"Mimi, where are you?" A lady in a white robe with long hair kept calling as she walked through the village. Her eyes wandered around, searching for the little troublemaker.
" This girl, where does she wander this time. " Mutter under her breath, she walked in the village."
"Grandma Min, did you see Mimi anywhere?" she asked, stopping at the little stall of an old lady.
"Oh, Mimi? No, dear, I didn't see her today. Looks like she's troubling you again," the old lady laughed. It wasn't a new thing for Mimi's aunt to come looking for her.
About thirteen years ago, this aunt-and-niece pair came to the village. The elegance of the lady and the beauty of the little child immediately drew the attention of the villagers. As word spread, the village chief asked them about their origin, only to learn that their family had been murdered by a mysterious monster during their travel from the West to the capital, leaving only the aunt and niece alive. Fearing another attack, the lady decided to settle in the nearest possible village.
Everyone empathized with them villager allow this pair of neice and aunt settle here. Since then, they had lived there. The little child grew into a beautiful but mischievous girl who always make her aunt worry about her. She was adored by everyone in the village for her sweet words, so when ever she gets into trouble village always try to make way out for her.
"Don't be too hard on her; she's just a child. She might be playing here or there," the old lady said, trying to defend the little troublemaker.
"You all have spoiled her! I have yet to scold her, and look—people are already speaking up for her," the lady huffed in anger.
"Greetings, Aunty. Are you looking for Mimi?" Out of nowhere, a young lady appeared at the old woman's stall and spoke.
"Yes, have you seen her?"
"Yeah, she went towards the lake when I was playing with my friends," the young lady replied.
The lady thanked her and started walking in the direction of the lake.
As she reached the edge of the village, a beautiful lake came into view. The worry in her eyes was replaced with fury as the little troublemaker came into sight.
"Mimi!" she called, startling the girl near the edge of the lake.
"Aunt Yaya!" A young fifteen-year-old girl looked at her aunt with fear. "Aunt Yaya, why are you here?" Oblivious to the storm brewing in her aunt's eyes, Mimi innocently asked.
"Ahhhh, Aunt, please, please let go!" As Mimi walked closer to her aunt, her aunt pulled her ear as punishment.
"Didn't I tell you not to leave the yard? Then why are you here?"
"Aunt Yaya, I'm sorry! Please let go!" Mimi whined as her aunt started walking back toward the village, still holding her ear.
"No! You're getting out of hand day by day. Walk faster; it's getting late."
"Aww, poor Mimi! Look, Aunt Yaya is pulling her ear!" Small children started laughing as they saw the scene. Mimi blushed in embarrassment and softly pleaded with her aunt to let go.
"No, this is your punishment. If you ever leave the village again, I will walk you like this through the entire village," her aunt huffed in anger.
"Yaya, let it go. She's just a child," one of the neighbors said, trying to defend Mimi. Soon, others joined in, taking Mimi's side, which only made her aunt angrier.
Mimi shrank a little, noticing her aunt getting genuinely upset. "Sorry, Yaya. I won't do this again," she said, pulling her aunt into a hug and acting cute.
"Okay, fine. This is the last time I'm letting it go." Finally, her aunt released Mimi's ear, which had turned red as a tomato from all the pulling.
Pitifully, Mimi rubbed her ear as they walked into their front yard.
"Now, why the pitiful expression? Come here; let me see your ear," her aunt said, making Mimi roll her eyes internally. Why do you even try to punish me when you can't bear to see me hurt? she thought but happily went to her aunt to get more attention.
"It's all red?" her aunt said, concerned.
"Yaya, it's hurting," Mimi said, making her aunt's eyes turn cold.
"If you know this will hurt, why did you leave without telling me?" Not wanting to soften her heart toward this troublemaker, she walked into her room.
Mimi hurriedly followed behind. "I'm sorry, but I-I…" She hesitated, and her aunt caught her hesitation.
"You what? Tell me."
"I didn't want to go to the lake. I was doing the work you told me to write, but…" Mimi's eyes sparkled as she began narrating the incident. "Suddenly, a rabbit hopped inside our yard—a big rabbit with long ears and silver hair."
Her aunt stopped folding the clothes suddenly when she heard the description of the rabbit.
"It was so beautiful! I walked toward it, but it hopped out of the yard, and I went out to follow it. But I couldn't find it after reaching the lake…" Mimi stopped talking as she felt chills down her spine.
She turned around and saw her aunt's terrifying expression. It was the first time she had seen her aunt like this. Scared, she called her softly, "Aunt Yaya?"
"Yes?" Her aunt's expression became normal, making Mimi feel relieved.
"Why were you looking like that?"
"Like what?"
"It was scary," Mimi answered honestly.
"You little fool, calling your aunt scary. Wait—I'll show you how scary I am!" Her aunt chased her.
"Sorry, Yaya, I was wrong!" Mimi laughed, lighting up the whole house.
*
Later that night, after confirming Mimi was asleep, Yaya left the house and walked to the lake where she had found Mimi earlier that evening. She looked around the bank, her eyes showing a cold glint. Kneeling down, she picked up a silver thread of hair.