NoveLight ™
‘Athletic wear, athletic wear…’
After taking public transportation home, I had dinner with Si-yoon as usual and sat on the couch.
While half-watching the TV that Si-yoon had turned on, my mind was preoccupied with other thoughts.
The sight of the students training on the field in their athletic outfits.
Would it be more convenient to have something like that for when I go to dungeons?
Unlike other hunters who prepare functional combat gear, I usually just go in comfortable clothes.
If it’s a significant battle, I wear my nun’s habit.
Would leggings be more comfortable than jeans or pants? The material is different, after all—probably more stretchy and breathable.
…I’ve never actually worn something that form-fitting, let alone leggings.
Since it’s outerwear, not underwear, just the thought of putting it on feels a bit…embarrassing.
“Hm…”
Resting my elbow on the sofa’s armrest, I gently rubbed my upper lip.
Lost in thought while absentmindedly fidgeting with my lip, Si-yoon spoke up from beside me.
“Hey, sis, is something on your mind?”
“Huh?”
“You seem a bit distracted.”
“Was it that obvious?”
At my bewildered expression, Si-yoon chuckled softly and replied.
“Don’t you know your own habits? Whenever you’re thinking deeply, you always fidget with your cheek or lips.”
“Really? …Oh, now that you mention it, I do.”
I removed my fingers from my face belatedly, realizing I had indeed been fidgeting.
“If you want, you can tell me what’s on your mind!”
“Well, it’s not really a big deal…”
I briefly explained to Si-yoon what I had observed about the outfits the female students wore at the field.
“Ah, come on! That’s all it was?”
“I told you it wasn’t much from the start.”
“You know, when I first tried on leggings, I felt a bit…um, like, ‘is this too revealing?’”
“Oh, really?”
“But now, it doesn’t bother me at all! You’ll probably realize it’s nothing to worry about once you try it.”
“Really…?”
Coming from Si-yoon, who’s all-women inside and out, it actually sounds convincing.
“Are they really that comfortable?”
“Hmm… You’ll know once you try! They are comfortable. Plus, there’s another advantage.”
“Oh? Like what?”
Another advantage?
Curiosity piqued, I watched as Si-yoon’s lips curved up slightly before she answered.
“You can wear them anywhere! Not just for working out, but also when you’re just hanging out or not exercising at all.”
“Ooh…”
Now that I think about it, I’ve seen people wearing them around town, not just students at the academy.
“Hold on a second.”
Si-yoon suddenly stood up, briskly walked over to the closet, and started rummaging through it.
“Found it!”
Si-yoon turned back with a few pieces of clothing in her hands—exactly the type of clothes I’d mentioned seeing on the students.
“These are the ones I used to wear when I worked out.”
“Used to?”
“…Well, I don’t go out much these days.”
Honestly, who am I to talk? Si-yoon’s not exactly the type to go out much either.
I nodded, understanding.
“It’s just because I’m busy!”
“…I didn’t say anything.”
Despite her indignant look, she passed the clothes over with a pout.
“You were curious, right? Try them on!”
“H-hold on!”
I was about to refuse since I hadn’t really decided to wear them.
But she practically forced the clothes into my hands.
And with the clothes in my hand…
“I’ve got stuff to do, so I’ll be in my room!”
…she disappeared into her room in an instant.
“Hm…”
She really didn’t look like someone who has things to do.
I sighed, looking at the clothes in my hands.
A loose-fit T-shirt and leggings. The clean, freshly laundered scent tickled my nose.
…It’s not a crop top or anything; it’s a loose fit. Maybe I’ll just try it on since I’m at home anyway, and no one’s here to see.
I’m just taking a look, right?
I glanced at the door of Si-yoon’s room.
She had closed it so obviously—surely, she wouldn’t pop out and surprise me.
Making my decision, I carefully changed into the clothes.
Since coming back to Earth, this is the second time I’ve borrowed clothes from my sister.
I hadn’t borrowed any since the first day.
It really brings home how much has changed.
She’s taller than me now, not just a different gender.
Once I was fully dressed, I stood in front of the mirror.
The T-shirt felt soft, and the stretchy sensation of the leggings felt both strange and comfortable.
Even though it was a loose fit, it wasn’t big enough to be completely loose around the chest area, which ended up looking slightly off.
Hmm… It’s actually better than I expected?
The gentle pressure from the leggings wasn’t bad at all.
I alternated lifting each leg in front of me, then pulled at the fabric of the leggings.
I adjusted the shirt around my chest and rotated my waist.
Finally, I stretched one leg up in a straight line, creating an “I” shape.
…I just did it because it came to mind.
I wondered if I could, and I actually can.
In the full-length mirror, the silhouette of a woman with one leg extended straight upward was reflected back at me.
Maybe it’s because of the pose? I looked both familiar and somehow a little unfamiliar to myself.
The strange feeling made me chuckle.
“…Yes, this works. Approved!”
Lowering my leg, I nodded in satisfaction.
I had promised Ji-ah that I would slowly get used to this.
Starting with this outfit didn’t seem like a bad idea.
In the mirror, I saw myself smiling brightly.
After watching myself for a moment, I turned and knocked on Si-yoon’s door.
Knock, knock—
As if she’d been waiting by the door, it opened immediately.
“…Well? Does it look okay?”
“Hm…”
Si-yoon looked me up and down, inspecting my appearance.
“It suits you well! But.”
“Hmm?”
After complimenting me, her expression twisted slightly with dissatisfaction, muttering to herself.
“Hey…what even are boobs, anyway?”
“I, uh, I don’t know?”
Her words sounded oddly familiar…
Hmm, maybe I’m imagining it? You see that kind of thing online a lot.
“I mean…it’s not weird, right? It still feels a bit awkward…”
“…No, it’s fine. Actually, the problem is that it suits you too well.”
Feeling dejected, Si-yoon and I sat on the living room sofa.
Browsing through online shops on my laptop, we picked out new clothes together.
Si-yoon shared all sorts of new information.
One-mile wear, athleisure… These were words I had never heard before.
The variety was surprising, from leggings that accentuate the hips to skirted leggings.
Awkwardly stroking my thigh, I tried to memorize the sudden influx of clothing terms.
The feeling of the leggings was oddly addictive.
In the end, I placed a few orders, though I wasn’t sure if I’d be buying more anytime soon.
Wouldn’t it be enough to just wear the same ones once I got used to them?
That was the thought I had for the day.
---
The following afternoon, I sat in the living room with the Momo Bin live stream playing on the TV, glancing down at my laptop on the table.
How should I teach Ah-reum most effectively?
Part of me considered throwing her into intense training like a lion tossing its cubs off a cliff.
But, knowing Ah-reum’s personality, I was concerned I might just traumatize her.
Wait, wasn’t that story about lions supposed to be a myth? Anyway.
I was brainstorming other, gentler methods.
“Hmmm…”
Should I just show her some cool, flashy moves?
I could, but that would be more of a performance than real teaching.
What if I just buffed her up with physical enhancements and threw her against a goblin?
No, that’s basically the same as my first thought.
Maybe it’s best to teach her gradually?
I could ask her what she recently learned in her major classes and provide supplementary lessons.
From what I saw of Eun-byeol’s book in the library, the material for E-rank students was pretty basic.
Alright, this approach seems safest.
The academy can teach the basics, so I’ll focus on advanced lessons.
There’s no need to rush Ah-reum’s growth.
While I’d still need to iron out the details, at least I had a rough outline now.
I’ll make sure our Ah-reum becomes a competent support player! Hehehe…
“Ah—!”
Stretching my arms wide, I yawned, glancing at Momo Bin’s
stream in the background.
Today, Momo Bin was streaming a platformer game, a straightforward action-adventure game where players defeat enemies and collect items and gear.
Due to the tight time limit, it made players nervous and prone to mistakes.
The more I watched, the more impressed I was with how well-designed the game was.
Watching Momo Bin’s character die in-game triggered a flood of chat messages:
Seeing the relentless messages in the chat, I decided to join in.
My message quickly got buried in the sea of comments, but that wasn’t the point. The joy was in sharing the experience with everyone.
After laughing along, Momo Bin’s voice broke through, tinged with irritation:
《You think it’s easy to dodge and aim?! It’s not as simple as it looks, alright!》
The viewers couldn’t stop laughing at her frustration, flooding the chat with laughter.
But this sparked something. Could I actually do it?
So I searched online for the game and realized it only cost a few thousand won. I hadn’t played in a while, but I still had my account, so I went through the recovery process, bought the game, and quickly installed it since the file size was small.
I started playing, having already learned the basics from watching Momo Bin’s stream. I lost track of time and soon found myself completely absorbed, playing for a couple of hours.
After finally pulling myself out of the game, I stretched my wrists and remembered something important I’d almost forgotten: an opportunity to get Ah-reum some serious training.
I paused the game, pulled out my phone, and contacted Chief Jang Han-soo from the Management Bureau to set up some practical experience for her.
Thanks