Summer Break and a Flood of Ad Offers

By the time I got home in a taxi from Seoul Station after the ad shoot, it was already past midnight.

"Ha-rin, want unnie to wash you?"

"No."

"But you look so tired. If I help, it'll be quick..."

"I can wash myself."

"Okay."

Her eyes sparkled with disappointment after I shot her down twice in a row. Honestly, I still wasn't quite there yet.

One moment of weakness, and we'd end up in the tub together—a total disaster. I hurriedly locked the bathroom door.

"Phew."

I turned on the warm water and sank into the tub, finally feeling the tension melt away.

Nothing beats ending the day with a bath. Especially today, after rolling around with monsters and wanting to wash off that lingering salty sea smell.

The moment I leaned my head back against the tub, the inevitable hit me.

'I don't wanna go to school...'

For a split second, I wished the Earth would just end, but sadly, saving it was my job.

As my mind grew blissfully foggy, I reflected on the haul from my Busan trip.

Above all, I could now take down a C-rank monster on my own. Clear proof I'd grown another step as a magical girl. My Dress Code collection was filling up bit by bit too. I felt this unfounded confidence that B-rank wasn't far off.

Once I could beat a B-rank, I'd finally shed my newbie label. Maybe even qualify as a veteran.

Gasp. Then Ulbr would come sniffing around, right? If only I could jump straight to taking down an A-rank in one go.

Brr. Even soaking in the hot tub, a chill ran down my spine.

Wait, did I even like baths this much before?

Seol Yuna was packing up to leave.

She'd only stopped by Ha-rin's place to give her a ride anyway, so it was time to head home.

She tucked the adorable fish cake set Ha-rin had gifted her into her bag like it was treasure.

That's when.

Plop.

Something small and squishy slipped from between her bag's folds and hit the floor. A dark red, finger-sized jelly-like blob.

"Huh? What's this?"

Seol Yuna tilted her head and picked it up with her bare hand.

It felt slimy and cold. Looked just like the tip of an octopus tentacle.

"A fish thing?"

Any normal person would've freaked and tossed it in the trash, but Seol Yuna's brain worked differently.

'It came from my bag, so it's mine, right?'

She casually shoved it back in.

That was Seol Yuna's attitude toward anything unrelated to Seol Ha-yoon—now Ha-rin.

She'd fantasized about toweling off Ha-rin's freshly bathed body all fluffy and dry before leaving.

But with Ha-rin showing no signs of emerging, it seemed impossible.

Besides, she was a student too. School tomorrow. With a pang of regret, she bid farewell to the firmly shut bathroom door.

"See you next time~"

"Yeeeah~"

Seol Yuna stepped out. And in her bag, matching her footsteps...

Squirm... Squirm...

The tentacle began to wriggle.

Time flew by like an arrow.

I juggled elementary school and magical girl duties as usual.

In the meantime, I floated the idea to the veterans about unlocking my Neff Zone up to C-rank.

The veterans were firm as rocks. No way.

I protested that Super Neff mode could solo C-ranks now, but the replies were ice-cold.

They had a point. Even if I could beat a C-rank, it was mostly because Furry and I matched up well.

Plus, fighting C-ranks meant Prism Neff every time—and the full-body muscle pain after each transformation sucked.

I'm in my growth spurt. What if I don't get taller? I'm already the shortest in class, playing acorn height wars.

In the end, I stuck to farming D-ranks for IP and XP, grinding diligently to avoid slacking.

Before I knew it, July rolled around.

Three months since I became a magical girl, and Hanwol Elementary School hit summer break.

Woooaaah!

The classroom was pure chaos. Unglued zerglings leaping across desks.

"Vacation!"

"Yo, PC bang after this?"

"No academy?"

"Gonna tell Mom I bombed!"

Future delinquents in training. Amid the racket, I quietly packed my notices when—

"Unnie! Ha-rin unnie!"

A cicada-clinging shadow latched onto my back. Hasol-a, predictably.

"Unnie, what're you doing for break?"

She'd switched back to casual speech with me. But still called me unnie.

Too late to correct her now, and she'd ignore it anyway, so whatever.

"Probably chill at home."

"Then can I come over?"

"I'll think about it."

"Hiiing."

She puffed her cheeks at my flat no. Cute, but exhausting.

Then, like she'd realized something, she went "Ah!"

"Oh... r-right. That thing. You must be busy."

Sigh. No more hiding that she knows my secret.

"St-still, you could squeeze in a few days, right? Come play with me! Dad got waterpark tickets!"

"...Waterpark?"

That perked me up. My ears twitched.

Truth is, I'd always loved waterparks.

Floating like a corpse in the lazy river, photosynthesizing under the blazing sun—world worries gone.

Or front-row in the wave pool, getting slammed back like seaweed— that subtle thrill.

Oh, and now I could probably ride the dolphin tube? Seemed doable.

"I'll think about it positively."

"R-really!? Then I'll text when you're free! Let's shop for swimsuits!"

That's when a boy shuffled over from the opposite desk. Seojun.

"Ahem. Ha-rin."

"What."

"What're you doing for break?"

"Breathing."

I stonewalled him, but he pulled something from his pocket undeterred.

A brand-new passport case, fresh off the shelf.

"My family's going to Guam."

"Whoa."

"Wanna... souvenirs? Chocolate or a doll?"

His blushing face was kinda cute.

Guam, huh. Lucky. I went to Busan to fight squid.

"Stay healthy."

"Y-yeah... You too. Have a good break... I'll text!"

He retreated beaming like he'd won the world. Simple guy.

And so, amid the kids' uproar, we headed home.

The scorching sun baked my scalp. Summer, summer, summer. Humidity exploding—perfect for monster season.

'Gotta focus on training this break.'

No friends to hang with anyway. AC on, scrolling galleries and gaming at home.

I pulled out my smartphone ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with that in mind.

A message. Not a text, but from the official Magical Castle app.

What? Monster alert? Maintenance?

I tapped it absentmindedly.

"...?"

I stopped dead, rubbing my eyes.

No mistake—the sender was definitely Magical Castle. Makes sense for their app.

Ads? For me?

Yeah, magical girls often moonlight as celebs these days.

Shining, Frost, even Aqua did shampoo ads. Bella shot some learning workbook thing.

But a three-month newbie like me? Probably kid clothes or school supplies at best.

'Not bad...?'

Half-curious, half-excited, I opened the attachment.

"..."

What? So many? Way more than I thought. Am I kinda famous now?

My shoulders lifted a tad as I scrolled endlessly.

Game?