I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers

In fact, deciding to buy clothes was quite an impulsive decision.

Not long ago, I lacked clothes to go out, and if I could ride Luce’s car, it would make the trip much easier.

So I thought, why not take care of everything while I’m out? Talk about efficiency!

What I didn’t know was the killer prices at the department store.

I should have gone to an outlet instead. Just trying to buy a plain t-shirt cost as much as dozens of instant noodle packs!

Even if I cooked one for each meal, it would easily cover a week’s worth of groceries!

The guardian of the Department Store Dungeon.

The presence of the clothes store clerk was a bit awkward too.

“You seem to suit bright tones very well…”

“Re-really?”

“How about this? Want to try it in front of the mirror?”

It didn’t look bad when I tried the clothes on.

Maybe because I’m petite, bright and airy outfits seemed to suit me.

That is, if I disregarded my initial reluctance.

But most importantly, this was way too expensive.

It seemed to have less fabric than the shirts I saw earlier, so why was the price higher?

“Do you have anything else?”

“Oh! Are you looking for something specific?”

“Well, I was hoping for pants… something a bit formal, you know? Something I can wear anywhere.”

What I wanted were clothes suitable for formal situations or at least something that would give off a neat impression.

And, I needed long pants so I wouldn’t have to wear a skirt.

But explaining exactly what I was looking for was challenging.

As I stumbled over my words, a savior appeared.

“Would you like to see some slacks? I think you like muted colors, so black or navy would work.”

“Sure!”

Luce, I mean Gai-yun, often helped me like this while enjoying her shopping.

Basically, she was rummaging around while following me.

She could go look at whatever she wanted, but she didn’t seem interested.

Fortunately, the outfit Gai-yun chose was spot on.

While it had a touch of femininity in the design, it was fundamentally neat and crisp pants.

I could wear this without much rejection on my part.

The price… yeah, it hurt.
But I had to make a decision.

“I’ll take this!”

“Alright! I’ll help you with the checkout.”

At the department store, I bought a few more outfits aside from the pants.

New clothes to match the new pants were needed, and you never know, I might just bump into Elderin.

Luce had mentioned something about casual suits? Semi-formal? I think that’s what it was.

Thanks to that, my pocket money took quite a hit… but it should be fine to prepare for a big day.

If I wore them often, they’d get worn out, so I should keep them neatly in my closet.

After swiping my card, the clerk went off to wrap up my clothes, and Luce was still browsing the store.

She helped a lot when taking measurements and choosing outfits.

Not wanting to bother her, I settled into a nearby chair.

I had thought shopping with girls involved trying on various outfits, which scared me.

But it seemed that was a fantasy seen in the media.

Even if she glanced at me occasionally, it didn’t involve any pressure to do anything.

Would she stop shopping if I got up?

Guess I’ll just scroll my phone until she finishes shopping.

“Excuse me? I’ve finished wrapping all your clothes. Will it take a long time to get home?”

“Um… It might take an hour by bus?”

“We can also deliver it to your home. What do you think? No delivery fee, and it usually takes one to two days.”

“Sounds good. Please do that.”

When I nodded, the clerk smiled and walked away.

Perfect timing.

I was just wondering how to carry all these clothes back up!

Maybe this attention to detail is why people frequent expensive department stores.

Well, next time I’ll just go to an outlet or something.

No matter what, it’s still too pricey.

While I was rummaging through the Inbl Community, Luce was choosing clothes with a clerk by her side.

There were more airy and feminine outfits in the corner than I expected.

Turns out that’s her taste.

I just hadn’t realized because she usually wore more mature clothes.

As a fan, I was delighted to discover this side of her I didn’t know about.

“Sorry, Da-eun. Did I keep you waiting?”

“Don’t worry about it. Did you get everything you needed?”

“Hmm, for now. I looked at shoes briefly, but I didn’t find anything I liked here.”

That seemed like quite a haul to me.

Shopping like a rich person is something ordinary folk like me can’t comprehend.

Honestly, I can’t imagine myself shopping with a clerk saying, “I want this and this. Please add that too.”

“It ended earlier than I thought. Are you hungry?”

I hesitated to answer.

This place is a bit pricey.

I don’t even eat a single gimbap in places like this.
What if I go to a restaurant that matches Luce’s taste and end up bankrupt?
If a sparrow follows a stork, the legs will break…

“Since you kept me company, I’ll treat you to a meal.”

“Is it okay if I eat a lot?”

“Of course!”

*

On the 44th floor of the high-rise dungeon… I mean shopping mall, there was a restaurant.

With its expansive glass walls, the cityscape unfolded before us.

It was my first time in such a neat restaurant, and I was momentarily at a loss.

But soon, a wave of fear washed over me.

“What if I look like a fool right now?”

The name “Opulence” didn’t give me any hints of what language it was.

The killer prices listed on the menu I glanced at.

I wasn’t entirely clueless.

In upscale eateries, there’s a certain etiquette to follow, and if you don’t, you risk coming off as very rude or ignorant.

The problem was, I really was an ignorant person.

Most of the meat I’ve eaten was pork belly or neck.

The only beef I had was cooked grilled alongside adults.

Naturally, I didn’t even know the difference between rare and well done.

My life revolved around kendo.
There was no time to care about other culture.
So, I was considered quite ignorant even among fellow athletes.

“What will you have? The pasta here is quite good.”

“I’ll go with your recommendation.”

“Alright, I’ll order my favorite steak?”

Besides nodding, I had nothing else to say.

While I was frozen in place, Gai-yun finished ordering.

Her eyes fixed on me made my head lower in shyness.

A brief silence fell.
Her gentle voice brought the mood back.

“Did I ever tell you I used to ride horses?”

“Horses? No, today’s the first time I’m hearing about this.”

“I did it since I was very young. I think I loved it a lot. I would take care of the horses myself, and if something was bothering me, I would go to the riding ground.”

I’m a fan of Luce.

So I thought I knew a lot about Gai-yun.
But apparently, I was mistaken.

“You know I hurt my leg, right? It was because of a riding accident. Bella… oh, that’s the name of my horse. There was a bad accident nearby that startled her. She fell and broke her leg. I lost a precious friend, and my left side was damaged.”

Aside from the horse riding, I was aware of that part of her story.

Years of rehabilitation. Luce was able to move her legs which had been numb and then encountered Inbl.

A loser who couldn’t even hold a shield.
A low-ranking streamer who would only grind for hours every day.
Now, she’s recognized as the best paladin in the country.

I wanted to follow in her footsteps.
That’s why I became a fan of Luce.

“I attempted suicide five times. It felt like I lost everything in the world. Like I was abandoned. I just couldn’t bear it anymore.”
“……”

I see.
So Luce also went through hardships.
I hadn’t been weak or lacking; it seems that wasn’t the case.

That realization became a source of comfort.

“Recently, I’ve started playing the piano. I’m not very good at it. Honestly, I still can’t move my fingers perfectly.”

“I thought you had fully recovered.”

“Yeah. I still can’t move delicately. But I’ve improved a lot. One day, I believe Da-eun will get better too, little by little.”

I volunteered for several years at a rehabilitation center, and Da-eun always looked like she was in a lot of pain.
I wanted to encourage her so much.
—Luce added.

“Can I become like Luce… No, Gai-yun if I try hard?”

“Yes. Absolutely. If not today, then tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then the day after. We’re used to that, aren’t we?”

Right. I nodded.
Someday. It doesn’t have to be today, I just need to improve little by little.

The food we ordered arrived.

Mine was a pasta with smooth cream, and Luce’s had a garlic aroma.
I’d seen somewhere how to twirl the fork against the spoon.

Fortunately, it wasn’t much different from what Luce was doing.
Listening to her, I took my first bite.
It was delicious. It could well be a gift.

“Oh, by the way. You’re not thinking of this meal as a gift, are you?”

“…Wasn’t it?”

“Don’t be too surprised tomorrow.”

The next day.
A large number of clothes that had been paid for arrived at my home.
They were all from Gai-yun’s shopping spree at the mall.

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