Chapter 3
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 3: Rice-Eater (2)
"What are you doing?"
"Uh, somehow..."
It seemed this woman wasn't in her right mind from drinking either, as she appeared to have accidentally followed me into my house.
"Please lea..."
Just as I was about to point to the door and tell her to leave quickly.
Only then did the woman's face catch my eye.
"Huk."
"...?"
Even though her face was flushed red from drinking, her skin looked milky white and soft.
Features that were cute, and long, flowing black hair.
A petite frame small enough that she had to look up at me. Is it because I'm tall?
Anyway, she was fucking pretty, and somehow insanely cute.
No joke, she was one of the few women I'd count on one hand in my entire life.
I hadn't paid attention because life was so hard, but I was an ordinary man with ordinary desires.
Drinking alcohol brought back the sexual desire I had forgotten for years like a tidal wave.
Of course, I only thought it inside; I'm not some senseless and evil human who attacks others just because I drank.
That's something only trash bastards do.
I just flinched for a moment.
I tried to tell the woman to get out of the house again, but.
"You're fucking pretty..."
"...? What is this person saying."
Different words were coming out of my mouth.
My thoughts had naturally popped out.
"Hic."
"...."
We were lost for words for a moment.
The woman looked at the table behind me where the alcohol and snacks were placed, then asked cautiously.
"...Since it turned out like this, want to drink together? Hic."
"Yees?"
"I was drinking, and you were drinking too. Since we're at it, wouldn't it be better to drink together..."
"Really?"
"...Actually, I ran out of alcohol. I'm trying to steal yours."
"Really!?"
"Wow... this person is really weak to alcohol."
The woman sat across the table and poured alcohol into a glass.
I also took a seat feeling bewildered.
"Right, introductions are late. I'm Lee Yoon-seo... Hic. Sorry for cursing earlier."
"I am, hic, Seo Do-hyun. Kkuek, I'm sorry too. Hic."
Thinking about it, it had been a really long time since I talked to a woman.
When was the last time I talked to a woman my age?
One thing for sure is that it never happened once during the 3 years I served in juvenile detention.
"My age is... twenty-one."
"Oh? I'm twenty-one too."
Lee Yoon-seo moistened her throat with a sip and suggested.
"Shall we just drop the honorifics?"
"Shall we?"
It's not easy to speak informally from the first meeting, but maybe because of the intoxication, I didn't think much of it.
"...."
"...."
It was awkward at first.
Because I didn't know what to say to a woman.
However, the alcohol and my mind, which wasn't sane, quickly loosened the language from my mouth.
"Yoon-seo, my life is ruined..."
The dilemma is that while it's hard to talk to someone you've known for a long time, it comes out easily to someone you see for the first time.
Isn't that why the profession of a counselor exists separately?
Of course, my crime was a secret I couldn't even tell a counselor.
Even so, I wanted to confess the truth to someone and be comforted.
My unspeakable secret popped out to Lee Yoon-seo, borrowing the power of alcohol.
I shouldn't do this.
Even though my reason shouted countless times to stop here.
"I was fraaaamed..."
My voice kept flowing out.
Yoon-seo silently listened to my old story while sipping alcohol.
And my memory cut off there.
The texture of soft skin.
A woman's moan I heard for the first time.
Sexual intercourse with a pretty woman, something I thought I would never achieve in my life.
Wow, feels fucking grea...
Crazy.
As soon as I woke up, I hurriedly put my hand in my pants.
Seeing that there was no damp feeling, it seemed I had just dreamt.
Phew, I survived. I can't be wetting my pants at this age.
As soon as I sighed in relief, my head hurt like it was going to split.
How much did I drink yesterday?
A feeling of displeasure rose to the point where I thought I should really never drink again.
"Ugh... what time is it."
I fumbled around with a drowsy mind.
-Squish
"Mm?"
Suddenly, I felt a soft texture next to me.
What is it? I kept fumbling, but I couldn't figure it out.
Did I have something soft and squishy like this in my house? And when I looked to the side.
"...?"
The woman next door was looking down at my hand, having just woken up.
A look of contempt slightly rising on her face.
"Uwaaak!"
Why is the woman next door in my house?
I screamed and jumped up from my spot.
Fuck, I already have one criminal record; if a sex crime is added, there's no answer but suicide.
Suddenly, a thick smell of alcohol wafting from the room.
Desperately squeezing my head, yesterday's memories came out.
Right. I was drunk and causing a scene, then ended up drinking with this woman.
Then I spilled my entire past history, and after that...
'...Sex.'
I think I had a dream about doing something erotic.
I'm confused whether this memory is a dream or not.
It feels like a dream, but also not.
I wouldn't have slept with a woman I shared a drink with for the first time just like that.
But if asked if I'm sure, I don't know that either.
It drives me crazy not knowing if I had an erotic dream because I talked to a woman after a long time, or if I really did it in a drunken stupor.
I remembered her name. Lee Yoon-seo.
Yoon-seo's attire was a white cotton t-shirt but it was disheveled, and I was shirtless.
I can't guess if I took it off because it's midsummer and hot, or because we did that.
"...About yesterday."
Yoon-seo quietly opens her mouth.
"Do you remember?"
I shook my head side to side.
Then she makes a feigned shocked expression.
"You don't remember after doing such a thing?"
Her face becoming serious at my silence.
This is fucked.
My already ruined life looks like it's going to be ruined further.
As I also became serious, Yoon-seo lets out a pfft laugh.
As if her previous reaction was a joke.
"...Did we or didn't we?"
It drives me crazy that I don't know.
There's no way a pretty woman I saw for the first time would want to do it with the likes of me.
Then it's clear I forced myself on her.
This is why genetics is scary.
I shouldn't have even looked at damn alcohol.
Am I going to prison again like this?
To that space where only human scum are gathered?
"...I'm sorry. I don't remember."
Her snickering at me like that.
"Teasing you is fun. Puh-huhu."
Then she suppressed her laughter and said.
"I won't report you."
"...."
"I heard your story well yesterday. Ah, don't worry, I won't talk about that anywhere either."
Fortunately, she seems to be letting it slide.
Wait. So did we do it or not?
"Curious?"
"...Yes."
Yoon-seo moved her mouth as if she was about to speak, then suddenly put her finger to her own lips.
"It's a secret."
"...Yes?"
"And keep speaking informally. I think I'll be seeing your face often from now on."
Why? Because of a legal battle?
There is no way the woman developed feelings for me.
I'm not handsome, and there's no woman in this world who would fall for a penniless ex-convict.
"Somehow curious?"
As I nodded, Yoon-seo drew an arc on her lips as expected.
"That's also a secret."
Having sobered up, she was truly, unbelievably mischievous.
"Pu-heup, pu-heu-heup."
To be able to joke like that to someone she's seeing for the first time.
"I'm going? See you again?"
Watching Yoon-seo's back as she took her things and left.
'...Seriously what is it.'
I felt puzzled.
Now I have become Schrödinger's Virgin.
Yoon-seo caught several of my weaknesses.
One is that I told her the secret of my criminal record which I had never told anyone.
And another is that she has evidence that could possibly make me a criminal.
She said she wouldn't tell anyone.
But having been severely burned by my parents, I developed a temperament of not easily trusting people.
Because of that, the day after spending a heart-clutching day.
I heard a knock-knock on the wall.
Let's listen closely.
-Is the pervert next door there?
I answered yes.
-Want to come to my room for a moment now?
"Now?"
-Yeah.
What is it. Did she change her mind and decide to reveal all the truth to ruin me and my sister's lives?
Even if my life is ruined, I wish she would spare my sister.
With an anxious heart, I knocked on the next door.
Then, different from yesterday.
Not with hair messy from drinking, but a clean, groomed, and glowing-skinned Yoon-seo appeared.
...She's even prettier now that she's clean.
To the point where I dare not even sit at the same table.
"Come in."
I swallowed dry saliva and stepped inside.
A room where a certain fragrance could be felt, unlike the musty body odor of my room.
It even looked wider.
No, maybe it's because there is extremely little furniture.
No TV, no computer, nothing.
Only a shelf and something shaped like a motorcycle helmet plugged in and charging occupied one corner of the room.
"Sit anywhere."
There were no chairs, so I just sat on the floor.
"I called you today because I have something to talk about."
Yoon-seo pointed to the object that had drawn my gaze.
"Do you know what this is?"
What is it? I don't know.
Is it a new item that came out while I was serving in prison?
When I shook my head, Yoon-seo started explaining as if she knew I wouldn't know.
"It's called Fantastic Gear, a virtual reality game device."
"Virtual reality game?"
"It came out while you were in prison. You didn't know?"
My god, is it already time for something like that to come out?
It's fascinating.
So what is it she wants to say? Bragging? Teabagging?
Just as I was wishing she would quickly talk about our future.
"Buy one of these. It costs about 3 million won. You have that much money, right?"
Suddenly, a request for forced sale came in.
My fate isn't one to enjoy games, but 3 million won?
I do have that much money saved up from what society gave me.
But the moment I buy that, I starve to death.
It's better to go to prison.
"If you don't have it, I'll lend you my money."
It's not a forced sale?
"...Why do you want me to buy this?"
As I made a puzzled expression, Yoon-seo made a tsk tsk sound.
"You really know nothing."
Then she searched something on her phone and showed it to me.
[ Fantastia, concurrent users surpass 3 billion. ]
"There are more users in this game than you think. And lots of people means a large consumer base has formed."
"...."
"There are people who built buildings selling game items."
Suddenly, I felt like I knew what Yoon-seo was trying to say.
"Let's do this together. You said you can't find a job because of your record. Solo play is impossible for hunting so I need a pair, and I think you'd be perfect."
It was a suggestion to make money by selling game items too.
Adding that she is already doing it.
So that's why there was no answer when I knocked during the day.
Because she was wearing this and was in the virtual world.
'Not bad?'
Suddenly, my interest is piqued.
Relieving life stress by playing a fun game, and making money too—killing two birds with one stone?
Isn't this completely good for the sister, good for the brother-in-law, eating the pheasant and eating the egg?
Although seeing this uncomfortable woman's face for a long time is awkward.
'The current me has no options.'
Whether I like it or not, it's a situation where I must say OK.
Is my situation one where I can be picky?
If an opportunity comes, I have to take it.
To think I can build a building if I invest 3 million won.
Of course, Yoon-seo added that not everyone can do it.
For some reason, I felt a groundless confidence that I could do it.
The hesitation wasn't long.
"I'll do it."