Chapter 40
Chapter 40
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Convenience Store So-jin (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey, Pomi."
"Hm?"
She'd gotten used to the nickname 'Pomi' now—no more getting pissed off like she used to.
I scanned my messy room once more before opening my mouth again.
"You're not gonna clean up?"
"Huh? I'll clean it!"
"You said that yesterday too."
"Oh, I'll really do it today."
Seeing her sitting at the computer, munching on the candies we'd brought back from Yu-ra's place a while ago, I let out a sigh.
That candy box Yu-ra gave us had been packed full, but it was already almost empty. I'd barely eaten five.
"Don't think I'm gonna clean up like always. You said you'd do it today for sure. Just try not cleaning. I'll kick your ass out for real."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ That night, making my morning grumpiness look ridiculous, I headed back to the convenience store to buy ice cream for the adorable Pomi.
Is this why she never learns?
No, no. If she doesn't clean this time, I'll really give her hell—no tears spared!
Anyway.
"Doesn't ice cream ever get old for you?"
"...? Why would it?"
I kept walking, staring incredulously at Pomi's innocent expression as she shot back.
"This girl treats ice cream like it's her daily bread."
"Hm? What'd you say?"
I grumbled under my breath so Pomi couldn't hear.
I couldn't bring myself to tell her—it'd hurt her pride—but buying ice cream every day from the store was draining my bank account fast.
I'd known ice cream was pricey, but I'd overlooked the difference between occasional snacks and staple food.
"Should I just bulk order online?"
"B-Bulk? Gulp..."
Yeah. That might actually be cheaper.
Whether online or hitting up a wholesaler for a full sweep one day, I needed a plan.
"If I stuff the Inventory to the brim, it should last a few days at least."
Back in the day, I'd have worried about overflowing the freezer with free shipping bulk buys. But now I had the [Inventory] skill, turned into Pomi's personal snack warehouse.
20kg and 20L capacity—how many would that hold?
Meanwhile, as I pondered, Pomi was probably imagining me pulling ice cream after ice cream from a packed Inventory. Her eyes sparkled intensely as she started acting all cutesy.
"S-Stuff it full! J-Jun-young, Mia loves you lots. Mwah, mwah!"
While holding hands as we walked, she started planting kisses on my hand.
This girl had fully committed to the glutton character archetype.
"H-Huh. J-Jun-young, level up! Let's level up the Inventory."
"That's why you always go overboard and get scolded."
Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling.
We'd arrived at the convenience store right on cue.
As I opened the door, a part-timer I'd never seen before was manning the counter. And damn, she was gorgeous!
"Whoa, new face!"
"Don't yell, dude. Haha, sorry about that."
"Oh, no worries."
She gave an awkward smile and waved at Pomi.
"Sis, I've been working here a few weeks, but I guess you only come at night when I'm zonked out sleeping?"
She grinned brightly, then turned to me.
"Oh my, your daughter's adorable! Like a doll! How old is she?"
"Not my daughter! She's my—Mmph! Mmmph!"
"Huh?"
I clamped Pomi's mouth shut before she could blurt out something dangerous and desperately made excuses.
"My little sister. Parents had her late, so she's a handful. She's, uh, thirteen?"
I shaved ten years off her real age.
"Oh? Older than she looks... Huh? Little sister?"
She blinked in surprise, glancing between our faces.
Makes sense. Late child or not, we looked over twenty years apart. Must seem weird.
Snapping out of it, she realized she'd basically called me 'Dad' and apologized.
"Oh, you're her brother. Sorry about that!"
"Happens a lot."
As she bowed her head, I took a moment to check her out.
Name: An So-jin. So-jin? Rings a bell...
Cute face. Petite but killer figure. Seems sweet. Overall verdict: super adorable!
I nodded contentedly when Pomi whispered to me.
-Jun-young, check her stats!
-Why? What's up?
I'd planned to anyway, so I looked up at her fresh face and activated [Target Status Reveal].
⚔ STATUS ⚔ 👤 Name: An So-jin 📊 Race/Gender: Human Female, Lv. 20 (21) 📏 Measurements: 160cm / 47kg / B83(W59)H87 🎯 Difficulty: Easy (Virgin) 🤰 Pregnancy Risk: Safe Day ❤️ Stamina: 18/26 😳 Arousal: 0/100 💕 Favorability: +2 (Acquaintance) 🧎 Submission: +5 (Positive) 🔥 Lewdness: +30 (Open) ⚡ Stats: Str 17 | Agi 18 | Int 28 | Wil 19 | Luck 18 🎭 Talents: Beauty C | Babyface D | Intelligence D | Charm C | Cuteness C | Service B | Feigned Purity D 26 Fetishes: Exhibitionism (Med) | Agoraphilia (Mild) | Age Preference (30+, Mild) | Voyeur Filming (Mild) 🔥 Sensitive Spots: Nipples | Clitoris | Roof of Mouth | Navel 💭 Fantasy: Lewd Acts Exposed + Blackmail Sex "Wow."
"Pardon?"
I awkwardly brushed off the exclamation that had slipped out, grabbed Pomi's hand, and headed to the freezer case. Pretending to browse ice cream, I whispered.
"Dude, what's her deal? Looks so innocent, but she's a total perv. Exhibitionism, blackmail sex—wait. Exposure? ...So-jin?"
Pomi, who'd been listening, furrowed her brow in thought. We reached the same conclusion at the same time.
"Bitch So-jin!"
"Bitch So-jin!"
We both clamped our mouths shut and peeked at the counter.
Thankfully, she hadn't heard. She was just waving at Pomi with a 'Big sis is watching~' look.
"Nah, no way. Impossible."
What were the odds this random convenience store clerk was the star of those exposure pics Pomi and I had used as jerk-off material recently?
Lots of exhibitionist chicks and So-jins in the world.
Just coincidence.
I shook my head, but I couldn't stop picturing Bitch So-jin's pink pussy shots from a few days ago.
I glanced back at the counter.
She was still smiling this way. I mentally photoshopped Bitch So-jin's nudes onto her face.
"Ugh, that's hot as hell."
"Jun-young, I get you're horny, but buy the ice cream first."
No point sticking around—nothing but fantasies to do here. Ice cream and retreat for now.
"Pick just a few. I'll order a ton online when we get home."
"Okay!"
Beep, beep.
"Th-That's thirty thousand won."
From the moment it hit twenty thousand on the register, I'd been gripping Pomi's head tight.
I handed over my card to the awkwardly smiling clerk.
"Your sister loves ice cream, huh?"
"She's a demon for it."
"Mind telling her your name, sis?"
"Sure! I'm Mia!"
Anyone hearing a little girl introduce herself as 'Mia' would make that face.
I chimed in with clarification.
"Full name's Choi Bo-mi. Family calls her Mia. I'm Choi Jun-young, by the way. Single..."
"Jun-youngie's hitting on you!"
"Shut it!"
So-jin watched our bickering fondly, but her expression darkened for a split second.
"You two get along so well... Here's your card. Thanks! See you next time, Bo-mi?"
"Yeah! I'll be back! Bye-bye~!"
"Byeee~ Oh, you too, bro!"
"Choi Jun-young."
"Pfft, come again, Jun-young oppa!"
Heh, see you soon!
I bowed back and left the store.
Right outside, I patted Pomi approvingly as she pulled out an ice cream and started eating.
"Hm? What's up?"
"Nothing, just... you're cute."
If I hadn't been with Pomi, a total stranger wouldn't have warmed up to me like that.
"Like a dog you take on Han River walks."
"Huh?"
"Anyway, night shift, right? Too early now—let's swing by around dawn when it's dead."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Snooore... slurrrp... snooore... sniiiif, mmm."
"Hey, Pomi, wake up."
"Sniiiif, snurf. Huh? Mmm?"
4 a.m. I shook Pomi awake from her deep sleep.
"Pomi, it's four. We're late. Get up."
"Ughhh... ugh..."
She pulled the blanket over her head and started groaning.
"You asked me to wake you. Up. There—good girl."
Once she sat up, I rubbed her back a few times. She lifted her drooping head and cracked her eyes open sleepily.
"What time...?"
"Four. Couldn't get up myself—overslept."
Plan was to hit the store at 2 a.m., but even three phone alarms failed me.
As Pomi started nodding off again, I said, 'Stay inside and sleep then. Wake you if needed.' She slipped right into me like she'd been waiting.
Heading out to wash up, something crinkled underfoot—candy wrappers.
"...Come to think of it, Pomi never cleaned up."
Scold her tomorrow.
After washing up, I activated [Invisibility] and headed out.
The chilly dawn alleys were empty, even colder without people. The convenience store glowed ahead, all by its lonesome.
"Brr, freezing."
'Almost April—why so cold at dawn? Need a temperature regulation skill?'
Seeing my breath fog up made me think that.
I reached the door and peered through the glass.
So-jin from earlier sat at the counter—no other customers.
'Man, a different kind of pretty from Yu-ra.'
Yu-ra was cool beauty—refreshing type. So-jin was cute and cuddly.
Arguably baby-faced like Du-na, but Du-na was middle-schooler level; So-jin looked high-school cute.
"Can I just go in?"
As I pondered how to slip past without her noticing, So-jin suddenly turned and looked right at me.
"Gah."
Our eyes met—or so it felt. Panicking, I checked myself; invisibility was fine.
Even after I sidestepped, she stared at the same spot. Just coincidence.
While I watched her, she kept glancing out the window.
Soon, she turned sideways, back to me, and her shoulders twitched faintly.
'What's she doing?'
Squinting at the suspicious moves, I heard footsteps nearby—pat-pat-pat.
Whipping around, a woman in tracksuit walked right toward me, super close.
'Whoa... oh, perfect timing. Slip in behind her.'
She reached the door and opened it.
Ding-a-ling!
"Eek?!"
So-jin, facing away, let out a cute yelp at the bell.
Not just me—even the tracksuit lady ahead startled.
"W-Welcome!"
Frozen for seconds, So-jin turned with a greeting.
Wide surprised eyes, head tilted adorably.
'So cute! Wait—what's that?'
The customer mumbled a halfhearted 'yeah' and headed to the shelves, but I'd been watching So-jin and spotted the change from earlier.