Chapter 7 - Is this that 'green light' thing or what?
[ Is this that green light thing or whatever? ]
=== Is This That Green Light Thing or Whatever? ===
The air in the room froze.
The words had just slipped from Han Cho-yeon's lips.
And the sigh we both let out at the exact same time.
Her face instantly flushed bright red.
"Ah! N-no, no! That's not what I meant!"
She waved her hands frantically, trying to backtrack.
"I meant... since I've already... th-th-that floor! Since we're on the same floor! That's what I meant!"
"..."
An excuse even a toddler wouldn't buy.
I quietly set down my can.
My heart had already skipped a beat, but now a strange calm washed over me.
Had she really not figured it out?
Or did she let it slip on purpose?
Han Cho-yeon muttered, avoiding my gaze.
"I didn't mean it like that... really..."
"Right."
"You didn't misunderstand, did you?"
"...I wonder."
What do you mean "like that," lady? If you're going to explain, do it properly... Ah, right, she's drunk.
Han Cho-yeon flinched.
Seeing her reaction, I was certain.
This wasn't suspicion. She knew for a fact that I had been in her apartment.
And for some reason, she was trying to play dumb.
...Was it because I did such a good job cleaning?
Anyway.
It seemed she had no intention of bringing it up.
But why?
I raised my glass, keeping my face carefully blank.
"Well, since we're on the same floor, it's basically like I've been inside anyway."
"...Huh?"
"Taking the elevator, walking down the hallway... that's basically the same thing."
Han Cho-yeon's eyes slowly drifted toward me.
A brief pause.
Silence fell over the room.
And then—
"...Exactly!"
She agreed with exaggerated enthusiasm, as if she'd just had an epiphany.
There was a distinct note of relief in her voice.
I didn't press her, and she didn't bring it up again.
Instead, she poured herself another drink.
Her hand was trembling slightly.
An unbearably awkward silence hung in the air.
As an introvert, I felt like my head was going to explode if I stayed any longer.
I stood up.
"W-well, I should probably head out."
"Huh? Already?"
"Yeah, I... uh, have plans tomorrow."
"Oh... right!"
Han Cho-yeon looked disappointed for a second, but then her eyes lit up as if she'd just remembered something.
"Then let's at least exchange numbers! Y-you know, since we're neighbors?"
She hesitantly held out her phone.
"...Sure."
I kept my expression neutral, but my mind was in absolute chaos.
Exchanging numbers.
At this hour, after drinking, in her apartment.
Is this... actually happening?
Is this a green light?
No, wait. Calm down.
I've spent my entire life in male-dominated environments.
Naturally, I had never exchanged numbers with a girl before.
I had no idea how to read this.
'Since we're neighbors...?'
Right. Neighbors.
It makes sense for neighbors to have each other's numbers.
For noise complaints, misdelivered packages, or emergencies.
Yeah.
It's perfectly reasonable.
Just a normal, social thing to do.
I stared blankly at the phone she was holding out.
My fingertips trembled slightly.
Maybe it was just the alcohol.
...No.
For someone who was supposed to be drunk,
she was acting way too self-conscious...
No matter how dense I was, when she made it this obvious, I couldn't help but notice.
"Um... you know, to get in touch if there's an emergency..."
"Ah, right. An emergency."
"And since we're on the same floor... maybe we could grab d-dinner sometime..."
Her voice trailed off at the end, becoming barely audible.
I tilted my head, pretending I hadn't caught it.
"Sorry?"
"Oh, nothing! Just... y-you know, so we can contact each other in an emergency."
She was clearly trying to cover her tracks.
The tips of her ears were bright red, and her eyes darted away again.
At this point, pretending not to notice took real effort.
I cleared my throat, took her phone, and typed in my number.
I tried to act as casual as possible.
Like a guy who felt absolutely nothing.
Stop shaking like you're freezing to death and just type the number, you idiot. Do you have a tremor or something?
Han Cho-yeon quickly saved my contact and sent me a text so I'd have hers.
Buzz—
My phone vibrated in my hand.
I checked the screen and saved her number, trying to look unfazed.
"...Are you okay?"
"Yeah? Why?"
"Pfft... No, it's nothing."
...What was that about?
She stared at me, her mood suddenly shifting.
Deciding it wasn't worth overthinking, I prepared to leave.
Since I'd already used the excuse of having plans tomorrow, I couldn't drag this out.
"Well... I'll head back now."
"Okay! Get home safe."
Just before I stepped out, she added one last thing.
"I'll text you! Hehe."
"..."
Through the crack of the closing door, the shy girl from moments ago was gone, replaced by a strangely alluring smile.
*
The next day, I spent my time researching Hunters and the Awakened, as usual.
After all, knowledge is power.
It must have been Han Cho-yeon's day off. I didn't hear her leave, and no quests popped up all day.
Even though I'd only recently awakened my unique ability, Snail Husband, I had still been getting at least one quest a day.
Just as I was starting to think today would pass without incident—
Beep, beep, beep—
Click!
The sound of my neighbor leaving leaked through the paper-thin walls.
And right on cue, a quest popped up.
[A new quest has been issued.]
[Quest]
- Prepare dinner for Room 305. (00:05:38)
Reward: Increase in Han Cho-yeon's Stamina and Mana, increase in Snail Husband's Agility
Penalty for Failure: Spine removal
"..."
Prepare dinner in under six minutes.
It obviously wasn't telling me to make instant ramen, which meant I had to use my Special Meal skill.
"Ha."
After yesterday's conversation, I knew she had already figured out what I was doing anyway.
There was no point in hiding it anymore. I might as well be shameless.
'She's playing dumb, so why should I care?'
Given the short time limit, she had probably just stepped out to the local convenience store.
Since the cat was already out of the bag, I could prepare a luxurious Special Meal without holding back.
The only thing I had to worry about was not passing out like last time.
I had no idea how she'd react if she found me unconscious in my room, so I had to avoid that at all costs.
I already had a plan. Without hesitation, I activated Intangibility and slipped through the wall into Room 305.
"..."
The table where we had shared drinks yesterday was still there. It hadn't even been a full day.
It was smaller than her dining table, but the skill would adjust the portion size automatically.
'Special Meal.'
I channeled my Mana and Stamina, activating the skill.
Energy drained from my body, flowing naturally toward the table as a cluster of light began to gather.
"Whew... much better than last time."
Maybe because the portion size was smaller and my efficiency had improved, I didn't feel nearly as exhausted.
The particles of light slowly faded, revealing a plate of truffle cream pasta. I stared at it and muttered,
'Honestly, my A-rank Intangibility is a lifesaver. It doesn't even cost Stamina or Mana.'
I felt like I should build a shrine to it.
...Anyway.
I slipped back into Room 306, but curiosity suddenly got the better of me.
"...How is she going to react?"
What would Han Cho-yeon do when she came home from a quick errand to find a plate of truffle cream pasta sitting on her table?
Would she finally confront me directly?
Or would she play dumb again?
I kept turning my phone screen on and off, checking the time.
Only a few minutes had passed, but it felt like hours.
Just then—
Footsteps echoed in the hallway.
Step, step, step.
The soft scuff of slippers approached slowly.
They stopped.
Right in front of Room 305.
The rustle of a plastic bag was followed by the beep of the digital lock.
Beep-beep-beep-beep—
Chime—
Click—
The door opened, and then—
Click.
It closed.
Silence.
I stood frozen, holding my breath, before opening and closing my fridge door just to do something with my hands.
I strained my ears, but not a single sound came from next door.
The walls weren't thin enough to transmit soft footsteps anyway. I tried to reassure myself that she hadn't immediately marched over to my door, but—
Ding!
'Jesus, that scared me.'
I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sudden notification from my phone on the bed.
It was probably my sister or my brother.
Thinking nothing of it, I unlocked my phone and checked the message.
- Han Cho-yeon: [Photo]
- Han Cho-yeon: Looks delicious, right?
- Han Cho-yeon: My friend said they just got this
- Han Cho-yeon: I wish someone would do this for me too haha
"..."
I was completely wrong. The sender was Han Cho-yeon.
The photo she sent showed the exact scene I had looked at just minutes ago.
Her small table, and the truffle cream pasta that looked completely out of place on it.
There was no mistaking it. It was the exact pasta I had just made.
"...Ah."
Now I get it.
This girl...
She's totally messing with me.
The moment I realized this, my tension strangely melted away.
The fact remained that I'd been caught, but at least she had no intention of interrogating me.
On one hand, it was a relief.
But...
For some reason, it left a strange taste in my mouth.
It felt like she had dirt on me.
Even though she knew exactly what I was up to,
she was beating around the bush instead of just saying it.
I didn't think she was the type, but she had a real talent for playing mind games.
Playing along and pretending to be clueless was the safest bet, but a sudden streak of stubbornness flared up inside me.
I couldn't just let her have the upper hand.
- Me: Which friend?
She read it the instant I hit send.
Her reply came immediately.
- Han Cho-yeon: Haha
- Han Cho-yeon: Just someone I know
- Han Cho-yeon: She said it's absolutely delicious
"...What?"
Then, she stopped typing.
I had to wait about a minute before the next message came through.
- Han Cho-yeon: And the buff is so strong
- Han Cho-yeon: That she really wants to repay the person who made it...
- Han Cho-yeon: What do you think she should do?
"Aha."
She must have felt the double stat boost.
Deeply impressed, she was already bringing up a reward I hadn't even asked for.
- Me: Well...
- Me: I don't know who this person is, but
- Me: they probably just did it out of goodwill, right?
It wasn't like I did it expecting anything in return. Keeping my spine intact for the next few decades was reward enough, so I dodged the question.
- Han Cho-yeon: My friend kept talking about how sweet this person must be
- Han Cho-yeon: So she's definitely going to repay them haha
...Is she planning to do something to me?
Her last message carried a strange mix of playful anticipation and the terrifying aura of a predator about to pounce.
Of course,
if she meant exactly what I thought she meant... then that was fucking awesome.