episode_0019

Two days have passed since the invisible man sex incident happened in the classroom.

During that time, I couldn’t meet Ms. Jia because she seemed busy, and I also spent my time focusing on my work.

Now, after spending two such peaceful days.

I was in a bit of a tricky situation.

… What is going on?

The current time is 6:00 PM.

Originally, I was planning to meet a friend and have a meal together.

He said that he bought the coin out of curiosity and that the price had gone up, so he would buy expensive food.

But as soon as we met, he started talking to someone on the phone, apologized and left, saying that his part-time job was looking for him urgently.

Just hearing that kid say he found a good restaurant, I couldn’t help but be dumbfounded, having come an hour by subway.

… What can I do by myself?

I looked around in vain.

Large buildings and bustling crowds surround me.

Even though it was just an ordinary downtown area, everything felt unfamiliar, perhaps because I was left alone in a place I had never been to before.

… Now that we’re here, should we look for something to buy?

No matter how much I think about it, there’s nothing I need.

… Should I just go in and eat alone?

It’s a waste of money to eat out when it wasn’t planned, and it feels unfair since I was originally planning to eat out.

“Sigh, let’s just go back.”

At that moment, my gaze fell on someone among the people passing by.

A baseball cap pulled down low as if trying to hide one’s identity.

Suspicious behavior of constantly looking around.

Even though he looked unusual at first glance, I immediately recognized his identity and ran over to him in excitement.

“Ms. Jia!”

“Dohyun?!”

Her eyes grew twice as big, and she put her index finger to her lips.

Now that I think about it, I decided to pretend not to know outside.

Still, I can’t hide my joy at meeting you like this.

“You won’t be meeting anyone since you’re at school anyway. What brings you here?”

At my words, Ms. Jia, who had been hesitating, glanced around and spoke.

“I was just thinking about eating dinner.”

“Oh, did you come because of an appointment?”

“No, alone… .”

You come by subway an hour away by yourself to eat?

“Alone? How delicious is it?”

“Yeah, it’s a famous place.”

“Really?”

My curiosity is piqued.

It was a good opportunity for me as I was hungry and could spend time with Gia.

“If it’s okay, would you like to go eat together? I originally came here because I had plans with a friend, but I got rejected.”

“Together?”

“I’m not asking for it, but since I’m the one recommending it, I’ll pay for it.”

“… .”

Ms. Jia is in trouble.

To exaggerate a little, it was a more serious expression than when she was first asked to have sex with the goddess.

She frowned and thought for a moment, then nodded as if she had just come up with a good idea.

“Okay. But I have a favor to ask.”

“Please? What is it?”

“I’ll go and tell you.”

—

We headed straight to the restaurant that Ms. Jia had mentioned.

When my friend suddenly called and left, I felt bitter, but now I feel grateful.

Thanks to that, I got to have an unexpected meal with Gia in an unexpected place.

By the way, just how famous is this restaurant?

If the food is delicious, the atmosphere will be better, so I look forward to it.

When I arrived at my destination with an excited heart, I could only have a blank expression on my face.

Because the place I stood with Ms. Jia was none other than in front of McDonald’s.

“Are you here?”

“… Yes.”

Is this really a famous restaurant?

A hamburger restaurant with Pierrot as its mascot?

Personally, when it comes to hamburgers, I like Burger Queen better.

But I couldn’t just turn back here, so I went inside for now.

“Dohyun-ssi. Well… I have a favor to ask.”

When I answered ‘yes,’ Ms. Jia continued speaking hesitantly.

“Can you order the same menu as me and give me the gift? I’ll pay the bill… .”

I was going to say that I would pay for mine, but I thought it would be rude to decline so much, so I just said okay.

But what kind of gift are you talking about?

At that moment, I absentmindedly turned my head and discovered a poster stuck on the wall of the store.

※※※※※※※※※※

Happy Meal of the Month!

‘Minions’ character figures!

Enjoy a delicious Happy Meal set and meet the cute Minion toys!

※※※※※※※※※※

I know Happy Meal is supposed to be a kids meal, but what about Minions?

Short yellow monsters that appear in theatrical animation.

Did you come all the way here just to get that toy?

When I stood at the ordering counter with Ms. Jia, I was able to find out the answer to that question.

“I’ll help you with your order.”

“That, that… Hey, two Happy Meal sets… yea.”

Jia’s voice seemed to be crawling and almost digging into the ground.

Of course, the employee who didn’t hear properly asked back.

“I’m sorry. Could you say that again?”

“hae, happy… happy meal… .”

I’m embarrassed to order a children’s set, so I just keep being happy.

I felt like it wouldn’t work out, so I, who was next to him, opened my mouth instead.

“Please give me two Happy Meal sets.”

After finishing my order, I sat down across from her at an empty table.

Ms. Jia was holding her head in her hands, unable to forget the beating she had just received.

I didn’t feel like chatting so I stayed quiet, but after a while I heard her voice.

“Thank you. For ordering for me… .”

“It’s nothing, what? Did you come all the way here because you wanted the Minions?”

“… Yes.”

“If you’re embarrassed to order a children’s set, you could have just ordered that.”

Ms. Jia also looked in the direction I was pointing with my finger.

There, another customer was ordering at the kiosk.

“Ah, I don’t come to places like this often, so I didn’t know there was something like that.”

“Come to think of it, I guess I could have had it delivered instead of coming in person.”

“There’s no McDonald’s near the school… . I came all the way here in case I met someone I knew, but I never thought Dohyun would be there.”

I guess I was a bit embarrassed to come get the Minion figures.

“Do you have to be so embarrassed?”

“It’s embarrassing. For a twenty-one year old to buy a toy.”

“I guess you really like Minions.”

“Yes. I went to the movie theater with my friends and saw it, and it was so cute… This is my first time buying something.”

It’s not strange to like an anime character, but it’s strange that that person is Jia.

After a while, I received the set I ordered and gave her the figure box as a gift.

“Here it is.”

“Oh, thank you.”

She didn’t even look at the food that was served and just opened the box.

When I checked the contents of both boxes, my face lit up like I had never seen it before.

“They didn’t overlap. Thank goodness.”

“Does it come out randomly?”

“Yes. Because there are three characters. Fortunately, none of them are the same.”

So that’s why you asked me to eat the same menu.

It’s nice to see tiny figures the size of thumbs lined up and smiling.

“Which one of the three do you like the most?”

“Bob. He’s the youngest, but he looks cute and acts cute. But it’s too bad he didn’t show up.”

“Shall I order one more?”

Surprised, Ms. Jia waved her hand.

“Huh? No. I won’t be able to eat them all, but that’s okay. They’re cute too, so I’m satisfied.”

“That’s because I don’t have enough. It’s a children’s set, so there’s not enough for me. Since I’m eating more, I’ll give the figure to Jia.”

“Ah… Thank you.”

He brought me another Happy Meal set and gave me a third box of figures.

Ms. Jia opened the box hurriedly, feeling sorry but unable to hide her anticipation.

“It’s rice!”

“Are you out?”

“Yes! Thank you, Dohyun!”

“You’re lucky, Jia, because all three came out.”

“I’m usually unlucky, but I think Dohyun is lucky. Ah, he’s really so cute.”

He doesn’t even look at the hamburger, and just stares at the minions he’s standing up.

I wonder if that’s what it feels like for parents to feel full just by looking at them.

Anyway, thanks to the minions, I was able to finish my meal with Zia in a friendly atmosphere.

Now that I’m out of the store, it’s time to head back to my studio.

He spoke to Zia, who was holding the bag containing the figure with care.

“I guess we should go separately. If we go near the school, someone might see us together.”

“Oh, yes. Thank you.”

“Jia, you go first. I’ll leave a little later.”

“No. Thanks to Dohyun, I got the kids, so I’ll wait.”

“Okay, then I’ll go first. See you next time.”

“Yes. Thank you so much today.”

After exchanging greetings, we headed to the subway station.

There was no lewd incident with Zia today, but I feel like our hearts have become closer.

Naturally, the corners of my mouth went up, and my steps became lighter due to the anticipation for our next meeting.

—

After Do-hyeon left, Ji-ah was left alone and was thinking about him and the things that happened that day.

Do-hyeon’s appearance, understanding his shameful side and even being considerate enough to help him gain a different character.

Before she knew it, she was feeling relieved that the man she had become entangled with because of the goddess was none other than Do-Hyeon.

… I’m glad that Do-Hyeon is a good person.

“Imjji!”

“Gyah!”

I was startled by the sudden call and turned around to see a familiar person standing there.

He was one of the two friends who appeared when I was in the classroom with Dohyun.

“What are you doing here?”

“Huh? Well, I just had an appointment… .”

“Oh, really? Who is that guy?”

For a moment, Jia’s face turned pale.

Even though I came all the way here, it was an unexpected crisis to not only meet a friend, but also see the scene with Do-hyeon.

“Who, who?”

“We were together until just now. Could it be your boyfriend?!”

“That’s not it! He’s just someone I used to work for, and I just happened to meet him and said hello… .”

“I see. I thought you were pretending to be quiet, but you got a lover before me?”

Fortunately, my friend nodded, as if he had seen it from the moment he left the store.

“Hey, why are you denying it so strongly? Anyway, I heard that whenever a man is mentioned, you start a fight?”

“If other people see me hanging out with a guy, they might think it’s weird… .”

“What are you talking about? Who said that? That person looked good earlier and stuff.”

“Really…?”

My friend’s answer was without hesitation.

“Of course it’s true. Hey, if we’re not really related, can you introduce me to someone? That would be totally possible!”

“Oh, no. I said I have a girlfriend.”

Her friend’s shoulders slumped at the lie that Jia had unknowingly told.

“Really? That’s too bad. When will I get a boyfriend? Ugh, enough. I should just go home. What about Imjji? If you’re going home, let’s go together.”

“Okay, then.”

Jia ends up walking with a friend by chance.

It must have been unpleasant for her to be mistaken for Do-hyeon and his lover, but for some reason her heart kept pounding.

—

A pure white space where nothing can be seen or caught.

The goddess sitting in the middle of it all is silently folding her hands.

Her eyes were covered with a pure white cloth, so her expression was hidden, but her lower lip, bitten in anxiety, could not be hidden.

‘… No. The guilt is fading away.’

The power she received from the Goddess of Fate feeds on guilt.

It means that the stronger you feel your guilt, the stronger your power becomes.

But a problem occurred.

As Do-hyeon and Ji-ah accept the goddess’s requests, their sense of guilt gradually diminishes.

Of course, that didn’t mean I couldn’t feel any emotions anymore.

The goddess who loves peace and stability is also warm-hearted, so no matter how many times Do-hyeon and Ji-ah grant her requests, her guilt will never be completely erased.

But the very fact that my conscience was being reduced even slightly was a problem.

As the guilt diminishes, the power will try to make up for the lack of strength with more intense demands.

Just like the sex we had in class last time.

‘If this continues, I don’t know what the power will demand of me.’

In order to avoid causing as little harm as possible to Do-hyeon and Ji-ah, a solution had to be found immediately.

‘Maybe I have no choice but to find someone else.’

She has her own reasons, and she can’t change Do-hyeon to another man.

In that case, the person he had to find was another woman to replace Zia.

‘I have to ask someone else to do that… .’

I’m already starting to feel a pang of guilt in my chest.

But we cannot turn a blind eye to those who die unjustly.

‘Who else but Ji-ah would need Do-hyun’s help…?’

With those worries, the goddess disappeared into the pure white space.