Moving
"So, what's with the dog?"
"Boksil?"
"Yeah. You never said anything about raising one."
I pointed toward the yard with my eyes.
It was cute, sure, but why would she suddenly start keeping a dog?
"Because my only daughter stopped coming home, I got myself a new child."
"Pfft!"
"Hey, you brat!"
I spat water all over the table from laughing.
"Well, you can't just drop a line like that out of nowhere."
"Did I say something wrong?"
"Still, what kind of mom calls her daughter a brat-child?"
"So what, would you rather be called a punk?"
...Well, I was a punk once.
"Anyway, you'd better get along with Boksil. If you two fight, my eldest daughter who doesn't even come home will just have to leave again."
"I rank lower than the dog?"
"Boksil ranks above your dad too."
"Wow..."
So the house really had gone to the dogs—literally.
"I'll bring her inside, so try to bond."
With that, my mom went out to the yard, picked up Boksil, wiped her paws with a wet towel, and set her down on the floor.
"Pant!"
"Hm..."
Boksil's round, button-like black eyes stared at me as she panted.
Does she like me?
"Did you have her spayed?"
"Of course. Vaccinations too, so no worries."
As I thought—no peanuts left.
Well, they say it's healthier that way.
I picked her up, holding the body that could no longer leave behind descendants.
Heavier than I expected, and her fur was fluffy-soft.
"Cute, right?"
"...Kind of cute."
Who wouldn't find her cute? Just holding her made me think coming home was the right choice.
But I wondered—was this feeling something that was originally mine, or was it a part of female Soo-hyun's nature? A question I'd never be able to answer.
"By the way, want to see your room?"
My mom's casual remark broke me from my thoughts.
"My room?"
"Yeah."
My room... come to think of it, what had female Soo-hyun's room looked like?
I recalled it quickly.
The largest of the bedrooms besides the master, with a pink bed, a big desk, and all around...
"Let's go see it."
I immediately got up.
Since my room was right next to the living room, just a few steps brought me to the door, and I opened it straight away.
"Jeez, what's the rush?"
I ignored the voice behind me. The room's interior was, thankfully, exactly as I remembered.
"Phew... it's still here."
"Of course. If I'd thrown it away, this house would've been flipped upside down."
The merchandise posted up and displayed around the room was untouched.
It would've been a waste if they had been thrown out.
After all, female Soo-hyun had bought them with saved-up allowance instead of playing outside.
They were symbolic in a way.
"Still, there's so much. You should throw some away."
"No way."
That's what I told my mom, but seeing it in person, I had to admit it was a lot.
Posters, figures—it really was an otaku's room.
That's why I always guarded the door whenever relatives visited.
Good thing I was female—if I'd been male, the room would've been exposed long ago and turned into my nephews' playroom.
"It's exactly the same as when I left, huh?"
The merch was one thing, but the lack of dust was impressive.
"Yeah. Every time I clean, I'm tempted to toss everything out, but I hold back."
"Haha... anyway, I should get going."
I'd seen enough—it was time to leave.
"Already? Stay for dinner at least."
"No, I've got things to do at home. I'll be back tomorrow with my stuff anyway."
Work at home basically meant streaming... streaming... and more streaming.
"Fine, just make sure you find a good moving company."
"Don't worry. I don't have much to bring."
"Wow, brag much."
Since I'd rented a fully-furnished place, all I really had to bring back were my streaming setup and some clothes.
The rest would have to be tossed, but it didn't matter. I already had a desk and bed in my old room.
After prying myself away from Boksil, who clung to my legs, I finally left home and headed back to my apartment.
Back at my place, I checked my phone and found a message.
(Hyun-soo): Noona, can I mention you on variety shows?
It was from Hyun-soo.
That brat... he's on variety shows now?
Looks like he's becoming a proper celebrity too.
(Me): Yeah, just keep it vague.
I replied casually. Hyun-soo wasn't the type to spill everything thoughtlessly, so I wasn't worried.
He had some sense.
I hadn't told him about the new song, but he'd figure it out once it came out anyway. No need to say anything.
After replying, I got to work packing.
Better to do it now while I had some breathing room—once preparations for the song ramped up, I wouldn't have time to leisurely sort through things.
I emptied the closet and separated what to keep from what to throw away.
After over a year living here, I'd accumulated more than I thought.
It was that awkward amount—too much to carry in a taxi, too little to justify a moving company.
But if I couldn't do it alone... why not ask for help?
I grabbed my phone.
I had just the right person for this kind of situation.
The next day.
"...What the hell is this?"
"Warm-up exercise?"
"Hey!!"
Hye-jung, lured over by the promise of Korean beef, walked into my apartment, saw the pile of boxes in the living room, and looked utterly defeated.
"I knew it was too good to be true..."
Her heavy gaze made me avert my eyes.
"...You'll help, right?"
"And if I don't, that beef..."
"Boksil will eat it."
"Ugh... who's Boksil now?"
Rather than explaining about the household hierarchy—"second only to me, higher than my dad"—I kept it simple.
"The dog at my parents' house."
"You have a dog too?"
"Yeah, just met her yesterday."
"...I'm jealous."
Sighing, Hye-jung stretched her arms and walked toward the boxes.
"Well, it doesn't look like much. Let's get it over with."
Guess all those years of dance training made her good with physical labor.
...Unlike me.
Isn't that right?
Female Soo-hyun had always been a shut-in otaku.
She was tall for a woman, but not big-boned—if anything, she was on the skinny side.
So then, what about my physical abilities?
"Huff... huhp! Ack!"
"What, you can't even lift that one thing?"
The answer: absolutely pathetic.
I hadn't realized at first, but I came to understand as time went on.
Why I sweat buckets just from walking a little, why FPS games leave me exhausted, why I only stream for two hours at most—
It all boils down to one simple fact: I have no stamina.
And strength?
Right now, I'm pretty sure I'd lose an arm-wrestling match against a middle school boy.
"Ugh, completely useless!"
That's right. I'm a minor.
A being who deserves protection.
So me crouched in the corner while Hye-jung hauls boxes downstairs—it's not exile for being in the way, but rather part of the noble process of the adult Hye-jung protecting the physically inferior me, the minor.
She's grown into such a fine adult...
Feeling oddly proud, I watched like a lazy grasshopper as my hardworking ant of a friend sweated while carrying the boxes down to the first floor.
Those boxes would go by taxi to my parents' place, where there'd be more work to do, but hey—couldn't I just buy her a really good meal afterward?
My income was more than enough, and I intended to treat her generously.
It was a parting gift, in a sense—thanks for being the one person who kept the shut-in Soo-hyun from becoming a complete hermit all these years.
Not that it was forever, but once I moved back home, we wouldn't be able to see each other often.
So I made up my mind to treat her to an amazing dinner, even as I was mentally making a list of restaurants—
"Huh? What's this?"
Hye-jung had pulled out an album from one of the boxes.
"Illusion? And there's a signature?"
"Oh, that?"
It was the album Hyun-soo had released, with a handwritten autograph he'd given me.
"Remember that song I played for you at the café? That's the album."
"Oh, right! Wait—no way."
After thinking for a second, Hye-jung narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously.
"How the hell did you get the song before release?"
She stomped over and yanked my cheek.
"And then you make me guess? What's with you?"
"Mmphhh—hurrrt—"
"Spit it out and I'll let go."
"I was just joking—"
Streeetch—
"Ahhh, ow!"
"Ugh, damn it, only your skin is nice and soft!"
She tugged at my cheek like mochi, then finally let go with a snap.
"Ow..."
"So, how did you get it?"
I raised a hand and pointed at the album.
"I drew that."
"Huh? You mean the cover?"
"Yeah. The cover. That's mine."
"Wow... I knew you could draw, but still."
She admired the album in her hands.
"So, did you meet Slim Gold in person?"
"Yeah."
"He's crazy handsome, right?"
"Huh? You know what he looks like?"
When I first looked him up, I couldn't find anything.
"What, you don't know? He's all over YouTube Shorts right now."
Hye-jung tapped her phone a few times and showed me.
"Oh... wow, for real."
Clips were everywhere—headlines like '19-Year-Old Genius Singer' blowing up.
Hyun-soo... you're really becoming a star now.
No wonder you mentioned variety shows.
"So, what's he like in person?"
"Same as in the videos, really."
"So... super handsome, right? Ugh, I wanna see him too."
"I'll give you a ticket if I get some."
"For real? Promise?"
If Hyun-soo ever held a concert, I'd probably get a couple of tickets. I could give her one then.
"Anyway, you'd better treat me to something amazing today."
She pointed toward the living room.
The mountain of boxes from before had dwindled to just a few.
"Don't worry. I'll take you to wagyu omakase."
"Seriously? I'm holding you to that."
Why not? Once we finished hauling everything, we could head straight to the restaurant.
What could go wrong?
"Oh my, Hye-jung! You're here? Stay for dinner."
"Haha..! That's so kind of you."
"Mom, Hye-jung says she doesn't want your food because we're going to wagyu omakase instead."
"Oh, really? Then go on, I'll just eat the galbijjim with your dad later."
"N-no! That's not true! I wanted home cooking! Soo-hyun, shut up!"
...Crap. How do I make this up to her?