Pookey Day [Revised Edition]
I've been searching for handmade Pookie, but it looked pretty tricky to make.
I wanted to make one myself and give it to her, but it seemed too difficult, so I decided to buy a ready-made one as a gift instead.
While I was looking for the handmade Pookie, Sia came out of the bathroom and was all ready to go with her hair drying.
"Let's go!"
"Yeah."
The faint floral scent drifted over as we walked side by side after her shower.
But it felt familiar now, so I told myself it was a good smell and boarded the city bus with Sia.
We could have walked, but the bus took only about ten minutes.
After getting off the bus, Sia and I started wandering the city streets.
Even when we came to the city, we didn't do much.
We just held hands, looked around, and if we spotted a gacha machine we went in to check it out, or if there was a game center we went in together and played racing games.
After sightseeing, if we got hungry we popped into a fast-food place to stuff ourselves and left.
So I figured we were probably just doing this today.
"Siu Siu! I want to go somewhere!"
"Where?"
"Follow me!"
Since Sia said she wanted to go somewhere, I followed without a word.
The place we ended up was right in front of it.
"Life Four Cuts?"
"Yeah! It's a new photo booth place! I wanted to come with you."
Sia had taken me to the instant-photo booth.
From the entrance, there were already quite a few people inside.
"This is... famous?"
"Yeah, it's new but it's super popular."
"Ah... the photos come out like a film camera?"
"Yeah, so let's hurry and go in!"
"Hey..."
Sia grabbed my hand and pulled me into the shop.
Inside, customers were already seated and looking at various accessories in front of the mirror.
I glanced around and whispered to Sia.
"Uh, how do you do this?"
"Um, pick something you like from here and go into one of those private booths to take the picture."
"Ah, I see."
Sure enough, people were coming and going behind the curtained booths.
"Then the accessories..."
"Huh?"
"Ah... you already chose?"
"Yes, you pick fast too, Siu."
"...Yeah..."
When we got to the display of accessories, there was a huge variety.
Sunglasses, from ordinary to heart-shaped or star-shaped, plus crowns, tiaras, and even wands.
On the opposite side, there were all kinds of dolls.
I looked them over for a bit, then picked a green star-shaped pair of sunglasses.
Sia chose a tiara, red sunglasses, and a doll.
But... that tiara looked kind of familiar... I told myself it was just my imagination and asked about the doll she picked.
"What kind of doll is that?"
"Well, I just thought it was cute and picked it."
The doll Sia was holding had a dress-like outfit and red eyes.
It had a slightly... vampire-like vibe... but I wasn't going to say anything since Sia liked it.
"Okay! Let's go in and take photos!"
"Hey... yeah."
Sia grabbed my hand and we stepped into the photo booth.
Inside, there was a big screen and a slot for money.
"Three thousand won per time."
"I'll pay!"
"No, together."
"...Um..."
"Okay, then later I'll buy you something."
"Yay!"
After we inserted the money, our faces appeared on the screen.
There was a shooting button next to it.
"Ah... there's an instruction here... it takes six photos, then from those you pick four you like and get them printed."
"Ahaha...! Then let's take lots of different poses!"
"Hey...?"
"Come here, hurry!"
"No... wait just a sec..."
Sia pulled me into different poses.
Just for fun I made a peace sign with my fingers, or we posed with the sunglasses on, back to back, shoulder to shoulder, or Sia in the tiara looking like I was giving her the doll, hugging with the doll in the middle, or me lifting her while she held the doll.
We picked the ones that looked the best.
The ones with sunglasses, the tiara ones, the hugging with the doll in the middle, and the one where I was lifting her.
Then I chose the prettiest film and hit print.
--Ziiing! --Zing!
Two sheets of film dropped out.
I was looking at the printed photos and feeling super embarrassed when Sia inserted another thousand won.
"Why?"
"They said an extra thousand lets you print more!"
"No... why the extra?"
"Just! More is better!"
"No... if you want more just come with me again."
"...You'll come with me?"
"Of course!"
"......I see..."
Sia turned her head away embarrassed but then said,
"I'm gonna get one more anyway!"
and took one more.
"Hehe... you have to keep that promise you'll come with me again sometime, right?"
"Okay. I'll promise."
"Yay!"
After leaving the booth we put the accessories back where we found them and walked out of the shop.
Just as I was wondering what to do next...
"Siu, is there anything you want to do?"
Sia asked if I wanted to do anything and it was perfect timing.
"Want to walk around the city?"
I said just go for a stroll.
Sia answered as if it was obvious.
"Yes! Great!"
So Sia and I started walking around the city.
Of course while we walked I was searching for the Pookie to give Sia on Pookey Day, but...
'Why... it's not there...'
It wasn't anywhere to be seen.
Of course there were places selling Pookie gift-wrapped, but they were all convenience stores.
The gift-wrapped Pookie at the convenience store was pretty too... but the box inside was still full-sized... so it wasn't what I wanted.
After wandering for a while I checked every shop.
I thought maybe a bakery would have them, but the city had more clothes shops and bars than bakeries.
It was almost five-thirty.
I was getting impatient but I gave up so Sia wouldn't feel bad.
Anyway it was fine to buy the Pookie later.
We headed toward the bus stop we took earlier... and from far away a faint smell of baking bread came.
I thought this must be it and told Sia quietly.
"Sia, there's a bread smell. Want to get one each?"
"...Um... sure."
Since Sia agreed I followed the smell to a bakery slightly tucked inside.
Inside I put the bread in the back and quickly checked the surroundings.
And finally I found Pookie-shaped cookies.
Of course they were bigger than store-bought Pookies but it was even better.
While I was thinking we'd buy them later Sia and I each picked one and came out.
I got red bean bread, Sia got cream bread.
"Let's split them."
"Yeah."
After we split them we took the bus home.
November 11th, Saturday.
Yesterday I bought Pookie at the bakery so I put it in a box in my bag so it wouldn't break.
I bought an extra box just for the gift.
Dad was busy today so he left around ten.
That's why the auntie called to ask me to pick up lunch and it was perfect.
While walking I stopped at a convenience store to buy the Pookie for the auntie too.
Since she'd always taken care of me I figured I should give her a gift too.
Dad didn't mind spending money on Sia's present but the auntie didn't like expensive gifts so I bought a gift-wrapped one at a reasonable price and arrived at Sia's house.
--Ding dong.
"Coming!"
Right after the auntie's voice came from inside the door opened.
"Hello."
"Siu's here, I've been waiting. Come in quickly."
"Okay."
When we stepped into Sia's house a slightly sweet smell spread.
"How is it? Smells good, right?"
"Yeah."
"Hehe, I was baking cookies."
"Ahaha... but what about Sia?"
"She went to the bathroom for a bit."
"I see."
"Want to try the cookies?"
"Yeah."
In the kitchen the cookies were piled on a plate.
Freshly baked, still warm with steam rising.
"Wow..."
"Try them."
"Okay."
--Crispy
They were a bit firm but very tasty.
"They're delicious!"
"Hehe, I'm glad."
At that moment I remembered the Pookie for the auntie and quickly pulled it from my bag and handed it over.
"This is what I brought."
"Wow~ It's for me?"
"Yes!"
"Thank you, Siu."
But right then...
The door to the inner room opened and Sia came out.
And Sia's eyes went straight to the auntie and the Pookie she was holding.
Sia looked back and forth between us for a moment.
"Mine?"
She asked in a slightly cool voice.
I was about to say I brought Sia's too when...
"Hehe, you only gave it to me, right?"
Sia said.
"Hey... no, that's..."
"Idiot!"
She yelled and ran over, flapping her arms and hitting me.
It felt painful because she was hitting hard so I quickly pulled the box from my bag.
"Here, this is Sia's."
"Eh? Really?"
"Yes, of course I brought two."
"Ah... thank you..."
"No."
"It... really hurt?"
Actually it did hurt a little but...
"It didn't hurt."
"Hehe... I'm glad."
"Hehe, yes, Siu, how was the cookie?"
"Uh... it was tasty."
"I'm glad. That one was made by Sia."
"Really?"
"Yeah, actually... Sia started making one for Siu yesterday but it didn't turn out right. So Sia..."
"Ah! Mom!"
Sia called to the auntie but the auntie didn't seem to notice and took a Pookie from the basket on the shelf.
"You bought one like this, right?"
"Tsk..."
"Uh... but that..."
"Yes, Sia must have bought it at the same place. What a coincidence."
"Haha..."
The Pookie Sia bought was from the exact same shop as the one I bought.
Sia and I must have had the same thought.
"Next time... I'll make one myself..."
Sia was grinning as she said.
The auntie smiled at Sia and said,
"Yes, next time you'll be able to. Come on, kids, wash your hands and eat."
"Okay." "Okay."
So Sia and I ate the auntie's meal and shared the Pookies we bought.
The end of our elementary school days had begun like this.