episode_0141

Ooong-!

Ooong-!

The holiday passed by like a flash, and the tired weekdays returned once again.

Feeling the annoying vibration starting from the late afternoon, I woke up and reached for my phone placed by my head.

“The message saying they’re closed today… Oh, it’s from Hyeun, not the boss?”

Unfortunately, the cause of the vibration was messages from Hyeun, not the boss.

What happened to the quiet girl these past few days that she’s causing a commotion now?

Curious, I propped myself up on the bed headboard, yawned, and started checking the messages in the group chat.

[School starting again…]

[Festival again…]

[This damn school]

“Why is there a festival in mid-September?!”_4:43 PM

In summary, it was something like this.

The busy semester had started after the add/drop period, and now they were also busy preparing for the festival, feeling overwhelmed.

Hmm, is that really necessary?

Thinking lightly, I recalled the autumn semester of my freshman year and immediately shook my head.

“The schedule was really killer back then.”

I had vowed to live the rest of the semester as a nerd.

Remembering the old memories and chuckling to myself, I left a message of encouragement for Hyeun.

“You chose the fall semester, huh? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ”

“Hang in there with all your might ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ”_4:47 PM

“I can’t take your comfort”

“Are you teasing me…?”

“You’re hopeless”

“Come by the cocktail bar soon.”_4:51 PM

I wonder if my encouragement had any effect, as Hyeun showed quite a strong reaction.

Was she smiling mischievously at the unexpectedly pleasant response?

For some reason, Hyeun suggested that I visit her department’s booth at the university festival.

“That’s right!”

“Come visit our booth at the festival!”

“I’ll give you a good deal, and plenty of food ~”

“Let’s chat for a bit and then watch the concert by the invited singer.”_4:58 PM

“The lineup this time seems pretty good, right?”

“I have to ask the boss first ㅇㅇ”

“But I’ve been resting too much this year, so the chances are low”

“Don’t get your hopes up”_5:02 PM

The response to the suggestion was a polite refusal for now.

I could tell that I had been resting too much compared to other employees, and I honestly wasn’t too keen on participating in the festival itself.

“Ugh, I’m tired. I should sleep a bit more… but it’s a bit of an awkward time to do so.”

After sending the message, I looked at the time displayed on the top of my phone and realized there were only 30 minutes left until the alarm went off.

Deciding it would be better to get ready early, I got up from bed, and as I did, Jaehyuk, who had been preparing dinner for a while, turned his gaze towards me.

“Did you sleep well? You woke up early even without the alarm going off?”

“Yeah… Hyeun suddenly sent me a bunch of messages. Did you see the group chat?”

“No? I was about to set the table. What’s the content?”

“The university festival is coming up soon. She invited me to visit their department’s booth if I have time.”

As I asked for his opinion while hugging him from behind, Jaehyuk stroked his chin, lost in thought.

Then, as if he had the same thought as me, he furrowed his brows slightly and shook his head, seemingly lost in contemplation.

“I don’t have many good memories of university festivals. And about the booth, isn’t the price high and the food portion really small?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to go to a nearby bar for a drink and some snacks instead of having a drink and snacks there? Honestly, it seems much better.”

“You’re right, calling it just romantic is too absurd for the price. It’s just for going to see the singer… but this lineup is not that great.”

“…Wait, do you have a favorite singer? Who is it? Is it a woman by any chance?”

“Hmm, she’s not a woman, right? Because the vocals are by a woman. You know her too, right? Filter Cherry.”

“Ah…”

Come to think of it, Jaehyuk, he always sang songs from that band whenever we went to the karaoke…? It’s been a while since we went to the karaoke together, so I had forgotten.

A moment of rising jealousy that quickly subsided into embarrassment.

At the same time, as intense shame began to well up from deep within my heart, I quickly changed the subject.

“S-so you’re not going? If you’re not going, I won’t go either.”

“I’m not sure. I’m not really feeling it, but thinking about going with you doesn’t seem so bad, right?”

“Then, since there’s still about ten days left, let’s think about it a bit more. We should ask the boss too.”

“He’ll probably allow it, but okay for now. Should we have a meal now? I’m starting to get hungry.”

Gurgle gurgle –

The clear sound of the stomach’s cry.

I quickly moved the completed meal and side dishes to the table, preparing for the meal.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Yes, enjoy your meal.”

Just like usual.

It was a peaceful moment.

—–

“You want to enjoy the university festival? Are you serious?”

“Y-yes, it’s not possible, right? I-I’m sorry, boss! Please forget what I just said…”

“No, I’m not saying anything, so what about the lineup of invited singers?”

“Umm, just a moment? Let me see, the promotional poster was around here… But why are you asking about the lineup of invited singers?”

“Why am I asking? If there’s a singer you like in the lineup, you’ll want to have fun and hang out, right? They’re coming nearby, so you should be willing to endure a little inconvenience, shouldn’t you?”

When I asked if it was okay to take a day off to participate in the university festival, I actually felt relieved as long as the boss didn’t give me a red light.

I’ve taken a day or two off with various excuses, so honestly, this time I felt like my lack of diligence would be reprimanded.

However, as I’ve said several times before, the boss is someone who can’t be measured by the standards of a criminal.

My expectations were pleasantly surpassed, and soon the boss, who checked the lineup of invited singers on my phone, let out a thunderous roar.

“Woohoo!!!”

With a triumphant roar that could rival the sun in an NTR manga, he declared a day off next Friday.

…Things worked out better than I thought, but I can’t rely on such luck forever.

I expressed my gratitude to the boss and resolved to work even more diligently in my heart.

“Welcome, Midnight! Oh? Pixie guest? You’re here earlier than usual today! May I ask the reason for your early visit?”

After finishing the preparations for business and changing the sign, the first guest to visit unexpectedly was Pixie.

Welcoming the regular fairy who always showed a shabby appearance, I offered a plate full of gingerbread.

It seemed like this was the first time she had visited right after starting business, so what was the sudden change?

Curious, I watched as Pixie wandered over the menu board for a moment before boldly opening her mouth.

“Haha, I finally managed to drive away the pigeons on my own! To celebrate my victory, I came here today to drink a lot!”

“Oh my, it’s really impressive that you chased away the pigeons with your small body! If it’s not too much trouble, could you share that story with us?”

“Of course! So, what happened was…”

And thus, my adult video began.

At least today won’t be boring.

After ordering my usual cocktail, I listened intently to Pixie enthusiastically recounting cute stories she had experienced, making me excited.

As I listened to her thrilling tales, I started mixing my Kahlua Milk.

“Where did we leave off last time? Did I mention about subduing the hamster I raised at home with a cornstarch toothpick?”

“Anyway… after that, I subdued not only the hamster but also a magpie, and I gained some confidence.”

“With my current power, I feel like I could even defeat a pigeon, don’t you think?”

“Since the cornstarch toothpick seemed ineffective, this time I changed my weapon to a fish cake skewer to increase my reach!”

“Haha… with a longer reach, it became so easy to deal with opponents. It was hilarious how they would panic and flee as soon as they were poked!”

Suppressing the laughter that was about to burst out, the story was completed in no time.

I poured it into a shot glass and handed it to the fairy, giving Pixie the title of “Pixie the Pigeon Slayer.”

“From [Pixie the Hamster Rider] to [Pixie the Pigeon Slayer]? Wow, I’m looking forward to how strong you’ll become!”

“Pixie the Pigeon Slayer… it has a nice ring to it. For now, my next target is that monster.”

“If you’re talking about a monster… ah, are you referring to Nero?”

“Yes, I owe that guy a lot. Hoo… I will definitely get my revenge.”

With eyes burning with vengeance, Pixie glanced at Nero, the bar’s mascot, and then started sipping her Kahlua Milk.

I smiled gently as I watched the regular fairy in front of me, unable to contain my curiosity, I cautiously asked a question.

“But there’s been something I’ve been curious about since earlier.”

“Omnomnom… Yes? What is it?”

“Is the slime mutant behind you part of your party?”

“Mommy! Surprise!!!”

Turning her head back and then startled, Pixie ran away towards Nero, of all places.

Unfortunately, [Pixie the Pigeon Slayer] was knocked out cold with a single punch from the black cat.

Truly, no matter how many times I see it.

…They must be a special kind of species.