13. I'm Not Even Mentally Prepared—What Do You Mean I Have to Lay Eggs? (End)
Hiss, hiss.
I was a steam locomotive.
A steam locomotive venting steam....
"I told you it hurts, Partner...!"
Only after raising my voice did I finally manage to get free, and I glared at Park Won with my brow deeply furrowed.
"You."
"What?!"
"Are your feet a weak point?"
"That's what you think about in the middle of all this?! Yes, they're a weak point. If someone grabs them, I feel like I'd die of embarrassment, yes!"
This man clearly thinks differently from normal people.
I considered kicking him once more, but I decided to hold back. If I kicked clumsily, I'd just get caught again.
The tail feathers sticking up above my head twitched on their own, so for a while I kept both hands pressed on top of my head.
"Well, anyway. Is there anything else you wanted to ask?"
"Yes. How to change Partners."
"Not that kind of question! You know, something like useful advice or whatever."
I slowly pulled up the question I'd meant to ask from my hazy memory.
Come to think of it, there was one important thing, wasn't there.
The thing I'd been meaning to ask about. Wings.
"This is probably obvious, but... wings grow from the back, right?"
"That's right. They'll grow the same as with Albatross or other Magical Girls contracted with avian Aberrations."
"I wish they were retractable.... It'd be inconvenient to go around with wings exposed."
"Unfortunately, no. If that were possible, Albatross would hide her wings normally too."
Right, a Magical Girl with huge wings was standing right in front of me.
If she could hide them, she would have. That was probably why she went out of her way to wear casual clothes with an open back.
In other words, I'd have to wear clothes like that before long too.
I already hated it. Having to wear clothes that exposed skin in a body like this.
Who would welcome something like that....
"The wings will start growing suddenly one day. From then on, your back and shoulders will generally feel very stiff."
"That doesn't sound pleasant at all. Why do Magical Girls have so many painful things to deal with?"
"That's why Partners exist. Stabilizing a Magical Girl is also an important part of a Partner's role."
Still, I didn't want to entrust my body to that man and settle down.
I didn't particularly want to imagine it..., even though being indebted to him once during the Egg-Laying Season was already more than enough.
"Why are you suddenly looking at me?"
"No particular..., it's nothing."
"Right. Once the wings start growing, don't forget acupressure and grooming either."
"It really is like taking care of a bird."
"That's why Partners and Magical Girls naturally end up spending a lot of time together. You two will need to get to that point too."
"Ugh."
"It's rare to see a Magical Girl this out of sync with her Partner, though. I'm a little worried...."
"I'm making an effort in my own way too." / "I'm making an effort."
"Would you stop copying me?!" / "Stop copying me."
"Excuse me?!" / "Hey."
Why did he keep tactlessly copying what I said?!
Though saying I was the one copying him—well. What was it.
Anyway, technically I spoke first by a tiny margin.
"Seeing you two like this, maybe you're not completely incompatible after all...."
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that just now!"
Looking at the deadpan Park Won and me, Yun Ha-ram covered her mouth and just laughed, apparently finding something amusing.
───
All in all, the information I got from Yun Ha-ram and Albatross was useful.
Medicine worth keeping on hand and Association regulations that could help.
Or various little tips and know-how. I wrote down what I'd heard on a separate memo pad.
As the conversation gradually began to wind down, Yun Ha-ram carefully stood up.
"Anyway, I'll be going now! It's something of a custom to leave a Magical Girl who's laid eggs alone with her Partner."
"Please stay a little longer. I feel bad that you ended up just dropping things off...."
"I've stayed plenty long. I have things to do anyway, using the visit as an excuse."
"Things to do using it as an excuse...?"
"I'm going on a date with Albatross for the first time in a while. V."
With Albatross, whose face instantly flushed, tucked beside her, Yun Ha-ram smoothly made a V sign with her hand.
Albatross didn't quite deny it either, pressing herself right up against Yun Ha-ram's side....
I was a little envious, of a Partner and Magical Girl who could rely on each other like friends like that.
"Park Won, don't slack off and take good care of Peregrine."
"I've taken plenty good care of her already."
"I mean you should take good care of her all the time. Anyway, let's say goodbye, Albatross."
"Goodbye, Peregrine..., and Park Won. Please recover quickly."
"Get home safe. Take care, and thanks for coming."
With those farewells, Yun Ha-ram and Albatross left.
At last, the sudden chaos that had descended in the morning was over....
Glad for the quiet that had finally arrived, I sank down, leaned my head against the wall, and closed my eyes.
Still, even if only briefly, the bustle hadn't been so bad.
Though I'd definitely pass on it being this noisy every time.
"You should stay lying down."
"I was planning to anyway. The stuff I got today was so shocking that I'm a little worn out."
"You've gone back to your usual self."
"You're fixated on something weird. Do you like being treated like a Partner that much?"
"No, I don't particularly care. Do whatever's comfortable for you."
You should already know perfectly well that, given my personality, I'm never going to be meek and obedient with you.
Why bring it up now, of all times....
Wait.
It was about time I paid this guy back for the humiliation he'd put me through.
If I could get proof that he was swayed by me acting like a Magical Girl, I felt like I could use it as a weakness to get a firm grip on him.
For example, when he tried to slack off on his own or started talking nonsense, I could act like Peregrine and shut his nonsense down.
Should I test it?
"Partner, do you like this way of talking? Hm? You do, don't you?"
"Why are you suddenly acting like this when you never do?"
"Just, on the off chance. Isn't it true?"
"You only need to be careful when others are around. There are a lot of eyes outside, so you'll have to act like the previous Peregrine, won't you."
It was a little ambiguous. If only the corner of his mouth would twitch up, that would be enough.
Park Won was a person who didn't show emotion, so I couldn't read him at all....
I sat up and looked up at him.
Even with the huge difference in height and build, I didn't back down, propping my tilted chin on my fingers.
I decided to probe him just a little more.
"Then what about inside? Are you saying you don't like me talking like this when we're in here?"
"Some strange notion's gotten into you."
"Who knows? If you say this way of talking is better, I might really focus on pretending to be Peregrine."
"...."
"You're thinking it over, aren't you? I know everything. Hm? Partner. Answer me, come on."
How's that. The bait's starting to work. You want me to become a meek, obedient Magical Girl, don't you.
Just try showing even a hint that you like it. I'll use it as a weakness somehow and....
"Huh...?!"
"You worked hard racking your brain."
"No, no...! That's not it, what do you mean by that?!"
"You worked hard. Looks like you were planning to grab onto something and tease me with it."
Park Won's mouth didn't so much as twitch as he ruffled my hair.
Rather, as if it were obvious, he looked down at me from behind his sunglasses and just ruffled my hair.
Whenever his fingers brushed between my tail feathers, I heard a soft sound like paper being flipped.
Ashamed of myself for reflexively flinching and ducking my head, I flapped my hands and pushed him away.
And only then did Park Won pick up his clothes again.
"Fine, not that you'd get caught up that easily.... Don't expect polite speech from now on when it's just the two of us."
"Sure. I don't mind."
"More importantly, why the clothes. Are you heading back too?"
"You're fine now. At my age, pulling an all-nighter is too hard on the body."
"Right, it's true that I got better thanks to you staying up all night looking after me, so I should let you go. And th..., th."
"Th?"
"Th...."
The words I'd been about to say caught in my throat with a jolt.
Anyway, if someone did you a favor, you have to say that thing, right?
It was true that this man had taken care of me.
So I had to say it now.... But that one word was too heavy.
"Th.... Th."
"You, your face has gone stiff."
Ugh. Augh.
Why..., why couldn't I get the word out?
"Th-thank...!"
"Tha..."
"That's enough, get out...! How long are you going to keep taking up space when you're leaving anyway...."
This sight of me unable to say it properly because of my pride was seriously pathetic....
My face was burning so much I couldn't even lift it. Just, hurry up and leave.
Anyway, I'd said everything I needed to say at this point. Even if I didn't say it out loud, you know exactly what I was going to say, don't you.
"Something's off."
"Stop prying, go back and get some rest yourself."
"Take care of yourself. Don't skip meals."
"I'll manage, Partner. Leave."
With his gaze fixed straight ahead, Park Won was pushed along by me like a mannequin.
The whole time I shoved him to the front door, I was grunting with effort.
Part of it was that my build had gotten smaller, but this guy was heavier than I expected....
"Well then, I'll be going."
"Yeah.... Go."
"If anything hurts, report it right away. That way I can take care of you."
"You talk too much! I'll handle that myself.... No, well."
Being stubborn any further would be out of line too.
The one who'd actually helped me without a word was Park Won. And here I was, acting like this in front of him to the very end.
I looked so pathetic that I nodded.
"From now on..., I'll at least tell you when I'm in pain. That's all part of your job too, right?"
"Of course."
"Good. I'll be in touch. Then, you get home safe too."
After watching him take the elevator down, I closed the door.
Now I was alone. In my own space with no one else, I was finally truly left by myself.
"Hmm...."
How strange.
I'd been going on about being tired and all, but now that all three of them were gone, I actually felt a little empty.
Maybe it was because I hadn't felt any proper human connection over the past few days.
"Tomorrow, I should go see Park Won again..., I guess."
To have to go see that infuriating face again.
I'd need a plan to get that guy under my thumb before long....