Let's Have a Drink
Let's Have a Drink
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"I knew it... You son of a bitch."
In the mirror, the handprint and even the clear marks of fingernails were stamped onto my butt.
How could you do that when we might have been caught in front of Aisha's family?
I was stupid for trying to think well of you just because you caught the slime that was running away.
'I'll definitely pay you back... Even if I don't know when that'll be.'
I poured water into the basin and washed up quickly.
Maybe it's because the shampoo and soap are from Aisha's house, but a faint scent of cherry blossoms wafts from my hair.
A girl's scent that I don't think I'll ever get used to.
After drying off and heading out, her mother brought me some clothes.
"Glad the size fits~"
"Y-yeah, me too."
Sharing panties with a girl.
While a sense of immorality welled up from deep within my chest, a moment of clarity hit me even though I hadn't even satisfied my sexual desires.
'Strawberry-patterned panties...'
Yeah, this much is fine.
I won't have to wear anything worse than this in the future, and since this is all I have to wear, I have to endure it, what else can I do?
Thankfully, because I said I was staying the night, she didn't give me a bra.
And a sky-blue short-sleeved shirt... and something that's embarrassing to even call shorts. What do you call these again?
Right, dolphin shorts.
The ones female characters in subculture wear comfortably at home.
They look similar to men's boxer briefs, but I don't know how they manage to wear them when the entire thigh is exposed.
... Come to think of it, I'm not in a position to judge, given my own uniform.
Whatever, it's way better than just wearing Cheon Hae-won's blazer, so I decided to just close my eyes and put them on.
Sseuk-
'I-it is comfortable...'
The fit... wasn't bad.
A different feeling from the uniform that fits the body perfectly like a suit.
Except for the wedgie caused by the moisture, it was very comfortable.
... Maybe my butt is just on the bigger side.
Afterward, I followed her mother and sat down at the table where everyone was.
Her father was a muscular man with curly hair and sunglasses, and he was busy de-boning fish to feed to Chapssaltteok.
"Here, princess, ah~"
"Oh, geez, I told you I can eat it myself...!"
"Sniff, our daughter who went into the dormitory has finally returned home..."
"You're making such a fuss over not seeing me for just one day... And I told you I'd come home every weekend~ Dad, stop it already~"
Unlike his scary appearance, he was overly emotional, and I thought he was an ideal dad.
A daughter-fool who cherishes his child immensely.
A moment later, her mother placed rice and soup in front of me and asked.
"Where are you from, Doa? Gangwon-do? Or Gyeongsang-do? Or abroad?"
Telling them that Kwon Do-ah is from the Magi Zone would only ruin the harmonious atmosphere.
Seeing as the Circle bastards called me a Sewer Rat, I figured the treatment would be worse than an illegal immigrant without a passport.
I answered as vaguely as possible.
"Ah... from a bit far away."
"I see~ You worked hard today, I look forward to you becoming a wonderful hero. The food will get cold, let's eat~"
It's a scene that overlaps with the past after a long time.
The days when everyone sat around the table.
The director and I were the ones who stood and served food until the kids were all done eating.
And whenever the two of us had a simple meal, she would tell me until my ears fell off to eat first.
I ignored her every time, though.
It was my only act of rebellion.
Since there's nothing as tasteless as eating alone, I wanted to show the director happiness too.
If she already knew but couldn't do it, I wanted to succeed, earn a lot of money, and make her happy.
Now... that's become impossible.
"Uh... Doa? Is it not to your taste?"
"No, it's just so delicious... Hehe..."
"Oh really? Is it delicious enough to make you cry? It was worth making."
I ate the mountain of rice without leaving a single grain.
Since possessing this body, my stomach had shrunk, and a single melon pan was all I could manage, but strangely, it all goes down.
Four pairs of eyes are on me, but I don't care.
Aisha's parents both watched me with satisfaction, and Aisha flapped her twin tails, saying that the way I ate the beef she put in my mouth, 'om-nom-nom', looked like a hamster and was cute.
Cheon Hae-won... is just watching silently as if nothing is wrong.
Why.
What.
A person can cry while eating.
'I'll eat well and live well in this world too, so please don't worry too much.'
I have to live, yeah.
I have to survive.
I said to Cheon Hae-won as if throwing the words at him.
"Delicious, right?"
"...... You've been good at cooking since a long time ago— you were good at it."
"I thought you would be."
Both he and I were quiet at the dinner table.
After everyone finished their meal, I cleared the dishes with Aisha.
"I'll do the dishes, so please rest, ma'am."
"Oh, leave it, leave it, a guest shouldn't get their hands wet."
"It's okay, Aisha and I will do it, so please make yourself comfortable. Right?"
"Yup yup, Mom, go and rest!"
After her mother went in, Aisha and I started cleaning up.
Separating the greasy dishes, soaking them in hot water, soaping them up...
Since it's the house where Aisha grew up, there was a step stool in front of the sink, making it easy to do the dishes.
Aisha, who was clattering the plates, giggled.
"I was really surprised. So Doa knows how to use polite language..."
"... What the hell do you think of me?"
"Hmm... A hamster! And a very, very cute one at that!"
She said I was 'om-nom-nom'-ing while drinking coffee with sparkling eyes, but look at this girl?
Look who's talking, calling someone else cute when you're just a Chapssaltteok.
I poked a dab of foam onto the tip of Aisha's nose.
A circle was drawn on my cheek as I was counterattacked.
Seeing each other's faces, which had grown white beards, we burst into laughter at the same time.
"Pfft!"
"Puhut...!"
... We cleaned it up cleanly before getting scolded.
"It's late, why don't you just sleep over~"
When we went to the living room after finishing the dishes, Aisha's mother was shrugging her shoulders as if disappointed in front of the entrance.
Cheon Hae-won was about to leave.
"I have plans. It was really delicious today."
"Okay~ I got it. Let's see your face often, come by whenever you're hungry, and get home safe~"
"Hae-won, bye~ See you tomorrow~ Sniff..."
Thud-
Aisha waved her hand as if she were sad, but Cheon Hae-won just gave a slight nod and walked out.
Before he left, our eyes met for a second, and he had the same expression he had at the table.
It was a face where he twitched his nose as if my scent bothered him, but he didn't seem particularly angry or like he was trying to pick a fight.
It felt similar to when he looked at Aisha, but his gaze was still sharp.
'Acting all dignified when you were just groping my butt...'
I thought he might play around with his legs under the table while eating, but he stayed still, so it seems he has at least a shred of decency.
... He was the guy who tried to choke me to death, though, so maybe that's not it.
I still don't know.
And I don't really want to know.
'Still, it's better to have as much information as possible.'
I have a mountain of questions for him.
Who 'that guy' is, what kind of smell it is that makes him act like that, where he's been for the past few years leaving his childhood friend behind, and why his attitude suddenly changed.
Towards me.
And towards Cheon Hae-won and Aisha.
I needed to know what settings Utoaka's random customization had assigned.
Unless I hear from the creators or some other voice, asking the person involved is the fastest way.
In order for me to survive.
Because that was the goal from the beginning.
'I don't need someone like you.'
... Maybe, just a little, I do.
I asked Aisha.
"Can I borrow your shoes?"
"Huh? Are you going too, Doa?"
"I'm going to go for a night walk to help with digestion."
"Ah~ Use whatever~ Want to see if the size fits?"
Aisha, who was sitting on the sofa, stretched out her right foot.
Our height and build are similar, but I wondered if our feet were the same, so I overlapped our soles.
Nong-jjak-
"They're the same!"
"So they are."
The same size, except for the shape of the toes.
Aisha's toes were round overall, and mine were, shall I say, slightly slender.
Without needing to compare who was prettier, both were soft, warm, lovely feet.
Aisha's butt wiggled, saying it was the first time she'd seen someone the same as her.
"Then I'll wear these sandals?"
"Of course. Have a safe trip~ Contact me if anything happens~"
Aisha wanted to go for a walk together, but we parted on the first floor because she had to help her parents with business preparations tomorrow.
I was worried about how to shake her off, but thank goodness.
Where did Cheon Hae-won go?
I looked around but couldn't see him, so I decided to use the Artifact.
A GPS that can check the location of team members. Cheon Hae-won was in class today, so he must have received one from Arnes—
"......... Ah."
It's not in either pocket.
It's not like I left it at Aisha's house, either.
Damn slime.
Unlike the choker, the cell phone... the Artifact didn't have any special protection, so it must have melted.
I wonder if they'll resupply it.
"Anyway, that rude bastard Cheon Hae-won... where the hell did he go."
Since the way to find him is gone, I don't even have a clue where he went.
Just as I was about to give up and actually go for a night walk, I felt a scent tickling the tip of my nose from nearby.
The smell of medicinal herbs, the same as the one I smelled on his blazer.
"Why are you and Isha walking around in just your panties?"
"Eek?! D-don't just pop out from behind! And these aren't panties!"
Cheon Hae-won was standing close by, smoking a Mana Herb.
In his hand was an ashtray that looked like a fluffy cloud, and when he put the butt of the Mana Herb into the ashtray and clenched his fist, sparks flew and the cloud disappeared in an instant.
Of course, the cigarette butt I put in the cloud went with it.
"You looked like you didn't even want to be near me, so why, do you feel empty now that I'm gone?"
"Are you crazy? I just looked for you because I have something to talk about."
"Hmm, is that so?"
Cheon Hae-won tickles my neck.
He pressed on my Adam's apple, which shouldn't be sticking out, or tapped my nape, observing my reaction.
Gulp-
I know he has no hostility.
Even if I try my best to pretend I'm not scared.
Every time the vivid memory of my neck being choked flashes and overlaps, I swallow saliva against my will, and my knees go weak.
But I didn't intend to let him touch me leisurely, so I tried to bite Cheon Hae-won's finger hard—
But my jaw and cheeks were grabbed, and I could only look up at him.
"Ugh?!"
"Look at that foul mouth, you really are a mutt that bites its owner, aren't you? I can't even put a Gingoa on you, when am I supposed to train you..."
"Hey... stop talking nonsense and let go?"
"Doesn't look like this is the place to bring this up. Follow me, let's have a drink."
Cheon Hae-won, who put the cigarette case in his pocket, took the lead.
"I'm treating you, as a special favor."