episode_0088

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Room Café.

A decent spot to visit once or twice when the weather’s bad or you’re in the mood for an indoor date.

Some are equipped with Nintendo consoles, Netflix, YouTube, board games, and even karaoke machines.

…It’d be nice if that were the general perception, but reality isn’t so kind.

For teenagers, it’s infamous as a place for mischief,

and because of that, adults tend to see it as either a sleazy spot or just a brief stopover when things are heating up between couples.

Of course, plenty of couples probably go there just to snack and watch movies or play board games together.

But anyway, public perception isn’t something that changes easily.

At any rate.

That doesn’t mean I came here with the intention of having sex like some hormonal high schooler.

There are three of us, after all.

Me. Lee Hayoon. Lee Jiyoon.

Even if one of the two besides me were to excuse themselves to the bathroom, they’d only be gone for 15 minutes at most.

That’s enough time for kissing or light skinship, but squeezing in sex and getting dressed again would be pushing it.

Not to mention the smell would linger.

So what I’m considering now isn’t anything directly lewd—it’s more about slowly easing Hayoon, who still knows nothing, into getting used to being together with her sister and me like this…

“…….”

Will this be okay?

Room 3.

Holding the key with the number written on it, I blankly scanned my surroundings.

Not to find the room—if I just glanced down the hallway, I could see large numbers on each door, so there was no need to search.

I just wanted to check how private the space actually was.

Even if sex is off the table, some light skinship in a place like this might be enough to tame Hayoon to my liking.

This is my first time in a place like this, after all.

I was worried the rooms might be separated by curtains or something, but thankfully, solid walls divided each one.

Judging by how you’d have to practically scream for any sound to leak out intermittently, the soundproofing seemed decent.

The only other thing nagging at me was whether there were CCTV cameras inside the rooms.

Hard to say. Probably not?

I’d have to check once we got inside.

“They even have popcorn. Wow…”

While I was lost in thought, fiddling with the key and looking around, Hayoon muttered beside me.

I snapped out of it and met her eyes.

“You like popcorn, Noona?”

“Yeah. Honestly, I like anything salty or sweet.”

“Not ‘sweet-sweet’ but ‘sweet-ish’? What’s that?”

“Same difference… Anyway, can we just take this?”

“Probably. Other people were grabbing snacks earlier.”

“Hehe… Nice.”

Rubbing her hands together cutely, Hayoon immediately started scooping popcorn into her own paper container.

She looked less like the “Noona” image she claimed to be and more like a busy hamster gathering sunflower seeds.

One day, I’d love to see her abandon that “Noona” act and break down, panting helplessly.

Especially in front of Jiyoon.

“…Last time, you said you liked cream-filled red bean buns or something. You really just have the taste of an elementary schooler, huh.”

“N-No way! Jiyoon loves those too!”

“Oh, really?”

“Right? Jiyoon-ah?”

“Huh? Yeah?”

Was she trying to form an alliance?

Hayoon’s clover-colored eyes, which had been sparkling at the caramel popcorn, turned toward her sister.

Jiyoon, standing half a step behind, gave a light nod.

…But given how she kept glancing around, her bucket hat pulled low, she was probably lost in thought and just nodded absentmindedly.

Well, whatever. I was busy with dirty thoughts earlier too.

Before the conversation stalled, I casually steered it elsewhere.

“Let’s grab some snacks and head in. I’m curious what board games they have.”

“Know any? Jiyoon probably only knows card games like poker.”

“I know… a few popular ones.”

“Really?”

Not because I wanted to—

Back before the regression, that damn Yozora forced them into my head out of sheer boredom.

She’d pester me to play with her every hour, not just every day.

That’s why our bleak company hideout ended up stocked with board games, a pool table, and all sorts of other distractions.

Now, those memories are just prettily polished remnants of a shitty past.

Lost in thought for a moment, I piled snacks into a container and headed to Room 3.

88

Cozier than expected,

far cleaner than imagined,

the freshly whitewashed walls kept it from feeling cheap and tacky like some motel,

and no CCTV in sight.

Ah, and none of the musty smell I’d worried about either.

My first impression of the room café was this.

A solid 9 out of 10.

If I’d come here alone with Hayoon or Jiyoon, I might’ve skipped Netflix and gone straight to more… entertaining activities.

…No wonder high schoolers use these places for mischief.

Even a normal adult would think like this.

As I hung up my coat, lost in thought,

Hayoon, who had followed me in, also seemed pleased.

“The TV’s huge… Is this a sofa?”

“Probably something like that. Though it looks more like a bed.”

“Ooh… Then…”

With a bright smile, Hayoon set down the tray of snacks she’d brought and plopped onto the mattress-like surface—neither quite a sofa nor a bed.

Right next to me, close enough to touch.

Plop.

Should she really be doing that in a skirt?

Not that I mind, but she shouldn’t act like that in front of other guys.

Meanwhile, Jiyoon lingered at the doorway, giving us a displeased look.

…With her sharp eyes, hands shoved deep into her khaki jacket pockets, she gave off the same vibe as the troublemaker girls who used to talk to me in high school.

Though, in reality, she’s just—

“Stop hesitating and come in. Close the door.”

“…Yeah, okay.”

—a game-addicted, socially awkward loner who’s never even touched a cigarette.

Instead of speaking warmly like I did when we showered together, I kept my tone cool and lightly flicked Hayoon’s shoulder where she sat beside me.

A signal to snap out of it.

“Oww…”

“……?”

But maybe she misunderstood.

Her small head wriggled its way onto my thigh.

Like she was asking for a lap pillow, squirming closer.

…The ticklish sensation of her ponytail pressing against my thigh was one thing, but—

Had she forgotten her sister was here?

Or did she think this level of skinship was fine even in front of her?

Shock,

bewilderment,

disbelief—

Wait, now that I think about it, they are dating, so is this normal? etc.

Jiyoon’s gaze was hard to decipher, a mix of complicated emotions.

Ignoring her stare, Hayoon suddenly sat up like nothing had happened.

…Her ears and cheeks weren’t red, but the way she kept swallowing told me she hadn’t meant to do that.

“L-Let’s play something like Uno…”

“…….”

“…….”

See?

The way she’s scrambling to change the subject gives her away.

As Hayoon bent over to look for the cards,

I sighed lightly and briefly locked eyes with Jiyoon, who was sneaking glances at me.

“…….”

…Her expression was unreadable, so I couldn’t tell exactly what she was thinking,

but it definitely wasn’t nothing.

After starting with Uno and letting some time pass, I learned one thing.

Jiyoon only likes shooting games—she has zero interest in anything else.

Uno?

Doesn’t know the rules.

Hula?

Obviously not.

Poker?

Same.

Jenga?

At least she’d seen this one before…

Anyway.

Other board games were out of the question.

She didn’t know any.

Though she was smart enough to pick up the basics quickly,

it made me wonder what kind of life she’d been living until now…

“…Noona.”

“What?”

And then,

there was the woman beside me, happily beating Jiyoon to a pulp.

“…The bell’s gonna break at this rate.”

“That’s the point of the game, isn’t it?”

“It’s supposed to make noise. Yours just goes click, click. Hers at least sounds like a bell.”

“That’s the fun part.”

Five rounds in.

Hayoon, vibrant and full of energy, claimed first place again with a villainous smile.

Thinking about it, physical games like this naturally favor Hayoon over me or Jiyoon.

But since she didn’t seem to realize it and just grinned happily each time she won, I let her be.

She must’ve been secretly frustrated when Jiyoon started winning the moment she grasped the rules of the brainier games.

“Anyway, lift your bangs again.”

“…Ugh.”

Jiyoon, doomed to last place this round due to physical limitations, pulled up her white bangs and took another flick to the forehead.

I couldn’t bring myself to hit her hard, so I tapped just enough to make a crisp sound—

But Hayoon, whether because they’re sisters or because she knew I’d heal it,

didn’t hold back. A dull thud echoed.

And so.

As I leaned over to ask if Jiyoon was okay while she rubbed her forehead and groaned,

“Jiyoon-ah, I gotta pee—wait, no no no, I mean, I’ll be right back, just going to the bathroom.”

Hayoon, who had been smiling brightly, met my eyes and corrected herself, tapping her lips as if scolding her own slip-up before slipping on the room café slippers.

“…….”

“…….”

The door opened,

then closed.