Choi Seola (3)

As of today, Choi Seola had officially become my girlfriend, and right now, she was launching into a rap.

With punchlines this sharp... does she actually have talent?

Even her flow is insanely addictive.

"How old are you? Are there other women besides me? There aren't, right? What do you like about me? Since when? When did you start music? When should we get married?"

Did I just get targeted by a question-mark murderer?

I feel like there was a pretty fatal question slipped in at the very end there. Hmm.

"Uh, Seola, are you by any chance an aspiring rapper...?"

"Huh?"

"Your vocal tone is great, and you have a wonderful sense of rhythm. Have you heard of singing rap? It's not easy for someone to repeatedly raise the pitch at the end of their sentences like that."

Did... did I defeat her?

Judging by the slight curl of her lips, it seemed the question-mark murderer had been successfully vanquished.

She still hadn't let go of my arm. It felt really nice... that indescribable sensation was wonderful, but...

Is it because this is a gender-reversed world? Her grip is a bit too strong.

I think the blood flow is starting to cut off.

"Oh, stop... Me, a rapper? Hehehe."

"What, you don't believe me?"

"O-oh my! No, that's not it. How could I ever doubt you, Saebyeok!"

"Haha... Then shall we head back now and have a positive discussion about our future?"

"Hmm, but before that, you have to answer my questions first, right?"

"...Let's ask them one by one, slowly."

"Am I your first...?"

Hmm.

Why is she so obsessed with being the first?

Is this the Korean Confucian style?

Since I had decided to wipe the slate clean, this body was indeed a pure, blank canvas.

Therefore, I had absolutely nothing to hide.

"Yes. You are the first woman to link arms with me, my first girlfriend, and my first kiss. Okay?"

"...No. But why?"

"Just believe me already!"

"Ah, no, I do believe you! I do! It's just, why on earth did you waste your good looks all this... Ah!"

"Aha! So that's what you were thinking. I see!"

"Even objectively speaking, I've never seen anyone as handsome as you in my entire life. And on top of that, you're so good at singing! And your playing is incredible too! Plus, you're so sweet, and..."

"...You really are a fascinating person, Seola."

Even though she would get terribly embarrassed, she could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be incredibly straightforward at times like this.

Throwing such earnest, heartfelt words at me.

Making me want to kiss her all over again.

"Mmm... It's embarrassing when you look at me like that."

Maybe she was a born fox after all?

"Anyway! We said this was a truth game, right? Now it's my turn."

"Yes! And just so you know, Saebyeok, you're my first for everything too!"

"Ahem! I'm glad to hear that. How did you end up getting interested in streaming, Seola?"

"Ah..."

"If it's too heavy of a question, you don't have to answer. I was just..."

"No, it's not that! I just hesitated because the reason is so trivial."

"There's no such thing. I'm right here, so take your time and tell me."

"Hmm... where should I start..."

I matched my stride to hers.

Gently, she began to lay down pieces of her past before me.

"Well, I have four older sisters. They're all so amazing that I was always envious of them. Since I'm the youngest, I grew up pampered, but I couldn't just live as a spoiled child forever, right? So, I decided to study abroad, thinking I should keep pursuing the drawing I loved!"

"Aha! And then?"

"I made up my mind and went, but it was such a fiercely competitive place. I had prepared myself and wanted to do my best since it was something I loved, but I don't think I did as well as the others."

"That happens..."

"Then, one day..."

"Monica... was a friend who came to study from Mexico. Unlike me, she was the eldest daughter. She had seven younger siblings! She used to show me pictures of them and video call them, and we became close..."

I listened to her past for a while.

The friend who had hurt her, Monica, came from a poor family.

The pressure from her family, who had struggled to support her in hopes of her success, had begun to eat away at her.

Graduation was approaching, and she needed to show results, but there were too many people around her with far more brilliant talent.

All she could do was resent her own circumstances and drown in jealousy.

The ending was already written.

It was a cliché drama you could hear anywhere.

What Choi Seola was saying?

To some extent, I had to admit it sounded like the complaints of the privileged.

The starting point?

Of course it was different.

You can't choose the environment you're born into.

Who says that?

That life is fair? If you're going to argue that way, are you going to say it was a mistake to be born in the first place?

Even at the crossroads of life ahead, the privileged side will always reach the path first.

The social system is a zero-sum game, and the truth revealed by the red pill is cruel.

Yes.

Again, it was a very cliché drama.

But.

Speaking comfortably is only possible for a spectator outside the ring.

Everyone realizes too late that the drama they star in is non-fiction.

There are no bloopers, no retakes, and no early cancellations.

People are not as strong as they think, and society does not wait for those who fall to get back on their feet.

I knew all too well that I, too, could not escape the shackles of that drama.

That was why I chose today so that I wouldn't regret it, and I would continue to match my steps with hers.

"Seola... do you still regret it?"

"Mmm... giving the offer I received to Monica?"

"Yes. It was a good opportunity. Regardless of the outcome, passing on an offer like that isn't something just anyone can do."

"...She was my friend. I've never thought of it that way."

"Right. As long as you don't regret it, that's all that matters."

"Saebyeok, don't you think I was just pitying a friend who was worse off than me...?"

"Well, someone once said that no matter what your true intentions are, the outcome ultimately depends on how the recipient takes it. So, I think that back then, you were both too young, and your environments were too different. Whether you yielded the offer to your friend or not, the result probably wouldn't have changed."

"Are you saying that it wouldn't have mattered what I did?"

"Did you pity your friend, Seola?"

"N-no! Monica wasn't someone I could dare to pity. She was so amazing!"

"Then that's enough. If you're friends, just wait for her. It's not like you resent her, right?"

"Yes... I hope she does well."

"I'm sure she will."

It might have been a white lie.

Unless I was a god, there was no way for me to know if she would really succeed, or if she was even still doing art.

Anyway,

my girl's feelings were more important.

Well... maybe I could help her out if the opportunity arose later?

Oh my...

I'm just a small-time streamer right now, aren't I? Who am I to help anyone...

"What are you thinking about?"

"About you, Seola?"

"...Are you really sure I'm your first?"

"I told you to believe me!"

"We're already at the parking lot..."

"Don't your feet hurt? We walked quite a bit today."

"Oh my! I'm actually very sturdy, you know?"

Are high heels a female privilege even in this reversed world?

Her feet must definitely hurt.

"Hmm... I guess we should get hotel service."

"A hotel?"

Isn't this moving a bit too fast...?

She seemed to realize the implied meaning of her words, and her face turned bright red.

"Noooo! We drank wine, so we can't drive!"

"Hmm. I was just asking, why are you so surprised?"

"Hmph... You're mean."

She pouted, and I burst out laughing.

"Okay, I surrender! No drunk driving, of course. Let's call a designated driver service."

"Hmph! Wait a moment."

Soon, the car arrived, and we requested the service.

Since it was a large hotel, there seemed to be plenty of designated drivers on standby. A pleasant-looking middle-aged woman took the car keys and skillfully sat in the driver's seat.

As I tried to sit in the passenger seat, Seola grabbed my arm.

It was a sign to sit in the back together.

"Where to?"

"Please go to Gwangjin-gu, XXX."

"Understood, setting off now. Please fasten your seatbelts."

"Yes, thank you."

The car started smoothly, and Seola fidgeted with her hands.

I thought this was a reversed world? She could just hold my hand like a dominant woman, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she was being so shy.

So, I took her hand first.

"Hehehe..."

"Hohoho! What a lovely couple. You're a lucky lady. Sigh, I hope my daughters meet good men too..."

Oh... a talkative one.

She had three daughters too. I see. But why are you sharing your daughters' personal details with us, ma'am?

Seola squeezed my hand tightly.

When I patted the back of her hand, she grinned sheepishly again.

While listening to the driver's laments, we arrived at my officetel before I knew it, naturally heading into the underground parking lot... Huh?

"Have a wonderful night!"

The driver politely handed over the car keys and quickly scurried away. Being a working mom in this parallel world wasn't easy.

For the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠record, we were still sitting in the back seat of the car, holding hands tightly.

"...Seola?"

"Y-yes?"

Why was her face so red again?

"We've arrived at my place."

"...I know."

"You don't want to go home, do you?"

"Yeah... I don't want to say goodbye yet."

She couldn't even meet my eyes, yet she said everything she wanted to say.

I used to be an American.

I'm no Confucian boy.

Can you handle this?

"...Then, shall we go up for a cup of coffee?"

"I'd love to!"

It was impressive how she held my hand tightly and wouldn't let go even as we got out.

She was about to leave her handbag behind, so I picked it up for her.

She flustered and panicked again.

"A man shouldn't be carrying things like that. Give it to me!"

"What's the big deal? It's right there."

As she tried to snatch the handbag back from me, she ended up half-embraced in my arms.

"...Let's go up."

"...Okay."