First Flag (Part 3)
“You were staring right through me earlier. Don't tell me you've got a crush on me?”
“No.”
“Getting all serious. I was just messing with you.”
Lee Yuyeong grinned mischievously and stuck out her hand.
“I'm Lee Yuyeong. Let's get along from now on.”
Please, just don't say that.
Lee Yuyeong was a cute girl with shoulder-length black bob hair, big black eyes to match, and a youthful, cat-like face overall.
“...”
“Aw, you don't like that? Or maybe you're not satisfied with just being friends.”
“No, let's get along.”
I had to say it for politeness' sake. Though I had zero intention of actually getting close.
Just keep giving curt replies from now on, don't start conversations, keep my distance, and she'll back off on her own.
“Kim Taeyang, right?”
“Yeah.”
“So, what's your hobby?”
“Hobby? Uh...”
The trigger for Kim Taeyang and Lee Yuyeong getting close in the game was 'soccer.' She'd recommend he join the soccer club where she worked as the manager for club activities.
Of course, I like soccer too. But if I said that honestly, it'd be poison for sure. Plus, with everything going on with my sister, I couldn't afford to pour time into club activities anyway.
So, what hobby could I pick that had nothing to do with Lee Yuyeong? I didn't have much info on her since I never saw her route, so I was going purely off guesses, narrowing it down to options that seemed least likely to connect with her.
A few came up, but I had to throw one out there.
“I like anime. Japanese anime.”
“Huh?”
Jackpot. She looked thrown off. I tossed it out figuring the setting docs wouldn't mention it so she'd have no interest, and it worked.
“You watch anime too?”
I flashed a confident victory smile and asked casually.
“Yeah.”
“What?”
“I watch it too. Japanese anime.”
“......”
Well, sure. In this world, there'd be popular stuff like Shonen Jump manga and anime. And probably soccer-themed anime too.
So I needed to name a genre she wouldn't touch.
What anime even existed in this world? Truth be told, I'd never cared about this stuff until yesterday. I'd barely watched any comics my whole life. From kindergarten on, I was too busy running around outside to watch TV.
My previous life's tastes were worlds apart, so no titles came to mind.
As I sat there blanking out, Lee Yuyeong jumped in first.
“I watch all genres. Oh, have you seen the recent one, Magical Girl Ayane Ayase?”
“What's that?”
You fucking devs!! There's no such setting!!!
Whoa, calm down. Think positive. This wasn't in the Love Chain setting docs from my previous life either. Maybe this proved it was a different world from the game.
I cautiously asked the excited, anime-rambling Lee Yuyeong,
“By the way, you don't like soccer, right?”
Her eyes went wide in admiration as she answered.
“How'd you know? I do like it, and I'm the soccer club manager too.”
“Oh yeah?”
So the game settings were intact after all.
“Hmm~ How'd you guess? Are you stalking me or something?”
“Just noticed the mascot on your phone strap, that's all.”
I answered without thinking, not wanting weird suspicions.
Her phone on the desk had the local soccer team's mascot dangling from it.
“Didn't expect you to recognize the mascot. You like soccer too?”
“No, absolutely not.”
“But no one who isn't a real soccer fan would recognize a team mascot.”
Oh crap! My casual check question had backfired.
Lee Yuyeong beamed, totally convinced now.
“Hehe~ I see. You like anime and soccer~”
She nodded happily, humming through her nose.
Quit jumping to your own conclusions!
“I don't like it.”
“Why get all shy? You admitted to watching anime. You're such a himono, though.”
“What's that? Himono?”
“I hide watching anime from my friends. I'm jealous you can say it so openly.”
“Why hide it?”
“Well... it's kinda embarrassing, but my friends aren't into this stuff. And at school, I don't have that image.”
Just like what you like. What's with the image obsession?
At least in this life, Kim Taeyang's values were straightforward: Like what you like, no apologies. So even without watching anime myself, I had zero prejudice or interest in so-called otakus.
My previous self had been a total otaku, after all.
“Hehe, I'm thrilled to have a friend to chat anime with.”
So stop smiling so pretty like your affinity just shot up! In game terms, this is CG territory—collectible illustration material, main banner on the company site, perfect heroine smile.
True heroine material. The problem was heroines turning yandere.
Was this how Kim Taeyang's first flag got raised...?
No, not yet. Survival meant doing what it took. I confessed in a pretty serious tone.
“Sorry. Truth is, I don't really...”
“What are you two whispering about?”
The teacher's voice from the front made me turn. Homeroom wasn't over, and the class was staring at us.
“Romance on your first day as a transfer?”
“Ooooh~!!!”
Damn it... Cheers erupted from the other students. They were already spouting crap like 'congrats.'
Congrats my ass!? Don't celebrate on your own!
Heat rushed to my face as I denied it.
Deny hard from the start or rumors would spread.
“No, it's not like that!!”
“You're overreacting to a joke, aren't you?”
Crap, the homeroom teacher was grinning, enjoying it. His words thickened the suspicion, and the kids' whispers piled on the embarrassment.
Hey, you guys! Put yourselves in my shoes!
Looked like denial wasn't happening.
“Yuyeong's face is red too~?”
Some girl pointed it out, and eyes turned to Yuyeong.
Hey, why's your face red!? In the game, she'd laugh it off cheerfully when teased about dating Taeyang and fire back playfully.
But unlike the game, Lee Yuyeong's ears turned pink as she hung her head, saying nothing.
What the hell kind of worldview is this?
What do you do if you meet a yandere in real life?
Right answer: run.
Yandere stuff's fun in fiction, but in reality, it's deadly—who knows what harm you'd suffer. In Love Chain, side characters even got killed just for being around.
Sending them to a psych ward was another option, but I wasn't mentally tough enough to try talking one down.
No matter how I thought about it, running was best.
“Wanna eat lunch together?”
“Stomach's not feeling great.”
“Oh? Want me to take you to the nurse?”
“Nah, I can go alone. See ya.”
“Taeyang, wait! ...”
I ditched at lunch with a bad stomach excuse.
“Hey Taeyang. So you...”
“Guys, what's that? Let me in.”
During breaks, when she'd try talking, I'd insert myself into groups of only guys.
“You into clubs or anything? Wanna check out our soccer team if you're free?”
“Sorry, not interested. Gotta head home.”
After school, I decided on quick retreats home.
Do this for a while, and she'd stop approaching.
“See ya.”
I'd committed to it for the time being and was heading home when—
“Hey...”
A voice called from behind as I walked away. I considered ignoring it, but couldn't.
It was a deflated, sniffling tone. On the verge of tears. Startled, I turned.
“Huh?”
“...Taeyang.”
Lee Yuyeong called my name, head bowed, voice trembling.
“Are you... avoiding me on purpose?”
“Uh, that's...”
“Is there something about me you don't like?”
Did I overdo it? From her perspective, without knowing my side, it'd feel like one-sided rejection. Revisiting my actions today, guilt hit.
Yeah, I'd dodged her pretty harshly.
But it was fear of her turning yandere, not that I disliked her.
“You hate me?”
She looked up at me with wet eyes. The sight stabbed my guilt deeper.
Thinking about it, Lee Yuyeong was still an innocent girl. Probably just excited to have someone to share her secret hobby with.
And I'd coldly brushed her off and ignored her.
To a pure girl who wasn't yandere or murderer yet, I'd been too harsh.
“I don't hate you.”
“What?”
I shook my head firmly.
Yeah, casual classmates were fine. The game had them getting close through the soccer club anyway. Chatting and hanging out occasionally in class wouldn't hurt. If yandere signs showed, I could distance naturally then.
“Then why keep avoiding me?”
Lee Yuyeong frowned as she asked.
“Just shy around people.”
“You talked fine with the other kids today. Even the girl class president.”
“.....”
“So what is it? Why only avoid me?”
Damn, no comeback. Couldn't tell the truth.
Panicking, I scrambled for an excuse.
“Say something!”
“You're too pretty.”
“Huh?”
Screw it. That should cover it decently.
“You're so pretty it makes approaching you intimidating.”
Her already big eyes widened further as her mouth fell open, speechless.
“That answer your question? So don't make that sad face. Makes me feel bad.”
“......”
“I do have stuff at home. Heading out first.”
I bolted after that.
Haa~ Hopefully no weird variables from this.
Nothing much happened today, but I'm already wiped. Blocked my sister's first flag, but Kim Taeyang's? Unclear. Whether I'd get closer to Lee Yuyeong or run into Choi Seonwoo at the same high school—who knew? Too many variables.
Anyway, not the priority. What mattered was how Kim Hayan and Choi Seonwoo's first meeting went on my first day.
I got home from school, and sis came back soon after. We washed up, ate the dinner she made, and swapped stories about our first transfer days.
Hayan said she was in the same class as Min Iri. Game knowledge, nothing new.
The change: Min Iri had guided and helped her all day. Normally, Seonwoo would've done that.
Flag definitely shattered.
“How was yours, Taeyang?”
“Eh, whatever.”
“Make any friends?”
“Kinda.”
My school life wasn't my focus right now. Sis seemed pretty invested, though.
“Clubs? Soccer team like always?”
She asked like it was obvious.
“Nah, not doing soccer this year.”
“Why?”
“Just taking a break from clubs.”
“Something happen at school?”
Sis asked worriedly at my unexpected choice.
“Like scary delinquents all in the soccer club or whatever.”
“What?”
If anything, Kim Taeyang was the scary one—kids feared him from high school entry. Even in middle school, no one messed with him lightly.
“Just wanna head home quick for a bit. You?”
“Not into clubs either.”
“Any new friends besides Min Iri?”
I lightly shifted to her school life.
“Oh, got close to a guy.”
“.........”
No way, right? Please say no.
“Remember when you whined for me to walk to school with you this morning?”
“I didn't whine.”
“Sure~ Anyway, a guy from her class happened by.”
If you're passing by, just pass. What happened?
“He asked what was up, so I told him.”
“Why tell him!?”
I snapped irritably. More annoyed that Seonwoo asked than her telling.
“Haha, sorry. But since it was your first day, I just said I was showing my lost little bro the way.”
Her follow-up hit my head hard.
“He said what a sweet sister, and we should get along from now on. Swapped numbers, chatted a bit.”
Fuck! Choi Seonwoo, you bastard!!! I smashed that first flag, and you glue it back together!!! You tenacious fuck!!!!
I couldn't hold back the burning rage, gripping my chopsticks tight.
“What? Jealous?”
Sis teased with a laugh, but it didn't register. Kim Hayan's first flag had been forcibly resurrected.