Chapter 148
Karaoke is absolutely not happening...!
I'd seen her hand over the card and receive two neatly packaged bags from the instructor, so the payment was done. But the way she turned her head to sneak a glance at us without fully turning around suggested Yoo Seol-ah wasn't quite bold enough to play it cool just yet. Watching her hesitate from afar, Park Harin let out a dry chuckle.
"...Looks like she's not coming over."
"I'll go get her."
Classic Lee Seo-yeon. No one handled Yoo Seol-ah in that state better than her. Seo-yeon grabbed one of the rackets she'd picked out and headed to the counter anyway.
Even from a distance, I couldn't help but smirk at how the instructor flinched the moment Seo-yeon pulled out her black card. Her cautious personality probably kept her from asking if it was real.
Seo-yeon wasn't one to flaunt it—quite the opposite, really. She seemed to hide it whenever possible. But with the condition that she had to meet a certain spending threshold, she used it for anything pricey.
A moment later, Seo-yeon returned, dragging a reluctant Yoo Seol-ah by the wrist.
"...Urgh."
She looked exactly like a little pet being tugged along, eyes downcast. Then Yoo Seol-ah finally spoke.
"...Thanks to you guys, I got some great clothes."
"Be honest—how many points?"
Park Harin gave her a chance to defend herself. Yoo Seol-ah pondered for a second.
"...For real?"
"Yeah, be brutally honest. I'm curious about your expert eye."
"I'm not exactly an expert..."
Not everyone in fashion design could dress like a model just because of their major. Sure, they all had an interest in fashion, but as a first-year, Yoo Seol-ah hadn't learned much in uni yet.
Still, she went way beyond just "dressing well." She knew men's fashion inside out too, which meant tons of studying plus her innate sense of aesthetics.
"...Honestly, you all picked amazingly. But if I had to nitpick, Park Harin, your outfit was the best combo. The rest were solidly pretty."
Sure enough, aside from Yoo Seol-ah's own coord, Park Harin's picks had caught my eye the most. When Seo-yeon asked about her own outfit, Yoo Seol-ah gave serious advice on tweaks.
She'd been all shrunk up moments ago, but switch to her expertise, and she looked downright cool.
Park Harin listened quietly, then tossed out a casual jab.
"You excluded your own, right?"
Yoo Seol-ah's face hit the bullseye. Honestly, it was only natural. It was hard to match her fashion sense, and no one understood her body better than she did.
"...No, yours just caught my eye first..."
She was skirting it, but not denying her own was the best. We weren't distant enough for white lies anyway.
Meeting Park Harin's amused gaze, Yoo Seol-ah sighed in resignation.
"...Haa, fine. I'm a fashion master. I picked the best."
Her 'happy now?' expression had us all chuckling. Yoo Seol-ah knew she was pretty and joked about it sometimes, but when we hyped her first, she'd tuck her tail like the introvert she was.
I was the same way, really.
"I'll go pay too."
Probably a bit over 200,000 won. Considering tennis rackets lasted longer than ping-pong paddles, it felt like a steal. I handed over my card without hesitation and wrapped up.
Our total had to be over a million won, but the instructor's sparkling eyes weren't about the money. As we gathered at the counter to say goodbye, she rummaged under it and pulled out a box.
"Um, this is on the house! Racket maintenance stuff—enough for everyone. It'll help!"
...What kind of service gift was a whole box? Seo-yeon took it carefully.
"...You sure it's okay to just give this away?"
"Yes! Seeing you all dive into tennis on day one—I couldn't let it pass."
"No other students come here?"
"Some do, but not with this kind of passion..."
She gave a wistful smile, then thanked us warmly.
"And thanks to you, sales boomed today! No pressure—take it!"
Yoo Seol-ah alone had dropped over 500,000 won. Even if she loved tennis, she was a shop owner first—no way she'd comp big-ticket items.
In the cheerful vibe, Park Harin hesitated before asking,
"If it's not too personal... why not go pro?"
With her own overwhelming talent sidelined from pro play, she was curious about that world. It was a delicate question, asked softly, but the instructor laughed it off.
"Oh, nothing dramatic. Tennis injuries are brutal."
"...Injuries, huh?"
"Yeah. A couple rehab stints, and I'm fine now. But docs said the next one would force retirement. I was already leaning toward coaching or opening a shop, so here I am."
From her stories earlier, she'd been world-class as a kid. Heavy topic, but she smiled softly.
"...Kinda weird telling students this, but the shop's doing great. Oh, and I do racket repairs too! Learned it all."
She looked genuinely happy. Paths in life weren't set in stone, after all.
Seo-yeon, who'd been smiling beside us, subtly clasped her hands. It was so quick I almost missed it, but I felt a faint surge of Divine Power.
She rarely used her powers, but maybe she took a liking to the instructor already. It was a tiny amount—just enough to ward off bad-luck injuries, like a mild sprain hurting less. Perfect for someone active but casual.
"See you next lesson!"
"Yes, take care!"
After goodbyes, we stepped outside. Yoo Seol-ah piped up immediately, like she'd been waiting.
"So, what's next?"
"Knew you'd say that."
She was buzzing—probably plotting our next adventure. Lunchtime, so food first? Or anywhere else?
"Plenty of time. Any good spots?"
Seo-yeon pulled out her phone, scanning a map. She spread her fingers.
"Arcade, karaoke, escape room—for starters. Board game cafes, shooting range, tons more."
As we pondered, Yoo Seol-ah pushed hard.
"Escape room! Escape room!"
We'd floated it before but nixed it for lacking thrill among friends. Now she was hyped.
Wondering why, I saw Park Harin grab her shoulder tight.
"...Hey, why are you so into escape rooms?"
Suddenly, it clicked. Was Park Harin scared of spooky stuff? Not all rooms were horror, but her reaction screamed one reason.
Seeing even Seo-yeon's eyes sparkle, Park Harin pivoted, sensing danger.
"...Karaoke? Haven't been in ages."
"I'm down for karaoke too. Sounds fun with everyone."
I figured it'd be a blast, but a panicked voice cut in.
"...No, escape room's better than karaoke...?"
Yoo Seol-ah, naturally. I'd love to hear her sing properly someday. Not to tease her or anything. She might nail it if she got serious.
"Come to think of it, I've never heard Seol-ah sing."
"No need to..."
"Yoo Seol-ah's amazing at singing."
"What the hell—!"
Park Harin and Yoo Seol-ah's glares clashed like sparks. Seo-yeon broke the deadlock.
"Got it. Why not both?"
"Yeah."
I backed her instantly—either worked for me. Cue twin panics.
"...Wait, there's other stuff..."
"You said we have time. Karaoke first, then escape room?"
Yoo Seol-ah latched on desperately.
"...No, karaoke is really not..."
She hummed all the time—why the fuss? But with Seo-yeon as backup, I didn't need to say much.
"Oh, need to warm up? Start with the scariest escape room, scream it out, then karaoke~"
"......"
"......"
Emphasizing "scariest", Seo-yeon darkened both their faces. One stone, two birds—perfect.
Having silenced them in one shot, Seo-yeon beamed smugly. Classic damage from Astasia's sub-DPS.