Will Keroro be able to hold the attack from Michi Machi Army?

Will Keroro be able to protect the planet he wants to destroy?

See you next time on Keroro: Rise of Earth Plan No.1117 5!!!

"What?!"

Luhan scratches his head, frustrated. He has just finished reading the comic book and just as it was reaching the heartbeating scene, it finished.

"It is in the most exciting part yet it ends .... Shoot!"

He eyes the end of the page, seeing the continuation part ad on book 5.

"The book 5 is available on bookstore already. I WANNA HAVE BOOK 5!!"

Appa and Kyungsoo who are having tea time on the living room spill their warm tea.

"LUHAN! Be quiet! You shocked us!"

Appa wipes the tea from his mouth along with grumbling Kyungsoo. Luhan inside his room was not listening to it, he is busy counting his money.

"Ten ..., eleven .... Just a thousand and eleven won .... It is still ten more days before Appa gives me monthly allowance .... Dear Lord!"

Luhan inhales and moves outside his room. Appa is still wiping the tea spill with his handkerchief.

"Appa ...."

"No!"

"What? I haven't said anything!"

"You must be wanting to buy something! No, no, no!"

"Appa .... Please give me money! I wanna but that comic ...!"

"I said no!"

"Please ...!"

"Noooooooo!"

Kyungso is just stunned in the kitchen, sweat falling from his forehead as he is witnessing the arguments between his father and his brother.

"What a Sunday morning today ...."

 

*  *   *

Luhan is inside the small bookstore in his neighborhood. He is sneaking like a ninja, entering the shop without wanting to be seen by its owner. The owner of the boookstore is a cold, old man who is very attentive and always watching his store like a hawk. He is actually kind-hearted but he can't stand people who come to his store just to read his books freely.

And that's exactly what Luhan's goal is now.

The old man, who Luhan called as Haraboji, suddenly snaps his neck to Luhan.

"Annyeong. Welcome to the shop."

"An, annyeong ...."

Luhan is trying to look cool under Haraboji's flat eyes.He goes straight to comic section, wandering around for a while before he smiles when he sees Keroro comic on the shelf.

Here it is ....

Luhan eyes Haraboji. He is busy attending a customer. He quickly takes the book and examines the cover.

"This is really cool .... I want this ...."

Luhan eyes Haraboji again. He is still busy in the counter.

"I can take a peek for a while, can't I ...?"

Luhan soon finds himself absorbed into the comic. He is chewing his laugh, shoulder shaking as he reads a very funny part of the comic.

"What are you doing?!"

Luhan jerks and he feels like having a cardiac arrest. The shadow of Haraboji is apparent in front of him, sending Luhan a shiver to his spine.

"You are not allowed to read here freely without buying the book!"

 

Luhan walks out of the bookstore, grumbling.

"It was the most exciting part! He shouldn't have asked me to leave!"

Luhan sighs before he yelps as an idea comes to his mind.

"There is still a bookstore in front of train station! I will go there!"

Luhan sprints for his life to the bookstore. Different from the previous bookstore, this bookstore is bigger and there is no cold old man watching like a hawk in the counter. A young, beautiful girl greets Luhan as he enters the store, smiling at him warmly.

"Annyeong! Welcome to the shop! Have a nice time here!"

Luhan smiles as he nods to the girl. He dashes to the comic section and grabs the Keroro 5 from the bookshelves only to make his jaw drop.

The comic is sealed with plastic wrap.

"Oh no ...."

 

*   *   *

 

Luhan is walking with slumped shoulder. He was close to finsih the book but it was ended abruptly by Haraboji. When he moved to another store, he was punched with disappointment as he found out the book was sealed. What a killer ....

"Luhan!"

Luhan turns his head. Jongdae is walking with his mother behind him, he is waving his hand to Luhan.

"Jongdae ...."

"What are you doing here? Why are you looking so defeated?"

"I was reading the comic freely at the bookstore before, but Haraboji kicked me out of the store!"

"What? Why are you reading freely there?"

Luhan frowns.

"You are disturbing people by doing that."

"I didn't mean to do that ...."

"Boy .... Come on, just come to my house! You can read the comic books I have in my room."

Luhan nods and they walk to Jongdae's house. As they enter Jongdae's room, Jongdae screams at his mother.

"Eomma, please bring me soda."

Jongdae falls into his bed.

"If you read here, no one will bother you."

Luhan doesn't respond. He is looking at high bookshelves inside the room. Comics are filling each spot, no space is left at all.

"Jongdae ..., did you buy them by yourselves?"

"What?" Jongdae stretches his body. "No. My mom did. I don't have to spend my allowance for buying them."

Luhan turns his face to Jongdae, whining.

"It's not fair! I have to buy them with my own money!"

"Luhan! What's happening with you?!"

"LIFE IS NOT FAAAAAIIIIIIIIRRRRRR!"

 

*  *   *

Ten days later
 

"Luhan, here is your allowance!"

Luhan grabs the money like thunder coming to Earth.

"Gomawo, Appa. GOMAWO!"

Luhan quickly dashes to the front door, going out of the house. Appa scratches his head.

"What happens with him?"

 

Luhan arrives at the bookstore. Unlike the last time he went there, he enters the store proudly, face looking smug. He is ready to encounter Haraboji and prouds himself today for buying the comic.

I come to buy now, not for being a free reader.

"Annyeong."

Luhan is stunned to see it is not Haraboji standing in the counter and greeting him. It is Halmoni, Haraboji's wife.

Shoot! I wanted to proud myself in front of Haraboji. Now he is not here! Shoot!

Luhan sighs before he gasps.

In front of him, there are many people, either standing or sitting, reading the books freely.

Just as Haraboji is not here, people read as free as they want.

Luhan sighs again before he walks to the comic section. It is not easy with many people fulfilling spaces in the hallway. He is panting as he reaches the supposed place.

"Where is it .... Where is it ...."

Luhan's eyes find the spot and those eyes widen like car light.

THE COMIC IS GONNEEE!!!!

Luhan is shaken to his core. Just as he wants to buy the comic he has been wanting, it's gone, it disappeared. It's been sold to someone already.

Luhan turns around, feeling devastated. Haraboji at the same time enters the store with heavy plastic bags on his each hand.

"Annyeong." Haraboji says.

"Annyeong, Haraboji." Halmoni smiles.

"People are being free readers again ...."

Haraboji clears his throat with very loud voice. "Ehemm ...."

Everybody freezes and jerks afterward. They return the book in an instance and leave the bookstore as like they were just seeing a ghost. Luhan, feeling down for knowing the comic is sold out, follows the people out of the place.

"Hey you, wait!"

Luhan lifts his head and his eyes are like saucer as Haraboji is holding the comic he was searching.

"This is it, isn't this?"

"Ho ..., how come ...?"

"Each month on the 26th, you always come here with your pocket money to buy comic here, right?"

How does he know?

"You wanted to buy the 5th book, right? It was sold out yesterday, so I went to the central bookstore to buy new one for you."

Luhan wants to cry as he is handing the money to Halmoni. Halmoni thanks him and gives him the change while Haraboji gives a plastic bag with Luhan's comic inside.

"Haraboji, what if we wrap the book with plastic wrapper so that no one will be free reader?"

Halmoni's words make Luhan scream NO in his mind.

"Of course not. People have to know what's inside the book a bt before they decide to buy it."

Luhan jaw drops.

"It also rules the same with comic, doesn't it, Kid?"

It is the second time Luhan feels his eyes watery today.

Haraboji is actually very kind-hearted ....

"However, I won't let anyone read those books for free! If they wanna read it, they have to buy it!"

Sweat forms on Luhan's temple. Halmoni is laughing.

 

*   *   *

 

A month later

"I don't have money anymore ...." Luhan sighs as he is counting his coins. He was asking Appa money, but the man didn't give in a won to him. Luhan sighs and a moment later, he has been in the bookstore, standing in front of the comic shelves and reading the comic with heart beating fast.

"What are you doing here? People are not allowed to read here freely! Go away!"

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

 

---

October 2, 2014

 

Second story and I feel that it is not that funny. Anyhow, it happened to me once, the free reading part, not the kicked out of the store part. :D. It gave me chill. Hahaha.

 

Schandelierre