VR Room and Offline (2)

“The game’s over, so let’s just GG and go. What are we gonna do if we run into each other again after fighting like this?”

“Well, you could just leave then. Is there a problem?”

“Looking at her face, do you think nothing will happen if we just leave?”

If it wasn’t the screen showing the scores after the game, I would’ve team-killed her with that expression.

I’d be more comfortable if she was just grinding her teeth in anger.

But just biting her lip slightly and glaring is so annoying.

That’s definitely the face she makes when a game goes wrong, asking me to fight with words on her behalf.

I’ve always been the one to say something for her, so she’s developed a habit of passing it all onto me, which is such a headache…

With a troubled expression, I subtly put my hands together, without Se-ah knowing.

Please, just apologize even if it’s just for show. Then I can just end it and leave, and I’ll be comfortable too.

I don’t know if she understood, but she glanced at me and nodded lightly.

Ah, thank goodness. I guess she’s going to apologize.

“Okay, I’m sorry, I’ll apologize. But… Mr. Melee, haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

What the hell is this bullshit? I’m not in a tier where I’d meet a ranked player, why is she suddenly asking if she’s seen me?

“I’m not in a tier to play games with ranked players, where would you have seen me?”

“No? No, but I’ve heard this voice somewhere before.”

“Maybe it’s just similar? I don’t remember seeing you, though.”

She strokes her chin and looks me over from head to toe.

I also rack my brain, wondering where she might have seen me, but I can’t remember at all.

I might remember if it was in real life, but how can I remember all the people I’ve met in games? Even if I just vaguely remember, there would be over a thousand.

“Hmm… is that so? Okay, I understand. I’ll find out if I contact someone I know. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Hey, you got an apology, right? Isn’t that enough?”

Se-ah peeks out from behind me, glaring at the teammate.

Seeing this, I can’t help but think she’s as childish as someone who’s just turned 20.

The problem is that she’s only this childish in games, right? The fact that she’s not like this normally is just too shocking.

“Next time, let’s definitely meet as enemies. I’m only going to catch you.”

“So, you’re saying you’ll rank up next time. Okay, if we meet later, try to catch me.”

As an adult would laugh off a child’s threat, the teammate smiled and left.

Instead of disappearing in an instant, she disappeared like a hologram scattering, a unique effect of the game, and only then did I leave the room.

I took off the VR device and glared at Se-ah. This goddamn bitch, she was being a nuisance with her chest in the game, and now she’s making me be a nuisance to people.

Se-ah also took off the device and gave me an awkward smile. What are you smiling at, you bitch?

When I gave her a smile that wasn’t really a smile, she finally realized she was wrong and started putting on her clothes and looking at me cautiously.

She’s normal except when it comes to games, but when games are involved, she becomes a different person.

“Lee Se-ah-ssi, what did you do wrong?”

“Uh… asking you to argue for me?”

“That can’t be the only thing.”

“Uh… um… uh… what is it?”

“God damn it, didn’t I tell you not to rub your chest around?”

This girl, what should I say about her, really.

As a woman, she’s incredibly hot. Logically, being a “bagel” with a small frame and a voluptuous chest, you’d have to be impotent or gay not to find her attractive.

But having seen her behavior, I really don’t feel any affection for her.

She goes crazy when playing games, but she’s quiet and reserved normally, so I don’t know how to deal with her.

Besides, it’s not like there’s a big age gap, it’s just one year. One year, she’s 25 years old and she acts like that.

It’s ridiculous for me to scold her at that age. But if I don’t, she’ll keep doing it, and it’ll be annoying, so I have to.

Now that the game is over, she’s just sitting there, watching my face, trying to gauge my mood.

No matter how much I scold her, she’ll just forget it when she’s playing games anyway.

Seeing me sigh repeatedly and try to suppress my anger, she fidgets and watches me cautiously.

If I end it here, she’ll think I’ve cooled down and do it again, so I got up from my seat to educate her a bit this time.

[Bbi-]

The sound of the dumbwaiter rang, indicating that the drinks had arrived.

But I ignored it, put on my coat again, and left my seat. I need to let her know that I’m really annoyed.

“I’m going out for a bit. If I come back and you’ve taken off your clothes again because you’re hot, you’re gonna fucking die.”

She nods her head as I grind my teeth. The problem is that I don’t know how long that will last.

Ah, but I’m annoyed right now too. I quickly closed the door and left the room.

I haven’t gotten a reply from Eun-ha, so it seems like she’s still sleeping, and Ji-hye still seems pissed off. If I contact her today, I’ll just get angry, so I’ll try when I get off work tomorrow.

“What, are you leaving already, Seon-ho? Without even drinking your drink?”

“Ah, no. I’m just going out for some fresh air.”

“Even though there’s a ventilation fan?”

“If you go in, the boss-nim will tell her not to come back.”

The boss-nim laughs heartily at my words. He probably thinks it’s a joke, but I’m serious this time.

The room is full of sweat, but it’s a VIP room, so it’s bearable. No one else can use the reserved seats.

While the boss-nim was laughing, I briefly left the store.

The sun is starting to set and the sky is turning orange, but now that I’m out, there’s nothing to do.

Oh, now that I think about it, it’s an awkward time to eat or go anywhere.

I came out with the intention of scolding her in a serious manner, but it would be weird to go back in right away.

With the mindset that I’ll have to walk around the neighborhood a few times, my phone vibrates.

An unsaved number, starting with 010, but in a world overflowing with voice phishing, I tried to ignore it.

‘Oh, what, it’s voice phishing, but do I have a call history with them?’

The call history from half a year ago is displayed together, so it’s not voice phishing, but I couldn’t figure out who it was.

It’s not Mom, it’s not Dad, and if it were my older cousins, I would have saved their numbers.

So, the conclusion is that it’s one of my younger cousins, but I didn’t save their number, so I can’t tell who it is.

“Who is this?”

“Uh… who is this?”

What, why are they asking who I am after I asked who they were?

Didn’t you call me because you know me? What is this, a new type of voice phishing?

“If you called the wrong number, I’m hanging up.”

“Isn’t this Seon-ho oppa’s phone?”

It’s my name? What, then who is it?

“It is, who is this?”

“What, oppa, you don’t know me?”

“I have a lot of younger sisters, so I don’t know who you are.”

“I’m also oppa’s younger sister, why don’t you know me?”

Well, there are some I contact occasionally, so it’s understandable if I forget, but what should I say when they ask why I don’t know them?

I thought about just hanging up, but since she said she’s my younger sister, I didn’t hang up. But if she doesn’t tell me who she is, I’ll hang up right away.

“I’m hanging up if you don’t tell me who you are.”

“Wow, I’m really disappointed. It’s Han Hyun-ji, why doesn’t Kim Seon-ho-ssi know me?”

After thinking for a moment after hearing the name, I immediately let out a sigh of realization.

Damn, she’s the one I even helped with studying in high school, but I didn’t think of her at all. Even though it’s been a while.

It’s been two years since high school, and we haven’t been in contact much, and after that, we only played a game or two occasionally.

Besides, we didn’t KakaoTalk or call each other, so it’s understandable that I wouldn’t know, but suddenly that name?

As I coughed awkwardly in embarrassment, she sharply snapped at me.

“You forgot your own younger sister’s name?”

“Isn’t it scarier if you don’t forget someone you haven’t contacted in two years…?”

“I guess you don’t remember all the sex jokes you told me while I was studying.”

“That’s really out of the blue, why is that coming up here…”

“You always did that for me when I was tired of studying because I liked it. It was really fun back then.”

That’s right, that’s true. There’s nothing wrong with what she said.

Because it was high school, she was tired and exhausted, and also very active with her sexual desires, so if I told her a few sex jokes or dirty stories, she would immediately perk up.

It’s natural for most high schoolers to find energy in that. It’s not a problem, just telling stories.

The problem is that it’s a bit embarrassing that she remembers that, and why she contacted me now.

Her house is a bit far from mine, so there’s not much reason to contact her, and my mother had a fight with her maternal relatives, so the adults are awkward with each other.

Still, it’s good for killing time right now, so I answered the phone.

It’ll be okay if I spend some time with her and then go in.

“But why the sudden contact? You haven’t contacted me at all.”

“It’s nothing much, I’m near oppa’s house, so I thought we could have coffee if you have time.”

Coffee, it’s an awkward time for a meal, but coffee is okay.

Above all, a cafe is a great place to kill time, so it wouldn’t be bad to spend an hour or so there.

Even though we’re not super close now, she’s still a younger sister I’m somewhat familiar with.

Besides, it’s a cafe, what problem could there be?

“It’s a bit sudden, but okay, where should we go?”

“You know Angel Coffee on the main street, right? Come there, I’ll be waiting.”

“Okay.”

Waiting? Does that mean she’s already there…?

Ever since Eun-ha came, things have been going strangely wrong, so I can’t help but be suspicious of everything.

I shouldn’t be like this, if things go wrong once, people think negatively about everything, but even if I say it’s not going to happen, it’s not like it won’t happen…

Yeah, nothing bad will happen. Yeah, yeah, what problem could arise from drinking coffee.

–

It’s only a 5-minute walk.

The VR room being near the main street also plays a part, but it’s really just across one street.

As I cautiously pushed open the large glass door of the cafe, the scent of perfume wafted from inside.

I thought the cafe would be filled with the scent of coffee, but the light fragrance that spreads around is surprisingly not bad.

But now that I think about it, it’s been 2 years since I’ve seen Hyun-ji, so I don’t know what she looks like.

Ah, is this what a bad feeling is like? I keep missing things one by one?

‘Ah… I should call her. I’m going to end up laughing again.’

I call her again and look around for someone taking out their phone.

Someone should be taking it out, but no one is. Could she be on the second floor?

If she’s on the second floor, she’s on the second floor, but Hyun-ji isn’t answering the phone, so I feel a bit uneasy, even if it’s just for a moment.

I frowned and sighed, feeling like nothing is going right today. Shit.

“So, you should have asked where she was beforehand.”

“?”

A cheerful voice came from behind me.

Not laughing outright, but a voice that sounded like she was laughing as she spoke.

When I turned around, there was a woman standing there who could really be described as pitch-black.

Her eye level was just right, and she had the impression of a witch, as people often imagine.

Showing me the ringing phone and smiling, it felt like she was a witch who was happy to see a captured child.

I feel uneasy, really. My expression was so awkward that I couldn’t control it, and she was laughing with an expression that said she found it funny.

Am I the type to be swayed like this? It was a smile that made me look at myself once more.