episode_0083

“…Darn.”

Gasping for breath, I got up and noticed that my clothes were a bit dirty.

This is bad. This is the only set of clothes I have for now.

Stumbling across the dark campus and out of the deserted building, I slowly made my way towards the apartment complex next to it.

Unlike the luxurious faculty housing complex, the newlywed apartment complex had a corridor-style layout, reminiscent of old mansions or public housing apartments.

Although the interior had been remodeled, it still exuded a somewhat outdated atmosphere.

Come to think of it, was this setting also part of Lager’s plan?

If so, did I never expect myself to live in such a shabby place?

Or did I think that these living conditions were sufficient for a newlywed couple?

Entering my shabby home, I grabbed the leftover whiskey from yesterday. I should have bought some snacks, but I forgot. Too lazy to go out again, I decided to crush some ramen noodles and eat them with the powdered soup.

“Ugh.”

I gulped down the orange liquid in the whiskey glass, which Mana had made quite convincingly.

The intense burning sensation that felt like it was scorching my throat had become somewhat familiar after two days.

It would be nice to have some ice.

So many regrets.

Drinking absentmindedly, I emptied the whiskey bottle.

The ramen noodles didn’t pair as well with the alcohol as I had hoped, and I only opened one packet, causing my stomach to churn dangerously.

Feeling a bit queasy from rolling on the floor earlier, I wanted to take a shower, but there were no towels at home, so it didn’t seem appropriate to shower.

The towels are coming tomorrow… I’ll just endure a little longer.

To clear my mind and make a pillow, I sat cross-legged and began to meditate. Due to the considerable amount of alcohol I had consumed, I couldn’t focus and images were swirling in my head.

Struggling to suppress the urge to vomit, I ended up…

“Ugh, ugh….”

Running to the bathroom, I grabbed the toilet.

After emptying my stomach, I struggled to get up. I don’t understand why I feel dizzy when I lift my head after vomiting from drinking.

I went to the sink to wash my face, and suddenly my reflection caught my eye.

Embarrassing.

My face looked swollen from the alcohol.

Feeling drowsy but unable to sleep deeply, dark circles had formed under my puffy eyes.

My lips were so dry and cracked that it seemed like they would bleed soon.

“Sigh.”

I should be doing well.

Even without someone like you, I should show off a relaxed and well-fed appearance as if I’m living well.

Lager, you jerk.

It’s only been two days since you disappeared.

Are you already falling apart without being able to endure these two days?

Desperate to get some sleep, I left the bathroom and lay down on the floor.

But maybe because the alcohol had worn off, I couldn’t fall asleep.

After tossing and turning for a few hours, I finally picked up my phone to check when the bed or bedding would arrive.

“A month…?”

The thought of sleeping on the floor until the sun rose made me feel dizzy.

This won’t do.

I have to go out tomorrow.

I need to live like a proper human being.

*

I had become so accustomed to this lifestyle that even if no one woke me up, I would naturally wake up at 5:57 AM, which I overlooked due to my familiarity with this routine. I was not just a mere student, but a cockroach who only used the academy’s dining hall.

In other words, I could come and go as I pleased during work hours without any repercussions.

So, wearing the dirty dress, I headed out.

In reality, no one stopped me as I left the academy’s main gate.

There were murmurs, but I just ignored them.

Today’s destination was Baha, a city of freedom that Lager had bought clothes for me two months ago, resembling Hongdae.

Drawing pictures on the subway, time passed quickly and I soon arrived at Baha. Now, my tablet had become nothing more than a tool for drawing, but I never started drawing to use magic in the first place.

I couldn’t say that I was rolling in money, but thanks to living as a noble for two months without extravagance, I had the luxury of eating what I wanted and buying what I wanted.

Wearing just one piece of clothing made me feel a bit chilly.

I bought a coat. I bought pajamas.

I ate delicious food.

I even bought a sleeping bag.

Outside the subway, just like last time, there were cheerful sounds filling the air.

People were still happy.

The festive days continued.

Silently passing through the crowd, I entered the store where Lager bought me this dress.

“Welcome…. Oh my!”

“Oh, hello.”

The face of the clerk looked familiar. The clerk seemed to recognize me right away.

“Sister, it’s been a while!”

“How do you remember me?”

“Among the customers, you were the only one with a tail. The dress looked so good on you.”

The clerk was so friendly that I doubted if she was the owner.

But I haven’t been to many places, and I’ve never seen anyone with a tail like me, so I’ve never met anyone who felt uncomfortable about having a tail.

Is there a different species with tails in places I don’t know?

“But sister, your clothes are too worn out. We also offer laundry services here. If you buy clothes today, shall we offer laundry service as a bonus?”

Look at this. I’ve never seen a part-time worker working so sincerely in a capitalist society.

She must be the owner.

“Sure. Then please.”

“I just came to look around, I hope I’m not bothering you.”

“No, you’re here to shop.”

“What would you like to see today?”

Her natural skill in introducing products was top-notch.

Although her name tag said ’employee,’ I decided not to believe it.

“This is a new arrival. Would you like to try it on?”

The dress she handed me was a simple beige turtleneck.

“Will this small dress fit me?”

“If you wear these glamorous styles like sister, men will be mesmerized. You’re already big, so it will make you look even bigger!”

“Oh, um….”

“It’s cheating to hide such a figure.”

If I had heard those words two months ago, I would have definitely felt offended.

But why not now?

Lager’s thought came to mind first.

“Can I try it on for now?”

“Shall I give you a face mask? To prevent makeup from smudging.”

“Oh, no. I didn’t put on makeup.”

“Sister, you’re really…. so pretty. How do you have such a skin tone without makeup?”

Please don’t overdo it.

…I didn’t say that.

“What will you wear underneath? Simple knits like this usually go well with jeans.”

For some reason, I didn’t mind being called pretty.

I looked around and picked up a black H-line skirt, holding it against my waist.

“This might go well. What do you think?”

The clerk clapped her hands at the sight.

“Oh my, sister. This combination is also so pretty!”

“Then let’s go with this skirt….”

“Let’s try wearing a skirt and a knit.”

“Do you not sell coats or padding here?”

“We do! They’re over here.”

It was too much trouble to go to several places, and clothes are all the same anyway, so I decided to just buy everything here.

So, the clothes I bought were one coat, four knits, and two skirts.

I received the dress I had sent for cleaning, and they even gave me heated stockings because I said I get cold when wearing a skirt, so I am definitely not a pushover.

Anyway, no.

“Sister, please come again next time!”

Seeing the clerk bowing deeply in gratitude, I felt like something was off.

But since I bought everything I needed, it seemed fine.

I’m hungry, let’s go eat.

Although I was hungry, strangely, nothing on the menu appealed to me. So, I ended up going to a vintage-style tonkatsu restaurant.

I ordered a cheese tonkatsu, and soon, kimchi and soup were served. After adding some pepper to the soup and taking a few spoonfuls, I looked around.

A serene atmosphere. It was before lunchtime, so unlike last time, the restaurant was still quiet.

What did they say back then?

Did they say that this kind of soup is Western-style or Japanese-style?

I’m confused.

…I should have listened carefully back then.

“Your cheese tonkatsu is ready.”

The food arrived quickly. Since the way Lager was eating the cheese tonkatsu looked so appetizing, I decided to order one as well.

Crunch.

The fried coating made a crispy sound as it was cut.

When I lifted a piece, the cheese inside stretched out generously.

I dipped it in the dark brown sauce on the plate and took a bite.

“It’s delicious.”

It is delicious, but something…

Something feels off…

-Oh, do it.

-What are you trying to do?

-Just your chest…

-Stop it, you pervert!

It was funny.

Just thinking about it made me chuckle.

And when I suddenly came to my senses,

Seeing the emptiness on the table across from me,

I couldn’t help but drop my fork in the face of inexplicable emptiness.

What am I doing?

Lager is gone.

No.

Jisoo.

“When will Saturday come…”

It’s only Wednesday now.

Even though I know this, I find myself looking at the calendar on my phone.

The two squares between Wednesday and Saturday feel so dark.

It’s hard to believe that those two small squares represent a whopping 48 hours.

The realization that even if I were to meet Lager on Saturday, I would still have to spend the distant Sunday alone twice over sent shivers down my spine.

“Sigh….”

I couldn’t help but let out a heavy sigh of resignation.

Empty.

Empty.

It’s strange…

What did you do to me?