episode_0006

“Hoo… Cheer up, Iharu.”

I said goodbye to the hair curtain that I had been with for a long time.

I went to a hair salon for the first time in a while and said, “I came to get my hair cut…” and they started by saying, “What kind of style should I get?” and the explanation lasted for about 20 minutes.

In the end, it ended with, ‘Please give me something that suits me…’

So what I ended up with was long, straight hair with the bangs cut straight across. Was it called a hime cut? Thanks to the compliments that said I looked like a real princess, I ended up paying 50,000 won more and getting my hair done.

As I left the beauty salon, I had a feeling that I had been ripped off, but I decided to just ignore it after seeing my reflection in the window.

And makeup! I learned how to put on makeup from my mom during the vacation, so I tried putting on some light makeup today. My shiny lips were a bit awkward, but I had no choice but to make friends.

Yeah, I’m making friends today.

In order to be a role model for the future, you have to be perfect. A mother without a single friend. The horrible situation of calling in a housekeeper at her daughter’s wedding came to mind.

Even though the friends you make now won’t last forever, there’s no guarantee that you’ll suddenly make friends you didn’t make as a student when you become an adult.

It’s practice. Practice in getting to know people.

As I was entering high school, most of the students dispersed.

Students who developed their abilities headed to the guild-owned academies in each region, and regular students, including myself, chose high schools that suited our dreams.

So, at the school I’m going to now, there aren’t many people who know Iharu from the past.

As the saying goes, high school debut.

There’s nothing I can’t do just because I’m here.

Today, Iharu is reborn.

“Future, how are you, Mom?”

“Weird… !”

“Huh… ?”

I asked while putting on my shoes and got a shocking answer.

Mirae goes into the room with her cheeks puffed out in discontent. When she comes out, she has a handful of wet tissues in her hand.

“Remove your makeup! Mom, don’t wear makeup!”

“Why, why? Is it really weird?”

“Yeah! Don’t put on makeup!”

I opened the door slowly and took a step back, avoiding Future, who was trying to wipe my face with a wet tissue.

“Oh my, so pretty. You did a good job teaching me.”

At the same time, the makeup artist from next door nodded with a satisfied expression and gave me a thumbs up.

Certainly, I didn’t see any strange places.

I couldn’t understand Future’s reaction at all. Was it because I looked strange with makeup on?

“Not pretty! Erase it and go!”

“Ah, why, why are you like that, Mirae!”

“I hate makeup! What if other people ask my mom to marry me!”

“What…?”

The future was struggling with a serious face and arms outstretched.

“Phew… .”

The lady and I burst into laughter at the same time. I crouched down in front of Mirae, holding her hand that was moving up and down under her chin.

“Are you worried that your mother will give up the future and get married?”

Mirae just nodded with her lips sticking out. If it had been normal, she would have at least answered, but it seems she was very worried.

“Why, because Mom is so pretty?”

“Ugh… .”

I felt a little proud and praised myself, but at some point, Seo-hu came out and made a gesture indicating that he was vomiting.

Where on earth did you learn that?

My face felt hot for no reason, so I glanced at Seo-hoo. Seo-hoo pretended not to notice and started to fix his shoes.

“Yeah… .”

On the other hand, Mirae was quite honest. Her lips were not protruding, but her purple eyes, which seemed to fill the night sky, were stealing glances at me.

I embraced that future and spoke with a voice full of laughter.

“Mom, you’re not going to get married and stay with me until Mirae says she doesn’t want to live with you?”

It seemed like the future’s reaction was acknowledging that I had done well as a mother. Maybe that’s why my lips kept curling up, but my heart was full of emotion.

“… Really?”

“Yeah, promise.”

“Then… kiss me… .”

The kiss greeting that I’ve been doing every day for the past two years has now become a part of my daily routine, but I decided not to do it today. I was afraid that the tint on my lips would get on Mirae.

“Ah… Should I go and kiss you when I get back?”

“Mom, you’re a liar! You’re saying this to marry someone else!”

Mirae looked up at me with tearful eyes. Her eyes were so moist that they looked like they might burst into tears at any moment. I couldn’t hold back any longer and kissed her lightly.

And when I looked at the lips of the future, they were, as expected, a light pink color and shiny.

“Future, wait a minute. Let’s erase your lips and go.”

“Did you ask Mirae too?”

Mirae asked, placing her index finger on my lips.

“Okay, I’ll delete it right away?”

“I don’t like it. I don’t want to erase it!”

As she said that, Mirae ran to the end of the hallway, then turned around in front of the stairs and smiled bashfully.

“Same color as mom, hehehe.”

Our daughter is so cute.

* * *

Should I say something or not?

New school, new class. New faces come in one after another, and they all look around, expressing awkwardness with their whole body.

And if I had to pick the most awkward person among them all, I’d pick me, having been without a single friend for about 6 years.

I used to wiggle my butt whenever the kids came in, but once the seats were almost full, I sat there half-giving up.

The teacher will be coming in soon, and the atmosphere is awkward for everyone except for a few people whispering quietly.

It’s not time yet.

When break time comes, the kids will start moving one by one, and I can just follow suit and blend in naturally.

I’ve been thinking about that for about 4 hours.

In the end, I ended up just waiting for lunch time and watching the boys play soccer.

Yes, I just took a break for balance and for the sake of the children’s desired friendship.

Now let’s go. The cheetah of the racetrack, Iharu… .

“Do you have a crush on someone in class 3? Why are you looking at them so intently?”

“Ugh… !”

Suddenly, my heart almost dropped when someone touched my shoulder. I tried to calm my pounding heartbeat and turned my head, and I saw a cute girl with short brown hair.

“Ahaha, ugh! It’s like this. This day is so funny.”

And then, from behind, a girl wearing a flashy string bracelet and looking like a typical ‘gyaru’ that you only see in manga approached me. I usually don’t notice it, but when I see something like this, I realize anew that this is the world of a light novel.

“Aren’t you going to eat lunch? We’re going to the store.”

“Huh, huh? Lunch?”

“I’m just following along. No, these days, the boat is really dangerous… .”

Two women started talking on their own.

Who were you to talk to me? You even knew my name… Were we in the same class?

I don’t know. I don’t have any memories of the kids in my class, so no faces come to mind.

“What’s your… name by any chance…?”

“Wow, you don’t even know my name… I’m really sad~.”

“Didn’t you hear the roll call? I memorized it as soon as I saw you.”

Gyaru staggered exaggeratedly, resting her hand on her forehead, while Danbal smiled gently and took a step toward me.

“I’m Oh Hyun-seo, this is Kim Min-ji. Honestly, I was a little shocked. I thought you’d know for sure. Because all the kids in my class are no good.”

“Really. How can half of you be like this? I’m so disappointed.”

Hearing their voices, some of the students who remained in the class flinched. However, no one complained, and I was also busy memorizing the names of the children who had approached me for the first time, so I just let it go.

“Well, let’s just be friends now. Shall we go, Haruya?”

“Uh, uh… .”

Danbal, or was it Hyunseo, who naturally took my hand? Hyunseo put her shoulder against mine and smiled with her eyes, but the distance was close enough that I could almost say she was hugging me, so it was a little awkward.

Still, I am grateful that you show me such friendliness.

It was burdensome because they tried to get close too quickly, but they don’t seem like bad guys anyway.

* * *

“Those two…did you two know each other before?”

“No. Is this the first time we met?”

“That’s right. I saw a really cute kid suddenly start talking to me! Ah, I thought, this class’s only hope is him.”

After talking to them while eating bread at the store, I concluded that they were really good kids.

Even I thought that I couldn’t keep up with the conversation, that it wasn’t fun, and that it was frustrating, but Hyunseo and Minji didn’t frown even once.

“But there was another jewel on the window sill. What a relief.”

“That’s right. Three people would be the most appropriate.”

I couldn’t agree with the evaluation of the class, but I still thought it was good that they dressed up so nicely.

Even with the hair curtain removed, the school uniform pants looked good. Before, she looked like the epitome of a gloomy girl.

As expected, red hair is important for both men and women.

“What do you do when the day is over?”

“Huh… ?”

However, just because my appearance changed, my social skills did not improve. If I absentmindedly stared at him for even a little bit, the content of the conversation would suddenly change, so I had to concentrate as much as I would during class.

“Uh… Are you… going home?”

Today is the day that the mother takes the kids. Actually, the date is set, but it doesn’t mean much. Up until now, I’ve been going back and forth between school and home, so I’ve been going to the daycare center and taking the kids home almost every day.

The lady must have been bored at home, so she came out often.

“Great. Then do you want to go to karaoke after you’re done?”

“Oh, good, good! There’s a karaoke place that a guy I know works at. Should we go there?”

“Oh, no… That’s… .”

She doesn’t sing well or badly. Of course, the current Lee Haru has a really good voice. She hums the Chuchu theme song along with Mirae and exclaims to herself.

But I still want to go home with the future… .

But if I refuse here, it will feel awkward… .

Should I ask the lady for a favor just for today and then go in and play for a bit?

I think it’ll be okay for a day or so. If you become close on the first day, things will get easier from there. I guess you can slowly explain your family situation from then on.

“Is that so…?”

“Oh, I see Haru singing? Well, just looking at his face, he looks so good! Ballad? Ballad, right?”

“Oh, no…! I don’t know much about music these days… .”

Now that I think about it, I really don’t know a single song. I can’t go to a karaoke with the kids and sing the Chuchu theme song.

Oh, I know the Card King Cherry theme song too… . That must be it, right?

“Then let’s go right after we finish. If we go late, there won’t be any seats.”

“Uh, uh… yeah!”

Although I was worried about the song selection, I was also a little excited about going out to play with the kids for the first time.

Bam… .

He was so excited that he didn’t even notice Hanna Yeon coming from in front of him and ended up bumping into her.

Hanna Yeon still wears her dark blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. Unlike me, who was not much taller than me in middle school, Hanna Yeon has grown so much that she looks like a model.

“Oh, sorry… .”

I realized it late and apologized, but Hanna Yeon looked down at me and walked away without saying a word.

“Wow, Hanna Yeon is a piece of shit. Are you leaving without even a word of apology?”

“Because she’s a rag, her personality is also like a rag.”

“It’s seriously dangerous. You’re going to run away to school right after school? You got called in by the teacher and got scolded? I honestly don’t know why you live like that.”

The cheerful atmosphere froze in an instant. Even if Minji, who was a gyaru, was like that, Hyunseo, who seemed quite docile, distorted her face as she uttered the cruel word “rag.”

I find that atmosphere unbearably uncomfortable.

I was the one who got hit, but it was so painful that Hanna Yeon was the one getting cursed at.

“I, I, I’m sorry. I’ll apologize again. I know you… .”

I ended up running towards Hanna Yeon, who looked lonely for some reason.

“And don’t believe rumors too much… You don’t know until you check.”

And on top of that, he adds useless words.

I kicked away the friend I had finally made.