episode_0006

As the uncle set up the game console on the TV, a multitude of games caught my eye. The problem was, I couldn’t answer which game I wanted to play when asked.

All the games I had played before were computer games, and while I had encountered console games, I had never actually played one… I wouldn’t know what to do if he asked me to play together.

“Oh? Uncle, I want to try that one.”

In my mind, I was endlessly questioning as I discovered a game featuring a cartoon character I had seen when I was young.

It looked like a fighting game, but maybe because it was a cartoon I liked, I felt a strong pull towards it.

“Dragon Ball Fighters… I haven’t played this in a while, should we give it a go?”

As the uncle started the game, the protagonist Son Goku appeared with grand sound effects… but the uncle quickly skipped through it, causing us to move straight to the game screen.

“Okay, the controller is set up… why are you looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?”

“Oh, it’s nothing~ By the way, since I’ve never played this before, could you explain it to me as we play?”

Sensing my resentful gaze, the bewildered uncle handed me a blue controller. Before I knew it, we were already at the character selection screen.

The uncle explained that the game was a 3v3 battle style similar to typical fighting games, but since I had never played a fighting game before, it was really unhelpful.

“Okay, this button tags in your selected character, this one charges up, and this is one of the special moves…”

“Wait, I want to try it myself!”

You have to play it yourself to have fun, once you know the controls, the uncle’s role is done.

“Oh, this is how it feels? Hm~ I’ve roughly grasped the controls, should we go into a real match now? It’s better to play with a favorite character, right?”

And so, I chose my favorite characters in order, and started the game with the uncle.

The uncle was playing casually, but it seemed like he had a competitive spirit as he never let me win even once. Whenever I got frustrated from losing, he would sacrifice two characters at once to relieve my feelings, but then quickly overpower me and claim victory, his face lighting up more and more with each win.

Though I was a bit annoyed, the more I played, the better I got, and I couldn’t bring myself to put down the controller, especially since I was playing with my favorite characters.

But amidst the continuous losses, my record had become 0 wins and 21 losses… After recording several instances of venting my frustration by lightly tapping the uncle, a sense of competitiveness arose within me.

“Hey, how did you dodge that just now?”

“I don’t know, it just happened? But hey, uncle~ don’t let your guard down!”

By chance, my character dodged the special move and teleported behind the uncle’s character, delivering a spectacular finishing blow. While the uncle had been playing casually, I managed to win through a series of fortunate coincidences.

“I won~!”

“Wow… I lost to this?

“It’s all about skill, uncle! Yay!”

Jumping up from my seat, I proudly flashed a victory sign towards the uncle, intoxicated by my first win.

It might not be a big deal, but I had kept challenging myself to win once, and seeing my favorite character fall over and over again, the stress I had accumulated…

Looking at me in disbelief, the uncle stood up and took out his smartphone.

“Lunchtime is already over. Shall we stop now?”

“Oh, it’s already one o’clock?”

Putting down the controller, I turned on my smartphone and realized it was already lunchtime. At that moment, a slight rumble emerged from my hungry stomach, gradually growing louder. As if it had been waiting for this moment.

– Gurgle~

” … ”

” … ”

Uncomfortable silence settled in as we stared at each other, blinking. If this guy has something to say, he should say it quickly instead of staring at me so awkwardly.

” Want to go eat pasta? ”

” Pasta sounds great! Are you treating? ”

” Of course, go change your clothes and meet me outside. ”

” Alright! ”

After pizza yesterday, now pasta today? Seeing him not only giving me money but also buying me food, it’s clear that this guy is a good person.

Oh, I’m not just thinking he’s a good person because of money or food. He may seem a bit clueless and indifferent, but with his good looks and decent physique, he looks good on the outside, and the fact that he supports me without any burden shows that he’s a capable man. Could he be a top-notch husband candidate?

‘ What am I thinking… I need to change quickly. ‘

*

” Did you have plans with your girlfriend today? ”

” Yeah, but she’s busy, so we had to cancel. ”

While chatting outside, I brought up the topic of his girlfriend. If they’ve been dating for a year and aren’t living together, it seems like their relationship isn’t too deep.

‘ It won’t last long, right? ‘

Although the guy seems to have issues, hearing about a bold confrontation with his girlfriend makes me think she might have problems too. If he likes her and she feels the same, they would have been together sooner…

” Hey, why are you suddenly holding my hand?! ”

‘ You’re not going to freak out just because I held your hand, right? ‘

” Is it your first time holding a girl’s hand? ”

” N-no, but… ”

Wow… a grown man blushing over holding hands… he’s really clueless.

” You have a girlfriend, why act like this? ”

” W-well, what does that have to do with anything… ”

Really?… Wait, how old is this guy…

Well, if things don’t work out, it won’t be a problem to cancel the contract later, right? Maybe I should help them get along…

I’m not sure about the girl, but I think I can help this guy. If he just changes his clothes and does a 6:4 parting in his hair, he’ll look good, right? If he improves his basic image, he’ll look good to any girl. That’s for sure.

” You’re a good person, that’s why. ”

” What did you say? ”

” Huh? Oh, nothing~ But you and your girlfriend… ”

At that moment, my gaze shifted from the guy to the bench in the park.

More precisely, to the black object lying on the bench. The black object noticed my gaze and lifted its dark head, showing vertical pupils and glowing yellow eyes.

” Why did you suddenly come behind me? ”

” That thing is staring at me… ”

” That thing? ”

I quickly nodded and hid behind the guy. I’ve always been weak against those things. I love animals, but for some reason, those things have always seen me as prey since childhood.

” Oh, this cat? I’ve seen him around here for a while, he’s friendly and doesn’t avoid people. He even acted cute to me a few times. ”

Am I really making a cute face? I look more like a predator with its prey right in front of it! I need to get out of here quickly… Huh? Wait, now that I’ve become someone else, you’re not going to come at me like before, are you?

‘ There’s no need to be scared like this~ It may be intimidating, but as long as it’s far away… If I hide behind this man and go, it should be fine. ‘

“Why are you shaking like that? Are you scared of cats? Are you some kind of mouse?”

“S… So noisy! Let’s go quietly…”

“Meow~”

“Yikes!”

Trying to sneak away while hiding behind the man, the black creature started approaching me, eyeing me with those chilling eyes that haunted me even before becoming Joo Eunhye… The more serious issue was that the cats that had started revealing themselves one by one seemed to know that there were only two people around us, the man and me, and without hesitation, they came towards us.

“Why does it seem like there are so many today?”

“I hate it… Don’t come…”

Why? Why? Now that I’ve become Joo Eunhye, those creatures are just as eager to come at me as they were before! I’m terrified of cats more than anything in the world! Even in kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school, you all surrounded me every time…

“Meow~” “Meow~” “Meow”

“Yikes! Don’t come closer! Go away!”

Carefully keeping my distance, the creatures that had approached my feet suddenly started rubbing their faces against my legs, showing a terrifying appearance. Trembling all over, I looked slowly at the man who was a little further away.

“Um… Sir…”

“Are you okay?”

Feeling somewhat relieved by the voice that seemed to be concerned about me, I couldn’t stop trembling, but with tears in my eyes, I reached out my arms to the man and forced a smile.

“Um… No… Can you help me… I can’t move…”

I might really die… Please save me, sir!