Nightmare (3)

I carry Min Ari on my back into the apartment. The resilient feel of her skin transmitting through my palm under her thighs, the soft weight and warmth of her breasts pressed snugly against my back. Normally, my heart would race at moments like this. But right now, I feel nothing. No excitement at all. No matter how she squirms and rubs against me, no matter how her faint breath tickles my nape, my body doesn't heat up. It feels like my blood has gone completely cold. Anxiety piercing straight through the center of my chest seems to have devoured every other sensation.

"......Damn it."

I adjust Ari on my back as I step into the elevator. The light overhead shines brightly, casting my shadow long across the floor beneath it. When the doors open and I step inside, my face in the mirror looks strangely distorted. A face drained pale, lips pressed tight, eyes trembling with unease. It's me, but a version I've never seen before.

If only...... if only I hadn't just let Min Deulle go home that night.

That thought fills my head. If I'd held on just a little longer. If I'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠embraced that small body a bit more. If I'd just taken responsibility and driven her all the way home. Then Min Deulle never would have gotten into that accident.

Ari's steady breathing is the only sound filling the narrow space as the elevator ascends. I glance at her face reflected in the mirror. Her face completely asleep from the alcohol. Cheeks flushed red, lips slightly parted. Normally, just seeing this would put me in a good mood.

The elevator doors open, and I head toward the front door. I punch in the password Min Jangmi gave me and open it. No one's home, just as expected. The living room light is on, and so is the TV. A variety show plays on the screen, the cast's laughter echoing emptily. Shoes are scattered messily in the entryway shoe rack—everyone must have rushed out. All jumbled out of place.

I walk into Ari's room. It's dark. Only streetlight filtering through the window curtains and light spilling from the living room. I don't turn on the light as I enter. I carefully lay Min Ari down on the bed. The fluffy mattress receives her body.

"Hngh........."

Ari stirs slightly. Her skirt rolls up to her thighs, her top rides up exposing her belly. Cheeks flushed from the booze, lips parted just a bit. Regrettably, even that sight fails to captivate me. No urge to do anything naughty rises. I could touch her now and no one would know. She seems so deeply asleep that even a kiss, groping her bare breasts, or stripping off her panties and spreading her legs wouldn't wake her. But doing that wouldn't make me feel any better.

"You'll freak out when you wake up too."

I pull down her ridden-up clothes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back into place and carefully straighten her skirt. The blanket's already pulled up under her, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I can't cover her. Instead, I turn on the boiler. Then I close the door and head back to the living room.

"No way...... an accident in that short time?"

It's less than 10 minutes on foot from the cafe to here. I've never even heard of a car accident around here, especially not since opening the cafe. And yet, right after I send Min Deulle off and go pick up Ari......

I flop onto the sofa and pull out my phone. No way I can go home and sleep like this. First, I call Min Deulle. After a few rings, that cold automated voice comes on.

I pull the phone from my ear and stare at the screen. Did she turn it off? Or did the accident wreck it?

Next, I call Su Yeonhwa. Maybe her mom can tell me where she is.

"It's not that I don't trust Min Jangmi unnie...... but I need to see her face before I can sleep......"

One ring, two. Then from the master bedroom—Riiing~—a phone starts ringing. Must be Su Yeonhwa's. She must have left in such a rush she forgot it.

"......"

The living room is silent. Only the variety show's laughter cuts sharply into my ears. The cast laughing and chattering. Suddenly, it grates on me. I grab the remote and shut off the TV. Silence descends on the living room. Only the wall clock's second hand ticks steadily: tick-tock, tick-tock.

"Guess I have no choice but to go back? Call Min Jangmi unnie one more time......"

Vrrr~—Then my phone buzzes. The one in my hand vibrates harder than ever before. Hoping it's Min Deulle or Min Jangmi, I check the screen. But it's neither.

"......Change reality?"

Those words stick in my eyes. I stare blankly at the screen. A chill creeps into a corner of my chest. The timing is too perfect. I've never gotten a notification like this before. And it comes right at this moment? Telling me to change reality?

"No way......"

I open the app immediately. Head to the shop. Sure enough, the 1 million won dream is down to 800,000 won.

Looking back, the dream I bought yesterday was perfectly timed too. Designed to pick up right where reality left off. Thanks to it, I could fuck Min Jangmi unnie in the bathroom and Min Deulle in the bedroom. Like it fills in the gaps on its own. Like it's watching my every move and pinpointing exactly what I need. Like how Min Deulle solves problems while I watch—like someone watching me and offering the perfect dream.

"No way this app...... orchestrated this whole situation?"

Of course, no proof. Just a wild thought. A baseless mutter born from the circumstances being too coincidental.

"No. That's not important right now."

I grip my phone tight. No time for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long deliberation. A little over an hour till shop reset. Can't afford to hesitate.

"Buy it first. Then I'll know for sure."

I open the coin exchange app. The market's in the shitter lately—profits have dipped even more. I cash out my precious coins and charge the app right away.

I let out a short breath. A nightmare, straight up. Was she fated to have the accident anyway, or did this shitty app engineer the whole thing? Questions swirl in my head. But now's not the time to nitpick.

"A dream that affects reality...... manipulating the past is something I'd rather avoid if possible."

I consider editing it right away but leap to my feet instead. Even rushing home takes at least 10 minutes. Better to just sleep here. If reality changes, the fact that I fell asleep here will change too.

I glance at Min Ari's room where she's sleeping. Then turn and head to Min Deulle's room. It's dark here too. The room where I rolled around with Min Deulle in the dream. It felt so warm lying together then, but now the air brushing my skin is ice-cold.

I carefully lift the covers and slip into the bed. Amid the faint lingering scent of Min Deulle, I pick up my phone.

"Keeping Min Deulle safe is crucial, but...... I need to look out for Min Ari too."

I don't know how far the changes will go, but I'll aim to save both of them...... and if possible, tweak the dream to let me enjoy some naughty fun too.

"Tomorrow. Let's walk tomorrow."

I come to my senses, and Min Deulle is slinging her bag over her shoulder with a spirited grin. Good—I manipulated the dream right on time. And entered it like this.

Last time, I apologized here.

And sent her off to go get Ari.

"Deulle-ya."

"Yeah?"

"How about a drive instead of a walk?"

"......"

"Walk tomorrow. Today, let's go for a drive with oppa."

Min Deulle pouts her lips and asks back.

"You mean go pick up unnie together?"

"Worried about leaving you alone like this. And I wanna spend a bit more time with you too......"

I approach Min Deulle and take both her hands in mine.

"Can't we?"

"If...... if oppa insists that much...... okay. It'll be a hassle dragging a drunk person alone anyway. I'll help carry some of your load."

Min Deulle nods with a beaming smile. Only then do I exhale softly in relief, my chest easing a little.