Chapter 4: Worst Birthday

Come to think of it, Alice’s birthday is soon. The orphanage plans to hold a joint party for children whose birthdays are close to Alice’s.

Since she was admitted to the orphanage without any connections, I thought she might not know her birthday.

‘But they managed to find out Alice’s birthday.’

Since Alice had a cold impression, I thought she might have been born in winter, but surprisingly, her birthday was in the warm spring. It was information that was mentioned several times in the original.

[Dry spring weather continues recently. The power of the air mass developed in the Yangtze River in eastern China has strengthened, so please be careful of forest fires in forest areas….]

I listened to the news voice from the TV with one ear and headed to the vice-principal’s office. Because the vice-principal knew that I was closest to Alice and decided to make a birthday party plan with me.

When I arrived at the vice-principal’s office, I saw the slightly open door. I could hear the sound inside through the gap.

“Recent crime…”

“…Cooperation is difficult.”

It seemed that the vice-principal and the principal were talking to each other. What serious story was it that they forgot to close the door?

Knock, knock.

“It’s Kim Maru.”

“Ah, come in.”

After the vice-principal’s permission, I stepped into the room. The principal was sitting across from the vice-principal.

Even though the children’s birthdays were approaching, their expressions were not bright. Was it because of the conversation they had just had?

“Then I’ll go first, Vice-Principal. I’ll keep contacting you about the cooperation, even indirectly.”

“Yes.”

After finishing her words, the principal passed me and went out the door. I closed the door and sat across from the vice-principal. The vice-principal put on a bright expression when I came.

“Yes, when will you do it?”

“Two days later. We’ll make a plan today and start preparing in earnest tomorrow.”

The vice-principal showed me the list of birthday parties. I saw the names of the children whose birthdays were this month, including Alice.

“But we can’t give you as good a gift as last year… I’m sorry. At least Maru is mature, so I can say this. If I say this to other kids, they’ll just throw a tantrum.”

“I’m grateful just for feeding and sheltering me.”

“You’re talking like you’ve lived your whole life.”

It seems that because my mental age is mature, adults see me as an old man. However, I have no intention of acting like a child. My shame would pierce the sky if I did that.

“We can buy balloons and firecrackers at a nearby corner store, and we’ll buy a cake at a bakery in the downtown area below.”

The vice-principal decided to buy the cake, and I decided to go to the corner store. It’s only a 5-minute walk anyway, so I wanted to reduce the vice-principal’s burden a little.

“Um… Maru.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t go alone, go with several people.”

“Do I have to? I can carry it all by myself.”

“Just, it’s nice to go together because it’s noisy.”

“Okay.”

I nodded roughly, said goodbye, and left the room.

As soon as I came out, pure white skin and blue eyes filled my vision. I was startled and took a breath. My face felt hot for no reason.

“Ah, I told you not to do that.”

“……”

“I almost had a heart attack.”

Alice was waiting for me to come out. Right in front of the door.

After visiting the principal’s office recently, she started sticking to me more. I don’t know the exact reason, but it’s probably because of the adoption story.

I wanted to ask first, but it’s a topic she’s reluctant to talk about, so I couldn’t open my mouth.

“I’m going to a nearby store.”

When I took a step to the orphanage entrance, Alice also followed me. The birthday girl is going to buy party supplies… It was ironic.

‘But the vice-principal also said to go with several people, so it doesn’t matter.’

Anyway, Alice already knows that her birthday party will be held. It’s not a surprise concept, so it’ll be fine.

“Are you coming with me?”

Nod, nod.

“I’m going to buy balloons and firecrackers to use at the birthday party two days later.”

Alice and I left the orphanage and headed to a nearby stationery store. The weather was nice, so just walking made me feel relaxed.

Unlike me, who was relaxed and drooping, Alice looked around diligently to take in the surrounding scenery.

“Come to think of it, was this your first time coming this far?”

Alice always stays inside the orphanage, so it’s natural that the outside scenery is unfamiliar to her.

When I came outside, her golden hair and white skin felt more radiant.

It felt like this in the webtoon too. At that time, he was a male character, so I didn’t feel anything, but seeing him with his gender reversed, I definitely felt different.

‘In terms of appearance, she’s on par with the main character, Kim Noeul.’

Kim Noeul. The leader of Haneul High School and the main character who confronts Alice.

According to the setting in the webtoon, Kim Noeul and Alex are considered the ‘handsome guy’ two-top in Hakdo. They were actually very popular with female readers.

I suddenly became curious about the reversal principle of this world.

Did Kim Noeul’s name change like Alice’s?

Is Kim Noeul’s appearance as pretty as Alice’s?

While lost in thought, we arrived at the stationery store. I chose a few bags containing balloon bundles and one set of simple firecrackers. For me, who remembers the prices of my previous life, they felt very cheap.

Alice was squatting in the junk food corner and admiring them.

“Do you want to eat?”

At my words, she glanced at me. That’s a positive sign.

“If we keep it a secret from the vice-principal, we might be able to buy one.”

“……”

Alice grabbed a rainbow-shaped bag with worms drawn on it. It was a food called ‘King Worm’.

I placed them on the counter. The store owner looked at the two of us and pushed up his magnifying glasses.

“Huh? Aren’t you kids from the orphanage over there?”

“That’s right.”

“Oh my, those teachers are sending only children when it’s dangerous these days.”

“I came here voluntarily, but what do you mean by dangerous?”

When I asked, the owner cleared his throat and ignored my words, pretending to calculate. He doesn’t seem to want to tell us why it’s dangerous. He must not want to worry us.

“If you don’t have anything else to buy, don’t go astray and go straight to the orphanage.”

The owner replied gruffly and went back into the room. I led Alice by the hand and came out of the store.

‘Dangerous? Was there such an event in the webtoon?’

As I said before, Alice’s past was not revealed in the webtoon. So, even though I’m a reincarnated person, I can’t use the merit of reincarnation at all.

‘It’s frustrating. I need to know in advance to prepare.’

Moreover, even if a boy who hasn’t even entered school says, ‘It’s dangerous these days, so please watch the orphanage area carefully,’ to the orphanage teachers, it won’t have much effect.

While walking down a narrow alley with Alice, Alice suddenly stopped. I, who was holding Alice’s hand, also stopped.

Even if I pulled her hand, she didn’t budge.

“Alice?”

“……”

She was staring at the corner we had just turned. As if something was there.

“What’s wrong? Is there something there?”

After staring at the corner for a long time, she shook her head with a slightly frowned expression.

“Did a cat pass by?”

After saying that, we started walking again.

…After a long time, a woman with a hood covering her face appeared from the corner Alice had been staring at.

She stared at the direction of the orphanage where the two children had returned for a while, and then disappeared.

Birthday Party D-1.

Finally, the birthday party will start tomorrow. It wasn’t a secret, so the children were excited and noisy until late at night.

“Kids~! If you go to bed early, tomorrow will come quickly!”

“Teacher! What’s the gift this year?”

“If you don’t go to bed right now, there will be no gifts tomorrow!”

At the teacher’s scolding, the children immediately went to the bedroom. Me and Alice, who were relatively mature, were already in the bedroom.

Alice wanted to sleep next to me so much that I had no choice but to use the same blanket.

Some children looked at the two of us curiously because it was strange for a boy and a girl to sleep together, but they didn’t talk to us. Because they were also tired and fell asleep immediately.

Everyone fell asleep and the room became dark.

“Alice, is there really nothing you want for a present?”

I whispered in a small voice.

It was dark, but I could feel Alice’s gaze. She looked at me without answering. Her exhaled breath tickled my ear.

“Never mind, it’s foolish of me to expect an answer from you.”

After finishing my words, I entrusted my body to the coming sleep. My mind is an adult, but my body is young, so I sleep a lot.

“……”

Alice confirmed that Kim Maru was asleep and recalled what he had just said.

‘Alice, is there really nothing you want for a present?’

She slowly reached out her finger and gently poked Kim Maru’s cheek.

“…Maru.”

Alice, who murmured softly, slowly closed her eyes.

Late at night, when the children were asleep, smoke began to fill the building, and red light began to flicker outside the window.