Side Story Chapter 59 – Tales of Little Things (4)

Despite the adventurous proposal, things felt pretty daunting at first.

Yumi and Yeonwoo had already used most of the amusement park attractions.

But they didn’t know anything about the boy right in front of them.

What did he like the most? Which rides did he hate?

What if they ended up making him feel worse?

However, that worry turned out to be unnecessary.

Just a little while ago, the boy had hesitated a lot.

But once they actually started playing, he began to lead the way.

He moved as if he were quite accustomed to it, very naturally.

“How about this place?”

“Cool!”

“I wanna try!”

It was fascinating.

The situation changed and his attitude transformed completely.

More than that, the places the boy chose were really intriguing.

They were spots Yumi and Yeonwoo had never been to even once.

How did he know and pick out these places?

To be exact, they were not large amusement facilities.

Rather, they were small places that seemed a bit mismatched for an amusement park, like a museum.

Still, it was absolutely not uninteresting.

An arcade filled with classic old-school games, significantly different from what they usually played.

They had only seen others play it through their mobile phones.

But now that they tried it, it was genuinely fun.

The clunky joystick and buttons larger than their fingers felt quite awkward.

But surprisingly, it was engaging, and Yumi began to immerse herself more than she expected.

She was captivated by the nostalgic feel of classic games, to the point it was hard to tear herself away.

Meanwhile, the boy offered his own advice while watching from the side.

Was he unexpectedly mature in his tastes, contrary to appearances?

Or perhaps he had a surprising mastery over this area?

Whatever the reason, it was clear he had enough knowledge to give pointers.

“How about playing as a black character?”

“No way, I don’t want to.”

“Why? Even if the appearance is weird, black characters are the strongest!”

Of course, Yumi wasn’t fully accepting that.

Sure, if she followed that suggestion, her attempts would probably decrease, but…

In such matters, she absolutely couldn’t compromise.

Instead, Yumi smirked fiercely, solidifying her conviction.

“I’m not weak enough to rely on the powers of darkness.”

“…….Alright……”

In fact, the boy’s expression became completely stiff.

On another note, the museum tucked away in the corner of the amusement park was also quite good.

Compared to other amusement facilities, it felt a bit dull.

Yet the static atmosphere had a different charm to it.

Perhaps it was because all the chaotic events they experienced today were so noisy?

Or maybe it’s that every moment of daily life was so loud that it made them long for peace?

Yumi quietly looked around, savoring the current moment.

She leaned into the feeling of her scattered and turbulent heart calming down.

Meanwhile, Yeonwoo’s eyes sparkled as he chatted away with the boy.

“Hey? This model displaying the structure of Earth is kinda weird!”

“You’ve got a keen eye! What do you think is weird?”

Yeonwoo, who had always had a subtle thirst for knowledge, naturally flourished.

The places he usually went to were either Ayeon’s business spot or kindergarten.

While it wasn’t impossible to learn there, it wasn’t exactly perfect either.

In contrast, the museum was packed with various exhibits.

At least for Yeonwoo, it was the best space ever.

“There’s another structure inside the inner core!”

“That’s right. It’s been recently revealed that there’s another core inside the inner core.”

It was an opportunity for him to uphold existing knowledge while uncovering new insights.

“So what do they call that?”

“They don’t have a name for it yet, but want to brainstorm?”

And that’s why Yeonwoo’s expression was exceptionally bright this time.

“What about ‘Clitolerth’?”

“……”

“No, something short would be better, how about ‘G9’ Spot or clitoris?”

“……I messed up… please stop…”

Naturally, the boy’s face darkened in proportion to this.

The more they looked, the more unpredictable the boy seemed.

He showed brilliance in unexpected areas but kept dulling in strange aspects.

Yet the destinations he guided them to were always ones Yumi and Yeonwoo had never visited.

“Yeonwoo, what on earth is this guy’s deal?”

“I dunno… Isn’t it similar to when regression characters guess their opponent’s tastes in novels?”

So much so that Yumi even whispered very seriously to Yeonwoo.

“No way regression could actually exist.”

“Well, I guess a dog would make more sense to regress.”

“Whatever, let’s just play!”

“Yeah.”

They stopped thinking about such absurd theories.

Then, out of nowhere, Yumi remembered their moms.

It had been a good while since the call was disconnected.

And there had been no further contact from the moms.

Did the boy do something on his mobile phone earlier?

For some reason, it was a relief that their moms weren’t worried.

However, the current battery was on the brink of dying.

If things stayed this way, the mobile would turn off in no time.

So, she decided to quickly text the moms.

“Yumi, why did you stop?”

“Just a sec. I’m letting the moms know I’m hanging out.”

She figured she should say something in advance since they might worry if she was late.

Typing on the phone was still hard since the keyboard was bigger than her fingers.

She got frustrated with repeatedly pressing the quote key instead of the space bar.

But she persevered and slowly composed her message.

Me [Mom… I… might be late… sorry… and I love you…]

As soon as she sent the text, the battery died and the mobile powered off.

But as long as she sent that, their moms would surely stop worrying.

Now, it would be okay to stay out a little longer.

She was really glad she could send that last message.

“Yumi, done sending?”

“Yep!”

After that, the weak sound of explosions she heard was probably just Yumi’s imagination.

So the three of them roamed the amusement park’s nooks and crannies, enjoying little pleasures here and there for a moment.

Suddenly, the boy stopped in front of a building.

“Have you been here yet?”

“Nope! You’re really sharp!”

“How did you know?”

“Just a guess?”

It was none other than a department store.

Could it be true that the Beastman Kingdom had money in abundance?

It was a department store that was way too big for being part of an amusement park.

They almost forgot this place was in the amusement park.

Especially with the grand automatic doors at the entrance of the first floor sparking Yumi’s excitement.

“Yumi, what’s up?”

“Yeonwoo, there are so many automatic doors zipping open!”

And it wasn’t just one.

There were so many entrances that people could come in from anywhere.

But there wasn’t a single entrance without an automatic door.

Yet, Yeonwoo wasn’t shocked by this sight like Yumi was.

“If we’re talking about doors buzzing, our house has way more.”

“Huh? Seriously?”

She found his reaction somewhat indifferent.

But Yumi found Yeonwoo’s words quite strange.

Sure, she would admit their house was spacious, but…

There was no way it was big enough to have automatic doors!

And it wasn’t just Yumi who thought so—

The boy also had a look full of questions for Yeonwoo.

“Huh? That can’t be true! What are you talking about, Yeonwoo?”

Regardless, Yeonwoo looked at Yumi and chuckled.

He put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest in confidence.

Why was Yeonwoo speaking so assertively?

“Because the moms are home.”

“Aha! You really are smart, Yeonwoo!”

There was definitely a confident reason behind it.

Indeed, Yumi had recently heard buzzing sounds from their moms.

In most cases, it was the sound coming from her black mom.

Still, Yeonwoo’s words were true.

“So that means moms are like automatic doors! Right, Yeonwoo?”

“Exactly, Yumi. That’s why they say ‘love is an open door’.”

“……No…”

The boy quietly muttered in denial.

Regardless, they had come with their moms, but it was the first time they were at a department store just among the kids.

As they stepped into the space, Yumi and Yeonwoo were taken aback.

The first floor was filled solely with souvenir shops.

For the kids, it was nothing short of an overwhelming sight.

Thanks to that, Yumi and Yeonwoo stood there, stunned, unable to move a single step.

“Whoa…”

“Wow…”

In that moment, the boy took the lead and made an audacious suggestion.

“How about we look around and buy one thing each? I’ll pay for it.”

“Thanks!”

“Thank you.”

Grateful for his generosity, Yumi and Yeonwoo stepped forward with excitement.

But just for a moment, as they confidently moved with expectations,

the kids’ feet got stuck on the ground in a gooey way.

For two reasons they hadn’t considered.

First was the stamina issue.

“Are you okay?”

“Are you hurt?”

“……This is strange…Why…huff…Why is it so tiring…? Why…?”

To be precise, it was the boy’s stamina.

They had indeed walked quite a bit just to look around.

But Yumi and Yeonwoo, who walked the same distance, were perfectly fine.

Besides, until now, the boy had been playing well.

Yet now, he was breathing heavily and gasping for air like a serious issue unexpectedly arose without him knowing.

Meanwhile, the other problem was the decision-making issue.

“But…what are you going to buy…huff…did you guys choose?”

“……No…”

“We haven’t decided yet…”

Although there were many types of souvenirs, they were way too diverse.

Promoting the fact that it was an amusement park, there were simple things like balloons or glow sticks.

And there were finely crafted decorations that were too nice to just be a simple souvenir.

Honestly, they liked everything, and Yumi and Yeonwoo couldn’t narrow it down to just one.

Having too many options actually limited their choices.

Just at the moment when Yumi and Yeonwoo were struggling over what to pick,

the boy suddenly chose a souvenir from the store right in front of them.

Maybe his condition felt a bit better, he let out a sigh as he calmed his breathing a bit.

“How about this?”

“Not bad!”

“I like it!”

What he chose was two small necklaces adorned with faux jewels.

They probably used imitation gems, but they looked exactly like the real ones.

They were so pretty that they wouldn’t seem out of place when worn daily.

The colors of the jewels matched Yumi and Yeonwoo’s hair colors perfectly.

Although she said it wasn’t bad, it suited Yumi’s taste so well.

How did he know to pick something so spot-on?

As the boy approached the shop owner to pay for the necklace,

Yumi and Yeonwoo, thinking the same thing, grabbed one necklace and placed it on the counter.

It was the same design but with a clear jewel.

“Wait! This too!”

“Can you ring this up together?”

“Why this?”

With a look full of questions, the boy asked, and Yumi and Yeonwoo grinned.

“Of course, we need to buy yours too.”

“That’s right. We can’t just buy ours.”

“……Alright. Let’s buy them together.”

In the end, the boy purchased three necklaces, smiling faintly.

He then handed Yumi and Yeonwoo their necklaces, and as Yumi put it around her neck, she couldn’t help but smile.

She felt so happy.

She was really sad about not being able to go to the outdoor pool.

But now, this fun completely made her forget that feeling.

Moreover, they even got souvenirs in the end.

It was a day that truly deserved to be called the best!

At the same time, she was thankful to the boy.

Even though they just met today,

he really blended well with them this much.

“Now, let’s go over there!”

So as soon as they exited the department store, Yumi quickly suggested.

She felt a bit guilty about constantly relying on the boy.

At the same time, she wanted to show him her wonderful side.

“No way.”

However, the boy’s answer was completely different.

It was cold, fierce, and terrifyingly firm denial.

The best day was beginning to change back into the worst day.

---