LIGHTNOVELSTORY After the noble sacrifice of the Six Monsters, it wasn’t long before life on Earth returned to normal.
In the daytime of a weekend, there was Mari sprawled across her bed.
Having taught Siyeon how to use a delivery app in case she got hungry while Mari slept, she looked very much like a girl her age, sleeping peacefully without a care in the world.
Of course, Mari’s smartphone had been handed over to Siyeon.
Currently, it was Gomteng, who had sweet-talked Siyeon into giving it back, holding onto it.
Once a monster, now a mascot, Gomteng had become quite accustomed to using the smartphone and had developed the skill to navigate various communities beyond just the gallery.
‘What kind of ridiculous news is out there today?’
With that thought, Gomteng began pressing the touchscreen with his fluffy hand.
In the mascots’ daily life, where there was nothing but the radar used to detect monsters—
Finding something to do other than watching TV was definitely like a much-needed rain during a drought.
As soon as Gomteng entered the search engine, various news articles greeted him.
Swiping, he pushed his palm from bottom to top, scrolling down.
[‘The nightmare is over’ Monsters in Sun & Moon’s territory, normalization of numbers.]
[Monster analysis expert Professor Lee, ‘Unprecedented behavior patterns’ must be closely monitored.]
[A new operation from the monsters ends in failure… Who is this magical girl who stopped it at the forefront?]
[Representative Na, criticized for comments on magical girls, reacts by saying ‘I’m sorry’ angrily…]
[Indeed different. Magical girl ‘Sun’s strategies against the increased monsters?]
Similar stories and news appeared for days on end.
Gomteng frowned and scrolled back up.
Seeing the same news flooded in the news section for a day or two was a bit too much.
With that thought crossing his mind, Gomteng lay back into the cushion and muttered carelessly.
“Same old obvious stuff.”
“What’s with your tone?”
“Huh?”
Siyeon’s mascot tilted its head.
They say if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you.
Slowly, as Gomteng was being engorged by the community, he was also unwittingly correcting his speech.
Noticing his fellow mascot’s comment, Gomteng eventually realized it too.
“If you talk like that, aren’t you going to get hit again?”
“Whoa… I’m so done, yeah.”
In an instant, just as he was about to let slip that ‘out of the blue comment,’ Gomteng consciously swallowed his words, trying to fix his tone.
The time he said “Pyo” had already drawn a chilling reaction, and if he started speaking like this, he really wouldn’t survive.
Overwhelmed by an unexpected dilemma, Gomteng spent the day dry swallowing nonexistent saliva.
The next day, at school.
Waking up refreshingly, Mari escaped the clutches of the demon called sleep and sat down with a completely clear face.
The reason she looked so refreshed wasn’t solely because she had escaped the horrors of sleep deprivation.
It was summer vacation!
The word that every student yearned for, and now it was right in front of her.
The beginning of a much-anticipated break had dawned.
“Everyone, today is the day of the vacation ceremony, right?”
“Yes-!”
At the teacher’s question, the children responded with vigor.
The youthful chorus amassed into a noise that pierced the ears and scratched the eardrums.
At the age of first graders, especially on vacation day, their voices would definitely feel louder than usual; it wasn’t just in their heads.
“Now, pass the papers from the front to the back?”
Feeling the misfortune of being in the front row, I extended my hand and accepted the paper.
Various papers announcing the start of vacation.
The library would be open during vacation, and something about classroom operations during the break.
Setting aside all the unnecessary words, I began to scan through what must be prepared in advance.
Naturally, what comes with vacation is homework.
Of course, being in first grade, there isn’t that much to do.
[Write a picture diary once a week]
[Complete at least one reading worksheet]
[Exercise regularly]
[Engage in various expressive activities (such as origami, crafting, drawing, etc.)]
[Experience various things (like traveling)]
Confirmed that most of these didn’t require validation that I had done them, in my age.
In other words, composing about four diaries and one book report.
If I just managed that much, I wouldn’t have to wake up early and could just play for a whole month!
Exercise, origami, travel?
‘Nah, pass.’
“Alright, then let’s make a vacation plan!”
While I mocked inwardly, a stack of papers was pushed onto my desk alongside the teacher’s voice.
A round paper with a tiny dot indicating the end of the hour hand, and a grand term, vacation plan.
Thinking it might be a memory, I took just one and flipped the rest over without looking.
Carelessly scribbling on the uneven lines like “sleep,” “breakfast,” “lunch,” “exercise,” etc., I created a grand plan that I wouldn’t even follow.
In reality, it would just be sleep, meals, irregular monster-killing, and dozing off while playing on the smartphone.
Even so, since I was forced to create a ‘normal’ plan, I put it together in a breath.
The essence of the vacation plan had to be a timetable appearing as if a good, obedient child made it.
Midnight, so… going to bed at 12 and waking up at 11 am; I needed to show I wasn’t some lazy kid.
If I wrote down the reality, I’d be shot down.
Even though I wouldn’t do this, I planned to sleep around 8 or 9 pm.
Even if I wouldn’t actually do this, I’d wake up around 7 am.
Even while moving my hand to write, it was utterly ridiculous.
‘Why would I wake up at this time if I’m not going to school?’
If anything happens that wakes me up at this hour, it’s definitely going to be about monsters.
With that thought, I mocked it in my mind and then showed the false-laden vacation plan to the teacher.
A textbook-worthy plan. My perfect plan, without forgetting the vacation assignments, was effortlessly approved on the first attempt.
The plan had completed its role and went absentmindedly into my bag.
Let it get crumpled or not; it didn’t matter since I didn’t intend to follow it anyway.
Finishing with the teacher’s wish for a nice break, I headed home.
Still just a first grader.
Parents come to pick up kids like they did when they attended kindergarten, regardless of whether it’s the back gate or the front gate.
Of course, not every child appreciates it.
“Why are you here? I can go by myself!”
“Because I’m worried.”
Today, there’s a conversation blending between a concerned parent and a child embarrassed by the parent who came to pick them up from school.
Though we go to the same school, unless it’s specifically that Siyeon is going with a friend, that role was over here.
For a month, it’s goodbye to this scenery, and I’m so happy.
Walking up the steps and returning home in the heat that’s even warm enough for the pavement to burn.
A problem recently arose for us upon returning home.
“It’s hot….”
The lack of an air conditioner, suitable for summer.
Having barely survived with a fan until now, my longing for an air conditioner grew more desperate after experiencing its greatness at school and the mart.
Seeing Siyeon sprawled out in front of the fan as the weather grew warmer, I could no longer put it off.
It seemed that for air conditioning, ductwork needed to be done, and I hesitated to invite someone over to a house with just two elementary students.
‘At this rate, I can’t take it anymore.’
Muttering my frustrating thoughts silently, I envisioned the horrifying scenario.
Coming home right after monster hunting and stepping into a sweltering sauna in the height of summer?
Just imagining it was horrifying.
Then again, leaving the veranda door open might bring in the irregular smells of nicotine, which could all harm Siyeon.
In the end, I searched for information on air conditioner installation, entered the official site for purchasing genuine products and reached the non-member checkout screen.
[Identity Verification]
[XX.com restricts usage for customers under 14 years old, requiring identity verification for age confirmation. Please select one of the verification methods below to complete the identity confirmation.]
What appeared before me was a non-member age verification window that downright offended.
‘What the hell.’
In the end, I cursed inwardly, resenting a world where children under 14 could do nothing.
The moment I realized I couldn’t buy what I had been wanting so badly.
People can really go insane.
Desire turns into stubbornness.
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Stubbornness turned into obsession.
‘I must find a way to buy it and get it installed.’
The obsession led to action.
Where I headed, hand in hand with Siyeon, was nothing less than the department store.
Specifically, we went down the escalator to the basement.
Waiting there was a plethora of electronic products, flaunting themselves, hoping for someone to stroke them with a purchasing hand.
Families often passed by, while kids sat in shopping cart seats, wiggling their legs.
In that normal scene, two little girls held hands, looking slightly out of place.
“We’re buying an air conditioner!”
“An air conditioner!?”
It was me and Siyeon.
As we proudly declared with one hand on our hips, Siyeon mirrored back the word “air conditioner” with a gleam in her eyes.
Yes, we would finally have an air conditioner at home.
“When you talk to your older brother or sister, you have to be quiet. Got it? Otherwise, we can’t buy the air conditioner.”
“Uh-huh!”
With wealth but lacking adults,
Even for purchasing items, there’s no way an irrational employee would easily swipe a card in the hands of mere children.
So what do we, just two kids need?
A scenario.
For now, Siyeon and I have imaginary parents.
Two just graduated first graders left to buy appliances while the grown-ups headed upstairs to shop for clothes…
Having selfish but rich parents without any sense.