Chapter 8: An unexpected merger…?

Even though I’m surrounded by people, I feel empty.

“I’ll check for infection.”

A nurse with indifferent eyes did something and quickly left.

It seems like no one cares about how I am or what I want to do.

It’s like… I’m in a concrete tomb.

Am I going crazy if the battlefields of the inferno, where blood and bullets flew, feel more familiar?

There were comrades who truly understood my heart… Now… what’s left…?

The blood on my hands…?

Nothing remains to me now.

I just flow from side to side, like flowing water.

Birds… I want to be a bird that flies freely in the blue sky.

Ah….

I opened my eyes with a jolt.

It felt like I had a dream, but I couldn’t remember it.

I felt something trickling down my cheek, and when I raised my hand to wipe it, it was tears.

Tears..?

Why did I cry?

Was it a scary dream?

I don’t know.

Sometimes, I feel like something other than my memories is mixed in.

Maybe it was Teyli’s memory.

Am I not fully adapted to this body yet?

It was a rather strange experience to shed tears when I wasn’t even sad.

Thump, thump, thump

“Yejie~ Open the door! Huh?”

It’s definitely Jeongran’s voice, but why?

Isn’t Jeongran’s place quite far from here?

When did she come?

I should open the door first.

“Why… are you crying… What did you do wrong… crying? Don’t cry.”

I don’t know how to handle Jeongran, who’s crying and hugging me.

My two hands were awkwardly raised in the air.

How…?

Should I hug her and comfort her?

Or just stay still?

It’s a problem that’s too difficult for me.

I’ve never held a woman’s hand.

Are you crying because of me?

Why?

Because of the broadcast accident yesterday?

I should comfort her first.

It’s not that bad that someone is crying because of me.

I carefully hugged her and patted her back.

Maybe… this is how it’s done…?

Human relationships seem to be more difficult than broadcasting.

“What’s going on this morning..?”

“It’s 3 p.m…. You’re a fool…”

Jeongran, who I patted, cried more bitterly.

Why?!

Wasn’t this it?

Nothing is easy…

I should tell them this and that! I should play together and have fun!

That’s what I thought.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’ll turn off the broadcast… I’m sorry…! I’m sorry! I’ll turn it on again tomorrow..!”

Contrary to her own thoughts, her friend’s broadcast ended in a miserable atmosphere.

She just wanted to play games and broadcast with her friend… But the traces of her unerasable past grabbed her by the ankle.

Miserably… it ended…

The wounds in her heart were bigger than the scars on Yejie’s shoulder and eye, and now, wouldn’t a new wound be created on top of it?

I remembered the scars from earlier.

I knew about the scars, but I didn’t know they would be such big and ugly scars.

Rather than thinking it was disgusting to see the scars, I just felt sad.

It felt like the screams from before were still playing on the dark screen as the broadcast turned off.

I was dazed and then came to my senses and tried to call her, but she didn’t answer.

Why isn’t she answering? Is she sleeping?

I wanted to think like that, but my thoughts were leaning toward the bad side.

Why did it turn out this way?

I have to meet her tomorrow.

The beautiful face of Yejie, whom I met again, was a mess with tears.

A mess with a collapsed expression and tears flowing from one eye…

What did you do wrong to cry..?

“What’s going on this morning..?”

Because of my foolish friend, who cried so much that I don’t know how much time had passed… because of her foolish appearance… I became even… more sad.

“It’s 3 p.m…. You’re a fool…”

I felt Yejie’s hand patting my back with awkward movements.

Her careful but gentle touch was really… I should take care of myself first…

She’s a home security guard, and doesn’t go outside, but it doesn’t seem to be like that.

As expected, you have to meet people to know them, and rumors are just rumors; in reality, they are very different.

We sat there quietly after stopping the crying.

“Didn’t you say you were a home security guard..?”

“I’m still tired..”

“Then why did you come… You should rest at home.”

“How could I not come.”

Is this a time to get to know each other?

I felt like I was getting used to girl talk.

“Actually… I’m scared of people. I’m afraid of what that person is thinking about me.”

Isn’t it the common point of a homebody?

Relationships with people were tiring.

It’s not that I don’t want to make friends or push people away, but the very act of going outside and doing activities was extremely tiring.

Friends are good… Hmm, it’s complicated.

It was just a complaint.

Jeongran, who buried her head in my arms at my words, burrowed in even more.

“Me too…”

“Ah, but it seems like it’s gotten better while broadcasting…”

“I feel the same way. That’s fortunate.”

Thump, thump, thump!

“Open the door!!”

Yewha’s voice came.

No, was the broadcast accident that bad yesterday?

Yesterday’s scars certainly revealed the malice of human beings.

I’m a little worried about the broadcast today…

“Let’s go play together!”

At first, I thought Jeongran’s offer was a joke.

Because she almost never went out of the house, even with her best friends, Nyanji and myself.

Of course, it was getting better little by little, but I had never offered to go play somewhere first, so I doubted if the words to go play somewhere were being said in a normal state.

“Really? Did you drink?”

“Hey! You keep shouting for me to come out!”

“No, you don’t come out even if I tell you to come out. You always come late even if we make an appointment.”

“It’s because it’s the farthest for me… You guys are super close!”

“You should come too!!”

But I have to broadcast today?

It wasn’t Jeongran’s day off today either, and I didn’t know what the words to play this time meant.

Jeongran was usually cute, but sometimes she would do or say meaningless things like this, and I would get a headache every time.

“You’re broadcasting today. It’s my broadcasting day today too, so I can’t.”

“Let’s do a joint broadcast! I’m going to do a joint broadcast today.”

“What? With who? Agent Jeongwoo? Tabler?”

“With Teyli! I’m going to do a joint broadcast at Teyli’s house!”

I’ve never heard of it…

Is this a streamer who just started broadcasting?

Is there a streamer I don’t know, even though I’m called the king of connections and have a wide network?

I was even a little curious about Jeongran’s appearance, who was so eager to go out and do activities.

This isn’t her… Who is she so devoted to?

“Hey, but did you request a joint broadcast? First of all, you have to discuss with that person about the broadcast.”

“They said I could come, and they’re my friend!”

“What are you going to do there?”

“Just chatting!”

“Did you really say that? I’m worried today.”

I put Jeongran in the car and headed to the address Jeongran gave me.

We were almost there, but what is this uneasy feeling?

The neighborhood got more desolate and dilapidated.

It wasn’t quiet, it was gloomy, and that feeling was creepy.

She really lives in a place like this?

Is Jeongran being tricked by some weird people?

I didn’t trust Jeongran’s face, which was smiling innocently and cheerfully.

“Hey! Is this the real address? I don’t feel good at all.”

“Oh..? Oh no? This should be it… Is it not?”

“Is there really a person named Teyli?”

“Look at this.”

I listened to Jeongran’s explanation and saw the KakaoTalk content and the picture of the person named Teyli.

A beauty that can be clearly known despite the poor image quality.

Wow! I understand the hearts of men who are enthusiastic about cosplay.

A beauty with reddish-toned ponytail hair and a cat-faced eyepatch was very beautiful even to me.

The expression was negative because the expression was gloomy like clouds had gathered on her face, but even considering that, I had never seen a beauty of this level in my life.

How is that face even possible?

“What cosplay? She’s really pretty!”

“It’s not cosplay.”

“Ah…”

I understood the gloomy expression now.

She had a hard time.

I dropped Jeongran off in front of Teyli’s house and wanted to park and go there, but I had to turn back.

Because… Jeongran dared to ask me to run an errand.

I would have felt a little bad if she hadn’t been so affectionate, saying she was sorry.

“Ugh… If you were really with me…”

I really want to punch her.

That person is funny too.

If you promised to do a joint broadcast, why didn’t you prepare for this and told me to do it?

How popular is she?

As I was about to buy a chair and put it in the car’s trunk, a man’s eyes, who was staring at me with an out-of-my-mind look, came into view.

A man, who was slowly glancing at my body, had a bottle of alcohol in his right hand.

I felt so creeped out that I slammed the car door and started driving.

I took a breath before knocking on the door.

Yeah, let’s just go through it smoothly.

I knocked on the door, and Jeongran opened the door and greeted me.

With a lot of truly sorry feelings.

I felt the anger subside to some extent.

I carried the box containing the cam and the folding chair Jeongran had asked for, and I went into the house, and I felt that a person could live even in a place like this.

It wasn’t dirty, but there were cracks visible everywhere on the walls, and the furniture was only the refrigerator, table, and chair that I could see.

I forgot the crumbling bed.

Just looking at it, it looked like it was really hard to live, and I felt that my narrow mind from earlier was a bit embarrassed.

No, but it’s not my fault..?

I was startled by the face of the person who came to me, hesitating.

I had definitely seen it in the picture, but I thought it would be corrected, but it was her real face without any makeup.

Is she really a person from this world?

Neither correction nor makeup?

Despite her beauty, my eyes went to her left eye.

The traces of what seemed to be scars were sticking out even though she covered it with an eyepatch.

“Hello…”

“Ah, hello!”

She was embarrassed, maybe she noticed my gaze, but it seemed she didn’t even notice it as Teyli was looking around with a sorry expression as if she was about to die.

I gently avoided Teyli’s hand reaching out to get the chair I was holding, and I took the chair inside.

“I’ll carry it! It’s okay!”

After roughly brushing off Jeongran, who was joking, I placed the chair next to the computer.

Teyli tilted her head at my action to place the chair next to the computer and said in a hurry, surprised.

“A joint broadcast…? I didn’t know… I didn’t prepare anything…!”

Didn’t Jeongran tell her?

I looked at Jeongran’s expression because the situation was ambiguous, and Jeongran explained to Teyli about the joint broadcast, holding Teyli’s hand.

She should have told me that the day before.

I deeply engraved the forced smile Jeongran made after listening to the explanation.

It was an awkward smile, as if she had never smiled properly before.

Is that why I look at her and feel sorry in many ways?

I made a lot of small talk because I wanted to get close to her.

I was going to buy a cam that Jeongran was using, but I just gave it to Teyli.

I can give it to her because I bought a better one.

As I gave her the gift, she was touched and shed tears for the first time, and I feel a warm feeling.

What is it..? The face was definitely a fierce cat, but the more I knew, the more she was like a rabbit trembling.

Cute…?

She was a charming person the more we talked.

After the joint broadcast, we finished our meal together and prepared to go home.

I was horrified at the story that there was a stalker, and I asked her to go together, but in the end, she didn’t come.

Shouldn’t it be better at Bireong’s house than a place like that..?

Until she gets a house… no, isn’t cohabitation not bad?

I was about to go to my car while lost in thought, but I felt a careful touch grabbing my sleeve.

I was startled by Teyli, who was grabbing my sleeve so weakly that I could ignore it and pass by.

Does she have something to say?

Teyli whispered to me in my ear.

“Would you call me Yejie too, like Jeongran…?

“Yes?”

“I just want you to speak comfortably…”

“Okay! Let’s be friends!”

Yejie’s face, who heard my words, had a faint but bright smile, unlike the strange forced smile from earlier.

Maybe I won’t forget Yejie’s smile today.

I entered Yejie’s broadcast after finishing the broadcast the next day, and it was quite good quality, and she’s using the cam I gave her.

The atmosphere in the chat room also seemed to be good.

Should I watch Yejie’s broadcast lying down?

The progress seems to be immature, but there was a taste to watch.

I should take Jeongran to the village in Scavenger Call later and play together.

The broadcast turned off and turned on again as if a body scan was in progress.

The bare shoulders, which caught my eye more than Yejie in a white dress.

And the horrible scars that looked like someone had wantonly massacred them.

The eye covered with an eyepatch was worse than the scars on her shoulder.

The scars were so serious that my eyes were naturally narrowed.

How did those scars…

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’ll turn off the broadcast… I’m sorry…! I’m sorry! I’ll turn it on again tomorrow..!”

She’s huddled and sadly covering her eyes with one hand, noticing the chat window, but the more she does, the more pitiful she looks.

What is she sorry for?

Did she escape the broadcast because her mental state was broken?

Why does she have to run away like a criminal for what she did wrong?

We just started dating yesterday, but I was sad about Yejie’s appearance.

<Wow… how did the scars>

I thought she was simply blind because she covered it with an eyepatch, but it’s too…

Why can’t they be happy lol.

Shit: Why is she apologizing lol, I cried when I saw her turning off the broadcast because her mental state was broken.

Hacker Year: The hacker ran away lol

-Mokodan: She’s a real trash person

-Iing: It’s just scary that this trash is mixed in society. Couldn’t this happen next to me?

-Ingko: There’s a good function called blocking.

-A dog that barks when seeing a jerk: Waoarararararao

-Seedlings: There’s still a person like this. I’ll report it.

If you zoom in on the photos taken here, you can see the scars at regular intervals on her shoulder.

You can also see the same traces in her eyes. Does this look like an accident?

It looks like there are linear scars that look like they were stabbed with a knife or axe.

I understand Teyli’s attitude now.

Didn’t Jeongran say that Teyli couldn’t even look at her and was trembling? That she felt that they were scared of people?

I believe everyone would understand if I say up to here.

And now, those hackers who are still saying Teyli is a hacker, get out and die.

That’s the only opportunity you have to contribute to society.

Teyli Seedlings: I really can’t say anything. I’m really happy.

Hogogok: Whatever happened… I can’t even guess…

Ruwak: Why are you apologizing, Come back

Zatgaja: Please, hackers, come out~

-Yongpari: The pros are down on th

eir knees begging them to give me their contact information.

-Fzxas: kkkk the recruiters’ subscribers are unsubscribing and all their identities are being revealed kkkk

-Spaghetti: The guys who were playing dumb and ignoring the apologies are now all coming out.

-Musi: Musi, it’s unfair that Yapsi was going to apologize, but the time is ㅜㅜ

-Cibsi: Ung, it’s the same in the end~

-Hogogok: It’s in the above text

Please… No one is afraid of you, why do you think you’re the only one?

Let’s talk about it…

Hogogok: I hope she doesn’t think bad things..

Iing: It seems like her mental state is completely broken seeing her apologizing and turning off the broadcast;;

ㅇㅇ: A country that’s good for criminals~ Even if you kill someone, it’s only 3 years~

<I’m Yapsi, come in>

Curse me!

Musi: Nick kkkkk

-Yapsi: I’ll take the curse.

-Cibsi: You bitch

-Iing: Stop!

Heung: Be careful in the future