Perhaps because it was midday on a weekend, the arcade was packed with people. That’s why he hesitated despite entering boldly.
Of course, that was only for a moment. Seo Eunho was now sitting in front of a Tekken machine, moving the joystick quite flashily and pressing buttons. For his first time, his skills weren’t bad. Judging by how he was spending quite a while on a single coin, that must have been the case.
“Is it fun?”
Tae Shinwoo, who had been standing with his arms crossed watching, asked.
“Yeah.”
He answered, but anyone could tell it was half-hearted. Seo Eunho, who was in a state where he could be sucked into the screen at any moment, didn’t seem to realize he’d left Tae Shinwoo alone for quite a while.
“Are you planning to try everything you haven’t been able to do until now with this opportunity?”
As if wanting to make him aware of it, Tae Shinwoo asked bluntly. Though his voice had a hint of laughter so he didn’t seem dissatisfied, Seo Eunho still turned his head, feeling like he’d left Tae Shinwoo standing alone for a long time.
“I haven’t really thought about that, but that’s not bad either.”
Not that he was greatly concerned about Tae Shinwoo though.
“You want to watch what I do, and I want to play games. There’s nothing wrong with that, right? Isn’t it more fun than watching me sit still?”
“You’ve got some nerve.”
Just when he was thinking it was a thick-skinned thing to say, Tae Shinwoo clicked his tongue and shook his head. Since it wasn’t wrong, there was no reason to deny it. He was just a bit disappointed about the character that died while exchanging a few words.
Doesn’t really matter. Coins were overflowing and wouldn’t run out. Tae Shinwoo, who had become a leftover, would take care of it on his own.
Since it wasn’t his own money, there was no hesitation in putting coins into the machine. Thinking about it, what he was doing was a bit funny. Was sitting in a cafe neglecting work, and playing games without Tae Shinwoo in mind at all proper work? It wouldn’t be strange if the other party immediately hurled curses.
But Seo Eunho was confident. Because if Tae Shinwoo told him to stop, he had every intention of stopping. It was Tae Shinwoo who wasn’t stopping him. Though he was staring at him so persistently it wouldn’t be strange if the back of his head had a hole drilled through it.
Still, he must just be staring because it’s okay to do this.
“……”
Having concluded on his own, Seo Eunho concentrated on the game again. Since he was doing it anyway, he planned to engrave his name initials at the very top of the ranking that appeared after the game ended.
However, once broken, his concentration didn’t return easily. Was it because he was conscious of it? It was because Tae Shinwoo’s gaze was starting to bother him more and more. He’d told him to just watch, but somehow as time passed, the situation felt increasingly uncomfortable.
How conscientious at times like this.
If you think about it, Seo Eunho let out a long sigh while bringing up reasons that didn’t suit him at all.
“Aren’t you going to do anything?”
It was after using two more coins that he turned his head sharply toward Tae Shinwoo standing behind him and brought up the question.
“Do something.”
What nerve? When he couldn’t even completely ignore him. The words he’d brushed off earlier now felt a bit unfair.
“You said to just watch you.”
Of all things to feel wronged about. Seo Eunho shook his head and turned his body around completely. Thanks to that, their knees collided quite forcefully with Tae Shinwoo’s, but he didn’t budge.
“I said do it if you want to, not that you must only watch.”
“That sounds the same to me.”
Seo Eunho shut his mouth tight and furrowed his brow. It wasn’t like he’d been standing still because he said that. Tae Shinwoo could have done whatever he wanted at any time. It was an absurd excuse.
“There are games all over, so go do anything.”
“I don’t want to.”
So Tae Shinwoo very simply refused the words he spat out somewhat irritably. His tone said he didn’t feel like it at all.
Seo Eunho didn’t add more words and turned his body back around. When he says he doesn’t want to, why would he care more? He just had to keep playing games as he wanted.
But when he actually tried to put in a coin, it still bothered him. The guilt that had bloomed once wouldn’t easily fade. It felt like he was experiencing all the guilt he’d feel in his entire life today.
No matter how much he said he’d just watch him, wasn’t it still a bit much to bring him to a place he didn’t feel like being, extort money, then thoroughly enjoy entertainment?
It wasn’t without feeling a bit slow to realize it now. On top of that, he felt a little wronged. Because Tae Shinwoo hadn’t said he didn’t like it, and Seo Eunho hadn’t been stubborn either.
“……At least play this together.”
But still, judging it was better to suggest something rather than ignore him in an uncomfortable state, Seo Eunho said in a not-so-loud voice.
“I haven’t played it before.”
He thought another sharp refusal would come back. But somehow the reaction was bland. It didn’t seem like he completely disliked it.
“Sit down. This is my first time too.”
So when he spoke again and turned his gaze, Tae Shinwoo wiggled his eyebrows and smiled slightly.
“……I thought so.”
His contemplation was brief, and Tae Shinwoo took the seat next to Seo Eunho. Seo Eunho clearly heard him muttering but didn’t ask what he meant. He felt like he’d get pissed off if he asked.
The already not-so-spacious seat became even more cramped thanks to Tae Shinwoo. It was natural since he also wasn’t small in build, and he was sitting side by side with an even bigger guy.
Inevitably, their arms bumped into each other. What was fortunate was that even though it was midsummer and he was neatly dressed in a shirt, no heat was felt from Tae Shinwoo’s body. He wasn’t a snake, so why was he so cold? Still, if his body had been hot, he would have gotten up from the seat immediately, so it was rather fortunate.
Having had idle thoughts for a moment, Seo Eunho put Tae Shinwoo’s share of coins into the machine.
***
“Fuck……”
“……”
“You said it was your first time?”
“It is my first time.”
However, Seo Eunho’s indifferent expression became distorted with dissatisfaction not long after.
The fingers that had been moving calmly when they started gradually became faster and more intense. Though this game was Seo Eunho’s first time too, he was consistently losing to Tae Shinwoo to the point where the several rounds he’d played before Tae Shinwoo sat down felt meaningless.
Seo Eunho’s character expressing his dissatisfaction was flying through the air. Seo Eunho bit his lips with his face all distorted. A competitive spirit he’d never had in his life welled up like crazy. His insides were practically boiling.
“You’re just too bad at it.”
On top of that, Tae Shinwoo’s words were no different from fanning flames on a burning house.
“Aren’t you lying?”
“Why would I lie about that?”
Tae Shinwoo had an innocent face as if asking why he would need to lie. Of course, there was no reason to lie. But wasn’t it a bit strange to lose from the first round to someone who was playing for the first time?
Seo Eunho was about to add that it was a reasonable suspicion but stopped. It wasn’t like a lost game would become a won game, and he felt like he’d just become a stupid person being stubborn for nothing.
“I originally learn everything quickly.”
“I didn’t ask.”
Instead of pushing in another coin, Seo Eunho just got up from his seat. He answered mechanically to Tae Shinwoo’s words, who got up following him.
“Just so you know.”
However, he couldn’t find anything to respond to the following words. As he looked him over with an absurd face, his expression didn’t change at all. It seemed like his face was answering what was the problem when he’d just stated a fact.
“Ah, is that so.”
How irritating he looked. Seo Eunho suppressed his angry feelings and surveyed the inside of the arcade.
A strange and meaningless competitive spirit was starting to be exercised, wanting to show him just how arrogant his words about learning everything well were. Since Tekken was a bust, his eyes moved quickly, starting to search for other games with a better chance of winning.
“Hey, let’s play that.”
Soon, toward the machine that caught his eye, Seo Eunho immediately moved his steps first. His actions came before his words. How impatient he was.
Tae Shinwoo smiled slightly at Seo Eunho’s retreating back, then soon followed him. Every time Seo Eunho moved, the coins in his hand jingled. Just looking at the back of his head, he could feel that he was thoroughly pissed off.
Whether he knew his characteristic indifferent face had been erased or not. Perhaps it was an expression he’d seen before others.
When his thoughts reached that point, the corners of Tae Shinwoo’s mouth naturally lifted. He’d disliked this crowded space from the moment he entered, but if he came with Seo Eunho, it felt like he could set foot here several more times.
