Yang Hana’s adaptability was nothing short of unparalleled.
If there were a competition for fastest adaptation, I wouldn’t be surprised if she became the world champion.
Honestly, I did feel that she was extraordinary from the very first day we met.
No matter how strange I might be… still.
She should be something completely foreign to this world, yet she acts as though we’ve been friends for years just because she saw me in a dream.
…Well, compared to someone screaming or shaking in fear upon seeing me, this is definitely better.
In some ways, it could be said that she has a talent for this kind of thing.
And speaking of that…
There was one unclear part in what she said.
Did she not mention that I consoled her in her dream?
But… I don’t remember doing such a thing. Even though dreams are fleeting, if something special like that had happened, I’d at least have some vague recollection of it…
There’s absolutely nothing.
So then… could it be that So-sik, the one who sleeps all the time, consoled her in my stead? There’s no way I’d go into someone else’s dream to charm them, so if we’re looking for someone who would do that, there’s no one else but him.
But upon further thought, that doesn’t seem right either.
Sure, So-sik and I look alike, but… let’s be honest, his personality isn’t really all that great.
He spends his days sleeping unless it’s something he absolutely needs to do, looking constantly annoyed by everything.
Would someone like that really go around helping people in their dreams?
…Why?
Unless there’s some compelling reason, So-sik isn’t the type to do something like that.
Besides, the power So-sik possesses is nothing like my ability to extend tentacles.
His appearance might resemble mine in some ways.
He also has limbs after all.
But having those limbs, he just sleeps all the time. That’s So-sik for you.
Even Daesik envies him, and Jung-sik gets flustered by him. That’s So-sik.
That kind of thinking brought on an inexplicable nod.
By the way, why did Kim Cheon-soo and Yang Hana see me in their dreams?
I think I remember someone mentioning it, but I don’t recall why.
Thinking about it, the ability to summon Kim Cheon-soo came after I ate that senseless chunk of meat.
But wasn’t I already appearing in people’s dreams before that?
Could it be that Yang Hana just felt consoled?
After all, human memory can be surprisingly distorted.
Especially when it comes to dreams, that’s even more true.
Or perhaps, since it was her dream and I appeared in it, it was simply a dream she wanted to have.
Yang Hana, hurt by the cold capitalist society, might have longed for solace, and thus the blue creature that appeared in her dream gave her comfort.
Similarly, Kim Cheon-soo’s recent experience might have been nothing more than my appearance coinciding with his desire for help.
Had I not shown up in his dream, perhaps his parents or Han Seori would have appeared instead.
Formulating this plausible hypothesis made me nod in agreement once more, when my eyes fell upon the mirror sitting conspicuously on the bed.
It wasn’t something I placed there; it was Yang Hana, now my dedicated minder, who brought it.
Leaving the reason aside for now, I stared at my reflection in the mirror.
The first thought that struck me was how half-transparent and non-human I looked, but… I have to admit, though it’s a little embarrassing, I’m rather cute.
I understand now why Yang Hana would exclaim “Cute!” and hug me.
Though small, my figure has a sense of curves, maintaining the silhouette of a human girl, and that’s not bad.
I was originally like this, so why did I change? … Let’s set that question aside for now.
If I were to describe it simply, it’s the kind of appearance someone might call… “possible.”
Thinking about that, a slightly unsettling feeling came over me, albeit in a bad way.
Yang Hana may have only been consoled by a mere hug, but if I were to appear in the dreams of someone like that…
Though I didn’t want to imagine it, remembering how I slapped and hit Kim Cheon-soo in his dream… it’s not impossible that something like that might happen.
…I’m grateful that the emotions and memories of others don’t transfer to me.
Even if it’s not exactly those things, if I were flooded with the dreams and memories of countless people…
My daily life would likely become difficult.
Even if daily life for me mainly consists of eating, sleeping, and playing, still.
If there are really people like that… I was about to say something drastic…
No, no, that’s a bit too harsh.
After all, they’re not doing anything bad to me, so that would be going too far.
Realizing I was about to do something terrible made my jelly grow cold.
While contemplating this, a sigh bubbled up just as Yang Hana’s voice rang out.
“Hmm? Why the sudden silence? Did you have a bad dream while napping?”
Lost in thought, I had closed my eyes, and it seems she mistook it for a nap.
In her hand, she held a strange object.
Its identity was surprisingly…
Daesik’s body.
Or rather, Alice.
Her sewing skills were evidently pretty decent. Looking shocked after spotting a slightly ragged Daesik, she immediately began what could be called the Alice Refurbishment Plan.
It was little more than mending clothes and making new ones, but still…
Daesik seemed rather delighted.
Even though he could have waited outside, he seemed to enjoy the process of his clothes and parts being adjusted.
“Hmm… was I mistaken?”
Yang Hana tilted her head, unsure, and gave me a cheeky smile before returning to her task.
As I watched her get back to work, I noticed something odd.
Looking closely now, originally she had held Daesik in her hand, but now Daesik was sitting on a different chair, gazing at Yang Hana.
Having just been repaired, he now wore a tidier, prettier outfit.
…So, what is she making now?
Perplexed, I focused my gaze, noticing that it seemed a little large to be for Daesik.
Did she somehow sense my gaze?
The object she had been fiddling with, she now held up by its edges.
As if showing it off to me.
To my surprise, it was a dress, the kind often worn by manga girls.
It was charming enough to stir a feeling of cuteness in me, even me.
With a giggle, she crept over to the corner of the bed where So-sik lay sleeping, matching the dress to So-sik’s size.
“Hmm, roughly estimated, it fits perfectly!”
…I didn’t expect her to be making a dress for So-sik.
Carrying around that ball in his place, it seems she was measuring So-sik’s size.
Happy as she giggled while matching the dress to So-sik, she turned back towards her work station.
Sitting on the chair, she looked at me with a meaningful expression.
Her eyes…
It felt like they were asking if I didn’t need a dress too, so I shook my head furiously.
“What’s that?”
But it seemed my rejection only encouraged her even more, as she confidently nodded, as if she knew everything.
No, what exactly does she think she knows?
Even as I stirred my jelly, she continued to smile knowingly.
I’m going insane. Really.
I don’t care whether you make it or not.
If I don’t wear it, that’s all there is to it.
There are plenty of reasons—I feel confined by the field of vision.
…Unless it was that type of suit I wore to rescue Kim Cheon-soo.
For something like the outfit being made for So-sik now…
No way. I’d refuse that until death.
—
—
“Seems like she’s adapting faster than expected.”
“That’s right. It’s almost as though… she’s here specifically to care for them.”
“Hmm… it’s just good fortune. Having someone like her here is a stroke of luck, I suppose.”
“…Agreed.”
In a time when one needs luck to hire even one part-time worker.
These two regarded the screen with wry smiles.
There, in the room of 7496 – KR, Yang Hana and the jellies coexisted peacefully.
The sight invoked a warm smile in the observers.
The tranquil 7496 – KR was quite a pleasing sight, causing Han Seori to smile contentedly as she watched the screen.
Meanwhile, Kim Cheon-soo alternated between watching Han Seori and the screen, pondering what to cook for dinner.
In that moment.
[The document has arrived.]
The alarm from the management room panel interrupted them at a rather fitting time.
Though Han Seori frowned slightly at the interruption, it seemed urgent enough to warrant immediate attention.
After checking the document she sighed.
“Looks like we might end up with a lot of replacements for Hana.”
“What does it say?”
“Apparently, they’ve stationed agents at various bases to deal with people like Yang Hana.”
Upon hearing this, Kim Cheon-soo frowned.
“Is this really necessary? Won’t it take away from the reason why we’re here?”
“But we can’t not do it.” Han Seori replied, resting her chin in her hand. “We can’t just bring anyone here. All we can do now is hope those on the field do their jobs well.”
With that, she scrolled through the document once more.
After a while…
Her eyes fell on the final line of the document, and her lips moved hesitantly.
“Is something the matter?”
“…Though it was my suggestion to do this, now that it’s actually happening, it feels… odd.”
Han Seori glanced at the screen of 7496 – KR with a bittersweet expression before looking back at the document.
There,
…was a list of sites where 7496 – KR’s intervention was requested.
Preferably, with a note suggesting control methods for 7496 – KR’s power to summon people.
