A Different Morning
A Different Morning
"......."
I felt like I'd only closed my eyes for a moment, but somehow it was already morning.
I felt a bit cheated, but instead of lounging around in bed, I immediately sat up.
Because it's a universal rule that if you close your eyes saying "Just ten more minutes," thirty minutes instantly pass by.
"Huwaaam~"
Stretching to shake off the lingering drowsiness, I checked my phone - 6:30 AM.
Considering it takes about an hour to get to work, this wasn't exactly an early start.
If anything, it was about the same as usual, or maybe even a little late.
I folded the blanket I'd used last night and thought.
'That thing that happened yesterday... it can't all have been a dream, right?'
I'd already confirmed it by pinching my thigh, but I guess it's human nature to want a double-check.
Because what happened was that unbelievable.
Holding the neatly folded bedding, I glanced at the firmly closed master bedroom door, then mustered up the courage to approach.
Knock knock—
I tapped lightly on the door, but there was no sound from inside.
'Still sleeping?'
I hesitated a bit about entering without permission, but since I had the perfectly valid reason of needing to put the bedding in the closet, I carefully opened the door.
Kiiik—
The room was dark, with no lights on.
On what should have been my bed, I could see a girl with a familiar yet unfamiliar face lying there.
Tachibana Saori.
One of the characters from the popular Japanese mobile game "Red Asterisk," she was a character who gained immense popularity within the Rea fandom due to her beautiful appearance, bold personality, and her status as one of the strongest beings in the setting.
Also, among the over 150 students in the game, she was the only character I had maxed out affection to 100.
'Even her sleeping face is pretty.'
Though the character I'd only seen in 2D had become 3D, her beauty hadn't diminished in the slightest.
If anything, her realistic features made her even more beautiful.
"Nngh..."
Watching Saori toss a little in her sleep, the reality that a game character had actually popped out into the real world hit me once again.
When she'd called herself a pure and innocent beautiful girl yesterday, I'd thought it was kind of off-putting, but her face truly doesn't lose to any idol or actress.
'Well, she is a character who shot up to 11th place in popularity rankings as soon as she appeared in the story, just based on her design.'
After putting the bedding in the closet, I quietly closed the door so as not to wake her, and decided to get ready for work before it got too late.
Usually, I either have a light breakfast or skip it altogether.
Like most single-person households living alone, it's more about laziness than time.
But since I have a guest at home today, I decided to prepare at least a simple breakfast.
Especially since she fed me dinner last night.
'Toast should do.'
I'm not sure about Saori's food preferences, but since Japanese people like bread as much as rice, it's a safe choice.
After putting bread in the toaster, I took out strawberry jam and butter from the fridge and set them on the table. I then decided to fry some sausages and eggs to go with the toast.
Chiiiii—
The pleasant sizzling sound tickled my ears.
For a single person living alone, sausages are a fantastic ingredient - good as a side dish with rice and also great as a snack.
They often have 1+1 deals, so I always pick up a pack whenever I go to the mart.
If I were feeling fancy, I'd add a little salad, but sadly, I'm a carnivore, so unless I'm on a diet, I don't spend my own money to eat vegetables.
"...Alright."
After scooping the nicely browned sausages onto a plate from the frying pan, I immediately cracked two eggs into the remaining oil.
The key here is that the oil infused with the meaty flavor of the sausages seeps into the eggs.
I fry until the bottom is crispy, then cover the pan to let the heat distribute evenly throughout. Done.
After placing the plate of sausages and fried eggs on the table, I realized there was one last important thing to think about.
Whether to wake up Saori, who was sleeping soundly,
Or to just leave her until she wakes up on her own.
Either way, it was a dilemma.
'It feels bad to wake someone who's sleeping well, but food is best eaten hot.'
Just as my conflicted mind was leaning toward the latter,
Click—
The firmly closed master bedroom door opened.
"!"
Startled, I turned my head to see Saori, still looking a bit disheveled from just waking up, rubbing her half-closed eyes and asking.
"...Did you sleep well, seonsaengnim...?"
"Uh, yeah."
I answered reflexively, but my eyes couldn't look straight at her, darting around nervously.
Because her current outfit was way too dangerous.
'Bare skin and a dress shirt.'
Of course, she's probably wearing underwear underneath, but for a 31-year-old lifelong single who's been on the brutal track of all-boys middle school, all-boys high school, engineering college, and a game company, this was way too stimulating.
Not knowing where to look, I frantically opened the refrigerator door and pretended to rummage through its contents while asking.
"I made breakfast. Do you want some?"
"Okay...."
Saori wobbled over like a zombie and sat down at the table.
Finally having a place to look, I quickly closed the fridge and poured some milk I'd just taken out into her cup.
She took the cup with both hands and slowly sipped the milk.
Your throat is always parched right after waking up, so she must have been quite thirsty.
I naturally sat down across from her and said.
"I'm going to work and won't be back until evening, so call me if anything happens. I've written down my phone number and the apartment door code here."
As I said that, I handed her a secondary phone I'd used for work before and a memo.
Saori chewed on an unbuttered slice of toast and nodded.
Honestly, the thought of leaving her alone and going to work made me worry first, but in the current company atmosphere, taking a day off would be suicide, so I had no choice.
Anyway, having woken up a bit after the milk and toast, Saori asked me in a much clearer voice.
"So when will you be back in the evening?"
"I'll probably arrive a little after 7. Work ends at 6."
Of course, during crunch periods, overtime is as common as breathing, but right now there's no backlog, so I should be able to leave on time.
"...Okay. I'll stay home quietly and wait until seonsaengnim gets back."
Saori nodded obediently as she answered.
Considering the personality of her character in the original story I know, this was honestly unbelievable.
So I asked her instead.
"Won't you get bored staying indoors all day? I already told you the door code, so if you get bored, you could go for a walk during the day."
Saori slowly shook her head.
"I'll endure it for a few days. If I go outside carelessly, something might happen that would trouble seonsaengnim. Besides, I actually like staying home."
"Then that's good, but...."
Since she said she was fine, it was hard to insist further, so I decided to trust her.
Anyway, after finishing breakfast in that quiet atmosphere, I stood at the entrance, slinging my briefcase over my shoulder, and said.
"If you get hungry at lunch, cook something from the fridge or order anything through a delivery app. The card is linked, so don't worry about money."
"I got it, so stop worrying and just go, seonsaengnim. I'm not a little kid, you know?"
Saori said this with her cheeks slightly puffed.
But leaving her, who knows nothing about this world, alone at home felt to me like leaving a baby by the water's edge - I couldn't help it.
"...Then I'll be going."
As I said that and opened the front door, Saori clasped her hands behind her back and said with a dazzling smile.
"Yeah. Come back safely."
From Pyeongtaek, where I live, to Guro, where the company is, it takes about an hour.
Depending on traffic conditions, the arrival time varies, so I have no choice but to leave early in the morning.
After navigating the suffocating traffic congestion of the commute and arriving at the company, the clock on my phone was already showing 8:50 AM.
'Well, at least I got here ten minutes early.'
Adjusting the briefcase on my shoulder and holding a cup of coffee - the office worker's essential item - I entered the office.
"Good morning."
It would have been nice if the day had started off happily.
Unfortunately, our department was still in complete chaos.
A junior subordinate who seemed to have arrived earlier than me came running up, panting.
"Daeri-nim! Another incident happened this morning!"
"Damn it."
Is this guy some kind of Conan? Does a case break out every single day?
But complaining wouldn't change anything, so as soon as I got to work, I had no choice but to switch into office-worker mode.
"What is it this time?"
"It looks like users found traces of an old story organization while digging through the client!"
"Seriously, those... ugh."
Players who dig are impressive, but the people who left it in are just as impressive.
I would have cleaned it out thoroughly.
Feeling the fatigue crashing down on me, I rubbed the bridge of my nose and said.
"First, let's figure out what exactly was leaked."
Another grueling day for an office worker had begun.