#29 Dream, Romance, Future

One second. Two seconds. Three seconds. No matter how many times I looked, the eyes losing focus were fascinating. I like this village. It's not too far from the city, surrounded by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mountains that feel cozy yet serene, and there's only one entrance. The mountains have granite cliffs that form dangerous drops in places, so you can't see anything from above. I have no intention of letting anyone see, either. So, if they're going to live in the same village anyway, I might as well get things set up in advance.

— Hmm… It looks difficult to change your junior's mind through ordinary means.

"……It seems that way……."

Under hypnosis, they answer questions without resistance, easily revealing their true feelings.

— Then what should we do?

"……I don't… know……."

Their answers were similar. I had built the setup to make them respond that way. This place holds their lifelong dream and romance. The thought of that dream collapsing is something they can't even imagine—it's terrifying. In the midst of that, there's only one option left. One of them stays at our house to oversee the construction. I've already erased any questions about why one of them has to stay at our house through hypnosis.

— Ah~, then this would be good.

"……What……."

Whatever the principle, during the three minutes the suggestion is being implanted, my voice seems to carry absolute truth and trust, like words spoken by a god. The more layers I stack, the thicker that trust becomes.

— Your junior happens to be living alone right now……

I trailed off and watched their reactions. There wasn't much of one. They just stared blankly at the candle flame.

— Kim Ye-na, you'll become his wife.

"……Wife……me……?"

"Why… Ye-na……."

For the first time, they showed doubt under hypnosis. But I knew from experience that this doubt would disappear, just like before.

— You don't like it? Your dream, romance, and future will all come crashing down.

The value of the house, built up over two layers. The rural home tied to their first love and childhood friend since they were young had become a massive fate and destiny through me. So the backlash if it collapsed would be unimaginably strong.

"……Ah……."

Even in their unfocused state, their shoulders trembled. No need to beat around the bush here.

— There's only one option left. One of you stays at your junior's house to check the construction site every day. Is that correct?

"……Yes……."

— While staying at your junior's house, you'll repay him by acting as his wife.

"……I see……."

As expected. Easy. The hypnosis app might be cumbersome, but it wasn't difficult. Through questions and answers, I dragged their already waning resistance and sense of dissonance down into the abyss.

— Let me summarize.

"……Yes……."

— Kim Ye-na, while you're staying at your junior's house, you'll play the role of his wife. Is that correct?

"……That's… right……."

The twitching eyebrows softened again.

— This isn't strange at all. Choi Woo-hyun, do you think so too?

"……It's… for the dream……."

The fear of the dream collapsing. It seemed to have a considerable effect.

— Yes, I'm not asking you to become his real wife. Just act like one.

"……Act… like a wife……."

Plus, the word "act" greatly reduces the sense of dissonance. Still, even if it's just acting, a wife is still a wife. The corners of my eyes curved into crescents. These were people I had never met before. I had come to a place where I didn't know anyone, after all. But now I know them. That brought another wave of excitement and a sense of transgression.

I began the repeated suggestions in earnest.

— In exchange for staying at your junior's house, acting as his wife is a small price.

"……In exchange… for borrowing… the house……."

— For the sake of your dream, acting as a wife is a simple matter.

"……Acting as a wife… is simple……."

Acting as a wife, the role of a wife. I repeated it, only changing the order of the words. Since Senior Choi was here too, I had to convince him as well, so I chose reasonable suggestions.

— While staying at your junior's house, you can naturally take on the role of his wife.

"……Right……staying at the house……."

— Doing the role of a wife while staying there is a very fair compensation.

"……Fair… compensation……."

With this, Kim ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ye-na's role as a wife became a legitimate thing. Of course, what that role and acting actually entailed depended on me.

Whoosh!

"Time really flies, doesn't it?"

Ye-na smiled as she packed her suitcase. "It was something we talked about when we were kids, and now it's right around the corner."

"Yeah."

Seeing my wife and friend so excited made me feel good too.

"I'll stay at Do-yun's place and check everything thoroughly!"

"Got it. I'll come every weekend."

"Ehehe, don't enjoy yourself too much just because I'm gone, okay?"

"……I might feel a bit freer."

She burst out laughing at that, clutching her stomach for a while. Ye-na, who even laughs at jokes like this. She's such a positive girlfriend.

"But… will it be okay?"

I understood, but there was still one thing that worried me a little.

"Huh? What?"

"The wife role. Even if it's acting……"

Of course, I knew there was no other way.

"Ugh! What are you worried about? It's just a one-room rental apartment. Cleaning and laundry are enough~. I'll cook too."

It was what Ye-na was already doing now.

"You'll be sleeping together too. Will that be okay?"

"Pfft, that's what you're worried about?"

It was. We were a married couple. But the really fascinating thing was something else.

"Still, it came at a really cheap price."

"Yeah, I think so too."

Acting as a wife? Even if it's just acting? Logically, I knew it was strange. A married woman acting as a wife at another man's house, even if he was a junior. Anyone with basic common sense would find it odd.

"We have to do at least that much so Do-yun will help us."

And that it felt like a more appropriate and fair price than the monthly rent for staying at the junior's house.

"Besides, Do-yun has helped us so much, both materially and emotionally, until now."

My wife was right. From documents to introducing connections. It was all troublesome and complicated work. But Do-yun had done it without complaint.

"Honestly, if we weren't seniors from the same university, would Do-yun have done it?"

"Yeah… I guess not."

I couldn't argue with Ye-na's words. Because they were true.

"All things considered, acting as a wife is an incredibly cheap deal. It's because Do-yun is kind."

"I know."

Even so.

"What are you going to do about the sleeping arrangements?"

Since she's his wife, maybe she could do that too?

"Pfft."

Ye-na, who had been pressing down on the packed suitcase to close the zipper, burst out laughing.

"Yaa, of course I'll do it. She's his 'wife'~."

"That's true."

It was strange, but strangely, it didn't feel strange.

"And~, if it's not acting as a wife, there's no other way~. I really want to move into that house."

"Yeah, it's our dream."

The thought of not taking the perfectly fair and legitimate path to achieve our dream never occurred to us. It just felt natural.

"Alright. Be careful on your way."

"Yeah~! See you on the weekend!"

Ye-na, who had neatly packed even the interior design company contracts, stood up and hugged me tightly. The fresh fruit scent unique to Ye-na from her petite body.

"Then I'm off~. Don't play too many games just because I'm not here!"

"Got it~."

I felt a slight sense of dissonance, but that was as far as it went.

Beep-beep!

Just as naturally as the situation itself, the worry disappeared.

"Freedom~."

Stretching my arms, I grabbed a beer straight from the fridge and lay down on the sofa.

"Maybe I should order delivery for once."

Everything happening now felt so natural that there was no point in worrying. Besides, I'd known Ye-na's personality well enough after living together for so long. So I should enjoy this short period of freedom. Once we move into the remodeled house, we'd have to be stuck together for the rest of our lives.

"Is this the place?"

I looked up at the apartment I had arrived at. An ordinary rental housing complex you could find anywhere. The kind any young person could apply for and move into immediately if they met the conditions. The rent was cheap too. Ye-na and I had started out in a rental when we first began.

Memories of the past came flooding back, and I started humming without realizing it, feeling good from the spring breeze and nostalgia.

"Do-yun~. Senior's here~."

It's just a role, so he probably wouldn't do that. Woo-hyun would think we'd even have sex, but no way~.

"Ah, you're here?"

Messy hair and a face that looked like he had just woken up.

"Your wife is here~."

"Come on, Senior."

"While I'm staying here, I'm not your senior, I'm your wife!"

When I said it boldly, he made a dumbfounded face. From what I could see, Do-yun was the type who lacked a bit of boldness and was polite to seniors and adults. So I should make him feel comfortable, right?

"……It's just acting."

"Ehei~. Saying that makes me sad~."

I naturally entered the house and set down my suitcase.

"How does it feel, husband? Welcoming your wife."

"……I only let you in because you two seemed so desperate……."

Then he added, "Please stay comfortably while you're here."

"Ye-na Senior, you can use the bed here."

"Yeah~. Yaa, then I'd feel bad. You've helped us so much~."

"It's fine. Just buy me something delicious later."

We'd already been buying him things whenever we met…. But that's what emotional debt is like. It keeps making me feel sorry. And grateful.

"Hey-."

"Senior, right. You need to see this. The details are important."

The words I was about to say were cut off.

"What is it?"

Do-yun yawned loudly and picked up the phone lying on the bed.

Whoosh!

"What is it?"

"Just look at it for three seconds. I'm your wife, after all."

"Pfft. Sure."

Asking his wife to look at his phone. This guy really has character. Still, I obediently stared at the phone.

One second. Splash-!

Two seconds. It felt like I was sinking into the deep sea.

Three seconds. But the water wrapped around me so warmly. So much that I didn't want to think.

— You will immerse yourself in acting as a wife.

"……Immerse……."

Ah. That voice again. My head was ringing. It felt like it was piercing straight through my head and resonating in my brain. But it wasn't bad. Rather, it felt like receiving a languid massage.

— You will immerse yourself in the role of a wife.

"……Immerse… in the role of a wife……."

The voice kept repeating. The role of a wife. Acting as a wife. Role and acting. What's the difference? Ah. I don't want to think. If I just do as I'm told, everything will be fine. Only optimistic thoughts came flooding in like the tide.

— You will become sincere about the role of a wife.

"……Become… sincere……."

— You will immerse yourself in acting as a wife.

"……Immerse… in acting as a wife……."

Immerse. Sincere. That I'd become like that? Of course. If I didn't pay this price, my dream, romance, and future would collapse?

"I… will……."

I said it with determination. It felt like an eternity. Like the long time from birth to death, the voice kept repeating only that.

— You will immerse yourself in the role of a wife.

Even though it felt like repeating the same words for a very long time, it wasn't boring at all. Like a monk chanting scriptures, it felt like a natural duty.

Whoosh!

There's a big difference between doing something and becoming something. Doing can be controlled, but becoming cannot. As time passes, Senior Ye-na will inevitably become sincere about the role of a wife. What ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠should I do? It's already insanely fun. The couple that was the ideal for all singles at school is now being controlled by me. It gives me an unbelievable sense of exhilaration.

"Senior."

"Huh? Why, husband."

"……Don't call me husband. Senior Choi would feel hurt if he heard."

I denied it as much as possible, teasing her because I knew the answer. The play setup was still updating, so she wasn't truly sincere about the role yet.

"Pffft! Woo-hyun is so narrow-minded~. Then what should we do first?"

There was still a playful look on her face.

"Cleaning? Laundry? Cooking? What should I do first? Or how about starting with being your school senior?"

Senior Ye-na, wearing a light blue shirt and jeans, struck a seductive pose. Honestly, I wanted to pounce on her right away. As a man, new women are always tempting. But I had to take it slow.

"……Senior, stop joking."

"Pahah! Boring~. So that's why you don't have a girlfriend?"

"Why do you have to poke at my sore spot?"

"Should Senior introduce you to someone?"

Since it was still just acting a role, there was still a line between wife and senior.

"Then Do-yun~, let's go grocery shopping~. Senior will buy it for you. Ah, wife will buy it. Let's go~!"

Above all, she was so bright and full of aegyo. The first day was quite busy.

"……Senior, are you an E?"

"No? I'm an I."

"Liar."

"Yeah, it was a lie."

She jokes every time she breathes. Hmm. Just thinking about playing with her from now on makes it so fun.

The next day came.

It was done.

"Haaam."

I got up, yawning loudly. Last night, after putting the joking senior on the bed, I had slept on the floor. I glanced over and saw Senior Ye-na sleeping spread-eagled, completely unaware of the world. She was showing the peak of defenselessness. Her short-sleeved T-shirt had ridden up over her stomach, and Kim Ye-na was sleeping soundly with her legs spread wide. If she were my girlfriend, it would have been an incredibly cute scene.

Shhhhh-!

While showering, I laughed at everything that had happened since winter. In just a few months, how many women had I become deeply involved with? It was something I could never have imagined before.

"Mmm. You're up?"

"Yeah, I have to go to work."

"Ugh…, make me breakfast?"

"It's fine, go back to sleep."

Then she immediately fell back asleep. If she was going to do that, why did she ask? I went to work like that.

"Good morning."

"Ah, yes. Mr. Maeng. Good morning~."

When I bowed in greeting, Lee Yoo-na smiled and bowed back cheerfully. Once you fall, even these work relationships feel arousing. I'm screwed. I've clearly fallen. Why? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Lately, whenever I see a woman, I think about hypnotizing her? This is what falling is. In the past, even if I saw a pretty person, I'd think, "Whatever, it's annoying, I'm tired, it won't work." The same defeatist laziness had been rampant, but not anymore.

The office was quiet. Tap- tap-tap- The sound of keyboards and civil complaint calls. This desolate space was indeed my usual workspace. I like these moments of working quietly. No stress at all. No fun either, but no stress either. The life I dream of.

Fifteen minutes before quitting time, people started getting ready to go home one by one. I did the same, going to the bathroom even though I didn't need to, smoking a cigarette, and then heading home.

"Ah~, what a satisfying day."

If only there were days like this where I just work quietly. Beep-beep. When I entered the password and opened the door, the savory smell of rice wafted out. Senior Kim Ye-na, wearing comfortable clothes with an apron over them and her hair tied up in a ponytail, was there.

"Huh? Husband! You're home?"

The senior who had been boiling soup looked at me and her eyes curved into big crescents as she smiled brightly.