Our First Outing

"Jeff, did you happen to buy something online?"

"Huh?"

Amy asked while I was sitting on the floor, doodling in my sketchbook. Her question made me search my memories.

"They say a package was delivered to your address."

"A package?"

"Yes."

I put down the crayon I was holding and stood up. Online? A package? Of course, I had Amy's credit card, but I had never used it to buy anything online.

"Ah!"

At that moment, I remembered the event for The Little Witch's Grand Adventure that I had entered with Shine a few days ago.

"I entered an event giveaway."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes! Do you know what arrived?"

"I didn't check the contents, so I'm not sure."

"Ah...!"

I stomped my feet in excitement and started spinning around Amy. Since there was no other reason for me to receive a package, I must have won a prize.

"Just wait a bit. They said they're bringing it up now," Amy said, hugging me as I squirmed around in excitement. Only then did I stop flailing my legs and relax my body.

"Okay."

Well past lunchtime, just as Amy had said, I received a package wrapped in a small box. A terrifying, burly man wearing a black suit and sunglasses handed me the package and vanished in the blink of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠an eye. And there wasn't just one, but two. It seemed both Shine and I had won.

"Jeff, who is that?"

"Probably one of Amy's subordinates."

Shine silently stared at the man in the black suit. Walking briskly, he quickly disappeared from our sight.

"What is that?"

"It's from the event we entered before."

"From back then?"

"Yeah."

I carried the boxes into our room. Amy had stepped out again to handle some of Jin's work. I placed the boxes on the table and sat down in front of them.

"I wonder what's inside!"

Stroking my cheeks, which were flushed with anticipation, I took out a small paper knife from the table and began to open the box. Because the blade was dull, the tape didn't cut easily, but this was the only knife Shine and I were allowed to use. Amy had banned us from using regular utility knives, claiming they were too dangerous, so we had no choice.

*Poke, poke.*

After stabbing at the box with the somewhat pointy tip and putting in a solid effort, I finally managed to tear it completely open.

"Oh..."

The contents of the box were surprisingly substantial. There was an artbook featuring the characters, their items, and their skills, a soundtrack CD, and a chibi figure of the protagonist, Lucy. I carefully took out the figure and placed it on the table. I couldn't help but admire how high-quality it was despite being a chibi. Chibi Lucy's spot was decided right next to my dinosaur rock. This seemed to be the second-place prize. It was a shame it wasn't the blanket, but this was still a great prize, so I was quite satisfied.

I pulled the second box toward me. It was smaller than the first one. Just looking at its exterior made me feel incredibly anxious. It was also so light that I couldn't imagine a blanket being inside. Trembling with anticipation, my fingers shaking, I used the paper knife to poke at the belly of the box.

"What's this...?"

What popped out from inside the box was a golden ticket. The ticket, printed with Lucy's shining face, had a holographic effect where her expression changed depending on the angle you looked at it.

"What's that?"

"I don't know."

I fluttered the golden ticket in my hand. A faint rustling sound echoed.

"There's a letter underneath, Jeff," Shine said to me while I was completely captivated by the golden ticket. She pulled an envelope out of the small box I had pushed aside and handed it to me.

The contents of the letter were simple. A letter imbued with "magic," written from the perspective of Lucy. It said there was a special event and hoped I would definitely attend with the ticket, and it even came with a shiny Lucy sticker.

"It's not the blanket...?" I muttered weakly.

The second-place prize was nice, but what I really wanted was Lucy's magic cape blanket. But it was too early to give up. I climbed down from my chair and headed straight for the computer. Grabbing the mouse, I accessed the event page featuring a giant Lucy, just like I had a few days ago. Scrolling all the way down, I clicked on the "Special Prize" section of the prize list. A large golden ticket appeared with a sparkling effect. Beneath it was an explanation of the theme park that could be accessed with the golden ticket.

"Whoa!"

The golden ticket, which allowed up to four people to enter together, boasted incredible benefits. All facilities could be used for free, and it came with an artbook signed by the voice actors, along with all event giveaway prizes except for the first and second-place prizes. That meant I could get Lucy's cape blanket!

Sitting in the computer chair, my butt wiggling with excitement, I immediately jumped down.

"Jeff?"

"We have to go out! Quick! We have to go right now!"

"Go out?"

Completely thrilled, I ran around the room, stuffing things into my bag. Just in case, I packed my sketchbook and the instant coffee mix that had been tucked inside Baek-si's back. I also stuffed Lucy's hat and magic wand inside.

"Do we have to go outside?" Shine asked, approaching me from behind.

"Yeah. I won the event. I think we have to go out."

"But Amy told us not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to go outside."

"Mmh, that's true, but..."

"And Jeff, the outside world is a very scary place."

I nodded at Shine's words. Just as she said, it was a dangerous and scary place, but this was incredibly important to me.

"But Shine, if we get Amy's permission, wouldn't it be okay?"

"Jeff."

Shine stared at me in silence. But I couldn't back down this time. I steeled my gaze and looked straight into Shine's eyes.

"You wanted to see our house too, Shine."

"Well, that's true, but..."

"Shine... let's go see our house. And we can go to the theme park too."

I clung to her arm, pleading. Flustered, Shine took a step back. I reached out and grabbed her small hand.

"If I'm with Shine, everything will be fine! Right?"

"Hmm..."

"As long as I'm with Shine, I won't be scared at all!"

"Yes. That's right. Jeff, you have to stay with me."

"That's why I'm saying we should go together!"

At my rapid-fire words, Shine looked utterly confused. I immediately ran back to the table and grabbed the golden ticket.

"Since it's for four people, who should we go with?"

Amy, Shine, and I were absolute locks. The remaining spot would obviously go to either Rain or Victor, but since Victor was currently suspended, we couldn't take him. It felt a bit pitiful that Victor couldn't go to such an awesome place.

"Amy, me, Shine, and Rain!"

The party was decided. I nodded to myself and muttered.

"Jeff, Amy hasn't given her permission yet."

"No!"

"Jeff."

"We're going!"

"Jeff, do you really want to go that badly?"

"Yes!"

Shine fell silent at my firm reply. Seeing her look somewhat displeased, I grew anxious.

"Why...?"

"Do we really have to go?"

At Shine's low, subdued voice, I nodded weakly.

"Yeah... because it's really important."

I quietly watched her reaction. Sitting there in silence as if lost in deep thought, Shine finally nodded after a long moment.

"If Amy allows it, I'm fine with it too."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

I immediately jumped up and threw my arms around Shine. Sitting on the soft bed, she rolled around on the blankets with me.

While I was passing the time playing with Shine, the dinosaur rock, and the chibi Lucy figure, Amy returned to the room.

"Amy!"

The moment Amy walked in, I ran to her with the golden ticket in my hand. As if used to this reaction, she smiled and opened her arms to hug me.

"Hey there, Jeff. Have you been playing nicely?"

"Yes!"

Clinging to her neck with both hands, I held up the golden ticket right in front of Amy's eyes.

"I won this!"

"Won?"

"Yes! It's a ticket to a theme park."

"Hmm..."

Amy took the ticket from me and walked over to the computer desk. Setting me down on the desk, she sat in the chair and began checking the website I had opened.

"It's the Special Prize?"

"Yes!"

"So you have to go in person?"

"Yes!"

"But the outside is dangerous..."

Amy leaned back in her chair and started spinning around. I watched her pink hair spin with tense eyes.

"Amy, I want to go outside too," Shine chimed in.

"Even Shine?"

"Yes. I want to see our house."

"Hmm..."

The slowly spinning chair came to a halt. Amy stroked her chin, seemingly lost in thought.

"Alright. I suppose you two must have been feeling cooped up."

The permission slipped from Amy's lips. I stared at her in disbelief. She had always told us we couldn't go outside because it was too dangerous, yet she had agreed so easily. If I had known, I would have asked sooner.

"That's great, Jeff!"

Shine approached me as I sat perched on the desk and began playing with my feet. I flinched at the ticklish sensation and tried to pull them away, but she hugged my legs even tighter.

"So, Jeff. Up to four people can go. Who are you going with?" Amy asked, moving the mouse to check the event page.

I answered confidently.

"Amy! Me! Shine! Rain!"

It was no exaggeration to say that this list included literally everyone I could possibly call; my social circle was incredibly narrow. Is this right? I felt like I used to have more people around me before. As I made a subtle face at this strange sense of dissonance, Shine pulled on my legs, causing me to jump down from the desk.

"Shouldn't we ask Rain first?"

"Is Rain busy?"

"Probably not."

Amy pulled her phone out of her pocket and started dialing. As I looked up at her with eyes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠full of anticipation, she switched the call to speakerphone. The faint ringback tone of the recipient began to echo throughout the room.

Just as the chirping repeated for the umpteenth time, a familiar voice came through. It was Rain.