Toss, turn.
I kept tossing and turning my body this way and that while listening to the small sounds coming from the room next door.
Of course, no particular noise could be heard from the room where Banye was staying. As if it were a lie that Banye had come to the house today.
But the presence I’d seen earlier was so overwhelming that I couldn’t fall asleep and kept ruminating on what Banye had looked like earlier.
‘He’s really handsome…….’
Squirm.
I clenched my fingers tight, recalling how Banye had turned to look at me while sweeping his bangs up.
I don’t know why my hands are suddenly moving on their own like I’ve got a cramp. Anyway…… at that moment I wanted to look at Banye for a long, long time, but as soon as I recognized that feeling, I quickly averted my eyes.
That was a bit regretful. After that too, I was somewhat dissatisfied because I couldn’t look at him properly, worried I’d seem strange if I kept staring for no reason.
Banye surely knows he’s handsome, right? There must have been many people who stared at him blankly like me…….
‘What must it feel like to live with a face like that.’
But Banye didn’t seem particularly excited.
Actually, thinking about the situation, Banye had come to my house after hitting his mother’s boyfriend(?), so his life probably wasn’t as rosy as his appearance.
Still…… something, he’s tall and all.
‘It’s a face worthy of being loved…….’
I also got a feeling somewhat reminiscent of my older brother. I mean, the feeling that he’s tall and probably popular is similar?
I smacked my lips with the thought that I felt sorry for him for nothing.
‘If I were Banye, I’d be a celebrity…… no, a YouTuber.’
Just showing himself gaming with the camera on, he had looks that would get him donations every day and then some. Moreover, Banye’s voice was also quite nice.
Thinking about it, that’s really true. Why doesn’t he do it?
‘He could earn 10 million won quickly, couldn’t he……?’
I closed my eyes thinking I should mention it to Banye tomorrow when I wake up.
But even after that, my heart kept pounding because of the thought that ‘there’s another person in the house,’ so I couldn’t fall asleep.
In the end, I stayed up all night with my eyes open and greeted the morning with a haggard face.
* * *
“Go…… od morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes.”
After greeting me simply, Banye paused when he saw my haggard face. But he didn’t say anything in particular and turned his head.
I was grateful for Banye’s silence because it was better to pretend not to notice rather than point out that my face was a mess.
But the courage to suggest things to him like doing streaming, which I’d thought about alone last night, had disappeared.
It was awkward somehow…… and also…… thoughts like ‘would it be okay for me to dare say such things to him’ suddenly started arising.
‘……I’m so conscious of him.’
Moreover, the real Banye, when we were together, had an impression that was a bit difficult to get close to, unlike in the game.
Banye in the game has charisma but I guess you could say there are gaps to dig into? It’s a bit hard to explain with words, but anyway, I had some room to maneuver.
But the real Banye was quiet, and also didn’t make eye contact with me well (though it’s mainly me avoiding it when our eyes meet……), so saying cringeworthy things or acting cute was absolutely impossible.
Like me, Banye in his own way also seemed awkward because I wasn’t as talkative as in the game and was quiet, so that in itself was awkward.
So after he finished washing up, he said to me.
“Last night before bed I looked into part-time job positions and there are places with dormitories too.”
“……Dor, dormitory?”
“Yes.”
Then he added as if to reassure me.
“If I interview at a place with a dormitory and get in, I’ll leave within three days so……”
Banye trailed off, but the words that would probably follow were ‘so don’t worry too much thinking I’ll be here for a long time.’
I became a bit embarrassed, and also felt uncomfortable that I seemed to have made Banye feel self-conscious.
So for the first time I gathered courage and grabbed his arm. Of course, as soon as I did, I saw Banye’s puzzled expression and shriveled up a bit again…… But still, in a voice crawling into itself, I could convey what I wanted to say.
“Be, be comfortable! I…… really don’t hate you being here…… La, last night I tossed and turned a bit…… but that’s just because it’s been so long since someone other than me came to the house to sleep, so I was ex, excited……”
Banye looked at my arm holding onto him, then alternately stared at my bright red face and moved his lips as if to say something. But in the end, he didn’t say anything.
However, the atmosphere floating in the air had definitely softened compared to earlier. Banye stayed held by me for a moment, then slowly released my arm and said.
“Okay.”
At the gentle voice, my heart went thump-thump again.
And as soon as I became conscious of that change, I became concerned about Banye’s gaze, so I deliberately asked him in a loud voice.
“Banye. Do you want breakfast? Should I make you food?”
“Yes.”
“Then, just a moment!”
I guided Banye to the dining table and heated up the retort food I often eat in the microwave and gave it to him.
The real Banye was the type whose expressions showed honestly on his face, and he didn’t seem to particularly like the food I gave him…… But he finished it all without leaving anything.
“I ate well.”
“Yeah!”
“I’ll do the dishes.”
“Huh? No……! It’s okay……”
“I should earn my keep.”
Since he said it so firmly, I had no words to refuse.
I went “uh, uh,” then got up, leaving the dishes to Banye. I felt somehow sorry, as if I’d only made him work when he didn’t even seem to have eaten that deliciously.
However, Banye was already doing the dishes with rubber gloves on his hands. I awkwardly couldn’t say anything and turned around.
I felt bad for nothing, as if I were making a guest work. All the more so because Banye knew I was uncomfortable with him.
Something, wasn’t there anything I could take care of for him?
“Ah!”
Then, something suddenly came to mind so I rummaged through my room.
What I found was a laptop I’d used before and then shoved away. When I came out having found even the charger, Banye had just finished the dishes and was coming out of the living room.
Banye’s gaze fixed on the laptop in my hands.
“This one’s extra, so use it.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. For gaming or……”
Oops. Did I speak too thoughtlessly to someone who’s saving money to move out?
“……When looking for part-time jobs, you can conveniently use this too.”
I hurriedly added a word and shoved the laptop at Banye. Banye received the laptop from me without much resistance.
I was relieved by Banye’s action like that, then asked while reading the room a bit.
“Um, we’ll keep it secret from the guild that we’re living together temporarily, so don’t worry……”
But Banye turned his head as if puzzled and looked at me.
“Why?”
It was a face that truly didn’t know the reason.
“Uh……? If we suddenly say we’re living together, they’ll ask why.”
Then we might have to talk about personal things…… But Banye went “Ah,” and replied as if it were nothing, then shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t care.”
“……You don’t care?”
“No. Whether you tell them or not…… do as you’re comfortable, hyung.”
Well, if he says it like that, there’s no need to particularly…… say anything.
I watched Banye sit at the dining table and turn on the laptop, then awkwardly entered my room. And as soon as I turned on the computer, I logged straight into the game.
As the login notification appeared, the first to react was Nanneomukeoeyeowo.
[Guild][Nanneomukeoeyeowo] Aang-nim? Is this the main account owner?
[Guild][Aang] Hi
[Guild][Aang] Yep
[Guild][Nanneomukeoeyeowo] ! I was surprised when you suddenly left yesterday
[Guild][Aang] Ah
Come to think of it, because I was out of it from Banye’s shocking statement, I couldn’t properly finish the conversation with Nanneomukeoeyeowo, and belatedly only gave a short greeting before leaving the game.
[Guild][Aang] Sorry sorry
[Guild][Aang] Something suddenly came up ㅠ
[Guild][Nanneomukeoeyeowo] ㅋㅋIt’s okay
[Guild][Aang] ㅠㅠYou’re so magnanimous
The generous Nanneomukeoeyeowo accepted it as if nothing had happened. As I chatted like that, laughter sounds leaked out pfft-pfft without me realizing.
[Guild][Nanneomukeoeyeowo] Now that I see you Aang-nim
[Guild][Aang] Yes
[Guild][Nanneomukeoeyeowo] You left yesterday so I couldn’t hear
[Guild][Nanneomukeoeyeowo] Are you interested in riding?ㅋㅋ
“Ah, right.”
I’d gone silent just when I was about to get bicycle recommendations yesterday…… I remembered belatedly.
[Guild][Nanneomukeoeyeowo] I have a few good lineups
[Guild][Aang] Nice, please introduce them to me ㅋㅋ
Nanneomukeoeyeowo got quite excited and talked about bicycles. It was such a detailed explanation that even other guild members who had no particular interest said things like [Oh, tempting ㅋㅋ].
I giggled while listening to the bicycle comparisons. Then, as I was typing while contemplating what would be good.
“What’s so good?”
A low, somewhat ominous voice fell from above my head. I froze in surprise without even being able to scream.
