Chapter 53
Chapter 53
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Shiba, Finally Human (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“……Kyaaak!”
Damn morning. Recalling what happened at dawn, Azalea tore at her hair.
‘I’m crazy. Crazy!’
She pulled the blanket over her head and bent her knees over and over. The bed shook, sending the clutter on top tumbling to the floor.
Of all things, she’d done something like that and spilled her guts like she was in confession. The words she’d said were too embarrassing.
-It’s because you’re special.
That one line from back then echoed in her head.
Azalea was shocked at yesterday’s version of herself.
-You’re the first person to come this close to me… How could you treat me like that.
“Aaaahhh!!!!!”
Ah.
Should she just bite her tongue and die right here?
Overwhelmed by shame, dark thoughts kept flashing through Azalea’s mind.
After agonizing like that for a while.
Azalea blushed for a different reason.
“Back then… we kissed, right?”
Her first kiss suddenly came to mind. It was a mishap from being drunk, but it had been so shocking.
She pressed her index finger to her lower lip. For some reason, it felt like the warmth they’d exchanged back then was still there.
Lips pressed together. Mouths parted.
Though their tongues hadn’t intertwined, the dizzying sensation.
It was too much to give away over a one-night mistake.
Her chest felt heavy.
“...How am I supposed to face him now.”
Honestly, Azalea hadn’t seen Lee Si-heon as a man.
She’d always viewed all her human relationships as tools from the start, so how could she see anyone as the opposite sex?
She truly respected him.
She wanted to get closer to him.
But she wasn’t sure if that could be called love.
Still, pressing their lips together hadn’t felt unpleasant.
‘We’ll have to see each other from now on…. I’ll have to talk to him, right?’
She sighed deeply. Azalea got up from her seat and prepared to go out.
She quickly washed her body and spent 20 minutes drying her hair. It had grown recently, turning her bob into a medium length.
“Hoo.”
Another sigh as she got dressed.
To clear her head, she grabbed a chocolate from the fridge and popped it in her mouth.
The sweet, delicious chocolate brought a smile. Eating chocolate every morning and evening had become a routine.
-Knock, knock, knock.
She flinched at the sound from the door.
She dropped the chocolate she was holding. What a waste.
“Uh, uh….”
Azalea panicked for a moment, then clamped her mouth shut and slowly approached the front door.
“Si-heon?”
No answer.
She lightly gripped the handle, unlocked it, and opened the door. There sat a single delivery box.
-Sexywood Summer Outfit.
...The clothes she’d bought last time.
“Ha.”
Azalea nearly collapsed but caught herself against the wall. She needed mental preparation to face that guy.
-Thud, thud.
Suddenly, footsteps approached, and soon a familiar mask came into view.
Black hair, wearing clothes bigger than his body.
Their eyes met briefly.
““Ah.””
As if neither had expected to meet like this, they both let out short sighs.
Azalea quickly straightened up, scratched her cheek with her index finger, and looked into Si-heon’s eyes behind the mask.
“D-Did you get home okay yesterday?”
“Y-Yeah. I got home fine.”
In the awkward atmosphere, Azalea squeezed her eyes shut.
She still had to say what needed saying.
Sorry for whining like that. And the kiss…… we’ll forget it.
Just as she opened her mouth.
Her gaze shifted to Si-heon’s right leg.
“……Huh?”
A green-haired little kid clinging to Si-heon’s leg.
A toddler with cute sprouts on her head pressed her cheek against him and glared at Azalea warily.
“Who’s this?”
“Uh… not sure how to explain.”
Startled, she asked Si-heon, who scratched the back of his head and stroked the toddler’s hair.
The child smiled with her eyes at the touch.
“She’s my daughter.”
Daughter.
In English, daughter.
“What?”
No.
“What???”
The thunderbolt-like words left her stunned. The flustered Azalea alternated stares between the kid and Si-heon. They didn’t resemble each other at all.
“No, what do you mean….”
“She’s cute, right?”
Speechless, Azalea looked at the little girl with a complicated expression full of mixed emotions.
“Pip.”
The kid glanced at Azalea, then hugged Si-heon tighter, as if refusing to yield him.
It looked just like a daughter trying to monopolize her father.
‘Did she just say “pip”?’
“...C-Cute, yeah.”
Azalea answered with a hesitant face. She was cute, after all.
But a daughter? She’d never imagined it.
What complicated circumstances were involved?
“...Biological?”
She knew it was rude, but she couldn’t help asking.
Si-heon’s face stiffened briefly, then he scratched under the mask awkwardly before continuing in a sheepish voice.
“Well.”
More complicated than expected.
Azalea still watched the kid hugging him.
Every time the child rubbed her cheek against his clothes, her fresh light-green hair swayed naturally.
Asking more here would be a nuisance, right?
In times like this, yeah. Just act natural.
He’s kind. There must’ve been unavoidable circumstances this time too.
Forcing her thoughts in order, Azalea reached out to the kid without addressing yesterday’s incident.
“What’s your name?”
The child’s eyes widened at the hand.
For some reason, it looked like a puppy, bringing a smile to her lips.
Like father, like daughter. She’d inherited his airheaded side.
“Piii!”
...But the kid wasn’t easy.
-Slap!
The child smacked away Azalea’s approaching hand, clamped her mouth shut, and took a stance warning her not to come closer.
Furrowing her brow, shrugging her shoulders, puffing up her little body.
“Shiba.”
“...Shiba?”
“Her name. She can’t talk yet; she’s only recently become humanoid.”
“A... unique name.”
Azalea silently watched Shiba, thinking.
Definitely still a young sapling. Despite not being able to speak, her humanoid transformation had progressed, suggesting some method to maximize growth speed.
Observing Shiba, she thought.
‘What now. No atmosphere to bring up yesterday at all.’
A shocking reality had trucked past her.
Yesterday’s mishap felt trivial now.
As she hemmed and hawed, unsure if to mention yesterday, Si-heon glanced at her expression and casually brought it up.
“Stomach okay? You drank a lot yesterday.”
“Ah, yeah, it’s fine.”
“Good. Then let’s go.”
“Pardon?”
Si-heon picked up Shiba clinging to his leg and smiled under the mask.
“For hangover soup?”
*****
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ There was no atmosphere to bring up yesterday, so I took her outside first.
“Pip! Piiip!”
Excited for her first outing, Shiba toddled along, but soon realized she’d gone too far and ran back to me with an anxious face, hugging on again.
I gave her a piggyback ride, and her eyes sparkled at the higher view.
“Paa!”
“Fun?”
Shiba giggled happily. I got what they mean by “I could put her in my eyes and it wouldn’t hurt.”
We entered a nearby gukbap place I’d scoped out before, and I felt eyes on us.
Mostly academy staff. Warm gazes.
I wanted to lift Shiba up like the lion protagonist in that animation and show her off, but I held back seeing Azalea’s expression.
Once seated, she across from me asked.
“So, what are you going to do from now on?”
“About what?”
“Childcare... or whatever.”
“That’s the problem, actually. No kindergarten here.”
Even as an education city, it didn’t have childcare facilities.
Maybe ask the dorm cleaners? No, questionable if living with a kid is even allowed.
She’s my daughter first. I want to take care of her as much as possible.
“Pip?”
Shiba tilted her head at the gukbap in front of us and Azalea.
“Can she eat this?”
“Her humanoid transformation is that advanced, so it should be fine.”
Then let’s try.
I pulled out a piece of sundae from the gukbap, blew on it, and held it to Shiba’s mouth.
“Pip?”
She blinked, then took it in her mouth.
Pip. Piip.
Her cheeks puffed out; chewing seemed tough, and whimpers leaked with each bite.
“So cute….”
Azalea muttered to herself. I chuckled.
“Gotta buy her clothes too.”
“Clothes? Oh… yeah.”
Shiba’s current outfit was my cut-up short-sleeve shirt crudely sewn together.
Being makeshift, it slipped off her shoulders if she moved, so we needed proper clothes fast.
“Is there a kids’ clothing store in the academy?”
“There is one. Clothes for humanoid spirits, sized for kids.”
Oh, right.
“Mind picking some? I’ll buy you drinks later, no alcohol today.”
Azalea’s eyes widened.
“I’ll pick!”
She answered urgently with spoon in hand, as if I’d retract it if slow.
Meal ended soon.
Shiba devoured three sundaes and signaled she was full.
After, we hit the clothing store.
Lots of spirit clothes, so many unique designs.
“How about this?”
Azalea brightly held out a bright yellow forsythia-colored outfit.
Chick pajamas.
I glanced between Shiba and the pajamas. Perfect match.
“We’ll take it, and this too.”
The wooden hood that caught my eye upon entering. The kid-sized one with wrinkles and knots would fit Shiba perfectly.
After buying underwear and a few casuals, we left.
Time for lunch. Ate somewhere, back to dorms.
-Pip, purr, pip, purr.
Exhausted from the outing, Shiba slept in my arms.
As I patted her back walking, Azalea smiled warmly.
“Looks good.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes. Just like my old…. Ah, no. Sorry, said something unnecessary.”
Remembering the past, she apologized sheepishly.
We entered the dorm silently.
No drinks after all, and with Shiba, we’d end here today.
Just before Azalea’s room. I casually broached.
“Oh yeah, about yesterday.”
“Th-That? D-Don’t worry about it! Okay?”
She panicked, not expecting it.
Don’t worry means it’s fine.
Guess she’s not hung up on the kiss. Some people are like that.
“Alright, I’ll text later.”
“……Okay.”
Short farewell, and I entered my room.
-Click.
“Okay.”
First, laid Shiba on the bed, stretched, and opened my phone contacts.
Time to plan the remaining month.
‘Three of them.’
Can I do it?
A bitter smile tugged at my lips.