I Became a Raid Boss-Chapter 153: Did You Call Me Mom? (1)

Plop.

“Huh?”

A light knocking sound interrupted my drifting thoughts after finishing the meal.

When a cool touch grazed my hair, I looked up to the sky.

“Oh? It’s raining?”

Daeun, also noticing the raindrops, tilted her head as she looked up.

“There wasn’t any mention of rain today, so it’ll probably stop soon, right?”

Plop. Plop. Plop. Plopplopplopplop!

“Wah?!”

“Wow. Impressive.”

Before Daeun could even finish her sentence, the gentle drizzle suddenly turned into a downpour, soaking the ground in moments.

Changing the weather with just a few words—now that’s real magic, isn’t it?

Of course, the rain wasn’t actually Daeun’s doing, but the timing was suspiciously perfect.

We quickly took refuge in the tent to escape the rain.

Drip, drip, drip.

The raindrops, seemingly frustrated at losing their targets, relentlessly pelted the tent roof.

“This is strange. The weather didn’t seem like it would rain at all...”

“Yeah, it didn’t.”

The rain poured from a night sky so clear you could see countless stars dotting it moments ago.

I understood that weather could be unpredictable, but it was still disappointing.

I had been enjoying the peaceful beauty of stargazing, something I hadn’t properly done since arriving on Earth.

“Kana, did you know? The stars you see aren’t actually stars—they’re satellites. Oh, satellites are artificial objects orbiting celestial bodies—”

“...Did you really have to bring that up now?”

“Pfft, haha! Just kidding. That was an old rumor. Once it was debunked, it faded away. So don’t worry, what you saw really were stars.”

“Wow. Thanks for sharing such life-changing information. Truly enlightening.”

“You’re welcome!”

“....”

Deciding to end the conversation, I turned my gaze outside the tent.

Beyond the extended canopy, I could see rain pouring down, pooling in shallow depressions and overflowing.

I had considered heading out once the rain stopped, but it didn’t seem like it would let up anytime soon.

Plop.

“Are you going to sleep?”

“Yeah. It’s late, and there’s nothing else to do.”

“Whoa. You’re right... It’s already this late. Guess I should get ready for bed too.”

Taking my cue, Daeun fussed around, changing into her pajamas, while I slipped into my prepared sleeping bag.

It wasn’t as soft and comfortable as my bed at home, but compared to the days when I slept on the bare ground, it might as well have been a king’s mattress.

As I nestled into the plush sleeping bag, I listened to the rhythmic sound of the rain—

“...Hey.”

“Mmm...”

“Kana, wake up.”

“Why...?”

A soft voice accompanied by a gentle hand shaking my shoulder stirred me awake.

...Had the rain stopped already?

Straining my ears, I realized the rain tapping on the tent roof had gone silent.

It had been a surprisingly good lullaby.

“Time for breakfast. I’m thinking of just reheating the leftover meat. Or are you not hungry?”

“...What kind of morning is this?”

It hadn’t been long since we’d had dinner, and I had just laid down to sleep. Why was she talking about breakfast already?

Daeun must be rambling again.

Dismissing her words as one of her usual nonsense remarks, I grumbled and burrowed deeper into the sleeping bag.

“What do you mean, ‘what kind of morning’? It’s morning because it’s morning! The sun’s already high in the sky.”

“...What?”

“It’s actually later than usual, too.”

Pop!

I jolted upright out of the sleeping bag.

The once-dark surroundings were now bathed in bright daylight.

“...??”

I blinked, struggling to process the situation.

...Why?

“Pfft! You dozed off the moment you laid down, and now you didn’t even notice it’s morning?”

“You’re saying I fell asleep?”

I could’ve sworn I’d only blinked.

“Yup. You slept so soundly that I was worried someone might actually carry you off in your sleep. So, you know, the fact you could sleep so peacefully is all thanks to me!”

“...Ugh.”

Ignoring Daeun’s smug tone, I got up, intending to step out and follow the sound of birds chirping beyond the tent.

“Wait! Kana! You can’t go out in your pajamas! You need to change!”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Ah! Don’t be so careless, sis. Girls shouldn’t act so recklessly. You can’t just flash your skin like that!”

“...Skin? What are you talking about?”

Looking down at myself, I examined my clothing: long sleeves that covered half my palms, pants that brushed my ankles, and buttons fastened securely.

“It doesn’t look revealing at all. Besides, it’s not like anyone else is around.”

“But you never know! What if you run into someone hiking by?”

“...Fine.”

Rolling my eyes, I reluctantly grabbed a jacket to appease her fussing.

“Better?”

“Hmph...”

Still not fully satisfied, Daeun stayed behind as I finally stepped out.

Squelch.

The soft sound of waterlogged earth greeted me as I set foot outside.

Puddles glistened everywhere, suggesting the rain must have continued long after I fell asleep.

Maybe that’s why the air felt fresher with every breath, crisp and invigorating.

While I enjoyed the revitalizing atmosphere, Daeun emerged from the tent, already busy at work.

She fried up the leftover meat with rice to make fried rice and added soup from a ready-to-eat pack.

In no time at all, she had whipped up a hearty meal.

I couldn’t help but marvel at how much food seemed to be left.

Every scoop of fried rice revealed chunks of meat, and I couldn’t hide my satisfaction as I dug in.

“Hehe, you’re eating well. Is it good?”

“Yeah.”

“Then how about trying some veggies too?”

“No, thanks.”

Trying to sneak in some vegetables? Not happening.

After finishing our simple but satisfying breakfast, we started tidying up the camping site where we had spent the night.

“Camping is great and all, but the cleanup is such a hassle... Ah! Kana, you can’t take that apart like that!”

We disassembled the tent, sorted the trash, and handled all sorts of other tasks. By the time we were done, quite a bit of time had passed.

“...Since it’s already this late, should we stay for lunch too?”

“If you feel like doing another round of dishes, I won’t stop you.”

“Ugh...”

Clearly unwilling to do more dishes, Daeun climbed into the car.

The atmosphere on the drive back home was a little calmer than it had been on the way out.

...Home, huh.

The word floated into my mind unbidden, and a small laugh slipped through my lips.

“...Pfft.”

“Hmm? What did you say?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

“Hm? Well, if you say so! Anyway, should we stop by a rest area on the way back? We can refuel and grab some snacks!”

“I don’t mind.”

Not that she needed my permission.

Still, something about it irked me.

Her tone made it sound like she was sure I wouldn’t refuse.

“You don’t think I’d agree to anything just because you’re offering food, do you?”

“...”

“...Why aren’t you answering?”

“N-no way! Of course not! Haha...”

“Look me in the eye and say that.”

“It’s dangerous to look away while driving.”

“Coming from someone who was dancing while driving, that’s rich.”

“I wasn’t dancing! I was just... really enjoying the music...”

I see now why she always tries to tempt me with food when she wants something.

While Daeun dodged my gaze and pretended not to notice my irritation, the car continued smoothly down the road.

“It’s sweet,” I said.

“But it’s good, right? I can never finish it alone, but sharing it with you is perfect.”

We stopped by a rest area along the way and bought some delimanjus to share.

I think I might have eaten them once, a long time ago, but it’s not like I remember clearly.

After devouring a skewer of rice cakes and sausages too, I felt just the right amount of fullness.

“Hold still for a second.”

Swipe.

“All done. Hehe, seeing you with food smeared on your face really shows how much of a kid you are.”

“Then does that make you a kid too, Daeun?”

“...Huh?! When?!”

She hadn’t even realized she had bright red sauce smeared around her mouth while teasing me.

Watching her hastily wipe her face with a flustered, crimson expression, I smirked slightly.

“How could this happen...? When did it get there?”

“Dummy.”

“...Gasp!”

Daeun suddenly sucked in a dramatic breath.

Then, in the most serious tone imaginable, she asked,

“Can you say that again? Just one more time?”

“Say what?”

“That thing you just said. Please, just one more time.”

“...Dummy?”

I obliged, though I couldn’t understand why she was asking for this.

While I tilted my head in confusion, Daeun burst out,

“That’s not it! It’s not the same!”

“...You startled me.”

“Just one more time! Please, really, just one more time!”

“I already did it once. Why do you even want me to say it again?”

“Because it was so cute! I wanted to record it. That one was cute too, but the first one was really adorable. Can’t you just do it like before?”

“...No. Never.”

“Aww...”

So that was it. How ridiculous.

I shook my head, and Daeun pouted in frustration.

“Guess I’ll have to dismantle the black box...”

“....”

I didn’t know what a black box was, but it was clear Daeun was planning something dumb.

If only she weren’t driving.

Suppressing a sigh, I focused on the scenery. Before I knew it, we’d entered a familiar area.

Though I hadn’t been here many times, the sense of familiarity felt oddly comforting, as if my subconscious already thought of this place as home.

After a simple procedure, the car rolled into the underground parking lot and came to a stop.

“Can we leave this here?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s too bulky to keep at home, so let’s just leave it here.”

“Got it.”

Even though we only took the essentials, my hands were full.

After all, Daeun had already put in so much effort planning and preparing for the trip, so letting her carry everything alone would’ve felt wrong.

With the luggage in hand, we got into the elevator.

“Did you have fun?”

As the numbers on the display rapidly changed, Daeun glanced at me and asked.

It was an unexpected question, but I understood what she meant right away.

So I nodded.

“Yeah, it was fun.”

“...Hehe, I’m glad.”

Her eyes, initially wide with anticipation, softened into a gentle smile.

Ding.

The elevator doors opened to reveal our destination.

“Alright!”

We picked up our luggage again, and with home so close, Daeun’s previously heavy steps grew lighter.

She hummed a cheerful tune as she unlocked the door.

“Phew... We’re back!”

As always, Daeun greeted the empty apartment with her usual post-trip remark.

Normally, I would’ve been the one to reply, but since we had gone out together this time, no one else was there to answer.

“Yes, welcome back.”

“...!”

...At least, there wasn’t supposed to be.

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A voice echoed from inside the supposedly empty home, freezing Daeun in her tracks.

“....”

Clutching her luggage tightly, she braced herself.

Step, step.

The sound of approaching footsteps preceded the appearance of the voice’s owner.

“...Oh?”

A middle-aged woman stepped into view, her eyes widening when they landed on me.

...She looked strangely familiar.

As I stared at her face, trying to place her, the answer came from the least expected place.

“M-Mom?!”

“Ah.”

So that’s it.

No wonder she seemed familiar.

Looking at her, I couldn’t help but think, If Daeun aged a few decades, she’d look just like this.