Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Bridge First Loading
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I sat at the office desk and ran my hand over the leather cover.
"Still getting dust off this thing."
I looked around for something to dust it with, then found some wet wipes and cleaned it thoroughly.
Satisfied with the job, I used the desk fan to dry off the moisture before opening the first page.
The first page I hadn't really looked at earlier amid the quick skim.
[Name: ]
[Signature: ]
I had no idea why there was a signature line, but with nothing else to do, I grabbed a pen and filled in my name.
[Name: Nam Siu]
I pulled a stamp out of the drawer next, pressed it firmly into the ink pad, and stamped it perfectly below.
"There we go."
The notebook was pretty thick, so it seemed like it'd last a good while if we only used it at Neulsom Studio.
Scratch, scratch.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of something—not me—writing in it.
"Huh? What the...?"
I narrowed my eyes and stared. Right below my name and stamp, new letters were appearing on their own.
[Immersion: 0%]
[Discomfort: 0%]
The blank Scenario Book now had letters etched into it like they'd been handwritten by a person.
Was I seeing things? I rubbed my eyes with my hand, but what I'd just seen was real, not a trick of the light.
"......"
I stumbled awkwardly to my feet and glanced at U Dayoung, who had just come back from splashing water on her face because it was so hot.
"......?"
She tilted her head at my stare.
I just shook my head. Who would believe me if I tried explaining this? Some crazy person, that's who.
Especially since it was such a lame lie.
Letters writing themselves? Immersion and discomfort, no less?
It was too absurd to even describe.
If it'd been some creepy horror story or blood-red text, I could've at least played it up for scares.
"What? Why're you shaking your head at me? I'm gonna die, seriously."
"Not because of that."
She approached, rubbing lotion into her face, and took interest in the notebook in my hand.
"This the one you bought earlier? Lemme see."
She snatched it up and smirked at the writing on the first page.
"What, you already wrote your name?"
"Yeah? Nothing else to do, so I did."
Strangely, she didn't ask about the stamp or the other writing below it.
Rustle.
She flipped to the next page and bumped my shoulder with her hip as I sat there.
"Check this out. Pretty great for 2,000 won, huh?"
"......?"
A new set of fields had appeared where there'd only been blank pages before.
[#1 Scenario]
[Synopsis]
[: ]
A proper blank field for writing scenarios had materialized out of nowhere.
"It was an old book, right? Ah, I should've bought it. Looks so pretty up close~."
"Y-yeah. Slurp."
I swallowed hard and set the notebook down after taking it back.
Meanwhile, she leaned on the partition with her arm, towel draped over her shoulder, and asked,
"So, what're we gonna write for our first content?"
I chuckled at her question, picked up the pen again, and said,
"Hmm, yeah. What sounds good? Got anything fun?"
"You're a perv, so write something pervy. We can tease Woohyun with it later."
"Ugh... "
I pretended to swing at her, but she didn't even flinch.
It only made me want to mess with her more, so I started scribbling a scenario quickly.
"You said you'd show Woohyun, right? Gotta make it you and me as lovers then. Whaddya think?"
"Eww, gross~. Bleh~."
"Hey, no, the more you react like that, the funnier it gets."
Her hilarious reactions got me pumped, and I dove into writing the story.
"Oh, yeah, this is gold. You and me as lovers on a full-day date. Holding hands tight. Show this to Woohyun and he'll lose it laughing."
"Eww, no. Don't write that. Ah, now I'm picturing it. Ugh, hate it."
U Dayoung made a face like she'd seen a cockroach.
"Really? I think it's hilarious."
It started as a joke, but soon she was laughing along too.
"So, what would you wanna do if we were dating?"
"Hm, first off, stare straight through those big tits of yours."
"You're disgusting. Total perv~! Woohyun sees this, he's gonna flip. Erase it now."
She grabbed my hair and yanked hard.
"Hey, I just got this perm! What're you doing~?!"
"Who told you to write this crap?"
By the time we were done bickering, a super basic scenario was finished.
Thanks to her interference, I had to wrap it up roughly and close the notebook.
"Gimme that~! Woohyun sees this, he's gonna say something~!"
"No way. Ack!"
She swung her arm wide at me, but I'd already backed away out of reach.
Just the two of us in this big office made dodging easy.
She finally gave up, panting as she hung the towel back around her neck.
"Ugh, whatever. Too hot."
"Hoo. Me too. When's the AC coming?"
"Right?! We ordered it, but no idea when it'll show."
The heat made us forget about the notebook, and things went back to normal.
Thud.
I tossed the notebook on the desk and flung all the windows wide open.
Still only on the second floor, so a decent breeze came through—enough to tough it out.
"No fans is brutal~."
As U Dayoung said, aside from our personal handheld and desk fans, we had zilch for cooling.
"Hey, Dayoung."
"......What."
"Lemme see your hand. Looks like something's on it?"
I said it dead serious, and she held up her hand.
It was soaked under the arms from sweat.
"Ahh~!"
She glared at me once she caught on.
"One bowl of instant rice as payback?"
"Seriously~. Gross~."
She called it gross, but we'd been dropping lines like this shamelessly since college, so it was just reflex.
"Back to work~. Editing's due today."
"Ugh~, don't wanna work."
We forgot about the scenario in the notebook and focused on work until quitting time rolled around.
Ding-a-ling.
The office door opened, and Kim Woohyun walked in.
Meeting vendors meant he'd waxed his hair back neatly, but his face looked beat.
"You're back."
He barely managed a weak wave in response.
"Babe's home?"
U Dayoung went over and wiped the sweat from his face with her towel.
"You worked hard~ Hee hee."
"Ooh~, so cringey~. Ooh~."
I teased them as I watched, and she just flipped me off.
Woohyun smirked at that and said,
"You finish editing the streamer's stuff?"
Work first, as always with him.
"All done and sent."
"Phew~, thanks. Appreciate it, Siu."
"Ooh~, so embarrassing~."
I teased him like Dayoung, but he just smiled softly and headed to his seat.
"Everyone worked hard today. Let's call it quits. I'm wiped—can't do more."
"You had a tough one, babe? Let's go."
Before leaving, I closed the office windows. The sun was still up in the sky.
"Siu, we're heading out first."
"Yeah, be out soon."
I grabbed the Scenario Book before going.
Home.
Back home, I showered quick, ordered some delivery, and flopped onto the bed to pull out the Scenario Book.
"What kinda content would make waves if I nail it?"
I opened to the first page, saw the scenario I'd jotted down earlier, and chuckled while flipping ahead.
That's when I spotted text in the center top.
[Loading: 80%]
I wouldn't figure out what "loading" meant until I got to work the next day.