilized section beneath them, and just as Adam opened his mouth to ask what was going on, Boja rocked back and pushed off the ground from a considerable distance towards the door. If the rest of the family reacted, Adam couldn’t hear it, for he and Jae-yung immediately began screaming their heads off as they soared through the air on tiger-back, the wind whistling in their ears. They screamed through the entire leap, completely muting the soft and quiet landing of the tiger, who was laughing, which Adam only knew because he could feel it beneath him.

LOL you're not wrong. 😆  Thank you!! 💕 Yeah, I enjoy Kelly's presence, both the good and the "bad" (not bad per se but complicating).    I ... ADORE that you call Lauren Karen 🤣 -- Also side note -- I don't know how but the formatting of text was missing in this chapter! I'll edit it shortly to stick it back in. 🫠

Eesh... poor Anna!  ...so where is Liisa...?

@Villainy: Unfortunately, once passed, those off the record comments won't be acknowledged and legal will turn back to the "meaning" of the written words.  : (