Ch.37Chapter 37

I somehow ended up with a new app on my phone. It was a moment when something new appeared on my phone that had previously only contained default apps.

After returning home, I lay on the sofa and stared quietly at my phone.

I thought this feature was still too much for me. If I already struggled to read incoming text messages, how could I possibly understand something like this?

Looking up words in a dictionary only works when it’s paired with a language I already know. It’s impossible to understand a dictionary written entirely in a foreign language.

The app that appeared with a “pop” sound. When its notification rang, I frantically pressed the button. Whether because it was newly created or for some other reason, the message bubbles that energetically appeared flew off the screen before I could read them.

I was already struggling to read one message, so watching them fly by made my head spin.

Since I could at least read names even as they quickly passed by, I tried to catch them. Sera, Karen, Aria, Aria, Karen. Sera, Sera. I stared blankly at the repeating names flashing by.

And at the end, a photo was uploaded.

It was a picture of Aria in sleepwear. Something like lingerie? It seemed slightly see-through, making it look quite sexy. Seeing how her figure and underwear were clearly visible, I felt momentarily embarrassed, wondering if this was appropriate.

I briefly considered asking the Professor to read the conversation for me, but now I realized that wouldn’t be possible.

“Oh…”

Could I delete the messages that were showing up for me? I tried to figure out how to delete them because it was too embarrassing.

But since I couldn’t tell what was what, I couldn’t easily press any buttons. As I hesitated with furrowed brows, I curled my finger and slightly put it in my mouth.

The Professor grabbed my arm and pulled my hand out of my mouth.

“That’s a bad habit.”

“…Bad habit.”

I repeated what the Professor said while clenching my fist. I had to stop myself somehow, or I’d put my hand in my mouth again.

“What is Ourr doing?”

“Just, um… that sleepwear show-off I mentioned earlier.”

“Is it going well?”

“I don’t know. Actually, I can’t really read it well…”

After Aria’s lingerie-like sleepwear photo, several chat messages appeared, followed by Sera’s sleepwear photo.

Unlike Aria’s photo that seemed taken in a full-length mirror, Sera’s looked like a hastily taken selfie. Her outfit was animal-themed pajamas.

While Aria’s gave off a sensual impression, this one felt cute. Sera making a V-sign with her fingers and winking gave off a fresh, vibrant feeling.

Since I couldn’t understand the chat messages running below, I ended up forming impressions based solely on my own perspective. It was nice not being swayed by others’ opinions, but I still wished I could just open my eyes properly.

I wanted to join the conversation since I was already part of it, but not being able to do so was frustrating.

As I was groaning, Karen’s photo appeared. Unlike Aria or Sera’s photos that were sexy or cute, her outfit looked rather plain at first glance.

A short-sleeved shirt and shorts. But since it was closest to my own style among everyone, it felt familiar.

Three out of four people in the chat had posted photos, and I couldn’t just hide in the background, so I sat up.

If it had just been chat messages, I could have pretended I didn’t know, but once photos started being shared, it became a matter of flow that I couldn’t ignore. So after hesitating, I asked the Professor for help.

“Professor!”

“Yes?”

“Please take a photo of me.”

At my call, the Professor stopped what she was doing and turned to look at me.

Since I’m short with short arms, it was difficult to take a selfie like Sera or Karen, so I asked for help. But after asking, I felt bad for disturbing the Professor.

“Sure.”

The Professor readily agreed, and I handed over my phone with a broad smile.

“But what should I take? Your sleepwear?”

“Yes.”

A white short-sleeved shirt and black dolphin shorts. Not knowing what pose to strike, I awkwardly stretched out my arms and legs.

The Professor, about to take the photo with my phone, was shocked by my pose.

“Are you really going to pose like that?”

“Is it, is it strange?”

“I think it would be better to take a photo that doesn’t look strange.”

“Not strange” seemed like the most difficult instruction.

Aria had posed to accentuate her chest, Sera had winked for a cute selfie, and Karen had hastily made a V-sign with her hand.

They all seemed naturally posed in their own way. I wondered if I needed to find a concept and thought hard about it.

Thinking Karen’s pose might be the easiest to copy, I awkwardly spread two fingers. Lifting the corners of my mouth was an added touch.

The Professor clicked once and then sent me the photo.

“Take a look.”

“It’s kind of, um…”

Looking at the photo the Professor took, my awkward expression and stiff posture created a complete disharmony.

Sweating profusely while looking at it, I glanced at the Professor and had to say “Again.”

“L-let’s take another one. I’ll change my pose and expression…”

“Sure, I’ll take as many as Ourr wants.”

The Professor readily nodded at my request.

I stood in the middle of the living room again. Not knowing what to do in the empty space, I rolled my eyes in confusion. Then I spotted a suitable prop.

“Ah, I want to take it here!”

“The sofa?”

“Yes.”

Nodding, I moved to the sofa. The Professor pushed the living room table aside and stood with her back to the TV.

The lens pointed at me. Now it was my turn to pose. After thinking hard about what pose to strike, I decided to sit up straight with my back erect.

“Ourr, you look too stiff.”

I lifted the corners of my mouth.

“That looks even stranger than before.”

This won’t work either. How can I look natural?

I never knew taking photos could be so difficult. As I struggled, a good idea suddenly crossed my mind.

“Would this work…?”

I asked tentatively as I reclined. I rested my head on the armrest of the sofa and stretched out my body. With me half-lying on the sofa, the Professor made a thoughtful sound and pressed the shutter several times.

After the clicking sounds, the Professor looked at my phone carefully.

“This one’s not bad.”

“Really?”

“Want to see?”

“Yes!”

I took the phone from the Professor. The gallery contained the photos of me lying down.

It seemed a bit ambiguous, but compared to the other photos, this was the most decent, so I decided to be satisfied with it.

Everyone might be waiting, so I should send this.

“Thank you.”

As I fiddled with my phone while grinning, the Professor smiled and patted my head.

After being patted for a while, I uploaded the photo to the chat. The dolphin shorts slightly visible under my shirt proved I was wearing something, making it a satisfactory photo.

The moment I uploaded the photo, the chat started scrolling rapidly as if on fire. I thought I saw some familiar words in between, but at that speed, it was a task just to scroll back up to see them.

I had only uploaded a photo because others did, but not being able to join the chat made me feel somewhat left out.

“What’s wrong, Ourr? Aren’t your friends looking at your photo?”

“No, they saw the photo, but…”

“But what?”

“It’s just that I read too slowly…”

“Would it be awkward if I read it for you?”

“I think it might be.”

Honestly, I wouldn’t mind, but I wasn’t sure if the other three would feel the same way, so I couldn’t easily nod.

“I can just ask them later.”

“But today is Friday?”

“Ah…?”

Come to think of it, since it was Friday, I couldn’t tell them tomorrow, “I’m not familiar with the letters yet, so I don’t know what you were talking about.”

Having to spend the weekend like this was hell.

I urgently tapped on the screen.

[Hello?]

“Sera, I can’t read the text so I have no idea what everyone’s talking about…”

[Oh, really? You can’t read any of it?]

“…It’s too fast for me to read.”

When I asked for help in a dejected voice, Sera seemed to think about it.

[Let’s try this, hang up for a moment.]

“Okay.”

After hanging up, Sera posted a voice message in the chat.

I made a small sound of surprise and tapped on it.

[Ourr, is this better? Ah, it feels awkward talking to myself.]

Sera’s voice came through, laughing awkwardly.

[I saw your photo. It was super cute.]

Aria also sent a voice message. The fact that it was complimenting my photo made my face feel hot.

[Ourr, I’ll teach you how to read later.]

It was a strange feeling. The fact that they were sending voice messages because of me evoked emotions that were hard to describe.

The Professor watched from the side and smiled warmly.

“Ourr, you have good friends.”

“Yes.”

I grinned happily. Then I sent a reply to them.

“Thank you.”

And once again, voice messages started pouring in.