The New Landlord Arrives!
Seoul hummed with its usual morning rhythm the next day as I walked side by side with Harin to school, the path we always took now etched deeper in my heart than ever.
After classes ended and the final bell rang, the time to head home arrived as naturally as breathing.
"Siwoo!!!"
Right after the class rep gave a quick bow and stepped out, Kim Min-ah came bounding toward me with her name drawn out in the longest, most cheerful call I'd ever heard from her.
"...Ah, Mina."
The volume of her shout made Harin's body twitch where she lay sprawled on the floor beside me, but her head lifted immediately from where it had been buried in my arms. Her eyes, glazed by the contact lenses that made them look like ordinary brown, flashed with irritation right at Kim Min-ah.
I knew that color all too well. Beneath the lenses, the true red that hid there was something only I could see clearly.
That was because I kept catching glimpses of it without meaning to, like a hallucination that refused to fade.
"Damn it, really. Can't you keep it down?"
"Ah! Sorry! I got too excited!"
Kim Min-ah ducked her head in apology, and Harin shook her head once, muscles in her face twitching. She pushed herself up from the chair.
Then she alternated glances between me and Kim Min-ah, before finally turning on her heel and heading for the door.
"Siwoo, I'm going first."
"Ah, yeah. See you later."
"Thud. Thud."
She slapped my shoulder lightly with her palm and was gone in a flash, leaving the classroom empty except for Kim Min-ah and me.
We stood there awkwardly, staring at the back door she'd just exited through.
Kim Min-ah scratched her head nervously and spoke up.
"Um... I'm really sorry. I woke you up again last time too... Maybe if I treat you to something delicious later, you'll feel better?"
She seemed genuinely bothered by waking Harin from her nap twice.
She should have just noticed I was already asleep and kept quiet, but apparently some habits didn't die so easily.
Well, given how high-strung she was on a normal day, I'd long since gotten used to it.
I matched eyes with her carefully and chose the most certain way to apologize.
It was this...
"A box of Chocopie would be perfect."
"Ah, really?"
One hundred percent certain.
"Anyway! I don't know if Seoyeon told you yesterday, but do you have some free time today?!"
"Ah... I remember. And you don't have to thank me that much..."
"What are you talking about! Siwoo! How could I not thank you?! Huh!? You saved me! You helped me too!"
Kim Min-ah's eyes sparkled up close to my face.
They held a blue glow, just like the ones the class rep had used when questioning me before. Pure, passionate, dream-filled eyes. Pouring cold water on them felt almost too much.
...No, exactly. I couldn't do it like that anymore.
Something had changed for sure. The constant voice in my head that made me wear a mask to fight... even the mask itself. But lately it felt quieter.
I had forced myself to ignore new friends, yet the one who helped me recover the most was the new friend. How ironic.
Maybe if I asked for the mental healing magic the class rep mentioned, I'd heal faster.
Of course, I still had those invisible shackles around my heart, so I couldn't talk freely. But still...
"Let's hang out today! I'll treat you!"
"...Sigh. Fine. But can we change clothes first? It's uncomfortable walking around in school uniform."
"Totally! But pants are the worst, right? Okay then!"
Kim Min-ah answered brightly.
We walked out of the classroom together, heading along the walkway that split at the midway point.
"Then! See you here in thirty minutes!"
She waved and dashed off.
The walk to my house wasn't far, but I picked up the pace to detour through the mart.
It would have been nice if the shortest route had a mart right on it.
I didn't really need to go, but after the events at school, buying her a Chocopie box might lift her mood.
Plus, she'd get angry if I mentioned hanging out with a magical girl for a bit...
Since the class rep came over yesterday to get treated, I hadn't snapped at anyone for pulling out a magical girl's mask, but still...
Anyway.
When I got home, Harin had already changed into comfortable clothes and was squatting on the sofa, fiddling with the phone the class rep had gifted her.
"You haven't forgotten how to use it, have you?"
"Of course I haven't. You'll get hit with one for sure."
Harin glared at me instantly, but there was no malice in those red eyes. A faint smile even curled her lips before she let out a soft laugh.
"Here, a gift."
"Sssrrrk."
As soon as I pulled the Chocopie box out of the plastic, a tentacle rose from the shadows and carefully wrapped around the package.
"Hmm..."
"What are you staring at, idiot Siwoo."
No matter how many times I saw it, it was always weird. I forgot I was supposed to change and walked right over to Harin.
I reached out and lightly stroked the side of the tentacle that held the box.
"Hiiik?!"
Harin flinched hard, letting out a tiny whimper.
"Thud. Plop."
The tentacle crumbled into dust, and the Chocopie box rolled across the floor.
"Eh... ya. It's, it's fine..."
"Damn it."
Harin glared at me again. This time the negative emotion in her red eyes was unmistakable, like pure hostility aimed straight at me.
I backed away to the door, changed my clothes, and bolted out of the house.
*****
"Hah, hah..."
I caught my breath at the spot where I'd parted ways with Kim Min-ah.
"Siwoo! I'm here!"
From far away, Kim Min-ah in her everyday clothes waved excitedly as she approached.
A loose blue t-shirt, white hot pants, and a black cap completed the casual look.
"Huh? What's up, you ran? Is your house far away? I should have been more relaxed..."
"Ah, no... I just don't have much stamina..."
Kim Min-ah suddenly appeared beside me, looking flustered, but I didn't have time to hesitate.
I'd come out to hang out, after all. Even if something might happen when I got home, I decided to clear my head and just enjoy the moment.
"By the way, I have no idea where we're going. Is there a fixed destination?"
"Of course! Trust my date plan!"
"Date...?"
"Come on, follow me!"
"Thud."
Kim Min-ah hooked her arm through mine without hesitation and pulled me along at a brisk pace.
Her long stride and speed made me feel like I was being dragged along by her.
Thanks to that, the soft, squishy sensation constantly brushing against my face...
"Hey, hey...! Take this off... a little..."
"No need to be embarrassed! Just think of it as a normal guy-friend thing!"
"Even normal guy-friends don't do stuff like this!"
I struggled against her arm for several minutes.
"Tch, fine!"
Kim Min-ah pouted, releasing her grip on my neck.
I rubbed my sore neck while walking the streets with her.
The neighborhood hadn't changed much even after all these years. Raids by the Demon King's Army happened from time to time, but the area always recovered miraculously after a few days of sleep.
Oh, speaking of which, the other day the students around school had been talking about the magical girl who helped with reconstruction.
They were probably Association members too.
"How's your activity going lately?"
"Huh? Ah, magical girl stuff? Well... it's not that tough."
Kim Min-ah slowed her pace to match mine as we walked.
It was a weekday evening, so the streets were empty. The question came easily.
"The last time some executives showed up, the alert level went up a bit, but it wasn't something normal civilians could feel directly."
"So what changes when it rises?"
"Well, first off, the workload for Information-type Magical Girls who send out alerts for intrusions or threats doubled!"
Kim Min-ah proudly raised her thumb.
I wondered how many magical girls had been assigned to desk work.
"Just how many magical girls are there...?"
"Um... including non-combat roles, maybe around a hundred?"
"Fewer than I thought? Or more...?"
Probably the hundred was only for South Korea.
Even though the country was small compared to others, covering the entire territory with one hundred magical girls...?
It was hard to imagine even in thought.
Magic was tiring no matter what, and hardship was hardship.
"The magical girls really have it rough."
"Obviously! If there's an urgent call, I jump out of bed!"
Just as Kim Min-ah was proudly boasting,
"Wiiing! Wiiing!"
"Hm?"
Kim Min-ah stopped talking, pulled out the phone from her bag, and scrolled through the screen.
Her expression froze. Then her hand holding the phone started shaking.
Her pupils were so dilated with tension that I could see it clearly, and her eyes had shrunk from fear.
Was something terrible happening? My heart started pounding on its own.
"For... for..."
"For?"
I tilted my head.
"A new tenant! We've got a new tenant!!!!"
Kim Min-ah shouted at the top of her lungs, loud enough to make the whole neighborhood quake.