Ch.20Chapter 20

I didn’t know how the movie ended. Whenever I tried to peek by slightly uncovering my ears, I was greeted by screams of “Eeeek!” or the ear-splitting sound of nails on a chalkboard.

Since I couldn’t open my eyes, I inevitably ended up seeing nothing at all.

The Professor hugged me comfortingly and smiled bitterly.

“Oh dear. If I’d known you’d be this scared, I would have mentioned it earlier. We could have watched something else.”

“I didn’t know…”

“Yes, yes.”

When I pouted, the Professor patted my back gently. Afterward, we left the theater and found a table in the lobby.

We had decided what to do next, but hadn’t determined where to go. So we put our heads together briefly to share ideas. Though I didn’t know enough to suggest anything.

“Wouldn’t it make sense for Ourr to wear casual clothes that fit her body? Comfortable t-shirts and sweatpants would be fine. Elastic waistbands would work well, right?”

“…I suppose so?”

I thought that while we were preparing for when my body might grow, it would be okay to wear casual clothes for now since that hadn’t happened yet.

Pants with elastic waistbands could accommodate widening hips. But I was worried about the tops. What if I suddenly grew larger and the clothes became so tight that they’d need to be cut off? This question made me hesitate.

“But what if the clothes somehow prevent me from growing properly?”

I asked, placing my sleeve-covered hands on the table. The Professor glanced at me and readily provided the answer I wanted, as if telling me not to worry.

“Then we can get slightly larger tops. How does that sound?”

I nodded. With our next destination decided, we got up from the table.

I walked around holding the Professor’s hand. The massive shopping centers along the main streets were full of flashy and expensive clothes that weren’t suitable for me. Besides, regardless of how much the Professor earned, I felt uncomfortable spending too much money as someone who was essentially living off her, so I begged the Professor to go somewhere else.

We turned toward a nearby department store. While it had many luxury brands, there were also regular companies, so there was nothing we couldn’t afford.

The Professor and I looked around a floor with multiple brands.

I saw stores selling not just clothes but also bags, shoes, and more. I wondered what I should buy there.

Seeing me wandering indecisively between stores, the Professor must have felt sorry for me and gently offered advice.

“How about wearing something cool? It’s spring now, and summer is next, so what about shorts or a skirt?”

“…No skirts, please.”

I shook my head. It wasn’t that I disliked non-loose skirts. I liked wearing uniform skirts that weren’t loose.

Since there was no particular reason to wear one, I had to choose pants.

“Excuse me… if you’re looking for children’s pants, would you like some assistance? We have various sizes over here.”

A store employee who had been standing in front of the shop approached us, apparently having overheard our conversation in the corridor. While I was hesitating, the Professor beside me nodded.

“Could you show us some options, please?”

Apparently deciding that looking at something was better than just standing around, she agreed and we went in.

When we reached the pants section, there was quite a variety. With many types and colors, it certainly seemed easier to choose. I looked up and stared intently.

In the midst of this, the Professor’s hand suddenly entered my field of vision. I quickly turned my gaze to where the Professor was, pointing at some pants.

“We’re looking for something cool to wear through summer. Do you have any suggestions?”

As I was struggling to make a choice, the Professor took the initiative. It would be good if someone made a decisive choice rather than standing around until sunset.

I wished it could be me making that choice, but I questioned whether I should just pick anything. If someone asked whether it was right to hesitate even about choosing my own clothes, the answer would be no, but still, what if I didn’t like them?

While I was groaning, the employee immediately clapped her hands.

“How about trying Dolphin Shorts? Many growing kids wear them these days, and they’re quite convenient for moving around. They have both elastic and drawstrings, so they won’t be loose.”

“…Wouldn’t they look strange on Ourr?”

“Not at all. Everyone wears them like this nowadays.”

The employee said this and held a pair of black Dolphin Shorts against my lower body.

“They’re not that short. People who think they’re short are either those with long legs or those who buy really short ones.”

The Professor put her hand on her chin and thought quietly. She seemed to think the employee had a point. As I watched her, the Professor asked me:

“What do you think, Ourr?”

“…If you like them, I’m fine with them.”

Honestly, I still couldn’t decide. I just thought anything with elasticity would be fine, and as the employee said, as long as they weren’t too short, they would be okay.

As I answered while fidgeting with my hands, the Professor gently placed her hand on my head and stroked it.

“Then we’ll take three pairs, please.”

“What colors would you like?”

“Which ones do you like?”

At the employee’s gesture, the Professor asked me again. I, who had been in a daze, looked at the displayed pants. There were black ones, pink ones, all sorts of colors.

“Black…”

But black seemed like the safest choice. As I pointed slightly with my hand and looked at the Professor, she immediately took out a card from her wallet.

“Then two pairs in black and one in navy, please.”

“Yes, understood.”

The employee’s quick hands organized the Dolphin Shorts in no time. Placing them in a clean, large bag made me feel somehow reassured.

The Professor looked at it quietly and then spoke to the employee.

“By the way, I’d like to look at tops too. Do you have any simple ones?”

“You mean for spring through summer, right?”

“Yes.”

“Just a moment.”

After organizing the bag, the employee guided the Professor. I followed closely behind, and this time there were a lot of clothes. They were densely hung on hangers, but also displayed widely for people to see and buy.

I didn’t like flashy things. So I just pointed to a white t-shirt.

Even white clothes, when expensive, had better quality and were definitely softer. As I was feeling it with my hand, I tugged slightly at the Professor’s sleeve because I liked it.

“I want this one.”

“Oh, you chose quickly this time?”

At the Professor’s words, the employee slightly poked her head out.

“What size is the child? I’ll find it right away.”

“…Ah, it’s okay. Please give us something a bit larger. Two sizes up?”

“Then the shoulders might show a bit…”

“The child likes that.”

Since I didn’t contradict the Professor’s words and just stayed quiet, the employee nodded. The fact that I was currently wearing oversized clothes seemed to help with the persuasion.

We bought three of the same tops as well. It felt like I had become a one-outfit person. Even though there were multiple pieces, they were all the same design and color.

The Professor completed the payment and received the bags.

“I’ll carry them.”

“Hmm? You want to carry them, Ourr? Alright.”

When I slightly grabbed her sleeve offering to carry them instead, the Professor handed me the bags. Even though they contained clothes, there was nothing heavy in them, so I could easily carry them.

I walked around downtown with the Professor. It felt both similar to and different from the modern world I knew, which gave me a strange feeling. I wondered if this was what it felt like to be in a foreign country, and I found myself looking around.

After having dinner, we returned home, and I put down the bags.

“Want to try them on?”

“Yes, I was going to.”

I quickly took off my jacket. I picked up the jacket that had fallen behind my feet and tidied it to one side. I took the bags and slipped into the room. I changed quickly, intending to show the Professor who was waiting in the living room.

Tok-dok, I unbuttoned my shirt and took it off. After that, I took out the t-shirt we bought today and put it on. Since the clothes were all big, changing was quick. One shoulder was slightly exposed, but not enough to slip off completely, so it was fine.

When I shook my waist from side to side, my skirt slid down. Seeing how the skirt fell despite having a belt due to my small hips made me think a lot. It was uncomfortable normally, but convenient when taking clothes off, which made me groan.

I shook my head and slipped the Dolphin Shorts onto my legs and pulled them up. My eyes widened at their elasticity, which felt both loose and snug against my body. I nodded, thinking that this would allow me to wear them comfortably even if I grew larger.

After turning half a circle in each direction to check myself, I went to where the Professor was.

“Professor! I’ve changed!”

“…Oh, you’ve changed?”

The Professor, who had been hanging my coat on a hanger, responded to my voice. Her expression became somewhat subtle as she looked at me.

“The clothes are so big that it looks like you’re not wearing anything on the bottom.”

“No… I’m wearing them properly! Look.”

When I slightly lifted my top to show the Dolphin Shorts, the Professor nodded.

“Yes, you’re wearing them well. Do you like them?”

“Yes. I like them.”

They were comfortable, and there would be no problems in the future. How wonderful.

It was a day that naturally made me hum.