Ch.9Chapter 2. Private Life (3)

“Why? Is the atmosphere strange to you?”

No, it’s just a busy street that’s not much different from other places.

Well, compared to the Gwanghwamun area I usually visit, the atmosphere was completely different. There was a somewhat sentimental park developed around unused railway tracks, and the people walking around seemed relatively younger.

However, that wasn’t why I was looking around.

I’ve never worked as a reporter so I don’t know much about it, but do reporters get confused when their expected location changes?

The reporter who had photographed me entering the convenience store with Hayun wasn’t visible to my eyes.

Which means they weren’t shooting from “nearby” at the very least.

I don’t have a camera myself, but I do know one thing for certain. The better a camera’s performance, the larger it is, and the bigger the lens needs to be to shoot from far away.

…Though I suppose if they really were shooting from “far away,” it would be difficult for me to spot them anyway.

“So… what do we do now?”

Anyway, it’s good that we got off the subway and made it to a crowded area. That’s good, but…

What should we do here?

One of the things I haven’t done since being reborn in this world is “fandom activities.” In my past life I was an otaku, but not in this one.

This was partly forced on me. After all, collecting things requires money. Having too many possessions in the orphanage was also somewhat problematic. We have to leave when we become adults, and having a lot of belongings would just become troublesome.

Because of that, I have no reason to visit “places otaku frequently go” in Hongdae. I don’t plan to take these kids there either. Hayun might be fine, but Jihye would probably tease me about it for half a day.

“Um… well.”

At my words, Jihye rolled her eyes around and then said with a somewhat uncertain voice:

“Should we buy some clothes?”

“Clothes!”

But the one who responded was Hayun.

I turned my head at her voice and found her looking up at me with sparkling eyes.

Hmm…

Hayun likes cute clothes.

It was in her webtoon character profile, and I know it from being her childhood friend.

She usually dresses somewhat plainly because she’s quite shy, but her outfit as a magical girl had a very cute design. In the story, her magical girl design changed quite frequently.

Rather than having different transformation forms, it seems her appearance changes based on what outfit she imagines when transforming.

“…”

The problem is, that makes me a bit nervous. Hayun looking at me with sparkling eyes.

I feel like she might pick out an extremely pink outfit for me.

I mean, I don’t hate it, but—

“…Don’t you want to?”

When I didn’t say anything for a moment, Hayun’s enthusiasm deflated a little.

“…”

I thought for a moment, then said:

“Alright, let’s go.”

Hayun’s face brightened again. And so did Jihye’s.

*

Hayun… well.

She didn’t pick out a pink outfit “as much as I was worried about.”

But it was “as pink as I had feared.”

It wasn’t overtly hot pink with tons of frills or lace.

But it was still light pink. Fortunately, the design wasn’t too flashy—a long-sleeved t-shirt. Additionally, Hayun changed my pants to a white skirt. It was a long pleated skirt, so I probably wouldn’t be too cold…

“…”

Still, wearing pink clothes was a bit mentally challenging—

But with Hayun standing in front of me, clasping her hands together with sparkling eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse.

Jihye was standing one step behind Hayun, openly laughing at me. I clenched my fist and suppressed my anger.

I’ll have to hit her arm or something when we get back.

Fortunately, things like coats weren’t something we could buy on the spot, so I only changed my inner clothes and left the store right away.

A black coat with a pink t-shirt and a white skirt.

For someone like me who usually wears almost exclusively black, it was a painfully bright design.

“You look pretty!”

Hayun, who was dressed quite plainly herself, said that and clung to my arm.

Has her shyness disappeared a bit after changing my clothes once?

Click.

“Oh, sorry.”

I turned my head sharply at the sound of a camera, and Jihye looked a bit flustered as she spoke.

“Was I not supposed to take a picture?”

“Ah… no. I was just startled by the sudden sound.”

I answered Jihye’s question.

I must have been too sensitive. I shook my head slightly to clear my mind.

Whatever the company said, we’re just here to have fun, right?

“I’ll send you the photo then.”

Jihye said with an evil grin.

Hayun looked happy, but it seemed like Jihye was planning to permanently keep the image of me in “pink clothes” and bring it out whenever she wanted.

I glanced down at Hayun who was attached to my side.

Hayun, slightly shorter than me, looked up at me.

When our eyes met, she smiled brightly.

…

I wasn’t particularly angry.

But even if there had been any anger in my mind, I doubt it could have survived seeing that expression.

*

For our first visit, we were having quite a good time.

Well, how could we not have fun with two friends together?

Hayun still seemed to feel a bit awkward, but she was much better than before.

It wasn’t extremely cold today, but winter weather is still winter weather, so we decided to warm up in a heated place for a while.

“I need to use the bathroom.”

After ordering drinks and successfully securing a table, Jihye immediately stood up and said that.

“See you soon.”

“You two enjoy your date.”

Jihye seems to have developed a taste for teasing Hayun.

She waved at Hayun, whose face had turned slightly red, and at me glaring at her from the side, then quickly headed to the bathroom.

“…”

“…”

We were silent for a moment.

Hmm.

Hayun is usually quite talkative when she’s with me.

I was wondering if she felt awkward because I suddenly brought a friend along, when—

Click.

Suddenly, I heard a camera sound from beside me.

Turning my head with a question mark floating above it, I saw Hayun smiling while pointing her smartphone camera at me.

“It really suits you so well.”

See that?

Her tone of voice is completely different when her friend is around versus when Jihye is here.

What do you call this? Friend-phobia?

“Does it?”

I pouted.

“Yes. You always wear black clothes.”

“Black suits me well. I have black hair.”

With only Hayun beside me, I felt relaxed enough to grumble.

“How can you always go around with the same vibe? You can change your image sometimes.”

“…”

I rested my chin on my hand and looked out the window.

“Why? Why? Are you upset?”

“I’m not.”

“Is it because I made you wear cute clothes?”

“I said I’m not.”

When I spoke in a sullen voice, Hayun giggled.

Bzzzz.

“Ah, looks like our drinks are ready.”

When the vibrating buzzer went off, Hayun immediately picked it up.

“I’ll go get them.”

Before I could stand up, Hayun got up first, so I decided to just wait.

However, I did keep an eye on the back of her head. Just in case some strange person tried to talk to her on the way.

…It happens sometimes.

After seeing her safely reach the drink counter, I figured she’d be fine and took out my phone to check it.

On the internet site I habitually opened was an article:

[Blossom, Really in a Relationship??]

It wasn’t the main article. Since Blossom was the protagonist of the webtoon I had been reading, I had been habitually checking the entertainment section of online newspapers since Hayun became a magical girl.

There was some information that helped me too.

And this article was one of the electronic newspapers I checked in that way.

This article was barely an article—more like just a single photo placed there.

The content of the photo was Hayun picking out a pink outfit for someone.

I quickly looked around.

…Fortunately, no one was looking in our direction. Everyone was happily chatting with their own groups. Many were couples, and naturally, those couples paid no attention to their surroundings.

Wasn’t it taken with a telephoto lens?

There were quite a few people in the clothing store. If someone tried to shoot from far away, their view would naturally be blocked. But with a smartphone…

“What’s wrong?”

Hayun’s face suddenly appeared in my field of vision, and I almost fell backward out of my chair as I retreated.

“Why are you so surprised?”

Hayun laughed as she caught me.

The tray with our three drinks was already on the table.

“Were you looking at something weird on your phone— Oh.”

“Oh.”

I was too flustered to even think about hiding my phone.

At first glance, Hayun might seem a bit slow in some ways, but she is Blossom. She’s basically the leader among magical girls active in Korea.

Her physical abilities are by no means inferior.

And that includes her dynamic vision.

…Once she had already seen my phone, there was no way for me to hide it.

“This is… me.”

“…Yes.”

While Hayun was looking at my phone, I cranked my brain power up to maximum.

“And this is a photo from today.”

Hayun’s brow furrowed slightly.

Rather than being angry, she looked somewhat serious. Actually, Hayun isn’t very good at making serious expressions. It’s as if her facial muscles are inherently distant from “severity.”

So, interpreting this expression, Hayun is now “extremely” serious.

“Oh, the coffee’s here.”

And just then, Jihye, who had come out of the bathroom and approached us, said in a cheerful voice.

Of course, that voice quickly subsided.

“What’s wrong? Did something happen while I was gone?”

While Hayun’s facial muscles might have some constraints in movement, mine don’t.

And I’m not particularly good at hiding my expressions either. According to Jihye, I’m especially good at expressing negative emotions.

“…Ah, well.”

I tried to say something but then closed my mouth.

Should I tell Jihye about this too?

Since Jihye saw the article last time, it might not matter, but—

“It’s stalking.”

“Stalk—”

When Hayun suddenly spoke in a firm voice, I unconsciously started to repeat the word but quickly shut my mouth.

Stalking… stalking… Ah, that’s right.

Even if they’re a reporter, following someone around and secretly taking photos is indeed stalking.

…They’re also called paparazzi, but anyway.

“Stalking?”

As Jihye tilted her head, Hayun pushed my phone toward her.

“Huh? This is…”

Jihye’s eyes alternated between the top I was wearing and my phone.

The top I’m wearing is pink, and the top I’m wearing in the phone is also pink. Of course, the “me” part is out of focus and blurry, so you can’t tell if it’s a man or a woman.

Moreover, Hayun was photographed not after dressing me, but when she was holding clothes up to me. My body doesn’t appear at all, so it could easily look like “playfully recommending a pink outfit to her boyfriend.”

Even setting aside the location, since I don’t usually wear pink clothes, I can’t even make excuses like “Isn’t this from last time?”

Cold sweat ran down my back. It’s probably not just because the indoor heater was turned up too high.

“So, are we being chased right now?”

Hayun, who seemed to have completely forgotten her awkwardness from when she first met Jihye today, nodded with a serious expression.

“Yes.”

No, wait.

What about…

The reporter…

“What should we do? Should we report it to the police?”

Jihye had found the article quite interesting when she saw it recently, but now that she heard someone was following us, she seemed a bit scared.

Um…

This is still an official newspaper—

“…I’m sorry for getting you involved in this.”

“Ah, um? No, it’s okay. It’s not like you wanted this to happen…”

Jihye waved her hands in confusion.

Could a reporter be arrested for stalking? Thinking about it, it seemed a bit ambiguous. If an ordinary person took pictures of passersby with a large camera, it could be a big deal.

“First, we need to find the person who took this photo.”

Hayun said.

She seems to think it won’t be a major legal issue.

There might be a moral responsibility for following and photographing a minor, though.

“And if there are any photos of you two, I’ll request that they be deleted.”

Hayun’s serious gaze alternated between me and Jihye.

My back was extremely damp. The short-sleeved t-shirt I was wearing underneath was already stickily wet with sweat.

“So now…”

“Let’s pretend we don’t know for now.”

Hayun said.

Her expression was so incredibly serious that I couldn’t bring myself to object.

Besides, in this situation, I can’t say that I’m involved in this. Both Hayun and Jihye would look at me like trash if I did.

…Should I have just told them from the beginning?

That would have been better, right?

If I had told them, I would also have had to say that I’m a combatant from Noir Corporation fighting against Hayun’s side.

“…”

In the end, while Hayun looked around with serious eyes as she drank her beverage, I couldn’t even finish half of the Americano I had ordered.

*

Perhaps because we were sitting facing each other in the cafe.

Maybe the angle wasn’t right, but no additional articles were written.

I was rather relieved.

Perhaps they’re planning to post just one article per day.

If the reporter doesn’t post any new articles all day today, it will be as if nothing happened, and I can just enjoy myself and go home.

But, as usual, such hopeful expectations tend to be betrayed.

“It’s nearby.”

I had already gotten my phone back.

Since the articles are posted on an online electronic newspaper, of course Hayun could monitor them too.

Either the article views are doing well, or the reporter is just extremely bold.

Do they think there’s no reason to be discovered? I’d rather they not be discovered at all today.

[Blossom with a serious expression.]

The photo showed Hayun looking up at me with quite a serious expression.

At first glance, she could be seen as having an angry expression after fighting with her lover.

…

And at this point, I realized.

Hayun… shows the most varied expressions to me.

Hayun doesn’t show such diverse expressions in front of her other friends. Before this situation, when she felt awkward with Jihye, she looked just like when she’s shy in front of other kids.

She smiles brightly only when she’s alone with me, and only shows her relaxed, joyful self when she’s facing me.

Because we’re childhood friends. Because we know there’s nothing to be awkward about between us.

…Is that why James specifically assigned this mission to me…

My heart began to ache intensely.

“…I think it’s a disguise.”

Hayun said.

She didn’t bother to look back. Does she think the other person will run away if we look around too much?

“This company, I said it seemed familiar—it’s a subsidiary of Noir Corporation.”

Is that so?

Well, they do publicly engage in entertainment business too.

“…Wait a moment.”

Hayun, who had gone into full expert mode, tapped on her phone.

As I blinked, Hayun looked at me and smiled slightly.

That smile seemed a bit… sad.

“Don’t worry too much. I’ll make sure your photos don’t appear in the newspaper.”

Hayun addressed me by my name.

No, that’s not the issue…

I clenched and unclenched my hands. It felt like my blood wasn’t circulating properly, but that might just be my imagination.

Hayun rummaged through her bag and took out something like a wristwatch.

“Ah, that.”

Jihye started to react but quickly covered her mouth.

“…Is it okay to transform here?”

“It’s fine.”

Hayun said.

“I’m not going to transform right here. I need to go somewhere less visible first.”

Hayun whispered softly.

Perhaps because no one on this street was checking entertainment news, it seemed no one had noticed that Hayun was Blossom yet.

“Even if a kaijin appears, I can handle it.”

Hayun said that while clenching her fist, then put the circuit back in her bag.

That… how should I put it.

If the newspaper is legal, hitting a reporter probably isn’t a good idea, is it?

She seems more excited because I’m next to her, but I don’t know what to say.

If I make even a small verbal slip, I might make an irreversible mistake.

…I already have few friends, and I don’t want to be hated by my childhood friend.

I quickly looked around again.

I still couldn’t tell who was holding a camera nearby.

“Um, Hayun.”

“Don’t worry too much—”

“No, that’s not it.”

Normally, Hayun would be the one flustered like this, and I would be the one responding calmly.

Now it was completely reversed.

Hayun seemed to think I was reacting this way because I appeared slightly in that photo.

“I… need to use the bathroom for a moment.”

“Oh.”

At my words, Hayun smiled bitterly.

“Okay.”

And she reassured me:

“Let’s go into a nearby building first.”

At Hayun’s words, Jihye and I nodded and immediately entered a nearby building.

*

As soon as I entered the bathroom, I closed the toilet lid and sat on it.

Then I assumed Rodin’s “The Thinker” pose.

…

But I don’t know what to think about.

My mind was too complicated to come up with an answer.

Damn it.

I wasn’t this flustered even when directly confronting Blossom.

…Though I’m not sure if that could be called a confrontation.

In the end, I abandoned The Thinker pose and clutched my head.

Since that didn’t help generate any ideas, I just ended up wasting time.