Ch.209IF Side Story: Somehow, Everyone Seems to Like Me (10)

# High School Student

Hayun and I didn’t play that hard. I mean, we did hang out, but not to the extent of frolicking in the ocean.

We’d wander around, do something like shopping, or sit watching people on the main street. That was the extent of how we played together. And I thought that was good enough.

The way I hung out with Jihye was similar, but Jihye was much more energetic than Hayun. She didn’t need to worry about what others thought, and her only concern was the state of her wallet.

Pang Pang wasn’t a high school student, but she didn’t have much money when she lived alone either. When we hung out, we’d just buy a can of coffee and chat. Well, it wasn’t really hanging out, just having conversations.

I understand that high school students, or rather “teenagers,” still have childish aspects to them, and it’s an age where they band together and get into all sorts of strange situations.

But for someone like me who played in a more subdued way, I couldn’t handle these kids’ overflowing energy.

Yes, it was fun when I princess-carried all the kids and jumped into the ocean. But after doing it for all of them, my body started to ache. I had jumped pretty high, and the impact of hitting the water surface stung more than I expected.

But whether they knew it or not, the kids were really enjoying the water play—

I once thought that if Hayun was the center of the previous magical girls, somehow I had become the center now.

After all, when we were on the run, the magical girls followed what I said, and after going through various incidents and normalizing our relationships, we just became close friends.

While Hayun is basically quiet but speaks her mind when needed, I’m the friend who says everything, whether appropriate or not. I’m even close enough to strip them down to… well, not their clothes, but at least their swimsuits.

No, that sounds even weirder when I put it that way.

Well, anyway.

What happens when someone who’s friends with “everyone” enters the water with that “everyone”—

“Splash?!”

That’s right.

You get bombarded with water splashes.

At first, I tried to resist in my own way. Since enemies were all around me, I splashed water in all directions.

But after one round of water fighting, my energy was completely drained. No matter how much power I had as a magical girl, when surrounded by other magical girls, I was bound to get exhausted.

“Jieun— Kyaah?!”

Finally, I decided to forcibly create an alliance.

I quickly ducked and hid behind Hayun.

Since Hayun was definitely shorter than me, this was a very cowardly move. The other magical girls actually paused momentarily in shock at my action.

But that pause didn’t last long. Soon, water was pouring down on both of us like crazy.

That’s right. No matter how delicate Hayun’s appearance might be, not splashing water at her in this situation would be more like ostracism. The magical girls weren’t that socially awkward. Even if they were rivals in the webtoon—that’s just a cliché, isn’t it? The story of girls who don’t understand each other gradually coming to understand.

It’s the same now. No, it’s even better than before. We understood each other. We already knew so well why each other thought certain ways, what we liked, what hobbies we had.

And that was also an opportunity.

“Blurp?!”

When I jumped up and hid behind Seo-hee, this time the water poured down on her. Seo-hee counterattacked the kids, and somehow factions formed.

Even I think it’s a bit sneaky, but isn’t this what politics is all about? If only I could slip away and just watch from the sidelines.

“Phew.”

I slipped back, watched the kids playing in the water for a moment, and then quietly made my way out of the water.

The kids, screaming and playing happily, didn’t even notice I’d left.

Leading my slightly aching body, I went to where Chaeyeon had been earlier.

Chaeyeon was lying under a parasol, reading a book.

“…”

“…”

Hearing my footsteps and meeting my eyes, Chaeyeon stared at me silently for a while, then strangely blushed and shifted her gaze back to her book.

Hmm.

What I did earlier was a bit much. Fortunately, I’m not covering myself with outerwear now. …Is that fortunate?

I approached and plopped down on the mat under the parasol. The beach was so well-maintained that I couldn’t even feel any stones.

“How long have you been here?”

“Since earlier, when the water play started.”

Ah.

So she waited for when the attacks were concentrated on me. Someone had the same idea as me before I did.

Well, “Delphinium” is the smart role. The cool beauty who’s always sitting and reading books.

Her signature color is a refreshing blue. It was a bit dark, but still a cool-looking color. Her hair was medium-length, neither too long nor too short.

As I stared intently at her face, Chaeyeon’s gaze wavered. She seemed to be more shy than I expected.

She tried to hide her face behind her book, but eventually lowered it slightly, revealing just her eyes to look at me.

Is she really a year older than me? Looking at her like this, she seems younger. If someone asked who looked like the junior between us, most people would probably pick Chaeyeon.

“Were you always this shy?”

“…”

Chaeyeon turned her gaze away without answering.

“How did you even make friends with the others with that level of shyness?”

I can guess roughly. Hayun would definitely have approached her first. It might have been a bit awkward, but still.

Hayun was someone who couldn’t leave me alone when I was sitting by myself in a corner. Well, I’ve also rescued Hayun countless times from groups she didn’t particularly like, so we’re even, but there probably weren’t such incidents among the magical girls.

“…I didn’t plan to make friends.”

“I see.”

Hearing her clear answer, I smiled.

“Oof.”

And I flopped down beside her.

I could see the parasol in my view. The sun was so hot that it felt like I could see the bright blue sky even through the parasol.

“Well, sometimes I miss just being relaxed like this.”

“…”

Chaeyeon didn’t answer, but from her presence, it seemed like she was listening to what I was saying.

“To be honest, I wanted attention too. I was kind of an involuntary loner, you could say.”

But I don’t know how to become popular. The world I saw didn’t have many people I wanted to be close with anyway.

While wanting to be like Hayun, I also pitied her situation. And at the same time, I wanted to beat her.

Even I think my feelings were all twisted up.

“But once I started getting attention, sometimes I just want to be quiet like this. So I understand how you feel.”

“…”

Chaeyeon remained silent for a while.

“…But.”

“Hm?”

When Chaeyeon suddenly said that, I turned my head.

But Chaeyeon didn’t say anything after that “but.”

“…Aren’t you going to say anything else?”

“What do you mean?”

“…But, you might enjoy playing with the others. …But, wouldn’t it be good to make friends too.”

“Ah.”

I see.

The things Chaeyeon must have heard countless times.

“Well, if you don’t want to, what can I do?”

That’s how I answered.

“…Even though you were carrying and jumping with us earlier.”

How strange.

Somehow, I felt a bit of disappointment in those words.

Rather than disappointment in me…

Was she hoping I’d come get her again? Or was she disappointed that after coming all this way, that’s all I had to say? That since I came to get her again, I’d take her with me again.

I understand the feeling. That’s how introverts are, so troublesome.

Wanting to play, wanting to go out, wanting to see friends’ faces, but as soon as you try to go out, you feel deflated.

Maybe Chaeyeon feels the same way.

Hmm.

“I did that because I wanted to play with you. I came all this way and wanted to play with everyone.”

“…”

“But, well. After playing, I’m out of energy. So I came here to rest a bit. You’re the same, right?”

“…Yes.”

Chaeyeon answered my question.

“Is it okay if I rest here for a while?”

“Yes.”

Chaeyeon answered again.

I smiled and was about to lie down—

“Hey, Jeong Jieun!”

—but couldn’t.

From far away, Jihye was shouting as if she was angry and running full speed towards us.

Right beside her was Hayun, and behind her was Ju-a.

No, they’re all running over together.

It seems they’re coming to get revenge for me setting them against each other and then slipping away.

“Looks like resting is out of the question.”

As I said with a smile,

“…Yes.”

Chaeyeon answered with a very slight smile.