Episode 54
[Gang Jegyeong]
Are you asleep? 02:39
It was Jaeseogang. It seemed he had contacted me after finishing work.
I tapped the Katalk notification and went straight into the chat room.
[Me]
Laid down to sleep
Did you just finish work? 02:39
[Gang Jegyeong]
I just got home and washed up
So tired... haha 02:39
If he’s tired, he should just hurry up and sleep, but I had no idea why he was reaching out again. As expected, was work so busy that stress had accumulated, and he came to me to relieve his stacks one by one?
With a handful of worry, I tapped away at the keypad with my thumbs.
[Me]
Go to sleep already, whyre you texting me
Don't wake up late tomorrow 02:39
Sleep quick
What if youre late 02:40
[Gang Jegyeong]
ㅎㅎㅎ
It's just fascinating now that I'm actually about to sleep... 02:40
[Me]
Was work so busy
That being able to sleep is a novelty?;; 02:40
His words were funny, so I teased him by nitpicking. While I was chuckling to myself, Jaeseogang sent a reply in a flash.
[Gang Jegyeong]
No
Sorry, did I say something weird because I'm sleepy 02:40
It had been a joke, but it seemed he took it seriously.
[Me]
It was a joke; you dont have to apologize 02:40
[Gang Jegyeong]
Ahaha 02:40
After fussing that he was confused, Jaeseogang laughed inanely, tapping out consonants.
[Me]
Ah also
Since were on Katalk anyway
Im saying this in advance
Im not a girl;
Don't you dare make a disappointed face when we meet 02:40
Since we happened to be texting, I completely crushed whatever expectations Jaeseogang might have been harboring. The profile picture was a cat doll, so it was impossible to infer a gender; there was a good chance he had arbitrarily misunderstood and thought I was a girl.
Even though the moment to reply had passed, the chat window remained quiet. Had he actually been hoping for that?
[Gang Jegyeong]
Ah
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
I don't mind 02:41
The reply arrived only after several more seconds had passed.
Was it true? Hadn't he taken quite a while for someone who said he didn't mind?
[Gang Jegyeong]
Honestly, it would be a lie to say I wasn't curious... but I like you either way, so it's fine. 02:41
As if he had noticed me squinting skeptically at the part where he said “I don't mind,” Jaeseogang deliberately added another line.
I didn't know if those words were true, but I decided to believe them for now.
[Me]
I see...
Now that I've actually heard the answer
Im relieved but its also strange 02:41
[Gang Jegyeong]
Haha why? 02:42
[Me]
You
Liking people
Regardless of gender
I didnt know id find out you swing both ways like this? 02:42
[Gang Jegyeong]
?How does it turn out like that again ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
You're the type to run ten thousand li ahead on your own if I tell you one thing... 02:42
[Me]
There's a saying
That I know ten from one
ㅎ 02:42
[Gang Jegyeong]
ㅎ
Alright^^
You may know ten from one, but I suspect you don't know the eight things in between... 02:42
Already picking another fight. Anyway, he wouldn't gracefully acknowledge a single thing. It seemed the only thing he would acknowledge was my gaming skill.
[Me]
What the heckㅡㅡ
Just go to sleep
If you come to the event
With stress stacks ill put you to sleep by force 02:43
[Gang Jegyeong]
I was just lying down anyway
I want to talk more but I'm too sleepy...
Ill sleep first. Ppang-nim, sleep soon too 02:43
[Me]
In my heart
Im singing you a lullaby
Sleep well 02:43
[Gang Jegyeong]
ㅎㅎㅎ
So you're saying you won't sing it for me... haha.ㅠ
Ppang-nim, sleep well too 02:43
After putting Jaeseogang to bed, I tried to turn off my phone and close my eyes, thinking that I too really needed to sleep now. But the moment I was about to press the power button, Jaeseogang sent one more message.
I, who had been about to nag him about not going to sleep quickly, froze as if I had short-circuited after reading the message.
[Gang Jegyeong]
See you in a bit. 02:43
The reality that I would meet Jaeseogang in just half a day came rushing back. Whether he had thrown a bomb at me before going to sleep, he said nothing after that.
Even after turning off my phone, I couldn't close my eyes for a long time due to the sudden elation that crept up on me.
* * *
I had worried all night, “At this rate, won't I be unable to sleep?” But I slept well. Very well.
I had been sprawled out sleeping until ten o'clock, and only when my uncle shook me awake saying I'd be late did I get up in a daze. To be precise, it wasn't the shaking that woke me. My uncle was as excited as if it were his own business that I was going out after so long, peppering me with words like a machine gun, so I had no choice but to wake up from the noise.
Unable to help my eyes drooping shut, I sat on the bed and kept nodding off. My uncle hugged my waist, grunting, forcibly stood me up, and sent me into the bathroom. Thanks to that, with my eyes still unopened, I had fumbled around to turn on the warm water, opened the faucet, and ended up getting drenched by cold water coming out of the showerhead.
When I came out after a quick shower, my uncle was waiting for me, fully dressed to go out and extremely excited.
“Yeong, how many years has it been since you went out properly, not just briefly stepping out in a car? Back in the day, both you and my daughter would only play games at home, which I found so! Unsatisfying. But now, with excuses like offline meetups and guild gatherings, I'm so! Grateful to send you outside even once more.”
“What do you mean, years... I went to an offline event last year too.”
I grumbled back and sat at the table. The ladies had prepared the table while I washed up, so I could eat right away.
My uncle brought a chair and sat beside me on the excuse that eating alone was lonely, then continued talking.
“Back then, you only stayed for 30 minutes before coming back home. Dripping with sweat.”
“Anyway, it's not been years. Just a year.”
“Oh my, listen to you bragging.”
Though his tone was scolding, he didn't say anything more. It was simply because he felt sorry for me, someone this age who was reluctant to go outside and just sat at home playing games, so I didn't take it badly and silently chewed my rice with the light, refreshing side dishes.
After downing a meal that doubled as breakfast and lunch, I brushed my teeth and came into the dressing room. I hadn't thought about what to wear. It wasn't like I was going somewhere grand. Comfort was best. I roughly grabbed a well-ironed white cotton T-shirt, light blue distressed jeans, and a sky blue jersey jacket to wear as an outer layer in case of air conditioning, and quickly threw them on.
After getting dressed, I chose a watch that didn't look expensive and put it on my wrist, then stood in front of the full-length mirror and roughly fixed my hair. Since my hair had a curl to it anyway, stray locks were bound to stick out however I styled it, and right now, having just washed my hair, it was a bit fluffy.
Without wasting time, I only combed down the messy-looking parts with my hands. Finally, I stuffed a self-defense knuckle duster into my jacket pocket and finished preparing.
I grabbed my phone and came out to the living room, where one of the ladies who had been moving a small flowerpot told me that my uncle had already gone down to the parking lot. Anyway, he was so excited whenever I went out like that. I greeted the ladies staying at home, saying I'd be back, then left the house with brisk steps.
I took the elevator that was already there—perhaps my uncle had sent it up—and watched my reflection faintly visible in the metal doors as I went down to the parking lot.
......Wait. Where was I going again? Ah, right, right. Today was the offline event....... What time did I have to be there by? Is today even the right day? Could I still not be fully awake from my dreams?
I was the only one in the elevator, where only mechanical sounds could be heard, yet it felt quite hectic.
From earlier, I had felt strangely spaced out. I was moving because I had something to do, but should I say it didn't feel very real? It felt like I was floating in mid-air.
Even so, at some point my heart had started thumping. When I was eating, washing up, and changing clothes, it had still felt like a dream, but after stepping outside, I could vividly feel my heart beating in a rhythm different from usual.
I hadn't felt anything like this when going to the event last time....... The reason I was suddenly like this today was crystal clear. Because there was a definite difference from the last event.
The fact that Jaeseogang was coming.
“Basement level 2.”
I found myself ridiculous as I stepped into the parking lot. After all, when the talk of the Arena demo invitation first came by mail, I had been filled with excitement at the thought of being able to meet Jaeseogang.
It was clear that I had grown completely attached to Jaeseogang. Otherwise, there was no way I would feel more nervous than when I went to my first blind date, or the day I went to my first guild gathering to meet guild members.
When I went to the usual parking spot, my uncle was sitting in the driver's seat with the air conditioning on, waiting for me. I naturally opened the rear door, seated myself, and fastened my seatbelt.
“It'll take about 30 minutes. Try not to look at your phone during that time. You'll get carsick.”
“Yes~.”
Even as I said that, both my hands took out and gripped my phone. My uncle, who had been looking at me through the rearview mirror, let out a hollow laugh and slowly stepped on the accelerator to exit the parking lot.
When I turned on my phone, several Katalk messages had arrived.