Chapter 198 : Chapter 198

Chapter 198 - Side Story Chapter 5

“...No, yes. I’m not going to blame you for something like that. So, hmph.”

“Hmph!”

After I blew Ms. Seo Hye-in’s nose, her sniffling subsided a little.

Sometimes when I see her like this, I can’t believe she’s older than me.

My first impression of her was definitely that of a cool and composed career woman working at a large corporation, but now I just feel like her babysitter.

“So, unni. Are you calmer now?”

“...Ugh, yeah. I’m okay now, Ah-in.”

“Then it’s time for your punishment, right?”

“...”

No.

I just went through all that trouble to calm her down, what are you doing raining on her parade like that?

That thought crossed my mind, but it wasn't the kind of atmosphere where I could just say it out loud.

Seo Ah-in was glaring at Seo Hye-in with a stern gaze that could have lowered the surrounding temperature by several degrees.

Even though she was the older sister, Ms. Seo Hye-in started to tremble.

“...”

Hmm.

That's strange.

When I think back to when these two first met, I feel like Seo Ah-in was incredibly intimidated whenever she saw Ms. Seo Hye-in.

Since when did the power dynamic shift like this?

“That’s because when it comes to you, I know much more. Unni is weak when it comes to topics about you.”

“...Is that so?”

“Yes.”

I see.

I can’t say anything about that.

If I had a wealth of experience in dating or things like that, I might be able to say something, but as it is.

‘...Hmm.’

Come to think of it, I somehow managed to date Kim So-jin, but did that happen because she clearly said ‘I like you’ to my face?

At the very least, I was aware that I was terribly and catastrophically clueless in this area.

“...Sigh.”

So, even right now, the fact that this whole mess was happening because they ‘like’ me and want to ‘be with me even a little bit more’ was a situation far beyond my comprehension.

How could anyone fall for someone like me?

“Then let’s do that.”

“R-right. Let’s do that.”

“It’s a promise. No take-backs.”

As I was mulling over those thoughts, the Seo sisters were shaking hands after having agreed on something.

“What did you two finish talking about?”

“The pecking order has been established, at least for taking off the protective gear. Unni will be after me.”

“...What?”

“No, it’s just that. I’d drawn the line from the beginning that I could never compromise on this part, but unni knew that and still tried to get ahead of me. So I had to get at least this much of a concession...”

“...”

I listened to Seo Ah-in’s long-winded explanation that followed with a blank expression and let it go in one ear and out the other.

“...I don’t really know what’s going on. But you do know that you’re at a level where it wouldn’t be strange to be reported to the police, right?”

“Then you can go ahead and try. I’m also curious to see how far the police can stop me.”

“...”

"Somehow, I feel like I spoke up for nothing and only lost ground."

“That aside, it feels like the outside is still a chaotic mess.”

As Seo Ah-in said that, I also sighed and got up from my seat.

No matter what, leaving it like that any longer was a bit of a nuisance.

***

Inside the collapsing building, the women who seemed like they could easily take me down if they ganged up were all gathered and sitting in a small group.

This was a scene of my own making.

When I went outside the department store, it was utter chaos, so I had gathered everyone and made them kneel.

They were people who had been fighting each other to the death, but they seemed to listen to my words properly, so I was at least grateful that they all gathered obediently and sat in seiza in front of me.

“...No matter how you look at it, this is too much.”

As I said that, all the women in front of me averted their gazes.

Nearby, the building, with only its bare frame remaining, was shedding its crumbling exterior materials.

This was the result of these people fighting each other to increase their time with me. A building that could have easily accommodated thousands of people was completely destroyed and scattered around.

“...W-we were just engaged in a fair duel by mutual agreement. This is all just collateral damage from that process...”

“If you don’t stop with the nonsense, I’m just going to quit everything and kill myself.”

“...”

“...”

A heavy silence settled in the vicinity.

Surprisingly, the only way to silence these arrogant people who seemed like they wouldn’t listen to anyone’s words was to threaten to harm myself.

Of course, I wasn’t too keen on threatening people who were trying to help me like this, but otherwise, I couldn’t even think of controlling the people here.

“...First, this is a punishment. For the whole day today, I won’t be going around with anyone. All that time is frozen.”

As soon as I said those words, astonishment flashed across everyone’s faces.

“N-no matter what, that’s...”

“Y-yes. We were all wrong, so...”

Yes.

But what’s not okay is not okay.

Everyone’s dating rights are confiscated.

***

“....So you left all those people and you’re spending today with me?”

“Yeah.”

As I calmly affirmed, Yoo Ho-jun looked at me with an expression that said, ‘What kind of crazy bastard is this?’

Then, as if he thought it might be possible, he pondered something and asked me with a genuinely serious face.

“...Gyu-sik.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not really into guys.”

“...What?”

“It’s a bit much for me to accept your feelings...”

“What the hell are you talking about, you crazy bastard.”

“...”

“...”

Yoo Ho-jun looked at me without a word, and I looked back at him without a word.

No.

I couldn't understand what he was talking about.

“...No, otherwise, does it make any sense? There are almost a truckload of people chasing after you, and you just rejected all of them?”

“It’s not like I rejected them. I just thought I needed to sort things out on my own before I could properly face them, so that’s what I did.”

I replied with a sigh.

It was true that I felt I needed to organize my thoughts to see things clearly.

That’s why I called this guy and came back here.

The slums. The shacks patched up with rags. A place I had been to once before.

“You’re going in alone?”

“Yeah.”

As I said that and got out of the car, Yoo Ho-jun nodded as if he understood.

He did add something after that, though.

“Gyu-sik.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re going to make a choice eventually, right?”

“...What?”

“Those people, they’re not joking, they’re really sincere about you. You know you’d be a real piece of trash if you don’t even try to face them properly now, making up all sorts of excuses, right?”

I wondered what he was talking about.

I turned to look at Yoo Ho-jun with a bitter smile.

“Do I look like the kind of guy who wouldn’t even answer something like that properly?”

“No.”

“Right. So what...”

“But you do look like a dumbass who couldn’t even notice that one thing until now.”

“...”

I had nothing to say to that.

To be honest, until just a little while ago, I couldn’t really believe it.

It was only after people started to outright tell me to my face that they really liked me that I finally began to understand to some extent.

“Anyway, then go in, sort out your thoughts, and come out. I’ll be waiting here.”

After saying that, Yoo Ho-jun quickly got into the car.

After watching him blankly, I also turned around and entered the shack.

“...”

The creaking sound every time I stepped on the floor felt like it was hammering inside my brain.

The memories flowing in through the front door, the memories walking out through the back door.

Standing on my only ‘traces’ overwritten onto this world, it felt like a myriad of emotions were mixing together.

Come to think of it, I don’t think I ever once wanted to go back to my original world after transmigrating to this one.

Since I wasn’t the type to have a particular attachment to anywhere, I just lived with the thought that surviving anywhere was the top priority.

The concept of making a family or relatives now to create a ‘place to return to’ was quite unfamiliar to me.

The only one I thought might be okay was already gone for good.

So.

“...How long are you just going to watch?”

I would have to sort this out once and for all on this occasion.

I had told Yoo Ho-jun that I was going to see it alone, but to be precise, it was an excuse I made to ask for his understanding because I needed to talk to someone else one-on-one.

“I know you’re here. Come on out.”

As I said that.

A portal opened in the air with an elegant air.

What was revealed inside was the Guardian, looking somehow extremely hesitant.

“What’s up. Why are you like that.”

“...Isn’t this, a very precious place to you?”

“It’s our precious place.”

As I said that nonchalantly, the Guardian flinched as if struck by lightning and looked back at me.

Why.

Honestly, for you or me to avoid mentioning it now is just burying our heads in the sand.

Above all.

“Your memory is intact, right? No damaged parts?”

“...Looks like you’ve known for a while.”

The Guardian of the Tower, that is.

The one on whom ‘Kim So-jin’s memories’ were overwritten, let out a deep sigh in front of me.

Of course. I’d known for a long time.

I had also known for a while that her memories had completely transferred over recently.

“Then what’s the reason you stayed quiet all this time even after knowing that. From your perspective, it wouldn’t have been an easy thing to just let slide.”

“Well, I was just trying to sort out my own position.”

That was actually the case.

I had debated a lot about whether to say it clearly or not.

But, I came to the conclusion that I had to step on it and move past it to take that final step forward.

“Hey.”

“What.”

“This is something I should have said a long time ago, but I’m asking now anyway.”

The Guardian slightly raised her head to look at me.

I also raised my gaze to meet hers.

“Should we get married?”

“No. Get lost.”

As soon as I heard it, a burst of laughter erupted.

As I was cackling for a long time, the Guardian continued with a dumbfounded voice.

“Certainly, the owner of my memories would have answered like this. But what’s so funny to you about hearing that?”

“No, it’s just that hearing that really clears things up.”

Certainly, she would have answered like that.

Why are you saying such embarrassing things? Go meet another good woman and live happily ever after.

Yes, well.

That’s certainly right.

So.

“...I’ve decided.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m saying my resolve is set.”

I continued with a smirk.

“I should just make a family. That’s just what I’m thinking.”

“...What nonsense are you talking about with such a serious face...?”

Well.

It just means the paradigm is going to change a bit from now on.

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