Chapter 28

My somewhat distant companion and I continued walking for a while. Since all I had to do was follow the path he initially took, I managed to avoid bumping into anyone during the walk.

He intentionally walked ahead of me after learning that I see poorly in the dark, which made me feel an inkling of guilt. Unlike Yoo In-na, this boy seemed indifferent toward me, showing no particular feelings.

But he wasn’t entirely devoid of emotion; his gaze had expressed pity toward me when he learned about my forced separation from my lover.

However, his expression didn’t linger too long, nor did it cross the line into romantic interest.

Even though I understood his lack of romantic feelings toward me, if I kept pushing him away, it would mean I’m no different from the people I’ve always disliked and judged as trash.

Back in school, the reason I was ostracized despite being seemingly perfect was because some people were dissatisfied with my unwillingness to let others get close.

“You’re selfish and hopeless trash. How dare you sell out a friend to the teacher, pretending to help a girl who’s being bullied?”

“Is that so? I spoke up because I found it unbearable and embarrassing to see my friend tormenting someone else.”

After that, I got into a fight and suffered constant bullying. Although the girl eventually transferred schools as an escape, I maintained my moral integrity.

Now, despite it not raining, the boy looked pitiful as if he were drenched. We hadn’t done anything wrong toward each other, yet I wondered if it was right for me to keep my distance. Am I not just doing the same thing that I’ve always despised?

As I thought about that, I noticed things I hadn’t seen before. I had no plans for tomorrow—a weekend—so words that I hadn’t intended to say began to form in my throat.

“Wait a moment.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Let’s play a game or two before we go.”

The boy glanced at the sign that said “PC,” but instead of agreeing, he gave a bitter smile. It wasn’t because gaming wasn’t allowed after 10 PM without an ID or because he didn’t want to game with me—it had nothing to do with that.

“That place… they seem to play poker. Let’s play somewhere else.”

Surprisingly, the place I’d suggested wasn’t the game room I’d thought of, but some other game room. Feeling slightly embarrassed, my ears grew warm, though I tried to ignore the change in my face and said:

“You’re buying.”

“Well, technically, since you suggested it, you should be the one buying, but fine. I’ll cover it for an hour this time, and next time, you buy.”

With that, the boy, who had seemed slightly pitiful earlier, walked cheerfully toward our destination, occasionally glancing back at me. This made me chuckle.

I definitely don’t feel romantic toward him, but it felt like I could make a new friend, something I lost during my youth.

This body still feels borrowed to me. Unless I lose all chances to leave this place entirely, this feeling won’t disappear.

Though I perceive this body as false, the emotions I experience through it when forming friendships are undeniably real.

Since tomorrow is Saturday, I won’t be going to school. The moment we arrived at the game room, instead of a PC café, we immediately began a more intense game battle than the usual superpower showdowns.

Our initial plan was to play just one round, but it continued for quite some time, proving to be very enjoyable. That said, my attempts at trying out combos from my old world’s fighting games failed, leading to me losing seventeen times.

“Cheater.”

My cheeks puffed up like balloons. Choosing characters with powerful chain combos? That’s not a skill difference; it’s a hero difference.

“So what? We switched heroes after that.”

Though we did switch, I still lost miserably.

Is it because my unfamiliar body can’t snap my wrist properly? No, since this body belongs to me, even if it appears physically weaker than Kim Ha-neul, I should overcome it.

Thus, the reason I lost is simple,

“It’s because you chose games you’re familiar with. Let’s play something else. Something different.”

I grabbed his sleeve and insisted. I can’t endure losing under any circumstances, and I intended to choose a game I knew to secure victory.

His face as he was drawn along by my determination showed a somewhat different smile than usual.

Before I could figure out what had changed, we started a table tennis-like game. Just before I realized that my physical abilities were lacking, the boy had already started the match. Eventually, we ended up playing late into the night at the arcade and then arrived at my house, where we both fell asleep.

Although I did wonder if it was okay to let a man into my home, as long as I consider myself a guy, letting in a boy shouldn’t be a problem.

The protagonist of a romantic visual novel shouldn’t suddenly pounce on me, anyway. In fact, the moment he saw the bed in the adjacent room, he flopped down and went straight to sleep.

Seeing the various bruises all over his body, it was clear he had endured an exhausting struggle earlier in the day. Once I confirmed he was sound asleep, I quickly returned to my bed and drifted off.

*

Among women who would persistently wait despite being told to leave early, there was Yoo In-na. The reason she left Erica behind was none other than to have a conversation with someone.

In a dimly lit alley not far from the association’s building, two women stood.

Their striking beauty made it clear that they were unlikely to beg for love but would rather choose men who adored them.

“We do need to talk.”

The student council president spoke in a business-like, rigid tone, one she wouldn’t typically use when addressing students from her school.

The girl with dark green hair didn’t respond immediately but instead looked away toward the building before fixing her gaze on the student council president.

Her mineral-like crimson eyes burned fiercely only when looking at someone she loved. They weren’t as fiery when they fell upon Erica’s ex-lover.

The student council president had never expected the other woman to view her favorably, and in fact, if she hadn’t, it would have made her rather uneasy. Therefore, this woman’s expression was just about right.

“Why do you keep hanging around her? I thought you admitted you don’t deserve to be near her.”

“Hmm… qualifications don’t really matter, do they? The past should be buried. There’s still time to do better starting now. I’m certainly a lot better than I used to be.”

In-na’s words sounded strangely to the student council president. Considering Erica’s apparent loss of memory, her words seemed to suggest that the past should be forgotten, and she should start fresh.

The student council president, however, did not wish to bury the past, which carried precious memories.

On the other hand, Yoo In-na, who carried regretful memories of her own past, wanted to forget it all.

Since they wished for different things, the two were fated to head in different directions. There was no point in continuing their argument. As the student council president turned to leave, the green-haired girl smiled faintly.

“Did I run out of time? Did you get a text?”

This implied that the student council president had summoned her here merely to stall for time. Although it was supposed to be a warning, the president had surprisingly given up and was retreating easily.

The president didn’t show any signs of discomfort. Insight in oneself is matched by influence in others. The world was irrational in this extreme, where everything could be bent toward one’s favor.

If the president had already received a text informing her that Kim Ha-neul had taken Erica, then everything else could serve as surveillance and CCTV, ensuring everything was in check.

“Don’t worry. I’ll leave today. I know what I’m doing. He calls her his girlfriend, and he’ll only take her home to a certain extent. If I get too close, it might drive him away.”

The girl with dark green hair fingered a strand of her hair, reflecting on the girl who, since losing her memory, hadn’t allowed anyone past a certain boundary with her.

Perhaps it was due to past betrayals deeply ingrained in her, or maybe this girl’s desires were evident from the start.

Though the reason remained unclear, the green-haired girl felt they should refrain from excessive interaction before the weekend.

Today’s meeting seemed like a good opportunity to create some distance.

“But if he steps out of line… you’ll have to take responsibility for that, Lee Seo-ra.”

However, this statement was only valid as long as the other party didn’t cross any boundaries. Without further words on what she might do, Yoo In-na slowly disappeared into the dark.

“That won’t happen. If he truly wants my cooperation, he won’t do anything I’d despise.”

As she watched the place where the woman once stood, the student council president quietly stared at the ground and muttered.

…Those present never imagined that the boy and Erica would end up spending time together at the arcade, enjoying their time before heading home together.

Well, nothing inappropriate happened as they might have feared.