Chapter 20

“This place seems nice.”

“Yay.”

Pretty Heart and I changed into swimsuits first, found a good spot, and set up a parasol.

Now, all we have to do is wait for the others to bring the rest.

In the meantime, we can just sit on the mat we laid out and snack.

“But, shouldn’t we help?”

“Huh? What good would it do if we helped? Especially if I help, it would just be advertising that I’m a magical girl, right?”

“Ah, that’s true.”

Whether I use my strength or something like telekinesis, it would eventually reveal that I’m a magical girl.

If that happens, reporters would swarm in, and it would be a huge hassle.

So, when I’m not transformed, I have to hide it thoroughly unless I’m at home.

“Here, have some snacks.”

“Thank you~.”

By the way, is it that guy again for this mission…?

Since it’s a day trip, he’ll probably cling to me and say he wants to sleep over again when we get back.

This time, I’m definitely kicking him out.

“By the way, it’s my first time wearing a swimsuit out, but it doesn’t feel particularly special.”

“Swimsuits feel different from underwear, and everyone is wearing them like this, so it’s not a big deal.”

“Is that so…?”

If that’s the case, they’ll probably be really disappointed with my reaction.

Half of them probably planned this just for that.

“Oh, your swimsuit is pretty.”

“More importantly, where’s the shy reaction?”

“Ah… have you already gotten used to it…?”

“Why are you disappointed? So, did you prepare something? What’s that?”

“This? I took a few things from the camping set. We need something to grill and eat, right?”

“You even specified the set…?”

By the way, what are these things?

And why is the power battery so big?

Are these guys planning to run games here all day?

“What’s this?”

“The icebox was a bit too much, so I just brought a fridge.”

“It can run full power with the computer for 8 hours.”

“We relied on this a lot before.”

“You guys are crazy…”

“Wow, this is serious…”

So that’s why they told me to let them know if I wanted any beer…?

Well, it’s good to have something like this to keep things cold.

But why are there so many types of alcohol?

“I’ll make you a cocktail. Wait.”

“You know how to make cocktails?”

“I have a bartending and barista license.”

“…Really?”

“Real.”

This guy… he talks like a community college student but is ridiculously capable…

Wait, when did he even get those licenses?

“Did you guys know about this?”

“No? First time hearing it.”

“I heard he was preparing something, but I didn’t know it was bartending and barista stuff.”

So, he pretty much prepared it in secret.

But why would he do that when he could just live his life playing around?

Was it just a hobby?

“…Ah, Jin. Nari is still in middle school, so make hers non-alcoholic.”

“Okay.”

“Wow…”

Since I’m bored, maybe I’ll watch him make cocktails.

Pretty Heart seems really curious too, so I should move over there to watch.

…He’s mixing something, but what’s that tool?

And he’s mixing it in a specific pattern… are there some special techniques?

“Here~ then… this is non-alcoholic, so the young lady first.”

“Th-thank you…”

Calling a middle schooler a young lady… well, it’s better than being treated like a kid.

“Here, for you too, young lady.”

“…Am I being treated as a young lady too?”

“Well, for now.”

“That’s very kind of you.”

He’s giving me some unnecessary lip service.

Is he doing that because Pretty Heart is here too?

Well, if that’s the case, I’ll let it slide.

Pretty Heart doesn’t know I used to be a guy.

“Oh, what’s this? A Dirty Hoe?”

“You like beer, right?”

I don’t particularly like beer… well, I drink it often, so I guess that’s why.

…Have I been drinking too much beer?

No, but still, beer is better than soju when I’m drinking casually.

And properly made soju isn’t sold at convenience stores or places like this.

I don’t know much about other alcohols, so I wouldn’t know what to buy…

“Ra… ah, Dabin unnie. Drink this, and let’s go play in the water!”

“Water play?”

“I’ve been watching you the whole time. Let’s go play together.”

“Girls should play together, giggling.”

“Real.”

“…Well, okay. But you guys should fix your weird common sense.”

If it were kids, it would be different, but adults, regardless of gender, would just lie around all day because it’s too much hassle.

But still… if Pretty Heart says let’s go, I have to go along.

Especially since she came here because of me.

“Alright, let’s go since we’re done drinking.”

“We have tubes prepared… and water guns too!”

“Uh, okay…?”

They prepared thoroughly because they wanted to play with me…

They want to have a water gun fight with this… right?

What a pure kid, a pure kid.

These days, kids like that are almost mythical.

“But, can you hit me?”

“Eat it!”

“If you aim for the face right away, it’s easy to see.”

“Huh?!”

Pretty Heart suddenly shot at my face, so I dodged.

At the same time, I shot at Pretty Heart’s face.

Sorry, but I’m not going to let you hit me easily.

“How are you dodging?!”

“Huh? I just watch where the water gun is pointing and your finger movements.”

“…What?”

“Yah.”

“Kyaa?!”

If you can’t even dodge this, you can’t handle Marquis-Class enemies or higher.

Besides, I have a magical girl’s body, so it would be weird if I couldn’t react.

If you’re upset, you should have a water gun fight while transformed into a magical girl.

“Unnie, that’s so mean! Using that power here!”

“No… this is my default.”

I feel bad for Pretty Heart, but I dodged all the water gun attacks until the end.

Even if it’s just a kid, I can’t just let them win on purpose…

“Ugh… Dabin unnie…”

“What? Why are you suddenly like this?”

“…Eat it!!”

“Huh?!”

Ugh… grabbing my arm and shooting, that’s cheating.

…Well, at least she got to hit me and feel satisfied.

She probably needed to do that to feel better.

“I was watching the whole time, isn’t that a bit too much?”

“Too much… if I can dodge easily, it’s a bit much to just let her hit me, right?”

“…You explain it.”

“I can’t. I don’t know about that stuff.”

“Ah, I’ll just say it. Hey, listen up. Water gun fights aren’t about dodging and shooting like a survival game, it’s about just mindlessly getting hit by water and having fun.”

“……Really?”

Ah… so that’s why Pretty Heart was making such a pouty face?

If that’s the case, I was a bit too harsh on her.

But it’s not like she’s at the age where giving her a snack will solve everything, so I don’t know how to make it up to her.

“……”

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…Dabin unnie.”

“What?”

“Hug me.”

“……I’m an adult, you know?”

“I’ll hug you until I’m satisfied.”

“Ah, okay…”

So, it’s going to end up like this…

Besides, those guys are snickering, so it’s annoying.

“How does it feel to be hugged by a kid?”

“Shut up.”

“By the way, you’re still weak against kids.”

“She used to put up with all her younger sister’s mischief back then. Do you think that would just disappear?”

“Unnie, did you have a younger sister?”

“…Yeah.”

Is it about my younger sister… she suddenly became quiet after growing up.

She was pretty wild until she took the college entrance exam, but did she mature after becoming an adult?

Seeing her still acting like a freeloader at home, it doesn’t seem like she’s matured…

…Ah, when will I see my family?

I thought about it before but completely forgot.

Should I just barge in and tell them I was a magical girl?

Since I can’t quit for life, I’ll have to do it eventually.

My younger sister… she probably won’t care much, but my parents won’t just give up, considering all the things they did.

They were the kind of people who would do anything to control my life, so giving up is out of the question.

Ugh… it’s such a hassle.

“By the way, are we grilling soon?”

Suddenly, what are we grilling… oh, huge shrimp.

Those tiger shrimp or whatever, the really big ones.

And next to it, they even set up a stove to make fried rice… are these guys really here to enjoy the sea?

“You guys… when did you prepare the stove…?”

“I told you, I took it from the camping set. We have it, so we’re just making fried rice.”

“Is that so… ah, if you’re going to do that, make a lot. Nari eats a lot.”

“How much does she eat?”

“She can easily finish four adult portions.”

“Wow.”

“Eh, hehe… I do eat a lot…”

So, lunch is fried rice, grilled shrimp… and steak?

Wait, when were they grilling the steak?

“…Jinsu, did you come here just to cook?”

“Yeah.”

“Didn’t you know? He’s always the cooking guy when we travel.”

“I didn’t know since I don’t travel much. I didn’t know you had this talent…”

If I had known, maybe I should have traveled with them more often.

But with the magical girl missions, it’s a bit much to go on trips all the time…

Well, they don’t travel that often either, so it’s not a big deal.

“It’s almost ready, so sit on the sunbed.”

“…What? Why the sunbed all of a sudden?”

“This sunbed also functions as a makeshift dining table.”

“Oh, really.”

“That’s so cool!”

They have all sorts of weird stuff…

Yay… so you sit like this, and unfold it like this?

“Oh… this looks delicious…”

“Wow…”

Oh, oh… the food is amazing…

I feel like I’m going to eat until I burst…

“Phew~… I feel like I’m going to burst…”

In the end, just as I predicted, I ate until I was about to burst.

Especially because of the shrimp, I went crazy eating.

After that, I just slumped on the sunbed, and suddenly my friends brought something over.

They seem to be planning something… wait, are we really here to enjoy the sea?

“If you’re done eating, let’s play a game. All the laptops are custom water-cooled, so they won’t overheat even in the middle of summer.”

“Really… and four of them?”

“We’re going to play that 4-player squad game we played before.”

“Really? Then what about Nari?”

“I’ll just watch from the side, unnie!”

Well, if she’s fine with just watching, then no problem.

By the way, they connected the pads?

When did they even bring those?

Well, first… let’s log into the game.

“Unnie, you’re really good…”

“I have some talent for games. Not enough to be a pro gamer, though.”

“Stop lying. You got offers to join pro teams back in high school.”

“Eh, those were all scams. Do you really believe that?”

“…Hey. She still thinks that was a lie?”

“Wow… really? Wasn’t that the team that almost always wins?”

“Yep.”

What are they even talking about…?

Well, even if it were true, I couldn’t have joined because of the magical girl stuff.

For me, being a magical girl is the most important thing.

“…Do you want to try?”

“I’ll try!”

“Here, sit here.”

“Okay~.”

By the way, Pretty Heart has been staring at me so intently that I couldn’t concentrate, so I just handed the pad over to her.

But she doesn’t seem to have played much, so she’s trying hard but… keeps falling, getting caught by others, etc… she’s showing all the rookie moves in just 10 minutes.

“…The grab button is this one.”

“Okay…!”

By the way, seeing how focused she is on the game, it seems like she hasn’t had much experience with games.

I thought this generation was all about gaming, but I guess not.

What kind of environment did she grow up in…?

“Ah…!”

“Finally eliminated.”

“Unnie… I got eliminated…”

“It’s okay, right? You’re a newbie, so it’s understandable, and they’re watching warmly.”

“But, but…”

“Come on… don’t worry. You’ll do better next time.”

She seems really down because she got eliminated in the 4-player squad game.

But my friends aren’t the type to exclude newbies, so it’s fine.

“…Rampage.”

“Yeah? Weren’t you sleeping in the trunk?”

What’s up, chubby guy.

Why did you crawl all the way here from sleeping?

“Well, we got a message. From the magical girl who came on the mission.”

“Ah, that kid?”

That kid in the pajamas covered in rabbits… why did she contact us?

…Wait, I think I know why.

“Yeah? What is it?”

“She’s asking if she can sleep over again tonight.”

“Tell her to stop messing around.”

“Got it!”

That guy… I won’t fall for it twice.

Even if she forces her way here, I’ll kick her out.

And I forgot last time, but if I use the magical girl card, I can use it overseas without any issues, right?

So why did she make excuses about exchange rates or whatever?

…Anyway, I’m definitely kicking her out.

“Unnie! I did it this time!”

“Ohh, well done.”

By the way, watching Pretty Heart play the game is more important right now.

She doesn’t need to know!