The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

Every time we went to look at houses, it was a little amusing to see how people reacted to us.

We were slowly starting to build a name for ourselves through our internet broadcasts, but the fandom wasn’t that big yet. We had never run into someone who recognized us on the street. Or maybe they did recognize us but chose not to say anything.

To people who didn’t know us, we just looked like foreigners.

Five white girls bursting into a real estate office — they would be startled once. And when we opened our mouths and spoke Korean fluently, they would be startled again.

Usually, like the elderly woman who had approached Claire, Alice, and me the first time we went to Yeouido Park, their reaction was something like, “Wow, you speak Korean so well!”

And then when we showed them our resident registration cards, they would go completely speechless.

It’s just like asking an Asian-American, “Can you speak English?” — In this country, asking a Korean if they speak Korean could definitely be seen as racist.

Besides, at our age and already carrying Korean resident ID cards, most people probably assumed we were mixed-race.

Watching them break into a cold sweat was quite entertaining.

...

I guess I still hadn’t outgrown my old habit from my time in this world — stirring up trouble on forums for fun.

"How is it? I think the price is very reasonable."

This was the second time meeting this agent.

Maybe because he had already sweated enough last time, he didn’t look too surprised now. Actually, he looked very happy. We had called ahead before coming, and showing up here basically meant we were ready to buy.

We had looked at a lot of places, but this one had the best conditions. It was relatively spacious, close to both a subway and a bus stop, and there was a market nearby — very convenient.

"Hmm..."

I turned around and saw the others nodding.

We had already finished discussing it before coming.

We had carefully compared the pictures we took last time and made a cautious decision. Well, not that we were planning to stay for years, but even if it was for a short time, it was better to live somewhere without stress.

"Then, we’ll go ahead and sign the contract."

And just like that, I succeeded in getting my own place.

*

The move didn’t take very long.

No matter how much of an otaku you are, it's hard to pile up that much stuff while working a full-time job.

Living alone had drained a lot of my money. Buying games, manga, and everything else was only possible by squeezing every bit out of my living expenses.

Aside from basic living goods and clothes, most of my possessions were books or games.

Even if I had packed a one-room apartment to the brim, it wasn’t that much. With the help of the moving company and the five of us, we finished moving the essentials, bought new furniture for Mia and Charlotte’s room, brought in a new sofa and TV for the living room — and still wrapped everything up by around two in the afternoon.

"This... looks like a good spot."

I murmured as I set up the last item, the one that had been the hardest to find a place for.

It was none other than a figure.

I did like figures, but I hadn’t bought them often. Books and games I could justify squeezing into my budget, but a figure — which was purely decorative and cost the same as several full-priced games — wasn’t something I could afford easily.

In the end, a figure modeled after Alice and me ended up on the shelf in front of the TV.

"Honestly, doesn’t it feel... a little weird?"

"Hm? Weird how? What do you mean?"

Alice, proudly admiring the figures, asked, tilting her head. Charlotte, meanwhile, wore a complicated expression, deep in thought.

"I mean... it’s not exactly your real likeness, but it's based on an illustration turned into a 3D figure... and it’s kind of, you know, emphasizing... certain features, isn’t it?"

Charlotte had hit the nail surprisingly accurately.

...

I hadn’t been able to explain to Alice that the figure, though based on her, was designed with those "appeal" factors in mind.

Sure, there are plenty of figures in modest outfits. But even if the outfit is modest, the pose usually isn’t. And school uniforms in figures are often portrayed with much shorter skirts than real ones. Plus, characters who are heavily covered up often have, well, exaggerated proportions under that covering.

And most importantly, you can’t exactly call a figure that’s sculpted fully under the skirt "purely wholesome." I'd wrapped it in bubble wrap and packed it in an old shoebox to prevent damage, and Charlotte had seen that whole process, so of course she was looking at the figures with mixed feelings.

Meanwhile, Alice seemed to think of it the same way she thought of the marble statues in the royal palace.

"Hm? Sylvia’s and my figures look pretty accurate. If it's ‘sexualized’, well... but didn’t we wear school uniforms that looked just like this?"

"..."

Charlotte was left speechless by Alice’s completely sincere response. Her face said she didn’t know how to even start explaining it.

...

For a second, I wondered if I should tell Charlotte just how much "interesting" second-hand fan creations existed based on game and anime characters. But then I remembered — these girls were only legally adults. In reality, they were still young minors. Better not.

"..."

Mia was sprawled out motionless on the couch. She had burned out after a morning [N O V E L I G H T] of heavy lifting.

At least my stamina was better than Mia’s. Next time, I would definitely make Mia do some fitness streams. Maybe then they’d stop underestimating my physical abilities.

Claire, meanwhile, was standing nearby, glaring at the figures.

"...It’s unfair."

Finally, Claire spoke.

"You only bought figures of you and Alice."

...

Well. I had wanted to get a Claire figure too, honestly.

"But... are you sure about that?"

"Hm?"

Claire tilted her head at my question.

"What do you mean?"

"The figures based on you would still be from the earlier versions. Not from the latest game."

"..."

I mean, sure, there could be a Claire figure in a more modest outfit. But when I checked, none were even announced yet.

The Sylvia Fangryphon figure had been scheduled for release even before the game came out. The series wasn’t a huge mainstream anime or anything, so the variety of figures was pretty limited. And even if a new Claire figure were announced today, it would take years to actually release, given how slow the figure market is.

"Thinking about it, maybe it’s better not to get one..."

"What kind of outfit was it, anyway?"

"It had a neckline that showed everything." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Alice!"

Claire shouted, flushing red, while Alice just smiled innocently.

"Well... since we finished everything earlier than expected, should we grab some food?"

As soon as I said that, Mia’s eyes snapped open.

I thought she was asleep!

Well, it made sense. We hadn’t eaten anything all day while moving. And it was our fault too — when Mia was getting weak from hunger, we had said, "Just a little longer!"

That "little longer" turned into two hours. No wonder she collapsed.

"Let’s not bother getting out plates. Let’s order delivery. I know just the thing for this kind of day."

Of course, it had to be jjajangmyeon after a move.

...

Wait, is that still a thing nowadays? I’m not sure.

*

Watching my friends eat was always a pleasure.

Alice, wanting to respect local culture, asked me very seriously about the proper way to eat. Her chopstick skills had gotten pretty decent by now.

Claire was still a little clumsier than Alice, but she had developed her own style. Even if it looked awkward, she rarely dropped her food anymore.

Charlotte and Mia, who had arrived later, were still using forks. Probably because their bodies were ingrained with formal etiquette. They looked much more comfortable using forks.

Still, seeing them twirl jjajangmyeon like spaghetti with forks in paper containers was... strange.

Everyone seemed to enjoy their food, though.

"..."

"Is something wrong, Mia?"

"That... is it good?"

Mia was staring intently at my bowl. When I asked, she shyly spoke up.

Such a curious kid when it came to food.

"...It looks spicy."

Charlotte said seriously.

For reference, I had shown them the menu photos on my phone before ordering and explained the taste. Everyone knew my jjamppong was spicy.

"If you’re really curious, you can try a little."

When Mia’s eyes sparkled at my offer, I smiled bitterly and got up. I brought a small bowl from the kitchen, scooped out some noodles, a clam, a bit of squid, and some broth for her.

"Thank you!"

She hadn’t ordered it because she couldn't handle spicy food but was still curious about the taste.

Claire, Alice, and Charlotte’s eyes followed Mia's every move.

Mia licked her fork clean, then carefully scooped up some noodles. She took a bite—

"Ugh!"

Her face instantly turned red.

Told you it was spicy.

It wasn’t even the super spicy kind — just regular jjamppong from the local Chinese restaurant.

Still, she ate every last bite, which made me a little proud.

"Cough!"

"Here you go."

Charlotte, clearly expecting this, handed her a cup of water.

"..."

Somehow, it felt like family.

If I kept watching, I might start laughing for no reason, so I quickly lowered my head and focused on my own meal instead.