To achieve that, what I need is Siyeon’s silence and my own confidence.
And of course, a clear situation and script that feels like it was crafted by an adult.
Considering air conditioning sickness, I opted for a windless air conditioner rather than one that blows strong air.
I meticulously checked the energy consumption efficiency ratings and decided to compromise on an air conditioner of about grade 2, completely setting aside the almost nonexistent grade 1.
No matter how much of a magical girl I may be, the progressive rates are just as scary.
“Three hundred…”
In the long run, the amount saved is significant, but the immediate purchase price among the display of air conditioners is still quite heavy.
But what can I do? It’s not like I’ll just toss away an appliance after one or two years of use.
Lately, the amount spent on computers, air conditioners, and appliances is starting to surpass a month’s worth of magical girl activity funds.
Of course, if I included Siyeon’s activity funds, I could manage comfortably, but…
“That wouldn’t be good…”
Remembering the money I’ve never truly held in my hands, I swallowed my bitterness.
It’s not like I’m dealing with adults who rob New Year’s money under the pretense of savings.
Touching Siyeon’s activity funds would force the memories of those days to cry out against my conscience.
Right now, it’s not exactly a matter of conscience, but it’s a moment that requires a little white lie.
I steadied my heart and approached the staff at the appliance section, ready to speak.
What I needed right now was the courage and acting skills to tell that little white lie.
“Excuse me.”
I tried to keep my voice as childish as possible and tugged at my pants from their height.
“Yes? What is it?”
The staff member, dressed in a sharp, crisp white shirt and green tie, looked down at me.
With his sharp black belt and black suit pants, he looked quite dapper.
As I stood there, suddenly aware of how much younger I appeared compared to his roughly 180-centimeter height, I continued speaking.
“My mom asked me to order an air conditioner.”
“U-uh?”
His surprised voice came across my ears.
From the staff member’s perspective, it was likely puzzling to see two kids just barging in to buy an air conditioner.
His first thought was probably, what’s going on? Where are these kids’ parents?
Then after regaining his composure, he might’ve thought, is this a prank?
But I was serious.
Right now, we were in a situation where our clueless mom, who had no concept of the market, had gone up to the second floor to buy clothes.
I was merely a child trying to deliver the errand that mom had given me to the best of my ability.
No manual on customer service could prepare him for this absurd situation.
I pulled out the punchline that would shake his confused mind once more—a neatly prepared paper.
“This is what I was told to show when buying the air conditioner!”
The neatly folded A4 sheet I presented contained nothing other than our home address and the structure for air conditioner piping.
Clear and concise requirements about installation costs, etc., giving the confirmation that we weren’t just two kids playing around trying to buy an air conditioner, sent the staff into deep thought.
“Um… do you know what you were asked to buy?”
“Me!”
With a childlike shout, I dashed forward, pulling his hand along with mine toward the air conditioner I had in mind.
Siyeon, holding the other end of my hand, remained silent with her mouth covered.
Siyeon’s role was simply a charm of persuasion.
The sight of two kids holding hands somehow seemed more convincing than just one.
Standing before the grand air conditioner that would save us from heat, I handed over my card.
“Here, it’s the card.”
“Uh, yeah….”
The employee’s expression, slightly tilting his head, looked uneasy.
After all, this would contribute to his performance record, but…
Is it really okay to do this?
It was probably not just this employee—no one among those with over a decade of service would have encountered this situation before.
Today, a precious experience indeed.
After finalizing the payment and getting the card back, I boarded the escalator going up from the basement, just as my smartphone buzzed to notify me of the payment.
As I glanced at Siyeon, who was holding my hand and had her cheeks puffed up as if she were holding her breath, I couldn’t help but speak.
“You can talk now.”
“Phu-ha!”
As soon as she received the permission to speak, a small sigh slipped out.
Releasing the warmth we had held onto, I pinched Siyeon’s cheek lightly and chided her.
“Hey, why were you holding your breath?”
Viewing a child through an adult’s perspective was simply too cute.
I could barely live on Siyeon’s presence alone.
If I had been alone, the neighbors upstairs and downstairs would have…
‘Ah, such kind thoughts… kind thoughts.’
Setting aside my blissful imaginations of breaking through the ceiling of the lower house and the floor of the upper house, I turned on my smartphone and placed my hand on my stomach as the time grew late.
It was about time for hunger to kick in.
Just as the escalator reached the upper floor, I spotted the food court, which I hadn’t noticed when I came to look for appliances.
That food court, with ridiculously small portions and absurdly high prices.
But considering that I would eventually return home and order expensive takeout anyway…
If both options are expensive, I decided to pick the closer one.
After making that mental decision, I immediately asked Siyeon.
“What do you want to eat here?”
“Yes!”
As if saying it was a shame to ask, her answer came springing out.
It reminded me of my childhood when I was dragged into a mart by my family, where I would sulk until we decided to eat here without considering the price or portion.
I hadn’t visited these mart restaurants since realizing the cost-performance aspect.
From various stews to soups, fried foods, Chinese dishes, noodles, and snacks—effectively, it was a one-stop general restaurant. I started pondering what to order.
“What do you want to eat?”
“Um….”
Even though I asked what she wanted to eat, kids typically don’t have much to choose from in these mart food courts.
At best, there would be katsu or special assorted katsu, omelet rice, that sort of thing.
“Omelet rice!”
“Then, I’ll have the special assorted katsu.”
These days, such food courts have become automated, with kiosks standing in place of staff members.
So, here’s the problem.
There was no kiosk low enough for children.
‘The height….’
The screens of the kiosks seemed infinitely higher for Siyeon and me.
We stood in front of the kiosk, gazing blankly at it, two girls.
Eventually, in the food court, where it looked like the order amounts would be low.
“What are you trying to order?”
An auntie from the back of the food court came out to assist us.
I had once thought about how sad it would be to be short, but…
At this very moment, I felt the sorrow of not being able to order anything alone.
“Omelet rice and, s-s….”
“Special assorted katsu.”
Holding my card out, the aunt accepted it and completed the payment at the kiosk.
As luck would have it, that very aunt was the one who worked at the food court where we ordered, so we didn’t even need to stare blankly at the number ticket.
Right away, the aunt took the number ticket and assigned us to a nearby seat.
“Sit here, I’ll bring it to you when it’s ready.”
“Thank you.”
“Thanks.”
With kindness that went beyond simple goodwill, I bowed my head in gratitude along with Siyeon.
I felt the world is still bearable, thanks to people like her.
With quick preparations, the hot omelet rice and special assorted katsu, which included katsu, fish katsu, and shrimp tempura, came to us.
Along with it came soup, corn salad, and a lump of rice.
Though the price slightly exceeded ten thousand won, the meager configuration might leave some regret, but it was enough to fill us up.
The sweet-and-sour familiar sauce was a delight to the mouth.
After finishing a satisfying meal despite the price, exiting the mart made the heat hit me again, tempting me to just go back inside.
It was the kind of weather that made me feel like I just couldn’t walk any further.
In the end, I took a taxi from the front of the mart and returned home, stating our address.
Even after returning home, the nightmare of the heat wasn’t over.
Little droplets of sweat rolled down my pale skin.
Before I knew it, the sweat that started soaking through my clothes darkened the fabric around my neck as if I had fallen into water.
“Let’s just hold on for a few days with the fan….”
“I want to take a shower….”
Thus began the lonely battle between just the two of us until the air conditioner arrived.
In the meantime, showering and doing laundry became a double chore.
In the midst of the sweltering heat and the cycle of showering and laundry, we endured and awaited the arrival of the air conditioner.
Suddenly, thinking of the two beasts sprawled on the cushions, I posed a question.
“Aren’t you guys hot?”
“…….”
“?”
Not receiving an answer, I felt something odd and turned to the direction of the cushions.
Usually curled up in their usual positions, Siyeon’s mascot and Gomteng, who would normally be crossing his legs with his hands behind his head, were sprawled out like corpses, tongues hanging down.
‘Even they’re feeling the heat.’
I picked up both mascots with one hand, feeling their damp, sticky surfaces sliding along my fingers.
Is this a kind of sweat?
What I thought was a solitary battle with just the two of us turned out to be a four-way fight.
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