I waved good bye to Baduk when I heard her go “Woof! Woof!” and started walking down the street towards school. Though I’d walked this way countless times, being accompanied with multiple beautiful girls gave it a novel feeling. Yeah. As if I were walking in heaven.
“You’re not even scared anymore, are you?” said Narae.
Or maybe I was about to be sent to heaven.
“I didn’t have a choice,” I said defensively. “If I left without doing that, she would’ve been moping around until I got back.”
“Awoo, have you no shame?”
“Of course I do. But there was no helping it.”
[Can you see my writing?]
“My eyes are working fine, so don’t worry about that.”
I wasn’t even married yet, but I already knew how it felt to be henpecked by a wife.
I spent the entire walk to school giving excuses, then I opened the classroom door.
“Kick of a Father’s Pain!”
I heard a strange sound as something flew at me. Whoever that was definitely said ‘Something Something Kick!’ but I was so confused after being hit by a fist that I fell backwards to lean against Pyeii’s soft, cushiony, pliant, yet also resilient breasts.
“Pressing against me,” said Pyeii in her husky voice.
It was more like I’d been pushed rather than punched, so it didn’t hurt, but my mood took a markedly sour turn. Something had apparently angered my son of a b—I mean, gun friend, because his shoulders shook and he exhaled before pointing at me and shouting.
“You were chatting it up with those girls on your way to school, and now you’re feeling up one of their chests?! Enemy of men! Die!”
“awooo!!”
Chii then realized that I was leaning against Pyeii’s breasts, and though she turned bright red, she couldn’t decide what to do. She wanted to push me off her friend right away, but after seeing me get punched, the idea of doing so hadn’t even crossed her mind. This was why Chii was a strong kid and all that jazz. I was actually a little furious. After removing myself from Pyeii’s welcoming, voluminous, festive breasts, I heard this.
“Wish you could stay longer?”
“…You’re really asking for a beating, aren’t you?”
Pyeii and Narae spoke as if they could read my mind, but I ignored them and readied myself to yell at Saehyun. However, when I saw fat tears falling from his eyes, I was at a loss for words. …The heck was wrong with him? I found out the answer to that right away.
“You lucky bastard. Coming to school with girls in tow. Since this is your first day as the enemy, I’ll bet you took the elevator to adulthood, haven’t you? All while I was going through hell because of the Prez, you damn bastard!! Baaastaaaard!! I can’t believe you became an adult with a trio of a classmate, a European girl, and a hanbok girl—gyaaaaagh!!”
Nonsense, every single word. And Narae knew very well what the best medicine was to such nonsense.
“As if that would happen!”
Saehyun, who looked like he was crying tears of blood, was sent flying across the classroom while bleeding real blood. I felt a mixture of catharsis and pity upon seeing him sprawled across the floor and writhing in pain.
“What kind of ridiculous misunderstanding is that? Chii and Pyeii would never do something like that!”
…I lacked the courage to ask Narae why she didn’t include herself when said that.
“N-Narae-unni. Is that person dead?”
“Critical hit. HP -100%.”
I couldn’t tell whether Chii and Pyeii were scared by the idiot who was foaming at the mouth and twitching on the ground, or by Narae, who’d just sent a person into that state, but the two of them hid behind me in fear.
“This isn’t enough to kill him.”
Even as Narae said this, Saehyun bolted up and pressed his hand against the cheek that had just been hit by Narae.
“Dang, I really thought you’d die.”
“Heeek?”
“Awooo?!”
Because of his family circumstances, the idiot was able to take a hit. I was about to give him a punch on the head that would take him down for the count, when the classroom door opened and someone walked in.
“…The bell rang, so why aren’t you all in your seats?”
It was Mr. Junghyun. Because of my idiot friend, I hadn’t even heard the bell ring. I only then realized that everyone else was already in their seats. Saehyun had better thank his stars that his luck was so good.
After Narae and I greeted Mr. Junghyun, we sat in our seats, and Chii and Pyeii stood next to our teacher.
“These two were supposed to study starting yesterday, but because some stupid clown felt like making a ruckus, they’ll be starting today.”
He didn’t have to spell it out for me to know that I was that clown. Still, I was grateful that Narae successfully made up an excuse that convinced Mr. Junghyun. I gave a slight bow of my head to Narae, and my thoughtful and considerate childhood friend went, “Hmph!” and tossed her head to the side.
“This one already introduced herself yesterday, so you give yours.”
Chii responded to Mr. Junghyun by giving a quick bob of her head and greeting him. The whole class practically cheered, “She’s so cute~!” at her display.
“My name is Kang Kkachi. I am here because of Big Brother.”
She probably introduced herself as Kkachi because Chii was her nickname. However, this only caused the susurrus of whispers in the class to worsen. I knew full well why. It was because Kkachi—the word for magpie—wasn’t a common name. Add to that Chii’s distinctive speech style, and the class’s side-conversations multiplied. Based on her look of surprise, Chii, however, apparently had no idea why her introduction had elicited such a reaction. Mr. Junghyun sighed after noticing the animated air of the class.
“You’re not a pack of elementary schoolers, so why’re you making such a fuss about her name? Or would you all rather pipe down after I give you an in-depth lecture along with an animated movie on the diversity of our society?”
This caused every student in the class to immediately shut their mouths. Because Mr. Junghyun’s movies were brain-meltingly boring, even for someone as engrossed in subculture as Saehyun. Mr. Junghyun looked about the now deathly silent class, apparently satisfied, and spoke.
“Then, as for empty seats….”
Our teacher looked around the classroom, when Saehyun raised his hand. Mr. Junghyun ignored him.
“The seat next to me is empty!”
Saehyun wasn’t one to give up so easily.
“Ah, you’re right. You’re a waste of space as well, so get out.”
“I pay my tuition just like everyone else!”
“I know, but the student council president said she wanted you to go to her immediately rather than stay in class. So get out.”
Saehyun’s face darkened.
“Right now?”
“She said if you weren’t there in five minutes, she’d come here to get you.”
“When did she say this?”
“Four minutes ago.”
Saehyun stood up and ran out of the classroom. The heck does he normally do? Chii and Pyeii sat in the two empty seats. Wow. The classroom was suddenly awash in a bright aura.
“Ah, based on your scores, Pyeii’s going to classroom C, and Kkachi’s going to classroom S. Now, everyone sort yourself out before the bell. For anything you don’t know, go to your baby daddies or to your class rep, Narae.”
The second Mr. Junghyun left the room, it was like a war erupted within the classroom. The more proactive girls approached Chii and Pyeii, asking them about all kinds of subjects, and Pyeii, surprised, clutched her friend. Which meant it was Chii’s role to talk with others. Though Pyeii looked like an adult, she still had difficulty talking with such active people. Still, watching the two of them talk with others was a sight for sore eyes.
“Is she really your cousin?”
That feeling lasted until I heard those words. I couldn’t turn around. Because whoever said that was almost certainly pointing accusingly at me.
“Awooo, you mean my big brother, Sunghoon?”
“Kyaa~ OMG? How can she be so cute?!”
“How can a guy like him have such an adorable cousin?”
“Probably just far enough removed, you know, as cousins.”
“Thank goodness for that.”
…Let me make it clear right now that I’m only being treated like this because I’m friends with Saehyun.
“Kkachi, you skipped a grade, right? Because you did so well in school?”
“Pyeii, where do you live?”
“Did you move here because of your dad’s company?”
“You’re not really here just because of Sunghoon, are you?”
“Your dress is so pretty.”
“I think the hanbok looks prettier.”
“Kkachi, how old are you?”
“You’re so cute. Let me feel your cheeks a bit.”
“…Your chest is bigger than mine.”
Overwhelmed by the barrage of questions, Chii could only open and close her mouth like a baby chick, unable to decide which question to answer first. I wanted to help her, but such was the state of modern society that getting entangled in a group of excited girls could only end in tragedy. That was why Narae stood up in my place.
“Everyone, class is starting soon, so let’s leave them alone. Okay?”
Perhaps I had finally opened my spiritual eyes. Because I could see, hidden behind Narae’s smile, an aura saying, “How dare you try and get close to my adorable little sisters?!” Upon Narae’s intervention, my classmates scattered like those dark, hard, carapaced things that scurry towards a dark place once you turn on the kitchen light, and they began to get ready for class. I always that it was Narae’s leadership ability that made her a class rep that everyone listened to, but I realized that I was mistaken. It was like I’d just discovered the dark side that exists in girls’ cliques. However, it was also true that Narae’s command gave Chii and Pyeii a break from the barrage of questions, and that they breathed a sigh of relief. They were obviously uncomfortable with being the center of attention to so many people. This was especially obvious by the way Pyeii was still holding the much smaller Chii to her chest like a doll.
“Awooo, you can let go of me now.”
“I need mental comfort.”
“We’re in school.”
“Chii~ being cruel.”
Though she was pouting, she still let go of Chii.
“Let’s get going to class. Chii’s in the same class as me, so you take care of Pyeii.”
I believed I bore witness to the halo of the elite. Narae and Chii held hands as they left for the elite class, while Pyeii and I stayed behind, like the dregs of society left to our own devices.
“Hey.”
“Hm?”
“I thought for sure you’d want to be in the same class as Chii. So what’re you doing in classroom C?”
Pyeii blushed and looked away.
“Have a complaint?”
“Of course not. I’m happy to have one more comrade-in-arms.”
I raised my hand to pat her head, but I put it back down when I remembered that she was in her adult form. Even I was capable of learning from my mistakes.
Though I wished she would stop pouting. After all, wouldn’t she not want her hair to get ruffled, too? (tn: Reference to a while ago, when Narae got mad at Sunghoon for messing with her hair.)
First period was English class. Since the classes were still in flux, we didn’t have assigned seats, so Pyeii and I sat together. Normally there’d be a space between the desks, but something like that was impossible for Pyeii. Our teacher, however, must have heard that the mysterious transfer student was in his class, because he simply looked at her as if thinking, “Oh, so that’s who that is,” and didn’t say anything else. I had no idea what the heck Narae did. Regardless, class started. I tried to focus on the lesson, but Pyeii had other ideas.
[I’m bored.]
I would have continued to pay attention like a good student if only those solid letters weren’t floating in front of my eyes. It was a well-thought-out distraction, as no normal person could see her magic. I waved my hand inconspicuously in front of me, reverting the words to smoke, and I started writing on my notebook. Pyeii turned and leaned down to see what I was doing. Hey! Did she forget she wasn’t a little girl anymore? Actually, even if she were still a kid, clinging to me like that would still result in those mounds making contact with me! I somehow endured the blood rushing to my face and completed what I was writing.
[Let’s study.]
[Pft. Nice joke.]
A smile spread across her face as she made a finger out of smoke and poked me on the cheek with it. Was I not allowed to study or something?
[You need to study to get a job,] I wrote.
[Destined to sell your body.]
Every job is noble in its own way. However, both jobs that require use of the body or the mind will have jobs that pay well and jobs that pay poorly. Putting such a disparity into digits wouldn’t be any help. Regardless, I didn’t want her to slap a label on my future when I hadn’t even created a plan myself. Writing this all in my notebook would be difficult to understand and focus even more of my attention away from an already hard-to-understand class, so I wrote a succinct response to Pyeii. …Though the fact that my attention was on this argument didn’t help that line of reasoning.
[Boys, be ambitious.]
[30 years old and jobless.]
Pyeii wrote that, and any persuasiveness my words could have had went down the drain. So scary! And I even used a really well-known saying! While I clutched at my head, trying to think of a way to respond, Pyeii made a smoky finger and poked me in the side. Why the heck do girls like poking guys’ sides so much? I turned to look at her, and she had a strangely superior look on her face as she looked down at me.
[I’m rich.]
Right. People only make that kind of face when they have something to brag about.
[I know. You’re rich.]
[Lap of luxury, even if I don’t study.]
I’m going to say it again. I’m jealous. Seriously jealous.
[And?]
Why did she feel like bragging now?
Pyeii looked away after reading what I wrote, her face burning red, but then she picked up a pen and wrote in tiny letters in the corner of my notebook.
[Move in with me.]
I thought to myself, “Has she still not given up on becoming an adult?” but this thought only lasted for a moment. When I saw that Pyeii was red all the way to her ears and that she couldn’t even face me, I realized the truth. Her proposal was in earnest. However, the brat was ten years too early for that. She may have looked like she was my age, but on the inside, she was still just a little kid. Not to mention what happened yesterday. She must have felt grateful after I kept her friendship with Chii intact. I may be an idiot, but I’m not so stupid as to accept…okay, maybe I am that stupid. But my devotion to Narae and Rangii was unbreakable. I wrote on my notebook and tapped on Pyeii’s wrist. She flinched, then slowly turned her head to read what I wrote. After she did this, Pyeii pouted and wrote a word that she then used to hit me on the forehead.
[Idiot.]
As an aside, I just wanted to say that I really like this portion of the light novel. The manhwa skips over this little interaction, but I think it’s really nice that we get so much character development about Pyeii.