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“First, I’ve said let’s get married, but the proposal will definitely need to be prepared without those kids knowing, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, that’s right!”

Somehow, I was discussing proposal methods with Cherry.

In fact, I was further along in that regard than Cherry, and I guessed that she wanted to hear some advice from me. Unfortunately, I was also knee-deep in my own worries about it.

In this world, I had no one I could ask about this kind of thing. There were seniors who came from the same orphanage, but we didn’t really keep in touch. Asking those people for proposal ideas, while only occasionally confirming they were alive, felt a bit awkward.

Moreover, the proposal I wanted was far more… unique than a typical one.

“But how do squeaky adults usually propose? There’s sort of an image, right? Like how Earthlings make rings.”

“We make necklaces.”

True, with tiny hands, wearing a ring might feel incredibly uncomfortable due to the limited range of finger movement.

“Um… other than that, it seems similar. Just like how Earthlings have dramas and movies about dating, we have something similar. We go to romantic restaurants and propose in a romantic atmosphere.”

“Still, if you do it too openly like that, wouldn’t it be a bit… cringe?”

“Yeah, I think so too. Some people said they would feel too embarrassed if proposed to that way.”

Similarly, my proposal was a bit different from others. It was a proposal to three people at once, after all. Proposing to three people simultaneously in an expensive restaurant would, well…

It would fit perfectly into a news article.

“Alright. First, I need to buy the rings. Cherry, you need a necklace too, right?”

“Huh? Yeah, I do.”

“Then, how about we go buy them together?”

“Wait, really?”

Cherry’s face lit up at my question.

To be honest, if it was just one person I was marrying, I would have gone alone to pick a ring without needing to gather friends. However, after spending a fair amount of time with those kids, I knew their tastes pretty well.

But then again,

Asking, ‘Do you think we can get matching couple rings in the same design for four?’ was a bit…

Even for a person as thick-skinned as I was, it felt a little much.

“Alright, alright!”

Cherry squeaked excitedly, bouncing up and down in her bag like she was in a UFO.

It was clear that a squeaky adult might feel a bit uneasy doing all sorts of things on Earth. There aren’t many species on Earth, and it seemed like many Earthlings didn’t treat squeaky adults like regular people, at least not like they treated me.

Just as the two of us were happily finding someone to wash away that unease—

Knock, knock.

There was a knocking sound at the door.

“Hey, Ji-eun?”

I heard Ha-yoon’s voice from the other side of the door.

“Yes?”

I instinctively answered, glancing at Cherry. She quickly nodded and waved at me before shooting out the window.

Right as our door opened.

Ah, right. I still hadn’t cleaned up yet.

But Ha-yoon didn’t seem to mind seeing the room in a mess. Just wide-eyed, she looked around and asked,

“Was there someone in the room?”

“Oh, I just got a brief phone call.”

I thought about briefly informing Ha-yoon about Cherry, but I just answered like that.

The fact that Cherry had come to see me secretly meant she wanted to hide her proposal too. In reality, if we were to get picky, Cherry was closer to Ha-yoon than she was to me.

“Ah, I see… Want me to help you?”

“Ah… no thanks.”

“No, it’s normal to get a call like that.”

Ha-yoon smiled and helped me tidy up.

She looked really happy.

I thought to myself, I really hope this is because of our trip together.

*

A little later.

After discussing with Cherry about where to get the rings, we went to the most plausible place we could find.

To be more precise, we went to a place that could guarantee absolute secrecy for customers.

Which meant we went to a pretty expensive place.

And it was only when we got there that I suddenly panicked.

I had saved up some money, and as long as the Magical Girl gig kept going, I would probably have a stable income for a while. The kids who lived with me were definitely not the kind to hoard money, and if we all put in our efforts, we might live quite comfortably.

But still, was it really okay to blow all the money I had saved up at once? Even if I didn’t touch that money, four rings would surely be super expensive. Especially at a place offering such services.

Wasn’t it a bit concerning to accrue credit card debt before even getting married?

“Ji-eun, what’s wrong?”

While I was lost in thought, Cherry, who was searching for a necklace, called out to me.

It seemed it was hard to find a necklace suitable for a squeaky alien of hamster size, as Cherry was looking at accessories that would be equivalent to bracelets for Earthlings. With a bit of size adjustment, something that big should definitely work for a body like Cherry’s.

“Um, that is…”

I glanced around a bit, still contemplating.

There weren’t any other customers around… It seemed that from the moment I made a name reservation, it was set this way.

When they said reserve, I thought it was just a reservation for an employee to help recommend rings, but I never expected such a private service.

Well, it was nice service, but since I came from a humble background, I felt a bit out of place. It felt like I was wasting service without actually buying something here.

Cherry, who came along with me, was tilting her head, seemingly unaware of any discomfort, but it looked like the staff quickly picked up on my worries.

“Excuse me, sir.”

The staff approached me politely.

“Oh, yes?”

“I was wondering if you might be interested in a promotion.”

“Promotion…?”

“Yes, we have promotions tailored for renowned individuals like you.”

“…What kind of promotion?”

“Please, allow me a moment.”

The staff, after politely speaking, took out their phone, searched for something, and then showed me a picture.

It was a photo.

A picture of me walking arm in arm with Ha-yoon.

Ha-yoon was a beauty, and I wasn’t exactly lacking in looks either, so the candid shot of the two of us walking looked like it could have been an intentional fashion editorial.

…Even though Ha-yoon and I had never taken such a picture intentionally, this must have just been a paparazzi shot.

“You’re already globally renowned, so we would like to provide you with the rings directly, as you mentioned you were looking for wedding rings?”

“…Well, that’s true.”

“Since wedding rings are something that you will be using continuously, it would be a great opportunity for our products to get recognized. While giving them to celebrities works well, the advertising effect from heroes like you can be remarkable as well.”

…I was thinking of marrying three people, would that image still come across well?

On second thought, that might double the advertising effect. If it got out that I married three people, it would definitely make headlines for a lot of reasons.

And there was no way I could keep that fact hidden, no matter how hard I tried. It seemed no one had captured us within the resort and handed photos to reporters, but I couldn’t stop those rumors any more than I could stop a storm.

“Ji-eun.”

But just as I was seriously contemplating the promotional offer, Cherry interrupted me.

When I turned around, I saw Cherry staring at me quite seriously.

Seeing Cherry’s serious expression snapped me back to reality.

Yeah, no matter what, being an advertisement board before the marriage feels a bit off.

I didn’t want to ruin the moment while secretly proposing or prepare for the wedding without others knowing.

“…I’ll think about it for now.”

“I hope you’ll consider it positively.”

Fortunately, the staff didn’t seem to blame me even if I left without buying anything.

*

“…”

“It’s taking quite a while.”

In a building that had a good view of the hotel where Ji-eun and Cherry entered, three Magical Girls sat at a café by the window on the fourth floor.

Of course, they weren’t dressed as Magical Girls. There was no need to transform just for this occasion.

“I guess it’s a ring, right?”

Ji-hye said with a bit of a flutter.

“Definitely a ring,” Jua replied smoothly.

Jua knew all about that jewelry shop inside the hotel. It was a well-known place among celebrities.

In fact, it was a place that could raise some suspicions as soon as you stepped in.

But that didn’t mean it would become news. The brand was a place that periodically advertised in newspapers.

“…Is it really okay to tag along like this?”

When Ha-yoon asked anxiously, Ji-hye and Jua simultaneously fell silent.

“…”

Actually, I couldn’t bring myself to think it was okay.

But after hearing the story from Ha-yoon outside that day, it felt a bit hard for the three of us to just sit quietly.

It was, after all, a ‘proposal’.

Whether man or woman, knowing the other was preparing something like that—was bound to make people feel restless.

“…”

In the end, the three felt a bit guilty yet remained seated.

Ji-eun and Cherry finally emerged from the hotel building after quite a while.

Ji-eun was covering her face with a cap, and although Cherry was hiding inside Ji-eun’s bag as she did that—

Honestly, it was quite obvious that something was up with the two of them.

Seeing the two of them headed in another direction, Ha-yoon, Ji-hye, and Jua quickly got up from their seats.

 

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