Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Even Loving Hamburgers Isn't Easy
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I rummaged through the bag's contents thoroughly but couldn't find the woman's contact info.
"...If there's a police station on the way, I'll sneak it over there and leave it."
Searching the neighborhood for a woman whose whereabouts were unknown would clearly take a ton of time. So, I decided to hand the bag over to the police station.
I slung the bag loosely over my plump tail and crept cautiously through the narrow back alley.
"...Sniff sniff."
Following the scent of hamburgers, I made my way forward until the alley opened up onto a wide road.
Unlike the deserted Mapo-gu, the neighboring Yongsan-gu was functioning normally right next door.
"This is weird... There's no way it'd be this fine if a meteor had crashed..."
It hadn't even been three days since I'd revived in this dragon body, so I couldn't wrap my head around it.
Logically speaking, with Mapo-gu wiped off the map, shouldn't the whole country be under emergency status?
"Whatever. Might as well be a good thing."
Shrugging it off as maybe waking up two or three years later, I hid my body in the alley's shadows and peered toward the source of the hamburger smell.
【Champ Donald's】
I spotted a franchise burger joint across the road, the kind with that distinctive pa-rab-pa-pa-pa~ jingle playing in my head.
The place looked empty and idle, and intriguingly, the kiosk and counter were positioned so they couldn't see each other.
...A level design optimized for stealth play.
If I slipped in, ordered a single burger from the kiosk, and grabbed it quick?
"Hamburger! Yay yay yay!"
It'd instantly soothe the harsh loneliness my stomach had endured over three days of starvation.
And conveniently, there was a police station right next to the shop. Solve my hunger, ditch the bag on the sly, and done.
"...Heh heh."
I wiped the drool instinctively dribbling out and began scaling the outer wall of the alley.
To anyone watching, it'd look exactly like an anomaly climbing a wall, but really, it was my way of being considerate—crossing at the pedestrian crossing full of people would've caused a huge commotion.
Times like this, this all-purpose body was seriously handy.
...Though being a little girl wasn't exactly thrilling.
Anyway, I reached the rooftop around the 20th floor, spread my wings, and glided diagonally across to the burger shop.
Thankfully, no citizens spotted the dragon girl flying through the sky.
Yongsan-gu was such a bustling district that everyone seemed glued to their phones as they hurried by.
"...Finally!"
I made it to the front of the franchise burger joint without drawing a single glance.
Now, just order from the kiosk quick before anyone clocks me as a dragon!
Ding—
I slipped stealthily through the front door with a soft plop plop of my steps and stood before the kiosk.
"......Oh, no."
...Then I realized the horrifying truth: my tiny height meant I couldn't reach the order buttons.
【 Champ Champ Burger (Limited Special)
Single 3500￦│Set 5400￦
Triple Patty Burger
Single 5900￦│Set 7400￦】
I needed to tap the cheapest limited burger at the top, but my arms wouldn't reach.
The landing page was recommendations only, so no switching to other price tiers—this was a do-or-die crisis.
"Nngh...!"
I tried jumping with my tail, longer than my arms, tapping frantically, but it fell short of the lofty Champ Champ Burger and menu options.
No way could I unfurl my wings for fine control inside the building. And clinging to the kiosk would've made a racket for sure.
The foot pedal wouldn't help much either...
"I've got money, so why can't I just eat...!"
With five thousand won burning a hole in my pocket but the kiosk out of reach, my only option was ordering directly from the staff.
"Ughhh..."
Even if my appearance was mostly human-like, those dragon eyes, horns, wings, and swishing tail would make a girl like me ordering outright a hard sell...
Despairing over my pitifully small stature that couldn't even press kiosk buttons, I had no choice but to leave the shop.
Tears welled up from the hamburger aroma tormenting my nose.
"It's okay... It's not over yet."
Humanity's greatest invention—convenience stores—still stood ready.
Clinging to hope that I could still snag a burger, I dropped the bag at the police station entrance next door and made some deliberate noise.
"Officer Choi, didn't someone leave something out front?"
"Hold on, I'll check."
"Thanks, appreciate it."
The cop called Officer Choi approached the entrance with steady steps, and the instant he did, I peeked out from the window frame—our eyes met for a split second.
"Huh? Wasn't there a girl with horns just now?"
"Just your imagination. Anomalies have been popping up around here lately."
"...Hmm."
I jolted in shock and rocketed skyward. Seemed like this happened often enough that he just shrugged it off, picked up the bag, and headed back inside without a fuss.
"That was close..."
Lucky I bolted with my quick reflexes. If I'd been even a tad slower...
"Eek...!!"
Tail thrashing at the chilling thought of lab dissection, I nearly lost balance and plummeted—snapping me out of it.
Even if caught, I'd beg for just one burger and it'd work out somehow!
【PS 24-hour Convenience Store】
"There it is!"
No matter how remote the countryside, chicken joints and convenience stores always existed—and sure enough, I quickly spotted one sparkling like a jewel with its array of goodies.
A place that dealt with all sorts of villains daily probably wouldn't bat an eye at me.
"...Probably?"
Worst case, I'd grab a burger quietly and go—no complaints, right?
I landed silently with gentle wing flaps and cautiously pushed open the door.
"Hello... Huh?"
Ting-a-ling~ The door chime rang pleasantly, and the white-haired grandpa at the counter greeted—then voiced his doubt.
"Am I hearing things?"
The counter was taller than expected, so tiny me was completely hidden from his view.
"..."
Just moments ago, I'd been bummed about my short height; now it was working in my favor. What a bizarre turn.
Anyway, I sneaked past the puzzled grandpa toward the food section.
【30% Size Up! Double Patty Burger】
"They still have these...?"
I never dreamed I'd reunite with the burger I'd scarfed before getting squished by that meteor.
And the price was the same as back then: 3800 won.
"...Grr, no resisting this..."
Nostrils flaring cutely, I snatched the burger as big as my face and marched confidently to the counter...
"You little punk!!"
"Eep?!"
...Or tried to.
"How dare you target our store?!"
The grandpa, who'd been eyeing the CCTV from the counter, finally spotted me.
Whipping out his premium filial piety baton for self-defense, he vaulted the counter tactically and assumed a swordmaster's stance.
"Wait! I'll just buy this burger and leave!"
I frantically smoothed out the crumpled five-thousand-won bill in my hand and politely offered it to him.
But instead of taking it, he glared at me with contempt and spat.
"You scum! A filthy anomaly trying to ape humans?! Take this!!"
"Kyaa?!"
Thwack—!! The filial piety baton smacked my forehead, stinging my skull... or not, but in that instinctive flinch, he snatched my burger.
"M-My burger...!"
"Scram! Don't mess with convenience store business!"
The grandpa, possessed by a killer who slew with pencils, radiated murderous intent from his baton.
"Keep this up, and I'll drag you to the Management Bureau... Whoa!!"
"Sorry for the trouble!"
Caught off guard in the chaos, I bolted from the store before things escalated further.
Bonus: the grandpa, clipped by my tail, spun like a top for dozens of rotations before face-planting.
Of course, he popped right back up like a martial arts master and resumed vigilant scanning.
"...Now what."
Barely processing the sudden fiasco, I took to the skies aware of the noise and let out a sigh.
Franchise burger shop: too short to buy.
Convenience store burger: weird grandpa foiled the purchase.
Money in hand, yet no burger. What was this nonsense...?
"No, don't give up. There are plenty more convenience stores, right?"
Starving to the brink of madness, but with shops everywhere around here, it wasn't quitting time yet.
"Hamburger yay yay yay!!"
Clinging to sanity, I eyed another nearby convenience store.
"You scum! Why're you back here!!"
"Why are you here too?!"
"Don't you ever quit?!"
"Why here too?! W-Wait a sec?!"
"No burgers for lizards!!"
"Kyuu?!"
"...What the heck. Why?"
This is suspicious.
I checked three more convenience stores, and every time, that Tactical Filial Piety Grandpa showed up.
What kind of guy was he to pop up everywhere like this? No clue.
...Was he secretly an anomaly like me?
"Why won't you sell?! I offered money!!"
Every encounter, I'd shove the five-thousand-won bill at him, pleading my case, but he wouldn't buy it—literally—and swung his righteous baton instead.
My head didn't hurt from the hits at all, but being treated like a burger thief stung my heart.
In the end, I gave up circling local convenience stores and resolved to head to another neighborhood.
"...I'll eat one. No matter what."