Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Hong Yeonseo #3
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"Oh..."
We naturally let out exclamations of admiration as the beautifully plated dishes arrived one after another.
...Except for Seong Yurin.
That girl probably has a Michelin-starred chef as her personal home cook.
The three other girls, excluding Seong Yurin, were snapping photos with eyes sparkling in delight.
"It looks so pretty. Right?"
"Yeah! It looks absolutely delicious."
Lee Sea and Lee Soyun's eyes gleamed, while Hong Yeonseo was outright gulping down her saliva.
Yoon Jiu's steak plate, the last one to arrive.
"Ooh! Let's eat!"
The moment Yoon Jiu stabbed his fork into the steak.
"...Yoon Jiu."
Lee Sea's icy voice rang out.
A quick glance around showed Lee Soyun and Hong Yeonseo with hardened expressions as well.
...All three of them holding their phones.
"Uh, huh?"
A chill settled over the table.
Seong Yurin and I broke out in cold sweat.
"Put it down so we can take pictures."
"Yes, ma'am."
...Girls taking food pics are terrifying.
Don't mess with them.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Today's been the best. Would've been perfect if that fatty hadn't shown up!"
Hong Yeonseo, her belly stuffed to the brim, exposed her bare midriff and patted it contentedly with a laugh.
Revealing her toned, perfectly defined eleven-pack abs.
I froze midway through standing up and stared at the sight.
"Jina. What're you looking at?"
"N-nothing."
Lee Soyun smoothly slipped between me and Hong Yeonseo.
...What a shame.
"Hee hee."
A soft chuckle came from behind Lee Soyun.
"Ahem. Shall we go?"
Feeling awkwardly embarrassed for no reason, I stood up fully as well.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The girls had all left ahead, leaving me lingering with Hong Yeonseo, who was handling the bill, and Yoon Jiu.
I watched from the back as Hong Yeonseo paid.
...If I were the sweet rom-com protagonist, I'd swoop in and pay handsomely.
But no need for that here.
"Yeonseo. Let me cover it."
Because there's already a real rom-com protagonist!
This Yoon Jiu guy.
I thought he was cluelessly ordering the expensive stuff, but he had a plan all along...
"No. It's fine. I said I'd pay."
...?
For some reason, Hong Yeonseo coldly pushed Yoon Jiu's card back into his hand.
"Uh, but still..."
"I'll pay for everything with this."
"Yes, ma'am."
With payment done, Hong Yeonseo brushed past Yoon Jiu and headed out.
...Good thing she didn't make a fuss about paying.
Hang in there, Jiu. Whatever's going on.
Rom-com protagonists are supposed to reap the sweetest rewards after trials and tribulations, right?
I patted the dazed Yoon Jiu's shoulder and followed after Hong Yeonseo.
A moment later, he emerged with an awkward smile.
Confirming everyone was gathered, Hong Yeonseo spoke up.
"Where to next? Should we try that escape room cafe Sea mentioned? I've never been!"
Who was that icy girl from just moments ago?
Hong Yeonseo was back to being her bubbly, energetic self.
Hmm. Something feels off, but hard to put my finger on it.
While I pondered, the group had already decided on a destination.
"Sounds good. Back to downtown, then!"
We settled on heading from the outskirts back toward the city center near home and school.
And the next stop seemed to be the escape room cafe.
An escape room cafe, huh. Haven't been to one since coming to this world.
Lee Sea and Yoon Jiu once suggested it, but I turned them down saying it wasn't my thing and stayed home gaming instead.
In my past life, I wasn't quick on the uptake, so I remembered going once and solving nothing.
Plus, I'd basically set them up for a date, but later heard neither actually went.
So when Hong Yeonseo asked if I'd been, I said no.
"Wait, no one's been to an escape room cafe?"
When Yoon Jiu, Seong Yurin, Lee Soyun, and I all said no, Hong Yeonseo looked puzzled.
Lee Sea answered.
"Well, I went once in middle school with some girls from class."
"What? Not with me!"
"Jina didn't want to go back then..."
Thank goodness, at least one with experience.
"Ooh! Then Sea's our leader."
"L-leader?"
"You always need one leader for these things to keep everyone united and in check."
As expected of an athlete. She gets the importance of hierarchy.
Boarding the subway again, we searched this time not for restaurants, but escape rooms.
While we were at it, Yoon Jiu spoke up.
"I posted a link in the group chat. Check it out."
I paused my search and opened the chat—there was Yoon Jiu's link.
"J-Jiu... This place..."
Lee Sea, sitting beside him, sounded shaky.
What is it?
I clicked the link and immediately understood why.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "This is insane."
"C-can we go somewhere else?"
"Ugh. Honestly, I'm a bit put off too."
"Hey! They say this one's the most fun with the best facilities!"
Me, Lee Soyun, Hong Yeonseo, Yoon Jiu—in that order.
Lee Sea and Seong Yurin didn't speak, but their reluctant faces said it all.
The girls' expressions had stiffened at this place.
《World of Horror》
.......A famously horror-themed escape room cafe.
It took up an entire third floor of a massive downtown shopping building—a huge operation.
No wonder it's famous.
"...Hey, Yoon Jiu. You can't even handle real horror movies properly, right?"
"Wh-what nonsense! What slander and defamation and libel is that, Seo Ijin!"
He bristled at my barrage of facts.
"Th-then... since everyone's scared, let's go somewhere else."
Lee Soyun clutched her umbrella tightly with both hands.
"Isn't a little fear what makes it 100—no, 120% fun?"
With that, Yoon Jiu strode confidently into the building.
In the end, we had no choice but to follow without lagging behind.
For the record, I'm somewhat immune to jump scares,
but weak to atmospheric horror builds that creep you out.
Goosebumps come easy to me.
"Alright. Since I picked it, I'll cover everyone's fee."
Yoon Jiu coolly declared he'd pay for all six.
Everyone, including me, said it wasn't necessary—especially Seong Yurin and Hong Yeonseo insisted on paying their own.
But they eventually gave in to his stubbornness.
The two looked a bit queasy.
Yoon Jiu's always been pretty headstrong like that.
Protagonists usually are, right?
"Come on, we're here—let's make the most of it."
The mood was tanking, and if it stayed like this, our outing would just strain friendships. So I stepped up.
Clapped to grab attention and forced a smile; the tension finally eased a bit.
"Sigh. Fine, whatever—the deed's done."
Hong Yeonseo grumbled but tried to wipe the dissatisfaction from her face.
The others managed their expressions too, even if their hearts weren't fully in it.
"Let's knock this out quick and plan the next spot."
I poked Hong Yeonseo's still-pouting cheek to deflate her a little.
Maybe appreciating my effort to lighten things,
she finally smiled for real.
"Hee hee, yeah. Finish this and hit karaoke?"
"Sure."
"Guys! I think this one's fun-looking?"
And...
Yoon Jiu—whether oblivious or not, who knows anymore—was engrossed in a booklet listing escape room themes, seemingly unaware of the moment.
I swallowed a sigh with superhuman willpower, took the guidebook from him, and held it up for everyone.
"P-psycho Clown Killer's House...?"
"Seriously?"
"Ughhh..."
Damn it all.
I'd just calmed everyone down.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After my desperate persuasion, we finally entered the least difficult room: [The Doll's Play That Loves Humans], which seemed relatively tame.
"Hmph. Still think the first one would've been the most fun."
"......"
Suppressing the urge to whack Yoon Jiu's head with an umbrella, I told the counter staff our choice.
"Yes~ [The Doll's Play That Loves Humans] for six. Right this wayyy.... First, hand over your phones.... No other electronics, right.... Non-valuables go in these lockers..."
The staff was a woman in her late twenties or so, with strikingly pale skin—probably makeup to fit the theme.
Following her languid instructions, we surrendered our phones, changed into indoor slippers, donned blindfolds, and shuffled single-file like a train.
I could feel Hong Yeonseo's shoulder under my hand.
...How does such destructive power come from these slender shoulders?
Her handball from earlier came to mind again.
Truly one of the world's great mysteries.
I loosened my grip on her shoulder—not quite clutching, more like resting my hand lightly as we moved.
Didn't want to make her uncomfortable.
Seong Yurin’s hand rested on my shoulder.
...Kinda pervy thought, but she smells really nice...
"Okayyy. Watch your step for the ledge.... Good. Now, I'll guide you one by one to your spots."
The staff positioned us one at a time.
Once we stopped moving, all sounds ceased, leaving an eerie silence that hung heavy.
The overwhelming atmosphere kept us from even opening our mouths.
In the quiet, I could've sworn I heard Hong Yeonseo and Seong Yurin swallowing loudly beside me.
...Is this an escape room cafe?