Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 179
Chapter Title: Date with Byul
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There's a possibility of terrorism near the kindergarten where Shiba attends.
How should I take that fact?
Of course, I'd try to eradicate it, and if that fails, we'd have no choice but to pull him out of the kindergarten.
I couldn't just sit back and ignore even the smallest risk.
"Si-heon, what are you thinking so deeply about?"
Byul crossed her arms, pressing her chest close to me as she pouted up at my face.
"You know how much I worked for this day? Don't think about other stuff—look only at me! Just me!"
That was true, but...
What could I do when my mind kept drifting that way?
I gave Byul a wry smile, and she seemed displeased with my reaction, stomping her feet cutely in frustration.
We'd teleported via spatial magic to a department store in Seoul.
It was the most ordinary lovers' date—buying clothes—and when I offered, she shouted "Right now!" and charged ahead with a cry of "Go, go, full speed!" dragging me along.
Of course, my spatial magic had played a big part in getting us here.
Without teleportation, dating around the academy would have had cadets gossiping nonstop.
Still, Byul had pulled her hat low. She held a high position as vice association chair, after all.
"Got it. Why are you in such a rush?"
"But still... Se-young's had you all to herself until now. What, you don't like Game-soon-i or something~?"
Byul playfully tapped my shoulder.
I pretended it hurt and pulled away, so she stopped hitting and looped her arm through mine again, rubbing her cheek against my arm.
That small, bubbly cuteness stirred a sadistic urge in me, like what I'd felt toward Azalea.
I shrugged teasingly and said to her,
"Was it really just Se-young I was monopolizing?"
"...!"
Byul's shocked face.
"Y-You..."
She trailed off, dazed, then punched my shoulder hard with her clenched fist.
"Y-You damn jerk!"
"Ow!"
"Talking about another girlfriend in front of your girlfriend... That's just too much! Do you even know what you just did?"
"What?"
"It's like dragging your girlfriend to a PC bang promising to teach her StarCraft, then using four drones on her while she's flailing around clueless!"
What kind of metaphor was that?
It was oddly relatable, which made it even more intriguing.
She didn't even know population limits, kept pumping out workers nonstop, then went "Oppa, what do I do?" right as zerglings swarmed her main base.
The worst boyfriend imaginable.
If that was her point, Byul's analogy hit the mark perfectly.
"Sorry."
At my sincere apology, Byul narrowed her eyes like a cat.
She gave me a sullen look, then suddenly grinned and stretched both arms out wide.
Her light dress fluttered with the big motion.
"...Then hug me tight."
"Yay."
"Hehe... Now I can finally brag to my parents~"
"Tell them you got a boyfriend? Wonder what they'll say."
"Psh~ Someone like you is top-tier husband material~! Let's link arms and visit the cemetery sometime. Mom and Dad will throw both hands up in welcome. 'Our pretty girl who only knows games brought home a guy~' Like that. Heehee."
"Cemetery... Ah."
Byul's parents had apparently passed away long ago.
I fell silent with nothing to say, and Byul noticed, lightly patting my butt as if it was no big deal.
"Why? It's super common these days."
"Is it? I don't hear stories like that much."
"You? That's surprising... Eh, whatever, it's really nothing. Let me think~ When was it again?"
Byul linked arms with me and started wandering the department store as she began her tale.
"...Basically, back then I was a total loser. Hikikomori? Holed up in my room playing games nonstop. Well, still am, but."
"Yeah."
"So... Flower. You heard today, right? My parents got caught in one of those old geezers' terror attacks and passed away."
"I see."
"That's when I realized it. Man... Staying cooped up at home made me feel like such an idiot. Funny, right?"
"No. That's impressive."
"Hahaha, you say it's funny anyway. Whatever."
Byul gave a bitter smile and turned toward the women's clothing section.
Everyone has painful pasts, but overcoming them to live normally is incredibly hard.
Byul had brightly powered through in her own way.
And Flower, shattering such warm families, was beyond despicable.
...These Flower bastards keep popping up.
Byul giggled openly, continuing her old story with frank cheer.
Her cute mannerisms mixed with aegyo, her smiles directed at me—they didn't seem like the actions of a wounded girl at all.
Ironically, that very spirited attitude of hers made her seem even sadder.
"So I woke up. Like, 'Whoa, this won't do.' But get this? Turns out I was some novel protagonist with killer charisma and talent."
"Ooh... Totally."
"Like a comic, right?"
Byul flexed one arm while keeping the other linked, striking a muscle pose and laughing.
"So this gamer girl Byul~ headed to the academy!"
"Ah-ha."
"But as a total loner, I sucked at talking, so I just studied and trained. Somehow got close to Se-young, but she was my only friend."
"So that's where you two met."
"Yup yup. She's super nice... except for her rough personality.... Anyway, Byulimono Gataris doesn't end there."
Byulimono... Ah, Byul's story.
Byul, mixing Korean and Japanese as she spoke, placed a hand on her chest like she still couldn't believe it.
"Swept the academy undefeated. Landed a job, climbed to vice association chair! Youngest in the world, you know?"
"Amazing."
"Yup yup. Now do I seem a little special?"
Honestly... until now, her personality hadn't made her feel like some great achiever.
Falling in love so easily, putting herself down.
Who would believe someone like that had such accomplishments as vice chair?
Amazing.
I tugged her linked arm a bit closer and said,
"You must have worked hard."
"...Yeah. But honestly~ I wanted to get 'hitched' more than hired!"
"Kukukuku. Good job."
I stroked the top of her hat-covered head.
Byul froze mid-step, staring up at me with wide eyes.
"You turned out really well, seeing you like this. Anyone else might have crumbled."
"...Right?"
"I've had my share of stuff too, but I wasted nearly ten years living like a loser."
That part, I envied.
Me, disillusioned and empty after things went south with my father.
Even just before hearing Byul's story, I'd thought my twisted growth wasn't so strange.
"Really?"
"Yeah. But seeing you grow so brightly after worse experiences... It's like, I don't know."
Byul realized I had similar experiences, gazing up with worry dripping from her eyes.
She'd brushed off her own story casually, but hearing mine made her react like this.
What could I say to her?
After thinking, I let one line slip out.
"You're more put-together than I expected. Makes me see you in a new light today. Kukuk."
"...Ah."
Byul's pupils shook wildly for a moment.
Her star-shaped irises darted left-right once, up-down once.
Then her bubbly expression slowly cracked, her lips trembling.
"R-Really? Ha. Haha. More than expected? I'm always put-together, you punk!"
She fixed her face late and poked my side indignantly, but that glimpse of vulnerability stuck with me.
"Whatever! Let's go buy clothes."
"Y-Yeah, yeah."
A perfectly fitted outfit, a yellow couple's tee, and some earrings as accessories.
Under Byul's lead, we wrapped up the date successfully, parting with smiles and no business talk.
"I was gonna whine for a longer date, but you're cute, so I'll let it slide."
"I'm fine with more. Motel?"
"...Nah. I wanna savor this feeling as is right now."
9 PM.
Byul hugged her pile of new clothes, beaming brightly as she stepped away.
Her shyly flushed cheeks, honey-dripping eyes. Her gaze suddenly felt deeper.
"Hey."
Byul, who'd been awkwardly cutesy before, now spoke much more comfortably.
"Yeah?"
"...Even as a concubine, you sending your girlfriend off like this?"
She licked her glossy lips, sending a seductive signal.
I stepped closer, and she grinned mischievously, backing away.
"...What're you doing?"
"Tenth time's the charm—no tree stands forever! Keep coming~"
-Hop.
One step forward, and she retreated again.
A bit competitive now, I took three quick steps.
That moment, Byul doffed her hat and puckered up.
-Smack.
Soft intertwining tongues, plush lips. Her scent brushing my nose tip.
Like pure starfruit sweetness extracted, a thread of saliva from Byul's mouth dripped onto the sidewalk.
-Zzzt.
The streetlight above us flickered once.
By the time it steadied, Byul had pulled away, still wearing her pure, cute smile as she giggled.
"...Concubine status. Upgrading to wife?"
"Talk a good game, and it'd be perfect."
"...Kuhuhuhu. What can you do with a Byul like this~"
She cackled and dashed off, turning back from afar to wave happily.
"At least I wasn't a total loser today~?"
This time, I agreed.
I waved back, and satisfied Byul skipped away.
Hop hop. Like an excited elementary kid, her steps made me chuckle unwittingly.
'...Looking again, she's kinda outsider-ish.'
Outsider. Short for loner.
Seeing those hyper bubbly moves, the pure image I'd felt from her today shattered again.
But no need to say it aloud.
This was the perfect parting vibe.
I kept Byul's figure in my eyes until it vanished over the horizon.
-Bzzz!
Then my phone vibrated. I pulled it out and read the message word by word.
Berry Likes Dancing: Had fun today!
Berry Likes Dancing: But you didn't cling to go to a motel to the end? Bored of my body already!?
Berry Likes Dancing: (Angry emoticon)
'...She's got that lingering sass.'
Byul was still Byul.
*****
A dingy back alley. Men in hoods masking their presence sat on scrap metal piles, burning flower petals they'd rolled up.
"Hoo... So? When's it starting?"
"Dunno. Who are we to know the execs' plans? Just do what we're told."
"What's this drug even for?"
One man pulled out a mana-processed glass vial, tilting his head at the purple liquid inside.
"...Hmm. Not a narcotic. Awakening agent? Kinda feels like it."
They say injecting it grants eternal life.
Rumors floated among Flower grunts, but if true, they wouldn't test on civilians.
Clinical trials, probably.
"Extends lifespan, forcibly expands mana circuits... pulls potential to the limit. Nice. Doubles baseline power post-woodification?"
Practically a perfect drug.
Wonder what happens when it's complete.
"Even if it is, we won't get any."
"...Yeah?"
The man yawned, stowing the vial in his mana pocket, then stepped out for fresh air.
A couple embracing across the way grated annoyingly.
-Not long left.
One exec's aide had muttered that.
Recalling the paranoid middle-aged man who kept biting his lips, the grunt hawked up phlegm and spat on the ground.
"Ptoo."
He tossed his cig butt carelessly and sauntered back into the alley.
His thick spit mixed into the sidewalk cracks and seeped in.