Chick 244
by Cristae244
Chairman Nam returned two hours later.
“Groo, let’s stop playing now. Mister is exhausted… Okay?”
Jeon Byungho, who had been pleading almost in tears while Groo clung to him, sprang to his feet the moment he saw her.
His neatly knotted tie was nearly undone, his jacket was tossed aside, and one of his shoes had vanished altogether.
Chairman Nam let out a brief laugh at the sight of his previously slicked-back hair now standing wildly on end, then signaled to Secretary Kim.
He pulled out a folder from his bag.
“Pfft. Ahem. Here, this is the real contract. Take a quick look and sign. You know how hard it is to get another venue on short notice, right?”
“How do I know you didn’t sneak in some ridiculous clause?”
“As if. Watching your comedy act was entertainment enough for me.”
Chairman Nam gave a cheerful laugh and yanked Jeon Byungho’s tie all the way up to his neck.
“Today was a warning—drop the pathetic games. If it comes down to screwing you over, I’m far better at it. You understand now?”
She whispered in his ear, and Jeon Byungho’s shoulders shook in frustration.
“So you’re actually giving us the venue? Aren’t you underestimating us a bit much? You don’t have an S+ either, you know.”
Chairman Nam smirked.
“Director Jeon, when you’re conducting business, try thinking on a broader scale. Do we look like we’re targeting Hunters?”
“…!”
At last, realization dawned on Jeon Byungho, and his brow creased.
“We had different targets from the start.”
Isn’t that right? Chairman Nam patted Groo’s head.
Groo beamed and lightly waved her magic wand.
Chairman Nam’s words were proven by the crowds that gathered even before the pop-up store opened.
[‘Jappso’ Proves Korea’s Crowning Crafter! Pop-up Store a Smashing Success!]
Wearing a suspicious alien hat and a mask, Groo lowered her phone and glanced up at the department store.
‘A smashing success!’
The line for the pop-up store wrapped all the way around the building with no end in sight.
According to articles, people had set up camp and waited in line before the store had even opened—an extraordinary spectacle.
While Hunters’ interest was focused on the “Inoue Haruna Special Exhibition,” the swarm at Jappso’s pop-up was mostly everyday people.
And their numbers were in a different league entirely from the Hunters.
In the end, Japan’s sabotage barely scratched the surface.
“There really wasn’t anything to worry about.”
Gidan, eyeing the endless queue, spoke with a hint of disappointment.
He’d been fully prepared to crash the special exhibition if things went awry.
Sergey said little, but his face betrayed a deep sense of letdown.
Unlike the others, Groo labored to calm her thumping, excited heart.
Up until now, she had sold items one-on-one like a peddler, or through online proxies—this was the first time she’d ever seen such a crowd gather just to buy her creations.
‘Amazing!’
Her heart buzzed with electric glee—the feeling of a thousand tiny fireworks bursting inside.
Groo closed her eyes tightly, grabbed Gidan’s and Sergey’s hands, and entered the first floor.
She opened her eyes as they stepped into the pop-up store.
“…!”
Her mouth fell open in wonder.
The entire first floor of the department store was enchanted, as if straight from a storybook’s magical market street.
In the center stood a giant unfinished bear statue, next to which people lined up to take photos.
Overhead, Pororo plush drone items that increased stamina zipped through the air with a low whirring sound.
“Whoa, they went all out.”
Gidan’s jaw dropped, and Sergey poked through the displays, examining a variety of items with his hands.
This pop-up store included hands-on experiences like chick drone assembly, item demos, and plenty of new products crafted by Jappso.
The most anticipated attraction by far: the transformable magic wand!
It was the first time the children’s transformable toy wand would be sold at a pop-up store.
It had already captured the hearts of adults as well as children.
Demand was so high that sales had been limited to one per person, but even with ample ticket distribution, the numbers were gone in no time.
“But, I waited for hours and I still can’t buy one?”
“We’re terribly sorry, sir.”
Some people, unable to get tickets even after making it inside, left in disappointment.
Gidan and Sergey, noticing Groo’s sympathy for them, tugged her deeper into the store.
Then Groo’s eyes were drawn to the drone assembly corner.
A zone where anyone could build a drone from various parts, it was full of families and couples eagerly putting together drones at every table.
“Groo wants to do that!”
“Again?”
“You could just make one yourself.”
“I still want to.”
Groo pouted.
Her mask covered it, but Sergey seemed to sense her sulkiness and pressed down gently on her head.
“You’ll sulk again, huh. I’m going to the bathroom first.”
“Me too!”
“Fine. Gidan, what about you?”
“I’ll wait here until a spot opens up. Go ahead.”
“Suit yourself.”
Leaving Gidan, the two headed for the bathrooms on the upper floor.
With the pop-up store vacuuming up all the people, the second floor was nearly deserted.
‘A smashing success!’
Groo replayed the triumphant headline as she entered the first stall.
She was feeling great as she handled her business when, from the next stall, she suddenly heard the sound of someone crying.
[“There are too many people… sniff…”]
Huh?
‘A bathroom ghost?!’
…No, surely not.
The sobbing didn’t stop; the other girl wailed so loudly it made Groo’s heart ache.
Finishing up, Groo dressed and put her ear to the neighboring stall.
[“Heueueung. I didn’t get one…”]
A foreign language?
‘If that’s the case…’
Groo took out her phone and opened a translation app.
[I didn’t get one. There were too many people. I’m such a useless idiot who can’t do anything right….]
The sorrowful voice from next door was filled with self-reproach.
If she didn’t get one, it had to be that.
The magic wand.
The line had grown so long that after 11 a.m., even waiting tickets had run out.
If the person was from overseas, she’d come a long way, only to leave empty-handed.
Feeling sorry for her, Groo dug through her bag.
She had three magic wands with her.
One was her own, which Groo always carried.
The other two were presents for her friends, Harry and Hye-yeon.
Groo figured she could get more for her friends, but the foreign girl sobbing next door might not be able to.
Groo hesitated, then nodded in decision.
[“Sniff!”]
Inoue Haruna drew in a shaky breath.
‘No use crying. I have to leave now…’
She didn’t want to let anyone down by losing control.
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and opened the stall door.
Creak—creak—creak—
“…?”
With the sound of an old bicycle wheel, a half-open stall door revealed an ugly teddy bear doll.
‘Jappso?’
Is this for real…? As Haruna wavered in disbelief, the bear startled at the sight of her face.
— You are…!
[“Ah…!”]
She’d forgotten to put on her mask while crying and hurriedly pulled it up, cramming her hat down as well.
— Inoue Haruna?
At the mention of her name, Haruna shrank, tense and hunched.
She knew all too well how much trouble she was causing for her family and country by being here.
[“I’m sorry. Please don’t tell anyone. I won’t show up again. I’m really, really sorry.”]
She fumbled with her hat brim and bowed her head, wishing desperately this could all be over.
Please, just let it slide this once. While she pleaded in silence, a reply came.
— Inoue Haruna. Is this pink magic wand yours, or is this blue magic wand yours?
[“Huh?”]
Looking utterly lost, Haruna watched as Jappso whipped out a phone.
Clumsily tapping with its teddy-bear paw, soon enough a translated voice issued from the device.
[“Is the pink magic wand yours? Or is the blue magic wand yours?”]
Magic wand? At a loss, Haruna raised her head.
There was the teddy bear on a bicycle, holding a pink wand in one paw and a blue in the other.
“…….”
Giving up on words, Haruna turned on her own translation app, typed quickly, and turned on the speaker.
“Neither one is mine.”
The bear’s paw went to work on the phone again, another message playing seconds later.
[“You are a good child. I give you both.”]
“Eh?”
Haruna received both magic wands in her hands from the stuffed bear.
They looked genuine in every way, down to the attached magic stones.