Chapter 91
"I swear, I'll work my ass off..."
"Me too."
"Guys, I was just saying that. Don't look like you're about to pull an all-nighter or something..."
Lee Seo-yeon must have such a naturally kind heart—she's worried we might feel burdened. But even without her solving our housing issue, we'd all be dead serious about the club activities. After all, we gathered here because we share the same hobby. And looking around, it's all close friends, so how could we not be motivated?
"I was gonna work hard anyway. We've gotta make our game a massive hit."
"...Isn't making a game blow up easier said than done?"
"True, but I've got some ideas."
"What ideas?"
Suddenly, Yoo Seol-ah plants her hands on her hips and sticks her chin out a bit. It's the perfect pose for an ahem, as she starts spilling her plans.
"First off, once I start drawing the game illustrations, I'll post them on my account. Each post gets over ten thousand views, you know?"
"Even without art, just your random posts rack up that many. Your followers have been exploding lately."
"Yeah. So I won't outright say it's game art from the start—just drop some subtle hints to bait curiosity."
"Right?"
"Then, once the game's shape starts coming together, bam: 'I'm the illustrator for this game!' That'll hook at least a thousand... no, two thousand people, easy."
She's thought this through seriously, and it seems way more than two thousand will bite. Yukinyang has a rock-solid fanbase as an illustrator. Looks like Yoo Seol-ah's been pondering the game's future for real. In collectible subculture games, they often plaster famous illustrators' names front and center in ads. In extreme cases, character appeal trumps strategy entirely in this genre. Can't be helped, but even if the gameplay's killer, unappealing characters mean zero eyes on it. On the flip side, one character you love can turn you into a diehard fan. Having Yoo Seol-ah in our club is a massive stroke of luck. Any shot at going beyond a memory project is mostly thanks to her.
"Seol-ah, you're really serious about this, huh?"
"Yeah. I wanna see the characters I drew come alive and move. Plus, I know a ton of illustrators, especially in Japan. We could get freelance help or whatever."
"...Why are you so damn admirable?"
"...Eek."
Yoo Seol-ah's skin is so soft that when Lee Seo-yeon pinches her cheek with her fingers, it stretches like cheese on both sides. Once freed, a faintly blushing Yoo Seol-ah mumbles,
"...It'd be nice if it turns out well. I'm doing this with people I care about."
"......"
Yoo Seol-ah's rare affectionate words don't just hit me hard—they pack a punch for everyone. Lee Seo-yeon, who'd let out an ultrasonic squeal, yanks her into a tight hug. With their height difference, Yoo Seol-ah's half-buried in her chest. She looks a bit breathless but happy.
"...Anyway, this is gonna be fun."
"Yeah. So much to do."
"Can I check out the place more properly?"
"Of course. But one room's got nothing but a bed."
We start touring the house behind Yoo Seol-ah. Being 33 pyeong, there's the usual master bedroom, plus two more rooms. We could each have our own and still keep a guest room? But knowing Yoo Seol-ah's personality, separate beds are a no-go. Same for me, honestly.
"Whoa, my first real attic room."
Stairs in the living room corner lead up in an L-shape to the attic. ...But one of us skips the stairs entirely and floats up. The steps are a tad high, but is laziness kicking in again?
"Hey, what if someone sees?"
"...No one's here but us."
"I'm seriously worried you'll start flying in front of strangers one day..."
It's called an attic, but it feels like a second living room. Windows keep it from feeling stuffy. Yoo Seol-ah's eyes sparkle—she's already plotting uses for the space. I don't have much stuff anyway, so one small room for me, and the rest can match her tastes.
"But seriously, we could move in right away...?"
"Yeah. Just tell my parents something vague."
"Something vague like what?"
"Hm... Say it's a wedding gift for my dear friends. It's already in my name, so I just mention it."
Her world's so different—hard to grasp from a normal perspective. Explaining to our parents might be tougher.
"...What do we even say?"
"Call me if needed. I'll explain."
Without revealing Lee Seo-yeon's identity, it's tricky, so her stepping up is a huge relief. We'll need a story for how we're this close too.
"Stairs out back lead to the rooftop garden, and you two can scout the neighborhood yourselves."
"Yeah. Thanks so much."
"No wedding cash gift from me, then?"
"Obviously. Eat the whole buffet solo."
This gift outdoes any buffet—we could set up a special seat for her. Back in the master, Yoo Seol-ah prods the lone piece of furniture besides the closet—the bed—then flops onto it.
Bed addict, much?
"Ooh... This is pretty decent..."
"Yeah?"
"Lie down and see."
To test if it's comfier than her old place, I slide in beside her. Standing Lee Seo-yeon watches us with a subtle expression, like she's holding back a laugh.
"...You two in the same bed looks so natural."
"......"
We practically share one every night, so yeah. I don't reply; Yoo Seol-ah rolls right off the bed.
"Ow!... Ah, that hurts..."
Even knowing our deal, showing it embarrasses her? No need to crash like that. Her face flushes deep amid the slapstick.
But a phone notification snaps her back. She glances at us, finger to lips.
I guess her parents replied to the message she sent earlier.
"Shh for a sec. Gotta call Mom."
We nod. The call connects soon after.
"...Hello? Yeah. No, it's not that..."
She hesitates at first. Then clears her throat and speaks clearly.
"...I, uh, have someone I like."
Lee Seo-yeon’s jaw drops. No wonder—first time hearing Yoo Seol-ah say it so directly about me. Probably more shocking than the marriage bit.
"Wh-what, a baby?!... Not yet, so don't misunderstand..."
Not never, but not yet. Her attitude's rock-solid even for this talk. Can't hear Mom, but I get her parents' vibe from Yoo Seol-ah's description. She fields the barrage calmly.
"Yeah. Sometime soon. Anyway, thinking of visiting this weekend—cool? We’ve got stuff to discuss."
Positive response, apparently. She hangs after greetings, takes a deep breath, then a long sigh.
"Our Seol-ah's all grown up?"
"...Why."
"Saying stuff like that so smoothly now..."
No dodging the fastball—she blushes quietly instead of excuses. Then, in a tiny voice,
"...Gotta be honest right now..."
"Heh...? So normally..."
"-------!"
Lee Seo-yeon's eyes turn playful, and Yoo Seol-ah chants a spell at lightspeed, vanishing.
...Where'd she go? Can't take more teasing? I sense her presence in the attic, but it's far from the master.
Lee Seo-yeon drops the teasing, tone softening.
"Baek Sion, isn't it tough when your girlfriend's too cute?"
"...It is."
No matter how often, those words thump my heart. Lately, back-to-back hits make 'em stronger. Getting cuter daily, I'm not sure I'll stay sane till the wedding.