bookpower Chapter 371: Black Star (4)
Chapter 371: Black Star (4)
Chapter 371: Black Star (4)
Kang Hyunbyul.
My ex-girlfriend who was four years younger than me.
She confessed first while we were both preparing for job applications, and we dated for about three years.
Well, that wasn’t important right now.
Swoosh.
I looked at her again.
Her gaze was cold.
And I knew why.
“Your eyes are going there in this situation?”
“Ahem...”
Well, what can I do if my eyes are drawn there?
I quickly pulled myself together.
“Don’t misunderstand. I was just checking.”
“Checking?”
“The default outfit here is based on how you see yourself.”
“So... you’re saying this is how I see myself?”
“That’s right.”
You have to buy other clothes with GP.
That’s how I got this tracksuit and t-shirt I was wearing.
The default outfit was a bit uncomfortable—
“What about you?”
“...?”
“What was your default outfit?”
“Uh...”
It was a navy blue suit.
My ex-girlfriend... her, bought it for me to celebrate getting a job.
But...
“This. This is my default outfit.”
...I was too embarrassed to say that.
It would seem like I still had feelings for her if I told her I was wearing the suit she gave me.
“...Hmm, that’s very you.”
Thankfully, Hyunbyul didn’t seem suspicious and easily accepted my explanation.
But that made me curious.
“Very me? What do you mean?”
“Why are you being so sensitive? I just meant you look comfortable.”
“Re, really?”
Damn it, I can’t win against her.
Maybe it’s because I’m guilty?
“By the way... don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“...It’s been a while, Hyunbyul!”
“That’s it?”
“Uh...”
What else should I say?
Ah, I forgot to ask.
“So, how did you end up here?”
Hyunbyul stared at me and then sighed.
“You still haven’t changed, always running away.”
I pretended not to hear her.
“It’s fine. It doesn’t really matter now...”
“Right, why does the past matter? The present is more valuable than gold...”
I felt a chill.
“Why did you stop? Continue.”
“I just... thought I should apologize first.”
“.......”
“I’m sorry about what happened back then. I mean it.”
Hyunbyul looked at me with a surprised expression as I apologized sincerely.
“You’ve... changed, haven’t you?”
“Well, it couldn’t be helped... So, do you accept my apology?”
“It’s fine. Like I said, it doesn’t matter now. And it’s not really something anyone should be apologizing for...”
“That’s... true.”
An awkward silence followed.
Well, it was understandable.
We were exes who had broken up over a year ago, and we had just reunited in another world.
“By the way, I was really surprised. I never thought I would see you here.”
“Really? I thought we would meet someday.”
“...Huh?”
“I’ve been thinking about it since I came here. That you must be somewhere in this world. It made me feel a bit relieved.”
“Relieved...?”
“About your disappearance. I was shocked when I heard about it. I thought you might have done something stupid...”
Ah, I guess that’s understandable.
I felt a sense of gratitude. She was worried about me even though it had been over a year since we broke up.
“So... how did you end up here?”
It was my third time asking.
“You’re not exactly the type to be interested in games...”
Hyunbyul finally answered.
“Well... I became a bit curious after we broke up. How fun that game must be for you to be so obsessed with it.”
One I had seen several times when we were dating.
I used to be flustered and try to appease her, but there was no need for that now.
We were strangers.
Hyunbyul, who was always rational, wouldn’t forget that.
“You... drew the line first?”
“Yes.”
“...Okay. I won’t ask again. Happy?”
She accepted it coolly, as expected of Hyunbyul.
But could it be that she was a bit disappointed?
“But don’t expect me to tell you my story. I won’t tell you even if you die.”
Damn it, she’s right.
I nodded, unable to refute her.
Hyunbyul bit her lip.
“You’re really not curious at all?”
“I’ll have to tell you my story if I hear yours.”
I answered honestly instead of making an excuse.
She knew when I was summoned here. If I told her my race, the number of candidates would be drastically reduced.
“.......”
“.......”
We stared at each other in silence.
“...Let’s sit down.”
“...Okay.”
It was a bit awkward to keep standing, so we sat down on the sofa.
But we didn’t have anything to talk about.
So I started with something light.
“This is your first time in the community, right?”
“Yes.”
I was curious how she got an invitation if she had been living a normal life in this world. But I swallowed my curiosity.
“Do you need some GP? You can exchange it for cash or buy things on the exchange.”
“No, thank you. I can earn that much myself. And besides, if I exchange it for cash, there will be a physical transaction, and my identity might be revealed.”
“That’s... true.”
I had just offered it to break the ice, but I was actually planning to stop her if she tried to exchange it for cash.
“You... became an explorer, right?”
“That’s right.”
We had agreed not to reveal our identities, but I admitted it.
I couldn’t refuse even this much.
“Why are you smiling?”
“Just... I can’t imagine you fighting monsters.”
“It just happens.”
“It must have been hard.”
“What about you?”
“I’m doing okay. Work life is actually easier here.”
Well, she was the smartest person I knew.
She must have adapted to this world quickly—
“Seriously. The systems aren’t even digitalized, so it was easy to make some starting capital.”
Starting capital... don’t tell me she embezzled money?
“The market is so inefficient that I’m getting a good return on my investments.”
“.......”
“Oppa.”
“...Yeah?”
“Let’s stop beating around the bush and join forces.”
“Haha, join forces... we already—”
“No, I’m not saying we should get back together, I’m saying we should work together. I’ll support you.”
“Support me?”
“It’s only natural, isn’t it? In exchange, you take me with you when you go back. You want to go back, right?”
“Return...”
Hyunbyul’s expression changed as I trailed off.
“Oppa... don’t tell me you’re going to stay here?”
I didn’t bother denying it.
“There’s nothing waiting for me back home.”
“...What about your mother?!”
“Huh? My mother?”
“If you stay here, she’ll get all your money!”
Ah, so that’s what she meant.
“Oh, that’s a good motivation.”
Hyunbyul raised her voice as I chuckled.
“Don’t try to brush it off! Are you really going to stay here?”
“Why are you so worked up? I mean, it’s not a bad place to live. Did you know? I have more friends here.”
Hyunbyul’s lips tightened at my attempt to lighten the mood.
And then, after a long pause...
“............Friends? You?”
...she exclaimed in shock.
“.......”
Uh...
Even I felt a bit hurt.