“More than that, I have something to ask.”
The System spun round and round expressing dissatisfaction, but asked as if there was nothing to be done.
“Yes, what is it?”
“Can I raise affection through text messages too?”
“Yes, that’s right! It goes up by 1 per message. Up to 10 messages are sent per day.”
If it could go up by 1 per message with a maximum of 10, it was a tremendous benefit. Seeing Wonyoung’s expression brighten, the System secretly smiled sinisterly. (As always, he has no facial features.)
“Then that’s all for my answer. I hope you have a pleasant play! I’ll be going now!”
Then the System quickly disappeared. It was a bit strange that he disappeared without saying useless things, but Wonyoung decided to be satisfied with having obtained information.
Soon, Wonyoung, who checked the status window, decided to send messages to Taerim, who currently had the lowest affection, to match his affection to 35. It seemed that 35 was probably the minimum standard for event occurrence at the current point.
Currently, Taerim’s affection was 27. He could achieve it sufficiently by just sending 8 messages, so it was literally a piece of cake. Thinking of efficiency, he decided to send the remaining 2 messages, one each to Siyeon and Heegang.
Soon, after finishing lunch, Wonyoung returned to his seat and took out his phone to send a text to Taerim who was out.
‘I’ll just send something like “hang in there,” right?’
He couldn’t send all 8 at once, so he’d divide them into 2-3 and send them.
Thinking that, Wonyoung was about to write a message to Taerim. Suddenly a choice appeared. Just one at that.
[Director-nim, I found a baby chick cloud in the sky today.]
“Huh?”
Wonyoung was dumbfounded and tried to ignore it, but no matter how much he pressed the phone’s keypad, nothing was input. After 1 minute passed like that, the content of the choice was input as is and sent.
‘Is this a joke?’
What baby chick cloud to someone who went out to work? How old am I now?
But the problem was that the text didn’t end there.
[I ate rolled omelet for lunch and thought of that baby chick cloud.]
‘Ah, so what.’
It was content that made him want to ask what he was supposed to do about it. Sending this to Taerim?
‘I don’t want to. I refuse. Cancel. I’m not sending a text.’
But no matter how much he pressed the air and shouted cancel, the choice didn’t disappear. And this time too, the text was sent as is.
[Then I started feeling sorry for the rolled omelet… ㅠㅠ]
“Stop it!”
Wonyoung shouted like that and stood up abruptly. But making his shout futile, the window had no reaction at all. Only after forcibly sending a total of 10 messages like that could Wonyoung escape from this swamp of predetermined texts.
Wonyoung belatedly understood what the System had said.
‘Yes, that’s right! It goes up by 1 per message. Up to 10 messages are sent per day.’
By using the ambiguous expression ‘are sent’ instead of ‘can be sent,’ he had hidden the blind spot of this text system.
No wonder he let the matter of being kicked last time go so easily, only to trick him like this.
Wonyoung fumed with resentment and tried calling the System, but as expected, he didn’t appear.
“Rae-nim, are you okay?”
And then, at the question from the secretary in the next seat, Wonyoung suddenly came to his senses. Although they were both secretaries, for some reason, Wonyoung’s title had been unified as ‘Rae-nim’ for a long time. Wonyoung also talked about it a few times but realized it was no use and just accepted it.
Anyway, Wonyoung composed his expression and answered.
“Yes, it’s nothing.”
“I don’t really know what it is, but the Director will be returning soon.”
“…Pardon? Ah, yes.”
Wonyoung wondered if it meant to manage his expression since Taerim would return. It didn’t feel like she was being sarcastic though.
Wonyoung didn’t know that among the secretaries, he was already rumored to be Taerim’s lover.
‘Wait, when Kyung Taerim returns… he’ll talk about those texts, won’t he?’
At the fact that just now occurred to him, Wonyoung’s expression distorted again. He looked at the clock anxiously. When would he come? According to today’s schedule… in 30 minutes.
‘He’ll read the texts in that time, right? He’ll end up reading them, right?’
Taerim reading texts about rolled omelets and whatnot. Wonyoung just wanted to hide in a mouse hole and disappear.
He wrote and sent an apology text late. Perhaps because it had nothing to do with affection, the new text was sent safely even though he’d filled 10. But this would definitely be useless.
Watching Wonyoung shaking his legs while looking at the clock, the secretaries gossiped on messenger.
―Look at Rae-nim. He must really be looking forward to the Director.
―They get along so well… I’m envious.
―Envious? It’s our Director’s ‘that.’ There’s no way it would be ordinary.
―Well, both their faces are a different class from us commoners to begin with…
The secretaries nodded at each other and smiled warmly.
Only Wonyoung’s insides were burning black in the midst of it all.
* * *
Taerim, who barely finished his schedule among humans all clamoring that they were better than each other, buried his body deeply in the leather seat backrest with a long sigh.
As anyone would, but Taerim especially felt great fatigue in crowded places. Although he had long since become accustomed to hiding secrets, the very fact of having secrets was a weakness in this world. In such a place, one had to move after thorough calculation of everything.
Then Taerim suddenly, very suddenly recalled one person.
A person who was an exception to everything. A figure who had never existed in his world.
A certain clown who had fearlessly stepped into a world lacking something with those small feet.
‘I’m not that side, I’m Heo, Narae. Since it’s come to this and you’ve heard everything, why don’t you give me your contact information.’
‘I’ve never been afraid of the Director even once.’
He was sometimes cheeky.
‘I didn’t finish my assignment… Anyway, I’ll be fired…’
‘I’m sorry for touching things carelessly…’
And sometimes utterly naive.
He was truly an existence he knew yet didn’t know.
But what was certain was that only he uniquely had a scent in Kyung Taerim’s world.
That’s why he became curious and wanted to know more.
‘I don’t think he’s a spy, but.’
The other side would also know that his interest had tilted toward him. He could try to use that in reverse.
‘Don’t trust carelessly, watch until the very end.’
Recalling the sentence his father had implanted in his head like hypnosis since childhood, Taerim emerged from his thoughts.
Soon, Taerim, who checked his phone, was flustered to see that there were as many as 11 texts from the person he’d just been thinking about. After quickly checking the contents, he soon let out a chuckle.
[Director-nim, I found a baby chick cloud in the sky today.]
[I ate rolled omelet for lunch and thought of that baby chick cloud.]
[Then I started feeling sorry for the rolled omelet… ㅠㅠ]
[But the rolled omelet was delicious!]
[The cafeteria food at this company is really good. I eat two bowls each time.]
[Director-nim, did you eat? Next time, try the cafeteria’s rolled omelet.]
[Ah, the kimchi stew is also delicious. I recommend the kimchi stew too.]
[Have you tried mixing kimchi stew with seaweed powder and eating it? It’s really extremely delicious.]
[Talking about it made me want to eat it ㅠㅠ I already ate two bowls of rice today though…]
[I think I’ll gain weight, so I’ll stop talking about it!]
And with a slight gap, the last text had come.
[I’m sorry, Director-nim… I must have gone crazy from eating the rolled omelet wrong. Please ignore everything.]
Taerim ended up laughing again. The driver and escort secretary looked puzzled at their superior suddenly chuckling while looking at his phone, but the corners of Taerim’s mouth wouldn’t come down.
‘Did I leave him alone too much?’
Since his leg injury was concerning, he’d kept him only in the office, and it seemed he was lonely. Sending texts like this and all.
“Secretary Yang.”
“Yes, Director.”
“If there’s a day when the lunch schedule can be cleared, keep one day open. I’ll have to eat at home that day.”
“Pardon? …Understood.”
The secretary checked the schedule obediently while finding it strange. Meanwhile, Taerim, who was looking out the window, muttered.
“…They’re alike.”
“Pardon? I’m sorry, but what did you say, Director?”
“Ah, thinking about it, they seem alike.”
“Pardon? What…”
The secretary looked questioningly at Taerim, who had become completely strange since looking at his phone. Taerim answered while resting his chin and recalling that round face.
“A baby chick.”
“Pardon?”
A baby chick? The secretary and driver exchanged bewildered glances, but Taerim only smiled to himself.
* * *
Wonyoung, who opened his eyes as usual, realized that his body was strangely heavy. Was that all? His breath was hot too, and his eyes were aching.
“Don’t tell me, ah.”
Wonyoung, who unconsciously made a sound, heard his hoarse, cracked voice and held his head. His forehead was quite hot. Apparently…
‘I’ve caught a cold.’
Catching a cold inside a game. It was absurd, but Wonyoung quickly finished understanding. This was a sign of an event.
Having studied BL under Semi’s teachings for about 2 weeks now, Wonyoung had become somewhat proficient at least regarding abangsu and the game. According to his teacher, there was still much to study though.
‘Anyway, in a case like this, someone will come and provide nursing care.’
Wonyoung predicted nonchalantly and raised his body. When he opened the status window, along with text saying he was sick, only 5 stamina remained.
[You have caught a cold. Your stamina becomes very weak. Nursing care is required.]
[Status: It hurts X﹏X]
A cold, at this body condition he was experiencing after a long time, Wonyoung smiled bitterly. When he was Heo Wonyoung, there was no one who would come to nurse him, but now he was unconsciously recalling three people. That was unfamiliar to Wonyoung, yet not entirely bad.
Of course, this game was different from the games Wonyoung had played.
[※Daily Mission※]
Objective: Receive coincidental nursing care from a capture target before midnight today.
Reward: Choice Refresh Right (1 time)
*Warning: The capture targets do not know you have caught a cold.
“Huh?”
