episode_0008

Reluctantly, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse the idea of creating rumors about being friends.

“……”

That evening, even after returning to the orphanage, sleep eluded me for quite some time. As always, I lay awake, listening to Hye’s steady breathing, lost in thought for a while.

What should I do? Unless I firmly reject it, the company will assume that I’ve agreed. In fact, there isn’t really an option not to accept in the first place. Is Nua Corporation just Nua Corporation for no reason? There must be a reason why the company name is like that in the webtoon.

To put it nicely, it’s more of a ‘persuasion,’ isn’t it? If they were thinking of forcing me, there would certainly be ways to do so. They could even expose my personal information. …Even if I were caught, I’d probably just have to pay a small fine. Besides, the company’s image isn’t all that great to begin with.

It seems like I’ve needlessly become entangled with this company. It would have been better if I had remained oblivious.

“……”

After pondering for a while, I simply closed my eyes and turned over. What’s the use of thinking further? The deed is done. For now, I just need to be cautious as far as I can.

There must be a point where both Hayoon and I will be fine. Definitely.

*

Despite thinking this way, ultimately, because worrying is worrying, I didn’t particularly plan on meeting Hayoon for the next few days. I thought the company would consider this to be common sense. After all, the company ultimately works for the greatest performance and profit, not to pursue individuals.

…

Well, one can’t say there aren’t companies like the latter, but anyway.

Frankly, if I were to act recklessly and Hayoon were to catch on, it would become a significant problem for the company. No matter how the Galactic Federation Magical Girls under the jurisdiction of the Eunha Federation are ‘untouchable,’ if it were to be said that they committed a serious crime against a minor—

—Ah, then I’ll also be in big trouble, huh, yeah.

So, I decided to approach this issue a bit more cautiously.

However,

Ding—

As usual, after getting up, having breakfast, doing a quick clean-up and shower, I received a text from Hayoon.

The content of the message was “What are you doing today?”

Since she was very young, Hayoon had found it a bit difficult to be the first to ask me to “hang out.” Being somewhat shy, she wasn’t good at planning gatherings or initiating things with someone else.

I have a similar personality, but still (with the few close friends I have), or conversely with someone I really dislike, I know how to speak straightforwardly. On the other hand, even when talking to me, her childhood friend, Hayoon seemed a bit unsure.

Even though she knows I have plenty of time.

“I’m just at home.”

[“Well, can I see your face for a moment?”]

“Sure.”

I deliberately put a period at the end of my response. It makes me sound more decisive. When I have to refuse something inevitably, it’s three periods.

“When can I see you?”

After a brief thought, I replied, “[You can come now.]”

Once again, I responded, including the period.

“Then let’s meet in 30 minutes.”

“Okay. I’ll go out at that time.”

There’s no need to specify the place. Since we both have a place we always meet anyway.

“Where are you going?”

Today, strangely, Jihye, who was stuck to her desk, asked.

“Yeah.”

“To see a friend?”

“Yeah.”

“You have a lot of friends~”

As if envious, Jihye said, and I shrugged my shoulders. There’s already someone I meet every time. It’s not that I don’t have other friends at school, but Ha-yoon is the only one close enough to meet separately even during vacation.

“You should go out and see some friends too.”

Jihye kept looking at me as if she envied me for always going out, so I said that, and Jihye took a deep breath.

“I went to see my friends….”

“Oh.”

“….”

An incredibly awkward silence passed, and I barely opened my mouth.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay, whatever. You were like that last vacation too.”

Jihye said, seemingly for no reason, while looking at her fingernails.

…I’m not particularly dissatisfied with life in the nursery. Even though the facilities are a bit old, I think there’s no unusable corner.

However, that doesn’t mean we’re very relaxed. There are often things we can’t follow when our friends go on trips far away.

Still, fortunately, I’ve never missed things like math trips.

“…Ah, okay.”

Jihye, who was looking at her nails with a somewhat blank expression, suddenly looked at me with a glint in her eyes.

Can’t I play with your friend too?”

“Huh?”

At Jihye’s words, I inadvertently made such a sound.

“No, I mean, well… Yeah, if it’s burdensome, I can’t help it.”

Seeing my reaction, Jihye immediately dropped it.

Just as I know various aspects of Ha-yoon as a childhood friend, Jihye also knows various aspects of me as we spend time together.

I don’t touch new items carelessly. At least, I ask before using them after I’ve torn off the plastic or packaging.

Foods that can be taken out of a paper bag like fish-shaped buns or hotteok can be eaten first, but I say I’ll eat vacuum-packed snacks after saying so… Those are my unwritten rules.

Unlike Jihye, who doesn’t really care if others use her belongings, I’m a bit attached to my own things. Even if it doesn’t break, I don’t get angry, but I still don’t like others touching them freely.

……If roommates were different, it wouldn’t be a problem at all, but I’m sure it would be frustrating to share a room with someone as quirky as Jihye. And the “Huh?” I showed her earlier is similar. Just like Hayoon can’t straightforwardly suggest playing first and ends up not being able to express herself well, I find myself reacting similarly when I receive slightly sensitive questions.

After those words, there’s a high probability that the response will be “rejection.”

“…Well, have fun~”

It doesn’t seem like she’s getting angry or upset, but it did feel a bit hurtful.

“Oh, then—”

I reflexively said that. If today doesn’t work out, let’s meet tomorrow or the day after—

—Should I, or, as I was contemplating, a certain thought popped into my head.

“Just a moment.”

“Huh?”

I extended my hand towards Jihye and took out my smartphone. Jihye widened her eyes as she looked at me. It seems like she’s expecting something, judging by how she quickly lifted her head from where it was resting on the desk a moment ago.

“…Ask first.”

“Huh?”

This time, Jihye made the sound I had made. I’m pretty sure there isn’t any particular meaning to that word. It’s just a surprised sound.

I stared at the smartphone screen.

What should I send? I have no idea how Hayoon makes friends with “new friends.” After all, we just became friends because we were in the same class and had similar positions.

“……”

[Hayoon, I’m sorry, but…]

[Hmm? Why? If something unavoidable came up, you don’t have to come]

No, it’s not that.

[Um… would it be okay if one more friend joins us?]

[Friend?]

Texts don’t reveal expressions. They don’t convey the atmosphere of the voice like a phone call does. That’s why it was a bit scary.

[It’s okay]

[Really?]

[Yeah. She’s Jieun’s friend.]

She’s really kind.

I almost jumped out of my seat for a moment, barely managed to calm down, and told Jihye, who was looking at me with great tension.

“It’s okay.”

“Oh!”

As Jihye sprang up from her seat, the wheeled office chair rolled backward.

“I’ll get ready right away!”

And she rushed to the closet to pick out clothes.

She must have washed early in the morning, really.

Well, if she didn’t wash, she’d get scolded by the teacher.

*

So, my plan was this.

At work, it would be desirable for both Hayoon and me to be seen together. That way, we could create enough evidence for Hayoon to publish an article about being “in love.”

It seems they already know that Hayoon isn’t that mentally strong in that regard.

But the thing is, they didn’t tell me to meet “alone” at work.

They just said “get along well.”

In that case, shouldn’t I just wedge Hayoon between the two of us?

I can satisfy the condition of talking to Hayoon, and at the same time, I can prevent taking pictures.

“You shouldn’t act like you know too much.”

Anyway, so I let Ji-hye know in advance that the person I’m meeting today is Hayoon.

Ji-hye already knows that I’m friends with Hayoon. In fact, it’s not something to brag about, but there have been a few articles about me. At most, I’ve only met up with my friend A near the magical girl a couple of times.

Even if my face is blurred, anyone who knows me can definitely recognize me by the clothes I wear or the place where the photo was taken.

“I know, I know. What am I, anyway?”

When I came to the school field for a brief drama shoot in the past, it seemed like someone was calling a celebrity’s name fervently from afar.

As if expressing disbelief in me, Ji-hye nudged my side with her elbow.

“Anyway, let’s go quickly. We’ll be late.”

Although I practically lived in the ‘same’ neighborhood, I always hid the fact that I lived near a daycare center, so it was inevitable that whenever I went to meet Ha-yoon, it would be near Ha-yoon’s house.

It wasn’t so much unfair as it was just something I had decided, so there was no point in arguing about it.

“Oh, over there.”

Ji-hye, with a slightly excited voice, pointed ahead before me.

“Because our names are similar, you thought I was older, right?”

“…Huh?”

At Ha Yoon’s words, for a moment, I blurted out such a stupid remark.

Older sister?

“Oh, I see. You thought it was an honorific name, huh?” Ji Hye said with a smile.

Then she poked my side.

“Hey, big sis, big sis. It seems like I look more mature than you.”

At Ji Hye’s words, Ha Yoon was taken aback.

“Oh, um, that’s not it, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. It means I look more mature, right?”

I responded like that.

“Oh, um, that’s not it, I’m sorry!”

Startled again, Ha Yoon apologized loudly. Each time she did, she turned her body toward the recipient, dropping 5 millimeters from the ground and then falling flat, making her apology incredibly adorable.

Ha ha ha!

Ji Hye laughed loudly at Ha Yoon’s apology.

“You’re funny.”

At Ji Hye’s words, Ha Yoon’s face grew even redder.

“But why do you keep using formal speech?”

“Oh, um, that’s…”

“Hey, hey.”

I poked Ji Hye’s side.

“Give me some space. If I do the same, I wouldn’t know what to say.”

“Hmm, really? Sorry.”

“Oh, um, that’s not it. It’s okay.”

“…Ah, I just think using formal speech is better. I feel something.”

Seeing Ha Yoon continue to apologize formally, Ji Hye’s expression became somewhat serious, so I lightly tapped the back of her head with my palm.

“Hey, why!”

“Oh, I just felt like doing it.”

Ji Hye grumbled a bit but I casually ignored her.

“So… where should we go? It’s cold, isn’t it?”

“Hey, why are you being nice only to her?”

Well, because you don’t fit into the category of a woman.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I put Ha Yoon in the category of dating. I’m not the type to pursue an impossible relationship.

As we chatted like that, Ha Yoon looked at us with wide eyes.

“Um, Ha Yoon?”

“Yeah? Oh, yeah!”

After calling her again, Ha Yoon blinked and quickly answered.

“Do you have a place you want to go?”

“Oh, well…”

Ha Yoon paused for a moment in thought.

It seems she doesn’t have one in particular.

And for some reason, I felt a bit irritated by that response.

So… it’s not that she’s friendly enough to call me just because there’s nothing else to do. It’s because she believes I’ll come, isn’t it? And if I were a man and Ha Yoon were also a man, it would have felt a bit sad. Two male friends without girlfriends, it might have seemed like they had too little to do together since the beginning of the year.

Well, in fact, it’s still a similar situation, but anyway, I’m a woman, right?

I’m a woman too, but anyway, the other person is also a woman.

I’m not sure what I’m saying right now, but anyway, it’s not a bad feeling.

“Hongdae Intersection?”

At those words, Na Hwayoon’s head jerked up.

“Yeah, why? Haven’t you guys been there?”

I hadn’t been there at all. Not even in my past life… maybe I had been there, but it didn’t seem like I went there just to hang out like everyone else did. Maybe I went to buy comic books?

“What’s there?”

“Um…”

My question seemed to fluster Ji-hye a bit.

What? She doesn’t know either.

But come to think of it, we’d already been to Gwanghwamun enough times. We didn’t really do anything there. We just mindlessly wandered around, stopped by a bookstore, grabbed something to eat, and came back. But there was actually a reason for that. What would two underage girls do? It’s not like we could drink late into the night, and we wouldn’t sit in a café until late either. Unless it was some guy who used the café like a bar. Besides— Yeah, suddenly changing our destination from our usual spot, wouldn’t the cameraman be incredibly flustered?

“…Want to go?”

So, I decided to cautiously consider her suggestion. Of course, the most important thing was Hwayoon’s intention. After all, she’s the one who called me out here.

“Uh… well, that’s…”

Hwayoon blushed. Not only my gaze but also Ji-hye’s gaze seemed to land on her face.

“…Yeah.”

With her gaze lowered, Hwayoon slightly nodded her head as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t.

“Hey, she’s really cute. Should we take her with us?”

Once again, I smacked Ji-hye on the back of her head.

*

Even without Hwayoon saying much, Ji-hye chattered away energetically. At first, Hwayoon seemed extremely awkward, but she gradually adapted to Ji-hye’s chatter while riding the subway. Her talkative nature turned out to be quite helpful.

Well, Ji-hye knows how to consider others. At first glance, she might seem similar to a self-centered person, but unlike a self-centered person who focuses on their own thoughts, Ji-hye tends to consider others first. If not for that, I probably wouldn’t have shared a room with someone with such a different personality as mine for so long.

Besides, why is physical contact so natural for her?

Ji-hye said that.

Well, after sharing a room for so long, I don’t really feel like a girl anymore.

“….”

Hmm.

I was a little concerned about Hwayoon’s gaze. Since earlier, she had been watching Ji-hye closely as she naturally put her arm around mine.

‘Is this natural?’ She seemed to be seriously contemplating. And of all times, she was wearing disguise glasses, which made it even more noticeable.

Hmm… maybe I should be a bit more relaxed today. Otherwise, it might seem like I’m avoiding her.

After making that judgment, I grinned again.

However, one of the reasons I brought Ji-hye along was to avoid the camera’s gaze. So, it might be better to naturally stick with someone else like this and then make excuses later—

—Lost in various thoughts, suddenly my mind went blank.

It wasn’t just Ji-hye’s left arm that she was holding; my somewhat empty right arm unexpectedly made contact with hers.

Ha-yoon was holding onto my arm with a determined expression.

It was quite awkward, almost like we were linking elbows, but still, Ha-yoon’s hand found its way between my side and arm.

As our eyes met, for a moment, Ha-yoon’s grip weakened, but she quickly regained her composure and held on tightly again.

“…….”

Well, yeah, I guess.

I was supposed to meet Ha-yoon anyway, so it’s a bit awkward if I just leave her alone.

And, if we stick this close together, it’ll be difficult for the camera to get a good angle.

I glanced around, trying not to attract their attention, and we walked through the crowded street.

It was fortunate that there were many couples among the passersby.

There were more people than I expected, but not many paid much attention to the three of us.