Chapter 178
...I realized that Yuna unnie's community nickname was pretty... unique, but for now, it seemed Yoo Seol-ah hadn't caught on. She was pulling out her phone and opening her contacts app anyway.
"Here's my number. Give me a call."
Of course, even if Yuna unnie's nickname got out, it wouldn't change much. I doubted the great Yuna unnie was up to no good or anything, but since she seemed keen on keeping it hidden, it was probably best not to pry.
...Honestly, I wouldn't flaunt that squishy, chewy nickname myself.
But it did tell me Yuna unnie was dead serious about games. You had to have real love for your characters to pick a name like that.
"This the right one?"
"Yeah, that's it."
"Whoa, scored unnie's number!"
Yoo Seol-ah's lines flowed like water when it came to other women. Yuna unnie couldn't hide her smile either. She'd been fretting lately that I'd unconsciously flirt with other girls, but honestly, I should be the one worrying. When it came to women, she was Casanova-level and beyond.
"Hang on, lemme check if calls work."
"Sure."
My phone alarm went off too, so she must've messaged our group chat. It was after dinner, so everyone had time for a call—notification pings came in rapid fire.
Yoo Seol-ah had built up the suspense, and their voices were full of curiosity.
"Hello?"
"What's the big deal?"
She switched to speaker, and suddenly the tarot booth turned into a lively party. Yoo Seol-ah paused, pondering her line, but ended up just blurting it out honestly.
"Recruited a new club member."
"...Hey. Long time no see."
She didn't even introduce herself, but that distinctive voice gave them all pause.
"Ruwen...? No way, for real? Holy crap, jackpot."
Getting the exact reaction she wanted, Yoo Seol-ah burst into a delighted grin. Lee Seo-yeon really was unmatched at hyping things up.
"Yeah, the kids came to my shop and we ran into each other by chance. It's been forever."
"What? Um... unnie? That's you, right? I'm coming over too. Where's this place?"
"Hold up. Sending the address."
"Me too."
We'd had club activities today for sure, but news of meeting Yuna unnie—the closest one besides our core four—sparked an instant afterparty. They both dropped from the call quick, probably heading straight over to chat.
"...Everyone's super excited?"
"We've kept in touch with unnie and seen her face, but we couldn't talk about that stuff with anyone else."
There was some shared kinship making her feel even closer. You could joke about other worlds with normies, but getting serious? No way.
"Sent the address. They're not far, so they'll be here soon."
"Got it. Gotta pull out more desserts later. Oh, but how'd you decide on a gacha game?"
"Our club's basically an otaku den, so we picked anime or games. Subculture pretty much means gacha, right?"
If we ranked otaku levels, Do-yoon hyung was top-tier, with the rest of us trailing a bit—but by normal standards, everyone in the club was peak otaku, no question.
"Whoa... you guys move fast. I was the total workaholic type, slaving away at my corp job..."
"At your company?"
"Especially there... company life..."
"Unnie... sorry."
Bad call bringing up work around Yuna unnie. Plenty of otakus hid it or pretended not to know subculture stuff. Just ten years back, the stigma was way worse. With our seven-year gap and her recent corporate grind, it made sense for her.
"Things have changed a ton lately, though. I heard J-pop blasting on the street and thought I was hallucinating."
"...Yeah, that felt kinda off to me too."
Trends these days meant Japanese songs leaked out everywhere on Seoul streets. Unthinkable back in the day.
"So, illustrators? Gotta outsource those since they're key, right?"
Yoo Seol-ah started to answer, then hesitated. A mischievous glint in her eyes—she was playing it cool now.
"Ah... yeah. Got one lined up already. Yuki-nyang... ring a bell?"
Her acting was leveling up. Scary how she might fool even me someday.
"Yuki-nyang? I've followed her forever and sub to her now! Always thought she was amazing, but she's blowing up lately..."
"Right? Followers spiking like crazy. Unnie knows her too? Subbed?"
"Yep. Even the cheapest plan's a steal. Her SD characters are adorable—I saved all her Luluka illusts... You know Luluka?"
"Yeah, of course."
No way she'd forget a character she'd drawn herself. Yuna unnie was eating out of her hand, clueless it was her own art, even pulling up her gallery to gush.
Her lips twitched—she couldn't help beaming at the praise for her work.
"What do you like most about her style, unnie?"
Yoo Seol-ah milking it for fun before the reveal. Yuna unnie answered without hesitation.
"Hmm... the quality's insane, but she has this distinct style? You spot a Yuki-nyang illust instantly."
Everyone saw the same strengths. Matched what I thought too—near-perfect color and texture, but not robotic. Pure Yoo Seol-ah magic.
"And not sure if it's intentional, but she's famous for drawing super sexy without any skin."
"Eek."
Yoo Seol-ah had been smirking freely next to her, but froze solid. I hadn't said it aloud, but I'd always thought the same. Normal illusts needed exposure for sexiness, but hers? Just was. Wrapped in clothes, full plate armor, even flat-chested girls—it oozed from the art style itself.
"...So I wondered, what kinda person's behind art like that..."
"Unnie... hold on..."
For someone usually so smooth, she'd tripped hard here.
"...That's me."
"Huh?"
"...I'm Yuki-nyang..."
Both looked stunned, conversation grinding to a halt. Yuna unnie processing back-to-back shocks, Yoo Seol-ah stabbed by that "what kinda person" line.
Her succubus mana probably amplified her natural sex drive into her art, even before awakening. Anyway, leaving stunned Yuna unnie aside, I asked what I'd wondered.
"But you knew how it turned out when you drew it, right?"
"...No, not on purpose...! It just stuck that way after drawing so much—the style, colors, everything."
"Born with it, huh."
Fitting for Yoo Seol-ah's genius in that department. I skipped saying the last bit aloud, but she got it, shooting me a glare and nudging my calf.
"...My brain's overloading."
"Still got more to go—can't crash yet."
Right. Lee Seo-yeon's reveal—the endgame boss in this field—was still pending.
"...What's next?"
"Eh... saving that for later fun."
Compared to her, we were normies. Chatting games as we gossiped, Lee Seo-yeon arrived first—probably taxi. She gaped at Yuna unnie.
"No way, unnie!!"
"Our saintess got even prettier?"
"Unnie, I missed you so much... This your cafe? Heard it's blowing up...?"
"Yeah. Sit first."
The vibe warmed right up, and Yoo Seol-ah quietly shifted back beside me to free a seat. Lee Seo-yeon sipped her drink, her first words downright desperate.
"...So, could you do a love tarot for me? Before oppa gets here."
"Of course. But before the hero arrives?"
"...Yeah."
Her face screamed lovestruck girl, so Yuna unnie chuckled and nodded.
"Sure, let's do it quick. But wow, it's all going just like I pictured."
"...You thought that?"
"Yeah, right when we met? Before even reading stars. Your personalities mesh so well... Even thought of putting characters like you in my next story."
Early days weren't exactly buddy-buddy, but she'd clocked it from jump.
"You write stories too, unnie?"
"Wrote novels on and off... Tarot readers need storytelling chops—most love writing."
Made sense; star readings were basically eloquent tales. Lee Seo-yeon mulled it, then grabbed Yuna unnie's hand tight.
"...Unnie, seriously—be our story writer."
"...Huh?"
"For my love business to succeed, the game has to too... Possible?"
"...Yeah, I'm game... Got time."
Explanation skimpy, but Lee Seo-yeon's pleading eyes won her over with a slow nod. As a star scout with intel we lacked, Yuna unnie could play a huge role.