episode_0019

it’s hard….

I sat on the rotating Chuchu and slumped down. The Chuchu rotated quietly without any stimulation. As the peace descended, a throbbing pain surged up my calves.

“Mom, here! Look here!”

The future called me. Not from behind, not from in front, but from the side.

Well, I’m riding the rotary choo choo alone right now. Seo-hu, Han Na-yeon, and Na-rin were already tired and sitting on the bench, but Mirae was still in good spirits and taking pictures of me.

Why does it seem like the locations are opposite?

Everyone else seemed to think so too, each glancing over and giggling.

But who am I? I am the mother of the future. I tried to smile, curling the corners of my lips, for the future that was just waiting for me to come to her.

Mirae didn’t miss a beat and was busy pressing the shutter of her phone. It made me happy to see her happy.

“Look at this, Future! Mom on Chuchu!”

A strange sense of elation and exhaustion mixed together. It made me stand on the choo-choo, and at the same time, it made the guide angry.

“Customer! You must not get up!”

“Oh, sorry, sorry!”

A loud laughter erupted from the noisy crowd. What followed was a torture-like time.

Every time I pass by, people look at me expectantly. There was even a child who shouted, ‘Please stand up again!’

“Unfortunately, this is the end of our journey with Chuchu. Let’s meet again next time!”

The ride stopped with a loud voice. I quickly left this embarrassing space, and when I found the guide, I bowed my head.

“I’m sorry… .”

“No. It doesn’t matter to us since you’re not hurt, but… the kids are watching, so please exercise self-restraint next time… .”

The guide’s kindness actually hurts more… .

“I won’t come near you again… .”

“Oh, no! My, that was cool. Mom riding a Chuchu. Foot… .”

In the end, the tour guide couldn’t hold back his laughter. I ran outside with my face red.

“Mom riding a Chuchu! I took a picture!”

The future, you too… .

When I checked my phone, I saw myself standing awkwardly on top of Chuchu.

He was wearing black pants, a white T-shirt, and a black cardigan over it. His attire was somewhat shabby, making him seem a bit suspicious.

“Hehehe, did you stand up to show me, Mom?”

The future seemed to have no intention of taking its eyes off that photo. I even set it as my phone background.

“Of course. So how was it? Was Mom cool?”

“Yeah! Totally cool!”

Well, whatever, it’s okay if the future is good.

Don’t parents say they become shameless for their children? A momentary sense of shame is nothing compared to future happiness.

Of course, I’m sorry for causing any inconvenience to the tour guide.

“Madam… I’m going home now.”

“Is that so?”

Seo-hu, holding a melon soda, approached with a slumped gait. Looking around, the ground was starting to slowly fall, and Han Na-yeon and Na-rin also seemed unable to move any further.

I enjoyed it enough.

I really ran around until my feet were on fire. I rode on all the rides except the ones that kids couldn’t ride. Even without that, since the inside of Chuchu Land is so large, finding the rides was a task.

And my stomach is full too.

They say that greed breeds anger. Every time I see a restaurant or store, I go in and buy something, so it’s understandable that I feel bad. Mirae and Seohoo’s bellies are sticking out and they’re cute.

“Is the future difficult too?”

“Yeah, a little bit… .”

The future smiled weakly.

It was hard, of course. I had to walk hard with legs that were only half as long as my stride.

“Hanna Yeon, let’s go. Did you see all of Chuchu?”

“Yeah. I saw Mom riding Chuchu.”

Did you hear my voice from here? As I looked at Hanna Yeon, who was getting up from the bench and giggling, my face, which had barely become quiet, became red again.

“No way… You took it too?”

Instead of answering, Hanna Yeon shows her phone. There is her mother riding an enlarged Chuchu.

“Erase it!”

“I hate it.”

Hanna Yeon put her cell phone in her pocket and laughed playfully.

If you smile like that, I can’t erase it anymore… .

“… Then that’s fine. Keep it safe!”

I sacrificed my body to give smiles to many people. Let’s take comfort in this. It’s not like the photo will be deleted, but I can give up to some extent.

“Okay, shall we go home now? I want to go in quickly and wash up.”

“… No.”

When I asked her to speak frankly, shaking off her shame, Hanna Yeon firmly refused.

Why are you doing that? As I was looking at Hanna Yeon with questioning eyes, the cell phone in my hand vibrated.

─Get the Chuchu keychain!

A message that appears with the alarm. I almost got into big trouble. I forgot such an important fact.

“ Of course, we were going to stop by the magic tool shop. Hannah, let’s go quickly. It’s the time you were looking forward to the most! ”

As she was fussing and whining, the ice on Hanna Yeon’s face slowly melted away.

phew….

* * *

“Welcome! Welcome to Chuchu’s Magic Tool Shop!”

When I showed the bracelet, the guide at the counter greeted me with a big smile. He even gave me a candy bar with a Chuchu picture on it as a welcome candy. Money is good, after all.

“Keychain….”

Hanna Yeon muttered as she put the candy in her pocket. Then the guide lifted the curtain behind the counter and went inside.

“I’ll put the key ring this way!”

An arm suddenly popped out from the curtain.

“Oh, oh… .”

With a pounding heart, I entered the secret space behind the curtain.

“Um… .”

Maybe it was because my expectations were high. I ended up expressing my disappointment with the subtle impression. There was just one capsule machine and a warehouse with Chuchu products organized. Other than that, there really wasn’t much else.

“Now, who will be the Chuchu that will be with the hero!”

Moreover, they made it into a gacha and fell for it, even though it was a VIP benefit.

The guide wearing a cat-eared headband was talking cheerfully in front of the capsule machine. However, Hanna Yeon was not disappointed and was already preparing to take the lottery.

Hanna Yeon, who had been staring intently at the capsule machine, closed her eyes and stood still for a moment. Was she praying? As if confirming that expectation, after some time, Hanna Yeon opened her eyes wide.

timing.

As if a hero had received a revelation.

“Ha, Hanna Yeon, fighting!”

As I gulped and cheered from the side, Hanna Yeon nodded and reached out her hand.

Knock knock, knock knock.

Soon the hand that held fate moved, and one of the capsules that had been filled inside fell down.

“Hey, open it.”

“Yeah… .”

Hanna Yeon rubbed the hot capsule that had just come out with her palm a few times, then carefully tilted it to the side as if she was handling expensive porcelain.

“Congratulations! Your Chuchu is a bandaged Chuchu!”

What kind of bad fate is this? I pulled out this sticker twice, and it ended up in Hanna Yeon’s hands again. And congratulations? Of course, the guide didn’t know the whole story, but my heart sank for a moment.

No, but it’s okay this time. It’s my first time pulling out a keychain. It doesn’t matter as long as it’s not a duplicate, right?

“Ah… .”

“Ha, Hanna Yeon?”

I thought so, but it wasn’t like that at all. Hanna Yeon was just standing there blankly with her lips slightly open. For some reason, it looked like Hanna Yeon was about to cry.

“Okay, it’s okay. I’ll pick you. Do you trust me?”

It’s okay. There’s still a chance.

Who picked the Fairy King Chuchu sticker? It’s me.

Yes, it’s me, Iharu.

Knock knock, knock knock.

The button that holds the fate of Chuchu Land returns once again.

Bam─

“Chu, congratulations? Two Chuchus wrapped in bandages! Double the cuteness! Ahaha… .”

The guide’s laughter became noticeably awkward, as if she had noticed that the atmosphere was not normal. She looked like she wanted to turn around and run away right away. Well, looking at Hanna Yeon’s expression right now, it would be easy to want to run away.

“Don’t be too upset. You can come back and pick again next time, right?”

“No, I’m fine with this.”

In Chuchu, the sincere Hanna Yeon didn’t show any greed for some reason. Even her face, which was thought to be full of life, was surprisingly untroubled.

◦Please change it to %◦… .”

In the meantime, Mirae finished picking a keychain and ran towards Hanna Yeon. And I couldn’t help but be astonished.

Following me, my daughter also had incredible golden hands!

“Mi, the future!”

Chuchu, the fairy king in the hands of the future. His wings covered in golden glitter shine dazzlingly.

But you want me to change Chuchu?

It seems that Mirae doesn’t know the value of Fairy King Chuchu. Of course, I didn’t know it well either, but I could vaguely guess because of what happened with the stickers.

What should I do? Is it okay to lie to the future and give it to Hannah Yeon?

“Fairy King Chuchu is better.”

“So please change it… .”

Hanna Yeon also refused, perhaps because her conscience was pricked, but Mirae did not back down. She looked up at Hanna Yeon with earnest eyes and continued to demand an exchange.

“Haa… . Got it.”

Hanna Yeon let out a light sigh and exchanged the keychain for him. I thought she would be really happy, but it didn’t seem like that, perhaps because she thought she had stolen something from the future.

“Hehehe, just like mom!”

Only then did I understand why Mirae wanted the exchange.

Have you ever seen such a desirable daughter?

As I looked at Mirae, who was smiling bashfully while cheek to cheek with the Chuchu I was holding, I found myself thinking that way without realizing it.

“Mirae and Mom are a couple! Should I put it in my bag when I get home?”

“Yeah, good! Chuchu is just like mom, so cute… .”

As the guide said, the cuteness doubled, Mirae was twice as cute when she was holding Chuchu.

“Wow, it’s the Masked Rider!”

“Sister… Maid Chuchu is out.”

For reference, Seo-hu chose the Masked Rider, and Na-rin chose the Maid Chu-chu.

But why is the Masked Rider here?

* * *

“This stop is Easty, Easty… .”

I was so tired that I fell asleep, but it seems I arrived at my destination before I knew it.

I have to change buses twice here to get to Zone 3, so I’m going to be pretty late when I get home.

“The future, the future.”

I shook Mirae, who was sleeping soundly, leaning on my shoulder.

“Um… Mom… I want to sleep more… .”

Mirae is weak to sleep. If you don’t give her a kiss, she won’t wake up all day. Plus, she’s especially tired now, so it’ll be hard for her to wake up.

I carried Mirae, who was mumbling, on my back and headed out. Fortunately, Seo-hoo was still conscious.

“Haa, haa… .”

The future is not always young. As I climbed the stairs carrying the future, I realized this fact anew. I thought this distance would be easy, but it was not as easy as I thought.

“Future, are you awake?”

“Ugh… Mom… Hehe… Eung… Who’s next to you… ?”

A future where you answer in a sleepless manner without knowing English.

Yeah, the future is brighter. Mom just needs to work a little harder.

“Hoo, hoook… .”

“I’ll carry you this day.”

Hanna Yeon holding a bag of Chuchu products in both hands. The weight of the bag and the weight of Mirae didn’t seem to be much different. Of course, the bag should be much lighter, but carrying Mirae gives you the power of love, so in the end, they are similar.

“Okay, okay, okay, huh… .”

… isn’t it?

My breathing became shaky as Hanna Yeon spoke. That may be why my steps stopped moving.

Maybe if you kiss her like you do when you wake her up in the morning, she’ll wake up? That’s a plausible hypothesis. Kissing might not only work in the morning.

“Future, will you wake up so Mommy can kiss you?”

“Um… If you kiss me… I’ll think about it… .”

What, are you awake?

“I’ll give you a kiss when you wake up.”

“Wake up!”

Mirae suddenly lifts her face, which was buried in her shoulder blades. She doesn’t stop there, but jumps down from my back and stands on tiptoe.

“Kiss!”

“Okay, okay.”

Chook.

The warm body temperature came and went for a moment. Only then did Mirae smile with satisfaction and climb the stairs with light steps.

Boom!

“Gyaaa …

“Easty District 1! Easty District 1!”

At that moment, people started rushing into the station screaming.

“The future!”

I instinctively jumped out and embraced the future.

“Oh, Mom… .”

“It’s okay, the future is okay.”

He held the future close to his chest as much as possible, covered his eyes, and looked over his shoulder to check the outside situation.

Demon. A giant weasel-shaped demon appeared in front of the station.

It was smaller than the gorilla demon I saw the day I was possessed. And since someone who looked like a hero was already responding, it didn’t make much of a fuss.

But somehow it seemed dangerous. The sound of the wind tearing was ringing in his ears, and the hero was only able to attract the demon’s attention.

Besides, there’s one child behind him that he has to protect.

“Run away! It’s dangerous! Please run away!”

While the hero was running around and pleading, the child just stared blankly up at the demon.

I was captivated by that child.

Her long, pure white hair swaying calmly under the night sky. Her bloodshot eyes, which blended naturally with it, were capturing me.

I’m not really sure what it was like.

But I couldn’t ignore a child who at best seemed like my future peer.

“Hanna Yeon, please take care of the kids.”

Just like the day I first met the future, when I came to my senses, the child was already in my arms.