“Wow, the room is huge too.”
The room I entered following David was incredibly spacious. It seemed to be twice the size of my room, which wasn’t small by any means. If it’s this big, it must be hard to heat and cool. Plus, it would probably feel empty somehow…… While having idle thoughts, I looked at the poster on the wall.
“You really love football a lot.”
It was a signed poster of a football player. Below it, a football helmet and uniform were neatly arranged in a storage unit, without a speck of dust.
“I like it, so I work that hard at it.”
Besides that, there were also baseball bats, gloves, basketballs, and more scattered around the room. It was the room of a typical guy who liked sports. Except for the fact that it was too big.
“I’m glad your family came early today. I wanted to talk with you.”
David, who sat down on the carpet under the bed, gestured to the spot beside him. I hesitated but eventually sat next to him. Not too close—about two palm widths apart.
“Talk about what?”
“I’m sorry about the prank last time. I mean it.”
“……”
David, who had been fidgeting with his hands, looked straight into my eyes and spoke. Without needing to determine whether it was sincere or fake, it sounded genuine.
“But even as a prank, I wouldn’t kiss a guy. I really wasn’t completely without feelings. Still, I’m really sorry for confusing you with lies about being asexual or gay. It’s just…… it was the first time I was interested in a guy, so I didn’t know how to approach you. It was really the first time in my life that I thought a guy a whole grade above me was cute.”
David had gotten about a palm’s width closer before I knew it, so I moved back. David, who slightly furrowed his eyebrows, looked a bit desperate, as if making a confession. No, was it actually a confession? That I was cute, that he became interested in me? It was also the first time I’d heard such words from a guy. But rather than feeling fluttered, I somehow became calmer.
“……Why did you kiss Natalia? I heard you did it several times. You did the same with me. That’s…… playing around with both Natalia and me, isn’t it? In my case, let’s say it wasn’t made public, but because of that incident, Natalia got bad rumors. It’s still the same now.”
What happened to me could just be treated as if it never happened. If I set aside all the emotional parts, it was beneficial. Thanks to that incident, I was able to steadily raise various stats. Of course, it would be a lie to say I wasn’t hurt, but that was because I was too naive.
But Natalia was different. Natalia was the protagonist of this world and also a girl, and it even became known that she kissed David. She must have been hurt with an intensity different from the personal blow I received.
When ‘Natalia’s’ name popped up, David blinked for a moment, then looked down and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Natalia, with her…… I don’t know. She kissed me first, and for some reason, I felt like I had to keep meeting her, so I did. But I wasn’t the one who asked to meet first. She was the one who called me out to see her.”
“Natalia did?”
“Yeah.”
David’s face as he nodded didn’t seem to have a trace of falsehood. That timid and quiet Natalia, who seemed about to faint every time in theater class, kissed David Evans first? And she was the one who called him out? It was a completely unbelievable story.
“I don’t know who took that photo. It wasn’t my intention either. I apologized to her personally too. She said it didn’t really matter, that it was okay. Of course, maybe she was just saying that.”
“I see…… What’s related to Natalia isn’t my business anyway…… I’ll accept your apology too, okay.”
“Thanks.”
David let out a sigh of relief—whoosh—and smiled brightly at me. Then he propped his chin on his knees and looked at me crookedly.
“So are we friends again?”
“Yeah. Friends. Well, we’re about to become family soon anyway.”
“Want to come to a party?”
“Party?”
“Yeah. There’s a party at a friend’s house. The guy throwing the party is in a band, and they made a new song this time so they’re holding a small gathering. It’s kind of a listening party. It won’t be bad. Their songs are pretty good. They might become famous later. They sent demo tapes to famous agencies and are getting various contacts. It’s good to get close with them now. It starts at 8. It’d be a bit troublesome if you’re late. You might miss the new song.”
David, pulling up both corners of his mouth, spoke calmly and softly in a slightly small voice. And when he finished speaking and closed his lips—ding! A sound effect rang.
<David Evans’ Sincere Apology>
You’ve accepted David Evans’ apology and decided to become true friends!
Wanting to become closer friends, David Evans has invited you to a personal party.
Accept the invitation and attend the party on time!
Accept David Evans’ party and attend on time [07:32:12]
Reward: David Evans’ favorability +15♥
David’s current favorability was 40. If I gained 15 favorability, I could fill one more person for the quest to reach 55 favorability. My heart had softened slightly from David’s apology, and I’d been quite anxious because I hadn’t succeeded even though that quest had been up for a long time. Without thinking long and without fully reading the system window, I easily nodded. Ding, the sound effect rang again.
<David Evans’ Party Invitation>
You’ve accepted David Evans’ party invitation!
Please attend on time!
Attend on time within the time limit [07:31:46]
Reward: David Evans’ favorability +15♥
※If failed: David Evans’ favorability -15♥※
If I didn’t attend within the time limit, David’s favorability would drop by 15. I had to attend even if it killed me. ……But wait a minute, the time limit number is strange? Isn’t it 8 PM tomorrow? That’s what I thought……! Even while watching the tick-ticking changing numbers, I couldn’t believe it, so I trembled.
“When exactly did you say the party was……”
“Tonight at 8 PM.”
“……”
This was terrible.
The family dinner was at 2 PM, and after that ended, I was supposed to meet Joel at the theater at 5 PM. And the movie Joel and I planned to see was at 5:20 PM. If I roughly figured the movie time at about two hours, the movie would end around 7:20 or 7:30 PM. But the date wouldn’t end with that. Even just having a simple meal and conversation…… it would easily pass 8 PM.
I made a mistake being too greedy for the quest! It was like stamping a contract without reading all of it.
“Where is the party being held!”
“Huh?”
“Where?”
At my urgent voice, David blinked a bit dazedly, then took out his cell phone. And fortunately, the party location he told me was about 20 to 30 minutes by bike from the theater.
Then I could just watch the movie and part ways immediately. Then, I could roughly make it to the party on time……! Ah, but I had to raise Joel’s favorability by 3 during the date. So how should I do that? Ugh. Ughhh!
“July, what’s wrong?”
“My head, feels like it’s going to explode……”
I made a stupid choice in a moment of quest greed. I should have just declined the party invitation. But it was too late. The quest was already generated, and if I declined now, David’s favorability would drop by 15.
But I couldn’t postpone the date with Joel either. Wasn’t it the time and day I chose? And the date was today. If I suddenly said to move it, Joel’s favorability might drop. With that temper, there’s no way he wouldn’t get angry. Especially when I declined his offer to pick me up while trying to be mannerly.
……Ugh, I recalled a book Joel was reading once. 『Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban』. I desperately wanted that clock that appears in it, the one that can turn back time.
No, if I do well, I can do it. Anyway, the times don’t completely overlap, do they? If I just adjust well, I can somehow finish the date successfully and attend the party within the time limit. I had to pull myself together.
* * *
“Sorry for being late. I happened to have a business trip and got caught in traffic.”
I was already dying from impatience, but Christian Evans, David and Winter’s father, was 20 minutes late to dinner. He said he had another business trip.
The Evans children all shook their heads as if they were used to it. Fortunately, Dad, Mom, and hyung, who were busy being nervous, also didn’t seem too upset. The only one anxious and impatient was me.
“But today’s meal will be very delicious. Since there’s a dinner with the family my precious Winter will marry, I specially asked the chef of my favorite restaurant if he could make special time.”
Mr. Evans, who unnecessarily wiped the sweat on his forehead with a napkin, gently wrapped his arm around his daughter’s shoulders. I heard he was quite the womanizer, but maybe his relationship with his children was okay—Winter wrapped her hand around her dad’s and smiled shyly.
“I’m really sorry for being this late.”
“You don’t have to apologize again. We were having such an interesting time we didn’t even realize you were late.”
Mom waved her hand while laughing—hohoho. Mom’s gaze was directed at David. David, who came down to the living room with me after being in his room, led the conversation with my parents with excellent speaking skills. I just thought he was a kid who was good at sports and liked to play, but he also had quite scholarly conversations with my parents. It was unexpected.
“You’ve really raised your children well.”
Dad also nodded with a smiling face. The dinner that had almost been ruined by Mr. Evans’ tardiness was flowing quite smoothly and easily. The only one anxious was me.
Two hours for eating, about 30 minutes to get to the theater should be enough, right? The movie is at 5:20, so I absolutely can’t be late! I need time to get there, buy tickets, and buy popcorn and drinks!
“July, what’s wrong?”
Hyung, sitting next to me, seemed to notice I was tense and grabbed my hand that was resting on my thigh. Ah, I made a mistake. I was so busy with my own stuff I almost ruined hyung’s important occasion. I quickly relaxed my expression, shook my head, and whispered to hyung.
“I’m really hungry. I think the meal is going to be super delicious. I’m going to steal and eat all of yours too.”
“Yeah. Yeah. You eat it all. I don’t think I’ll be able to eat well.”
Hyung nodded while stroking my cheek as if looking at a little kid. I didn’t want to create anything that might hurt such a kind and gentle hyung.
