Chapter 205
Lee Seo-yeon was desperately managing her expression, trying to play it off as a simple joke while listening intently. It wasn't weird at all given her usual personality, but to those in the know, it was hilariously obvious. She didn't even notice Yoo Seol-ah blatantly holding back laughter, which meant she was completely preoccupied right now. Doyun hyung, who had been wearing a faint smile, finally spoke up.
"You did well winning."
Yoo Seol-ah, who had been watching the two with rapt attention, couldn't hold back a gasp.
...I always think this, but Doyun hyung seems proficient in everything. Even romance. People like me and Yoo Seol-ah have similar personalities, so our bickering and occasional teasing jabs fall within a predictable range. Not to pat myself on the back, but we're already so head over heels for each other that it just reaffirms things.
But Doyun hyung's offhand remarks hit like critical strikes for Lee Seo-yeon. Right now, with just seven words, he'd left her wondering if he meant the lobster prize or her.
Her eyes flickered wildly for a moment before she forced her usual tone. "...The lobster's really delicious—you can't get it just anywhere....?"
She'd decided to interpret it as the lobster talk. But with her cheeks slightly flushed, only she knew her true feelings.
"...Ah, anyway, we should start prepping. Eating outside means a lot of setup..."
Her acting was pretty natural, befitting her skills, but her footsteps up the stairs were unmistakably a retreat.
"Whoa, Doyun, you're kinda scary."
"What?"
Yuna unnie poked at him the moment Lee Seo-yeon vanished, but his unchanging expression made it all the more intimidating. Even we bystanders couldn't pinpoint the exact intent. If he meant it, it was skill; if it slipped out unconsciously, that was even scarier. Lee Seo-yeon was totally trapped.
"She went up already?"
"Let's head up too."
The terrace had a basic table, but there was plenty more to prepare. We all climbed the stairs without a word.
Lee Seo-yeon was hustling in her butler outfit, setting everything up.
"Ah, you can rest..."
"Nah. Sitting idle feels more awkward."
None of us could stand leaving her to work alone. We'd honor bets to the letter, of course, but otherwise, we're endlessly accommodating. She'd clearly done outdoor cooking before, dragging out a charcoal BBQ grill from the corner.
"Then can you grab meat and stuff from the fridge? Everything in the bottom-left compartment."
As if on cue, the three of us—me, Yoo Seol-ah, and Yuna unnie—headed back to the kitchen.
"...Man, there's so much sweetness lately."
Yoo Seol-ah eyed Yuna unnie's fond smile before firing off a question.
"Unnie, you don't date?"
"I do?"
"Huh?"
What was this now? Yoo Seol-ah looked flustered, but after a moment's thought, I could guess what was coming.
"Luluca, Selin, Unyo, Nagisa, Black Mask? I've narrowed it down to five lately."
Full open-world RPG, turn-based RPG, open-world turn-based—you name it, variety galore. Not done yet: Luluca and Selin were female chars, Nagisa too. Unyo and Black Mask were male. Luluca was busty, Selin slender standard, Nagisa notoriously flat-chested. Unyo was bishounen vibes, Black Mask suited up with a deep voice that hooked a niche crowd...
Talk about an ocean of tastes. Yoo Seol-ah froze, clutching her head to calm down. She was a hardcore otaku with killer one-combo skills, but light side comparatively.
"...I really thought you were dating for real, unnie..."
"I am?"
"...Ah, no, I mean in real life..."
"This is real to me."
"...Doesn't it make you wanna date someone off-screen?"
Yuna unnie pondered Yoo Seol-ah's question briefly before answering quickly.
"Honestly? Just watching this is plenty."
"Ah, yeah... Those two are so lovey-dovey lately it'd kill you. They vanish together sometimes."
Yoo Seol-ah nodded eagerly at Yuna unnie's reply, but Yuna unnie shot her a confused look.
"...They're cute too, sure, but I meant you guys just now."
"Eek."
Yoo Seol-ah yelped like an idiot and scooted away from me, where she'd been glued.
...Too late for that now, isn't it?
"They're still in the honeymoon phase, but you two feel like childhood-sweetheart marrieds."
"...No, we haven't even done anything..."
We hadn't really chatted much alone just now. Yuna unnie smirked as Yoo Seol-ah and I exchanged glances.
"That's the real sugar rush—no need for anything extra. You kept smiling at Sion earlier..."
"Waaah!"
Yoo Seol-ah cut her off and bolted to the fridge for meat. I'd thought our eyes met a lot even when others talked... but yeah, I stared at her plenty too. Fair's fair.
I went to help, and without looking, she handed me a slab of steak meat. I took it silently, but the fridge wasn't done.
"...What's with all this?"
Yoo Seol-ah's mutter had me nodding—the bottom-left was packed. Everything here, then.
"...Whoa, is this the lobster?"
"Looks like."
Yuna unnie spotted a massive white Styrofoam box. Something thudded inside—still alive, probably. Seeing her tremble, Yoo Seol-ah plotted petty revenge.
"...Shall we open it?"
"No, Seol-ah. Leave it to the cook. Don't open."
Yuna unnie spoke twice as fast, and as Yoo Seol-ah reached for the lid, she looked ready to faint.
"Seol-ahhh... not that!"
Crustaceans usually come with claws bound, so not that scary, but live seafood terrifies some folks. Yoo Seol-ah wasn't serious anyway and let go.
Topic changed successfully, she grinned. "But unnie, you know Selin and Nagisa's illustrator?"
"...For real?"
Yuna unnie startled, then realized. "...Wait, yeah, pretty much everyone does. Tons of your followers are illust fans, Seol-ah."
"Yeah. And same artist did both? We're pretty close. KatsSand-chan's adorable."
I knew they were famous chars, but not the artist. Tasty name—feminine honorific, so girl illust.
"Japanese, right?"
"Yep. College student now."
Solo illusts often blow up young, like Yoo Seol-ah.
"Women's college?"
"Yeah. Saw pics—total cutie."
If Yoo Seol-ah, weak to cats and cutesies, calls her cute... must be.
"How do you chat? Japanese or translator?"
"She knows Korean decently, but I use Japanese more."
"You speak Japanese, Seol-ah?"
"Doesn't unnie?"
Yoo Seol-ah countered casually, but Yuna unnie averted her eyes.
"...Listening and speaking, somewhat..."
I could already picture it. Yoo Seol-ah watched, then posed a test.
"Say in Japanese: 'We're staying here 1 night 2 days—what's the price?'"
"......"
No answer, so Yoo Seol-ah switched. "'Go, receive my sword!' This one?"
"...Sorry, I won't claim Japanese outside..."
Yoo Seol-ah finally chuckled. I had high-school second-language Japanese, decent enough, but she chatted native-level. Lesser efforts must look cute.
"Any other close illusts besides KatsSand?"
"Close ones? Three-ish? Acquaintances more."
Sizzling flower sirloin steaks, grilled shellfish, seafood tteokbokki prepping. Chat flowed around Yoo Seol-ah—game-related.
Quick search: KatsSand had massive fixed fans, like Yoo Seol-ah claimed. Doyun hyung, not outsourcing all to her, ranked KatsSand high mentally.
"Why? Wanna ask?"
"...Can I just ask?"
"We're tight. Hold on."
Yoo Seol-ah grabbed her phone, typing furiously. Soon grinning, she showed me. I read the Japanese and translated for puzzled Yuna unnie.
Of course, "free" was a joke, but the instant yes proved their bond.
Doyun hyung's eyes sparkled. After long deliberation, he handed me the tongs and approached Lee Seo-yeon.
"Seo-yeon."
"...Y-yeah?"
"Remember what I mentioned before."
"...What...?"
"About investing."
Her face reddened at his serious tone, then snapped alert like doused in cold water.
"...Ah, yeah."
"Can we get it first? Around 1 billion."
The huge sum—rarely heard casually—had us three holding breath, but her reply was simple.
"Ah, two banks and I'll wire tomorrow."
Doyun hyung looked more flustered seeing her ready to transfer without details.
"...No, first hear the story..."
Seeing unflappable Doyun hyung rattled was rare—and Lee Seo-yeon pulled it off.