Chapter 53

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Keyboard and Mouse (2)

As expected, there’s just something different about a local.

I had been walking for a while hand in hand with Toya when I noticed the electronics market coming into view. I turned my head and glanced around.
It looked similar to the ones back in Korea… yet felt quite different.
For one, all the signs were in Japanese.

“Hello, boss~”
“Oh, you’re here? What are you here to buy this time?”
“Oh, it’s not for me today. I came to buy something for my friend.”

Toya, walking through the crowded electronics market like she knew it by heart, entered a particular store and greeted the owner.
And then, out came a woman with a warm expression.
She hadn’t noticed me yet—likely because of my height—and was still looking directly at Toya. But upon hearing the word “friend,” her face turned more puzzled.

“Here, this friend.”
“Huh?”

Noticing that, Toya pointed at me to direct the shopkeeper’s gaze.
Naturally, the moment the shopkeeper turned her head to where Toya was pointing, our eyes met.
“…”
“…”

Hmm, maybe she’s the type who gets quiet when meeting someone new—
No, obviously not.
I knew exactly what kind of silence this was, which made it harder to speak first.
Toya probably thought I was just shy and couldn’t talk.

“Momiji, I know you’re lonely from not having anyone to game with, but bringing such a tiny kid along is a bit much, don’t you think?”
“Ah, you don’t know, boss. She might look like this, but she’s actually an adult—”
“Adult or not! Kids these days might seem mature, but she looks like she hasn’t even started elementary school yet. Why not just play with dolls or have a tea party or something? Don’t ruin the child!”

Yeah… I figured this would happen.
Unless someone knew my circumstances, this was bound to be the reaction.
In the end, I had to pull out my passport and show it before she began to believe it.
Even then, she still looked doubtful.

But I didn’t blame her. I understood.

“Do you have anything smaller than this?”

“That’s the smallest we have in stock. Nothing smaller than that.”

Even the smallest keyboard and mouse in the store felt way too big for me.
Well, of course. Who would make peripherals with hands like mine in mind?

Disappointed, I poked at one of the display keyboards.
Its cheerful clicking sound felt almost mocking.

“Yeah, I can see how this size would be inconvenient.”

“Is there any way around it? Maybe a keyboard for toddlers or something—”

“Forget it. You’ve got that look in your eye like you wouldn’t be satisfied with something like that.”

She was right. A toy keyboard wasn’t going to cut it.

But it’s not like standard gear fit me either.
Which left only one option.

“Want me to make you a custom keyboard and mouse? It’ll cost a fair bit, though.”

“Is that possible?”

“Sure. If you’ve got the money, anything is possible.”

The shopkeeper gave a grin that almost sparkled.
So, money really could solve everything, huh?

The problem, of course, was that I didn’t have any.
Custom gear would cost way more than off-the-shelf stuff… and that would eat into my meds budget for the month.

Ugh… maybe I should just stick with the uncomfortable ones for now.

“I’ll pay for it.”
“It’s going to be expensive. Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure. It’s for a friend.”

Just as I was about to give up, Toya stepped forward and pulled out her card.
T-Toya?! You didn’t have to go that far…!

Flustered, I reached for her hand, but there was no way I could reach her card.
It was literally out of reach.

“Well, with a friend like this, I guess you’d want to do anything for her.”
“Right? Isn’t she super cute, our little Nacchan~”
“Ugh…”

Only after the payment was complete did Toya lift me up.
As soon as she did, she started rubbing her cheek against mine, and the shopkeeper stifled a chuckle.

…Hey, we’re in public. Don’t you feel even a little embarrassed?

I stared at her, trying to send that message, but as always, Toya just smiled.

No point in trying. Toya’s an idiot.

“Okay, let’s measure your hand and arm length.”

“Natsu, stretch your hand out?”

“…You don’t have to say it. I know.”

Toya brought me up to the counter and beamed down at me.

Fine, fine, I get it already.

I stretched my arm toward the shopkeeper, who gave me a smile eerily similar to Toya’s.

The kind of look people give when they see something irresistibly cute.

Thanks to Toya, I was well-acquainted with that look.

“You’re adorable.”

“…Urgh.”

“Oh, you shouldn’t say that—she gets embarrassed.”

“She doesn’t dislike it?”

“Nope.”

Excuse me, I’m right here. Not even “next to you”—you’re literally holding me.

Whether she knew how I felt or not, Toya just told me to stretch a bit more.

…This is as far as I can reach.

“All done. Luckily, I made something about this size before, so it should be a bit easier this time.”

“You’ve made a keyboard and mouse this small before?”

“Yeah, right? Otherwise, I wouldn’t have suggested it. That time it was an online order, so I didn’t get to measure things myself. This will be easier.”

That’s kind of amazing…
Could someone else out there have a body like mine?

Or maybe it really was for a child.

Still, I couldn’t imagine anyone else in the world having a body this small.

Whoever ordered it before must’ve been prepping their kid for gaming early.
Unlike me.

“It’ll take about a week to make, so come back in a week.”

“That soon?”

“From my perspective, that’s slow.”

She waved us off, saying she’d get started right away, and I bowed in thanks.
It might’ve been a job, and she was getting paid, but she was still going out of her way to help.
I was grateful—both to her and to Toya for bringing me here.

—

At first, I thought it was just a crazy coincidence—or maybe fate.

The way Natsu’s avatar resembled Yeoreum’s new body… it felt like it had been made just for her.

“Lagu-sensei’s reaction was kind of weird too, wasn’t it?”

A creator who supposedly retired due to a wrist injury suddenly announced their return the moment they saw a picture of Yeoreum.
To others, it looked like they were simply making a comeback to celebrate the debut of their new character, Ichinose Natsu.
But to me, it felt like seeing Yeoreum’s photo is what triggered that comeback.

Maybe she just really liked Yeoreum that much?

Yeoreum was cute. Very cute.

“…Maybe she really did like her that much—”

Either way, it wouldn’t hurt to look into it.
Why Natsu looked so much like Han Yeoreum, and why Lagu-sensei reacted the way she did upon seeing her photo.

“……”

“Yeoreum, you asleep?”
“…Mm.”
“Pfft.”

Yeoreum had fallen asleep in my arms, probably worn out from walking all this way.
Part of me wanted to put that new keyboard and mouse in her hands right away.

Back when she was Han Yeoreum, she was a true Korean gamer—
devoted, passionate, obsessed with games.

Now, she seemed to enjoy streaming more than gaming itself,
but once she had gear that fit her, I was sure she’d bounce with excitement.

“Still, thank goodness the shop owner had experience making gear her size~”

If that place couldn’t do it, we would’ve had to go hunting elsewhere—
which would’ve taken ages.

Whoever that mystery person was who ordered something this small before,
thank you.
Thanks to you, I was able to easily buy something for someone very special to me.

Despite being bundled in layers, I could still feel the softness in my arms.
I smiled gently.

“Soon, we’ll get to play games together again. Right?”

Naturally, there was no answer.
But her head bobbing in time with my footsteps…
I’d like to think that was her way of saying yes.

Just imagining the fun we’d have again someday made my heart race.

Yeah.

We’ll have fun again, just like we used to—
won’t we, Yeoreum?

Fables