Chapter 35

Since younger sister left yesterday, my daily life was simple.

Take a nap, eat, sh*t. Eat again, sh*t, sleep.

Felt like I became a fairy of metabolism.

And this morning. As soon as I opened my eyes, I turned on the computer power.

On the monitor, a brilliant blue vortex, the storm of time and space, was spinning.

"......"

Someone here would probably throw the same question again like a parrot. "Why are you stuck in the corner of your room leaving this good world."

Of course, going out and tasting that so-called 'good world'. It's not impossible. Since it's a world where men are precious, if I just go out I'll get treated well somehow.

But that's what bastards who don't know the ecology of a homebody say.

To a bastard who is inherently a shut-in, whether outside is a battlefield, an earthly paradise, or the Garden of Eden where women run around naked, is none of my business. If I don't go ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out, it's the same thing. F*ck.

The world inside the monitor is more fun anyway, and inside the blanket is the safest.

Besides, is there a need to wander outside? In a harsh world like these days, not even knowing the name of the person living next door with just a wall between is the national rule.

There's an old saying 'knowing even the number of spoons and chopsticks of the neighbor', but that's a story from the days when tigers smoked tobacco and bears ate garlic.

Now? It's a world where even if someone dies next door, you don't know until it smells rotten. Dreary? No, this is 'indifference', the virtue of modern society.

Just looking at me it's like that. Spent a fortune to even distribute rice cakes, but let alone the faces of the humans living upstairs and downstairs, I don't even know their gender.

"So let's turn off nerves and just play games."

I queued up with a peaceful mind. This perfect isolation and disconnection. This is exactly the true taste of living alone.

*Thump!*

...Was just thinking that. The ceiling rang.

*Thump, thump, thump!*

"......?"

I raised my head and glared at the ceiling. Right above my head. Room 703.

Someone was living there? There was no sign of presence when I went to distribute rice cakes. Are they exercising or something now? Or remodeling construction?

Queue ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠popped just in time. I decided to turn off my nerves. Floor noise or whatever, the storm of time and space is calling me.

"Should play a round of game."

There is an old saying like this. 'Generosity comes from the storehouse.' Means you have to be full and have a warm back to have the leisure to be considerate of others.

But right now the storehouse of my mind...

Is completely robbed. F*ck. Swept clean leaving not even a single rat bastard.

"Hey you Butcher son of a b*tch!!!"

I slammed the desk.

The Butcher on our team was collecting sh*t instead of meat. Seeing him melt down as soon as he charges in, felt like my blood pressure would pierce through my crown and soar. That bastard needs to be deleted immediately. Gotta go to Blizzard headquarters and complain.

Angry to the top of my head, but to make matters worse.

*Kudung! Rattle! Thump!*

Upstairs is still acting crazy. No, the sound got louder than earlier. Now it feels like they are outright throwing furniture.

"That f*cking..."

Should I go up and complain? Should I bring the toy hammer? I kicked the chair and stood up.

But. Listening closely, the sound was a bit strange. Not simply thumping, but the sound of dragging and moving something. And murmuring heard from the hallway.

'...Moving?'

Opened the front door slightly and peeked out, the elevator side is bustling. Sound of a ladder truck going up and down is heard too.

Moving out? Or moving in?

"Ah... Well... Can't be helped."

It's the national rule to be noisy on moving day. Since I was like that a few days ago too. This isn't the upstairs neighbor's fault, it's like a natural disaster. Have to endure.

I went out to the hallway to get some fresh air. In front of the elevator, moving company employees were carrying luggage.

Naturally, they were all women. An older woman carrying a refrigerator on her back, a young older sister dragging a sofa with one hand.

When I came out holding a garbage bag, their movements of carrying luggage stopped all at once.

"......Uh?"

"A man?"

"A man lives in this building?"

The employees' eyes widened. Looked ready to drop the luggage they were holding. Murmuring sounds were heard as if a fascinating spectacle appeared.

"......"

I turned my head pretending not to see. I casually turned my steps towards the emergency exit stairs. Let's endure just today. Will be quiet after moving ends.

But. My feet going down the stairs stopped abruptly.

'Wait.'

Thinking about it, it's strange. Right now the ladder truck is bringing luggage up. Meaning, it's a moving-in situation. Then Room 703 means it was a vacant house until now.

Then who the hell ate the steamed rice cake I left hanging on the doorknob of Room 703 a few days ago.

Clearly the rice cake was gone when I checked later. The memo attached was gone too. If there was no person, who took the rice cake?

Did the person next door realize it was vacant and swipe it? Or did the cleaning lady throw it away thinking it was food waste?

"...Don't know."

Not like I'm a detective manga protagonist, looking ridiculous deducing just to find the whereabouts of a steamed rice cake. Whoever ate it, fortunate if they didn't get an upset stomach.

I roughly threw the garbage bag into the recycling area. As I dusted my hands, a cold wind hit me. Weather is a bit chilly.

"...Should I go in."

Pondered, but my body ached from being stuck in the corner of my room. Didn't wash my hair, but so what. If I put on the hoodie hat, no one will know.

I trudged along. Destination is the park near the studio apartment. The place where I used to space out blowing soap bubbles alone before.

Arriving at the park, fortunately it was quiet. Except for one or two older women pushing strollers, there wasn't a single ant cub.

I took over a bench and sat down. No, sprawled out.

Spread my legs wide making a giant V shape, and stuck my butt out leaning back almost lying down on the backrest. A posture that gave up spinal health, but secured comfort.

*Sway.*

Wind blew and tickled my bangs. Still cold, but the feeling touching the cheek isn't sharp. The aftertaste is lukewarm, I guess.

"...Soon, it's Spring."

The season of pollen flying and couples rubbing salt in the wound is coming. Of course, a story completely unrelated to a room-corner shut-in like me.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the silence that came after a long time. It was so peaceful I wished time would stop like this.

But, thinking of the word 'Couple', suddenly a useless curiosity flared up.

'What kind of form does dating take in this world exactly?'

It was simple curiosity. A world where the gender ratio is smashed to 1 to 9. Then since men are precious, is a harem where one man commands several women the mainstream? Or since the seed of men has dried up, is women dating women the trend?

Looking at Casanova No. 1 and No. 2 guys I saw at the Welcome Party, the former seems correct too. Because those guys were enjoying it like males commanding a queen bee.

Conversely, looking at guys like our Hyun-woo trembling unable to even breathe amidst the gap of women, feels like survival is the priority let alone dating.

"Hmm..."

It was when I was spacing out having answerless worries.

"Uh? Older Brother?"

A youthful voice broke the silence. I opened my closed eyes sleepily.

'Who is it?'

Only saw a silhouette because of the backlight. Small physique. Mask. And held in hand... snack bag?

Mm... Mm... Rolling my sleeping brain cells, I remembered.

"Ah. Room 606 Kid?"

"Yeah! Correct! The Older Brother who distributed rice cakes!"

The kid I met when distributing moving-in rice cakes. The punk ran over quickly as if glad.

"Hello? Came out for a walk?"

I roughly raised my hand and greeted the kid. But, the kid wasn't alone.

"......?"

Behind the kid's back, three long shadows were cast. I raised my gaze up.

One woman with an ordinary impression standing in the middle. And on both sides... one woman, and one man?

No, wait.

That short-haired person standing on the left. Maybe because of the coolly cut two-block style, looks like a handsome pretty boy at a glance, but looking at the curve of the chest revealed over the t-shirt or the narrow waistline, undoubtedly a woman.

'What is it? Handsome woman, or pretty man.'

Gender distinction in this world is sometimes Hell difficulty.

As I stared intently, all three paused. Feeling awkward, I just nodded silently to greet them.

Then the woman in the middle grabbed the kid's shoulder and asked as if flustered.

"Sol... Sol-ah..."

"Mom! This Older Brother is the one who gave rice cake before!"

The kid, Sol, pointed at me brightly. Ah, Room 606 lady.

"Ah... Hello."

Only then did the woman let down her guard and awkwardly bowed her head.

"Ah... Yes... that, ate the rice cake you gave deliciously well. Room 603... right?"

"Yes. Glad you ate it well. Moved in recently."

I raised my body from the bench backrest and greeted formally. But the woman's eyes shook strangely. She glanced behind me, and asked carefully as if she couldn't believe it.

"Um... that, excuse me but... seems you are a man... did you move in alone?"

"Yes. Why?"

I answered nonchalantly. Then the woman gasped *hup*. The short hair and the other woman next to her also widened their eyes round.

"Ah... No... Just, the world is a bit rough these days so... asked out of worry. Might be a bit dangerous for a man to live alone..."

The woman had a genuinely concerned expression. Exactly the same expression adults make when an elementary schooler says "I live alone".

'Am I a kid or something.'

To worry about the safety of a sturdy male, truly a peaceful yet twisted world.

"It's fine. Because I'm sturdy."

I roughly glossed over it and turned my gaze. By the way...

'Who are the people behind really?'

The person called Mom is one woman in the middle. Then those two on both sides? Sisters? Friends? Or husbands...? Indeed, not to mention two-timing, a world where octopus-legging (many partners) is natural if you have the ability, so nothing strange but.

Curious, but awkward to ask first. Don't have a hobby of doing a census of other people's houses on first meeting.

I just nodded roughly towards the three. Three people's gazes are fixed on me. Suffocating. Too awkward. Want to jump up and run away even now.

Just then, a savior-like voice broke the silence.

"Older Brother, Older Brother! What are you doing here?"

Sol asked hopping around my knees. I lowered my gaze. Rather this side is comfortable.

"Ah... Just. Thinking."

"Thinking what?"

Sol's eyes sparkled brightly. What thinking. Just emptied my brain and was spacing out. If I had to say, about 'transience of life' maybe. What should I explain this as to look cool.

'......'

I scratched my head with a troubled expression.

Still, this is better.

Honestly speaking, conversing with adult women of this world is too intense. No, correcting that. Just me conversing with the creature called 'Woman' itself is terrible.

Don't know what to say, and hard to handle the staring gazes too. Just awkward and uncomfortable.

Conversing with a kid is a hundred times better. At least she doesn't perceive me as a man or emit a strange atmosphere. Treats me comfortably just like an older brother she knows in the neighborhood.

Of course, misunderstandings are forbidden. If I saw a kid as a woman, I should go die. Not something a human does. Such a bastard should have a dog leash put on his neck, not an electronic anklet.

I bent down matching Sol's eye level, finding peace of mind.

"Mm... Older Brother was thinking about the future of humanity right now."

"Wow... Cool!"

Sol's eyes sparkled. As expected, kids are easy to handle. Just throw any words to make it look cool.

"Sol-ah, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

To break this suffocating silence with the adults, I pretended to be friendly and talked to the kid. An innocent child is an excellent conversation shield.

Sol put her finger in her mouth and pondered for a moment, then threw a bomb brightly.

"Mm.... Don't know well. Ah! I want to marry a cool man unlike Moms later!"

......?

Moms... plural?

Instantly, the air around the bench froze to absolute zero.

I slyly scanned the adults standing behind Sol. Seems the woman in the middle is 'Mom'. Then both sides?

Just then, the short hair woman on the left crumpled her brow and carefully pinched Sol's cheek.

"Hey, Kim Sol. Words are disappointing? What's wrong with us. Where is there a family with as much ability as us in this area."

"Ah, it hurts! Mama let go of this! That's why Mama is unpopular!"

Mama? If short hair is Mama, middle is Mom. Then the right?

The long-haired woman standing on the right crossed her arms and snorted.

"Kid's eyes are ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠accurate. Honestly the kid got sick of it because you two are always sizzling, frying and fighting every day. Sol-ah, wanna live with this Aunt? Aunt has many men."

"Noisy. Aunt is the same too. Always coming in smelling of alcohol every day."

When Sol flew a fact bomb, the three women's expressions crumpled all at once.

"......"

I watched that spectacle blankly.

What is it?

Mom, Mama, Aunt. Putting titles aside, the nuance of the conversation is strange. Rather than a simple sister or friend relationship, feels like all three are claiming ownership and custody over Sol?

Don't tell me... all three are married? Is this world not only polygyny, but polyandry... no, polygamy (many wives) possible too?

'They say if there are three women a plate breaks.'

Seems not the plate but the family tree broke. Can't understand at all. Smell of bean powder (dysfunctional family) vibrates.

"Ah, embarrassing really. All neighborhood people will hear. Stop it."

'Mom' in the middle blushed and stopped the two. And then smiled awkwardly looking at me.

"Hoho... Seems the kid hit puberty early. Saying nonsensical things."

"Ah, yes... well... nice that you look harmonious."

I threw a soulless comment. Harmonious my ass. It's an atmosphere where it wouldn't be strange if they grabbed each other's hair and fought right now.

'Will get tiring if I stay here longer.'

I slyly lifted my butt. No desire whatsoever to butt into someone else's family affairs, especially this relationship chart that looks very complicated.

"Then, I'm busy so I'll be going."

"Uh? Older Brother going already?"

Sol asked regretfully, but I waved my hand firmly.

"Yeah. Gotta go turn off the gas fire."

This excuse is omnipotent. I walked quickly out of the park.

From behind my back, still heard the sound of the three women bickering.

"See. Because you frowned the bachelor ran away."

"Bullsh*t. Because you smelled of alcohol."

Walking leaving behind that harmonious (?) family, an absurd thought suddenly flashed through my brain.

Heard Lu Bu, the strongest general of Three Kingdoms, was called 'a servant with three surnames' because he had three fathers. Does that kid have the face to become the Lu Bu of this world. To have three mothers.

"......"

Family tree is quite spectacular.

What's certain is, it's a world I absolutely cannot understand with my old common sense. Gets dizzier the more I know.

"...Let's go home and boil some ramen."

I pulled my hat down deeper. Today's walk was enough with this.