PRSR | Chapter 8.3

I don’t particularly like small and cute things. The only small and cute thing I like is Jjikjjiki.

And now he’s grown big and dependable.

“No.”

“You don’t like me because I’m small and cute? If you don’t like cute things, why did you decide to keep me?”

“Because you liked me too much.”

“Out of pity for me?”

“Because I like that you like me.”

How could I not like someone who peeks out when they see me, responds with a squeak when I talk, and follows me around? Especially when they only like me.

“I’m the best at liking Soul.”

“I know.”

Even now, while questioning whether I adopted him out of pity and showing a pitiful face, how could I not notice?

“But why did you leave the place I like for the small mouse? You hated even dust touching the inside of my shoulder.”

“That’s a blind spot.”

“What does that mean?”

“I like feeling Soul’s heartbeat when I’m attached to your neck, but I can’t see Soul’s face well. I wanted to prevent Soul from seeing the mouse.”

I certainly can’t see the inside of my shoulder without a mirror. He really tried everything to keep me and the small mouse apart. More shockingly, that he usually preferred that spot.

“You liked it when I apologized for interrupting your date. Why was that?”

“I liked it. Dating with Soul.”

“With me? Not the small mouse?”

“Why would I date someone or some mouse other than Soul?”

No, isn’t it obvious I was referring to the small mouse? Does it mean he doesn’t consider anyone else at all? The way Jjikjjiki acted as if he didn’t know made me more embarrassed.

This makes it seem like I’m jealously imaging things. I’m not jealous, though.

“For now, Jjikjjiki.”

“Rio.”

“Rio. What we did wasn’t a date. It was a mission.”

“I know what a date is. You go to a restaurant, then a café, a cinema, an arcade, and kiss under a streetlamp before parting.”

Does he… know?

“And if you weren’t interested in the small mouse, why did you take care of that friend first when we fell into the water?”

“Me? I never did that… Oh.”

Rio seemed guilty for a moment before he finally spoke.

“That, Soul’s clothes were… wet…”

“What?”

“I hated seeing another mouse clinging to your wet clothes.”

“…What?”

“I took the mouse off and kept it in my hands.”

“…Oh. Uh… Really?”

The small mouse was clinging to me in shock from falling into the water, and he even tried to prevent that. I almost feel sorry for the little mouse now.

‘It was all a misunderstanding.’

At that time, my fever was starting to rise, and I couldn’t judge the situation properly and gave Jjikjjiki… Rio the cold shoulder. Rio noticed my mood and didn’t cling to me as usual, which only made the misunderstanding grow. So, from start to finish, I was the one making assumptions, feeling upset, and causing a scene.

‘…What do I do? This is so embarrassing.’

I couldn’t bear the shame and covered my face with both hands. Unintentionally, I ended up burying my face in Rio’s chest. Misinterpreting my action, Rio held me even tighter. He nuzzled his cheek against my head and acted cute.

“Did it bother you that I seemed friendly with the mouse?”

“…It didn’t feel great.”

“Soul really likes me, huh?”

At that, my body froze.

“…….”

An awkward silence followed.

Throughout the conversation, each time Rio said something a lover rather than a family member would say, I would shrink my shoulders or twitch my fingers. Although the reactions had been subtle before, and Rio had pretended not to notice, this time it was too much, and the mood plummeted instantly.

“Jjikjjiki…”

“Call me Rio.”

Realizing my reaction was due to the distance between ‘my imagined companion rat Jjikjjiki’ and ‘the real Rio who wants to be lovers,’ Rio said nothing more.

Instead, he just bravely held my back.

“How can I make Soul like me?”

“Rio.”

“I’ll do whatever you tell me. Even if it means being swallowed and spit out by a cat.”

“Wouldn’t the cat faint from shock if an S-rank Awakened mouse went inside its mouth?”

Rio smiled again at my joke, easing the stiff atmosphere.

“I’ll do anything.”

“Let’s think about it when we get back to Earth.”

“Okay.”

Jjikjjiki… Rio stroked my forehead.

“Let’s sleep now. You’re sweating a lot.”

“Yeah. Actually, I’ve been feeling dizzy for a while. I’ll sleep a bit, Jjikjjiki.”

“Rio.”

“I’ll sleep, Rio.”

“Sleep well, Soul.”

Thinking back, I had been kidnapped upon arriving at the harbor city, rescued people, and even fell into the sea. The exhaustion had piled up to my head and came crashing down all at once.

I fell asleep in the arms of Jjikjjiki… Rio.

Just before I completely fell asleep, a voice, real or imagined, softly said,

“I love you. I wish Soul was mine, like I am Soul’s.”

* * *

I slept soundly for a whole day. Fortunately, the world hadn’t changed while I was asleep. The Tutorial Field was the same, the quests were the same, and Rio, who had been using my arm as a pillow while lying next to me, was also the same.

“Morning, Soul. Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, Jjikjjik… Hi, Rio.”

I greeted him awkwardly and got up. Even though I had just woken up, I felt refreshed. I must have sweated a lot throughout the night because of the fever, but I didn’t feel any discomfort at all. Apparently, someone had been wiping my sweat all night long. I didn’t need to look to know who it was.

“……”

I noticed my clothes had changed too. I had fallen asleep in newly bought clothes from Train, but when I woke up, I was wearing pajamas made on Earth.

“Did you change my clothes?”

“Yes. It didn’t seem right to leave you in wet clothes since you were sick.”

Realizing my clothes had been changed meant he had seen me naked. There shouldn’t be anything embarrassing about Jjikjjiki, who always snuggles into my embrace, seeing my body… right?

“Soul, your face is red. Am I making you nervous?”

If Rio’s smiling face seemed to ask, ‘Do you see me as a man now, not just family?’… Was I being too conscious of it?

I quickly changed the subject.

“You said the quest was cleared, right? Did you receive the reward?”

“Not yet.”

The special quest Rio had received, ‘Rescue the Kidnapped Awakened,’ promised gratitude from the Awakened and a ‘???’ as rewards. We could consider the gratitude received, so it was time to check what the next reward was. Rio stared into space while sitting on the bed.

“You can check the reward now.”

“Go on and check.”

Rio read something seriously and then waved his fingers in the air.

“Hmm…”

It took longer than expected to check the reward.

Could he choose the reward? Hopefully, nothing went wrong. I was about to ask him to read the reward details aloud, but Rio beat me to it.

“Reward received.”

“Really? What was it?”

“Protective magic that can be stored in clothing or armor. It can defend against any attack for 3 seconds, and the cooldown is 240 hours.”

‘Any attack’—could that mean it would work even against the final boss of the tutorial quest? The cooldown was long, but the reward was impressive.

“It’s good timing, considering quests might get harder. We can use it when facing really dangerous quests. I might even borrow it when needed. It would be perfect to store it in something like a bracelet or ring. Can it be stored in accessories too?”

“Accessories? I’m not sure. I’ve already stored it.”

“What? Where?”

“In Soul’s clothes.”

Jjikjjiki… Rio pointed at me as if it was the most natural thing. I looked down at the clothes I was wearing.

I was greeted by pajamas that cost 35,800 won, including shipping.

“These pajamas?”

“Yes.”

“Can the stored magic be transferred to something else?”

“Once it’s stored, that’s it.”

“When you were waving your fingers in the air, I wondered if you were doing something tricky.”

“Maybe if you don’t button it up, you could wear it too? Maybe the sleeves won’t fit. Uh… maybe I could tear the sleeves off…”

“The magic specifies that the ownership is bound to the wearer. Now it belongs to Soul.”

Rio grinned broadly. That was the look of someone who wanted praise for doing a good job. He seemed proud of binding the protective magic to me.

Well. Having protective magic is good. Actually, I’m more likely to need protection than Rio, so there’s no problem with me having the item with the magic stored in it.

But…

‘That means I have to wear these pajamas everywhere!’

This is crazy.

“Why on earth did you make that decision!”

“I was so shocked when I saw Soul fall into the water. I wanted to see you quickly, so I smashed the boat, though I didn’t realize it would be that dangerous.”

All that just because of that reason?

“I thought my heart was going to shatter. I couldn’t forgive myself if something happened to Soul. That’s why I stored the protective magic in that outfit. To make sure Soul never gets in danger again.”

Although I thought the magic wouldn’t help if I fell into water again, Jjikjjiki was smiling too brightly for me to say anything.

“You could have discussed it with me before deciding.”

“Then you would have told me to take the protective magic myself. That’s why you asked if it could be stored in jewelry, right? You wanted to store it in my bracelet.”

Rio fiddled with the bracelet I had given him.

“I appreciate your concern, but I’d rather Soul be safer.”

“It’s not just worry. If you had the protective magic, you could dive into monster dens more boldly.”

“I can dive into monster dens anytime… Are you saying you wouldn’t let me without the magic because you’re that worried?”

Rio’s eyes sparkled just like when he was Jjikjjiki, the same shining black eyes.

It’s cute, but isn’t that an overinterpretation?

“You should be able to dive into monster dens to finish quests faster and return home.”

“I can dive into monster dens anytime if Soul is safe. Until now, I didn’t because I was worried about what might happen to Soul when I wasn’t around.”

“Lies.”

“Really?”

“I like honest mice… people.”

“The truth is a lie. There haven’t been any monster dens so far. But it’s true that I can’t do anything if Soul isn’t safe.”

There’s not much I could say to that. I just nodded.

“Alright, I get it. But why pajamas of all things? It should have been an accessory… or at least more practical clothing.”

“I like how Soul looks in pajamas the best.”

“…You didn’t pick this because you want me walking around in pajamas, did you?”

“Surely not.”

“……”

“It’s actually true.”

Unbelievable that I’d end up walking around in pajamas because of some capricious rat.

“Why do you even like me in pajamas?”

“Because it’s the only clothing I can fit into the pocket of.”

That makes sense since I picked out clothes with large pockets for Jjikjjiki to fit into.

“Well, you can’t fit anymore!”

“I’ll fit when I shrink. And…”