Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Ding-!
"Welcome."
A reflexive greeting comes out at the sound of the familiar chime.
I didn't feel quite right about just lazing around, so I looked for a part-time job and quickly found this convenience store one.
'It's not as bad as I thought.'
It's super close to home, and the customer traffic seems just right, so I'm really satisfied.
Occasionally, there are rude customers, but even considering that, it's not bad.
"I'll help you with your purchase."
After doing it a few times, my hands move with surprising dexterity.
It's not like the calculations are difficult.
'...What should I do?'
My conscience pricks me a bit about watching videos on my phone, and there aren't enough customers to focus solely on work.
"Ah, I should look at that."
After sending Da-eun away yesterday, I had a talk with her.
"Ga-rim-ah."
"Yeah?"
"The User Manual I gave you... have you read it?"
"Huh? No, not yet."
"Please read it. I think it'll probably help when it's time to relieve my sexual desires..."
"Okay."
Swoosh-
I rummage through the bag I brought to work and pull out the User Manual.
If I'm going to read it, a time like now is probably best.
Flutter-
I skip past the first part I read when I first saw it and start reading the subsequent sections.
[The Gumiho's sexual desires are closely related to their fox ears and tail.]
"Oh."
Right away, interesting information unfolds before my eyes.
Could this be the key to understanding the many sexual desires Da-eun showed?
[The nerves in a Gumiho's ears and tail that receive sexual stimulation are about twice as dense as in human genitalia, making them unavoidably quite sensitive, which is why their sexual desires are so strong.]
'So that's why the stimulation was so intense when I touched Da-eun's ears and tail...'
It seems like it's genuinely helpful.
Well, more accurately, it's closer to satisfying my curiosity, but that's okay, right?
I start reading the contents written inside carefully, page by page.
It contained all sorts of information, starting with simple facts about the Gumiho's body.
[Unlike the Maegu, the Gumiho is a 'human' possessing the characteristics of a fox.]
[Like other animals, they have a mating season/rut.]
[Gumiho practice monogamy, and when they find a true, compatible mate, Fox Rain falls.]
"Wow, so the story about the fox getting married is actually true."
Having various bits of information written down feels like reading a light book.
[Whispering softly into a Gumiho's ear can also be a form of stimulation in its own way.]
Of course, in between, there were also contents with quite a spicy rating that made me flinch.
If it were just text, I'd probably read and move on by myself, but when it's explained with illustrations, it feels almost like receiving sex ed.
"It's definitely helpful."
Thanks to the lull in customers for a while, it was good to skim through the Gumiho User Manual lightly.
Ding-
"Welcome... huh?"
"Hehe, you work here?"
Thinking a customer had arrived, I was about to close the book immediately, but I soon recognized the familiar silhouette and voice.
"Da-eun?"
"Mmhmm, it's me."
She wore a black cap pulled down firmly and a light hoodie outfit.
They say clothes make the man, but looking at Da-eun, that saying seems to hold little meaning.
"What brings you to the convenience store?"
"Uu... getting straight to the point with a customer like that?"
"...Well, from my position as someone working, can I really not ask the main reason?"
"Uuum... you have a point, hehe."
She laughs awkwardly, brushing it off.
Clearly, just yesterday, she was so lascivious and proactive, but that side of her seems to have vanished somewhere.
"But still, since it's not that far from here, it's a good place for a part-time job, right?"
"Yeah, I happened to see a job posting and called, and they said there was a spot. So I got hired right away."
We exchanged trivial small talk and shared laughs.
In many ways, it feels disconnected from yesterday's situation.
"Huuuaaam..."
"Oh? Ga-rim-ah. Didn't get much sleep?"
"...Yeah. It's not like I didn't sleep at all, but my sleep was... huuam... restless."
Rubbing my eyes, I wiped away the tears.
"Uum... couldn't sleep well?"
"...That's about right."
For a moment, I was at a loss for words at Da-eun's carefree question.
After spending such a stimulating and lewd time yesterday, I didn't expect her to talk like this.
'Almost like pulling a duck's leg... no, a fox's leg out.'
"Da-eun, you... did the built-up sexual desires from yesterday get relieved...?"
I cautiously whispered into her ear, deciding to ask her about something I was also curious about.
It would have been good to ask yesterday, but I was tired in many ways, so I went straight home...
"Uum... yeah, yeah, it did. But there's still some left."
"...Huh?"
Two days since she asked me to help relieve them.
I've already used my ears and tail once, and my fingers three times... And there's still some left.
'Just how long has it been since she's been able to properly release it.'
I have to do enough to satisfy Da-eun from now on, but if it's like this, how much will I even have to do?
It feels strange, like I'm staring at some distant, far-off destination.
"...."
I let out a small sigh and looked around to see if there was anything left to do in the store. I couldn't bear to just sit here in silence; it was too uncomfortable.
As I was doing that for a moment,
Thump-
"Can you ring these up, Ga-rim-ah?"
Da-eun came to the counter holding two large cartons of chocolate milk.
"Oh, haven't seen these in a while."
"Right? We used to drink these a lot."
Back in middle school, that is, before Da-eun started keeping her distance from me.
She and I often drank chocolate milk on our way to and from school.
Since both Da-eun and I liked chocolate milk the best out of all the milks, we probably drank at least one carton every day.
Beep-!
"That's 4,000 won... I'll get these."
"Huh?"
I stuck the card I was carrying into the reader and quickly paid.
Da-eun was flustered as the payment was completed in an instant.
"Ah, no. I was going to buy them...."
"I just felt like treating you since it's been a while. And you've bought me plenty to drink before."
"But still...."
Da-eun made an apologetic expression.
She's always been like this since we were kids.
She's always fine with buying things for others, but feels burdened when others buy things for her.
"It's fine, just drink it."
"Mm, thanks."
Holding one carton of milk like that, Da-eun headed outside, but just before opening the door to leave, she whipped her head back around.
She must still have something she wants to say.
"Ga-rim-ah, how long is your shift today?"
"Huh? Right now...."
I checked the time briefly and saw it was almost lunchtime.
That must mean....
"Another two or three hours? Why do you ask?"
"Umm... After you finish, can you come over to my place today too?"
"...Huh? By any chance...?"
"Mm, my ears are itchy...."
Seeing her mention our secret code, it seems I was right in my guess.
I had a feeling... I was curious just how much sexual desire was built up, but I swallowed the words back down.
Even if I asked, nothing would really change.
"Got it. Then I can come straight over when I'm done?"
"Yeah! You can come right over. Just give me a heads-up before you come."
"A call? Or a message?"
"Either is fine."
"Yeah, I'll do that then."
My willing answer seemed to please her, as Da-eun's expression brightened considerably.
Then, she waved her hand vigorously left and right in goodbye, closed the door, and left.
"Hu-haam...."
Wondering what she wants to do this time, I spent the rest of my shift, which was more boring than I expected, with half worry and half curiosity.
Knock knock-
In the late afternoon after my shift ended, I knocked directly on Da-eun's front door.
Since she asked me to contact her before coming, I tried both calling and messaging, but
'She tells me to contact her but then gives no response, what's that about....'
There was absolutely no response.
I waited from around the time my shift ended, after finishing cleaning up and until I got back to her front door, but there wasn't even a 'read' receipt, let alone a reply.
"Maybe something came up?"
But if that were the case, she wouldn't have asked me to come over as soon as my shift ended.
Maybe she left her phone somewhere else.
"Da-eun-ah, I'm here."
Knock knock-
When I knocked again, I finally got a reaction.
The sound of something clattering and bumping grew louder and then,
Fling-
"Haa, hoo... S-sorry."
The front door swung wide open and Da-eun popped into view, wearing her underwear which was halfway pulled up and peeling off.
"D-Da-eun-ah!?"
Startled, I unconsciously covered my eyes with my hands.
It was an unbelievably innocent reaction for someone who had already seen everything there was to see, but I was so surprised my body just reacted on its own.
"Just for a moment, I couldn't stand the itchiness anymore... Hoo-eut...."
"Ah, it's fine, just let's go inside quickly...!"
I quickly pushed Da-eun and shoved her into the house.
In the process, I did touch her chest, but it was unavoidable in the rush.
'Phew... Good thing nothing happened.'
It's an open corridor, and if she opens the door wide open in that outfit, what kind of trouble was she trying to invite...?
"Why didn't you answer your messages? You told me to contact you first."
"Ah, I didn't know you'd contacted me. Hehe."
Finally feeling relieved, I grabbed her arm and headed straight for her room.
Today too... I have to relieve her itchiness.