Chapter 123: Blooming (5)
“Should we just leave the mat and stuff here?”
“Yeah, no one's gonna come anyway.”
She must plan to come back here after splitting up with me later. We slipped out the school’s back gate and onto the bustling festival street. It was still packed with people, total chaos.
Aren't crowded places scary? But with her clinging to my arm, Yuli seemed totally fine. Or maybe she was just pushing through it to hang out with me.
“Whoa, Friday Angel's everywhere.”
Yuli giggled, pointing at the bear costumes wandering the street. Sure enough, there were folks like me scattered around in mascot outfits, promoting here and there.
“Yeah. Guess you won't miss me now.”
“Ah! Not like that!!”
“Kidding~”
“Ugh... don't make scary jokes.”
Like she was afraid I'd vanish, Yuli yanked my arm closer and looped it with hers.
“Time's short, so let's hurry?”
“We could take it slow and browse.”
Was she rushing because of my schedule? Yuli seemed in a real hurry. Well, we'd burned nearly thirty minutes chatting over lunch, so yeah, she probably regretted the lost time.
“That line over there is crazy long.”
“Huh?”
“Heard your friend's class maid café is super popular...”
Hmm... probably because of my sister?
“Hope we don't waste all our time just waiting.”
“Then maybe skip it for now?”
“Oh, so you'd come back another time?”
“Well...”
“Ahaha, yeah, right? I really wanna check it out, but this might be my only shot...”
She was begging this hard, so I had to give in. Yuli said she'd never been to a maid café in her life. That's why she wanted to go.
“Bright, pretty girls full of positive energy... unlike a gloomy girl like me. I was scared I'd feel out of place going alone.”
She sounded like such an old man.
“Yuli Mental's plenty pretty too.”
“Huh?”
“You're bright and lively right now.”
“Eek...”
“Whoa, your face is turning red.”
She looked thrilled, like she hadn't heard compliments in forever.
“Saying that out of nowhere is cheating!”
“Huh?”
A bit overreactive, maybe.
“Ugh... Friday Angel's gotta be... handsome—no, a pretty girl too.”
“You haven't even seen my face.”
I was grinning, enjoying her reactions, when Yuli spoke up.
“Then show me?”
“No way.”
“Eh? Why not?”
“I'd disappear?”
“Sorry!”
We kept up the silly skit, laughing and chatting away, oblivious to anyone approaching.
“Hey, you!”
Suddenly, someone clapped my shoulder.
“Huh?”
I turned around. Another teddy bear, just like me.
“What's up?”
“What's up? Why aren't you handing out flyers?”
“Huh? I'm just a spectator?”
This random bear shoved flyers at me.
“Trying to slack off? Everyone else is busting their asses.”
If I were actually slacking, I'd have ditched the costume by now.
“Ah... it's not that... social anxiety...”
Yuli tried to explain from the side, but her voice was so tiny, it didn't carry.
She seemed freaked out by the situation, so let's wrap this quick.
“He's just a visitor! No law against wearing a costume to a school festival!”
“...Sorry, but could you take off the head real quick?”
Good, he sensed something off and got polite. But still a pain.
“Can't. Personal reasons.”
“Like what?”
“Social phobia.”
“Huh?”
We were running out of time—how long did I have to play along? I was getting antsy.
“Hey, isn't that Yuli?”
“Yeah. What's she doing over there?”
Two staffers spotted us and came to sort things out.
“Yuli, what's going on?”
“Ah, Gahee. Juyeon.”
They eyed the two bears up and down.
“A friend from another school... the workers misunderstood.”
“Hm? The costume designs are different.”
“Huh?”
Seong Juyeon said it casually, and the flyer guy panicked.
“Oh yeah! Sorry! My bad!”
He bolted. I knew the designs differed, but since he came at me, I figured they all varied.
Why'd I waste time on this?
“All good now?”
“Thanks, Juyeon!”
“No biggie. Staff duty. Um, you okay?”
I just nodded lightly. Voice modulator on, but better safe.
Heroines made me tense. Juyeon was one thing, but Choi Gahee... she might sniff me out like a ghost.
Luckily, no sign she'd noticed.
“Ah, this is my longtime friend from Elmae High, name's...”
Yuli hid that I was her SNS friend, mindful of Seonwoo stuff, but she didn't know my real name anyway.
Guess I had to say it. Voice modulator, do your thing.
“Lee Haeyang.”
I made it up on the spot. Yuli stared, wide-eyed. Did she think it was real?
“Nice to meet you. Seong Juyeon, Yuli's friend.”
“Choi Gahee. Your costume is adorable!”
“Ah, th-thanks...”
Gahee's eyes sparkled as she approached. She wasn't onto me, right? Seemed safe.
“Taeyang would look so cute in this.”
“Gahee, I get it, but you've been talking about Taeyang nonstop. ...Though yeah, it'd suit him.”
Staring at my face like that was unsettling.
Anyway, they helped, so thanks—but time to bail before more trouble.
“Mind a group photo?”
“Huh?”
Gahee whipped out her phone. She went nuts for cute stuff.
I glanced at Yuli. “...Gahee. She's super shy.”
“Oh, really?”
Polite no worked; Gahee looked bummed.
“One pic's fine.”
“For real?”
Yeah, I'd been cold as 'Kim Taeyang' before, so be nice when I could.
“Yuli Mental—Yuli, wanna join?”
“Huh? Can I... no, better not?”
We ended up taking a random selfie anyway.
“Say cheese!”
Gahee stretched her arm, phone up, and we crowded around me to fit the frame.
What if I stink of sweat? Thick costume saved me.
“Looks good.”
“I'll send it.”
“G-Haeyang. I'll forward it later.”
“Yeah, thanks, Yuli.”
Weird calling her by name. I wasn't used to names anyway.
“Wanna swap contacts instead?”
“......”
“......”
“Huh? What's with you two?”
I glanced at Yuli; she looked panicked back.
Her eyes started gleaming... “Sh-should we...?”
Her lips quivered in a shaky grin. No, Yuli Mental. Not like this.
Time for an excuse. “I... don't swap numbers easily...”
My mumbly hesitation worked; they just nodded, no pushback.
Shyness pays off sometimes.
“Anyway, Yuli—how much time left?”
She checked. “Oh, 45 minutes. Sorry, guys, we're out of time.”
“Cool. Where to?”
“Hayan's class.”
“Ah... there?”
“Haha, good luck.”
Gahee and Juyeon grimaced at mention of their own class.
“Why?”
“The wait's over 40 minutes.”
“Th-that much!?”
For a school festival maid café to have a queue like that? They even had reservations, apparently.
No way we'd make it now. But damn, was my sister swamped? I'd handle all the chores at home tonight. She needed rest.
“Hayan's class is insane right now.”
“Yeah, tons of guys.”
“Earlier, dudes from another school kept hitting on Hayan for her number, so staff chased 'em off.”
“What!?”
I yelled before I could stop, drawing stares.
“Ah, wanted to see a maid café. Too bad.”
I figured she'd be popular, but that? Mood soured. Couldn't hover like a brocon, though.
“But then... isn't Hayan in danger later?”
“Kinda worried, but she's got athletic friends who can fight.”
Min Iri? Yeah, with her around, most guys wouldn't stand a chance.
Please obsess over other sisters' safety more than me.
Anyway, better head home with Hayan after festival ends. Iri and Gahee nearby was a hassle, but sister's safety first.
“Gotta run. Have fun.”
“Yeah, thanks Gahee, Juyeon.”
“Enjoy yourselves.”
“Thanks.”
We parted with the heroines, no drama. Relief.
“No maid café, huh.”
“Yeah, can't be helped... crowds like that are too much.”
Just imagining it drained her; Yuli deflated.
“Friday... Haeyang, did you wanna go too?”
“...Kinda.”
“Heehee, another café then?”
Maid cafés were the big thing at these festivals.
“Sure?”
“Haeyang—nice name. Hee, finally got your real one.”
“Uh, yeah.”
Thrilled over one bit of personal info? Better than moping, I guess.
“I'm Cho Yuli.”
“Same as your ID.”
“Hee, since we're at it... drop the formal speech...?”
“Whatever.”
“Hee, like when you were drunk.”
“Don't bring that up.”
Digging into my black history. We bantered into some random café. Yuli fumbling nervously at the maid was kinda cute. Almost human.
Hm?
I quietly slipped my arm free inside the costume and grabbed my phone.
“One sec.”
I turned away from everyone to check.
Staff: Hand duties to guidance committee and assemble in auditorium IMMEDIATELY.
Damn! Emergency summon now of all times.
“Sorry!”
“Huh?”
“Gotta run—urgent...”
“I'll walk you!”
“No! Busy... split here!”
“Ah! Wait—together!”
Yuli rushed to pay, begging me to hold on. Can't leave her alone in crowds.
“Middle school gate, then split?”
“Yes!”
We dashed through the festival street. Keeping the head on while running was its own chore.
“Go on ahead!”
“To the front gate!”
“Just go!!”
“Huh? Oh... okay, bye.”
Too harsh? Yuli flinched, nodded, and headed in.
Sorry later.
Whew—emergency, huh... Once she was up, I ducked into the changing room.
Ripped off the head, swapped to uniform. Mid-buttoning pants and shirt—
“Oppa... Taeyang oppa...”
Eunbi slipped in the entrance. Men's changing room?
“Eunbi, emergency assembly. Why here?”
“Why are you here?”
“Uh? Look, I'll explain later. Out.”
She nodded. “Okay, I get it. No suspicions. But you owe an explanation. With another girl.”
“What?”
Her green eyes locked on me. Weird vibe.
“Sorry, oppa.”
“Wha—mmph!!!”
Suddenly, a rag clamped my nose and mouth from behind. Choked, thrashed—then drowsiness hit. Vision faded... last thing: silhouettes of that foreign guy from morning and Eunbi.