Chapter 198
There's no way to play a game like this. No matter how much I think about it, there doesn't seem to be any escape from my Baek Sion addiction. When he does something stupid, it's cute in its own way, and when he says mean things, it just satisfies my masochistic side. If anything, it's a little disappointing that he can't say truly mean things sincerely, and it's really hard to see him genuinely angry at me...
"Seol-ah, check behind us."
"Behind us?"
Just as my head was about to fill up completely with thoughts of Baek Sion, Lee Seo-yeon's voice pulled me back to reality. I turned around, and warning signs were starting to appear on what I'd thought was just a background screen for immersion.
"...No way, they're coming from this side too?"
Truth be told, most zombie games I'd played at arcades before were the kind where you shot at small screens in front. That's why it never felt that hard when Park Harin and I played together. But zombies coming from both directions? No wonder they put you in a separate room instead of a small capsule...
"Whoa, I've never tried this because I didn't have anyone to play with. So that's why it's so popular?"
Yuna unnie's words carried a mix of slight sadness and excitement. Come to think of it, since her commute was this way, a game-loving unnie like her must have come here a few times. Still in tutorial mode, so no huge difficulty spike yet—we listened to the voice explanations, turned around to handle the zombies behind us with Yuna unnie, and moved on to the next stage.
"...Now they'll come from the sides too, right...?"
"Probably."
If they're coming from front and back, no reason they wouldn't from the sides. With the tutorial end announcement, zombies started pouring in from all directions.
A moment later, the room filled with screams.
"Kyaaah!?"
"Unnieee!... Help me quick...! Waaah!"
Of course, not because the zombies were scary. I'd encountered far more grotesque creatures in real life, so zombies on a screen couldn't faze me. The problem was their sheer numbers—my health bar at the bottom center was dropping at an alarming rate.
I'm decent at aiming in real life, but somehow pinning the aim on the screen felt harder than actual shooting.
"...Kids, hang in there a bit."
And our hope, Yuna unnie, was handling the front and left sides by herself, then even providing cover fire for our directions.
...So she wasn't just bluffing about being good at games?
Regaining a bit of breathing room, we advanced slowly while scouting. I asked unnie something I'd been curious about.
"...Unnie, when did you start gaming?"
"Games? Since I was super little? FPS, AOS, RPG—you name it. Oh, racing and sims too?"
"But you studied so well...?"
"...Well, that was because while the other kids went to cafes or karaoke, I was gaming alone...?"
...Now I feel kinda bad.
As I shut my mouth, unnie startled and started explaining in a fluster.
"Ah, but it wasn't like I had bad relationships with them...? We hung out at school."
"Girls don't go to PC bangs much..."
If you love games that much, it'd make sense to crave PC bang ramen and tteokbokki over cafe coffee and cake. And home PC gaming would've been great too.
"Didn't guys talk to you at the PC bang?"
"They didn't?"
"...Really?"
That's weird. Old photos show her with thick glasses and bangs covering her face, looking plainer than now, but anyone glancing would see she's pretty.
Maybe that type? The kind of girl where over half the class guys have crushes, but she unwittingly puts up a wall no one can breach. Especially in middle school when even basic opposite-sex chats feel awkward, it could happen.
"Unnie, you took off your glasses at school, right?"
"Out of nowhere? Well... sometimes when cleaning them?"
Then high odds she was unknowingly captivating guys left and right. She seems oblivious, but my intuition's sharp. Among us three, I'd say I have the best sense for romance.
Not that I've dated anyone but Baek Sion, but at least I actively pursued him?
"Didn't you talk games with them?"
"Sometimes when guys next to me chatted about games, I'd join in briefly."
A super pretty classmate without glasses chats games with you? Sounds like a fantasy.
Watching Yuna unnie tilt her head, clueless to my intent, my conviction grew. The number of guys she enchanted in middle and high school probably hit triple digits.
Lee Seo-yeon seemed to think the same, staring blankly at unnie and missing a zombie from the right.
"Seo-yeon, quick, that one...!"
"Ah, got it."
Unnie handled our side too. See? How could someone this cool not have been popular?
"...Man, even on hard mode, I didn't expect it to be this tough..."
"Still fun though... I'm kinda sweaty now."
Yuna unnie, who'd dashed around covering all directions, looked understandably tired. But breaking the official #1 record left her beaming with pride.
"Where'd the kids go?"
"Who knows? Those two can entertain themselves."
I'd heard from Sia, and realized while hanging out, but Baek Sion gets way brighter and more outgoing when playing. Plus, he's naturally more sociable than me. Sia's stories of him getting dragged to every sports event or school function in middle/high school prove he's no wallflower.
And proving my point, I spotted Baek Sion hyped at the basketball machine—arcade staple.
"...What are those two doing?"
"...I'm kinda embarrassed."
Kim Do-yoon was just as into it. Betting maybe? Hands blurring as they tossed balls into the hoop at insane speed—like juggling. Even with the hoop moving side to side, barely any misses.
One person doing it would draw a crowd; two competing at that pace? Naturally, eyes gathered. They weren't staring openly, and the guys were too focused anyway.
Baek Sion playing like a kid was cute, but being spectacle ourselves made approaching embarrassing, so we watched from afar—until nearby chatter caught my ear.
'Saw their faces?'
'Just now. But who are they...?'
Weekend crowd included middle/high school girls glued to their faces.
...Yeah, they're handsome. But I can't just stand by.
Swallowing embarrassment, I marched straight to Baek Sion.
"Hey."
"What, when did you... Ah, hold on..."
"Thanks for the 1,000 won~"
Baek Sion whipped around at my voice, looking a bit wronged as our eyes met. Game nearly over, my timing ruined it... Kinda sorry, but I couldn't stay quiet after that.
Of course he's handsome, but other girls thinking so is another matter. Feeling threatened by kids might be petty, but these days students are bolder...?
Couldn't help the unease. Baek Sion handed two 500-won coins to Do-yoon oppa with teary eyes, then met my gaze.
"Fun? The zombie one."
"...Yeah, totally."
Seemed bummed about losing the bet because of me, but he smiled and chatted. New records on both machines meant he enjoyed it plenty despite the loss. Probably amped their physical abilities a tad.
"What'd you do meanwhile?"
"Punching machine and stuff."
Clearly stuck to physical games. Yuna unnie and Lee Seo-yeon joined, livening things up. I asked Baek Sion,
"This one?"
"Was gonna later, wanna round?"
"1,000-won bread?"
Arcade legend: air hockey. Not my strong suit, but I wanted to play with Baek Sion anyway...
Bet on, I gripped the paddle.
Grabbing the paddle left-handed to go easy, Yoo Seol-ah shot me a dissatisfied glare. She started with cautious probes, slowly striking the plastic puck—then suddenly aimed at my goal.
"...Those girls over there said you're handsome."
I faltered a bit but calmly returned it. I'd overheard too, and her timing gave away her thoughts. Seol-ah hates showing off our relationship, but when possessiveness kicks in, she ignores all stares.
One reason I stayed cool: the girls' chat had shifted to Seol-ah. Close enough to barely hear, so she probably missed it.
'Whoa, that unnie's crazy pretty...'
'College student...? Ask for her SNS?'
'Sis like that gets modeling offers...?'
Girls that age squeal in packs daily. They brushed me and Do-yoon hyung as "handsome" but seriously pondered Seol-ah's ID—case closed. Bonus: she'd gotten scouted since middle school.
"So?"
"So?! Doesn't that bug you...?!"
Seol-ah raised her voice, flustered by my retort. I voiced my usual thought.
"I don't care about others anyway."
"......"
Just how she sees me. Seizing her pause as she got it, I banked off the side wall into her net corner.
"Ah, no fair...!"
Ignoring her foul call, reset the puck. Doesn't bug you?
"Y'know, reminds me of your middle school pics. Those were seriously cute."
"Eek...?"
Maybe she started this fearing younger girls hitting on me? Ridiculous—she's getting prettier daily; no room for side glances.
Meant to reassure, but bonus: game win. Her hand froze, face flushing; I shot straight.
Clink—satisfying sound. Beating dazed Seol-ah was easy. Final: 7-0.
She stared blankly at the scoreboard, then unleashed punches.
"...No way to play like this!!..."
"Pay up quick."
"Grr!..."
Biting her lip, she yanked two 500-won coins from the changer and handed them over. Still woozy, I added,
"Wasn't lying though."
"...Urk...!"
Dunno how many hits landed, but her eyes spun again. Staring afar, steadying breath, she murmured slowly,
"...Ah, might not fit right now..."
Fit what?
"Huh?"
"Yeah? The uniform... not asking you to wear it...?"
She took my "middle school cute" as uniform hint? I'd love that, but...
Her face reddened a moment later.
"No, not wearing it. That's what I meant...!"