I Never Expected a Date Like This
I never imagined I'd suddenly find myself on a date with a woman when I hadn't even dressed properly. Of course, it wasn't something I wanted, but still. How should I put it? These shabby clothes just didn't feel right for the occasion.
“I reserved the movie tickets in advance. Do you like action movies?”
On top of that, it looked like she had planned this from the beginning. Not only had she pre-booked the tickets, but her outfit was clearly a date look no matter who saw it. A cute canary-yellow dress that matched her personality fluttered around her thighs.
“I like them. What about you, Raid Leader?”
“Ahem. We came out to get used to the new titles, remember? At least call me Jiyu!”
“...Alright. Jiyu.”
I nodded and corrected myself as she put on a deliberately stern expression. She seemed to like it quite a bit.
“Hehe. Jiyu, huh? It's embarrassing.”
Seeing her laugh so innocently and brightly like that.
“Oh! Anyway, I like action movies too! You know, the kind where everything goes boom and bang. It feels like it blows all the stress away, right?”
It was almost funny hearing someone who spent every day blowing up monsters in dungeons say she liked things that went bang.
“Did you just think something weird?”
“Huh? No, I didn't think anything weird at all.”
When I slowly shook my head, she glared at me with a pouty expression for a moment.
“Whatever. Anyway, we've got some time before the movie starts, so let's go shopping!”
“Sure. Do whatever you want.”
Even my half-hearted reply didn't dampen her mood. The way she hummed cheerfully as we entered the parking lot of the department store with the theater inside proved it.
Some might think that since we were already out, we might as well enjoy ourselves, but that would mean falling completely into her pace. She kept talking about dates and whatever, but the truth was I had zero intention of meeting anyone.
“Oh, LEGO. Haven't seen that in a while.”
Getting out of the car and stepping into the department store, I spotted a shop selling the toys I'd always wanted as a kid. They say both adults and children enjoy them regardless of age, but... when I was young and living in the orphanage, we couldn't afford anything like that. And even as an adult, well. The situation had been similar.
Others might assume that as vice guild master of a major guild I'd made plenty of money, but after living a life of constant sacrifice, nothing had been left for me.
But now... hmm. Maybe I could afford it.
“Oppa, do you like LEGO?”
“I've thought about trying it at least once.”
“Then let's look around for a bit!”
She made a slightly hesitant face before suddenly grabbing my hand and pulling me into the store. The soft touch against my palm startled me, and I tried to pull away, but I'd forgotten.
...That this person was a Rank C hunter close to Rank B.
“Um, my hand...”
“Hmm, hehe. I was trying to keep holding it on the sly, but I got caught.”
How could she claim she was trying to hold it secretly when she'd grabbed it so openly? I didn't understand, but strangely, it didn't feel bad.
“I don't know what's what anymore.”
It was strange. Normally, if someone you weren't interested in did this, shouldn't you feel uncomfortable? No, it's not that I had zero interest. I just felt a purely human sort of liking toward her. But could a mere human liking make holding hands feel okay...? We weren't family, and we hadn't known each other since childhood.
“How about this? Don't guys usually like stuff like cars? It says it actually moves.”
She didn't give me any time to think deeply, constantly talking and asking questions.
“Hmm, a car. Not bad. It might be fun to assemble.”
“Right? Then start with this one!”
“Ah, I'll come back and buy it after my paycheck comes in.”
The money I'd saved by working hard for a month had mostly gone toward rent, utilities, and savings. I figured it was better to buy luxuries once my proper salary started coming in.
“Which one do you like?”
“Well... hmm. This one looks a bit cooler than that one, I think.”
It seemed inevitable that the more expensive it was, the better the performance and detail.
“I think this one is cooler...!”
When I looked where her finger pointed, I saw a car that looked extremely expensive at first glance. The color might be a little tacky, but the level of detail was incredible.
“The color is a bit tacky, but the details are definitely amazing.”
“Don't they have other colors?”
“Hey, I'm not buying that one, so don't start digging around like that.”
What if the box got damaged and they made us pay for it immediately...! Then again, for someone like her, that amount probably wasn't even worth mentioning.
“Now that I think about it, how much was the dinner bill yesterday?”
“Hmm, around five million won, I think...?”
“Five million... Wait, what kind of dinner costs that much...”
There hadn't even been that many people, but ordering premium Korean beef explained the price, even if it was still shocking.
“Still, it's our first dinner together with you, the miner team, and even Younggil. We should eat something good.”
Should I call her generous? I couldn't tell if reaching Rank C meant you earned so much that money like that was nothing.
“Ah, there's a red one too. This looks pretty realistic.”
“Ah, yeah. It does. But that price range is still a bit... burdensome for a beginner.”
Since it was my first time, there was always the chance I might try it and find it wasn't fun.
“Is that so? Hmm...!”
Watching her ponder over it for so long, it might be something she wanted herself.
“Do you like it?”
“Uh, huh...?!”
“? I was asking if you like LEGO, Jiyu.”
Whatever she'd been thinking, her face suddenly turned bright red and she jumped back a step in surprise.
“...Ah, LEGO..! Um, yeah..! I think... I'll come to like it.”
If you like it, you like it. What did “I'll come to like it” even mean? Did she mean it looked fun after seeing it today? She really was a hard person to understand.
“If you want it, go pay. I'll wait outside.”
“Ah... yeah! Okay!”
Her eyes sparkled as she picked up the red sports car model she'd been staring at and headed to the register.
It was nice that she'd found a good hobby.
After waiting outside the store for a short while, she finished paying and came out carrying it.
“Should we leave it in the car? It might be too big to carry into the movie.”
“Yeah, let's do that. Wait here! Don't go anywhere alone!”
She said something you'd say to a child who might get lost, then cutely dashed off toward the parking area. Who was treating whom like a child here? Still, since she'd warned me, I stayed put and waited for her in the same spot.
“Huff... huff... Oppa, I'm back..!”
“Why did you run? You could've taken your time.”
“But... you were waiting alone! It'd be boring by yourself..!”
I almost told her I was used to being alone or waiting for people so it was fine, but I closed my mouth. When I thought about it, the reason I was used to being alone or waiting was... all because of the time I'd spent with Yu Hyejeong.
We wandered through clothing stores together, browsed a cute prop shop, and before long it was time for the movie, so we headed to the theater.
It had been so long since I'd been somewhere this crowded.
“Popcorn is non-negotiable! What do you want to drink?”
“Ah, since you bought the tickets, I'll get the popcorn and drinks.”
“Come on, I dragged you out on a whim. Why should you pay!”
“Still...”
I wasn't the type to live with debts.
“If you don't answer, I'm just getting cola~”
“Ah, I don't like carbonated drinks.”
“Really? Then is an electrolyte drink okay?”
“Yes, that's fine, but...”
She didn't even wait for a proper answer before dashing off to the concession stand. That looked familiar. She did the same thing in the raid office, always running off to get coffee without listening to what people wanted. Was it a habit? The way she hopped around made her look like a little hamster. Kind of cute...
“...Han Junho, are you out of your mind? Get a grip.”
Spending a holiday with someone. Maybe I'd missed these ordinary moments—walking around a crowded department store, watching a movie. In my previous relationship, doing normal things like this had always been difficult.
'Ah, going to crowded places together is a bit...'
Back when Yu Hyejeong hadn't yet become famous as a goddess. I suddenly remembered the expression and words I'd heard when I suggested a movie date. Even while looking at that dry face, I'd comforted myself, telling myself it was okay, it was okay.
“Junho Oppa!”
But what about her face now? Her peach-colored cheeks were adorably flushed in a way that would make even a complete stranger realize she liked me. Those red lips calling my name with excitement, the bright smile in her clear eyes.
Maybe... it could be different from back then?
That thought crossed my mind. Just a little. A very little.
After the movie, we had dinner at a nice restaurant. We even shared a glass of sweet wine, and a pleasant buzz gently circled through me.
“So—”
“Yes?”
“When are you going to start calling me Jiyu-ya?”
Ah, right. Today had been meant as training for that. I'd been enjoying myself so much I'd completely forgotten.
“Well. It's not coming easily.”
But now, with some alcohol in me, maybe it was possible—
The Binding condition with target 'Shin Jiyu' has been fulfilled.
Would you like to establish the Binding?
The sweet buzz and pleasant atmosphere were blown away in an instant by the notification that appeared before my eyes.
“Oppa?”
It seemed my previously relaxed expression had suddenly hardened. She was looking at me with clear worry.
But I had no attention to spare for that. Why? Why was this suddenly appearing?
Binding. My only skill. The stronger the bond of affection and trust, the more powerfully it strengthened the bound partner. It was the skill that had raised Yu Hyejeong from Rank D all the way to Rank S.
I had clearly felt the Binding with Yu Hyejeong break back then, so it wasn't strange for a Binding message to appear for someone else.
There was only one strange thing.
Did I love the person standing in front of me—the one worrying about me with those eyes—as much as I had loved Yu Hyejeong?
“Wait, just wait a moment please.”
I first calmed the worried person before me and continued my thoughts.
Binding was a skill that only activated once the bond rose above 40%. But even when I had loved Yu Hyejeong with everything I had, the value had been stuck at 50% and refused to move.
And now I was feeling similar emotions?
No, that was impossible. It was ridiculous, but after all the foolish things I'd done back then, I knew exactly how much I'd loved Yu Hyejeong and how strong that bond had been.
Then why? How?
“...No way...”
Was this skill not formed from just one person's feelings...?
I lifted my head sharply and looked at Jiyu in front of me. She clearly had feelings for me. Feelings? No, it was certain that she liked me. The moment our eyes met after I suddenly looked up, her face reddened as she gazed at me.
If what I was thinking was correct... if the Binding skill took both parties' feelings into account... then the current situation made sense.
If we each felt 50%, that would equal exactly 100%. If the system had converted the love I felt into a numerical value of 100?
If what I'd just realized was true...
...It meant Yu Hyejeong had never loved me even once.