Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: A-ri and Si-woo
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After confirming that my house had collapsed, I took Ji-yeon and Ji-hoon—the Lee siblings—to the ruins I'd used before and released the Time Stop.
Since the house was gone, I told them to stay here as a temporary shelter for now, then headed to the neighborhood office. I wanted to ask about support, like compensation since a monster had wrecked it.
"In cases where damage from a monster is acknowledged, you get this kind of..."
"Yeah, yeah."
Thankfully, there was plenty of evidence that a monster had appeared at our place, so it looked like we'd get support without any issues.
"We can also provide temporary housing. But if you pay an extra fee, we can upgrade you to something like this..."
"Then the better place sounds good. I'll take this one."
I shelled out extra for better temporary housing.
The basic option was a rundown room for four people, but for the fee, it was one person per room with good soundproofing. That seemed fine even with Ji-yeon and Ji-hoon tagging along.
"We have some vacancies, so you can move in within three days."
"Got it. Thank you."
They handled things quickly, probably because monster damage happened so often.
As I left the office and walked for a bit, my phone rang.
"Oh, right."
Sori noona's place had looked fine when I saw it earlier, but with the house next door collapsed, she'd obviously call.
I picked up right away.
"Yeah, Sori noona."
-Please... Ah! You picked up! Si-woo! Are you okay?!
"Yeah, I was out, so I just found out it was my place."
-Out? Phew... Good thing...
Sori noona spent a good while worrying about me and comforting me.
Having someone care like that didn't feel bad at all. My mouth stayed curved in a smile for quite some time.
"...Anyway, once it's repaired, I'll probably go back there. Nowhere else has conditions that good, right?"
-Totally.
"Haha, thanks for checking in, noona."
I checked the time—our call had gone over 30 minutes.
I was thinking it might've been too long when Sori noona spoke up.
-Yeah, sorry, but I gotta hang up soon. Got a guest coming.
"Oh, sure. Glad you're safe. Even with guests coming."
-Yeah, thanks. Glad you're safe too. Talk later?
"Yeah, noona."
-Click.
"Phew... We haven't known each other long, but it already feels like goodbye."
She was the second person I'd gotten close to after Arin, so even though it hadn't been long, I felt pretty attached.
'Guess I should grab the tablet and laptop from home at least.'
When I'd checked the house earlier, the TV was smashed, but the tablet and laptop next to it had survived.
I'd left them behind thinking about the house, but I should grab those two at least.
'And say hi if they're around.'
With that, I headed to my apartment and got on the elevator.
-15th floor.
"You damn she-cat bitch!"
"That's your problem. You flare up and can't hold back."
"You cat bitch!"
"...?"
The elevator doors opened, and there were two familiar women tangled up, fighting.
And behind them, two others trying to break it up.
'Huh?'
Unlike Arin and Sori noona, I didn't know these two personally, but I'd seen them plenty.
They were Kim A-ri the Magical Comet, and Yoo Hwa-yeon the Magical Solar.
Why were Arin and Sori noona with them?
As cold sweat dripped and I pondered what to do, Arin and Sori noona spotted me.
"Huh? Si-woo?!"
"Si-woo?"
They blinked in surprise at running into me.
"Hah?"
"Huh?"
Then their faces twisted as they glared at each other.
They already had this lone wolf and haughty cat vibe, so just watching was overwhelming.
"...Si-woo, do you know her by any chance?"
"Si-woo, you know this bitch?"
-Zap.
They shot a question each at me, then glared again.
They knew each other, but clearly weren't on good terms.
'What a crazy combo.'
Haughty cat-like beauty Arin.
Wolf-like beauty Sori noona who made "big sis" slip out naturally.
Ultimate fresh-faced Magical Comet.
Pretty delinquent big sis Magical Solar.
Four beauties right in front of me, two fighting, two magical girls.
What brought these four together?
"...To answer, yes. I met Arin on Christmas and we became friends, and Sori noona just moved in next door and we got close."
"...I see."
"Is that so..."
Their gazes clashed again.
Arin struck first.
"You didn't come looking for Si-woo on purpose, did you?"
"Hah! Bullshit. Pure coincidence. What about you? In heat like a cat? Seducing a guy on Christmas?"
"...Take that back."
"Am I wrong?"
"I said take it back."
"Or what?"
"..."
"Agh! You crazy bitch! Let go?!"
They'd barely exchanged words before fighting again.
They really hated each other.
As I debated breaking it up, Comet and Solar approached me.
They looked up with sparkling eyes.
"Um, you're Si-woo, right...?"
"Ah, yeah."
"Impressive! You got close to our As... I mean, Arin? As you can see, she's got this icy image, so people don't approach her much."
"Our Sol... Sori has a strong image too, but you managed to get close?"
"Yeah... Haha..."
'What are these two? Are all magical girls this friendly?'
"Oppa, you're the one texting our Arin every morning, right?"
"Oppa...?"
"Sorry if that bothered you!"
"...No, it's fine. Just been a while since I heard it."
"Phew! Mind if I ask your age, if it's not rude?"
"Ah... Twenty-five."
"Nice! I'm Kim A-ri, just turned twenty!"
"Yoo Hwa-yeon, twenty-one."
Whoa, insane friendliness.
When they're monsters, they put on a steel-faced act and talk fine, but face-to-face like this, I'm totally outmatched.
I glanced at Arin and Sori noona for help, but they locked eyes with me mid-fight.
Realizing, Sori noona shoved Arin away roughly and grabbed Comet and Solar's shoulders.
"...Ah! Sorry! You came for something at home, right? We held you up."
"Haha, no. It was fun chatting with your friends. But... I need to grab stuff for the temp housing."
"Isn't it dangerous?"
"Yeah, accident sites are usually..."
Arin joined Sori noona in worrying, then suddenly trailed off, her eyes changing.
"...Actually, you'll be fine. Go ahead. If anything happens, I'll save you."
"What...? Are you insane? You crazy she-cat...!"
"Shut it."
Arin smiled faintly, waving me off. Even without her, I had Time Stop, so I headed in.
"That horny... You really..."
"Quiet."
I heard Arin and Sori noona whispering behind me, but it was too soft, so I ignored it.
"Let's see..."
There was a big hole in the middle of the living room, so I moved carefully.
Falling meant a drop of about four floors.
I edged over slowly and grabbed the tablet and laptop in front of the TV.
Seemed fine—
That instant.
"Danger!"
"?!"
Comet suddenly rushed toward me.
The problem? She twisted her ankle and tilted toward the hole.
'Shit!'
Magical girl or not, untransformed, she's just a normal woman.
Falling like that meant serious injury at best, disaster if headfirst.
I seized the flow of time immediately.
Comet frozen, tilted 60 degrees toward the hole.
'Move her bit by bit.'
She's a magical girl, so yanking her out in stopped time would tip her off.
So, quick cycles of stop and release to pull her out.
'Lower the body first.'
Pretend to lunge, stop and release repeatedly to approach Comet.
Moving her back millimeter by millimeter...
"Eek!"
"You okay?"
This way, I saved Comet in a blink, no suspicions.
Look, Solar, Arin, and Sori noona just stared in surprise, no doubts.
I looked down at Comet under me, and she blushed, turning her head.
"Th-thank you..."
"No pro—"
As I started to say it was nothing.
-Thud!
Something heavy crashed behind me.
I whipped around—ceiling debris where I'd been standing.
'Damn, Comet saw that too?'
She'd yelled danger because debris was crumbling above my head.
Magical girls, man.
"...Haha, so we're even now?"
"Y-yeah..."
Comet's mascot Aste and Solar's mascot's acquaintance Han Si-woo.
Comet—A-ri—felt a strong fondness for him.
He'd been approved as a friend by picky mascots who judge humans strictly, and he treated both A-ri and Solar well.
He said he had to grab something from his place and went inside. A-ri spotted debris above his head shedding dust, trembling faintly.
'It's gonna fall...!'
"Danger!"
"?!"
A-ri leaped to save him, but twisted her ankle and tilted toward the massive hole in the living room.
'Ah, this'll hurt bad...'
She pitied herself for failing to save him and endangering herself instead.
-Whoosh! Whoosh!
"Eek!"
"You okay?"
Si-woo lunged nimbly, keeping her from the hole.
She'd tried to save him and got saved instead.
In a position like he was pinning her, even.
A-ri blushed and turned away.
"Th-thank you..."
"No pro—"
She thanked him, and he tried to brush it off.
Then, debris finally crashed behind him.
"...Haha, so we're even now?"
"Y-yeah..."
He brushed it off like a joke.
His next words made A-ri see someone else's silhouette overlap.
"Good thing time wasn't short."
"Time? Will time be enough? Seems short on time..."
"...Oppa?"
"Huh?"
"Ah, nothing..."
'What am I thinking...'
She shook her head, denying it was anyone else, but stared at the blond Si-woo—the same one who'd saved her back then.