Timing
"Mm. How was that? Good timing?"
"......Yes, Oppa. It was perfect."
Hyunji broke into a shy little smile and slipped her arm through mine, humming an exaggerated note of approval as she nodded.
"......R-really?"
"Yes. You're the one I gave a perfectly clear hint, Miss Seolah. Right in front of the bathroom."
"Th......that's true......"
If anything, it was Im Seolah who faltered now, glancing between Hwang Jiyoung, Lee Miji, and Hyunji as she swallowed hard and failed to find another word. I hadn't meant to put her on the spot. Still, some things had to be said.
"So. Did you get Hyunji's permission?"
"......Ah......"
"I may be a Multimale, but if Hyunji doesn't allow it, I don't want it either. She's still Hyunji's friend, no matter what."
"......S-so that's what you meant......"
"Yes. I'm not the kind of man who swaps one girl out for another. If I'm going to be with someone, I'm with all of them."
"......Seolah. What are you two even talking about......?"
Miji hiccuped as she leaned in and whispered the question, careful and small, but Seolah's face had gone scarlet and she couldn't lift her eyes. Hmm. I had a feeling none of this was helping.
"I didn't dislike you making a move on me. I told you then, too—so long as you keep your place in line."
"......Yes...... I'm sorry......"
"Don't be. It was cute. But if you want to see me, you'd do well to fix that habit."
I watched Seolah, who still couldn't raise her head, and went on. Only then did the shape of the conversation seem to reach Miji; her eyes went round, and she stared at Seolah with a hand over her mouth. Well, they were friends. She could hardly be ignorant of Seolah's personality.
"Making the air awkward. Stirring up friction. I won't tolerate that."
"......I-I'll remember......"
"Up to now it's been cute enough to let slide. From here on, though, I'm going to be paying attention. You understand?"
"Yes......"
"Can I expect that?"
"......Ah......"
At that, Seolah's face began to fill with anticipation and excitement instead. That hadn't been my intention. Ah—if she'd taken my words as permission, it made a certain kind of sense.
"......Yes. I'll be careful."
"Well. Was the surprise about this much?"
"Mm. I like it. Look at their faces, Oppa. Aren't they cute?"
"They are."
Jiyoung had already known, of course, but the look she turned on Seolah was loaded with meaning. So she'd known about the advance too. She and Hyunji must have talked through the night. Worth remembering, how much Hyunji trusted her. Miji was busy gaping from me to Hyunji and back to Seolah, utterly lost, while Seolah kept her eyes lowered and fidgeted with her hands.
Easy to say. Saying it doesn't make it so.
I didn't believe Seolah would simply change. People don't rewrite their personalities that easily. I could find her little fox games cute when they were aimed at me, but just now she'd looked ready to use Hyunji and Jiyoung, and that had rubbed me the wrong way.
If she doesn't fix it, I just won't see her. That's all.
If she at least showed she was trying, I'd welcome her gladly enough. I was a little curious about Seolah's body, too. No. I needed to calm down first. And maybe take one small piece of revenge.
"For now, just know that I like Miss Miji more than I like you."
"......Ah."
"Hic— m-me......? Hic......"
"Ah, and if you weren't interested in me, Miss Miji, then I'm sorry."
"N-no! I...... hic......"
Miji had been hiccuping her way through a hurried answer, and only then seemed to hear what she'd just admitted. Her face flared red and she darted a look at everyone, caught out. It wasn't so much that her spirit had broken as that she was simply, deeply timid.
"Anyway, I have plans with Hyunji. I should get her discharged soon and stop by the house."
"Y-yes......"
"......Yes."
"Oppa. Jiyoung's coming with us."
"......You want that? You sure you're all right with it?"
"Yes. I want us to stay together for a while. Is that okay?"
"I'm fine with it."
I'd never once pictured Jiyoung tagging along on a date, so I scratched at my brow and looked at her. At my answer she fidgeted with her hands and ducked her head. Then again, where else was she supposed to go? She'd walked out on the performance without leave; she had nowhere to be right now. Hyunji wasn't the only one whose mind was unsteady. Hyunji's consideration warmed me all over again.
"This afternoon I have to go home and pack, and Jiyoung won't have anywhere to be in the meantime."
"All right. If you're fine with it, that's what we'll do."
"......Thank you, Oppa......"
"Nothing to thank me for."
Hyunji and I were only saying aloud what the two of them had already settled between themselves. Which meant Seolah and Miji understood a relationship like this as well. Another quirk of this world, popping out one by one. Honestly. I could feel Miji watching as if she envied them, and Seolah still thoroughly deflated, but I put it aside and asked Hyunji.
"So where is Jiyoung going? To Hyesun's house?"
"......No. To our house."
"That works out."
"I'm sorry. I should have told you ahead of time......"
"Sorry for what."
Hyunji answered with guilt written all over her face, but I understood well enough. I was in the middle of learning how hard a sudden move could be. I nodded, then watched Seolah and Miji gather up their handbags and coats.
"Next time, let's actually have a meal together. Once Hyunji's feeling a bit better, we'll set a date. You both have time now, right?"
"Yes, Oppa...... I-I'll be waiting......"
"......Yes. Um."
Miji answered with a shy, soft smile. Seolah's voice was utterly wilted—and then she called me back.
"Yes."
"......I'm sorry......"
"You don't have to apologize. Hyunji already knew."
"......Yes...... Hyunji. I'm sorry. I should have told you......"
"It's fine. Honestly, that's only natural. I actually like that you try to secure your own share. It's something I can't do."
When Hyunji and I both answered as if it were nothing, a little life finally returned to Seolah's face. The more a person was like her, the worse it was to corner them. Press too hard and you never knew which way they'd bolt; better to soothe them just enough to keep them inside a range you could handle. But this wasn't something Hyunji had calculated. It was simply who she was, and that pleased me even more. Seolah apologizing outright was good to see, too.
"Haaah."
"Tired?"
Once Seolah and Miji had left the room, I watched Hyunji let out a cute little sigh and smiled.
"No. The girls are just so pure. Aren't they cute? Seolah and Miji."
Pure seemed right, even if it pointed in different directions. Seolah looked faithful to her own wants. Miji was simply like Hyunji—if anything, she struck me as even more timid.
"Mm. They wear it too openly."
"Right? Are you very worried about Seolah?"
"A little."
"Don't worry too much. She's really a good kid...... Once she's actually inside the fence, she does wonderfully. She's probably just awkward because the fence she's stepping into is yours."
Fence felt like the right word. Friends really did know each other. Hyunji had her figured out.
"Are you worried? That I might not like her?"
"......Yes. The truth is......"
Hyunji's face creased with worry. She fidgeted with her hands, then went on.
"......I just want you to see all my girls in a pretty light......"
"Even so, our Hyunji is prettier."
"Th-that kind of thing is wonderful to hear, too, but......"
"We'll take our time getting to know them, and talk it through. All right? We've got plenty of time now."
"Yes, Oppa."
I smiled and stroked Hyunji's hair, then slowly got to my feet.
"I'll step out for a bit, so change. Jiyoung, I'm counting on you."
"Y-you can stay......"
"It's fine. You showered, but you didn't wash your hair, did you?"
I spread a hand and made an exaggerated show of sniffing. Hyunji's face went scarlet, and she flailed, grabbing for my wrist.
"Ah—ah! Oppaa! I washed it! I j-just didn't get to the conditioner......"
"I'm teasing. Let's get you discharged first. Change and come out."
"Okay...... You knew. You're so mean......"
I stood to the sound of Hyunji's cute grumbling and stepped out of the hospital room. The moment I was through the door, a silhouette waiting there brought me up short.
"......E-excuse me......"
"Yes? Did you forget something, Miji?"
"Ah, n-no...... It's......"
Miji startled the instant she saw me, then flushed and started fidgeting with her hands. I waited, watching her quietly. After a long hesitation she swallowed, squeezed her eyes shut, and spoke.
"......I—I wanted to tell you that I like you too, Oppa......"
"Ah. Were you worried about what I said?"
"......Yes...... I-I've never been with a man, so I don't know if I'm even allowed to say something like this...... Earlier I was afraid I'd upset you, so I couldn't get the words out......"
"It's all right. I could tell, you know?"
"......You could......?"
"One look at you and it's obvious you don't know what to do with yourself. I can read all of it."
"Ah......"
"Were you worried because of Seolah?"
"......H-how did you......"
So Seolah's aggressive move had been weighing on her. Timid as she was, maybe she had courage after all. Or maybe the fear of being left on her own had pushed her into blurting it out.
"But I can't really give you an answer right now. I'd like us to spend time together and see."
"......Y-yes...... I-I'd like that so much......"
"Good. You should get going. It's the weekend—no plans?"
"The show's over, so I was just going to play games at home...... Oh, you don't like game talk, do you......?"
"No. I like games. What do you play?"
The smile that broke across Miji's face at that was bright enough to stop my breath. I'd known she was cute. Seeing her flushed and smiling like this, though, she looked like a tomato. One bite. God, I was losing it. What was wrong with me today? Bed with Lee Hyesun had been more than satisfying, and still my sex drive kept surging, an impulse so strong it was like I'd been thrown back to my early twenties and self-control barely caught.
......No way.
The hunger rising in me dragged that incident on the subway back up all on its own. I bit down on my molars and forced the feeling under in a hurry, keeping my face in order as I listened.
"I-I like PUBG...... and Fortnite......"
"Oh. Fortnite. People here don't really play that, do they?"
"Y-you're right. It's not that mainstream...... Kids in Japan and the States like it, though......"
"So you've got a bit of a hipster streak?"
"I-it's not like that. Building is more fun than you'd think."
"You've played Apex too, then."
"Huh? You know Apex?"
"I've heard of it. I played a few matches, and it seemed like you needed a real grasp of each character. I never had the time for that."
"Right? And there's no Korean server, so you connect through Tokyo, and the ping jumps around......"
As the game talk went on, Miji's face grew brighter and brighter. I listened to her chatter and started toward the central lobby.
"I never thought I'd be talking games with a man."
"These days I like consoles more, actually."
"C-consoles? That's amazing. What kinds of games do you like?"
"Soulslikes, RPGs. I like them for the fun of building gear."
"Wow. Really? That's so cool."
"You seem to like FPS games, Miji."
"Yes. They're easier to play in moderation. I used to play online RPGs, but they swallowed way too much time......"
"That is the downside. Which one did you play?"
"W-WoW......"
I narrowed my eyes at that, and Miji sucked in a breath, fidgeting as if she'd just made some terrible mistake.
"......You weren't one of those filthy Alliance types, I trust."
"......Of course not."
And with that, the faction screening was complete. I had a feeling Miji and I were going to get along very well.
"Then I suppose I'll have to tell you how I used to run an entire server ragged, back in Wrath of the Lich King."
"But I don't really know the Lich King......"
"......How do you not know it? The single hottest era in WoW history......"
"......I was eight back then......"
Ah. Right. I'd been in middle school then. High school, even. An elementary schooler, though—that I hadn't seen coming.