Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Even Unwanted, the Peach Blossom Arrow Sticks
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The post had gone up right around the time I'd secretly followed Mi-ra unnie that morning.
I'd thought I'd flown high enough to be mistaken for a bird, but someone with sharp eyes must have spotted me by sheer luck and snapped a photo.
"...That's me."
I couldn't very well play dumb and deny being the girl in the picture, so I admitted it.
"I see."
Seol nodded as if she'd already known.
...Huh?
That was it?
I'd braced for a more intense reaction, but nothing happened.
"Aren't I scary...?"
I ended up asking the question Seol was probably dying to voice.
"You live with Mi-ra unnie, right? That means there's no reason to be scared."
It was a perfect answer to my own foolish question—one I couldn't argue with.
The fact that Mi-ra unnie hadn't suffered any harm while living with me was proof I wasn't dangerous.
Sure, I caused a bit of trouble here and there... but they let it slide because I'm cute.
...Anyway.
I toddled over to Mi-ra unnie and tugged at her pant leg.
She had to be worried now that my identity was out to the world.
According to that crescent-moon-headed bureau chief, raising an Anomaly was a serious crime...
"...I'll live quietly from now on."
Instead of more reckless antics, I promised to hole up and stay out of sight.
I didn't want to imagine any harm coming to the people I cared about because of me.
"It's okay, Lua. Don't worry too much."
Mi-ra unnie stroked my head, as if calming her own startled heart.
"But Seol, how did you know about Lua?"
She soon pocketed her phone and turned to Seol with the question.
"It popped up on my SNS feed."
"Lua's on SNS?"
"Yeah. There've been all sorts of incidents around Yongsan-gu lately, so related posts are everywhere."
Seol pulled out her phone again and showed another posting.
This viral post, with over 5 million views, spun a mystery around me.
The comments debated whether I was a good Anomaly or a bad one.
Clearly, I was the hottest topic wrapping up 2071.
No wonder Seol had recognized me.
"...Am I famous?"
"Seems like it."
Mi-ra unnie stroked my head, pondering how to handle this.
"See? I told you to stick with Grandpa...!"
"Meeeng!!"
But it was all a setup for this—she stretched both my cheeks as punishment.
...Internet star dragon.
"Once they got a good look at the photo, people started thinking you're with the Management Bureau, so don't worry too much."
Thankfully, public opinion seemed to lean toward me not being an Anomaly.
My human-like appearance—more human than human, even—plus the heroic image of saving people without motive.
And most importantly, I'm cute.
They figured I was one of the Bureau's black ops agents.
Being linked to the Bureau felt weird.
Me, a lackey for that crescent-moon head...?
Ugh... don't even think about it.
"I never imagined Mi-ra unnie was living with the star of those rumors."
Seol let out a quiet sigh of admiration toward Mi-ra unnie.
Thinking back, Mi-ra unnie was incredible.
How many people wouldn't panic when a starving dragon girl burst into their shop—but instead offer a burger?
"Meeting Lua was pure chance, but..."
"Grrr..."
Mi-ra unnie tickled my chin, reminiscing about our time together.
A dragon girl who appeared out of nowhere a month ago.
At first just a walking disaster, she'd become family—someone we'd miss if she were gone.
"Ehehe..."
Mi-ra unnie wasn't the only one who felt that way, so I wagged my tail.
As it swished back and forth, Arisa's eyes followed it side to side.
"I wanna be Lua's family too..."
Arisa, the clear-eyed maniac, shot me a creepy gaze.
"No."
"Why?! You don't even care, Adella!"
"You two together? Total disaster waiting to happen."
Adella, who'd been listening quietly, blocked Arisa right on cue and scolded her.
Feeling mischievous, I dangled my tail toward Arisa.
"...Gasp!"
As it neared her hand, she reached out in awe to touch it.
Swoosh—! I yanked it back just before contact, teasing her with a swish.
"Eek...!"
After a couple more teases, a glint entered Arisa's eyes—her movements shifted.
No longer playful; now the swift, agile moves of an idol.
"Heh heh... gotcha..."
By the time I noticed, my tail was already in her arms.
(I could've dodged, but it was just a tail, not wings. Whatever.)
"Girls... can you keep it secret that Lua's living with me?"
Mi-ra unnie snapped out of it and cautiously asked the members for their discretion.
"...Please."
Even bowing her head—the former leader begging.
"Yeah, our lips are sealed."
"Of course. Secret's safe."
"We're family! Trust us!"
"We'll guard it with our lives."
Yerin, Seol, Arisa, and Adella all promised to keep the secret.
"In return, make a promise too, Mi-ra."
"...Huh? A promise?"
Current MooD:iN leader Yerin took Mi-ra unnie's hand.
"See us more often. We'll make time too."
"...Got it. Promise."
"It's a deal?"
Former leader and current leader.
Past and present, sharing smiles.
"See you tomorrow, girls."
"Yeah! Tomorrow!"
Schedule wrapped; MooD:iN headed to their dorms.
"Shall we go home, Lua?"
"Meow!"
(Mi-ra unnie and I walked hand in hand to our place, by the way.)
My other hand clutched a bouquet.
"...Lua, where'd this come from?"
Mi-ra unnie eyed the pale purple flowers rustling in curiosity.
"From your precious little sister!"
"...? You got it for me, right, Lua?"
I'd told her Luna asked me to deliver it, but somehow it got misinterpreted.
Correcting her by bringing up unnie's sister would be tactless.
So I just flashed an innocent smile instead.
"Thanks. I'll put it in a vase when we get home."
The flowers had no scent—purely decorative—but that didn't matter to unnie at all.
"Oh, right. Lua."
"Yes?"
As we strolled peacefully, unnie squeezed my hand and spoke.
"...From now on, call me unnie. Better than 'Owner,' don't you think?"
I can call her unnie...?!
No more distant "Owner"—full permission for that warm, intimate "unnie."
"Mi-ra unnie...! Mi-ra unnie!!"
I grabbed her hand back and beamed with joy.
It felt like basking in eternal life.
...Eternal life... millennium... same diff?
"Had dinner? Besides that burger."
I shook my head at unnie's natural check-in.
Pathetically, I hadn't eaten properly since leaving home.
The convenience store burgers from Grandpa? Somehow fed to an Anomaly trainee. All five? Vanished.
"I'm fine! Lua can go days without eating!"
My current happiness was maxed out—no burger needed right now.
"Don't say silly things... Any burger joints open now?"
"Oof...!"
Mi-ra unnie flicked my forehead lightly and checked the time.
"...8 PM. Cutting it close."
Borderline closing time.
"Franchises should still be open, right?"
Franchises always save the day late-night. Unnie whipped out her phone to search nearby burger spots.
"...Champ Donald's nearby? Wanna go?"
"Champ Dona...ld?!"
The place where I couldn't reach the kiosk due to my height—grudge match time. My eyes sparkled.
Franchise burgers have their charm.
Slightly squished buns, not-fancy patties.
Cheese, pickles, jalapeños, cabbage...
Instant calorie bomb perfection.
"Yes yes!! Let's go! Eat there!"
I hopped excitedly, tail flapping. Unnie ruffled my hair and scooped me up.
"Can't go out like this—gotta fix your outfit first."
"Ming? Outfit?"
"Wanna go from lizard to dinosaur, Lua?"
"Meeeng...?"
I'm a dragon, not a lizard...?
Soon after, I trailed Mi-ra unnie in my dinosaur onesie, like that department store outing.
(No idea why, but my clothes were in her travel bag.)
...Did unnie expect me to tail her?
"Rawr!"
"Hee hee... Lua's adorable...!"
Whatever—I playfully roared cutely as we walked.
EM Ent. wasn't far, so we reached Champ Donald's quicker than expected.
...Kiosk revenge arc, finally.
"Burgers! Burgers! Burgers!"
I charged the in-store kiosk as a burger-munching dinosaur, no hesitation.