134. Say Ah
134. Say Ah
***
The meal that had been wrapped in silence now seemed like a distant memory.
The space began to fill again with the lively chatter of the two women.
And the conversation mostly flowed with Sua bringing up a topic and Serin responding in kind.
......
"You countered Night Parade of a Hundred Demons with Dance of Requiem? Wait, wasn't Dance of Requiem a completely dead skill?"
When Sua asked with a baffled expression, Serin nodded.
"Honestly, it's a skill I don't use either, but I thought it was suited for countering Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, so I'd prepared it separately."
"Wow, seriously... if I'd been your opponent, I would've been so dumbfounded. Serin, how much scrim prep did you even do?"
"Well... because I'm getting that much in return? I should put in as much work as I'm getting."
There was the video to upload to NewTube, and the amount reaching five million won as compensation for two days of scrims. On top of that, a Legendary-grade Crescent-Moon Weight that wasn't even on the market, plus various other benefits at the pro-team level—when she thought about it, she really was getting more than she deserved.
Considering she'd been less famous when she received the scrim offer, it was truly exceptional treatment. And the players had also come to her personal stream, donated huge sums, and drawn attention that made her more famous.
"Ah, listening to you talk about it makes me want to scrim with pros too. It sounds really fun."
"Huh? Then you can just do it too, can't you?"
"It's not something you can do just because you want to. Serin, you're really... a special case. Think about it. In the first place, what pro team asks some random streamer for a scrim?"
At Sua's words, I honestly thought it was a little strange too, but I still wondered whether she really wasn't in a position to receive scrim offers.
—Challenger 8th place, Plea.
Among the millions of Another World users, a ranker within the top ten.
I'd beaten Sua, but I didn't think the skill she'd shown when we fought a few weeks ago was inferior to the players I'd faced today.
Maybe that was why I'd unconsciously given her a puzzled look, because Sua went on to explain.
"I do still get pro offers and things like that, but... I've never received a scrim offer. Actually, among streamers who've received scrim offers from pro teams, Serin, you're probably the first in history."
At the word "first," I felt oddly embarrassed.
It felt like Sua kept talking me up when I wasn't anyone special.
"Really? I honestly thought it was unusual too. Even if I scrimmed with a pro team, I figured the format would be pretty limited."
"Right? I really couldn't even imagine it. There was talk going around the community that a player named Kang Hyeok strongly wanted to scrim with you. I don't know if that's true, but it means your performance left that much of an impression on the players. Isn't that what it was?"
Serin, who had been watching Sua speak so enthusiastically, felt awkward and picked up a piece of braised short ribs and brought it to her mouth.
Chew chew.
Even at the sight of Serin looking embarrassed, Sua kept moving her lips.
"The G1 scrim was really... Serin, you might not know this, but it caused quite a stir among streamers who mainly play Another World. Like, has this ever happened before? Everyone was really jealous of you. Honestly, I'm only saying this now, but I was a little jealous that you got a scrim offer. Facing off against pros would be so fun."
Nod nod.
As Sua kept talking as if she were gilding Serin's face with gold, Serin found it too awkward to answer and just nodded.
Sua quietly watched Serin like that. Then Sua, frowning slightly as if something didn't sit right with her, blurted out.
"Serin, you dummy."
Serin, who had been reaching for another piece of braised short ribs, suddenly lifted her head toward Sua.
"Huh?"
"No, seriously. You've been letting my words go in one ear and out the other this whole time, haven't you? When someone talks to you, you should answer properly. You just nod and don't even look at me properly... what's with that?"
As Sua looked at Serin and moved her lips again as if hurt, Serin awkwardly made an excuse.
"No, Sua? I've been listening to everything you've said... properly."
"Then you should've answered properly like you are now, Serin. The person talking feels hurt, you know?"
"No, I just... wanted to eat some braised short ribs. It's a bit awkward to open my mouth while eating, so that's why."
In my own way, I thought I'd answered well enough... and even nodded as a reaction. But Sua grumbled as if she didn't like any of it.
"If we finally meet in person like this, you should look at me and stuff. Seriously... you just eat and make a person feel hurt..."
"Ah, fine. Sua. Here, say ah."
Feeling a little sorry as Sua voiced how hurt she felt, I picked up a piece of braised short ribs and held it out.
"..."
At that, Sua suddenly looked at me as if to say, what is this, with a dumbfounded expression.
"Ah~ come on."
Still, I steadfastly held out the piece of braised short ribs.
"...Ah."
In the end, Sua reluctantly opened her mouth just a little, as if giving in, and I placed the braised short ribs in her mouth.
Chomp.
Watching Sua eat the piece I'd given her with her lips pouting like a sulking child, I couldn't help but laugh.
Sua had dressed up so prettily to come here, yet every little thing she did made her seem like a child wanting attention, and that was cute in its own way.
"Okay. From now on I'll answer you properly when you talk, so don't sulk like just now, okay?"
"Ah, seriously... Serin! When did I sulk?"
Watching Sua display all the classic signs of sulking, I kept laughing and picked up another piece of braised short ribs.
"Yeah, yeah. Okay. Here, again. Ah."
"Ah, Serin, you're really trying to feed me. What am I, a kid?"
If I said, yeah, you really are like a kid—Sua would probably actually sulk, so I shook my head and spoke as if soothing her.
"No, that's not it. You just didn't seem to be eating much. I wanted you to eat a bit. I like seeing people who eat well."
When I said that and held out the braised short ribs, Sua looked at me with an unreadable expression, then opened her mouth again.
"...Ah."
Even while answering grumpily as if sulking, Sua still opened her mouth whenever I offered, and that was so funny I let out a small laugh. Sua frowned.
Even that was really cute.
"No, you eat so well like this, so why weren't you eating before?"
"That's because I already ate plenty, obviously. And I'm full now. Seriously, stop giving me more."
Sua shook her head as if telling me not to give any more, but for some reason, to my eyes, it looked like she could eat more and was asking for more.
So I casually picked up another piece of braised short ribs and held it out again.
"......"
Now Sua just stared at me without a word, and that was so funny I laughed quietly while speaking.
"Here, come on. My arm hurts?"
For a few seconds after that, they silently bickered with their eyes.
Sua looked back and forth between the braised short ribs I'd offered and my face, then let out a small sigh as if admitting defeat and opened her mouth.
"...Ah."
Chomp.
'Ah. So cute.'
I swallowed the words I couldn't say out loud, but I couldn't hold back the laughter that burst out.
Sua had taken care of me in many ways and even acted like a senior when it came to streaming and NewTube, teaching me this and that, so I'd thought she was very mature. But the Sua I saw now was just like a college girl with the fresh innocence of her age.
And when Sua had suggested having dinner together tonight, I'd sensed, without quite knowing why, a certain loneliness in the Sua I actually met.
I was glad that loneliness seemed to have lifted a little now, and I also thought Sua was soft-hearted.
Chew chew.
Maybe I'd given her a fairly large chunk of meat, because Sua was chewing with her cheeks full. Watching that, I picked up a piece of braised short ribs for myself too.
Chomp.
The texture was juicy and the delicious seasoning had soaked in well; the moment I put the braised short ribs in my mouth, I felt good for no particular reason.
This place really does braised short ribs well.
Thinking that, I glanced around at the food on the table. For two women eating, the various side dishes we'd ordered and even the main dish of braised short ribs were nearly gone, so we really had eaten a lot.
When I met Sua's gaze, she was looking at me with an unreadable expression. Then she swallowed the rest of her braised short ribs and let out a small sigh.
"Hoo. Serin, are you really not... full? I seriously can't eat any more even if you told me to. Watching you eat, you could really just do a mukbang."
"Mukbang, what are you talking about? People who do mukbangs eat on a completely different level."
"From what I can see... Serin, you eat quite a lot too. No, I get that you're tall, but how do you eat that much?"
"Well... because I burn that much energy?"
I had a lot to worry about in various ways, and I was also exercising, so I burned a lot of energy and naturally felt my appetite increase.
It felt like my body needed to eat this much just to hold up.
After eating for a few more minutes, I also felt I'd reached my limit and set down my utensils.
Clink.
"Don't tell me... you always eat this much?"
Sua had been resting her chin on her hand and just watching me eat, and the moment I set down my utensils, she asked.
"No, I still eat a bit less than today."
"Wow... Serin, do you have one of those metabolisms where you just don't gain weight?"
She seemed to be asking how I could eat that much without gaining weight.
I shook my head.
"No? This is me having gained weight...?"
My weight had definitely gone up at least a little recently.
I'd been working out while pushing myself hard, and this body that never seemed to change had finally put on just a tiny bit of weight to hold up.
"Wow... seriously, there you go flexing again."