I Became a Raid Boss

Late evening.

Though it was a bit early to go to bed, we decided to sleep early to prepare for tomorrow after arriving at the lodging Da-eun had booked.

All in one room.

Even though the spacious pension was more than enough for just the three of us, I couldn’t understand why we had to share a single space.

“Isn’t it weird to sleep separately when we’ve come all this way together?”

“What does coming on a trip have to do with sleeping together?”

“Everything! Staying up late chatting before going to bed is one of the charms of traveling.”

“…Really?”

“Yep. Yuki probably thinks the same way, right?”

“See? Even that Yuki agrees.”

“…‘That’ Yuki?”

Whether Yuki clenched her fist or not, Da-eun poured out a pile of pillows she’d been hugging.

“Why do you think kids on school trips are made to sleep together? To bond and make memories, obviously.”

“Huh? But I slept in my own room during school trips.”

“Huh? Really?”

“I did share a room with someone else, but it wasn’t like a big group sleeping together. We’d play and hang out, but when it was time to sleep, we went back to our own rooms.”

“…I’ve heard people say that kids these days have a stronger tendency toward individualism, but hearing this really makes it sink in.”

“You’re my age, and yet you sound like an old person.”

“Anyway!”

Poof!

Da-eun clapped her hands against a pillow.

“Kana, do you know what I regret the most about spending so much time in the hospital? That I couldn’t have a normal school life like other kids. And one of the things I missed the most was going on school trips.”

She said that while her health had started to improve around the time she entered high school, allowing her to follow the academic schedule, she regretted even more that she hadn’t been able to go during middle school.

“That’s why I wanted to help you make some memories this way, Kana. You didn’t get the chance to have proper childhood memories because you were out on the battlefield fighting at the age when you should’ve been playing with friends. Of course, this is probably lacking, but…”

“Isn’t going to the battlefield its own kind of memory?”

“…Can you be quiet?”

“….”

Yuki, who failed to read the mood, sank under Da-eun’s sharp glare.

Watching the scene quietly, I finally broke my silence.

“So, what’s your real motive?”

“I’ve become someone who can’t sleep unless Kana is next to me…! So Kana has to take responsibility!”

“…What does that even—”

“La-la-la—I’m not listening!”

Da-eun covered her ears and shook her head.

This wasn’t something a kid would even do.

As I watched her in disbelief, she flopped onto the bed and started rolling around.

“Ugh…”

I didn’t really have any objections to sleeping together.

From the time I started living at Da-eun’s house, we’d been sharing the same bed, so there’s no way I’d strongly refuse now.

In short, what Da-eun was doing was completely unnecessary.

I just said I didn’t understand, but I didn’t expect her to press the gas pedal and race this far ahead.

“Fine, stop rolling around already.”

Dust was flying everywhere.

I waved my hand to scatter the floating particles—whether they were dust or thread, I wasn’t sure.

“…Will you sleep with us?”

“Don’t you think it’s pointless to ask something like that now?”

“Hehe, you’re right.”

With a silly laugh, the commotion finally subsided.

We lay down side by side on the bedding.

“If Kana were an adult, we could’ve had a drink together…”

Da-eun murmured as she lay on her side.

“Do you like drinking?”

Yuki, also lying on her side, looked at Da-eun and asked.

“Not that much. But, you know, there’s a certain vibe. Since we’re on a trip, it’d be nice to share a drink together.”

“Hmm. I get what you mean. In that case, we can come back when Kana’s an adult.”

“…I don’t like that idea.”

“Why not?”

“An adult Kana? I can’t imagine it. The Kana I know is this adorable and cute kid…!”

“People can still be cute as adults.”

“Well, I guess. That’s true.”

“…You two really know how to pile on the curses.”

Listening to their exchange, I narrowed my eyes sharply, just barely peeking out from under the blanket.

“You know I can hear you, right?”

“But it’s bad to talk about someone behind their back, isn’t it? Of course, what we’re saying is a compliment, not bad-mouthing.”

“Don’t act all righteous just for this. To me, it’s bad-mouthing.”

“…Huh?”

“…Huh? Why are you pretending you don’t get it?”

I turned away from Da-eun, who looked completely baffled.

Ignoring her disappointed sighs, I ended up face-to-face with Yuki, whose wide-open eyes were staring at me.

Her expression made me grumble automatically.

“Why do I have to sleep in the middle?”

“Well, because Kana is the center of our group, our mascot, and our emotional anchor…”

Before the list could grow endlessly, I dove under the blanket.

If I got caught up in their nonsense, lying down early to sleep would’ve been completely pointless.

Under the blanket, Da-eun’s grating chatter turned into a tolerable lullaby.

We were supposed to wake up early tomorrow for hiking, so I didn’t know what she was waiting for to fall asleep.

Clicking my tongue, I curled up.

“…Should’ve brought it.”

I reflexively opened and closed my hand a couple of times.

It felt a bit empty without the pillow I always hugged at home.

I left it behind because Da-eun would definitely tease me with, “Kana’s still such a kid,” if I brought it.

Even if I went back in time, I’d make the same decision, but it was still a little disappointing.

Hugging the blanket tightly to make up for it, my eyes began to close.

I could chase away the drowsiness knocking quietly at the door, but I didn’t want to.

So, I opened the door and welcomed the sleep that had come looking for me.

“…Snore.”

***

“…Snore.”

Hearing the soft breathing from the lump under the blanket, Da-eun and Yuki paused their conversation.

“Huh.”

“She fell asleep.”

“No wonder she was so quiet earlier. She must’ve dozed off under the blanket.”

Afraid their voices might wake Kana, the two of them lowered their tones to a whisper.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable to sleep like that?”

Yuki commented, looking at the lump under the blanket with an expression similar to the one Da-eun had once shown.

“Kana says it’s comfortable. She says it gives her a sense of security.”

“Like a cat in a box.”

“Exactly! That’s why I call her Kana-nyang sometimes.”

Perhaps Kana liked burrowing into blankets because of memories from her childhood.

Having been abused by her parents and growing up in an environment with no one she could trust, she might instinctively seek safe spaces, even if they felt a bit cramped.

Although she eventually met someone she could call “Dad,” it didn’t mean all those memories had disappeared.

Da-eun believed her theory was quite plausible but chose not to voice it aloud.

Instead, she gently patted the lump of blankets containing Kana.

Softly and carefully, so as not to wake her.

“At first, I thought I was dreaming.”

“…The first time? Oh, you mean when you first saw Kana at our house? Yeah, I can understand that. I felt the same way.”

Though honestly, it had been so shocking that Da-eun had almost grabbed the divine by the collar and shaken them.

She hid her latter thoughts and laughed sheepishly.

“Even now, there are moments when I still can’t believe it.”

“For someone saying that, you’ve got honey dripping from your eyes.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

If she was saying it like that, it probably meant she thought she was doing well.

Da-eun responded with a pleasant laugh.

Having spent most of her life battling illness—through her childhood, youth, and even part of her teenage years—Da-eun was more accustomed to being cared for than caring for others.

Even while living with Kana, doubts sometimes crept into her mind.

‘Am I really doing this right?’

Kana wasn’t the type to openly express her emotions.

But if you looked closely, you could see the emotions and thoughts hidden beneath the calm surface.

They were surprisingly rich and varied.

However, since Kana rarely shared them openly, it was natural for Da-eun to question herself.

Was she being too annoying?

Was Kana keeping her feelings to herself because Da-eun didn’t seem reliable?

She had wanted to show Kana affection, but maybe it had been too much.

“I don’t think you need to worry about that.”

Yuki spoke up after quietly listening to Da-eun’s thoughts.

“If she didn’t like it, she’d say so. She’s not the type to hold back.”

“But still—”

“Well, I do think you’re a bit bothersome, but she still hangs out with you even while grumbling about it.”

“That’s just because Kana is kind.”

…Kind?

Yuki barely swallowed back the words rising to her throat.

“If you’re that concerned, think of it this way. Kana sometimes teases you, right? But she doesn’t do that with me.”

Not that Kana never joked around with Yuki, but her teasing was more like light banter.

“That just means she feels comfortable with you.”

“…Maybe you’re right.”

Da-eun pondered Yuki’s words.

Though she often told herself similar things to reassure herself, hearing it from someone else felt more comforting.

After mulling over it for a while, she chuckled softly.

“I hope that’s the case.”

“Worrying about useless things like that. How about focusing on getting stronger instead?”

“Oh, that’s a bit much.”

Despite Yuki’s suggestion, Da-eun firmly shut her down.

The two continued their conversation.

They talked about mundane topics, TV shows, personal experiences, and more.

Contrary to the battle-focused image one might have of Yuki, she turned out to be a surprisingly good conversationalist.

As Da-eun had said to Kana earlier, the two peers chatted away into the night.

By the time they finally fell asleep, the first light of dawn was beginning to brighten the sky.

***

Even without looking in a mirror, I could tell what kind of expression I had on my face.

It was undoubtedly one of disbelief.

“…What time did you two even go to sleep?”

“Uh… Uh-huh…”

I sighed, looking at Da-eun and Yuki, who were swaying like zombies, unable to get their bearings.

No wonder I’d been worried when they stayed up chatting instead of sleeping.

At this rate, I doubted they’d be able to climb the mountain.

“Seriously…”

Honestly, I couldn’t tell who was calling whom a child anymore.

—

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