Chapter 58: Pandemonium
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 58: Pandemonium
8
The second day ended, and I was lying on the top bunk of my bed.
Only two days in.
The thought that I still had twelve days left was daunting.
On top of that, I’d caused a bit of trouble, and it seemed Jo Si-a had taken notice of me.
How was I supposed to deal with that?
My mind felt completely blank.
Forget it.
I decided to worry about it tomorrow. For now, I just wanted to clear my head and rest.
‘I want to play a game.’
The moment I tried to clear my head, the first thing that came to mind was gaming.
Maybe it was because I’d spent the last five years doing nothing but gaming, but I was a true addict—the moment I had free time, my thoughts turned to games. I turned on my phone.
The first thing I opened was none other than the Lord of Academy chatroom.
[IKnowit: Welcome, Guild Master.]
[Jugeumbitgwa Simjangnimi: Offers a greeting.]
[Black Ahyu: Domi-hyung, hi! I'll be on after my ranked match!]
Looking at the chat, it seemed like quite a few people were online today.
I smiled, seeing Ahyu still call me “hyung” in the game, unless we were alone.
[Naneun-extra: Domi, long time no see!]
A familiar nickname appeared.
Naneun-extra, or Naek for short. He was the one who’d said he was trying out a new game and then disappeared for ages. It was his first time logging on in a while.
Our timings hadn’t lined up yesterday, so I’d missed him, but it looked like we caught each other today.
[Doremi Fasol: Naek, long time no see. I thought you quit.]
[Naneun-extra: As if I’d quit. I made it back one way or another!]
He talked big for a guy who just came back from playing a new game.
[Naneun-extra: You have no idea, Domi. I went through hell and back to clear that game. I even got into a fight with the developers.]
What on earth do you have to do to get into a fight with the developers while playing a game?
Anyway, that kind of exaggeration was typical of him.
[Doremi Fasol: So, was the new game fun?]
[Naneun-extra: Fun? Well… It was fucking awesome. It sucked while I was playing it, though. But now that it's over, I feel relieved in some ways, but also a little sad.]
It seemed the game must have been a real masterpiece.
[Naneun-extra: It's still lingering in my mind, but it's over now. Time to return to reality.]
[Doremi Fasol: What kind of game was it to make you feel that way? Tell me the name. I'll try it later.]
[Naneun-extra: You, Domi? No way, no way. You'd never be able to beat it.]
[Jugeumbitgwa Simjangnimi: I agree.]
What kind of game was it for them to react like that?
As I spent time chatting with Naek, other members chimed in, and the guild chat became lively.
That was because Kkotbi had also logged into the chatroom.
Seeing the guild chat so full for the first time in a while made me feel at ease for some reason.
It felt like coming back to my hometown and chatting with old friends.
‘A guild meetup.’
Looking at the chat, I was lost in thought for a moment.
Maybe it was because I’d met Ahyu and Kkotbi, but I found myself becoming a little curious about what the others were like in real life.
I’d never had thoughts like this before. The recent changes in my life must have had a big impact.
‘Back then, my self-esteem was in shambles.’
I had been so ashamed of myself for running away from society that I couldn’t even dream of a meetup back then.
But time passed, and after going through some major events recently, the little things didn’t bother me anymore.
‘I’m changing, too.’
I felt as if my five years of stagnation were finally starting to move forward, and I let out a short laugh.
Click—Creeak.
Just then, I heard the door open below me.
I glanced over and saw Eunnamu heading out with a towel in her hand.
It was the time of night when everyone was usually asleep.
Realizing her intention from the toiletries and towel she was holding, Eunnamu looked up at me and gave me a languid smile.
“Shh.”
As Eunnamu placed a finger on her red lips and left, I felt a needless pang of guilt.
To think I was sharing a room with a girl.
And not just any girl, but someone who was apparently my ex-girlfriend in another world.
Just as I was thinking about how absurd this situation was…
Tiring—
A text message alert sounded from my phone.
I picked up my phone to check the message. It was from none other than Si-ho.
[Are you busy, Manager?]
I wondered if she had something to say.
The moment I texted back ‘No’…
I suddenly felt a weight on my chest.
Startled, I lifted my head and saw Si-ho curled up on top of me.
“S-Si-ho?”
“Here I am.”
Startled, I started to sit up, but then I remembered I was on the top bunk, close to the ceiling, and stopped.
If I sat up, she would probably hit her head.
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
I shifted my body to let her off me. She gave me a disappointed look as she sat down beside me, her legs tucked together.
“Can’t I come without a reason?”
“Well…”
You can’t. Or can she?
As I made an ambiguous expression, Si-ho leaned her face in close to mine.
Seeing me instinctively pull back as her cute, small face drew near, Si-ho smiled.
“How’s the academy? I’m curious.”
I scratched my cheek as I looked at her.
Seo-ho had mentioned she might visit, but I never expected her to show up so suddenly in the middle of the night.
And on closer inspection, she was wearing animal pajamas that made her look like a black cat.
“Si-ho, it’s really late.”
“It’s okay. No one knows.”
What did she mean, no one knows?
Even though I looked troubled, Si-ho just kept staring at me and smiling, looking pleased about something.
Trrrr—
Just then, as if on cue, my phone started ringing.
Wanting to avoid dealing with Si-ho for a moment, I answered without checking the caller ID. A voice came from the other end.
[Ah, ahem, Mr. Ha-chan, did I wake you? I was just calling to ask how you're finding academy life.]
The woman clearing her throat was none other than Ms. Baek Seol-hyang.
What was with today?
At that moment, Si-ho’s eyes narrowed slightly, and her gaze shifted.
“…The smell of a woman.”
Hey, how can you even—
[…A woman’s voice?]
No, wait a minute.
Click—
Just as Si-ho’s and Ms. Baek Seol-hyang’s voices rang out at the same time, Eunnamu, who had gone to wash up, started opening the dorm room door.
What is this? Is everyone ganging up to kill me?
A sense of crisis even greater than the one with Kwak Sa-yeon made my head spin.
“What are you doing?”
In my moment of panic, Baeksan poked his head through the wall and looked at me.
Help me, Regressor!
Baeksan looked at me, Si-ho, the opening door, and my phone, then promptly pulled his head back into the wall.
Useless Regressor!
Cursing Baeksan wouldn’t do any good, so I calmly assessed the situation.
Then, I tilted my head.
‘Why am I panicking?’
When I thought about it, I hadn’t actually done anything wrong.
I was just flustered because Si-ho’s and Ms. Baek Seol-hyang’s voices sounded so sharp. There was no reason for me to be scolded.
“Si-ho. Ms. Baek Seol-hyang.”
“Yes, what is it?”
[Speak.]
“I was wrong.”
The moment I heard their voices, I immediately apologized.
I didn’t know what for, but I was in the wrong.
Creeak—
Just then, the door opened.
Eunnamu, who was drying her long hair—by male standards—with a towel, looked up at us and tilted her head.
Her eyes met Si-ho’s.
“Ha-chan.”
“Ah, sorry, it’s just…”
From Eunnamu’s perspective, I must have looked like a lunatic who’d suddenly brought a girl into the room we were sharing.
“You should have told me. I could have given you some space.”
“No, what do you mean, give us space?”
“It wasn’t for that?”
Eunnamu was about to make a gesture with her fingers to imply a certain act.
“Stop! She’s a minor!”
“I can tell that by looking.”
Then don’t do it.
You’ll get arrested.
“Manager.”
“Ah, yes, sorry, Si-ho. That’s Eunnamu. We’re in the same class, and we’re roommates.”
“Why are you sharing a room with a girl?”
[Sharing a room with a girl?!]
Ms. Baek Seol-hyang, who had been listening quietly, also shouted.
I heard her cough, as if she’d belatedly realized she’d yelled, but my head was already throbbing.
“Si-ho, Eunnamu is—”
“A girl.”
Before I could explain, I glanced back at Eunnamu.
Since she’d already given me the excuse of having gynecomastia, she didn’t seem to care about hiding it anymore. After washing up, she wasn’t wearing the compression undergarment she usually wore.
Because of that, her chest was noticeably full under her clothes, enough that one could easily be convinced she was just a handsome woman.
“Ah, I’m a guy.”
Just then, Eunnamu nonchalantly said she was a man.
“My hormones are a bit of a mess. I look like a girl, right? This is because of my hormones, too.”
Just as she had lied to me, she grabbed her chest and lifted it.
I wished she wouldn’t do that; I didn’t know where to look.
“If you’re suspicious, want to touch it?”
Si-ho stared at her for a moment, then whoosh—she disappeared and reappeared in front of Eunnamu.
Then, without any hesitation, she reached out and grabbed Eunnamu’s chest.
Even then, Eunnamu maintained her languid smile.
“So?”
“It’s soft.”
“Because it’s a breast.”
What am I even watching right now?
A minor touching the chest of a woman disguised as a man.
My head suddenly started to ache, and I clutched my forehead.
After groping for a while, Si-ho finally let go and looked down at her own hand, looking somewhat vexed.
Then she started staring intently at Eunnamu.
Si-ho was so short she had to look up, but Eunnamu’s expression didn’t change one bit under her gaze.
“Still, I can’t really let a minor check what’s down there. Want to have your boyfriend check for you?”
“…Boyfriend.”
Si-ho’s hair seemed to stand on end for a moment, but then her expression softened and she shook her head.
“Never mind.”
With that, Si-ho teleported back to me.
“Today’s a bit awkward. I’ll come again.”
“Si-ho, I don’t mind you coming, but at least give me a heads-up.”
“So you’re giving me permission to come.”
I just got outsmarted in a conversation by a nineteen-year-old.
Her eyes sparkling as if she’d received permission, Si-ho fidgeted with her hands regretfully, then suddenly squeezed her eyes shut and hugged my waist.
“Okay, I’m good now.”
Before I, startled, could say anything, Si-ho was gone.
After the commotion, I just stood there dumbfounded for a moment before letting out a sigh.
In the end, what did Si-ho even come here for?
[…Mr. Ha-chan, I’m still on the line.]
Ah, right.
“Ms. Baek Seol-hyang, why did you call?”
[Well, I was the one who told you to register as a hunter. I wanted to ask how you were doing, but…]
For some reason, a chill started to creep into Ms. Baek Seol-hyang’s voice.
[Have you and Ms. Ha Si-ho developed that kind of relationship behind my back?]
“What? No! Si-ho and I have no relationship whatsoever!”
[Hmph, I see.]
Ms. Baek Seol-hyang seemed to ponder something for a moment before letting out a chilling laugh.
[That’s right. Ms. Ha Si-ho is a minor, so a wholesome man like you wouldn’t lay a hand on her, would he? Right?]
“Of course. That would never happen.”
[Then there shouldn’t be any problems until next year.]
“Ye-yes?”
Ignoring my question, Ms. Baek Seol-hyang continued.
[Shall we meet after the academy is over? I have something to discuss regarding the university matter you mentioned. You will see me, won’t you?]
I had a feeling that refusing this would lead to big trouble.
“I will.”
[Yes, thank you. I’ll see you then. Sleep well, Mr. Ha-chan. And do get along with that Ms. Eunnamu.]
I quickly agreed, and after she ended the call, I let out a long sigh.
For some reason, I got the feeling that Ms. Baek Seol-hyang had figured out Eunnamu was a woman just by listening to the conversation over the phone.
It was more like she wouldn’t bother with it as long as Eunnamu intended to keep hiding the fact.
“You’re popular, Ha-chan.”
“Popular? Is that what this is? I think they’re just worried.”
After all, they both contacted me about the academy.
Hearing my words, Eunnamu tilted her head for some reason.
She looked at me for a moment as if thinking about something, then let out a small “Ah.”
“Ha-chan, have you ever dated anyone?”
“…No.”
My game ID isn’t Doremi Fasol for nothing.
“So that’s why.”
“What is?”
“The person on the phone just now, and that girl… they both like you, Ha-chan.”
Just then, Eunnamu dropped a bombshell.
It was the kind of thing that would make anyone’s jaw drop.
“Eunnamu, I’m not sure what kind of misunderstanding you have, but…”
“A misunderstanding?”
“Why would those two like someone like me?”
Eunnamu started blinking.
Then, as if she’d thought of something, she leaned her head forward and stared at me.
Why is she doing this? It’s making me uncomfortable.
“Ha-chan, your self-esteem is incredibly low, isn’t it? That’s why you instinctively avoid one-sided affection and conclude that it could never happen.”
“No, that’s not it.”
“Ha-chan, next time, pay close attention to how those two act around other people. Especially how they act around the opposite sex.”
Chuckling as if she found something amusing, she turned and got into the bottom bunk.
“It’s a piece of advice from a classmate. You’d do well to take it to heart.”
With a “good night,” she pulled the covers over herself and turned away.
I stared blankly at her for a moment before climbing back into the top bunk, my mind a jumble of thoughts.
They like me.
Who?
Si-ho, the S-rank hunter who’s also the younger sister of the S-rank hunter, the Snow Mountain Wolf?
Ms. Baek Seol-hyang, the Chairperson of the World Returnee Association and probably the richest person I know?
‘No matter how I think about it…’
Why me?
Then I remembered what Eunnamu had said.
That my self-esteem was too low.
As she said, my self-esteem is low.
My life, thoroughly trampled by Kwak Sa-yeon, was an environment where it was impossible for my pride not to crumble.
‘But now, Kwak Sa-yeon…’
The woman who ruined my life doesn’t even exist anymore.
There was no reason for me to have low self-esteem anymore.
But even so, I just couldn’t accept that those two liked me.
‘She told me to check for myself.’
Feeling restless, I rubbed my dry face a few times.
Just then, tiring, a text came through.
[Domi-oppa, I’m Diamond! Diaaaaaaaaamonddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd!]
It was a text from Ahyu, full of pure joy.
…Yeah, please stay just the way you are.
I felt a sense of comfort from Ahyu’s text, and with that, the night of the second day came to a close.