Chapter 10: Navigating the Cute Chaos

2: Hello, I’m an Angel

Cute, dainty clothes all around.

And in the middle of it all…

“Garam, try this on!
Oh my gosh, it’s so adorable!!”

“Garam, this one too!
And that one, and this one…”

“Can I just take one picture?!
With a cute pose too…!”

“You’re so cute, can’t I just hug you?
Please?!”

“Garam, try that one on!
I’m begging you!”

I was dying.

“Jimin, please… enough…”

“What?
There’s still a ton left!
Look over here!”

Jimin pointed to a pile of clothes sprawled out.

I’d already tried on a dizzying amount, and there were still that many left…?

“No way…”

Save me.

“Ugh, huff…”

After hours of shopping, I collapsed in the car, utterly exhausted.

It wasn’t just the time.
Since we couldn’t cut holes in clothes we didn’t buy, I had to bend my wings too much while trying things on.
My shoulders ached.

I’m definitely getting muscle pain tomorrow.
No doubt.

“Sorry, Garam.
I can’t resist cute things…”

Jimin apologized while driving.
I shot her a slightly resentful glance.

“Haha… Since I got this body, my self-control’s been a bit weak, you know?
I went a little overboard.
Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine.
You paid for everything.
Without you, I wouldn’t have gotten any clothes…”

I was the one who needed help, so I couldn’t really complain.
Tiring or not, the one paying is the MVP.

Plus, without Jimin, I wouldn’t have managed to buy clothes—especially underwear.
I thought of the bags filled with clothes and said as much.

But when I shifted, I felt a strange pressure on my chest.
An uncomfortable sensation wrapping around it.

A bra.

I vividly remembered Jimin forcing me to try one on despite my protests.

It’s supposed to shape and protect your chest, she said.
But I don’t even have a chest to shape…?

“Do I really need to wear this… bra?
Honestly, I’m flat as a board, it’s not like I need—”

“No way!
Absolutely not!
Even if you’re small now, what if your body grows later?
You need to start shaping it now for it to grow nicely.
You have to take care of it from a young age!”

… I don’t need a nice chest.

Does this body even grow?

I got an earful the whole way, and only after promising to wear the underwear properly did the lecture stop.

Riiing-

Riiing-

“… Who’s this?”

I was lounging on my bed, munching on candy, basking in the sunlight.
A pleasant calm shattered by the ringing phone.

– It’s me.

“Junseo?”

Crunch.
I bit down on the candy I’d been savoring, swallowing it.
The sweet taste vanished, leaving a hint of regret.

“What’s up?”

– Just checking if you’re coming to the PC café today.

“Hm…”

I toss the melted candy stick toward the trash.
This time, it lands right in the center, no sticking.

– If it’s tough to come, you don’t have to.
– You know…

“I’m coming.”

Instant reply.

– You sure?

His voice carried worry.
Probably about what happened last time.

“I’m fine.”

I close my eyes, recalling the resolve I made with Jimin today.

“I’m done caring about people’s stares.
I’m me.
So don’t baby me—treat me like before.
Got it?”

My sharp tone silences the phone for a moment.
Then his voice comes through.

– Alright.

*

The projectile misses.

My skill shoots into the void.
An arrow from the enemy pierces my chest.
My health drops.
My mouse commands my character to flee.

But the enemy doesn’t let me escape.
More enemies pop up, ganging up on me.

There’s still a chance to turn this around.
Time the skill right.
Now!

Slip!

And boom.

“Garam!
What are you doing?!
Why’d you use your ultimate there?!”

“My hands are smaller now, okay?
I keep messing up!”

“Stop playing pacifist just ‘cause you’re an angel!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

It’s not fair.
My smaller body throws off my usual reflexes.
I keep pressing the wrong buttons.

I died six times using the wrong skill in situations I’d normally survive.
Five times, I fired skills at the wrong spot and got countered.

Eleven deaths total, and I still haven’t gotten a single kill.

“Tch… If this was the old me, I’d have won…”

I’m pissed.
I focus all my nerves.

No more wrong buttons.
I’ll show my true skills.
Feel the power of an angel.

I can do this.

“I can do this!!”

“Garam, you died again?!”

I was a mushroom.

*

The game ended in a crushing defeat.

“Man, Garam turned angel and became a pacifist, huh?”

“How do you go 0 kills, 16 deaths?”

“Stop teasing!
You try playing with a smaller body—my hands keep slipping!”

“Yeah, yeah, next game: 0 kills, 16 deaths.
Oh, one more death than last time?
New record?
Excuses are lame, huh?”

“Tch…”

My friends tease me like old times.

Maybe they’re keeping their promise from the call, treating me the same as before.
It wasn’t an easy request, but I’m secretly grateful.

Doesn’t mean I’m not mad, though.

“Argh!
You jerks, take this!”

“Ow, ow!
She’s hitting me with her halo!”

“Take that, take that!”

“Pfft, hahaha.”

I swing my head like a club, my halo smacking Kanghyuk’s belly.
It’s glass-like, so it probably stings, you jerk.

“I’m gonna smoke.”

“Cool.”

“I need the bathroom.”

Junseo heads downstairs for a cigarette.
I go to the bathroom, needing to pee.

I almost walk into the men’s room but catch myself and head to the women’s.
Going into the men’s with this body would be a disaster.

Sitting to pee still feels so wrong.
I wipe, clean up, wash my hands lightly, and return.

“I’m back… huh?”

Junseo’s already back from his smoke.
Holding something white and thick in his hand.

Ice cream…?

“Yup.
Grabbed it while I was out.”

Junseo takes a big bite of the ice cream.
The soft cream disappears, leaving only teeth marks.
A sweet scent wafts over.

That sweet scent…

If I put it in my mouth, the creamy sweetness would melt.
Cooling my tongue, teeth, and palate.

The melted ice cream would slither down, wrapping my tongue.
Flowing gently, filling my mouth with sugary sweetness before sliding down my throat.

If I took a bigger bite, it might be so cold my head would ache.
But I wouldn’t stop.
It’s too sweet to resist.

Like a foolish insect drowning in honey.
A massive, irresistible temptation, even knowing the pain.

Gulp.

…

My eyes are locked on Junseo’s ice cream.

When his hand rises, my head follows.
When it lowers, I dip too.
When it spins in the air, my head twirls along.

Not that I want to eat it!
I’m not tactless enough to steal someone’s food.

If I want, I can go downstairs and buy my own!
I have money.
No need to take my friend’s.

Even though I really want it!
But still!
I’m not—

“… Want some?”

“Really?!”

He holds out the ice cream.

—But!

I have money to buy my own!
I’m not petty enough to want someone else’s food!

But if the owner offers, why refuse?
I can just take it and say thanks, right?!

“Hehe…”

I open my mouth and take a big bite.
Sweet, cold cream fills my mouth.

Munch, munch.

A heavenly taste spreads.
So sweet and smooth, candy can’t compare.

I roll the ice cream with my tongue.
It spreads sweetness everywhere.
The melted cream slides down my throat.

Lethal sweetness.

Reluctant to let it go, I smack my lips, savoring the lingering taste.

“Ehehe…”

“… It’s all over your mouth.”

“Huh?!”

Junseo wipes my mouth with a tissue, snapping me out of it.

“Tch, it’s, uh, you know.
Species trait!
Not my choice!”

“Alright, calm down.”

Embarrassed, I flail my arms, explaining to my friends.
They nod, as if they get it, making me even more embarrassed.

It took a while to calm down.

Ugh.