episode_0121

[It is said that the typhoon ‘Korani’ will sweep across the entire Korean Peninsula on August 4th and 5th.]

[Viewers, please refrain from going out as much as possible, and if unavoidable, take extra caution…]

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Typhoon.

Along with the monsoon, another indispensable symbol of summer in Korea.

Just as the long monsoon ended and the peaceful midsummer heat began in earnest, it came unexpectedly like a prank.

It seems that this time, the typhoon is planning to fiercely sweep through instead of diverting to Japan as usual.

Feeling uneasy about the news, the boss called everyone in on Thursday evening and proposed a two-day break.

“Did you guys hear the news? The typhoon is passing through on Friday and Saturday. Customers won’t risk coming, and I don’t want to see any of you getting hurt on the way to work, so two days off. Got it?”

“Yes, understood, boss!”

Although I felt a bit uncomfortable due to resting too much recently, the boss’s orders were absolute.

As a mere employee, I couldn’t argue with his rational decision, so I decided to obediently follow his sky-like command.

Whooosh –

Whiiiiirrr –

“…Ugh.”

Awakened from sleep by the annoying sound of strong wind on Friday afternoon.

After struggling to get up, did I close my eyes and enjoy a moment of drowsiness?

Soon, the sound of the induction starting filled the room, followed by the tantalizing sound and aroma spreading inside.

Sizzle –

Did they say pancakes on a rainy day?

Just by hearing the sound and smell, I already felt happy.

Wiping the drool from my mouth, I headed to the kitchen, where Jaehyuk greeted me with a bright smile.

“Up early? Did you sleep well?”

“No, I woke up because of the wind. Not sure if it’s the humidity or waking up early, but I don’t feel like I slept well…”

“Then, go back to sleep… but it’s quite an ambiguous time to say that. Oh well, no choice, let’s start the day early today.”

“Fine. By the way, pancakes on a rainy day, what’s that about?”

“…How many times have I made them at your place? Never mind. Let’s eat first and talk later.”

“Okay.”

As I returned to the table and sat down, Jaehyuk brought out the pancakes on a large plate.

Without hesitation, I tore them apart and put them in my mouth.

Crunch –

Whether Jaehyuk baked them carefully or not, the fantastic texture of crispy outside and soft inside was felt as soon as I chewed.

Simultaneously, the harmonious taste spread subtly, making me smile happily.

“Mmm… really delicious. Pancakes are indeed the best on a rainy day, right?”

“I’m glad you like it. Actually, I was worried since it’s been a while since I made them.”

“Someone said excessive humility is no different from arrogance. This level of quality is something to be proud of, right?”

“Is that so?”

After expressing sincere praise, Jaehyuk breathed a sigh of relief and took the remaining pancake into his mouth.

After tasting it carefully, he slowly nodded with a bright face.

“Mm! I did the cooking, but it tastes good. There’s some ingredients left, should I bake a few more?”

“Sounds good to me. I was hungry anyway.”

“I’ll bake a few more, take your time and wait?”

“No, I’ll just eat quickly and wait for you.”

“Well, I might not be able to bake properly if I’m excited.”

“It’s okay, I trust that whatever food you make will be delicious.”

Originally, there wasn’t a single dish made by his hands that wasn’t delicious.

After adding a few words, I finished the remaining pancake in my mouth.

Then, I hugged Jae-hyuk, who had gone to the kitchen, from behind once again and whined in a small voice.

“By the way, what should we do for fun today?”

“Oh, now that you mention it? Since we can’t go outside, there’s not much we can do, right?”

“…Our preferred genres are different, so watching a movie like last time is a bit awkward. Hmm, this is really tricky, isn’t it?”

There were plenty of ways to have fun alone, but I couldn’t just let this good opportunity go to waste.

Listening to the sound of the pancake crisping up, I pondered for a moment and then came up with a good idea.

“Oh, right. I found a game that looked quite fun while browsing the shorts recently. How about trying that?”

“I’m not familiar with games, but it’s okay… Come to think of it, you were a novice too. But if it’s a fighting game, I have no chance of winning, right?”

“Don’t worry. It’s not a game that requires physical strength, it’s a game that only requires brainpower and luck. You know Tetris? It’s similar to that.”

“If it’s like that, I can give it a try. What kind of game is it?”

As I explained that it was not a very difficult game, my boyfriend, who was starting to show interest, began to show more interest.

I started explaining about the game that seemed like something we could do all day today while eating the last part of the cooked pancake.

—–

I was interested in subcultures, but I wasn’t someone who particularly enjoyed games.

I just couldn’t feel the fun in them. I even thought it was better to read one more novel instead of playing games.

Games that required thinking were somewhat enjoyable, but compared to other hobbies, the fun was significantly lacking.

I had been living a life that was quite distant from the word ‘game’ until now. And I thought this kind of life would continue.

However.

“…There’s nothing to do at home.”

Since becoming Jae-hyuk’s lover, I had no choice but to change that kind of thinking.

All the hobbies I had were specialized for enjoying alone.

To spend a quiet time together, we had to find a hobby we could enjoy together.

We could watch movies and dramas together, but we couldn’t just do that forever.

So, the hobby I turned to was this thing called ‘games’.

“The rules are extremely simple. When fruits combine, they become bigger fruits, and the score goes up each time they combine. The difference from Tetris is that… even if you combine them to become the biggest fruit, it doesn’t disappear?”

“It’s really simple. It seems nice to enjoy it comfortably, right?”

The game I found while browsing shorts videos was a very simple and easy game, even according to Jae-hyuk.

It was called ‘Making Watermelon’.

You combine small fruits to make bigger fruits, and the goal of the game is to make the biggest fruit, a watermelon, and increase your score.

Until the game started, I was convinced.

I believed that the two of us, who could be considered novices in games, could enjoy it.

If we did well, we could spend a sweet and cozy day together.

But until you open the box, you can’t know if the cat inside is alive or dead.

Unfortunately, when I opened the box…

“No, if you put a strawberry there… Ah, ahhh!!!”

“I thought if I stimulated it a little, the pineapple would roll down. This is unfair.”

“Next is the persimmon! Just throw it there and make an orange! Stimulate the persimmon strongly to drop the pineapple…”

“Oh, if you’re frustrated, you do it! Let’s see how well you can do it with your instructions!”

“It’s already over, what do you want me to do! If I place one more piece, the game will be over! Are you kidding me right now!?”

…The cat’s pitiful posture was waiting for us.

The first round ended without even making a single watermelon.

What was left between Jaehyuk and me was a blind rage towards each other.

Far from being cozy and sweet, the situation was only getting worse with resentment piling up.

I realized in my mind that things had gone terribly wrong, but foolishly, I couldn’t stop here.

I wanted to prove something. Even if I couldn’t do much, I wanted to show that I was better at the game than that bastard.

And so, the second round began in this sticky foolishness.

Confident that I would easily win, I calmly and rationally began stacking fruits.

Plop!

Thud!

When I had stacked about half, and the watermelon was about to be made right before my eyes.

Suddenly, two apples merged to create a peach, then swiftly shot the pear that had been sitting still up to the ceiling.

…The moment the fruit touched the ceiling, it was game over, and of course, the result was a disaster.

Checking the score, which was much worse than Jaehyuk’s, I began to complain with a bewildered expression.

“Why, why did it fly off like that?! Does it make sense for it to suddenly shoot up into the sky?!”

“Complaining, are we? It’s all about skill. Ha, but to think you got scolded for a measly 914 points, it’s ridiculous.”

“You, you!!!”

“Can’t even do it, and not even embarrassed? If it were me, I would at least stay quiet, seriously.”

Feeling like I wanted to tell him to ‘shut up!’ and shove a bean up his nose.

I barely suppressed the rising violence and opened my mouth with a bitter laugh.

“…Let’s play another round.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“The loser fulfills one wish of the winner as a condition.”

“Oh, that’s intriguing.”

Apparently pleased with the proposal, Jaehyuk happily agreed, while I stared at him with burning eyes filled with anger and firmly vowed.

I will win.

No matter what it takes.

Definitely.

…And so, the strange battle between the two men and women to fulfill one wish began.