"The bill."
As I handed over the shoe locker key and asked to settle the payment, the employee at the counter, who was busy making drinks, quickly rushed over.
"That'll be 32,000 won in total."
"Here."
After grabbing the receipt and heading over to Hayoon, I found her standing still in front of the entrance, staring intently at the person next to her.
'..Does she know them?'
But as I got closer, I realized it wasn't someone she knew, it was the CSAT retaker girl that I had pointed out earlier while we were talking.
The retaker girl, seemingly having finished her break, was changing into her shoes to
head back up to the boarding house. And next to her, Hayoon stood still with her arms crossed.
'...What.'
Hayoon soon glanced back at me briefly, then took a step closer and stood right next to the girl.
The retaker girl, bending over to change her shoes, and Hayoon standing beside her, quietly watching me.
I wondered what she was up to, so I just stood there watching.
A moment later, the girl finished putting on her shoes and straightened up.
Then, noticing Hayoon standing right beside her, she flinched in surprise.
Likewise, wondering if something was going on, the girl frowned and looked at Hayoon.
The two stared at each for a moment.
"...."
"...."
What was this? What was she trying to do?
Either way, with the two of them standing side-by-side like that, the contrast was striking.
From their skin tone, to the small face, to the slender figure, everything.
Compared to the ordinary girl, Hayoon, standing beside her, was strikingly beautiful to the point of being almost incomparable.
The kind of person who turned everyone next to her into a squid, the number one object of avoidance.
And so, the two of them continued to stare at each other for a moment.
"....."
"....."
In the end, the retaker girl, slightly embarrassed, gave Hayoona sidelong
glance and muttered, 'What the..?' before turning and walking out the entrance.
I looked at Hayoon, still standing there exuding an air of elegance, and thought to myself.
'....Is she trying to say she's prettier?'
Still wondering what that was all about, I took out my shoes and walked over, and only then did Hayoon finally look at me and speak.
"That girl. She stole my shampoo."
"...What?"
I flinched.
I wondered if she was serious.
"..Shampoo? Out of nowhere?"
"Yeah. It has a unique scent."
"..."
I stared at her blankly, shoving my feet into my shoes.
"..Maybe she uses the same shampoo or something, so you found the scent similar."
"It's an expensive one, Joon."
Hayoon spoke softly, then took out her own shoes and began putting them on next to me.
Only then did I slowly begin to realize something.
"...Hayoon. Did you happen to move your stuff from the room by any chance?"
"Stuff?"
Hayoon responded with a nonchalant expression, shoving her feet into her shoes.
"No?"
"....No?"
I couldn't help but frown.
"But your room was empty? And even the door was open?"
After putting on her shoes, Hayoon started fixing her hair with a quick swipe.
"Maybe that girl opened the door and stole everything."
"..Really?"
I nodded slowly.
'So that's what happened. '
And the events of the morning began to make sense.
"Lee Joon, when you get back, go around the floors and look for your friends. None of the kids went straight home that day."
Hayoon hadn't left this building from the start.
After things went away that morning, she had just been sitting alone there in the comic café, passing the time.
As the Club President, I just snapped at her without saying when we'd meet up and went out to eat first, so she probably assumed I would call her when I returned.
But when no one contacted her until the end and even the group chat remained silent, she, already upset, continued to wait there.
Later, when no one had contacted her even by lunchtime, she eventually came back up to check, but by then, I had probably already sent everyone home.
"...I went to your room after having breakfast to look for you, but all your luggage was gone and the door was left open, so I thought you got upset and just left. That's why I didn't even contact you."
"...."
"I thought you stood next to that girl just now to show that you're prettier than her."
"Joon."
Hayoon said expressionlessly.
"I wouldn't do something so childish."
"Sorry...."
"...."
"and by the way how you know the shampoo is your is difficult to tell what is your or not..."
" I just said earlier is very expensive shampoo original person don't have it"
" how much it's?"
"Eighteen dollars. I just bought it a few days ago."
My jaw drop
'Eighteen dollars… for shampoo? What kind of rich person lifestyle is that?'
____
(Noryangjin Tower of Despair)
5th floor Noryangjin Boarding House
4th floor Yulgong Study Longue
3rd floor Ijoha Internet Cafe
2nd floor Exciting Coin Karaoke
1st floor Kim Gun Billiards Club
B1 floor 24-hour Comic Cafe - In Hayoon
B2 floor Play Again Bowling Alley - Lee
Joon
We stepped out of the comic café on the
first basement level and went up to the
first floor.
"Let's see, the first floor is...."
I recalled the layout of the building again.
"The first floor is said to be a billiard hall. So it's the billiard hall."
Since it was a billiard hall, I thought Jinhee would be there.
I stroked my chin and opened the door to the billiard hall.
Then, together with Hayoon, I looked around inside for a familiar face.
"..No one's here."
"Yeah."
"What do you think, Hayoon? Doesn't it
feel like Jinhee would be at a place like a billiard hall?"
"Not sure."
I tried throwing out a line to know what she thought, but Hayoon just said that and looked around.
'Ah~ If I just raise her understanding by 5 more points, her Quirk will be revealed.'
I wondered if I could get a bit more of a reaction.
What does Hayoon think about Jinhee and the other club members?
"Look look. Jinhee and billiards. Don't they somehow fit together? Hm?"
It fits her delinquent vibe. I feel like she'd like it."
I tried being playful, but Hayoon just looked around, seemingly uninterested.
"Since she's a school bully, then billiards— "
"I don't think she's here, Joon. Let's go."
"Ah, yeah. Okay."
I left the billiard hall with Hayoon and stood again in front of the elevator on the first floor.
"No one's around? Should we go straight up to the second floor and look?"
As I pondered for a moment, suddenly, I heard the sound of someone quietly sobbing from somewhere.
"Uhuk, uhuk, sob....:"
When I made a Huh? expression, Hayoon narrowed her eyes as well.
"Uhuk, uhuk, sob...'"
"....Sounds like it's coming from over by the restroom."
"Let's check it out."
Hayoon and I walked together toward the public bathroom on the first floor next to the billiard hall.
There, in one of the stalls inside the men's restroom, we found Gyeongwon crying alone.
"Sob, sob, sob, uhk...."
"...What are you doing? That too in here?"
Inside the stall, Gyeongwon was clutching his laptop tightly and crying miserably.
I stood awkwardly in front of him, looking down at the guy.
"Uhuk, sniff, hick, Club, Club Prez!? Uhuk, hic....."
Based on my memory from the previous timeline, I remember that while I was gone to get some food, this guy had come back to the study lounge and taken the laptop.
He didn't go back right away afterward, but must have been hiding here in the first-floor restroom, crying alone like this.
Soon, Gyeongwon got down from the toilet seat, placed the laptop down next to him, and began apologizing while frantically waving his arms.
"I-I'm sorry, Club Prez, I'm really sorry... Please forgive me just this once, please...."
Before I knew it, Hayoon, who had come into the men's bathroom with me, was watching the scene from behind.
I helped the guy to his feet with an embarrassed expression.
"...It's fine, get up. It's not like I did anything right either."
"Sob, sob, Club Prez, thank you, thank you...I won't forget this favor, I will will work hard, I won't do anything weird.. uhk, uhk, sniff, sob...."
"....Stop crying, it's embarrassing..."
I took him out, mindful of the gazes of the people around me.
(Noryangjin Tower of Despair)
5th floor Noryangjin Boarding House
4th floor Yulgong Study Longue
3rd floor Ijoha Internet Cafe
2nd floor Exciting Coin Karaoke
1st floor Kim Gun Billiards Club - Ahn
Gyeongwon
B1 floor 24-hour Comic Cafe - In
Hayoon
B2 floor Play Again Bowling Alley - Lee
Joon
——
Jinhee wasn't at the billiard hall on the
first floor, but on the second floor, at the coin karaoke.
After a brief search through several rooms on the second floor, we were soon able to find Jinhee, proudly showing off her singing skills.
[BoomNA Boom~A Some days I wanna
laugh with you~ Some days I wanna beat you up~a]
"....."
Jinhee was fully immersed in one of those romantic songs that delinquents love, the kind where you just scream out "I miss you!" at the top of your lungs.
I stood quietly at the front door, watching Jinhee through the glass.
She was passionately singing, with the veins in her neck standing out.
Her wrist, holding the microphone, was unharmed.
"...."
"...."
I felt an emotion I couldn't quite put into words.
As I stood there watching Jinhee through the door, Hayoon soon leaned against the wallbeside me, arms crossed just like me.
"What are you doing? We should go in."
Hayoon let out a small laugh as she watched me hesitate.
Then she reached over to my side, grabbed the doorknob, and opened the door.
"Some daaaays~ aaAaays~ Huh? What? What are you guys doing here all of a sudden? Why are you together?"
"Hey. Nice singing."
Jinhee looked flustered amidst the instrumental sound echoing around the room.
Without hesitation, I quietly slipped in and sat down beside her.
Then I gestured tovward Hayon, who was leaning by the door, and Gyeongwon, who was still sniffling.
"Come on in, quick. Let's enjoy the performance."
"...Suit yourselves."
Jinhee, seemingly unfazed, picked up the microphone again and resumed her passionate singing.
Soon, Hayoon sat down next to me, and Gyeongwon, with no other seats available, stood awkwardly by the machine, still sniffling.
"Now that you're a hundred and eighty years ooold~a"
"Well done, well done."
I clapped my hands and nudged
Hayoon playfully.
"Jinhee's a great singer, right? Right?"
"Yeah, she is."
Hayoon let out a small laugh, eyes still
fixed on the music video playing on the Screen.
"Now yore one~ eight~ zero years ooold~A"
"Well done, well done."
"Stop nudging me, Joon."
"Sorry, sorry."
"Uhuk, sniff, sniffE, sniff..."
"The changed you~a"
(Noryangjin Tower of Despair)
Sth floor Noryangjin Boarding House
4th floor Yulgong Study Longue
3rd floor ljoha Internet Cafe
2nd floor Exciting Coin Karaoke - Lee
Jinhee
1st floor Kim Gun Billiards Club - Ahn
Gyeongwon
B1 floor 24-hour Comic Cafe - In
Hayoon
B2 floor Play Again Bowling Alley - Lee
Joon
"So."
We left the coin karaoke and began climbing the tower once again.
"You were singing there instead of going straight home? Didn't you say you needed to go early and rest because of the night shift?"
"So what? It's not like I lied or anything."
Jinhee grumbled as she followed us up the stairs.
"Didn't we already finish preparing for the compeiüon anyway? whether I rest at home or at a karaoke, it's my choice."
"I'm not blaming you. I'm just glad you were still in the building."
"Why? Something happened?"
Jinhee glanced back at the club members as she climbed.
Hayoon remained silent, and Gyeongwon was clutching his laptop, still sniffling.
"Thought everyone had left, but here we are gathering again. What happened?"
" i'll explain once we're all together. Alright, let's go check the internet café now."
We opened the door and stepped into
the internet café, and soon came face
to face with a big guy playing Dungeon
& Fighter.
"There's the otaku."
"What game is that? Looks like
Dungeon & Fighter."
As we all crowded in behind to watch,
the guy wearing a headset must have
sensed our presence, because his fat
chin twitched.
But thinking we were just spectators
there to admire his gameplay, he
suddenly started showing off, furiously
tapping his keyboard, launching flashy combos like he was in a tournament.
[Barbecue. Overdraft. Reform quickly.
On the grease trap. Grease fire. On the
street.]
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap-
[In kimbap. Kim Hwabaek. In chaos. Grease laundry.]
The screen overflowed with chaotic effects, wild skill animations, and nonstop character voice lines.
The health bars of hundreds of monsters vanished in an instant, and the character executing the combos showed no signs of coming back down from the air.
Then, as Jinhee leaned her chin against
the back of the chair with a nonchalant
expression, Dukhun, perhaps sensing
the presence was a girl, snorted heavily
with even more arrogance and began
pounding on the keyboard.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap-
[Mannequin. Garlic gratter. Clean the yard. Shihee in the yard. Machu Picchu. I'll do it. I'll get hit. Manicure. Morning care. Very drunk.]
[T/N: Okay... I couldn't make heads or
tails of these combos.]
Finally, after displaying the gate destruction record screen with a dramatic flourish, the guy took off his headset at last.
Then, without even turning to look at
us, who were silently watching him, he
let out a smug garin and shook his head let out a smug grin and shook his head.
"Ah, it's tough playing again after so long."
"...."
Leaving an insane record up on the screen, he spouted out the classic otaku flex 'Ah~ not as good as usual~'.
To be honest, none of us have ever actually played Dungeon & Fighter, so we had no idea whether what he just did was amazing or just average.
We just looked at him with bored expressions.
"Is it fun?"
Jinhee, resting her chin on the back of
his chair, asked with a disinterested
expression, and Dukhun, without even
looking back, let out a light chuckle and waved his hand with a cool expression.
"Zero. Trouble."
"...."
He then minimized the screen and opened YouTube, letting out a light scoff as he watched other famous BJs' gameplay.
"This is it."
As we watched from behind, the guy suddenly seemed to be getting excited, then snickered and muttered to himself.
He also deliberately showed off his inventory window, rummaging through this and that.
I couldn't help but wonder who should step forward to make for the most perfect entrance now.
As we stood there watching quietly, Jinhee suddenly pressed the power button with a smack, turning off Dukhun's main computer just as he entered a new dungeon witha smug laugh and starting to gloat.
Psshhhk~
Dukhun, who was just about to start playing, could only stare dumbly at his own face reflected in the now-blackened monitor.
He then turned around angrily.
"..Hey, who the hell dares..."
Right behind him, Jinhee was resting
her chin on the back of his chair.
And the club members were standing in a crowd.
Dukhun flinched in surprise.
Then, with a sigh, he quietly gathered his bag and phone.
"So it was you guys. I thought someone else was watching."
"Who'd watch a damn weeb game? Get up, we're leaving."
"Take that back, right now! it's a proud
'domestic' masterpiece RPG online
game!"
Despite saying that, he still packed up
and stood from his seat.
Soon, he looked at us and let out a chuckle.
"Indeed. So this is where I belong."
"....."
"What took you all so long? I was waiting, wondering when you'd come looking for me."
"...Lots of talk from the guy who ditched us first."
"Hey, Delinquent Jinhee. Get your facts
straight. The first one to ditch was that unbelievably beautiful girl who could put 2D characters to shame, 'In Hayoon'."
"That's not true though? Hayoon didn't run away, you know?"
I answered instead and chuckled.
"She was just downstairs in the comic café because we were fighting and the atmosphere got totally messed up, you know?"
"...But you said the door was open, and
the room was empty—"
"Her stuff was stolen. Dukhun, you're the one who ditched us first."
Dukhun turned around sharply as if to ask if it was true, and Hayoon only tilted her head slightly.
Standing there foolishly for a moment,
Dukhun eventually muttered under his
breath and left the spot.
"Kuso..."
[ T/N : Kuso (クソ, 糞) meaning "shit," or "damn it," ]
——
(Noryangjin Tower of Despair)
5th floor Noryangjin Boarding House
4th floor Yulgong Study Longue 3rd
floor Ijoha Internet Cafe - Oh Dukhun
2nd floor Exciting Coin Karaoke - Lee
Jinhee
1st floor Kim Gun Billiards Club - Ahn
Gyeongwon
B1 floor 24-hour Comic Cafe - In
Hayoon
B2 floor Play Again Bowling Alley - Lee
Joon
Back on the 4th floor, the study lounge.
The part-time worker who remembered our faces greeted us, and we headed to the seminar room to wait for Sunah.
"When's she coming?"
"She be here soon."
Although the members were still sitting one seat apart, the atmosphere wasn't that bad.
Compared to the ice-cold morning, it was still a bit awkward, but we occasionally muttered to ourselves.
"Yoon Sunah is late, Prez...".
"She went home and is coming back."
I quietly looked at the clock and thought. It was around 5 p.m., maybe.'
In the previous timeline, when I got caught up with the civil service exxam sister's persuasion and was hanging out, linking arms and stepping out together.
Someone had seen us at the stairs and ran away in a hurry.
'That was 100% Sunah.'
Sunah, who had returned after taking care of her grandmother, saw me hanging out with another girl and hurriedly ran away.
Step step-
"She's coming, she's coming."
"It's Sunah."
As if they were throwing a surprise party, everyone smiled and looked
down the hallway.
If someone is naturally young and cute, they often end up taking on the mascot role in group gatherings.
Sure enough, the sound of small, shuffling footsteps that had been echoing from the hallway grew steadily closer.
The silhouette of a petite, short-haired
girl shifted behind the frosted glass of
the door before Sunah finally clicked it
open and stepped inside.
"Joon... uh."
"Hi there."
"Wow, looking for Joon as soon as you
arrive."
"Are you just getting here?"
"Welcome."
She called my name as she walked in,
but was momentarily startled when
she saw all the club members sitting
down together and greeting her at
Once.
Soon, with an awkward smile, she waved back, then showed a briefly confused expression.
"Ah, hello, everyone....."
"Yeah."
"Uh-huh."
"You're all back...."
Sunah, after standing there with an awkward smile, soon trotted over and sat down as well, leaving one seat of space, just like the others.
In that large seminar room.
The club members sat scattered, with slightly embarrassed expressions on their faces.
Their expressions carried a slightly
awkward atmosphere, like they hadn't
fully reconciled or let go of their emotions just yet.
After looking around at each member, I nodded shortly.
"...Then, Sunday, May 26th, the emergency meeting of the Ghost Story Club will begin."
'Ghost Story Club Reunion Complete!'
———
"Oh my Teacher Ari! Try this!"
Hwaeun approached the table smiling, holding her fourth plate.
At that, Teacher Han Ari, who was sitting down, forced a pained smile and patted her slightly swollen stomach.
"Um, I'm already full..."
"Still, you should at least try one of each menu before you go~ When else will you get a chance to visit a place like this again~?"