episode_0026

“Now, could you come here for a moment? Let me take your measurements.” “Ah, yes.”

I moved as she gestured. In matters like this, it’s best to just obediently follow the expert’s advice.

Above all, these were garments made by a world-renowned artisan—putting in this level of effort was only natural.

I wasn’t particularly interested in wearing pretty clothes, but if they assured clear functionality, that changed things.

It wasn’t like I could keep tearing my clothes whenever I needed my wings, after all.

“Your body is quite beautiful too. The lines and such.” “Ahaha……”

As she said that, though—why did she keep touching my body like this?

“But… do you really need to touch me this much…?” “Ah, doing this allows for more precise work. It’s not just about roughly matching sizes—I’m tailoring this so that you, Seohyun, won’t feel any discomfort at all while wearing it.”

Really?

“R-Really?” “Yes. You’re a Variant, after all. I need to clearly know where the differences from humans lie and take exact measurements accordingly. For example… like this.” “Eek!”

“Like precisely measuring the circumference of this tail here. The more accurate the clothing, the less discomfort you’ll feel.” “Ahh…”

But Jinha had a strangely amused smile on her face.

‘She’s more fun to tease than I thought.’

Truthfully, for a tailor of her skill, this much touching wasn’t strictly necessary.

She could’ve estimated the measurements just by eye alone.

But… wasn’t it fun? She’d seen Seohyun’s interviews beforehand.

Seohyun was far more earnest than she’d expected.

‘Not all Variants in the world are bad… That’s true.’

And Seohyun’s way of thinking aligned closely with Jinha’s own.

In fact, aside from doctors caring directly for Variants or intelligence agents, she was the one who interacted with Variants the most.

Because of that, she’d met many Variants desperately trying to blend into society.

She understood the determination they carried to return to normalcy—to live ordinary lives.

Making clothes for people like that wasn’t a bad thing at all. It gave her a sense of fulfillment in a life that had lacked it before.

Either way, she’d gotten a good read on Seohyun.

A diligent, sincere person through and through—in other words, someone fun to tease.

Even setting aside fulfillment, she wasn’t about to pass up on this kind of amusement.

‘Come to think of it, I heard she used to be male? No wonder her reactions feel so flustered.’

It felt like she was experiencing this kind of situation for the very first time.

And each of those reactions only further encouraged Jinha’s mischievousness.

Today might turn out even more enjoyable than she’d anticipated.

“Alright, measurements are done. Want to see some rough designs for the kind of clothes you’d like?” “Yes.”

Jinha showed me various sketches—suits, casual wear, sleepwear, undergarments, just as she’d mentioned earlier.

“…You’re planning to make all of this for me?” “Of course. It won’t take long. What do you think of the designs?” “They’re not bad, but… the tail part seems a bit…” “Ah, when you retract your tail, the exposed section will automatically fill in.” “Huh?”

“Like those nanosuits or whatever in movies, they self-repair.” “How is that possible?” “When I wish for it to work that way, it just does. Same goes for your wings. The torn parts will regenerate when you extend them.” “Isn’t that too unrealistic…?”

“Ahaha! Since when did realism matter? The fact that we’ve mutated like this in the first place is unrealistic enough. Magic-like things happening shouldn’t be surprising. Take the breath you exhaled earlier—even that defies science.” “Well… I guess you’re right.”

“Exactly. The spider silk I produce gains the properties I desire—heat resistance, waterproofing, self-repair… Scientifically impossible, but our existence itself isn’t scientific, so there’s no need to question it. Just accept it as it is.” “Alright.”

“However, if the clothes get completely torn, full restoration will take some time. Just as I can fully transform into a spider, you might be able to transform entirely into a dragon… In that case, self-repair would take much longer.” “They’ll still restore even if shredded apart?”

“The clothes tear, but the silk itself doesn’t burn away or vanish. The threads will gather and regenerate automatically.” “That’s fascinating, really.”

“Haha, I get that a lot. Anyway… do you like the designs?” “Yes. I don’t see anything that needs changing.”

“Glad my hard work paid off. Well then… We’ve taken your measurements and finalized the designs, so today’s schedule is done. Come back when the clothes are ready. I plan to take photos for the magazine then.” “Got it.”

“You’ll probably be quite busy when you come next time. The photographer is notoriously strict.” “…That sounds a little scary.”

“No need to worry too much. Oh, and after the shoot next time, we’re planning to have dinner with the photographer and staff. Want to come? My treat.” “I’ll go. Ah, can I bring my sibling?” “Your sibling? Of course.”

Who turns down free food?

“…So, I agreed to grab dinner with the person making my clothes. Wanna come along?” “Why would I go there?” “It’s free food, and she said you can tag along.”

“Unnie. You really can’t resist free stuff, can you? You’re gonna go bald at this rate.” “Do you realize you just made enemies with every balding person worldwide? So, are you coming or not?”

“Hmm… I don’t have anything scheduled that day. No tutoring either.” “Then come. You keep saying we need to save money, right?” “Yeah, I guess I should. By the way, this’ll be the first time I meet another Variant besides you… Interesting. What kind is she?”

“Didn’t I mention it before? Arachne. Spider.” “Spider…? Isn’t that gross?” “Not really? She’s actually really pretty. If she were a guy, I’d have fallen for her at first sight. And she doesn’t look that different from a human aside from spider legs on her back… though she probably covers those when outside?”

“Fascinating…” “Even the clothes she makes are mystical. They say her spider silk is waterproof, heat-resistant, and self-repairing.” “Guess it’s not surprising when fantastical things happen in a world that’s turned into fantasy.”

“Yeah.” “Kinda exciting… and intriguing.” “Just don’t act rude.” “Obviously. I know how to behave.”

“Good. I trust you. You’ve always been smooth with people.” “But why did you specifically want to bring me? Just to save on food? Seems like too big an invite for that.” “You’ve always been into that field, haven’t you? Even though you’re in business school, I always see you flipping through fashion magazines.”

“Oh… I didn’t realize you paid that much attention to my interests. Did mutation change you?” “Not really… I just thought of it because she works in fashion. Building connections like that could give you more career options after graduation.”

“Wow. Kinda touched?” “Right? Worship me.” “You ruin the mood every time you say stuff like that.” “Then it wouldn’t be me.” “…Fair.”

The scheduled day arrived sooner than expected. Between classes and everything else, the promised time with Jinha crept up fast.

My sibling seemed pretty nervous. Understandable—this was their first time meeting another Variant besides me.

“Why are you shaking?” “Just… nervous.” “What’s there to be nervous about?” “Ugh. Stop trying to mind-control me and let’s go already.”

“Mind-control my ass. We’re here.” “…Whoa.”

Seo-ah’s jaw dropped at the sight of Jinha’s shop. But something felt off. Didn’t she pore over fashion magazines all last year? If she’d kept up with fashion, she should’ve known about Jinha—especially since Agent Jeongho said she’s the most talked-about name in global fashion right now.

“Thinking about it though, how could you be into fashion magazines and not know Jinha? She’s the biggest name in the industry right now.” “It’s possible. I didn’t have time for fashion once your mutation started.”

“Ah, I guess… That makes sense.” “And after you stabilized, I was too busy catching up with business school to flip through magazines.” “Heard the coursework’s tough, but that much?”

“If you slack off, you fall behind. Between studying and managing social stuff, there wasn’t time for fashion. It’s not my major, so business takes priority. But I was planning to get back into it when things eased up.”

“I see. Well, let’s head in. She’s probably waiting.” “Okay.”

The moment we stepped inside, Jinha’s eyes widened upon seeing us.

“Hello, Seohyun. And this is… your sibling?” “Yun Seo-ah. Seohyun’s younger sister.”

“Ah, nice to meet you. I’m Seo Jinha. By the way, Seo-ah?” “Yes?” “Would you like to join the shoot with Seohyun today?” “…Huh?”

At Jinha’s sudden suggestion, Seo-ah and I could only stare blankly.

A shoot? Her?