chapter 29
29 – Incident (3)
When I arrived at the mart, I saw many people.
However, if there was one thing that was different from usual, it was that everyone had dark faces.
Maybe it was the department store bombing.
A huge department store collapsed in an instant, so wouldn’t something like this happen?
In the first place, villains are so crazy that you don’t know when or where they will appear, so you can’t help but feel nervous or worried when that happens.
Maybe that’s why heroes and safety drones guarding the mart showed a little more thoroughness.
‘… Nothing special.’
It would be nice if I just passed it by, but maybe it was because I regressed.
I, like everyone else, started to worry.
I keep reminding myself that it’s okay, but it’s something that doesn’t go away easily.
I was worried about how to get a clear answer to this.
‘… Done. Let’s just think about shopping for now.’
But no matter how much I thought about it, all I could do was panic, so I decided to finish shopping.
As I was fiddling with my notepad and checking the list of items, I felt something come to mind.
“Ah. Come to think of it… It was the kids’ birthday soon.”
My sister’s birthday is in April.
They weren’t twins, but they were born on the same day.
My birthday is in May, a month apart, but it wasn’t that long.
So if I was born a little late, I would have regretted having the same birthday.
What. That was it, and since it was my first birthday since living together, I was worried about what to do.
But I should have looked after someone’s birthday to know what.
I skipped my birthday and swung my sword at the training ground.
Calling Han Soo-jung or Ho-yeon is a nuisance at this time… I have no choice but to borrow the power of the internet or ask.
‘Shall we buy some fruit that the kids like?’
I decided to think about things like birthday presents and parties later, and once I remembered, I just kept shopping, thinking about buying something my sister liked.
※
When I returned home after shopping, Soo-ah Yoo was awake, looking a bit sleepy.
He greeted me rubbing his eyes as if he hadn’t woken up yet.
“Ah… older brother… did you come after shopping…?”
“Uh. Sua. Are you awake?”
“Yes… I just woke up from my sleep.”
“Did you wake up because of me?”
“No… I just woke up, don’t mind me.”
I wonder how many times I yawned and woke up completely.
Yoo Soo-ah came towards me and started sorting out the things I bought.
“What did you buy so much for?”
“Oh. It’s nothing special. I bought your favorite fruit or snack because I remembered your birthday.”
“Birthday…?”
Yoo Soo-ah looked at me with her puzzled eyes and tilted her head.
She thought about it for a moment, then her expression brightened and she patted her palm.
“Ah… Did you care about our birthday?”
“What do you care about? I have a question for you. Is it okay?”
“Yes. Please tell me.”
“Ah. That’s about your birthday…”
Yusua smiled brightly and nodded her head.
She was about to ask what you would like to do for your birthday, but she suddenly had one thing on her mind.
Don’t you usually throw a surprise party on your birthday?
If you want something like that, maybe I should do it myself without asking.
But even if we had a surprise party, we didn’t know what to do.
Even if I tried, an accident could happen.
My sister could not have wanted it, so I decided to just ask.
“What would you like me to do for your birthday?”
“Yes? Our birthday…?”
At my words, Soo-ah Yoo began to think.
What she thinks?
Somehow, around the time I wondered if I might have said something inappropriate, Yoo Soo-ah smiled again and said it quietly.
“Hmm… There are many things I want to do, but if I had to pick one…”
“If I had to choose…?”
“…On a date with my older brother…?”
She must have been embarrassed to say it. Yoo Soo-ah averted her gaze as her face blushed.
So you just want to go out alone, right?
I can still do that, but I don’t know why you’re so shy.
“No, well… if it’s just the two of us going out, we can do it now.”
Then, was there something wrong with my answer?
Suddenly Yushua turned her head around and she looked at me as if she was a little dumbfounded.
No. Why…
Did I say something wrong?
“…Whew. That’s fine. I can’t see it right now, that’s it…”
“Huh? What can’t you see?”
“It’s interesting~ Let’s buy groceries or organize together~”
“No. Why, Sua? What did I do wrong?”
She was thinking of apologizing if she did something wrong, but maybe that wasn’t the case.
Yoo Soo-ah puffed out her cheeks and she grunted, and even after cleaning out the grocery store, she looked sulky.
No. Why… what did i do wrong…
※
A few days later in April.
Her sister’s birthday is approaching.
“There are a lot of people in the department store~”
“I see… The culprit hasn’t been caught yet.”
“Maybe he was scared and hid somewhere? Or he ran away!”
“Maybe.”
My sister and I were at the department store.
I came to the department store with Han Su-jeong in the past.
It’s not because it’s a department store owned by Han Soo-jung, but unlike other brands, I came here because I thought it would be a little better in terms of safety.
The reason I came here was to celebrate my sister’s birthday.
Afterwards, when Yoo Seo-eun woke up, she asked and she made a similar remark, and in the end she just decided to go buy some nice clothes.
“Let’s see. The children’s corner…”
As I was looking at the information board for each floor, a stinging glance flew by.
“Brother.”
“Brother.”
“Huh?”
“Isn’t it my child? Where are you looking?”
“That’s right. Don’t you know how much I’ve grown since then?”
An act of leaning forward and showing off the chest, perhaps to appeal to the fact that he has grown to the fullest.
But in my eyes, the sisters were still children.
From the beginning, they had lived a mediocre life up until now, so they were two people who lacked growth compared to their age.
I always thought I was 2-3 years younger than my age.
Of course, since we started living together, I’ve been paying attention to things like nutritional supplements and food, but growth doesn’t happen in a short period of time.
That’s why you shouldn’t treat me like a child.
“Uh… Um… Mi.Sorry…”
When I apologized with embarrassment, her sister pouted and jerked her head away.
“It’s fun. You’ll regret saying that later.”
“That’s right! You will regret it greatly.”
“Okay. Women’s clothes are… on the third floor. Let’s go.”
Lee Seo-jin, who was at a loss with the sister who prayed for them to grow up soon, went up to the third floor.
※
When I went up to the third floor, I saw a lot of women’s clothes.
However, compared to the sisters’ ages, there were many clothes that didn’t fit.
Hey, adults come to places like this. Who comes here at the age of a middle school student?
I thought so, but I just looked at the sisters in silence.
“Brother! Let’s go over there!”
Looking around, Yoo Seo-eun pointed to a store.
This is a store with casual clothes, and there are brands you don’t know well.
But I don’t think there’s anything suitable for a sister…
Let’s go for now. What will be different if you go and wear it?
“Yes. Yes.”
After being dragged along, the sisters started choosing clothes.
But when I came here, I knew for sure.
This is… I don’t think so.
At least there were clothes that fit an adult or more mature body.
“Hmm… which one will suit you best?”
“I think this is fine too. How about your brother?”
“Yeah. I think it’s fine.”
I want to say that there doesn’t seem to be anything for your age… !!
But no… !
Be patient. Seojin Lee. Blessings come after suffering…
I calmed down and smiled, agreeing with the sister’s words.
“Okay. I’ll try this on.”
Yoo Soo-ah picked up some clothes and went into the changing room.
After a while she was all dressed and she heard a voice calling me from inside and came closer.
“Older brother, could you take a look at the clothes?”
“Yes. I will. Do you want to open the door?”
“Yes. Hold on…”
The door slowly opened with a moment of hesitation.
And the figure of Yoo Soo-ah from inside…
For a moment, the words didn’t come out.
As I stared blankly at her, Yusua asked me while avoiding her gaze, perhaps a little embarrassed.
“Uh. How is it…? Does it look good on you?”
“…Wow… Really…”
I raised my finger and praised him.
“Looks good!!”
Damn it!!!
“Really? hehehe… Thank God.”
I don’t know if it’s because I can’t see the style and the style is so bad that I can’t evaluate it properly.
Instinctively, ‘This is not enough!!’ I thought strongly.
That strange suspender design and baggy clothes.
Until the collarbone and slight shoulder exposure.
Who designed this?
No. Rather than that, this is clothes that adults would wear.
At least it doesn’t fit Yoo Soo-ah’s body right now.
I promise to buy you clothes you like, but… I felt strongly that I should buy better clothes than this.
The mouth is smiling, but hastily said the exact opposite.
“By the way, Sua. I don’t think the clothing brands here are very good.”
“That’s right?”
“Yes. So, let’s go somewhere else. Seo-eun, you too, put down your clothes.”
I hurriedly prevented Yoo Seo-eun from trying to wear a similar style.
One person is enough to see this…
“Huh? Why?”
“…Let’s just go somewhere else. The brand is so bad here.”
“Is that so…?”
“Then it can’t be helped.”
Fortunately, I was persuaded, and the sister agreed with me.
That’s how I was able to go to other brand stores and successfully buy the right clothes.
※
After that, after going shopping for clothes, the three of them tried to stop by the Sky Lounge on the top floor.
However, Yoo Seo-eun said that she wanted something to eat for a while, and while she was on her way up, she suggested stopping by the basement for a while.
I will go up anyway and meet you, so Soo-ah Yoo decided to go up first and wait.
Three people separated for a while like that.
“Phew~ The spring breeze is nice.”
The warm sunlight was shining on the roof of the department store, announcing that winter had completely passed and spring had arrived.
It’s called a sky lounge, but it’s a kind of rooftop view, nothing grandiose, and a resting facility.
There were chairs and tables so you could take a break at any time.
“Let’s see. I want you to sit here.”
When I found a free seat in the Sky Lounge and sat down, I was greeted with a magnificent view of the city.
I was thinking that it would be nice if just the two of us went on a date on a rooftop like this.
At that time, a loud noise was heard from somewhere.
Beep ─
“Ugh?!”
Yusua covered her ears for a moment at the loud noise and made her face grimace.
Let’s see where the sound is coming from.
Originally, soft classical music was playing, but was there a problem?
Not only Yoo Soo-ah, but the attention of many people on the rooftop was focused, and someone started talking.
“Ah. Ah. Microphone test. Many citizens on the rooftop, please listen to this for a moment.”
What song or piece of music is being announced in advance?
A little interested, Yoo Soo-ah looked at the loudspeaker gently.
And not long after, she heard an unknown song from the loudspeaker.
That moment.
Beep
My vision went dark and I lost consciousness.
Everyone on the roof.
※
“Is it delicious?”
“Yes!”
“I’m going to have lunch, so don’t eat too much.”
“It’s okay. I have separate meals and snacks, right?”
Eating packaged food and even buying Yusua’s, the two were on their way up.
But what happened?
While I was going upstairs, a buzzing noise started to spread.
Some were staring blankly at their phones as if they were terrified.
‘What’s going on… ?’
Surprised, Lee Seo-jin turned on his cell phone.
When she entered the search bar, she saw that it was flooded with real-time articles and news.
As soon as I saw it, I felt an unknown anxiety.
She stopped going up and sat down next to her to check what was going on.
“Brother. What’s wrong?”
“Wait a minute.”
Articles and news were dominated by only one subject.
[The culprit of the department store terrorism. Terror again!]
[Until broadcast 0:45]
It was written in red letters on a black screen, and looking at the numbers below, it seemed that it was captured from a video and taken as an image.
When I checked to see what was going on, there was only one piece of information within 45 seconds.
Someone just started a broadcast on YouTube with the same title.
As I hurriedly entered, the time reached 0:00, and when the black screen disappeared, what appeared…
A man with orange hair was broadcasting with a smile on the roof of a tall building.
─Ah. Everyone~? Can you hear me?
The whole screen was floating in the air, perhaps shooting with a drone.
As soon as Lee Seo-jin saw that, her eyes widened.
Because the face I saw once was broadcasting right now.
However, she didn’t know what the situation was yet, so she held her breath and started watching the broadcast.
─hahahaha~ I can feel that many people are already watching the show. Let’s see… Oh! 3 Million? I didn’t expect so many people to watch the show at this time!
─Ah~ But it shouldn’t be if the broadcast is cut off, right? It’s probably being broadcast nationwide, but please refrain from heroes.
─Otherwise… Will it be the same here?
An evil smile.
Then the murmur of the people grew louder.
Whether he knew it or not, the orange-haired man continued talking.
─First of all, my villain name is Neutral. What. As you can see, he is the culprit of the department store terrorism. I was going to do the same thing again… One-sided isn’t fun, is it?
─So like this~ I’m going to do a live broadcast. Ah! Of course, I’m not in a rush. Wouldn’t it be nice to do this slowly?
─So~ Everyone please stay still? If you run away or see any movement like that… I have no choice but to hurry
The buzz of people spreads.
Despair and fear slowly grew.
Where the hell is that?
I just stopped at the thought that I could experience the same disaster if I went outside.
─Ah! That’s right. Everyone is wondering where this place is? Let’s see… Here is…
You can see in the eyes of the people watching the screen that they are desperate to please not be where they are.
When Neutral answered with an evil smile after moving his head around while thinking about it.
─HA Is it located in ○○ department store?
People started screaming.