episode_0043

“Ah… Hello?”

I took a picture of the unidentified string and called the chairman.

[What’s going on?]

“Sorry for contacting you so late at night… .”

Even before the first beep sounded, the chairman’s voice came flying in. As usual, it was a bit dry and sullen, with a hint of fatigue. I apologized first and then got down to business.

“I’m not saying anything different, but I think some explanation is needed.”

[What explanation…]

“Can you please check out CocoaTalk first?”

I sent the photo I had taken in advance to the chairman. Looking at the photo, it somehow feels more embarrassing than the actual thing. If I had to describe it, it felt like I was surfing the web alone and came across a photo with a red sticker on it.

[What? Why are you doing this to me…?]

I want to ask, what was the chairman thinking when he sent me this?

“This came mixed in with a box of clothes, so I wonder if you sent it by mistake.”

[No way. I’ve never seen that before.]

The chairman flatly denied it. A strong denial is an affirmation. Strangely flat.

“… It was definitely in the clothes box.”

[no way….]

As if he had guessed something, the chairman mumbled something and remained silent. At the same time, the sound of urgent footsteps spread, and the sound of a door opening could be heard.

[Why don’t you just say that the chairman did it?]

A woman who was shouting loudly. I could immediately recognize her because I occasionally ran into her at the chairman’s house.

A bodyguard with healthy, light brown skin and an impression that was the complete opposite of the chairman’s. It wouldn’t have been strange at all if Yoo Soo-ah had been fired one day.

[Speaking nonsense…]

[Friends usually play pranks like that! This was the perfect opportunity to become closer to Haru! The chairman is an idiot! An idiot who doesn’t understand people’s feelings! Hurry up and tell him that the chairman sent you!]

A voice was heard over the phone. Yu Su-ah was speaking passionately with her face flushed red, and the chairman was looking at her with a blank expression. It was a scene that could be vividly imagined without having to see it in person.

[I think our guy made a mistake.]

The chairman cleared his throat and spoke awkwardly, wondering if he had succeeded in chasing Yoo Soo-ah away.

Well, there’s no way the chairman would make such a mistake.

Yoo Soo Ah’s stack of dismissals is just piling up. Isn’t it to the point where she’s going crazy because she wants to get fired?

“Oh, yes… . Then should I return it?”

[Oh, no. You don’t have to do that. If you don’t like it, just throw it away.]

Of course, returning these ridiculous underwear doesn’t mean anyone else can wear them.

“Okay, I understand… . Oh, right. Do you have time this Saturday?”

As I was about to end the call, I remembered the conversation I had with Mirae and put the phone back to my ear.

[Is it Saturday…?]

“Nothing special, I just wanted to pack a lunch and go on a picnic at the park. If you have plans, you can postpone it! Don’t feel pressured… .”

The chairman’s words trailed off.

A faint hint of hesitation. Of course, if the schedule doesn’t work out, it’s okay to postpone. We can go whenever we want, but every second of the chairman’s time is precious.

[That means Haru Yang and I should go together…]

“I’m going too.”

[Ah, Mi, Mirae-yang. You were next to me. Okay, then…]

Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be a scheduling issue. When Mirae, who had been sitting quietly next to him, stuck her face out and intervened, the chairman gave a positive response.

Did you think that you would go alone with me? I feel uncomfortable thinking that you and the chairman will go together. We spread out a mat, ate our lunch boxes in silence, and then parted ways. This is how our picnic will end.

If you want to lighten the mood, you can try babbling about anything, but I doubt the chairman will accept it. In fact, I’m not particularly good at talking either.

[Chairman, isn’t there a meeting with an affiliate this Saturday?]

I thought our picnic promise would come true thanks to Mirae, but Yusuah was whispering next to me.

“Come on, Chairman! You don’t have to force yourself to do it… !”

[No, I’ll take care of my own business. I’ll see you on Saturday.]

Despite knowing the circumstances and hastily trying to dissuade him, the chairman hung up the phone, saying he would not back out on his promise.

“It’s really okay… .”

Still, I couldn’t help but laugh because I thought the chairman cared about the future.

“Then let’s try it on now. Are you ready, Mirae?”

I put my phone on the desk and looked at the clothes spread out on the floor. I have to take pictures of all of these after I put them on and send them to the chairman.

The first year, I sent photos in return for the many clothes I received.

‘It’s different from what I thought when I actually saw it. Please send me pictures in the future. Then I can send you better clothes.’

The chairman was very pleased with the gesture and asked me to send him more pictures next time. Perhaps embarrassed, he couldn’t say that he wanted to see more pictures from the future, and added an excuse afterwards.

“I’ll wear this from now on.”

As expected, Mirae picked up Chuchu pajamas first. She still hasn’t been looking at Chuchu. However, if you ask her whether she likes it or not, Mirae would say she likes it. In fact, there are very few girls who dislike Chuchu.

I was lost in thought while holding my masculine string underwear, but I ended up opening the dresser drawer.

Even if you don’t have a reason to wear it, it’s a shame to throw it away as soon as you receive it. So let’s put it away for now.

Generally, a plain color scheme of white, beige, and ivory. Occasionally, a black sports bra is added to the drawer, which is filled with flashy black string underwear. I guess I can call myself a proper adult at this point. It doesn’t seem bad to just keep it there to give it that feeling.

“Mom, please upload this.”

As I closed the drawer and stood up, I saw a future that was so cute that Chuchu couldn’t even compare.

“Wow! Mirae is so cute!”

Leaving behind the rising emotion, I ran over and closed the half-open zipper. The pure white back disappeared along the zipper. As I pulled the zipper all the way up and faced the future, I almost fainted from the dizziness that came over me for a moment.

“Let’s take a quick picture. Wear a hat too!”

The structure of the Chuchu pajamas makes her legs look very short. Furthermore, the fact that it is completely black except for the white dot on her stomach, and the fluffy ears on her hat, combined with the slightly embarrassed expression of the future, gave off a very different feeling from the Chuchu pajamas I saw when I was young.

“Mom wears it too.”

I was trying to take a picture before the emotion died down, but Mirae handed me a pair of Chuchu pajamas.

Who likes a grown woman dressed in doll pajamas?

“Okay. Okay, so you can’t take it off?”

“Yeah, let’s wear it and take a picture together.”

A selfie with my daughter in her Chuchu pajamas!

After taking off the T-shirt and sweatpants I was wearing, I lifted my legs and hurriedly put on my thick pajamas.

The material seems to be better than last time. It feels more like being wrapped in a cotton blanket than a sleeping bag. With Chuchu pajamas, this winter won’t be cold either.

“It’s a little big for mom.”

“Are you kidding me because I’m short, Mom? You need to wear pajamas that are a little bigger to be comfortable.”

Finally, with Mirae zipping up the zipper, the Chuchu mother and daughter were complete.

“Quick, Future, come sit here.”

We sat side by side on the bed, our hoods over our heads. The pitch-black Chuchus were reflected on the screen of our cell phones. With a slightly awkward smile on our lips, we snapped two pictures in a row.

At first, the corners of my mouth were stiff, but the second time, the corners of my mouth naturally curved, producing a satisfactory result.

I should make this my wallpaper.

I uploaded the hot picture I just took to the CocoaTalk group chat room where the chairman and Mirae are.

“It came out well, right? Now let’s put on the academy uniform. I have to show it to the president.”

He unzipped Chuchu’s pajamas and handed over the next person, the Easty Academy uniform. It would have been better if he had taken a picture of it in advance, since the president would have wanted to see it anyway. I didn’t think of it and ended up bothering him for nothing.

Still, Mirae silently laid out her Chuchu pajamas on the bed and began to put on the uniform the chairman had sent her.

A black skirt and jacket with a suit base. A white blouse and ribbons divided by grade level. Mirae, a first-year student, received a blue ribbon.

Woof woof, woof woof─

At that moment, a faint vibration sound was heard from somewhere.

“Just a minute.”

I search for the source of the vibration. First of all, it wasn’t Mirae or my phone. I went to the next room just in case, and saw Hanna Yeon’s phone on Mirae’s desk shaking.

At the same time, I accidentally looked at the sender and naturally tilted my head.

[Branch Manager Baek Seung-ah]

“The branch manager called Hanna Yeon…?”

No, but rather, why is the branch manager’s number saved in Hanna Yeon’s phone?

Did you have any personal ties? I never heard of anything like that while I was in the guild. I never even felt anything, let alone heard it.

“Hanna Yeon, I got a call!”

“who.”

When I screamed at the bathroom, Hanna Yeon came out, wrapping a towel around her head and patting it. The person who screamed was embarrassed…

“He’s the branch manager… What happened?”

To make it clear that he was very angry, he stood facing me with his hands firmly on his hips.

In the meantime, the vibration on my phone stopped. The problem was that Hanna Yeon stopped as well.

“Iharu, Chuchu… .”

“Hey, sis! Nosebleed, nosebleed!”

A bright red blood stain appears on the T-shirt she just changed into. Pitter-patter. Not only on the T-shirt, but also on the floor, nosebleed drips. Narin, who quickly grabbed a tissue from the table, plugged Han Na-yeon’s nose.

“Hanna Yeon… What’s wrong? Should I go to the hospital?”

“Oh, no. It’s okay… .”

Hanna Yeon shut her eyes tightly, turned around, and focused on stopping the nosebleed.

“Really? There are so many… .”

I followed her with a worried heart and looked at her face, and Hanna Yeon’s nosebleed did not stop for a long time.