The World Is Still a Warm Place! (3)
Did she hear? What if she did?
I checked Yuli's condition, but all I saw was her worrying about me.
"Are you really okay!? You were screaming earlier!"
"I just got startled."
"You're really fine, right?"
"Yeah, no problem at all."
Yuli let out a sigh of relief.
Hmm... She didn't seem scared of me, nor did she look like she'd been tricked.
"I didn't hear a word of your call since I just got here, so don't worry."
"Okay. Got it."
"Shall we head back to our seats?"
Eyes were gathering around us. We really were great at drawing attention in all sorts of ways. YuriMental and Friday Angel—ironically, both hated the spotlight.
Yuli pondered as if answering me was more important than the stares, then spoke.
"I'll think about counseling."
"Good choice."
"But..."
She hesitated, then forced the words out with difficulty.
"I don't have the confidence to keep getting along with those girls. Some of them are nice, and I'm grateful for that, but..."
"Because of the scary ones?"
Yuli nodded glumly, her head barely moving.
Since the topic came up, I should probe again to make sure she really didn't overhear the call.
"What makes that scary kid so frightening?"
"Well... I don't know much. I only saw her face for the first time on the school trip."
"Then why's she scary?"
"She just seems intimidating..."
Was I intimidating? Judging by how the noonas around me treated me, not at all. Far from fearing me, they swarmed and teased nonstop. Plus, thanks to Hayan noona's early "education," I couldn't bring myself to act tough around older girls. Of course, with my past-life memories back, I'd resolved to be firm when needed.
"And... she acts cold and indifferent even to the girls who like her... Her attitude feels arrogant."
"I see."
I hadn't expected that kind of behind-my-back review. Still, it actually put my mind at ease and made me glad. With Yuli's personality, she wouldn't say this to my face. If she was pretending not to know on purpose, it'd show—but there wasn't a hint of that as she rattled off her complaints.
"And... keep this a secret, okay?"
"I don't even know who you're talking about."
True, it was me, but I promised secrecy to keep her talking.
"On the school trip, I accidentally saw her on the phone at night."
Was she talking about when I pretended to chase off those girls trash-talking her?
"She was like, grabbing anyone and beating them up, and it looked like she smokes too."
"Sounds scary for sure. You'd be in big trouble if she targeted you."
"Right!? I'd be done for if she picked on me!"
And yet the girl who shouldn't get targeted was spilling all this to a stranger. I needed to shut this down properly before it escalated.
"For now, maybe hold back on venting to people who know her."
"Of course! Getting hit scares me!"
Anyway, conclusion: Kim Taeyang was safe from Yuli.
"So you want to cut ties with everyone because of her?"
"Yeah. The others seem to pity me too... But she was nice to me yesterday..."
Probably the bathroom incident where I cleaned up her vomit and checked on her—that must've touched her. Seong Juyeon was a tsundere in the game who acted cold to Yuli until reluctantly warming up.
Yuli said even if she cut ties, she'd apologize and show gratitude first.
"Hmm... You said your dongsaeng is still in middle school, right?"
"Yes."
"So no issues hanging out with others at school."
I'd be at the same school next year, but unless it was club activities, we'd rarely cross paths with underclassmen.
"Did she threaten you not to hang out with her noona or friends at all?"
I asked worriedly, but underneath, I was reminding her: 'Didn't I tell you to just get along last time?'
"She says not to worry, that she's different from her noona and friends, and to get along... But her glares scare me sometimes, and we run into each other a lot... I never know when she'll snap and hit me out of frustration."
"Then just getting along should be fine. No reason for her to bully her noona's friends."
"But if we fight over something trivial and it turns into bullying, then obviously..."
How far did her imagination go? She thought if Hayan's group bullied her, I'd join in too. With those noonas' personalities, they'd bully me before maliciously targeting someone else.
"It won't happen. They approached you first, so they're good people."
"......"
"Trust me just this once—why not try hanging out again?"
If I didn't know the game, where Yuli and the heroines end up getting along, I wouldn't say this. But knowing that, I could speak confidently. Though midway through, Choi Seonwoo would stir trouble... I'd just block that.
"Phew~ Okay. If Friday Angel insists, I'll give it another shot."
Yuli nodded with a bright smile. Accepting so readily meant she'd opened up to Friday Angel quite a bit.
"So someday... let me hear your real voice, Friday Angel."
"Huh?"
Did she catch the voice modulator?
"At first I wasn't sure, but when you screamed earlier, I heard this weird mechanical glitch."
"Oh, that..."
I stared at Yuli, scrambling for excuses.
"It's all to overcome your social anxiety, right?"
Luckily, she interpreted it herself—no excuse needed.
"Busted, haha! Well, my real voice is even clearer and cuter anyway."
"Yeah, I'd love to hear it someday."
"Sure. It'll get better eventually. For you too, YuriMental."
Yuli nodded, her tone quite serious.
"Yeah, once we're both better soon, I'll get to see the real Friday Angel."
Chills ran down my spine, but I nodded coolly. Of course, that day would never come.
I'd said everything I needed to. Time to end this first and last meeting with YuriMental.
"What time is it now?"
"Five."
"Whoa, gotta head home soon. Got some stuff to do."
"Huh?"
Yuli reached out regretfully.
"Um... wait a sec."
"Why?"
"Do you... really have to go?"
She looked so disappointed.
"We can chat the rest on SNS anyway."
Yuli bit her lip anxiously.
"At least your number!"
"Well..."
"Let's exchange numbers! Us!"
"...Haha! Next time! When we're both better."
I gently pried her hand off my arm, waved, and greeted her.
"Take care, YuriMental!!"
I bolted like I was fleeing, yelling,
"Taxi!!!"
Gotta hop in quick and get away before she chases.
"Haa~ Exhausted..."
Trudging home, my clothes were soaked in sweat. Those mascot gig workers must have it rough, working in that heat.
"I'm home~"
"Taeyang, where were you? Oh my, you're drenched in sweat."
"Just worked out a bit."
"In that outfit?"
I brushed it off to Mom and headed to my room, dumping my bag. Shower first.
After showering, I crashed straight into bed, the day's fatigue melting away. Falling asleep like this would feel amazing.
A knock jolted me from drowsiness.
"Taeyang."
It was noona. Oh right, I'd forgotten to text her. The call ended with my scream, and I'd silenced my phone—probably a ton of missed calls.
"Come in~"
First, ease noona's worries.
Noona strode in and immediately cupped my cheeks, inspecting me.
"Mmph... Sorry about earlier, noona."
"Nothing serious, right?"
"Nah, no big deal."
"Mom said you came home sweat-soaked."
Better be honest here.
"I was wearing a mascot head."
"What?"
"Friend roped me into a short gig."
Of course, mixed with a white lie.
"Handing out flyers and balloons, then some kid tried grabbing a whole bunch, so I yelled."
Lying without spitting felt thirsty.
"Sigh~ If it was just that, you should've told noona or Mom first!"
"Sorry."
"What're you doing with the money?"
"Dunno yet."
Finally, Hayan noona released my cheeks. I flopped back onto the bed.
"Seriously, sort your stuff before crashing, even if you're tired."
Noona picked up my shoulder bag from the corner.
"What's with all these papers..."
"Noona, I'll handle it."
The bag was open, everything visible inside. Feeling uneasy, I snatched it back.
"Hmm..."
"What?"
My reaction sparked suspicion; noona eyed me suspiciously, lips curved oddly.
"Did you buy some dirty magazine?"
"Yeah, I did. So noona, out you go."
"So mean~"
I pushed her back and shoved her out. She grinned at me, muttering about confiscating it, but backed off obediently.
"Sigh~ Gotta avoid misunderstanding pics."
I pulled out the guidebook, counseling center holder file, etc., from the bag and stuffed them somewhere random. Could pass them as flyers from passing by or the gig spot, but the counseling reservation handwritten application needed hiding.
Too nice of the counselor to feel bad tossing it right away, and I was curious how Yuli's sessions would go—would read it later.
"Burn the reservation form after a peek."
Shoved that somewhere hidden too, then back to bed. Just wanna lie down now.
"Gotta exercise more."
Haven't moved much lately, yet so tired.
Kim Hayan got pushed out of Kim Taeyang's room.
"Bold enough to quip back about buying a dirty magazine?"
She glanced back at his door and muttered to herself. Probably a joke, but he really seemed to be hiding something.
Hayan had teased him as usual with a smile, but actually, she'd glimpsed the contents by chance.
The 'Youth Counseling Center' guidebook and handwritten reservation form.
Maybe coincidence, but if Taeyangi was facing some issue...
What should she do as his noona? For now, Hayan thought it best to stay quiet.
If he wanted to hide it, it must be hard to tell family yet. Better to wait than push—that's what family does.
It worried her as his noona, but she'd hide it. Unless it looked really serious—then she'd step in.
"If it's tough, noona will help."
Hayan resolved to pay more attention to her little brother.