Rest
Rest
Stardus's popularity skyrocketed.
You don't even need to look far. Just checking my Stardus Fan Cafe tells you everything. New members just exploded over the last few days. Makes me happy to see more and more people discovering her appeal.
The flip side, of course, being that I almost died...
But I didn't, so it all worked out in the end, right?
*Cough.*
"Big bro, here's a handkerchief."
"Thanks, Eun-wol."
I wiped the trickle of blood from the corner of my mouth.
...Teleporting over such an extreme distance really took a toll on my body. Then again, it was basically like sprinting dozens of kilometers at full speed without a single break. It would have been stranger if my body had not broken down. I was lucky just to survive.
...I didn't die, but I came pretty damn close.
The second I got home, I turned the place into a bloodbath and collapsed. I heard later that the entire mansion had been thrown into chaos. Ha-yul rushed over and healed me immediately, which was the only reason I pulled through. Apparently, I had looked as though I might stop breathing at any moment.
Choi Se-hee and Eun-wol, who'd never seen me like that before, apparently panicked. Seo-eun and Ha-yul had seen me come home bleeding from a stab wound before, so even while screaming, they managed to keep their heads. Eun-wol, though... I heard she actually fainted.
The result was Eun-wol glued to my bedside.
"Big bro... you're really okay, right?"
"Yeah. Don't worry, Eun-wol."
She was still looking at me with those worried eyes.
I kept telling her I was fine. When I first woke up, I saw Eun-wol crying her eyes out like the world had ended, and I felt horrible. She already depended on me just as much as Seo-eun did—she must have been terrified.
I soothed Eun-wol with one hand as she clung to me and trembled slightly. Seo-eun, who had been giving us an uncomfortable side-eye, suddenly started making accusations.
"Big bro, she's only pretending to be weak so she can stay glued to your side. It's all an act, so don't fall for it."
"...That's not true. Big bro, don't listen to her lies. You know I'm genuinely worried, right?"
"Of course I do."
"Damn... so that's how you're going to play it?"
Seo-eun, who had been sitting beside me, climbed onto the bed where I was resting half-reclined.
"...Seo-eun, what are you doing?"
"What do you mean? I'm worried about big bro too. So I'm staying right here."
"...Didn't you say earlier that I was overreacting?"
"That was that, and this is this!"
"Heh. You're adorable when you can't be honest."
"Excuse me? Are you mocking me?"
"No. It's a compliment. You're cute."
"Hmph. Then you're cute too."
"Thank you."
"...Something feels off."
Seo-eun and Eun-wol were bickering again, as usual.
...Well, they were as close as ever.
They can only snap at each other like this because they're close. Normally, they run around together hand in hand, getting along great.
Anyway, that's how I've been living lately.
Spending my days lying in a bed that doubled as a recovery machine.
No matter how many times I said I was fine, the members had seen me continue coughing up blood, forced me to lie here, and refused to let me lift a finger.
...Seriously, aside from occasionally coughing up blood, I was fine now. They were being far too overprotective.
Anyway, partly to mediate between the two of them—still growling about Hacker Mango this and Moonlight Mango that in a conversation I couldn't follow—I finally spoke up.
"...Seo-eun, Eun-wol. Calm down. *Cough.*"
"Big bro! Are you sure you're okay? Should I call Ha-yul again?"
"*Cough.* It's not that bad."
You want me to wake her up? She's been half-sleeping by my bed, nursing me around the clock, and finally just closed her eyes for a bit. No way. My conscience won't allow that...
I stroked Seo-eun's head as she stopped arguing and spoke to me in a worried voice. She finally shut her eyes and let out a relieved sigh.
Man. I felt terrible for worrying everyone.
I was exhausted too. All I wanted was to go somewhere on vacation—a resort where I could relax.
"Let's all go on a trip soon. Anywhere."
"Huh? In your condition?"
"...Seo-eun, I'm telling you, I'm fine now. We'd hit a resort anyway. All I have to do is lie down."
"...I guess so. Well, if that’s all, it might be fine! I’ll go ask the big sisters."
"...A trip..."
Eun-wol's eyes sparkled at the word.
Right. I needed to show her the ocean soon.
Anyway, we all lay around and chatted about this and that.
The reason Seo-eun and Eun-wol came to my room to begin with was because I'd be bored lying here alone—so there they were, chattering away on either side.
"So, big bro. It's almost finished. Starbuster Unit No. 2—the machine that surpasses the Buster, codenamed Star Breaker! This time will be completely different. The day Stardus kneels before me isn't far off now! Heehee."
"...Seo-eun, what did Stardus even do to you?"
"She didn't do anything to me. She did it to big bro. You're always coming home hurt because of that woman—I can't forgive her!"
...That was about me?
Seeing Seo-eun smile brightly while describing her plan to take down Stardus, I gave her a stiff smile in return.
...Well, thinking about it, Seo-eun had never gotten along with Stardus in the Original Work either. Was it simply the natural order of this world to follow the story? Yeah. It was all because of the Original Work. It wasn't my fault.
After rattling off all the ways Star Breaker was stronger, tougher, capable of being summoned remotely, and superior to the old Starbuster, Seo-eun clenched her fist, stood on the bed, and shouted.
"Right! This is no time to sit around. Big bro! I'm going to fine-tune Star Breaker some more! Eun-wol, come with me!"
"...Huh? Um, I'd like to stay with big bro a little longer..."
"No, I'm not letting the two of you stay here without me. Come on!"
"Uueeh..."
And with that, Seo-eun grabbed Eun-wol by the hand and dragged her out of the room.
Watching Eun-wol pitifully reach her hand toward me until the very end was a bit tragic, but I couldn't stop it.
Eun-wol... go get some rest... I need to sort through the Stardus Fan Cafe too...
The two of them disappeared.
The room went quiet again. I was just about to pull out my laptop.
—Ring-ding-ding~
The phone started ringing.
When I checked, it was Lee Seol-ah.
It had been a while.
I answered immediately.
"Hey, Seol-ah."
[*Hic.* Hello, Dain. Are you feeling okay?]
"Yeah. I'm finally starting to get better."
[That's a relief. *Hic.*]
"...Hey, but you sound worse off than me. What's with the hiccups?"
[Ah, *hic.* I had a little to drink. They won't stop.]
"Drinking? It's the middle of the day. What time even is it?"
[*Sigh...* I've had a lot on my mind lately, *hic.* A drink helps lighten the mood a little. Business acquisitions aren't going smoothly, the National Assembly is chomping at the bit to tear Yuseong Group apart... *Sigh.* *Hic.* It just gets worse and worse. It's miserable.]
...Sorry, Seol-ah. I was pretty sure that was my fault.
I must have changed the Original Work too much. By this point, she was supposed to have half of Korea under her control.
Ignoring the prickle of my conscience, I gave her some awkward words of encouragement.
"Ha ha... Hey, hang in there."
[Dain. *Hic.* But do you know what's even more miserable than that?]
"...Uh, what?"
[The fact that my most treasured colleague collapsed, and I can't even come visit him. Ha ha, well. It's fine if you can't tell me where you live. I understand. I know I haven't earned your trust.]
"Come on, it's not like that."
Sensing something ominous, I hurried to speak, but it was already too late.
Lee Seol-ah's voice was close to tears.
[...No, it's just. A little bitter, that's all. Not even being able to earn a shred of trust from your colleague. *Sniff.* So I wonder what I'm even doing here, throwing myself forward when I still don't even know where your house is. I'm sorry, Dain... It's just— I think about you a lot. I lean on you. I just like you. *Sniff.* And when you're hurting, I can't do anything to help. *Sniffle.* I can't even visit. *Sigh.* Who else am I supposed to blame? Only myself. Can't even earn a little trust. *Sniff.* I'm sorry, Dain...]
She was practically sobbing by then. What was wrong with her?
"Hey. Hey. What's going on? Don't cry. Stop."
[Ha ha ha... I'm sorry, Dain. *Hic.* Must be the alcohol making me run my mouth. I'm sorry, just forget it. Ha ha. What's wrong with me? *Sniffle.* I can't control my emotions...]
Lee Seol-ah forced a laugh through her sniffles.
My heart softened. In the end, I had no choice but to say it.
"...Come over."
[Huh?]
"Come visit. I'll give you the address."
[*Sniffle.* Really?]
"Yes. So stop saying this nonsense about me not trusting you..."
[Wow! You mean it? No take-backs? I can come right now?]
"...Yeah. Fine. I'll send you the address. Head on over."
[Yes! Got it! See you soon!]
"Uh... yeah..."
And then the call ended.
...What was this uneasy feeling?
I mean, it wasn't as though I still distrusted Lee Seol-ah or thought she would stab me in the back.
...Something still feels like I just got hustled...
"Ugh. In hindsight, I should've picked up on it from the moment she called me her 'most treasured colleague'..."
That was a lie.
Because in the Original Work, she explicitly said the colleague Lee Seol-ah treasured most was Shin Ha-ru.
"..."
...That was a lie, right?
Actually, when I thought about it, I was in greater trouble if it hadn't been a lie.
Anyway, with a strange feeling creeping up on me, I sent her the address. I got a reply from Lee Seol-ah almost immediately, saying she'd visit soon.
...Well, whatever. It wasn't as though anything bad would happen if she came. Honestly, I couldn't imagine Lee Seol-ah doing anything underhanded at this point.
But wait.
Had I ever actually told her that I lived in the large house with all the Ego Stream members?
***
The next day.
"Hello, Dain."
"Uh... Seol-ah, hi. You got here really fast...?"
Lee Seol-ah was standing in my room.
Her sky-blue hair fell loose as she smiled at me.
"Yes. This is the first time I get to visit your home. Of course I'd come quickly."
Her smile grew even wider.
"...Though, on my way to your room, I noticed there are quite a few other women in this house. Are you all... living together?"
"...Ha ha. Kind of ended up that way."
She was still smiling, lips curled up.
But the room was cooling down fast, exactly the opposite of her expression.
I meant that physically. The actual temperature seemed to be dropping...
So there I was, in that increasingly chilly room.
Face-to-face with the still-smiling Lee Seol-ah, I laughed stiffly.
...Uh, Seol-ah. It's getting a little cold in here...?