Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Middle School Uniform
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Time passed, the new year arrived, and before long, elementary school graduation began.
Tears were streaming from Yu Seung-a's eyes.
"Waaah... Seol-i...!"
"Seung-a, sniffl... sniffff... waaah...!"
Seol-i, who had been trying to console Yu Seung-a, couldn't hold back her own sadness in the end. The two of them clung to each other and burst into tears, and even Ji Ye-eun, who had been standing there with a lost expression, unsure how to comfort them, finally started crying too.
"Dang it... you guys... if you cry... I'll... I'll wanna cry toooo...!"
Yu Seung-a and Ji Ye-eun were both heading to the middle school right next door.
Which meant they would be separated from Seol-i.
Seol-i was quietly popular among the girls thanks to her gentle and kind nature, but Yu Seung-a and Ji Ye-eun, who had always stuck close to her, truly cherished and adored her.
That's why they were sobbing like that.
I just stood off to the side, quietly gauging the moment before slipping away.
Once the wailing finally subsided, Seol-i parted ways with the two of them, her eyes swollen puffy.
By the way, Yu Seung-a and Ji Ye-eun left me with some pretty intimidating warnings.
"Hey, Kang Haneul. Don't make Seol-i cry."
"If you make Seol-i cry, we'll seriously kill you. If anyone tries to make her cry, go beat 'em up."
"Got it, got it."
I was already planning to preemptively block any jerks at that school who might try to make her cry, so no need to worry.
Meanwhile, Seol-i was staring right at me, like she had something she wanted to say.
"Seol-i?"
"Yeah?"
"Got something you wanna say?"
*Nod nod*
Seol-i nodded, then said something unexpected.
"...Later, let's go buy uniforms together."
"Uniforms?"
*Nod nod*
There was this strange pressure in Seol-i's nod. Hidden pressure beneath the cuteness—yeah, that fits.
It had this power that made me nod along unconsciously.
And just like that, I found myself agreeing to go buy uniforms together.
After making that promise, Seol-i and I went to our parents and had a meal together before parting ways.
Seol-i's face was a total tear-streaked mess, but I did my best to console her.
"Seol-a, I'll come every week."
"Every week...?"
"Yeah, every week, so we can play together."
"Yeah...!"
Seol-i nodded, forcing away her teary expression to give me a big smile.
That day, Seol-i left our neighborhood for a place that took a 50-minute bus ride.
Ah, of course...
"Mister, is this everything?"
"Yep~ The rest is Seol-i's stuff, but she said not to let you touch it~"
"Got it~"
I'd volunteered to help with the move, so I'd see her again soon enough.
It might sound a bit funny to say this, but as I hit middle school age, my frame started filling out noticeably.
My height was already in the mid-160s, just a head taller than Seol-i.
Figured I was big enough to help with the move, so that's why I stepped up.
Seol-i was struggling to lift a heavy-looking box.
"Ughhh...!"
"Seol-a, give that to me."
The moment she saw me, Seol-i jumped in surprise and shook her head vigorously.
"N... No! I'll carry it!"
"Uh... yeah... okay."
I had no idea what was in there, but if Seol-i said no, that was that.
I was worried, though. Even if it was light, Seol-i was tiny. Under 150 cm, no muscle to speak of. She hated exercise to begin with.
Made my heart ache to see her lugging that...
What could I do, though? She insisted.
Besides, I didn't need to worry about Seol-i. I had to worry about myself first.
Using muscles I hadn't touched in ages, my body was starting to ache. Probably be sore all over by the time I got home.
The moving was mostly done, so it was time for me to head back.
Anything left was family stuff anyway.
"I'll be going now."
"Thanks so much, Haneul."
"Sure thing. See you next time."
"Yeah~ Haneul~ Thank you so much~ Oh, here! Take some pocket money!"
The lady pulled 100,000 won from her wallet and tried to hand it to me.
The second I saw it, I shook my head to refuse, but her gaze was intense.
I gestured no once or twice before finally taking the money.
"...Thank you."
"We're the ones who should thank you. You worked hard. You must be exhausted—go rest up."
"Yes, ma'am. See you, Seol-a."
"I... I'll walk you out...!"
Seol-i bowed to the lady and mister, then scurried over to me.
She grabbed my hand tight and looked up at me.
Her small, soft, warm hand—it had been a while, but it felt just as I remembered.
The kind you never wanted to let go of.
I held Seol-i's hand firmly all the way to the bus stop.
Along the way, she chattered softly about this and that, her voice so pleasant I just listened quietly.
Then Seol-i stared up at me and asked cautiously.
"...Am I being too noisy?"
I immediately shook my head at the ridiculous question.
"No way. It's so nice to listen to."
"Ehehe..."
...What am I supposed to do when even her smile is this cute? Total foul play.
I always think this, but what the heck is that protagonist guy doing?
Leaving a sweet, adorable girl like this for someone else?
Vowing once more not to let Seol-i anywhere near the protagonist, I parted ways with her.
Naturally, that night I suffered from terrible muscle pain.
Using dormant muscles is a straight path to soreness. Lesson learned again.
*
After Seol-i moved, I went to her place every weekend.
Actually, not just weekends—every day.
I was worried about transit costs at first, but I figured it out.
How?
"Bike takes about an hour, huh?"
I took my bike.
The bus didn't go straight there anyway, so biking got me there in about the same time.
And that was riding slow and safe. Go fast, and I'd beat the bus.
Once I realized that, I asked my parents and got a bike.
Nothing fancy or risky—just one with working brakes.
They made me promise to wear a helmet and follow traffic rules, which I happily agreed to.
I wanted freedom to visit Seol-i, not a one-way ticket to the afterlife.
Anyway, I biked over every day, and Seol-i always greeted me with a smile.
Then February rolled around, past Lunar New Year...
"Haneul...! Let's go...!"
"Yeah, let's hurry."
Seol-i and I kept our promise to go buy uniforms together.
I headed to the uniform shop with her.
"Hello~"
"Hello."
"Welcome~"
A friendly-looking man came out, and Seol-i and I decided to buy from him.
We both agreed there was no need to get them from the official maker.
So we found this non-official seller, and here he was.
We tried on the sample uniforms, and they looked pretty good. Must be this novel world's doing?
"Know how to buckle the belt?"
"Yes, I do."
I fastened the student belt like a pro and checked myself out.
Yeah, I'd grown a lot.
Middle schoolers grow more, though... Should I get a size up?
Yeah, account for growth—get one size up. Two might be better, but who knows how big I'll get.
...Nah, since I look like my past life self, probably won't grow much past that.
Wish I'd hit a bit taller, though. Mid-170s feels short.
Anyway, assuming that growth, two sizes fits.
My height shot up once in middle school and stalled after.
"One set one size up and one two sizes up, please."
"One size up and two sizes up... How about two one-size-ups? Shirt and pants specifically."
"...Yeah, do that. Gym uniform just two sizes up uniform, and I'll get summer ones later."
I finished buying and waited for Seol-i, still in my uniform to show her.
A bit later, she peeked out from the changing room.
Cautiously poking her face out, Seol-i asked...
"Um, Haneul. How do I look...?"
...It was Seol-i, but feeling totally new.
[]
The first moment she truly felt my age...
She still came off more like a cute little sister, but the uniform had this subtle maturing effect even on her.
Or to cut the fluff, it just meant this.
"...Pretty."
Seol-i was truly beautiful.
Really.