episode_0008

It doesn’t end.

I’m told I have severe menstrual cramps. For most people, it’s different depending on the cycle, but they say it’s fine to just relax a bit or move around.

…Then why am I…?

There’s almost a day left until discharge, and this is happening.

And I really want to eat tonkatsu like crazy.

I don’t know why tonkatsu comes to mind when I’m lying still.

I want to take a big bite of thick tonkatsu… Now that I’m small, I can feel the same fullness by eating less…! How happy it is.

“Once you put it on, it’s large size, but if it leaks, you should switch to overnight. After your period ends, switch to liners.”

“…I don’t know.”

Is “large” referring to the size? Is something bigger than large called overnight?

What’s a liner?

“Um… I’ll explain later. Are you feeling dizzy now?”

“A little…”

“First… I’ll give you some medicine. You need to get the IV right too.”

Are there different types of sanitary pads?

Suhyun went outside and came back with an IV pack and medicine.

“When you menstruate again after discharge, make sure to take iron supplements or vitamins if you experience dizziness.”

“Okay…”

They gave me a lot of medicine.

They just call it a week’s worth of iron supplements.

Here they talk about vitamins…

Women must take care of their bodies….

*

“This one for regular use, this one for when you’re menstruating, and if you feel like you’ve grown more, use this one!”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s like support. If you provide your address for sanitary pads, we’ll send them through the support center in boxes.”

After some time passed, the day of discharge arrived.

They did blood tests and urine tests from the morning.

The food was said to be regular, but it felt slightly bland. Other than that, it was similar.

Filling out questionnaires and paperwork for discharge.

“I’m really leaving now. Ugh… my happiness…”

“You act like you won’t see me again, taking your number as if you won’t see me for the rest of your life.”

Even as she takes the paper, she looks at me as if she’s upset.

“I should have slept with Jihye at least once….”

“…Thank you for the past month. I’ll definitely keep in touch.”

“Ugh… Jihye….”

She hugs me tearfully.

For some reason, even my eyes start to well up.

“It’s the hormones Unni mentioned. That’s why.”

I don’t know why I keep becoming a crybaby.

We hugged and cried until it was time for discharge.

Even though I embrace the woman, I no longer feel any emotions towards her.

Only feelings of comfort and regret remain.

*

“Sniff… Goodbye. I shouldn’t come back here anymore, right?”

“You take care too, Unni. And let’s keep in touch. Let’s meet if we have time later… Thank you for the clothes too.”

“I’ll come again.” rather than saying I’ll come back, we bid farewell.

It’s a hospital. If you come here, there must be some problem with your body.

“Thank you so much.”

She zipped up the padding Unni gave her.

The cool autumn air quickly turned chilly, and although the afternoon sun was shining, it wasn’t warm outside the hospital. Frost covered the grass and weeds, making it seem like winter was approaching.

“Me too. It feels like it will be a good memory.”

It was a short time, but it was a very precious time.

“Ugh… Goodbye.”

Jihye’s brother called ahead and took her in the car.

It was quite far from home, so she had to transfer buses a few times.

“We’re having a touching reunion. By the way, it’s really Jiyu, right?”

“Yeah, this damn brother of mine.”

“Oh, right. Okay!! Let’s go!!!”

“Ah!!”

Jihye’s brother didn’t want to ride with him. Really, truly.

He learned to drive strangely, so it was full throttle from the start.

“Stop it! I’m scared!”

“Haha. It’s fun. How did your reaction get even more fun after becoming a woman?”

“Crazy. Stop it. I’m fragile.”

“Kkk… Kkkk. My younger brother turning into my younger sister… It’s like a complete novel.”

This guy doesn’t even bother to come see me and just brushes it off.

Although the personalities within the family are completely different, they seem to have somewhat similar traits.

It’s really something that this crazy guy has a girlfriend….

I hope his girlfriend keeps him from going out into society.

“Uh… dizzy.”

“Why are you getting dizzy over this?”

“Ugh. Seriously….”

I got out of the car after receiving the offered water to drink.

“Phew… Thanks for now.”

“Sure. Take care of yourself!!”

—Booaaah!!

“Crazy guy.”

There’s probably no one else besides that guy on the alley pressing the accelerator in winter.

—Beep beep beep beep

“Oh. Uh… what was it.”

After a long time coming home, I forgot the password.

I stand in front of the door, swaying back and forth, trying to remember.

“Uh… uh huh…! Ah.”

—Ding dong~!

After several attempts, the door lock finally unlocks with a cheerful sound.

I can’t believe I’ve become that much of a fool.

“Tsk….”

A month has passed, but nothing has changed at home.

The robot vacuum cleaner was buzzing as it cleaned the floor.

“Hello. Have you been well.”

—Buzz buzz… buzz squeak!

“You’ve been doing well.”

The robot vacuum cleaner cleaned the dust and water in the house, picked up the mop, and started mopping.

As I swiftly swept the sink with my white fingers, dust accumulated, turning my fingers black.

“Let’s clean!”

No one may hear, but I do.

It’s like a routine buddy cheering for me, for myself.

First, I opened the window wide. Luckily, the fine dust is low.

I wet the mop and wiped the upper part. I took a clean kitchen towel to wipe the salt and sugar jars.

I used a duster to remove the cobwebs from the ceiling.

“Hey! Hey hey!”

I heard I was supposedly 167 cm tall, but my hands were barely reaching the ceiling.

I jumped and managed to brush it off. I might seem like I’m playing around, but let’s focus on the fact that I cleaned it.

I thought my body felt lighter since I lost almost half of my weight, but I guess my muscles have also disappeared, so my body is just my body.

I might have actually gotten weaker.

“Ugh… heavy….”

I didn’t realize the frying pan would be so heavy.

I was planning to make fried rice roughly, but I gave up for now.

I can’t even stir-fry.

“Sigh….”

Taking a small breath, I open the refrigerator.

“Oh. This changes things.”

I see a few things my father must have bought.

Enoki mushrooms, pumpkin, tofu, a bit of meat are visible at a glance.

Ah. The answer is here.

After a long time, I feel like I could try cooking again.

The thought that it might be helpful makes me smile involuntarily.

I put on an apron that doesn’t smell like me and tied it tightly.

Starting from the back, going around once and back again, my waist has become too thin to tie properly.

Of course, I’m not going to tie it like this. It’s too loose, I just tried it as a test.

I fill a pot with water and set it to boil. Now, while the water boils, all I have to do is prepare the ingredients.

I didn’t forget to add the broth pack.

In the past, I used to put in some dried anchovies and kelp, but nowadays, products have advanced so much that there are packs that contain all of that in one. Put it in, boil it, take it out, done!

Meanwhile, I take out the cutting board, take out the knife, and sharpen it with a sharpening rod.

“Hmm. Good.”

After sharpening the knife finely, I briefly set it aside, take out the pumpkin, grab a few onions from the corner under the sink, and take out about two potatoes.

Now, all that’s left is to chop them all.

Since texture is important, just cut them like you’re making cubed radish kimchi.

Handle the most important tofu carefully, slice the green onions and peppers slightly.

“Good!”

I start to feel happy for no reason.

Cooking for this taste.

With this amount, my father alone will eat for over a week.

However, due to my father’s nature of adding something here, pouring water, adjusting the seasoning again, and eating, it seems like it will last longer…

When that time comes, I don’t know what kind of hybrid will come out.

It was surprisingly delicious.

“Hmm….”

Remove the pack from the boiling water and dissolve the soybean paste. Adjust it to the right level with salt, add red pepper powder and minced garlic.

The more garlic you add, the tastier it gets.

Then throw in all the sliced ingredients.

Wait, let it boil again, and when the steam rises, finally add tofu and green onions.

If you put tofu in at the beginning, it becomes very weak as holes form in the tofu. If you put it in about 5 minutes before it’s almost done, the tofu is deliciously completed with a well-balanced seasoning.

“Slurp… hmm.”

Adjust the seasoning with salt.

Although there is a salty feeling, I keep thinking that it might be because I kept eating hospital food.

Now… I have to go to my brother’s house.

*

After preparing the rice last, I hasten my steps as if running straight to my brother’s house.

If this isn’t it, isn’t my brother’s house completely messy?

I’ll have to think about remarrying somehow if I dress up a bit, prepare a meal, and so on.

I need to realize that it’s difficult alone.

“Oh. The password.”

I forgot it here too.

“Hmm… hmm…!”

After racking my brains, it opened at once.

0806. It’s my brother’s birthday.

The house is bigger than our house, but only one or two people live here.

Since my brother is not someone who indulges in luxury with money, of course, it’s empty.

“Oh… dust.”

But just like here, this place is also full of dust.

Why is everyone trying to rest on weekends? It’s a day off, but… just getting up for a moment and ventilating should not lead to this.

“Oh no, it’s all exposed.”

There were no traces of cooking in the sink.

Like before, did he just buy two large triangular kimbaps and a bottle of water from the convenience store?

There’s nothing I can do.

This place needs a thorough cleaning.

Open the windows in each room and take out the cleaning tools.

I thought about buying a small robot vacuum cleaner here, but what’s the point when I’m here?

If my brother didn’t want to worry others, he should have taken care of it really well.

Just saying it and not keeping it. What’s that? It’s not like making people fools.

“If he comes… I’ll really scold him.”

The room was getting clean in no time.