Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Every day, I went to see the little girl.

I asked her if she wanted to be my good friend.

I even gave her the milk candy Mom only allowed me to eat one piece of per day.

She ate the candy.

As for me, she said she would think about it.

Mom laughed and said I had the makings of a simp from a very young age.

I didn’t know what a simp was.

But Dad always said very proudly that back then, it was because he simped after Mom with unwavering persistence that he finally managed to marry her.

The line he loved to repeat most was, “A simp who simps to the very end will have everything.”

So “simp” was a compliment.

I puffed out my chest proudly.

“Thank you for praising me, Mom!”

My mom laughed so hard she cried.

I didn’t understand what was so funny.

Actually, I was very smart.

The little girl was the prettiest kid I had ever seen.

Being good friends with her would make me look really impressive!

For a whole month straight, I went over as usual with milk candy to play with her.

I asked if she wanted to be my good friend.

This time, though, she swallowed her drool while waving her hands in refusal.

Covering her mouth, she looked utterly heartbroken.

“Sowwy. We’ve alweady been good fwiends for a long time. I shouldn’t have twicked you out of your candy. My teeth hurt so bad. My mama said if I twick you into giving me candy again, she’ll treat me to bamboo shoots and pork.”

I froze for a long time.

“Why do your words sound leaky?”

Reluctantly, she moved her hand away, revealing her gap-toothed front teeth.

“I ate too much candy. The wittle bugs ate my teeth.”

I sucked in a cold breath.

How terrifying.

Good thing I loved meat more than candy.

“Is bamboo shoots and pork yummy?”

Unlike the little girl, who was picky and refused to eat anything, Mom said I was greedy and would eat anything-even roadside poop looked like something I wanted to lick just to see how it tasted.

The little girl’s voice turned gloomy.

“Yummy. So yummy it makes you cry.”

My eyes lit up.

I really wanted to try it.

Her little face scrunched up.

“Are you dumb? It means getting beaten!!!”

“?!”

Okay.

Then I wouldn’t try it.

I knew what it tasted like now.

The same as a five-finger sandwich.

Both meant getting your butt beaten raw.

After I became good friends with the little girl, I couldn’t help wanting to show off.

So I took her to the park to find those kids.

You don’t want to be friends with me?

Well, I don’t want to play with you either!

Look!!

My good friend is cuter than all of you!!!

But in the end…

Before I could even say anything, they pointed at the little girl and laughed.

“Yo, the little shrimp came out again?”

They were bullying my good friend!

I set my face and tightly took the little girl’s hand.

When they saw that, they took two steps back, pointed at me, and asked her uncertainly,

“So this big lump is the good friend you were talking about?”

The little girl puffed out her chest, full of pride.

“That’s wight!”

“If you bully me again, she’ll eat you! She can eat three kids in one meal!”

She looked exactly like the fox borrowing the tiger’s might from my picture books.

Their faces went pale with fright.

I was shocked.

I only ate three bowls of rice in one meal. How did that turn into three children?!

I stepped forward, wanting to explain.

They huddled together in fear and shouted,

“Ahhhh, don’t come over! Sorry! We won’t bully her anymore!”

Then they all ran off in a flash.

Me: “……”

My reputation was ruined.

The little girl stood on tiptoe and patted my back.

She comforted me,

“It’s okay. If they won’t play with you, I’ll play with you! We’ll be good fwiends forever!”