Ch.9292. Peach Blossom and Vine (5)

“Haa, haa…”

“Hey. It’s fine if we’re a little late, right?”

“How can you be so relaxed… Don’t you know the time better than I do, unni…!”

“I told you it’s fine? Unni has calculated everything. Hehe… Don’t worry.”

After desperately receiving the last piece of clothing and hurriedly changing, I came out.

How can she be so relaxed about this?

And besides…

“Aren’t you going to get ready, unni…?”

“Ah… I just used magic to clean up quickly… And I can just wear a hat for my hair, right?”

“…What?”

“Yep. That’s how it is. We’re just going out to eat… There’s no need to dress up so much, right?”

“What? But at least the basics…”

“It’s fine, really! I’m super close with the owner… Now, Bine, are you ready? Let’s go!”

Yuri tried to drag me along without any explanation. The disheveled appearance from earlier was completely gone, and she was taking me out looking like a celebrity going for a casual outing.

She wore a black hat pulled down over her head, along with a light coat.

“Are you really going out like that?”

“Yes. It’s fine, it’s fine. I’m not like the others who… attract attention wherever they go… So there’s no problem, right?”

“No, I mean. Looking like that… at a restaurant… If you sit in a restaurant like that, even though you’re a magical girl, people will stare…”

“Come on. The place is small, so it’s fine. There won’t be many people looking, right? We can just go comfortably. I’m surprised our Bine is so worried… How much more are you going to worry about your unni? Such a kind Bine… How can such a sweet child be a villain… *sniff*”

“There you go talking nonsense again…”

“Hehe… Let’s go!”

Yuri, still spouting nonsense, took my arm and left the house.

Not far from the apartment where the magical girls live together is an alley.

It could be called quiet, but there’s still a decent amount of foot traffic on this small alley that branches off from a larger street.

In the middle of the alley is a staircase.

Though small, the staircase softly illuminated the alley, representing what appeared to be an upscale establishment.

“…It looks expensive. Is this what they call omakase? It looks like that kind of place. Didn’t you say it was just an ordinary Japanese restaurant…?”

“All ordinary Japanese restaurants are like this… The owner here is a really nice person! Bine, you’ll be satisfied too! Come on, let’s go down!”

“Sigh… How could someone like me… at a place like this… If people were to see me like this…”

“Like what?”

“…A wicked villain enjoying luxury.”

“Where did you hear such things, our Bine?”

That’s right.

I have heard it.

Well, not heard, but seen.

I wouldn’t say my every move is posted online, but my private life does appear on the internet quite frequently.

When I browse during breaks using the phone Blanc bought me, I end up seeing posts about myself even when I don’t want to.

Maybe it’s because I secretly lurk on magical girl community forums.

When I go shopping in disguise, I cover up well enough that I don’t get photographed and posted online.

It’s fortunate, I suppose, that Koreans tend not to pay much attention to others.

But when I go out with the magical girls here.

Like the department store I visited with Crybaby last time.

The comments on the photos taken there.

How can they treat a criminal like that so well?

Shouldn’t villains be locked up in prison for life to atone for their sins?

It’s unpleasant to see a villain wearing clothes more expensive than mine, eating food more expensive than mine.

With people like that out there.

If photos of me entering a place like this were to be taken.

“…Well, I haven’t heard it directly, but as a former villain, scenes of me living in luxury would certainly displease people.”

“Huh? Living in luxury? That’s not it! We’re the evil magical girls who work you to the bone and only pay you back with sushi! Come on, is Bine ready? Let’s go!”

Yuri tried to take me along without any explanation. The disheveled appearance from earlier was completely gone, and she was taking me out looking like a celebrity going for a casual outing with her black hat pulled down over her head and light coat.

“Are you really going out like that?”

“Yes. It’s fine, it’s fine. I have a good memory, you know? Bine, I remember everything you’ve done to me!”

“…Ha, says the person who claims to remember.”

“Now, now. Let’s talk about personal matters inside. If we stay out here too long, what you’re worried about might actually happen, right?”

“…Ah.”

“Hmm… Bine… always refuses to accept good things for herself… So, this is blackmail. If you don’t follow me right now, I’ll post this photo on my SNS!”

The photo Yuri showed me was…

“Eek! N-no, you can’t…! P-please delete it right now!”

“Hehe… Why would I? I’m going to treasure this forever!”

It was a photo of me wearing magical girl clothes, shouting a transformation phrase.

And not just a short transformation phrase, but the kind that novice magical girls who still struggle to gather magic energy quickly use…

Those magical girls really have… such long…

Such indescribably self-deprecating…

Word clusters that you’d only see in little girls’ animations…

“And here’s our Bine earnestly shouting it too… hehe.”

-Ugh… Do I really have to do this when we’re short on time…

-If Bine just says it… it’ll be over quickly!

-Sigh… Why do I have to wear these clothes… why, why…

-Let’s just get it over with and be comfortable!

-Ugh… really… What was the line again…

-Hmm… Kids these days make up their own lines… So… um… Ah! Listen carefully, okay?

-Yes… I just want to get this over with…

-Alright… Ahem, ahem. Ah. Gathering the power of my heart from the warm world of dreams to defeat the terrible nightmares! Magical Dream, Transform!

-…Argh. I guess the villain in me should collapse now. There, the evil Bine has fallen! Yay…!

-Huh? What are you saying? That’s the line you need to shout! Come on, hurry! Right now, Bine is a magical girl! On the side of justice! Not a villain!

-Sigh… Do I really have to… Fine. Please stop looking at me like that, unni… No, you’re the one who asked for this…

-Hehe… I’m looking forward to it! Come on, hurry!

-Ah… This really doesn’t suit me… Sigh. GatheringthepowerofmyheartfromthewarmworldofdreamstodefeattheterriblenightmaresMagicalDreamTransform…

-Eh… There’s no soul in it! Again! Properly! If you’re this sluggish as a magical girl, you’ll be caught by a terrible villain and end up in a horrible situation! You might even become a corrupted magical girl! Or you’ll be scolded by your senior magical girl!

-But… I am a villain… Why…

-Come on, Magical Girl Bine! Hurry! Hehe…

-Urgh… Fine… War… Sigh. From the warm world of dreams… gathering the power of my heart… to defeat terrible nightmares…! Magical Dream, Trans… form…!

-Kyaa! So cute, so cute! Do it one more time!

-N-no! Q-quickly give me my clothes…! Stop teasing me…!

“You not only took photos but recorded a video too…?”

“Yes! Hehe… Later I’ll have to watch it together with Yunseul, Hyewon, Arin… and Seohyun too! Oh, I should include Elise this time!”

“No! What are you saying! Please just watch it by yourself… Or better yet, delete it…”

“I will absolutely not delete it. I’ve backed it up two, three times and even made cold backups… Hehe…”

“Sigh… Please, don’t…”

Our bickering must have been louder than I thought, as I noticed some people looking at us as they passed by, so I glanced toward the alley entrance.

“You felt it too, right? We should go in quickly to avoid drawing more attention!”

“…Yes. Let’s go in.”

Following the stairs down, we came to an elegant entrance.

“Welcome. Ah, you must be Ms. Ha Yuri who made the reservation? I’ll show you to your room.”

As soon as we opened the door, we were greeted by a staff member who led us past the regular tables to what was clearly a special room.

“…Unni, is this right?”

“I asked the owner to pull some strings for us!”

“…Sigh.”

“Since you can’t see inside from out there, I thought this would be more comfortable for us. And… are we the last customers today?”

“…What? Wait. The owner isn’t staying late because of us, right?”

“Nope. The owner said they’re going home early to rest today!”

“Sigh…”

“Shall we go in? The owner is waiting…”

“Then, please follow me.”

When the staff opened the door, we could see the owner sitting at a bar-style kitchen inside.

A mini kitchen in a private room…? Was this kind of setup even possible…?

But Yuri plopped down in the seat right in front of the owner as if she was used to it, and called me over.

“Oh, Owner, long time no see?”

“Yuri, you’re here? I saved some good tuna especially because you were coming.”

“Hehe. This is my little sister. Doesn’t she look familiar?”

“Hmm… I think I’ve seen her before… Didn’t you say she was a villain earlier?”

“That’s right. Hehe… If the food isn’t good today, she might blow up the restaurant!”

Yuri was chatting comfortably with the owner, as if they really had known each other for a long time.

Since Yuri was saying such strange things to the owner, I pushed through my embarrassment and awkwardness to correct her directly.

“N-no! Ugh, I would never do that… Why would I blow up a restaurant just because the food isn’t good… N-nice to meet you… My name is Bine…”

“Yuri’s sister is quite cute. Yes, just as I heard. Come, enjoy your meal and please refrain from blowing up the restaurant, Miss Villain?”

“N-no…! I don’t have the ability or desire to do that…”

“Really? Since you came with Yuri today, I’ll make a special effort. I must do my best to protect my restaurant.”

“No… that’s…”

“Pfft… Owner! That’s enough, I’m hungry… Tuna! Tuna!”

“Yuri… your sister hasn’t even sat down yet. Here, please sit comfortably.”

The owner exuded the aura of a master chef, and Yuri seemed incredibly close with them.

“Sigh… Yes, thank you for your consideration. And un…ni, unni. Yes, unni. I think you need to show some restraint…”

“Eh? Come on. We’re close friends! And… is our Bine feeling shy in front of the owner? Please call me unni properly!”

…This person is really enjoying herself.

Sigh… Looks like I won’t be able to eat in peace today either.