Since that day, rumors began to spread about the monster in the recovery room and the spaceship.
Now that communication is breaking down, abandon hope.
Unbeknownst to them that the shadow of that rumor is Magical Girl Mun, the calls for peaceful protests on the spaceship grew louder.
Likewise, three people, who were unaware of that fact, were peacefully enjoying sushi together.
“Isn’t it the first time in a while that we’ve heard a monster alert in Incheon?”
Senior Jiun, who was flicking the fish flesh around her tongue, hadn’t quite managed to fit it all in her mouth.
After she gulped down the remaining fish like slurping noodles, she murmured, “It’s been ages since I’ve heard a monster alert, except maybe abroad.”
When I half-swallowed a piece of sushi, like Senior Jiun, I mentioned that it had been a while since I heard an alert.
“Right? The last one we heard was around last Seol and once in the United States, so it’s the first time since then…”
“Oh, is it really your first time since then?”
“Yes.”
With a look of surprise as if she understood that moment, Senior Jiun mentioned ‘that time.’
As I answered, memories of hearing the alert together with her around last Seol flashed through my mind.
While chewing on sushi and listening to Senior Jiun, she squinted her eyes as if in disbelief and asked a question.
“But, why did it have to show up today, when we’re eating at my house?”
“That’s what I’m wondering.”
After silently listening to that question, I picked up a piece of sushi with my wooden chopsticks, dipped it in soy sauce, and popped it into my mouth before answering.
I felt just as astonished.
Considering how few people we know, how many times do we even meet? To have a monster suddenly appear right after we pick up chopsticks is absurd.
Putting that resentment aside, Shiyeon, looking like she was in need of praise, raised her opposite hand while holding the chopsticks and proudly smiled.
“I made all of this by myself today!”
“Oh, really? You’ve done well, Shiyeon.”
“Though it was a surprise, it’s tough to hit that distance in one go, but you did great.”
Senior Jiun’s compliment overlapped with the genuine praise.
Of course, it would be more accurate to say she smashed it rather than hit it…
Even so, hitting something that dropped from that height as it lands squarely on the ground is quite difficult, even objectively speaking.
“Uhee…”
With the overlapping praise from two people, even Shiyeon, who had been craving compliments, laughed with a somewhat shy and quirky sound.
Since sushi isn’t exactly a food with a lot of servings for its price, after a few exchanges of chopsticks, the disposable containers ran empty quickly.
Even as guests, we couldn’t just sit back and let someone else clean, given that we were just mooching off.
I stacked the empty disposable containers and took them to the kitchen, rinsing them neatly under a cool stream of running water and stacking them to the side.
After finishing the dishes, just as I shook the water off my hands over the sink, I heard a baby crying from the inside of the room.
“Oh dear, it seems like Juwon has woken up.”
Senior Jiun, comfortably sitting in the living room, reflexively got up and walked toward the bedroom with a light, nimble step.
What could Juwon be so upset about that he was crying at maximum volume?
Though there are countless reasons why babies cry, since the only way to express their feelings is through crying, it’s normal for them to cry often.
The problem is that it’s impossible to guess what exactly the reason is.
Is he hungry? Does he want to be held? Did he have a bad dream?
“It’s been hardly any time since he ate…”
“What about his diaper?”
“It seems to be clean…”
As Senior Jiun speculated various reasons, I chimed in to suggest plausible ones, but after checking Juwon’s bottom over his clothes, she murmured as if to say that it wasn’t that.
There are times when we can’t figure out why he’s crying.
Still, after repeatedly patting his back, Juwon’s cries subsided, and with tear-stained cheeks, he closed his mouth and looked around.
It wouldn’t matter during the daytime, but the thought of him crying like this at night was a bit dreadful.
‘She must be going through a lot.’
Since babies don’t differentiate between night and day when they cry, it was clear how much work Senior Jiun had.
Adults certainly had it right when they said that babies are pretty only when you see them.
Around the time Shiyeon finished her meal and was rolling around on the floor, I started a conversation with Senior Jiun.
It was about the state of the world, a topic Shiyeon still wouldn’t take much interest in.
Specifically, we were discussing when the lease for the officetel we currently lived in would end.
“Isn’t your contract ending around next winter? You’re not thinking of extending it, are you?”
“Right, I think I should either move to an apartment or something.”
Sitting on the floor like Senior Jiun, leaning against the sofa, I answered the question leisurely with my thoughts.
Considering the topic, it surely didn’t sound like something a fifth grader should say, but Senior Jiun had long since gotten used to talking with me.
The conversation flowed smoothly, just like a typical adult-to-adult dialogue.
“More than anything, it’s extra money, right? The deposit.”
I had a lot to say about renewing the lease, subtly referencing incidents that Senior Jiun would likely know.
“Oh right, the time you converted the gold bars into cash?”
“Yes, if I get the deposit back along with this, it’s like a triple event… there’s no reason to stay.”
In a sense, it was like winning an event saying, ‘If you live in this house, we will inflate your deposit when you get it back!’
Even if I were to continue living there, since I already received some money, I didn’t feel like I was losing my own funds.
But if I were to move out, I would get that money back at triple the amount.
With that money, there would be no reason to insist on that officetel, and I’d have more than enough options to move to a better place.
As if agreeing that Senior Jiun would likely feel the same in my shoes, she nodded and continued with her next question.
“Speaking of which, have you thought of any places?”
“Well, the thing is, nothing particularly looks good…”
I couldn’t straightforwardly answer her question this time.
With about a year and seven months left until the winter of sixth grade, it should have been enough time to settle my heart, but as I weighed various factors, I was stuck wandering without settling on one place.
If it’s a house where I’ll have to live from middle school onwards, my worries would naturally deepen.
Even if it’s not this officetel, there are certainly other types of scams to consider…
Moreover, if there are minor issues, dealing with them can be quite a headache.
“How about our apartment? I think it would be fine since there are quite a few rooms.”
“Yeah? How much is the rent here?”
“It depends on the direction, but even for a south-facing house, it should be around 380 million won?”
“Oh…”
I let out an exclamation at what seemed like a rational price.
Even including the gold bars I obtained from the landlord and the deposit returned at the end of the contract, there would be about 70 million won left over.
Senior Jiun had efficiently managed to process those gold bars through some dark route and made sure to help me out with what could have been fees that might have been deducted initially.
Even if it’s not close to the subway, there’s a bus stop nearby, and in the surroundings, there are minor hospitals or pharmacies, a variety of franchises, and a large supermarket within walking distance.
Whether it’s truly good or if it just looks good because I’m a bit gullible…
Nonetheless, it felt reassuring since two people I already knew were living there, and I thought at least I would face fewer minor issues.
After returning home, I seriously contemplated the moving issue while staring intently at my smartphone.
Time went by a little, and by May, I had almost confirmed in my heart that I was moving to Senior Jiun’s apartment.
At school, it was May 8th.
In celebration of Parents’ Day during the month of family, we started our usual routine of folding carnations.
No matter how beautifully I folded the colorful red and green paper, it was still a puzzling dilemma regarding who to give it to.
Every year, we had an exchange of carnations meaninglessly between Shiyeon and me, so of course, I thought it would happen this year too.
As part of an annual event, I was staring intently at the carnations we had shared at home when Shiyeon spoke up first.
“…Should we give this to your sister?”
“Oh.”
I snapped my fingers in response, struck by her thoughtful suggestion.
If it’s just for the sake of meaninglessly sharing, why not give it to someone who has really become a mom, a close older sister?
With each passing day, Shiyeon seemed to grow more commendable in her thoughts.
“That sounds good.”
“Right?”
After telling the woman running the washing machine that I would be stepping out for a moment, I quickly set Shiyeon’s plan into action.
Taking the bus for a few stops, right on the day of Parents’ Day, I knocked on the door and presented the carnation to Senior Jiun.
Since Uncle Dae Han was out working, both carnations ended up going to Senior Jiun.
And naturally, I sought to fill a personal desire for visiting.
“Juwon!”
The hair that could hardly be called grass was now somewhat grown on Juwon’s head.
As I called his name, he smiled as if raising his chubby cheeks while lying down, waving his arms and legs.
The baby that seemed delicate enough to break with a touch now had a decent build and could fit into the arms of an elementary school student.
Still, he remained small and adorable.
I stuck my finger into his tiny hand and gently shook it, and Senior Jiun, as if recalling something, spoke to us.
“Will you all come to the first birthday party?”
“Of course, if you invite us…”
Sitting cross-legged and cradling Juwon in it, I responded affirmatively to Senior Jiun’s question.
“Woolulululu—”
With each childish sound I made, Juwon laughed even louder, and once again, I felt my heart cleanse with joy.
