Seol-ah's Reptile Haven and Sleepover Shenanigans
Finally, the pest control experts had arrived at Seol-ah's house and taken over. Now I just needed to find a place to hole up in the meantime... What kind of spot wouldn't have people around but could handle a long stay?
"Where the hell am I supposed to wait this out..."
"How about my place?"
Seol-ah tossed out her house as the solution after overhearing my dilemma. Thinking about it, it matched my conditions perfectly. No one would show up, and it wouldn't matter if I stayed for ages. Hell, if anything, she'd probably welcome me sticking around longer...?
"Sounds good. Wanna have a sleepover for old times' sake?"
"Yay!"
Her place wasn't too far from here, so I could zip back the moment I got the "all clear" text. It was the perfect hideout for my current situation. And it wouldn't cost a dime? Sold.
And so, we decided I'd crash at Seol-ah's for a bit. Not because I was pinching pennies—though that was a nice bonus—but because it felt kinda nice to visit her place after so long.
Still, it wasn't right next door, so we hustled before it got too dark.
"Hmm..."
Seol-ah was staring at her phone like her life depended on it, looking all fidgety. Like she'd just dropped a killer pun in the gallery and was praying for those likes to roll in.
"What's up? Don't stare at your phone like that on the street—it's dangerous."
"Oh, it's just..."
She glanced my way, and her screen naturally tilted toward me. She was on Inbyeol, waiting for reactions to the photo I'd okayed earlier.
...Wait, so she was literally praying for recommendations?
"No way, how can something this cute get such slow reactions...?"
To check a fresh post, you'd think only Inbyeol diehards would spot it right away... Seeing her like this, I figured she had all the makings of a gallery addict. Not that I'd ever introduce her to it.
She kept checking Inbyeol obsessively after that. I mostly thought it was lame, but I couldn't help feeling a twinge of solidarity—after all, I'd refresh the gallery a million times after posting a banger myself.
Is it that fun...?
I'd have to check it out later. All the pics of me on Inbyeol were from her account anyway, so I could just snag her phone and scroll.
With my future plans sorted, we'd already reached Seol-ah's place.
It was a decently spacious apartment—living room plus three rooms, fitting for someone with a stable job. But the endless terrariums made it feel way smaller. Spotting new reptiles crawling around inside, I could tell her collection had grown again.
"Your reptile obsession never quits, huh..."
"Duh! Though my top pick is still your chonky tail, oppa!"
She suddenly confessed her love to my tail and grabbed it tight.
"Eek...!"
I let out a weird squeak on reflex. I punched her with a spicy sincerity jab while she giggled, then flopped onto the sofa surrounded by terrariums.
Time to kill some time—maybe hit up the gallery.
...Oh, right. No VPN.
All my anti-tracking gear for anonymous gallery browsing was set up on my computer only. Surfing hunter gallery on my phone could get me doxxed. You never know who might be stalking Yonggari Chicken...
Forced dopamine detox, huh...
Next time, VPN on the phone too. But whatever, Seol-ah's place had plenty to browse even without hunter gallery. Like her new lizards.
Wandering the house, I quickly spotted a lizard with cool patterns.
...Flick.
"..."
Just a lizard with unique markings that occasionally flicked its tongue. Nothing else. Staring at it forever might lead to enlightenment.
I headed to her room, where she was still glued to her phone on Inbyeol. How addictive is this stuff?
...She didn't post any unauthorized pics of me, did she?
Time for a spot check. I approached and held out my hand. She finally noticed me.
"Huh? What's up?"
"Figured I should inspect your Inbyeol once."
"...Okay, here."
She handed it over without a fight. I called it an "inspection," but honestly, I was curious too. What do normies even chat about? The DMs I'd glimpsed earlier were a glimpse, but maybe not the full picture.
I slowly scrolled her shared albums. Used to be lizard close-ups, but now it was flooded with my approved pics and vids.
I tapped the latest post: me in comfy home clothes.
No matter which post I clicked, it was all praise. Just pics of me, yet flooded with compliments—it kinda tickled.
Scanning comments, a familiar name popped up amid the English: @BAK_Chaerin. The A-rank hunter and face of Gold Lotus Guild, Park Chae-rin.
Our connection's... there, I guess. Kinda deep, kinda not.
Before my pics, she'd just liked lizard shots for a thin tie. Now she commented on every post. Guess I sparked the uptick.
Wonder what she's up to lately.
Her profile showed a group pic in front of a "Black Tower Floor 62 Cleared" message. Looked like all Gold Lotus hunters.
She mentioned struggling with that strat before. Glad they pulled through.
Hoping my potion helped, I hit a heart and stopped browsing others' posts. 'Cause now I wanted to post on Inbyeol.
I could make my own account, but why start from zero when this one's blown up? ...What to post, though?
Rummaging through her terrarium-packed house for subjects, it hit me: they were everywhere from the start.
I snapped a lizard with patterns I liked and posted.
Meh reactions. Kinda bland. Someone even seemed to want different pics. "Niece," huh... Talking about me?
After scrolling Seol-ah's feed, one thing was clear: interest spiked once my pics started.
Fine, you want it? Selfie time. I bolted to the bathroom.
Never taken a selfie before...
V-sign should do. I made the classic V and stretched my arm out.
"Uh... kinda hard to see?"
Not a big public mirror or full-length—just a standard home one. My tiny height plus the small, high mirror meant only my V and face showed. The rest? Cropped out. But hey, niche appeal?
Three minutes after posting my bathroom mirror selfie as the latest update...
I watched the comments explode.
More non-stop praise. Hearing objective takes, this ordinary dragon girl in the mirror started looking... different.
...Am I top 1% looks-wise?
Any face pic draws swarms. I liked it, but time to quit. Obsession stems from scarcity, after all. Flood the feed with hundreds, and the hype dies.
As I basked in my Inbyeol fame, Seol-ah came to reclaim her phone and flung open the bathroom door.
"Oppa... whatcha doing?"
"Gah...!"
Back to reality. She didn't see, right? Ahem. My face felt hot.
"Oppa, you okay? Your face is beet red..."
"I'm fine! Don't worry!"
The mirror confirmed it—I was a tomato. Guess this body can't hide emotions...?
While lounging on the sofa knocking out mobile game dailies, the "pest control done" message finally pinged. It was 11 PM. Heading home now meant past midnight arrival.
"No way! With cuteness as lethal as yours, even safe Korea's too risky at night!"
"What kinda nonsense..."
Wait, she had a point? My face pics blew up on Inbyeol—bound to attract creeps eventually.
...No choice. Sleepover it is.
Seol-ah whooped and scrambled to prep: blankets, pillows, snacks, soda, even a tablet for Netflix.
"Can't miss pajama party!"
"...I figured just crashing on the sofa."
"Oh..."
Remembering her sleep-talking from the gate, sharing a bed sounded disastrous. Pajama party meant playing till we crashed—same as bunking together. Hard pass.
"I prepped just in case..."
She drooped like a sad retriever, then hit me with puppy eyes.
I eyed her setup. Even two pillows—she'd planned this ages ago.
...Fine, for the effort.
"Alright, let's do it..."
"For real? Here!"
She beamed and pulled out sky-blue cloud-print pajamas—with wing holes in the back. Custom for me. For a snap decision, this was way too prepared...
Am I really okay with this...?