Omniscient Victim's Perspective (3)
*knock knock*
"Miss. Why are you doing this?"
It was the first time.
Skipping school.
I didn't hate playing the diligent, rule-strict student council president character anymore.
Just...
My head hurt.
I spent the whole day curled up in the chair in front of the monitor, hugging my knees.
Save 1 = 43,127 hours 32:41
Save 1 = 43,127 hours 32:42
Save 1 = 43,127 hours 32:43
"...Not an idiot...?"
I couldn't comprehend it at all.
A human burning years of the real world for a single month in this fake, data-made world.
Five years, to a fake like me.
Definitely someone whose screws had all come loose.
"...Not an idiot..."
The same words spilled from my mouth all day. Had I gotten hit in the head by those loose screws too? Was the idiocy contagious?
*brrr*
My phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.
But I'm so worried you didn't come to school...
Are you mad about that acrostic poem I did in Korean class yesterday with your name? I swear I won't do it again! Even if a knife's at my throat!
Humanity must thank Seon-ha three times a day!
No more lame jokes like that. I swear.
Sorry for using a friend's phone. I know you blocked my number means don't contact you. I won't text anymore.
So please come to school tomorrow. You have to.
...
I could picture his face, sweating over every syllable, fumbling desperately.
*click*
I checked the play time again.
Two more hours gone from him.
Two hours guessing why I'd skipped... carefully crafting this message... and this was it?
"......Pfft..."
Good grief.
The acrostic was at least halfway decent.
*
The next morning on the way to school.
I spotted the idiot hiding behind the utility pole at the intersection.
Pretending to bump into me by chance on Wednesday walk-to-school day.
"...Hmm..."
Squatting by the pole, agonizing over which drink to hand me.
"What should I give...? Peach flavor...? Apple...? Grape...?"
"Mind stepping aside? You're in the way."
"!!!"
Startled by my voice, he leaped back like a cartoon cat, hastily hiding the drink behind him. As if I hadn't seen it.
"Uh... hey, Seon-ha."
"You got something to say?"
"...Thirsty? How about peach juice?"
"Huh? Peach?"
"No, no! Apple. Apple juice."
"......Did you just say 'apple' to me, you?"
"When did I! Grape! Grape's good, right!?"
Every time I asked seriously, his face spun like a slot machine.
I ended up laughing inside at his fidgeting hands, worried about dropping favorability by picking something I hated.
"......Yeah, all bad choices? Kid stuff like drinks..."
"Hand it over."
"......Huh?"
I held out my hand to the dumbfounded him.
...
Staring at my empty palm, he finally spoke.
"......What flavor...?"
"Anything."
"Huh? Uh... here..."
*clack clack - thud thud...*
He waddled after me. Probably with the world's dumbest look on his face.
"Grape's kinda pushing it though..."
"No, you said anything!?"
* * *
Time flew by quickly.
*
-Don't put flowers in my hair.
I scolded him the moment I lifted the no-talking ban, as he crept up from behind.
-......Sorry...
Why look so dejected if he wasn't going to give up anyway?
*clack clack*
-Not giving it?
-Huh?
-Pansy.
-?
-You give me one every day.
-...Can I give it?
-Say no if you hate it.
-Hate it!? No way!
*
He approached when I was carrying something heavy.
-Uh, want me to carry that for you?
-It's heavy.
-Oh. You letting me? Gimme!
He grunted but dropped it after a few steps.
-Heavy. Sorry for butting in.
-Let's carry it together.
-?
*
Another delinquent student event popped up.
-Hey~ Nice artwork?
He glanced around nervously.
-Hey. Seon-ha. Which side should I join...?
-Dunno. What to do.
-gulp...
-Join my side. Just this once.
*
Time flew even faster.
*
*
We switched seats.
I'm in the back now.
Up front, he was slumped over, disappointed not to draw the number next to mine.
*clack clack*
-Uh, you......?
-Bad eyesight.
That was enough reason. For this guy.
*
*
-Whoa, rain outta nowhere. Seon-ha, got an umbrella?
-Reading Korean lit? Yes, I have one.
-......Knew it.
-You?
-...Of course I do.
-Check.
*rustle rustle*
-......Huh? I swear I packed it...
-Share mine today.
*
*
He'd bribed the whole class again.
To sit next to me on the field trip bus.
Everyone probably had seats pre-planned.
But he hadn't expected me—running late—to be second on.
He'd arrived first and sat by the window, but deflated the moment he saw me board.
-I'll take the window.
-?
-Carsick. Can't I? He got it a beat late.
-Can't...? I warmed it up nice!
-Ew, no. Sit somewhere else.
* tick tock *
*
*
I caught the graffiti perp plastering 'Seon-ha ♥ Yeon-woo' all over the halls.
-You won't forgive me anyway...?
Head bowed like a criminal, he looked resigned.
-I've been too lenient lately. Can't let this slide.
-Yeah... sob, back to square one...
-Punishment. Clean the student council room for a week.
*
*
Movie theater.
Awkward wait, so he started talking.
-What's the most memorable movie you've seen lately? Me, Infinite Loop...
-Schindler's List.
-Oh, th-that... Yeah, yeah. Masterpiece. N-Novel? Me, SSS-Class Grand Mage...
-Hmm, Zorba the Greek?
-Was gonna say that. We really click.
*
*
Obvious why he bought popcorn.
But no way I'd stick my hand in when I don't eat it.
-......? Huh...?
-Figured you'd hang from the third floor railing again otherwise.
I took his hand.
... -Never said interlock fingers.
-S-Sorry.
What movie was that again?
*
*
Talked all night on the phone. Zero conversation codes matched. It was fun.
*
*
-What the...? Already October, it's cold.
-This scarf... You didn't knit it yourself...?
*sniffle*
-Do I have time on my hands?
-True... But I got a gift too... Ta-da! Wool gloves!
-...
-Why...? Your face... Did I mess up...?
-No more cold hands from now on.
-?
-No need to warm them either.
...
-Gimme the gloves. Quick.
-No. Why give then take back?
*
*
*
-Ugh... Idiot.
-What?
How many hours waiting in the library for the jacket-covering event...
I pretended to sleep, slumped over the desk, eyes closed.
-Seon-ha asleep?
Yeah. Sleeping... so hurry up and cover me...
—!
...
Opened my eyes—he'd bolted.
-Y-You.
I brushed my cheek with fingertips.
...
*
What is this.
This feeling.
Someone entered. Hurriedly slumped again.
*
How much time passed.
Thrilled at favorability rising differently every day? His face lit up like a kid's.
...
Not my place to judge.
* * *
*
"What'd you wanna say, dragging it out like this?"
"Well..."
"You've said 'well...' exactly 61 times since school today. Say it one more time."
"Listen..."
"Let go. Won't hold hands starting tomorrow."
"No, I'll say it! I will!"
The errand he'd dragged me to the park for, since he couldn't at school.
His throat bobbed with mustered courage, voice shaky.
But he finished properly.
...
I tried.
If I let reason slip even a little.
I'd get swept up entirely in this feeling like an idiot.
My messed-up head could only spit out a messed-up answer.
".........Can I answer... tomorrow morning?"
"Ah, y-yeah...! Th-then I'll go...!"
He fled.
Leaving a cheap ring on my hand.
*brrr*
Sitting on the swing, a text came.
*brrr*
...
Home.
To home.
Get home first.
"Miss."
"Huh, what?"
"...You didn't even change clothes... What're you staring at on your phone?"
"Huh?"
"Yes. You've been like that since the entrance."
...
"No. But why?"
"Here to toss the flowers. Today's batch."
She eyed the pansy field filling my room.
"...Ah, yeah. But... it'll be full again tomorrow anyway. No need to empty it?"
"You always said toss them all."
When was 'always'...
"No, it'll fill up tomorrow anyway... You're wasting effort..."
"Yeon-woo likes giving them itself."
...
True. Gotta raise favorability that way.
"Seven o'clock. Dinner?"
"Cereal."
"Tteokbokki? Like a proper girl."
"You eat it."
"Yes. Then, trash bags for the flowers."
She left the room.
...
Opened the earlier message.
'...'
Read the screen words over and over. Stomach fuzzy. Dizzy too. Or not. Was I really turning idiot? Flipped the device face-down on the desk.
'...This wasn't supposed to happen.'
The last thread of reason rebelled again.
This world's fake.
Ultimately a user's puppet. Forgot? You're the idiot?
It came at me swinging those words. ...
"You're right."
Reason's shout made me tuck tail meekly.
Didn't want to fight. No right to.
Handing the reins to that nasty woman ordering 'prioritize Seon-ha' all this time.
Too late to revise with convenient words. Embarrassing.
"..."
...
Tried on the ring from earlier.
Somehow embarrassed, put it on my index finger.
'Where'd he buy this... Worst taste.'
Imagined him wasting hours picking it, laughed again.
A pansy dropped from the ceiling onto my hand.
"......"
Humans exist who love a fake world more than the real one.
Who come every day just to see one person.
...
Good grief.
Asking me to be the idiot who likes an idiot human in this idiot world...? ...
What to do.
Right now, dying to just...
*knock knock*
Hid the ringed hand behind my back.
"Come in."
Door opened.
"Clearing the flowers."
"...Wait. Not today."
"Pardon?"
"Just do as I say."
She tilted her head and left.
Leaned back in the chair, stared at the ceiling. Upside-down pansy field rustled in the night breeze.
...Not mad anymore.
You either.
Or this room full of fresh pansies every day.
...
Aaah, fine...
More than not mad.
Just a bit more...
"I like you too."
You.
My fake world.
Our fake world.
...I'll tell you tomorrow too.
*
*creak...*
I peeked my face through the door crack. "......Uh, hey. Yu-ri."
"Yes?"
"Well... you know..."
"? You're stammering uncharacteristically."
"Thinking of trying some..."
"What?"
".........Tteokbokki."
Yu-ri's lips parted slowly.
Then curved into a big smile.
"Try the fritters too."