Slice of Life - 3
After that, a small habit had formed in Noona.
“Uwa, uuuut!”
The girl had the habit of covering her ears and sticking into the corner to time how long it took.
Through this habit, Noona had figured out quite a few things about the girl.
The girl reacted to all the lively sounds coming from outside, but fundamentally reacted most strongly to the voices of high school students.
When she heard the voices of working adults, she would look at them with something like envy.
She felt a sense of mission in the voices of children.
Finally, she didn't react much to the voices of old people.
Why didn't she react to old people's voices?
Because she couldn't imagine what her own future self would look like?
Well, I can't imagine myself getting old either, but Rin, who is 6 years younger than me, must be even worse.
Noona thought this and watched as the girl slowly pulled her hands away from her ears and checked the time.
3 minutes 34 seconds.
Since she had only measured it 5 times, she couldn't be completely sure, but it seemed she had recovered quickly, perhaps because the kids had left earlier than yesterday.
“Shall we eat?”
Thinking this, Noona smiled faintly, and the girl, not yet fully stepping into the words, pulled her feet to the table and wiped it.
She spread a wet tissue widely and wiped it with a dabbing motion.
She said she could use a few sheets, but the girl always used just one sheet to wipe the table.
Probably because it's a habit and it won't change.
And sometimes she would use two sheets even if it wasn't necessary, feeling sorry that one wasn't enough.
So, no need to worry about that.
...Looking at the frying pan, it seemed more necessary to be concerned about my cooking skills than that.
“Um, I messed up again this time.”
The meat was neatly cut into two pieces.
Since I always eat only fish and get tired of it, I thought I should make a steak, so I took out the meat from the vacuum pack enthusiastically, but like this...
No, since it's already divided into two, I don't need to cut it with a knife?
“Strange.”
How did the meat get torn like this?
It's not like the meat is stuck together with glue like a nugget.
Noona, who had been lowering the front plate, tilted her head.
The girl looked at the meat in front of her and checked Noona's eyes.
“Want me to use scissors?”
The girl carefully extended her hand to receive the scissors when Noona said that.
Noona smiled bitterly at that sight.
It would have been fine not to say anything and just bring them.
Of course, she understood that the girl had to do it that way for her to feel at ease.
It wasn't like she was forcing herself to maintain rules because her body was changing.
Still, it seemed like she used to treat her more comfortably before...
Is this what growing older feels like?
Noona, who left the impression of an old person, rested her chin on her hand and looked at the girl.
The girl mumbled with her mouth, noticed the gaze, and grabbed her hair tightly.
She tilted her head back so that the rice wouldn't go in and covered her face with it.
At that sight, Noona let out a small laugh and unconsciously fiddled with her pocket.
...It had been since yesterday, and I wanted to smoke even though I hadn't put it in my mouth.
I don't know what the connection is, but seeing something cute made me want to smoke.
But I still have to eat the rice.
Should I go out just because she's taking medicine?
Noona continued fiddling with the cigarette and watched as the girl started eating rice again, and they began eating together.
Because of the smoking urge, her chopsticks moved a bit busily.
The girl was startled by Noona's busy chopstick movements and moved her spoon hurriedly as well.
“Ummul ummul.”
The girl, who couldn't swallow without chewing, was munching like a hamster.
How cute that sight was...
Noona thought that maybe she should ask for permission even now for a moment.
But if she stood up here, the girl would definitely think something weird, so Noona barely sat down with her butt on the chair and watched the girl eating.
“Uuu.”
“Don’t make a fuss, sorry.”
Only after finishing the rice did the girl notice the gaze.
Because she was so embarrassed, this fuss lasted quite a while, and Noona comforted the girl for a long time from beside her and then gave her medicine.
“You ate well.”
The girl, who had been eating properly for 3-4 days, swallowed the medicine quite easily.
She still couldn't swallow 3-4 pills at once, but seeing her swallow the pills without difficulty, Noona unconsciously tilted her head.
What on earth had she been doing before to not even be able to take medicine?
Thinking about how emaciated she had been, she must have been eating only 1000 calories a day...
“Umm.”
No, I can't do this anymore. I really want to smoke.
Thinking this, Noona lightly stroked the girl's hair and got up from her seat.
“Uueung.”
“Want to go together?”
Then the girl got up like a baby bird following her, and Noona smiled faintly at that sight.
There was something about secondhand smoke, but... if she didn't like it, she could just move away.
“Yeah.”
With a slightly drawn-out tone, the girl took Noona's hand.
Noona put a coat on the girl and headed to the smoking area in the apartment complex.
“Huuu.”
Noona wiped the bench roughly and plopped down.
The girl, mimicking her, swayed and sat next to her.
Noona smiled faintly at that coquettish appearance and put a cigarette in her mouth.
“Hmm.”
The cigarette crackled as it lit up.
The burning sensation transmitted to her lips, and Noona made a habitual sound and lightly exhaled smoke.
The girl stared blankly with her mouth open at the dispersing gray smoke.
It felt a bit adult-like.
She didn't hate the smell.
When she was in school, she had always clashed with the guys who smoked.
No, it was also because she didn't like getting involved with alcohol.
But the cigarette she was looking at now felt different.
She didn't hate drinking or smoking, but something was different.
“...”
Is it because the person is different?
Our parents were also good people like Noona.
“Uuuuu.”
A slightly melancholic feeling.
The girl fidgeted unconsciously and grabbed Noona's finger.
Then, the incident at the convenience store came to mind.
The time when she sat down without hesitation at the children's laughter and held her hand.
...Maybe I can expect a bit more?
Even as this thought came, a scary feeling rose.
No matter how close they were before, she didn't know why Noona was helping her this much, and she wondered if Noona might be thinking that expecting too much would be troublesome.
Still, the girl was slowly approaching Noona.
Fidgeting and checking Noona's eyes, she lifted and lowered her butt a bit.
And when she was close enough, she grabbed the back of Noona's hand instead of the finger.
“Hii.”
An involuntary laugh came out.
Noona, who had been expecting something because of the lingering presence since earlier, felt her heart melt at the weak laugh and looked at the girl.
When she turned her hand to make a heart shape, the girl jumped in surprise and looked up at her.
“What are you doing?”
“U, um...”
She didn't pull her hand away, and Noona flicked away the lengthening ash and put the cigarette back in her mouth.
...I need to do laundry.
Suddenly, this thought came to mind.
Because the girl had been changing clothes since she came, the laundry basket had filled up quickly.
When I was at the black company, I wore the same clothes all week.
The t-shirt didn't smell because it was inside, so I just kept changing shirts.
I knew it in my head.
Living like this, changing clothes, was much more human-like.
But, it was still a bit troublesome.
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, all of the girl's clothes were in the suitcase.
She didn't know because there were only long clothes without seasonal variation, but it would get hotter.
If I suggested going to buy clothes, she might back out...
“Rin.”
“Yeah?”
“Um, so, the contract for the house wasn't ended yet, right?”
“U, uuu?”
“Should I be able to go buy clothes?”
“...”
The girl trembled with Noona's words and bit her lip tightly.
The contract was still there.
Probably until the week after next.
So, even if she went back to the house now, it wouldn't be a problem.
But she didn't want to go back to that house.
Because she wondered if she could stand up again after going back there.
“You can just tell me the address. I can go alone even if it's just me.”
“Ah, no! Yo...”
“Want to go together?”
The trembling fingertips.
The girl, with her legs trembling in embarrassment, biting her lip.
Noona pulled the girl's shoulder and stroked it.
Then the girl slowly raised her head and looked at Noona.
“Y, yes.”
A trembling voice.
It shook like it had a tone, but the girl strung the words together and nodded her head after taking a deep breath.
Had she improved a bit more?
Noona thought this and turned the cigarette to the side with her tongue and hugged the girl tightly.
The girl opened her eyes wide at the sudden body heat and let out a rough breath.
“Hueu, hit.”
She clenched her fist and slowly opened it, dropped her eyes, and raised her head again.
And then, cautiously extended her arms to Noona.
It was an awkward hug.
Not properly embracing, nor leaning in...
Still, the girl hugged Noona as if this was the best, and Noona patted the girl's hug twice on the back and carefully pulled away.
“Then, since I remembered, shall we go right away?”
“Right now...?”
“Yeah, if I bring one box on the way, it should be fine.”
Thinking about how much allowance the girl had saved, she probably hadn't bought clothes to wear, so one would be enough.
No, I don't know, maybe bring two?
Thinking this, Noona saw the girl fidgeting and said it was okay and pulled her hand.