Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: How to Steal the Protagonist's Woman
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"...He's not here. Bad timing, maybe?"
Seong Sua made her usual rounds of the cafeteria early that morning, dressed in her casual suit as always.
But the person she was looking for was nowhere to be seen.
"Or maybe he skips breakfast?"
Sure enough, as she'd suspected, Seong Suho was the type to skip morning meals.
And in truth, the cafeteria was always quietest at breakfast.
The place that turned into a madhouse at lunchtime was calm and serene this early.
Proof that more people than you'd think skipped the first meal of the day.
Deciding Suho must not be coming, Seong Sua was about to grab a seat alone.
But amid the languid morning vibe, something—or rather, someone—stood out.
A cadet blissfully shoveling in what looked like double the normal portion of food.
It was Song Ara.
Song Ara was so strikingly alone that she drew the eye—no one else around her for a wide berth.
'Eating alone again today...'
Seong Sua gave a wry smile and sat down next to her.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Eek! Ma'am! Of course not!"
Song Ara covered her mouth, worried she might spit food on Seong Sua as she replied.
"Ma'am... is Ji-eun really coming back next week?"
"...She's scheduled to start attending next week, but it's not set in stone."
"Oh..."
Song Ara pouted, nibbling the end of her spoon as a gloomy look crossed her face.
Seong Sua smiled at her and said,
"Don't worry. She'll definitely be back."
"Hehe..."
With that, Song Ara started eating again.
Seong Sua took the chance to ask about something she'd been mulling over since yesterday.
"Ara."
"Yes?"
"Do you know what guys like?"
"Guys?"
Song Ara tilted her head, gaze drifting to the ceiling.
After a few seconds of thought, she lightly smacked the table with her palm.
"VR gear."
"...Isn't that what you like?"
"Hehe... yeah, but... all the boys are going nuts saying that as soon as they become heroes and make money, VR gear's their first buy."
"What about you?"
"...Top priority, no question. Hehe."
Even the entry-level model of VR headgear for the VR system cost around 500 million won.
There were pricier capsule versions too, but even as an active hero, Seong Sua could barely afford one.
It was similar to the ones used at the embassy.
'Yeah, someone like Ara could buy one in no time.'
If you asked every instructor who they thought would top the class this year, they'd all name one person without hesitation.
Song Ara.
She earned high marks in skill, talent, and character alike.
Her only issue was...
'If she had even a shred of flexibility, everyone would love her...'
Despite her fame and skill as a cadet, the others kept their distance.
Not dislike, exactly—just avoidance.
Her lack of flexibility, even at her young age, had become a flaw.
But watching Song Ara chow down contentedly, Seong Sua set her worries aside.
'Fair enough. I'm in no position to worry about her... Anyway, VR gear, huh...'
She recalled Suho seeming to enjoy the virtual reality yesterday.
But considering the price tag, even accounting for their budding friendship, it felt like too extravagant a gift for a colleague.
'...Should I give him mine?'
Not a bad idea.
The VR headgear she owned was old, bought ages ago, and she never used it anyway.
Expensive as it had been, keeping an unused item forever wasn't smart.
'Yeah, that'll work.'
As she scooped up a bite from her tray, Seong Sua fretted,
'...He won't mind that it's used, will he?'
"No need to give me that."
"...Pardon?"
I tried handing back the card key to the VR training room, but Instructor Cho Seo-hyun refused it.
Arms crossed, she glanced sideways despite her short stature and said,
"Assistants always need a supervising instructor for VR sims anyway. So don't lose it and use it whenever you want."
"Got it, thanks."
"Good work today. You're dismissed."
"Yes, ma'am."
I gave a curt reply and headed for the door.
But murmurs aimed my way drifted from nearby.
(Weird. Since when is Instructor Cho Seo-hyun this nice to assistants?)
(Yeah, she'd usually be yelling by now, pinning some made-up screw-up on them.)
(Guess she liked his first day.)
(...The kid comment?)
(Nah, not that. They finished the weapon handoff crazy fast. Word is this assistant's super efficient.)
(Oh...)
I caught snippets of their chat and breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
'Instructor Cho Seo-hyun... what the hell's her day-to-day like...'
[The Trait analysis performed on the first day was truly helpful]
'Seriously... without that, just imagining it is nightmare fuel.'
Pretending not to hear the whispers, I headed to the cafeteria for lunch.
Cadets and staff bustled about, trays in hand.
"What's on the menu today~?"
"Korean today: beef, rolled omelet, and seaweed soup as mains."
"Sweet! ...Huh?"
I'd answered on reflex and turned around.
Seong Sua stood there, smiling with her tray in hand.
..
"That'd be too much..."
"Don't feel burdened about it. ...You don't like it?"
I listened to her explanation.
With yesterday's events and her unused VR headgear gathering dust, she wanted to give it to me.
I could guess her type.
'The kind who can't live with guilt...'
[The problem is it applies to boyfriends too.]
'...Which is why I want to play VR games with her.'
From yesterday, in a place where no one else could see, she'd likely open up without holding back.
Hence my desire for the gear...
"No way. I'd have bought one ages ago if I had the cash."
"Glad to hear it. I'll have someone drop it off at your dorm tonight."
"Ah... but it's so expensive..."
Truth be told, I had zero intention of refusing.
I really wanted one, so no reason to block her generosity.
But my reason for wanting VR gear wasn't gaming.
I just needed a bridge to Seong Sua.
Snatching it up blindly would just net me a fancy game console.
Seong Sua looked disappointed, a wistful expression on her face.
"You don't have to feel burdened..."
After agonizing over a gift she'd think you'd love, nothing stings like the recipient squirming.
Despite her persistent coaxing, I held firm.
I put on a troubled face and countered,
"Thing is... I'd end up playing alone anyway."
"Ah..."
There was supposed to be online mode, but embassy server issues meant all external internet was cut off except basic comms.
VR headgear worked on the internal network only.
Us insiders could connect, but aside from official instructors, no one else had gear.
No instructor ties for me meant solo play, even if I had it.
Seong Sua closed her eyes for a moment, then smiled brightly.
"How about playing with me, then?"
"Phew... is it all set up?"
The moment Seong Sua reached her dorm, she had someone deliver her old VR headgear to Suho's room and set up the new one.
While pondering alternatives after hearing his refusal, she recalled something from her embassy arrival.
(Instructors can borrow VR headgear free during their term. Though most already own one, so no takers.)
Remembering that, she explained to Suho and suggested playing together.
He lit up with a grin and agreed on the spot.
Right after class, she grabbed a headgear from the equipment room.
Headgear setup was straightforward, so she had no trouble.
"Never thought I'd be playing too... But once he gets bored of me, he can always go online, right?"
She had zero interest in games.
However, the feeling she experienced in virtual reality yesterday remained a pleasant memory, so she did want to try it a bit more.
"Link my phone info first..."
Unlike capsules, this used personal data registration, not biometrics.
Once her phone contacts synced, she donned the headgear and lay on the bed.
"And press this button... Ah! It works!"
A screen popped up with warnings and notices.
-Connecting in 15 seconds.-
-Before connecting, turn off all fire hazards in your room...
Seong Sua read carefully until her vision went black.
..
"I'm in. Clothes check... phew, normal this time."
She inspected her outfit immediately upon login.
If a problem occurred like yesterday, she wouldn't be able to face him again
"First, let me find Seong Su-ho-ssi in the contacts"
She pulled up her holographic contact list and spotted him instantly.
Since she always organized her contacts meticulously as soon as she saved them, she could quickly find and remember the people she needed, even though many individuals were registered.
"Wait! Set to private first..."
One reason she owned VR headgear but rarely used it: weirdos kept contacting her.
Unable to refuse requests, guys mistook her for a gamer.
Thanks to that, she had played various things like RPGs and fighting games, but she found no joy in them at all.
The headgear ended up enshrined in a box like a useless idol.
"Back then, I didn't go private hoping oppa might join... But now with Suho, better avoid misunderstandings. Private it is."
She set privacy, then voice-chatted Suho.
"Can you hear me?"
(Uwaa! You scared me!)
"Pfft... startled you?"
Seong Sua chuckled inwardly.
'Weirdly, I laugh more around him.'
Missing her smile, Suho explained in a flustered voice.
(Ah... Instructor Seong Sua? First time, kinda confused...)
"No worries. I'll walk you through it step by step."
Her own memory was fuzzy after so long, so she decided to log into a game first.
"Better to meet up in person. Easier to explain side-by-side, right?"
(Yeah, makes sense.)
"Hit the game list on your screen and tell me what you wanna play."
(Uh... I want...)
Seong Sua wondered,
'Guys always go for fighters or FPS, huh?'
Because it wasn't online, the environment was limited, but most common games were built into the headgear.
However, since most were applied as trial versions, one had to buy a chip externally or purchase the game online to play the full version.
'Fighting games or RPGs should last 1-2 weeks easy.'
Suho, seeming to deliberate carefully, named his pick.
"Animal Village? That'll be fine."
"...Animal Village?"
Seong Sua knew the game.
A cozy rural life sim where you decorate your village.
She'd played a bit once and enjoyed it.
Originally a slow-life game, it gained fame another way.
It had established itself as one of the games that long-distance lovers used to meet and spend time together.
But high cost and age thinned the userbase to near zero.
'I asked oppa to play this with me back then, but he said no.... Should I try it for now....'
Hiding her sinking mood, she voice-chatted,
"Let's do that. I'll host. Join right in."
(Okay.)
As soon as Seong Soo-ah launched the game, a beautiful landscape of vast plains surrounded by mountains unfolded before her eyes.
'...I remember feeling this good back then, too.'
Seong Sua gazed entranced at the sun overhead.
After staring blankly for a while, she snapped out of it and looked for Seong Su-ho.
"Ah! Instructor Suho... oh!"
"..."
A kid about elementary age suddenly stood before her.
"Was there an NPC child like this? Oh my... how absolutely adorable!"
Seong Sua hugged the apparent NPC tight, nuzzling away.
Although Seong Soo-ah loved children, she didn't usually hug them blindly, but thanks to the environment of being inside a game, she embraced the child without hesitation.
Mid-nuzzle frenzy, a voice piped up.
"Um... Instructor Seong Sua..."
"Ah! S-sorry. He's just so cute... Huh? Where are you?"
Seong Soo-ah heard a voice she presumed to be Seong Su-ho's, but she couldn't find him no matter how much she looked around.
Then, softly from her embrace:
"...Right here."