Chapter 9 : Is this real ? (5)

“Actually, wouldn’t it be better if South Korea just collapsed?”

“Why are you saying that again?”

At my sudden question, the bear plushie gave me a drowsy look and asked.

“Oh, I get it. Let me guess—you went on some online community again and got bombarded, didn’t you?”

“Shut up…”

“I always tell you, don’t I?”

Humans are creatures that make the impossible possible.

They’re a species that even go for teddy bears, so when it comes to someone like you—strong, cute, pretty, and amazing—it’s just a natural consequence.

That was actually a pretty decent compliment.

But hearing a non-human talk as if it knew everything about humans made me scoff.

“Anyway, how about some pork belly for dinner?”

“So that was your real goal, you little brat.”

“I’m craving meat.”

How can a mascot even crave meat?

“Haven’t we already eaten a lot of meat recently?”

But we really need to order soon.

“Hayun will be home soon.”

“Already?”

Lying on the sofa, I had lost track of time.

It was already time for dinner.

“She’ll probably want chicken.”

“Oh, please… No more chicken.”

“Chicken and beer?”

“Please, have mercy. I just want pork belly and soju. We’ve had chicken three times this week.”

Have we?

I tried to recall.

Now that I thought about it, maybe we did… But I wasn’t entirely sure.

“Yes, three times. Get it together, please.”

“That much?”

“If you don’t believe me, go check the trash outside. You’ll find three BHC chicken boxes.”

I wasn’t keen on digging through the trash, so I decided to take its word for it.

It wasn’t the type to lie anyway.

But what should we actually eat?

I wasn’t really craving pork belly.

“Think about it. If we eat pork belly, that greasy smell will stick to your shiny fur. Are you really okay with that?”

The bear flinched.

“You hate it when your fur smells, don’t you?”

“Even considering that, I can’t resist pork belly.”

Well, that settled it.

“Fine, let’s have it. I’ll just tell Hayun we’ve had too much chicken this week and that it’s your turn to choose.”

“No, anything but that… Please spare me.”

As soon as I made the obviously malicious suggestion, the plushie immediately started groveling.

In our house, the hierarchy was clear: Mom was the top predator, followed by my younger sister, then me, then Dad, and finally, this poor thing at the bottom.

If it dared to say it wanted pork belly, Hayun would utterly destroy it.

“I mean, I don’t really mind pork belly either.”

Click.

Beep beep beep!

Just then, the sound of the door unlocking echoed through the apartment.

That meant Hayun was home.

“I’m back…”

She looked exhausted.

Lying on the couch, I lazily waved at her.

She looked at me with a tired expression before walking over.

Wait, why is she coming closer—Swoop.

“Ugh?!?”

“Ahh… This is healing…”

She plopped down next to me, pulled me into a hug, and buried herself in my arms.

“I had such a rough day…”

“W-what happened…?”

“My assignment… It was a disaster…”

Ah, the professor must have given her a C.

Now that I thought about it, I remembered she had stayed up all night working on that assignment.

If she really bombed it, I could see why she’d be depressed.

She had worked hard.

“That sucks…”

This wasn’t something I needed to ask more about.

I quietly patted her back in consolation.

“Want to eat whatever you want today?”

“Chicken…”

“Noooo!! Not chicken again!!”

“Shut up.”

“Guhhh!”

I flicked my fingers and sent the bear flying with magic.

Seriously, have some awareness.

Ignoring the plushie as it crashed into the door and passed out, I continued.

“If we’re going to eat something nice, how about something other than chicken?”

“Something else?”

“Let’s eat out. Dad’s coming home today too.”

Wouldn’t a nice, juicy steak help her feel better?

“Ooh… Are you paying?”

“Sure, why not.”

I had more than enough money anyway.

At my answer, Hayun chuckled happily, clearly in a better mood at the thought of eating good food.

This way, I got to avoid chicken while also cheering her up.

Two birds with one stone.

.

.

.

“I’m home, girls~!!”

The door suddenly swung open, and a bespectacled man with a gentle smile stepped inside.

“Dad… Please save me…”

I was still lying on the couch.

Still trapped in Hayun’s embrace.

She had said, “Just stay like this until Dad gets home.”

And then she really hadn’t let go.

I gave a lazy wave from the couch.

Dad looked at us and smiled warmly.

“You two are still so close, my little princesses.”

“Ugh, gross. Don’t say that.”

Hayun grumbled as she got up from the sofa.

Our dad, already used to her sharp attitude, just kept smiling.

Well, I guess if I had two daughters I adored, I’d be happy too.

When I was a son, he treated me pretty normally, though.

“Dad, hurry up and get ready. I want to eat meat.”

“Alright, just a second.”

Even as he said that, Hayun made sure to keep me pulled against her.

I was basically her doll at this point.

“Hey, can you let me go?”

“Nope. Today, you’re my emotional support plushie.”

“At least let me go when we eat.”

“Okay.”

That was good enough.

“Dad, how about eating out for a change?”

“Of course! If you girls want to, we can go anytime. But where’s your mom?”

“She’s not home yet.”

I pulled out my phone and messaged Mom.

It didn’t take long for her to reply, saying she’d be home soon.

When I told her we were eating out and that I was paying, she responded enthusiastically, saying she was all for it.

That settled it.

“Let’s go eat.”

“Wait, are you seriously going out like that?”

At Hayun’s question, I glanced down at myself.

I was still in my pajamas.

“Oh, right.”

I quickly walked to my closet and changed.

Transformation magic was one of the most basic spells for a magical girl, so I swapped outfits in an instant.

Normally, people would complain about using magic for trivial things like this, but whatever.

“Is he still knocked out?”

Why was this guy so weak?

After all the beatings he had taken from me, shouldn’t he have built up some resistance by now?

“Hey, wake up, dumbass.”

I nudged the bear sprawled out on the floor.

“Huh…?! W-what happened?! What’s going on?!”

“We’re going to eat.”

“W-we’re not having chicken, right?”

“Rejoice. Tonight, we’re having beef.”

“KIYAAAHHOOOOOO!!!!”

Ugh, shut up.

***

Once Mom joined us, we headed straight to an expensive beef restaurant nearby.

As I glanced at Hayun, who was already getting excited about the meal, I smirked before turning my gaze back to the window.

It’s been a while since we all went out together…We really should do this more often.

The plan was to just have a simple dinner and head back home.

“So, Hayul, you’re paying today?”

“Yeah. Hayun was whining about her failed assignment.”

“Why would you say that, sis?!”

“Considering how hard you worked on it all night, I think you had every right to whine.”

“Ugh, seriously!”

I chuckled as Hayun, unable to hold back anymore, started messing with me.

“Girls, stop shaking the car!”

“Ah, okay, I’m sorry! I’m really sorry!”

“Nope, too late! Come here!”

As we playfully wrestled, Dad watched us with a warm smile—until his expression suddenly changed.

“Wait… honey, something feels off.”

Mom, noticing it too, tilted her head in confusion.

“Why is traffic so bad?”

“Did an accident happen up ahead?”

This was the middle of the city…Hayun, who had been busy messing with me, also stopped and looked around, puzzled.

Just as I was about to step out of the car to check—”Hayul…”The bear called my name.

“It’s a monster alert.”

“What?”

BEEEEEEP!

Right as those words left his mouth, the monster alert blared.

As panicked citizens began fleeing, I quickly turned back to him.

“What’s the threat level?”

“Uh… F-rank? Maybe E-rank?”

Without another word, I opened the car door, stepped out, and floated into the air.

Beyond the chaotic mess of tangled cars, I saw—”Grrr… Krkrkr…”

A small-sized monster, standing about 4 to 5 meters tall.

Objectively, that wasn’t exactly small, but after seeing creatures that were dozens of meters tall, anything under 10 meters felt tiny.

“Hah… just my luck.”

It seemed to be somewhere between F and E rank.

I flicked my finger.

CRACK!

With just a bit of magical power, I fired a shot.

In an instant, the monster’s body exploded.

Nothing remained except some traces of it on the ground.

I glanced at the remains for a moment before heading back to the car.

Since I killed it right away, there wasn’t even anything that needed cleaning up.

“What happened?”

“Oh, just a monster. Took care of it.”

I waved my hand dismissively, and my family just stared at me in disbelief.

“As expected of our daughter… amazing.”

“Actually… even for an F-to-E rank, that thing shouldn’t have died so easily…”

Was that a problem?

I glanced around.

Most of the citizens had already evacuated their cars, leaving the road in complete chaos.

“Oh.”

What a pain.

I was starving.