LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 8
I couldn’t bring myself to refuse the story about producing rumors about my friend.
“……”
That evening, even after returning to the orphanage, I couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.
Listening to Ji-hye’s regular breathing as she fell asleep before me, I was lost in thought for a while.
What should I do?
Given that I didn’t outright refuse, the company would assume I agreed.
And truth be told, the option of simply refusing doesn’t really exist for me.
After all, Noir Corporation is not without reason for its reputation. There must be a reason that its name appears like that in webtoons.
They’re saying it’s a ‘suggestion’ in polite terms, but if they wanted to force it, they’d have countless methods at their disposal.
Like, they could just leak my personal information.
…Even if I got caught, I’d just have to pay a fine. The company’s image isn’t exactly stellar either.
I feel like I’ve unnecessarily entangled myself with this company.
It would have been better if it was back in the days when I knew nothing.
“……”
After some deep contemplation, I simply closed my eyes and turned to my side.
Eh, what good is thinking more going to do? The deed is done, and for now, I’ll just need to be cautious as much as I can.
There must be a point where both Ha-yoon and I can be fine. Surely.
*
Even though I thought that way, in the end, my worries were still worries, and I had no plans to meet Ha-yoon within the next few days.
I figured the company wouldn’t find this unreasonable. After all, a company works for maximum success and profit, not to torment people.
…Not that I can say such companies don’t exist, but anyway.
Let’s put it bluntly, if they acted on their own and Ha-yoon noticed first, it would create a significant problem for the company as well. No matter how much Eun-ha’s federal magical girls ‘aren’t caught,’ they tread a fine line in illegal territory, and if they commit crimes against minors—
—Uh, then I’d be in big trouble too. Right.
So I decided to approach this issue a bit more cautiously.
However,
Bzzzz—
After waking up as usual, having breakfast, doing a quick clean-up, and showering, I received a message from Ha-yoon.
The message read: [What are you doing today?].
Since we were very young, Ha-yoon had found it a bit hard to say ‘let’s hang out’ first. She’s somewhat timid, making her bad at planning gatherings or bringing someone out to play.
Though I’m similar in personality, I still knew how to be straightforward with (my few) close friends or people I really disliked, while Ha-yoon often seems unsure even when talking to me, her childhood friend.
After all, she knows I have plenty of free time.
[Just staying home.]
[Then, how about we meet up for a bit?]
[Sure.]
I deliberately ended my replies with a period.
It makes me seem a bit firmer. If I needed to outright refuse, I’d go with ellipses instead.
[When can we meet?]
I thought for a moment and replied,
[I can head out now.]
I included the period again in my reply.
[Then let’s meet in 30 minutes.]
[Sure. I’ll leave by then.]
There was no need to specify where we’d meet. After all, we had our usual spot.
“Where are you going?”
Today, Ji-hye, who had been strangely stuck to her desk, asked.
“Yeah.”
“To meet a friend?”
“Yep.”
“You have a lot of friends~~”
I shrugged at Ji-hye, who said that as if she envied me.
Sure, there are other friends in school, but it’s just Ha-yoon who I’m close enough with to meet during break.
“You should meet up with friends too.”
When I said that to Ji-hye, who kept glancing at me as if envious, she let out a deep sigh.
“They’ve gone out…”
“Oh.”
“……”
An incredibly awkward silence passed by, and I finally broke the silence.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s fine. You did that during the last break too.”
Ji-hye said while unnecessarily checking her freshly manicured nails.
…I actually don’t mind living in the orphanage too much. The facilities might be a bit old, but I think it’s a perfectly usable place.
However, we’re not exactly living in luxury. There are times when I can’t join friends who are going on trips far away.
But luckily, I have never missed out on events like school trips.
“…Oh, right.”
Ji-hye, who had been looking at her nails with a slightly pouty expression, suddenly looked at me with determined eyes.
“Can I hang out with your friend too?”
“Huh?”
At Ji-hye’s words, I unintentionally blurted that out.
“Well, I mean… yeah, if you feel pressured, I can’t help it.”
Seeing my reaction, Ji-hye immediately drooped.
As I knew a lot of things from hanging out with Ha-yoon, Ji-hye also understood various things about me from being with me.
I don’t carelessly mess with new things I’ve bought. At the very least, I wait until I’ve unwrapped it or asked before using it.
While foods like fish-shaped pastries or hotteok can be eaten right after taking them out of the paper bag, I still mention that I’ll be eating a vacuum-sealed snack before digging in… well, those are just some unspoken rules.
Overall, in contrast to Ji-hye, who doesn’t really mind others using her stuff, I have a pretty strong attachment to my things. Even if I don’t get angry as long as it doesn’t get broken, I don’t like people handling them as they please.
…It wouldn’t be a problem at all if we were in different rooms, but I suppose Ji-hye must have felt a bit strained living with a picky friend like me.
And my earlier “Huh?” reflected that feeling too. Just like how Ha-yoon finds it hard to say “let’s play” outright, I also react like that when asked a slightly sensitive question.
After such words come out, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the word ‘refusal’ follows.
“…Then, have fun~”
Ji-hye didn’t seem to be angry or sulking, but she did seem a bit hurt.
“Ah, then—”
I reflexively started to say something. If I couldn’t meet today, we could aim for tomorrow or the day after—
—then I had a thought.
“Wait a moment.”
“Huh?”
When I opened my palm towards Ji-hye and took out my smartphone, Ji-hye’s eyes widened in surprise. Seeing her raise her head after drooping just moments ago tells me she’s expecting something.
“…Let me ask first.”
“Huh?”
This time Ji-hye echoed my earlier words. I was sure that those words didn’t carry any special meaning. It was just surprise.
I stared intently at my phone screen, pondering.
What should I send? I’ve no clue how Ha-yoon makes ‘new friends.’ After all, we only became friends because we sat in similar spots in the same class.
“……”
[Ha-yoon, I’m sorry…]
[Huh? Why? If there’s something important, you don’t have to come out.]
No, that’s not it.
[Um… can I bring another friend along?]
[Friend?]
Messages don’t show expressions. The atmosphere of a voice isn’t apparent like on a call.
So it felt a bit scary.
[It’s fine.]
[Really?]
[Yep. She’s Ji-eun’s friend.]
She truly is a good person.
I almost jumped out of my seat in excitement but managed to hold back, telling the still tense Ji-hye beside me,
“She said it’s fine.”
“Oh!”
As Ji-hye leapt up from her seat, the wheeled office chair rolled back.
“I’ll get ready right now!”
She then scrambled to the closet to grab clothes.
Good thing I had already showered in the morning.
Though I would get scolded by the teacher if I didn’t.
*
So, my plan was like this.
The company would want Ha-yoon and me to be seen together. That way, they could concoct a scoop of Ha-yoon being ‘in a relationship.’
They seemed to already be aware that Ha-yoon’s mental fortitude isn’t that strong regarding such things.
But you see, the company never told me to meet “just the two of you.”
They simply said to “get along well.”
So, what if I just inserted Ji-hye between us?
I would fulfill my condition of playing with Ha-yoon while simultaneously sabotaging any photo opportunities.
“Don’t act like you know everything.”
Anyway, that’s why I informed Ji-hye beforehand that today’s meeting would be with Ha-yoon.
Ji-hye already knows that I’m friends with Ha-yoon. Honestly, it’s not something I’m bragging about, but a few articles about me have surfaced here and there. They usually state something like ‘A, a friend related to the magical girl.’
Even if my face is mosaicked, someone familiar could still surely recognize it based on the outfit or location in the photos.
“I know, I know. What kind of kid do you think I am?”
During a previous brief drama shoot at the school playground, I tried really hard to shout out the names of the celebrities from afar.
Seeing my skeptical look as if I couldn’t believe it, Ji-hye poked me in the side with her elbow.
“Anyway, let’s hurry up. We’re gonna be late.”
Though we technically lived in the ‘same’ neighborhood, I had been concealing that I live in an orphanage, so I always ended up meeting Ha-yoon near her house.
It wasn’t so much unfairness as it was just something I chose.
“Ah, over there.”
Ji-hye pointed ahead excitedly as if she noticed something before me.
At the end of her finger, there was Ha-yoon, radiating the vibes of spring even in this winter. She was wearing a thick coat, black stockings, and even a scarf and hat.
Whether Ji-hye’s movements were too exaggerated or not, it seemed Ha-yoon noticed us too. When I waved to her, she shyly waved back.
Having Ji-hye beside me seemed to amplify the embarrassment today.
“Hello~!”
Ha-yoon hopped a step or two forward, excitedly greeting, “So you must be Ha-yoon?”
“Uh… yes?”
Ha-yoon responded awkwardly, much more than I anticipated.
“I’m Ji-hye. Jeong Ji-hye.”
“Jeong Ji-hye…?”
Ha-yoon blinked, glancing back and forth at Ji-hye and me.
“Huh?”
Ji-hye blinked at Ha-yoon’s words, then turned to look at me.
Umm… this wasn’t something I expected.
Regardless of Ha-yoon’s demeanor, she doesn’t usually speak formally to classmates. She might have with other magical girls, but was it…?
Oh.
“We’re born in the same year, the same year.”
I quickly pointed out, indicating Ji-hye and myself.
Haa, a puff of breath escaped Ha-yoon. Seeing her eyes still widened, I could tell she sighed while understanding.
“Oh, I thought… you have a similar name, so I thought you were an older sister.”
“……Huh?”
I blurted out such a foolish response at Ha-yoon’s words.
Older sister?
“Oh, I see. You thought it was a nickname or something, right?”
Ji-hye said with a smile.
Then she poked me in the side again.
“Hey, she called you sister. Guess you look more mature than I do.”
Ha-yoon looked shocked at Ji-hye’s comment.
“Oh! No, that’s not… I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. It just means I look young, right?”
I quipped back.
“Oh! No, that’s not… I’m really sorry!”
As she panicked, Ha-yoon kept apologizing loudly, and each time, her feet lifted about 5 millimeters off the ground in a comical manner as she turned toward her apologetic target, which was just too cute.
Hahaha!
Seeing Ha-yoon’s apology made Ji-hye burst into laughter.
“You’re funny.”
Hearing Ji-hye’s words made Ha-yoon’s face flush even more.
“But why are you still speaking formally?”
“Oh, um, that’s…”
“Hey, hey.”
I poked Ji-hye’s side again.
“Give her some space. I’m not sure what to say either.”
“Hmm. Is that so? Sorry.”
“Oh, no, that’s not it. It’s fine.”
“…Ah, maybe it would be better if we just used formal speech. I feel more comfortable that way.”
Watching Ha-yoon continue to apologize with formal speech, Ji-hye turned serious, and I smacked the back of her head with my palm.
“Oh, why!”
“Just felt like hitting you.”
Ji-hye huffed a bit and began to pout, but I just lightly ignored her.
“So… where do you want to go? Isn’t it cold?”
“Hey, why are you being nice to her only?”
That’s because you don’t fall under the category of “girl” for me.
Of course, I don’t categorize Ha-yoon as a romantic interest either. I’m not one to pine after trees that cannot bear fruit.
While we were joking around, Ha-yoon was staring at us with her mouth agape.
“Hey, Ha-yoon?”
“Yeah? Oh, yes!”
It wasn’t until I called her name again that she blinked and answered quickly.
“Is there anywhere you want to go?”
“Um… let me think.”
Ha-yoon looked thoughtful for a moment.
It seems she doesn’t really have anywhere in mind.
And for some reason, that made me feel a light tickle inside.
I mean… it’s not that she’s close enough to call me out just because she has nothing to do. She also seems to believe I’d show up.
If I were a guy and Ha-yoon was a guy, I might have felt a bit melancholic. Two male friends without girlfriends would likely look pitiful as they met up just to pass time, diving into whatever they could find.
Well, it’s kind of similar even now, but at least one of us is a girl, right?
Even though I’m a girl too, well, at least the other person is female.
I don’t precisely understand what I’m saying, but I feel like the situation isn’t so bad.
“How about Hongdae?”
At that, both Ha-yoon and I turned our heads in unison.
“Huh, why? You guys haven’t been there before?”
We had never gone at all.
I think I might’ve been there in my previous life… but even then, it didn’t feel like I went to have fun like others did.
Did I go to buy comic books?
“What’s there?”
“Uh…”
Ji-hye seemed a bit flustered at my question.
What’s with that? Not knowing either?
However, upon reconsideration, I’ve gone to Gwanghwamun so often that I’m utterly bored. We’ve done nothing but aimlessly walk around, stopped by bookstores, had meals, and returned.
But I suppose that’s understandable.
What can two underage girls do? It’s not like we can enjoy drinks late at night, nor would we stay in cafés until late into the night.
Unless it’s a guy like Earth Buddy who uses cafés like drinking spots.
Plus—
Yeah. Going to a different place suddenly might confuse the cameramen as well, right?
“…Want to give it a try?”
So I decided to cautiously accept the suggestion.
Of course, the most important factor was Ha-yoon’s willingness. I only came out because Ha-yoon called me.
“Um… I mean…”
Ha-yoon’s face reddened.
Her expression revealed she felt both my gaze and Ji-hye’s on her face.
“…Yeah.”
Ha-yoon nodded slightly while looking down, speaking in a barely audible voice.
“Wow, she’s really cute. Should we raise her?”
I slapped the back of Ji-hye’s head again.
*
Even without Ha-yoon saying much, Ji-hye prattled on enthusiastically.
In the beginning, Ha-yoon seemed extremely awkward, but she gradually adapted to Ji-hye as we rode the subway. That bubbly personality had really come in handy.
Well, Ji-hye is considerate of others. While she might look similar to Earth Buddy at first glance, unlike Earth Buddy, who tends to think centered around themselves, Ji-hye is rather the type who considers others first.
If it weren’t for that, she wouldn’t have been able to continuously share the same room with someone as complicated as me.
Moreover, isn’t there something about her being perfectly at ease with physical contact?
Ji-hye certainly is that way.
Well, I’m not entirely oblivious to Ji-hye’s not treating me as a girl after spending such a long time in the same room.
“……”
Hmm.
I sensed Ha-yoon’s gaze slightly on me.
For a while now, Ji-hye had been pulling my arm to guide me, and I felt Ha-yoon was watching intently, contemplating whether this was “natural.”
Particularly, it felt more pointed given that I was wearing disguise glasses right now.
Hmm… perhaps I should loosen up a little today.
Otherwise, it might seem like I’m isolating her.
Having made that judgment, I tilted my head again.
However, I had deliberately brought Ji-hye along to avoid the cameras. In that case, maybe it might be better to walk around naturally with someone else, so I could craft an excuse later—
—While I contemplated such thoughts, my mind suddenly went blank.
Besides the left arm Ji-hye was grabbing, my right arm suddenly felt something touch it.
Ha-yoon was holding onto my arm with a resolute expression.
Although her grip on my elbow was awkward rather than a full arm hook, Ha-yoon’s hand had nonetheless slipped between my side and my arm.
As our eyes locked, it seemed for a moment like Ha-yoon’s grip might loosen, but she tightened it instead.
“……”
But it’s fine, I suppose.
After all, the plan was to meet Ha-yoon, and leaving her alone would feel a bit off.
And besides, it’d be harder for a camera to get an angle if we were clinging together like this.
I nonchalantly scanned the surroundings, paying attention to the streets filled with people as we walked.
Thankfully, there seemed to be a lot of couples passing by.
Sure, there were more people than I’d anticipated, yet not many were regarding the three of us with any special interest.