7 – 1st Generation Dimensional Refugee, Suin Kang Soyeong (2)
After finishing a tiring day of work, Soyeong stepped out of the building and took a deep breath, then exhaled.
*Sigh* Today was tough…!
It has been about 10 years since I came to Earth. I thought I had adapted quite well to life on Earth, but I still couldn’t get used to working.
Is it because of who I am, or is it because I am a different species?
Sometimes I feel discriminated against, and sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I feel ignored, and sometimes I don’t…
Even though living conditions have improved due to technological advancements, compared to the previous world where I had much less to worry about, there were still many things on Earth that I had to be concerned about.
However, I could say that I was in a better position compared to other different species. Despite living only for three years, I had my own home, worked at a small company, and most importantly, I looked similar to humans.
Even though she, who looked almost identical to humans except for her ears and tail, was unconsciously experiencing discrimination, it was a problem that one could easily imagine how different species with a very different appearance from humans were being treated.
As someone who liked humans, she wanted to help the struggling different species…
But how can I help others when I am struggling myself?
After a tiring day at work, Soyeong sighed and felt helpless.
If only I knew how to use magic.
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Soyeong thought of one person among the first-generation dimensional refugees who had come with her, and whom she could call the most successful.
No, what would I do being jealous? I am living well enough.
Stop complaining and let’s go back home quickly.
As Soyeong prepared to move her feet, she suddenly thought about Yeoul, who would be alone at home.
Leaving him at home against his will.
What has he been doing all this time? How did he eat? Is he hungry? Is he bored?
She couldn’t concentrate on work because she kept thinking about him.
He must be doing fine…?
Thinking about him for a moment, Soyeong then remembered his clothes.
Come to think of it, he didn’t have any decent clothes to wear.
The clothes he initially had were so embarrassingly shabby, and now he must be wearing her pajamas.
There were even tail holes in her clothes.
His problems were not just about clothes… but resolving the immediate issue was still about clothes. Without appropriate clothes, he wouldn’t even be able to go outside.
Even if he were to leave the house today, he would need at least one set of clothes to wear. With this thought in mind, Soyeong turned her steps towards a clothing store.
It’s my first time buying men’s clothes, but I have a rough idea of his height and body shape…!
And maybe I should buy a chicken too. No, should I buy two? He must be very hungry… I’ll save some for myself to eat later.
Thinking like that, Soyeong swayed her tail.
It’s not so bad to have someone at home!
Oh, but maybe it’s not appropriate for the one who left him at home to have such thoughts…
hehehe.
In one hand, a paper bag containing his clothes. And in the other hand, two delicious-smelling chickens.
Could there be a grander welcoming road?
Feeling the weight of the substantial hands, Soyung hummed a tune happily.
Ding, the elevator doors opened. Soyung stood in front of her apartment door with joyful strides.
She placed her hand on the doorknob, and soon the door opened.
Creak, the door was forced open due to her full hands, revealing…
Somehow, her apartment sparkled and glistened.
Was my home always this beautiful? Soyung, who was about to greet her apartment with a cheerful greeting, suddenly realized that the shimmering was not solely due to her mood.
Although she had cleaned diligently, her apartment, which couldn’t really be described as clean due to its nature of being a single-person dwelling, had transformed into a brand new home with not a speck of dust.
“Huh, huh?”
Even at the corner of the entrance, in the corners of the shoe closet, and on the entrance floor, all the familiar dust that used to welcome her had vanished without a trace.
At that moment, Yeoul, who realized that she had returned home, emerged from the living room.
“Have you returned?”
“I have returned…?
Yeoul was wearing a disheveled pajama. He maintained his usual expressionless demeanor, but Soyung couldn’t help but feel that he looked pleased for some reason.
Could it be…?
“Hey, Yeoul. Did you clean by any chance?”
“Yes. I thought it was not proper to just stay home without doing anything. If I have been impolite, I apologize.”
As Yeoul bowed expressionlessly, Soyung quickly lifted her head.
“No, no! It’s not impolite, I was just surprised… It’s become so clean…”
Her ears, covered by the ears of the person she was mimicking, wiggled lightly.
As Soyung took off her shoes and entered her home, Yeoul naturally approached and took the bags from her hands. Soyung didn’t even notice that her belongings were being carried by Yeoul and continuously looked around her changed apartment.
The window frame, the table, the kitchen, the sink, the refrigerator… and even her room. Everything had become clean.
The arrangement of the items hadn’t been changed. Everything was exactly as she remembered. It was just that everything had become so clean to the point where it gave off a sparkling impression.
“I didn’t move anything around. Oh, and I wanted to mention that I didn’t enter your room either. You don’t have to worry about it being clean.”
“How is this possible…?”
While cleaning may have been throwing away trash and running a vacuum cleaner, it was impossible for a house to become this clean with such simple tasks.
“I used my abilities a little.”
Yeoul had only “cut” the impure things in every nook and cranny of the house. It wasn’t a difficult task for him. However, how Soyung would perceive it was a separate issue.
So Young believed that he had used magic. He had cleaned the house using magic to show his gratitude towards her. It was a cleaning magic that even the wizard himself didn’t want to use due to its difficulty and pride…
In a way, it was just a trivial thing as the house had become a little cleaner, but So Young thought it strangely touched her heart.
To have someone clean my house for me while I work hard…
Could it be because she had struggled alone for ten years in a foreign land where even the phrase “far away” fell short?
The fact that someone had done something for her touched her heart.
She had even left him alone in her house.
So Young somehow felt like tears were about to fall.
“Th-thank you…”
“It wasn’t really a difficult task.”
It was really like that.
But even so, So Young accepted it with humility.
“If Yeo Ul is okay, you can continue staying at our house…”
In the end, she allowed him to stay in her house.
Yeo Ul, who had nowhere to go until his little sister’s mood improved, readily accepted the offer without hesitation.
“I will accept without refusal. Thank you. If there is anything I can help with in the future, please let me know.”
And so, the cohabitation of the two people, who couldn’t find even a single place that was the same from one to ten, began, and no one knew how long it would last.
* * *
“Ah, this feels great!”
After happily presenting Yeo Ul with the clothes she bought for him and neatly arranging the chicken on the table.
So Young gladly took out a chilled beer from the refrigerator, the one that she only drinks when she feels really good.
“Would you like to have some too, Yeo Ul? Ah, well, you are an adult, right…?”
So Young cautiously asked, finding it difficult to easily guess his age from his appearance.
“Yes, I am an adult. And, thank you, I will gladly eat.”
And Yeo Ul, who didn’t know how to refuse, accepted it gratefully.
With a click sound, So Young opened the beer can and drank it in one gulp, gulp, passing it through her throat. Every time she took a sip, her tail that protruded between the chair and the backrest shook vigorously.
“Ah~”
So Young let out a contented sigh.
“Oh, please have some quickly too, Yeo Ul. I’m sorry for offering it to you even though I should apologize to you.”
“I’m the one who should apologize.”
Receiving and wearing it was already a great grace.
Yeoul also opened a beer can and took a light sip, following her lead. The cool temperature, lively bubbles, and rich taste of barley slid down his throat and settled in his stomach.
Soyoung and Yeoul both happily tore apart a chicken leg each.
“Yeoul-ssi, I’m really sorry. I rushed off to work and left you behind. I bet you couldn’t even leave because you weren’t registered on the door lock…”
“Just the fact that you let me sleep is enough to be grateful for.”
“But you even cleaned up… and you spoke so kindly…”
Nyum. This time, Soyoung picked up a chicken wing.
“It’s really alright. You don’t have to worry.”
“Yes…”
Soyoung picked up the beer can again. Glug glug. In no time, one can was emptied. Chirk, she opened a new one and quickly brought it to her lips.
“hehehe. I don’t know when was the last time I ate and drank like this with someone…”
“Is that so.”
Nyum. Glug glug.
“Yes… strangely, it’s difficult for me to get close to other people.”
“I see.”
Nyum. Glug glug.
“For me to approach someone first, it feels like there’s a wall. Even though I’ve spent 10 years on Earth, I still don’t have a single person I can call a friend…”
“Is that so.”
Chirk, glug glug. Nyum.
“But, you know. I feel like I can get along well with you, Yeoul-ssi. hehehe. I have a feeling…”
“I see.”
*
Glug glug. Nyum.
“So, I was thinking─”
“Yes.”
*
Glug glug.
“But, you know─”
“I see.”
*
Glug glug.
“Yeoul, are you…?”
“Yes.”
*
Clunk.
“hehehe…”
Splat.
Soyoung, who had been relentlessly drinking beer, finally collapsed onto the table.
Her ears, standing upright above her head, folded and unfolded in an erratic manner.
Tap, clack.