I didn't know how the movie ended. Whenever I tried to peek by slightly uncovering my ears, I'd hear screams like "Kyaaak!" or be greeted by the ear-splitting sound of nails on a chalkboard.
Since I couldn't open my eyes, I inevitably ended up seeing nothing at all.
The Professor hugged me comfortingly and smiled bitterly.
"Ah geez. If I'd known you'd be this scared, I would have said something earlier. We could have watched something else."
"I didn't know..."
"Yes, yes."
When I pouted, the Professor patted my back. Afterward, we left the theater and found a table in the lobby.
We had decided what to do next, but hadn't determined where to go. So we put our heads together briefly to share ideas. Though I didn't know enough to suggest anything.
"Wouldn't it make sense for Urr to wear casual clothes that fit? Comfortable t-shirts and sweatpants would be fine. Elastic waistbands would work, right?"
"...I suppose so?"
I thought that even though we were preparing for when my body might grow, it hadn't happened yet, so wearing regular clothes should be fine for now.
Elastic pants could accommodate widening hips. But I was worried about the tops. What if I suddenly grew larger and the clothes became so tight that I'd have to cut them off? That question made me hesitate.
"But what if the clothes prevent me from growing properly?"
I asked, placing my sleeve-covered hands on the table. The Professor glanced at me and readily provided the answer I wanted, as if telling me not to worry.
"Then we can get slightly bigger tops. How's that?"
I nodded. Now that our next destination was decided, we got up from the table.
I walked around holding the Professor's hand. The massive shopping centers along the main street were full of flashy, expensive clothes that weren't suitable for me. Besides, regardless of how much the Professor earned, I didn't want to drain money as someone who was just living off them, so I begged the Professor to go somewhere else.
We turned toward a nearby department store. Though it had many luxury brands, there were also regular companies, so there was nothing we couldn't afford.
The Professor and I looked around a floor with multiple brands.
I saw not just clothes but also bags and shoes for sale. I wondered what I should buy there.
Seeing me wandering indecisively between stores, the Professor must have felt sorry for me and offered some advice.
"How about getting something cool to wear? It's spring now, and summer's coming next, so maybe shorts or a skirt?"
"...No skirts, please."
I shook my head. It wasn't that I disliked non-baggy skirts. I liked wearing uniforms with fitted skirts.
Since there was no reason to wear one now, I had to choose pants.
"Excuse me... if you're looking for children's pants, would you like some assistance? We have various sizes over here."
A store employee who must have overheard our conversation in the hallway approached and asked. While I was hesitating, the Professor beside me nodded.
"Could you show us some options?"
Apparently deciding that looking at something was better than just standing around, the Professor agreed and we went in.
When we reached the pants section, there was quite a variety. With many types and colors, choosing seemed easier. I looked up and stared.
In the midst of this, the Professor's hand entered my field of vision. I quickly turned toward where the Professor was pointing at some pants.
"We're looking for something cool to wear through summer. Do you have anything like that?"
As I was struggling to choose, the Professor took the initiative. It would be good if someone made a decisive choice rather than standing around until sunset.
I wished it could be me making that choice, but I questioned whether I could just pick anything. If someone asked whether it was right to hesitate even about choosing my own clothes, the answer would be no, but still, what if I didn't like them?
While I was groaning, the employee immediately clapped her hands.
"How about trying dolphin pants? Many growing kids wear them these days, and they're quite convenient for moving around. They have both elastic and drawstrings, so they won't be loose."
"...Wouldn't they look strange on Urr?"
"Not at all. Everyone wears them like this nowadays."
The employee said this and held a pair of black dolphin pants against my lower body.
"They're not that short. People who think they're short are either those with long legs or those who've seen really short ones."
The Professor put a hand on their chin and thought quietly. Their expression suggested they found merit in the employee's words. As I watched, the Professor asked me:
"What do you think, Urr?"
"...If you like them, I'm fine with them."
Honestly, I still couldn't decide. I just thought anything with elasticity would be fine, and as the employee said, as long as they weren't too short, they'd be okay.
As I answered while fidgeting with my hands, the Professor gently placed a hand on my head and stroked it.
"Then we'll take three pairs."
"What colors would you like?"
"Which ones do you like?"
At the employee's gesture, the Professor asked me again. I stared blankly at the displayed pants. There were black ones, pink ones, all sorts of colors.
"Black..."
But black seemed the most versatile. As I pointed slightly and looked at the Professor, they immediately took out a card from their wallet.
"Then two pairs in black and one in navy, please."
"Yes, understood."
The employee's quick hands organized the dolphin pants in no time. Placing them in a neat, large bag gave me a reassuring feeling.
The Professor looked at it quietly and then spoke to the employee.
"By the way, I'd like to look at tops too. Do you have any simple ones?"
"You mean for spring through summer?"
"Yes."
"Just a moment."
After organizing the bag, the employee guided the Professor. I followed closely behind, and this time there were tons of clothes. They were densely hung on racks, but also displayed openly for people to see and buy.
I didn't like flashy things. So I just pointed to a white t-shirt.
Even white clothes, when expensive, had better quality and were definitely softer. As I was feeling it with my hand, I liked it so much that I tugged slightly at the Professor's sleeve.
"I want this one."
"What? You chose quickly this time?"
At the Professor's words, the employee peeked over.
"What size is the child? I'll find it right away."
"...Ah, it's fine. Please give us something a bit larger. Two sizes up?"
"Then the shoulders might show a bit..."
"The kid likes that."
Since I didn't contradict the Professor's words and just stood quietly, the employee nodded. The fact that I was currently wearing oversized clothes probably helped make it convincing.
We bought three tops as well. I felt like a one-outfit person. Even though we had multiple pieces, the design and color were the same.
The Professor finished paying and received the bag.
"I'll carry it."
"Hmm? You want to carry it, Urr? Alright."
When I grabbed their sleeve slightly, offering to carry it, the Professor handed me the bag. Though it contained clothes, there was nothing heavy inside, so I could easily carry it.
I walked around downtown with the Professor. It felt both similar to and different from the modern world I knew, which was fascinating. I wondered if this was how it felt to be in a foreign country, and found myself looking around.
After eating dinner, we returned home, and I put down the bag.
"Want to try them on?"
"Yes, I was going to."
I took off my jacket. I picked up the jacket that fell behind my feet and tidied it to one side. I took the bag and slipped into the room. I changed quickly, intending to show the Professor who was waiting in the living room.
Tok-dok, I unbuttoned my shirt and took it off. Then I took out the t-shirt we bought today and put it on. Since the clothes were all big, changing was quick. One shoulder was slightly exposed, but not enough to slip off, so it was fine.
When I shook my waist from side to side, my skirt slid down. Seeing how the skirt fell despite the belt due to my small hips gave me many thoughts. It was uncomfortable normally, but convenient when taking clothes off, which made me groan.
I shook my head and slipped the dolphin pants onto my legs and pulled them up. My eyes widened at how they seemed loose yet clung to my body with their elasticity. This should work even if I grow larger, I thought, nodding my head.
After turning half a circle in each direction to check myself, I went to where the Professor was.
"Professor! I've changed!"
"...Oh, you've changed?"
The Professor, who was hanging my coat on a hanger, responded to my voice. Their expression became somewhat subtle as they looked at me.
"The clothes are so big it looks like you're not wearing anything below."
"No... I'm wearing them properly! Look."
When I lifted my clothes slightly to show the dolphin pants, the Professor nodded.
"Yes, you've dressed well. Do you like them?"
"Yes. I like them."
They were comfortable and would handle future issues without problems. How wonderful.
It was a day that naturally made me hum.