Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Got Blocked
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That evening after Eun-hae headed back, Seong Si-woo stood in front of his younger sister Sia's apartment door, clutching a plastic bag with a box of fried chicken in one hand.
He figured she was the only person around he could ask for advice from.
"Can you treat me the same as the old me?"
Eun-hae's words were swirling around chaotically in Si-woo's head.
Her looks were honestly his type, and since they'd always gotten along well, their personalities meshed great too.
Being together was fun. It was the same for him.
Si-woo pressed the doorbell.
"It's me."
Footsteps pattered from beyond the door—dodo-do—before it swung wide open.
Sia greeted him with a slightly puzzled look on her face.
"Oppa, you came? Chicken out of nowhere sounds great and all, but what's up? Come on in."
Sia naturally pulled out a small folding table from somewhere and set the chicken box from the plastic bag on top.
"...Just figured I'd drop by and see your face before you start school soon. ...Your place looks nicer than mine, though?"
"Nah, don't dodge. You're not the type to hit me up outta the blue for chicken unless something's up. Graduation thing? Need some advice or whatever?"
Sia picked up a drumstick. I grabbed a wing.
"...Got one question I'm curious about."
"...What? I'll hear you out. But heads up, I'm not great at this stuff."
Sia was already chomping away at her drumstick.
No way could I tell her Eun-hae had turned into a girl, so I skipped that part and got into it.
"From a girl's perspective, hear me out..."
The second I started, Sia leaned in like she was suddenly super interested.
"As a girl? Oppa, you got a girlfriend? What, what? Whoa—Oppa finally got a girlfriend! Who's the girl? Someone from college? Confession before graduation? Who confessed first? You? Or her?"
"Shut it. Not a girlfriend story."
"Aww. Lame. Then what?"
Sia lost interest and took another bite of her drumstick.
"Just a friend."
"Ohhh—so not a girlfriend yet, just friends? Things heating up now? No other girls around you to ask, huh?"
Her attitude flipped dramatically every time I opened my mouth. It was exasperating.
Was she even gonna listen properly?
But it was a fact that Sia was the only girl I could consult, so I had nothing to say there.
"No, it's definitely not like that. Just listen."
"Ehh—boring. Spit it out straight."
I hesitated a bit before speaking. I swallowed the meat I was chewing and got serious.
She'd said to treat her the usual way, but this part couldn't be the same as usual.
"Uh, during periods..."
"Pfft, cough, hack, hack!"
The moment she heard me, Sia choked like crazy. The slightly worried look she'd had while staring at me was gone.
"What period talk? Damn, what the hell? Why bring that up while eating chicken?"
"Just listen, come on."
Half-listening, Sia carefully sipped her cola, cupping it with both hands to keep the grease off.
"Uh, during periods..., is it weird to straight-up ask if she's on one?"
Once I finished, silence filled the room.
I watched Sia's eyes slowly turn to ones of contempt as she set down her cola.
"Wow, Oppa. No wonder you can't get a girlfriend with that attitude."
"Huh?"
"Is that how you are, Oppa? Living without a brain? What guy asks a girl outright if she's on her period? I don't know about others, but to me, it's mega gross."
Sia let out a disbelieving laugh, but didn't stop tearing into her chicken.
Then, like she'd read my expression, her eyes went wide.
"...No way you already said that, right? Right?"
"N-no, of course not."
"Don't lie. You totally did. It's over. Give up. From her side, all affection's gone."
"I just asked you the same thing."
"That's family, so no big deal! Now that I think about it, it's annoying."
I had nothing to say.
"Want me to take the chicken back?"
As I tugged the box, Sia grabbed the other side to stop me.
"Sorry! Let's not fight over food. Okay?"
I scratched the back of my neck and got back to it.
"...Already said it. How do I fix it?"
"No fixing it—it's done. Give up on her."
"Not like that; we're real close friends."
"Oppa ever had a girl friend? Whatever."
"Quit messing around after eating my chicken. Chop."
I lightly karate-chopped her forehead with the side of my hand.
"Ow!"
Sia glared for a sec, then grumbled.
"Hmm... If you're really sorry, just buy me more food. Something I like. Might smooth it over if you're close? Girls get over stuff with good eats sometimes."
"Not just you?"
"Damn, why you picking a fight now? I give advice and you bitch anyway!"
"Got it."
Si-woo made a mental note of that.
He stood up, having barely eaten a few pieces of chicken.
"Oppa, done already?"
"Yeah. Clean up yourself."
"You bought it, so sure."
Leaving Sia thrilled about having chicken for tomorrow too, Si-woo stepped out through the front door.
On the way back to his place.
"........."
The cold night air finally cooled his overheated head bit by bit.
'Ha, why am I even stressing over this crap?'
A self-mocking question flashed through his mind.
What was the point of consulting on something like this?
I mean.
I'd gone out yesterday—met Si-woo, got my hair done, even took ID photos.
I was exhausted enough to hole up for a whole week.
So today, I decided to park myself in front of the computer all day.
First thing: egosurfing.
Half curiosity, half anxiety—checked news and online communities for any leaks from the hospital or cops about me.
Clean slate. Nothing.
Like a total embargo—zero real articles even vaguely similar to my situation.
TS searches still just pulled up fiction; thankfully, no real gender-swap stories.
Government info control was way stronger than I'd thought.
'Seriously, zilch...'
Scary. If things had gone like my worst fears, I'd be dissected in a lab while the world stayed clueless.
Keep searching TS stuff online, and suddenly TS Channel popped into my head.
That place I'd desperately hunted down when my body first changed.
Logged in after ages, checked the posts.
These folks would envy me.
Business as usual whenever I checked. Only difference was my mindset now.
Back then, it terrified me. Now? Kinda weird feeling.
Enlightened?
The last post looked fun, so I clicked it.
If it were me, I'd post proof right away and get banned. Even banned, I'd make alts and keep posting to farm reactions.
What to say. Posts and comments were kinda cute.
Couldn't help but chuckle.
And I liked the post's vibe.
Couldn't game anyway with the ID change stuff, bored outta my mind—perfect timing.
Digging for old pics, I remembered something I'd forgotten.
'Oh yeah, no pics from Iller Munfes.'
First pic with a cosplayer. Forced by Si-woo, but I actually liked it.
The stuff during the shoot, taking it at all—solo, I'd never have.
Hell, wouldn't have gone without him.
'Tonight on Death Code, ask Si-woo to send 'em.'
Picked a pic from back when I'd dressed up quick to send him—no face, nothing doxxing—uploaded it. Blurred the background just in case.
Can't risk doxxing.
Posted before about getting TS'd. Here's proof.
Even the reactions were cute.
Farming them was kinda fun.
Only I in the world—hell, human history—could feel this.
Tried replying, but couldn't—screen filled with a notice.
[Notice: You've been banned from this channel.]
[Reason: IRL photo upload, alt account trolling from post history, ignored rules - 30-day ban.]
I burst out laughing at the ban.
"Pffft..."
Real TS'd person right here, and they had no clue.
The laugh turned bitter, lips straightening into a flat line.
Wonder if they'd love it more than me if they'd been in my shoes.
Si-woo gonna log into Death Code tonight?