I Became the Cute One in the Troubleshooter Squad

Thinking back, I used to hate going to the hospital as a kid.

Not the kind of hate where I’d scream and throw a tantrum. I wasn’t that type of child—I grew up in a strict household where causing trouble would only earn me five times the punishment.

Instead, I was more of the quiet escape artist. If I sensed something was off, I’d quickly hide in a closet or quietly slip away.

But, of course, there were legitimate reasons for those visits—being sick or needing vaccinations, for instance.

I had a knack for detecting the atmosphere, and it wasn’t hard to tell when something was up.

Yet, when I did end up at the hospital, I would obediently get my shots and take my medicine without much fuss.

Looking back now, I wonder why I hated going so much. It seems silly in hindsight.

To counter my disappearing acts, my parents developed a few cunning tactics—deceptive strategies, if you will.

“Let’s go get steak.”

“How about a trip to the amusement park? Or maybe a festival? A celebrity’s going to be there!”

I fell for it so many times that I still carry the bitterness deep in my heart.

"A-Ahaha… Yuria, you’re not a fan of pork cutlets? W-What about sushi?"

"…."

And now, looking at Alice’s awkward behavior, I couldn’t help but feel a strong sense of déjà vu.

There was something suspicious about her.

For starters, she was supposed to be at the office right now. Why was she here? That alone was strange.

This wasn’t just about a meal—there was definitely another motive behind this.

I cautiously glanced around instead of approaching her directly.

That’s when I spotted Karen in the back of the shop, striking a supportive pose as if cheering Alice on.

Judging by the direction of her gaze, she was rooting for Alice, not me.

So… the plan was to take me somewhere I wasn’t supposed to notice.

Alice likes me, and I trust her intentions, but why go through the trouble of hiding the destination? Should I play along for now? If things get too weird, I can always pretend I need the bathroom and make a run for it.

After a moment of consideration, I hesitantly approached Alice.

If it were anyone else—someone who didn’t treat me kindly—I wouldn’t have given it a second thought before turning away.

But Alice… she always let me win. She was too sweet to ignore.

Still, if things get too uncomfortable, I’ll bolt immediately!

Taking her slightly damp hand, which trembled as if she were moved to tears, I silently braced myself.

A true escape artist knows never to let their guard down.

Right now, I was like a wild cheetah, ready to sprint at a moment’s notice.

"Th-Then! We’ll be going now! See you later!" Alice exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement.

"Take care! Alice, don’t let anything happen to Yuria!" Karen called out cheerfully.

"Hurry up and get her out of here. I can’t concentrate on work with her around," Greg grumbled.

"Got it! Hehe… Let’s go, Yuria!"

"…."

Did I really bother them that much?

I cast a glare at Greg, my eyes full of indignation, before turning on my heel and leaving with Alice.

I was just trying to help… What a mean boss.

"Hehe, I think this is the first time we’ve gone out together so early in the day. Actually, Jin said he was too exhausted to work today and decided to take the day off from the office. Greg asked me to come pick you up."

"…."

Oh, so the office is off today, too?

That made sense. Raven, after all, had been through a grueling battle with the Seven Sins, followed by cleaning up the aftermath.

I remembered seeing him passed out on his bed earlier, skipping breakfast entirely.

It seemed he was taking the whole day to rest and would resume work tomorrow.

Well, rest is important, after all.

Wait… does this mean Alice came here just to spend her free day with me?

Was all my worrying just the result of an overactive imagination running wild?

Hold on. Does that mean Alice was only anxious because she was afraid I’d say no?

Suddenly, a wave of embarrassment washed over me.

I’d been so caught up in my paranoia that I’d turned her innocent offer into something suspicious.

Feeling guilty, I closed the small gap I’d instinctively kept between us, stepping closer to Alice.

It was my way of apologizing for the misunderstanding since I couldn’t voice it aloud.

Alice tilted her head, her eyes wide with curiosity, seemingly unaware of my inner turmoil.

Then, with a bright smile, she took my hand and began leading me down the street.

"Today, I’ll treat you to whatever you want! Pork cutlets? Sushi? Oh, wait, raw fish might be tricky for you, huh?"

"…!"

"Sushi is fine? Hehe, great! I know a place I always go to—it’s fantastic!"

Luckily, it was still early for lunch, so we didn’t have to wait in line at Alice’s favorite sushi spot.

Alice had the appetite of a competitive eater, and ever since I started using telekinesis, I could eat as much as an average adult male.

Together, we devoured sushi at an astonishing pace, piling up plates on the table like a competition.

"Whoa… does that pink-haired beauty have a black hole in her stomach? She just keeps eating!"

"And that masked kid opposite her is holding her own! What a rare sight to behold!"

"Phew… I think that’s it for today. Excuse me, we’d like the bill, please."

"Heh heh, as always, thanks for coming, young lady!"

No matter how much I enjoy eating, the end of a meal always comes with dread—the bill.

The amount on the receipt was hard to believe, considering it was just the two of us. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at the total.

But Alice seemed to have a “don’t hesitate at times like this” mindset.

With a practiced ease, she handed over her card, paid the bill, and left the sushi restaurant with her head held high.

It was such a mature, admirable display that I couldn’t help but be impressed.

"Ugh… My wallet’s gotten thinner again today…"

"…!"

"H-Huh? You think that was cool? Hehe…"

Even though the cost had clearly been a bit much for her, and she might’ve been showing off just a little, the way she confidently flicked her card between her fingers had genuinely been stylish.

I gave her a big thumbs-up, signaling that I thought she was awesome.

After lunch, we wandered around Nighthaven, having a great time.

At one point, Alice insisted on buying me clothes, dragging me into a department store where I tried on various outfits.

Despite it still being winter, we ended up browsing the swimwear section, drawn in by a random display.

Alice chose a blue bikini that perfectly matched her pink hair and curvaceous figure, while I ended up with a black one-piece swimsuit covered in frills—something clearly meant for kids.

Thankfully, it looked less like a swimsuit and more like a casual dress, so it wasn’t too embarrassing.

Not that I know when I’ll even get to wear it…

"Wow, that was fun! So, now that we’ve done some shopping… want to go somewhere else?"

"…?"

"Where? Hmm, I haven’t decided yet. Oh, how about we check out some stuffed animals? Your room’s way too plain. You need a big teddy bear in the corner!"

"…."

Stuffed animals weren’t really my thing, but… having one wouldn’t hurt.

I nodded in agreement and let her lead the way.

The toy store Alice mentioned seemed to be quite a distance away, as we ended up taking a bus to the outskirts of town and walking even further.

I didn’t mind, though. I didn’t know much about stuffed animals, and Alice kept me entertained with her cheerful chatter the whole way.

But as I walked ahead, holding a bag with my new clothes and swimsuit, I finally sensed something was off after stepping into the building.

Wait a minute… is that… alcohol? Why does it smell like alcohol in a toy store?

Straightening up, I stopped in my tracks and glanced around nervously.

My instincts screamed that something was wrong.

But before I could figure out what, Alice released my hand and grabbed my shoulders from behind.

"…?"

"Y-Yuria… I’m sorry. I couldn’t say no. It’s not my fault… I was asked to do this…"

"…!"

She pressed down firmly on my back, nudging me forward.

Confused and unable to process the situation, I stumbled ahead, unable to resist.

A toy store? This doesn’t look like one at all… There aren’t any stuffed animals here.

The strange feeling quickly revealed its true nature.

From deeper within the meticulously maintained building, a man with an eccentric appearance approached us.

His hair was styled into a 7:3 part, with one side dyed blue and the other white.

He wore an immaculate white lab coat, and his face bore a large scar along his mouth, as though it had been stitched together with thick thread.

His gaze was sharp and exuded a menacing aura, as if slicing through people was no big deal to him.

Everything about him screamed "suspicious." He stared down at me, captured by Alice, and spoke.

"Oh my, is this the young lady I have an appointment with today? Goodness, such adorable clothes! And what perfect proportions you have, dear!"

"…."

His voice sounded like a man forcing himself to mimic a woman.

Thanks to my knowledge of the original story, I instantly recognized him as a doctor.

…I’ve been tricked again.

Forget feeling sorry for Alice earlier—I take it back, completely.