When a butterfly starts to flap its wings (9)

You know…

That famous meme?

The one with the male actor looking bewildered when his name is suddenly called at a year-end awards ceremony.

That’s my expression right now. I’m so dazed that my hands are shaking, my hands.

Should I buy a lottery ticket?

No, before that, I feel like I might get struck by lightning first.

A windfall or a thunderbolt.

At this point, I’m curious which bolt will strike me first.

My heart is pounding wildly as if I’ve just sprinted.

Four of a kind, straight flush, and royal flush.

What are the odds of these coming out simultaneously?

I heard the odds of winning the American Powerball lottery are 1 in 300 million.

This must be at least 1 in a billion…

Is this even possible?

…Nothing’s impossible.

Someone even turned from a man into a woman.

Still, the excitement doesn’t easily subside. It seems the same for those around me.

The surroundings were as quiet as a library. Everyone’s expressions are priceless. Their eyes have become like Go stones and their mouths are gaping like hippos.

Especially Jang Bongyu’s face, his eyes and mouth are raised like a Hahoe mask.

Anyway, they all look like they’ve burst about eight hearts.

That’s when.

A single clap broke through the silence. Min Doyeon started clapping while looking at me. Smiling.

Then the people next to her also started clapping as if infected.

Like drizzling rain turning into a downpour, the applause became an ovation that splashed in my ears.

“Wow… is this real?”

“This is really something, something.”

“I forgot to breathe, crazy.”

I heard praise mixed with admiration.

Kim Hwachang laughed loudly.

“Han Yujin, you really… wow.”

Sung Dojun, who was next to him, chimed in.

“The current situation is exactly like that.”

“What?”

“You know, that famous meme on online communities. One guy is gritting his teeth saying ‘I must win’ while playing the game, and the other guy puts his foot on the keyboard and goes ‘click’.”

“Ah, I know that one too.”

…That’s right.

Even though Jung Suhyuk perfectly analyzed my expressions and habits and used all sorts of betting skills,

I don’t care, all-in click!

I won with a royal flush in one go.

As expected, it seems that luck is the best thing for a person to have.

Kim Hwachang smiled and pinched my cheek, stretching it out.

“You terrifying daughter of god, you lucky dog. Who’s your father? Jesus, Zeus, or Thor?”

“…Leh go ohf mah faysh?”

“Oh my, our God Yujin is angry. I might get divine punishment and get struck by lightning like someone else.”

Kim Hwachang let go of my cheek with exaggerated concern.

I turned my head to look at Jung Suhyuk.

How should I describe this?

His expression is like…

A person who lost their country?

No, it’s the expression of Goliath who was utterly defeated by David.

I was going to tease him a lot, but seeing his expression, it doesn’t look good.

Jung Suhyuk drank cold water gulping like someone infected with a horsehair worm, then got up from his seat unsteadily.

Seeing that, Kang Yohan asked worriedly.

“Suhyuk, are you going to the dorm?”

“Yes, sunbae.”

“Are you okay?”

“…It’s just a pastime, what’s the big deal.”

Although he said that, there’s no life in Jung Suhyuk’s eyes. They’re like the eyes of a rotten pollack.

He even staggered as if his legs had lost strength. Anyone looking would think he was the drunk one, not me.

Kang Yohan, looking at his junior with concern, slowly opened his mouth.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen that kid like this… He’s the type who doesn’t even consider luck or superstition and only believes in skill.”

Then the shock must have been even greater.

Because that belief was shattered to pieces.

Kang Yohan also stood up.

“Yujin-nim. I’ll be going too.”

“You’re leaving already?”

“Well, I need to go practice.”

Kang Yohan, who was putting on his jacket to leave, turned around saying “Ah.”

He looked at me blankly for a while, then opened his mouth with a smile.

“Miracles really do exist.”

“Ah, of course they do!”

Kang Yohan brightened at my words.

And he says confidently.

“Next time, I’ll show you.”

“Show me what… a miracle?”

“Yes. My victory.”

“Really?”

“Of course!”

Kang Yohan smiled brightly.

Many thoughts crossed my mind.

He must have had his confidence greatly shaken from constantly hearing that he can’t win because of his age.

Fortunately, now he shows no sign of doubting himself at all. It feels like he’s become even stronger after seeing my royal flush.

As expected, the most important thing is an unbreakable spirit.

I held out my pinky finger.

“Then, it’s a promise.”

Kang Yohan, who had been chuckling for a while looking at my finger, intertwined his pinky with mine.

“Yes, I promise. Definitely.”

While I was at it, I got a photo and autograph before sending him off.

Kim Hwachang, who had been watching with interest from behind, said quietly.

“Now it’s not Kang Yohan who’s being chased mentally, but Jung Suhyuk. Because he actually saw a royal flush.”

He must be scared shitless.

He provoked Kang Yohan by comparing him to an extremely low probability, but now he’s been hit squarely in the back of the head by that extremely low probability.

I confidently agreed.

“This is why people should be careful with their words.”

“That’s right. People need to be careful of fire, dogs, their words, and Han Yujin.”

“…What are you saying.”

Kim Hwachang put a brownie in my mouth and said.

“Anyway, Han Yujin, you really did well. How else would even the Guild Master happily applaud?”

…Huh?

I swallowed the brownie and blinked like a goldfish as I asked.

“What did you just say?”

“That Jung Suhyuk is the one being chased now.”

“No, not that! After that!”

I shouted in a frustrated voice.

“Did you boil a train whistle and eat it? I said our Guild Master Cheonma-nim applauded because he was proud of you, you idiot!”

“…Who’s that?”

“You still don’t know? I thought you knew since you came in together.”

Kim Hwachang poked my side and said secretly.

“I’m talking about Min Doyeon-ssi. She’s the Guild Master.”

---

In front of the SUC building.

The sharply whistling wind tormented Jung Suhyuk’s ears.

The rustling and shaking of leaves sounded like mockery.

Jung Suhyuk roughly pulled at his tie in the elevator.

A custom-made three-piece suit.

Although it was an expensive high-quality fabric suit, combined with his pale complexion, he looked like he had just returned from a funeral.

As the elevator doors opened, his eyes met with a man standing there.

It was Kwon Jiwon, the captain of SUC.

Kwon Jiwon, wearing round tinted lenses, tilted his head and asked.

“What? Suhyuk came early?”

“……”

“Why is your expression like that, man. You look exactly like someone who got dumped by a girl.”

Jung Suhyuk avoided his gaze.

“Well… you’re not the type to get dumped anyway. Are you going to the practice room?”

“Yeah.”

“But there shouldn’t be anyone in the practice room now? It’s Christmas Eve.”

Jung Suhyuk opened the practice room door.

The inside was dimly lit with just one faint halogen light glowing.

Jung Suhyuk let out a boiling sigh and sat down in his seat.

And he stared at the dark monitor. Endlessly.

Suddenly, Han Yujin’s face appeared on the pitch-black monitor.

She keeps holding me back. That woman.

The sense of defeat and shock swirled around Jung Suhyuk’s head like a broken record.

Royal straight flush.

An impossible probability.

An unexpected calamity.

He didn’t believe in flukes even a tiny bit, but he got hit squarely in the back of the head.

His chest felt hot as if a thunderbolt had struck his heart.

The calm anger and humiliation finally exploded.

“Han Yujin…!”

The sound of a keyboard breaking and keys falling echoed loudly in the quiet practice room.

He must have struck down so hard that Jung Suhyuk’s hand edge was torn on the keys, blood dripping steadily.

Jung Suhyuk, breathing heavily, hung his head low.

She bothers me. Han Yujin.

A feeling of anxiety, worry, and stress choking his neck.

It was an emotion he had never felt before.

“Um……”

A clear and young voice suddenly interjected from behind.

Jung Suhyuk turned his head in surprise to see a girl standing there hesitantly.

A voice similar to Han Yujin’s.

A face similar to Han Yujin’s.

Han Yujin’s younger sister.

Han Sieun handed him a wet wipe.

“Use this to wipe. The blood…”

Jung Suhyuk took the tissue and changed the subject with a dry sigh.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Your sister… what is she?”

Han Sieun touched her lower lip with her thumb and answered thoughtfully.

“It’s different for everyone, I guess. To me, she’s a precious sister I look up to…”

Then she looked at Jung Suhyuk. With eyes asking how he thought of her.

Chewing on that gaze, he thought.

What is Han Yujin to me?

While he couldn’t answer, Han Sieun spoke first.

“I don’t know what happened, but… I think gamers should prove themselves through games.”

Hearing those words, Jung Suhyuk smirked. Because it was true.

It sounded like something her sister would say too.

Jung Suhyuk asked while wiping the blood.

“What’s your race?”

“The same as you, sunbae. Insect.”

“That’s good. All my opponents in the major league are Insect too.”

“Ah, I see.”

As he pressed the computer power button, the light came on.

“Come in.”

“Pardon?”

“Let’s practice.”

“…Ah, yes!”

As he went to get a new keyboard, Jung Suhyuk slowly nodded his head.

Whatever Han Yujin becomes to me…

Winning in the main game is all that matters.

I see…

Not a VTuber, but a chaebol.

It’s quite surprising.

Well, her chat manner was like an uncle pretending to be refined while having keyboard battles in some martial arts gallery.

It seems that everyone has their own secret life.

I appropriately entertained the VIPs gathering around me.

Even those who looked at me skeptically until just now were now buttering me up with oily words.

After responding adequately, I passed them off to Jang Bongyu and opened KakaoTalk.

[Han Sumin: Sissssy!!!!!!]

[Han Sumin: (photo)]

[Han Sumin: (photo)]

[Han Sumin: AirPods Pro Max what ㅜㅜㅜ]

[Han Sumin: Ah really sis I love you,,]

[Han Sumin: Merry Christmas❤️❤️]

[Han Suho: Noona]

[Han Suho: e-book reader]

[Han Suho: The readability is really good]

[Han Suho: Thanks to you, I think I can become a great writer]

[Han Suho: I love you, live long and prosper]

[Han Suho: (photo of bowing)]

They’re making such a fuss.

…But it feels good.

Everything is perfect.

If only it would snow, today would be truly the best.

I wonder what the viewers are doing?

I should turn on the broadcast later.

I want to show them my current glamorous appearance soon.

As I was putting my phone in my clutch bag.

I heard a commotion.

“You bastard, did you film me?”

“…W-why are you doing this?”

I felt uneasy.

Because the voices belonged to Yeon Sangho and Han Sejun.

“Hey, you little snitch. Do you know how much my portrait rights are worth to film me carelessly?”

“I won’t film anymore, so please stop.”

“Fuck off, you idiot!”

With a curse, a phone fell at my feet.

My brother Han Sejun’s phone.

“Oh? You’re Han Yujin’s brother, right?”

“So what…”

Yeon Sangho, with a flushed red face, staggered as if heavily drunk.

“Your sister today, to me, you bastard…”

“Ah.”

Before I could stop him, Yeon Sangho slapped Han Sejun’s cheek.

Seeing that,

My eyes flipped.

Anger seeped into my bones.

I picked up Han Sejun’s phone and strode over.

“Oh, it’s Yujin.”

Yeon Sangho looked at me with cloudy eyes and snickered.

He looked drunk when I saw him in the room earlier, but now his face was even redder than before.

“N-noona… let’s just go.”

“How can we just go? You were hit.”

Yeon Sangho put his hands in his pockets and sneered.

“Right. Your younger sister is preparing to be an idol too, right? Then as her senior, I should get close to her and…”

“What?”

I could guess what he was going to say without hearing the rest.

My clenched fist trembled.

Those who touch my siblings…

“What are you going to do about it?”

“…”

“So just give me her number.”

Snap. The thread of reason broke.

Just as I took a deep breath and was about to strike Yeon Sangho’s chin.

A light bulb suddenly lit up in my head.

My mind became cold like water.

The process of Yeon Sangho’s downfall.

That’s what came to mind.

I took a deep breath and said.

“Then give me your phone.”

“…What?”

I held out my hand.

“I said give me your phone. I’ll put in the number, you idiot.”

Yeon Sangho snorted and handed over his phone while scratching his head.

A disgusting voice irritated my ears.

“Hey, you made a good decision. Oppa’s not a bad person. Let’s have a yacht party at Marine Monarch with oppa. Or a cruise would be nice too.”

Saying that, Yeon Sangho handed money to Han Sejun. While throwing a cheap and formal apology.

At the same time, I felt his lustful gaze coming towards my chest. It was a sticky gaze that made me want to vomit.

It was filthy.

I swallowed the words rising to the tip of my tongue.

You can’t go there anymore. The only place you can go is jail.

Muttering inwardly,

Crack!

I took Yeon Sangho’s phone and smashed it on the floor.

Seeing the phone shatter, Yeon Sangho stuttered. The drunkenness seemed to have flown away as his eyes regained focus.

“Hey, you bitch! What was in that phone!”

Probably hidden camera footage.

Yeon Sangho’s eyes flickered coldly. He glared at me as if he would kill me.

“You fucking bitch!”

Yeon Sangho grabbed my shoulders and threw me down.

My enamel heels broke and I fell helplessly to the floor.

Blood seeped from my lips as they hit the marble floor.

Still, I felt as joyful as if I had become a butterfly.

The current situation…

It will be the beginning of the butterfly effect.

“Ah, fuck. The phone won’t turn on.”

Of course it shouldn’t.

You’ll panic and go to a phone repair shop, and after that…

That’s when.

Thump, thump. Heavy footsteps were heard from behind.

Sung Dojun walked over with fierce eyes.

Yeon Sangho looked up at the tall figure and asked in surprise.

“…Who are you? A white knight?”

“Her friend.”

“Ha, now they come in pairs to make trouble.”

Yeon Sangho snorted disdainfully.

Seeing that, Sung Dojun smiled a rotten smile and said.

“And the guy who’s going to mess up your face.”

“What? You little sh-!”

Before Yeon Sangho could finish his sentence,

Sung Dojun’s fist flew.