Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Became a Doll.
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"Wow—pretty."
Sia fiddled with the clothes hanging on the rack.
Then, as she toyed with the hem, the price tag caught her eye.
… Expensive.
But Sia acted like the price tag didn't exist at all, naturally lifting the clothes into her hands.
Just then, a clerk approached from a distance, and I smoothly slipped behind Sia's back.
"Looking for anything in particular?"
"We're good. I'll ask if anything comes up. Thank you."
Sia smiled softly as she spoke, and the clerk nodded before stepping away.
"… Not picking anything?"
"I, I don't know what goes with what…."
I really didn't. It was my first time shopping offline since Mom had dragged me along ages ago.
I'd just grabbed whatever was trending most on the online mall.
That was the safest bet.
"Stand right there."
With that, she rubbed her chin, her expression turning serious as she stared me down intently.
From head to toe.
I stood there awkwardly, facing her stiffly.
"Hmm……."
Then, without a word, she circled the racks, grabbed a bunch of hangers, and came back, pairing them up two or three at a time.
She approached me and handed over one set.
"Like this—top and bottom. You can dress yourself, right? Fitting rooms are over there."
"……What do you take me for?"
I meekly took the clothes and headed where she pointed.
I entered the fitting room, closed the door, and took off my top.
It was indoors, but the air brushing my bare skin sent a slight chill through me.
I examined the outfit up close.
There was no way I could wear something like this.
Sia, did she pick this on purpose?
"Si, Sia."
"All dressed? Come out if you're done."
"No, I can't wear it…."
"Can't even dress yourself?"
"It's not that—"
"First time, so you might not know how. I'll help."
Before I could finish, Sia flung open the fitting room door and barged in.
"W-wait—!"
I hurriedly tried to cover myself with the clothes in my hands—one side succeeded, but the other failed miserably.
Sia's gaze locked squarely on my bandages, and she fell silent for a moment, as if choosing her words.
"… Should've bought underwear first."
"……I just meant psychologically I couldn't wear it—no need to come in…. I can dress myself…."
Sia carefully closed the fitting room door and left.
"… Take your time."
"Yeah…."
Sia had switched back to polite speech.
From outside came the faint sound of stifled laughter.
These were clothes Sia had picked out, so it would've been rude not to at least try them on.
The top was short. If I lifted my arms, my navel would show—could I really walk around in something like this?
"… All dressed."
"Then come on out, quick."
Sia urged me from beyond the wall, but before stepping out, I checked the mirror one more time.
There I was, reflected back at me.
I couldn't bring myself to meet my own eyes and looked away.
… These clothes definitely made me look cute.
They suited me well. Sia really did have a good eye.
But having to show this to other people?
If it was just for me to wear alone and enjoy, that'd be one thing.
I took a small deep breath before going out.
With my eyes slightly downcast, I opened the fitting room door and stepped out.
Sia's eyes sparkled as she hurried over to me.
"Perfect! It suits you so well! Totally cute."
I never knew how to react whenever she called me cute.
"Uh, uh…."
Sia circled around me for a good while, cooing "cute, cute" as she admired me, then handed over more hangers.
"Alright, next one."
"Yeah…."
And so I kept changing outfits.
This time, a knit top and slacks.
Not bad—pretty safe.
When I stepped out, Sia went "cute, cute" again just like before.
I took the next set of hangers.
This one: turtleneck and a midi skirt.
… A skirt.
I squeezed my eyes shut and put it on.
Even with the clothes on, my thighs brushed together, feeling so strange.
I'd put on clothes, but it didn't feel like I was wearing any.
Something felt missing—the air circulating between my legs, basically like walking around without pants.
My heart wouldn't settle. How did people wear stuff like this outside?
I cracked open the fitting room door. Sia's face peeked through the gap.
"Sia…."
"Yeah? Hard to put on?"
"No, I put it on but…. I don't wanna go out in this."
Sia wore a mischievous grin.
"Come out quick."
"This one's just not right."
"It's fine~"
"Okay…."
I delayed as long as I could before stepping out of the fitting room.
Feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, I tugged at my sleeve over my wrist.
"……."
Sia looked at me and clapped a hand over her mouth.
"This one's the cutest…! It suits you perfectly?"
"Now we're done…?"
Just the thought of anyone seeing me like this was mortifying, so I hurried back into the fitting room.
… I was embarrassed at how embarrassed I was.
Once we'd gone through every hanger and the doll-dressing session finally ended, Sia asked,
"Which one did you like most?"
I picked the one with the least skin showing.
A design like this, I could wear it if I squeezed my eyes shut.
"Hmm, this one was the prettiest…. Did you like that?"
"Even so, no skirts…."
"Pfft. Got it. We'll buy that one then."
Surprisingly, Sia didn't push her opinion hard.
I found out why at checkout.
Having to buy clothes like this with my own money.
Biting back tears, I swiped my card.
In my hands were the bags from our purchases. I hadn't bothered wearing any of the new clothes.
I'd made an excuse to Sia about washing them first.
Now it was time to tackle the original goal: underwear shopping for real.
As the store drew closer from afar, I had no idea where to look.
Beige, pink, sky blue—all sorts of colors, neatly displayed.
Was it okay for me to even look at these with my own eyes?
It felt like I shouldn't stare.
Realizing that everyone walking by had something like this on underneath made my head spin.
I'd never given it a thought before.
I glanced at Sia.
… Sia wore stuff like this too, huh.
Sia suddenly turned her head, and our eyes met.
"Know what to get?"
"Uh…. Size-wise—"
Sia heard my size and laughed.
It was just a laugh, of course, but it felt like mocking—probably my imagination.
"Never tried that size before, so not sure…. A bra top might be better…? Probably easiest to wear."
"Pick for me…. That's why you came."
Sia swiftly grabbed a few from the display like a pro and handed them over.
"I can pick, but you have to try them on and decide. Here. Give this a shot."
"Yeah…."
I just wanted this to be over quick.
Today already felt endless.
How many fittings was this now?
I took off my top. All the changing was starting to chafe.
Putting on the bra top wasn't as hard as I'd thought.
My first impression?
Uncomfortable….
Even on the coldest days, I'd never layered heat-tech underneath—this chest-wrapping underwear felt suffocating.
Adding my top over it only made the discomfort worse.
Like wearing two shirts layered inside each other.
How to describe it?
The awkwardness of a short-sleeve shirt under a long-sleeve one.
Even worse, like the short sleeve's hem bunching up under the long one.
That level of awkward.
When I stepped out of the fitting room, Sia was waiting right there.
"How's it feel? Strike that pose. Quick."
"Uh, yeah…."
She had to mean that pose.
I arched my back like stretching, chest thrust out.
The loose hoodie pulled taut, the fabric clinging to my front torso.
A sidelong glance at my body showed the subtle curve standing out clearly.
Not poking out sharply like before, but softly.
"Good now…?"
Sia brought a hand to her mouth, smiling.
"Yeah. Cute. Adorable."
Hearing "cute" was too cringeworthy, so I snapped back to normal posture quick.
Sia leaned in to whisper.
"Now ditch the bandages and wear that everywhere…?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"The bandages…. Not a perv or anything, why bandages? Instead of patches?"
My face burned.
Wearing bandages was a bit weird after all?
I'd thought it was a good idea.
We'd bought underwear and clothes.
As Sia suggested, I'd peeled off the bandages and was now wearing the bra top.
Uncomfier than the bandages, but this was the right way, so no helping it.
Right now, both my hands clutched fancy paper shopping bags.
Today was the most I'd ever spent on clothes in my life.
I already needed to save up to pay Siwoo back quick.
Sure, I could send him my living expenses right now and call it even, but then my own daily life would be screwed.
Staring at the paper bags in my hands drew another involuntary sigh.
"Haaa……."
When would I finally head home with all this?
"Heading straight back?"
I hadn't even said it yet, but Sia preempted me, like she'd read my mind.
"Going right home would be kinda sad, so how about a café?"
"A café too…?"
We'd already burned over two hours just on clothes and underwear, but Sia started whining like it wasn't enough.
"What, you were gonna head straight home? That's disappointing."
Sia pouted, putting her sulk on full display.
I could've refused and gone home anyway, but seeing her face, I decided to give in just this once.
"A-alright. Let's hit a café…. Where to?"
Like she'd expected as much, Sia lit up and whipped out her smartphone.
"There's this café I've been dying to try…!"