Fortunately or unfortunately.
After that, Eve’s rampage didn’t continue.
As if nothing had ever happened, Eve simply lay down next to me and asked for a break.
In that situation, there wasn’t much I could do.
I stared at Eve while reading a comic book, then looked at her while watching a movie, and got caught looking at her while reading a novel.
Time passed like that, and before I knew it, the promised six hours had swiftly passed.
The ‘Center Plaza’ where the café was located was very close to my home in ‘North Houston.’
Thanks to that, it didn’t take long to get back home.
So, my short vacation has come to an end.
I sighed lightly and pondered.
I was scared of the reality that would soon hit me.
…But no way Catherine would grab me by the collar and shake me, right?
“……”
No… It’s definitely possible.
I had always just thought about ‘running away.’
This was the first time I had actually fled for some alone time.
I couldn’t predict how my cohabitants would react.
I was pacing nervously in front of the Golden Smile Condominium.
Then suddenly…
A ‘convenience store’ came into my view.
“……Hmm.”
I briefly recalled telling Catherine, “I’m going to the convenience store,” when I ran away.
It might be an attribute of ‘I’ that I must get something during outings, or maybe it was just a thought that popped into my head without any particular significance.
I naturally turned around and walked toward the convenience store.
After all, one shouldn’t go empty-handed when apologizing.
*
Side EP. Aftermath of Running Away
*
It’s cold…
It feels like a dagger has pierced my heart.
But don’t worry about it.
After all, I can’t help feeling guilty.
Just slice it open.
Thinking like that, I handed Catherine the ‘melon-flavored ice cream’ I bought at the convenience store.
“Here’s the ice cream you sent me to get.”
“…….”
I opened the front door and stepped inside, having already unbuttoned my coat.
Even if Catherine grabbed me by the collar and shook me, I planned to react nonchalantly with, “Haha, I’m sorry.”
But contrary to my expectations, Catherine’s response was exceedingly simple and straightforward.
“…Yeah, I’ll enjoy it.”
“?”
Did Dr. Oh Eun-young stop by while I was away?
I was the one to be surprised at Gyeomjok’s new appearance after just a few days.
What’s this? Is this a hidden camera?
Catherine, as I know her, wouldn’t react so plainly upon hearing about my running away.
I couldn’t hide my bewilderment.
I had planned to apologize if Catherine got angry.
I never expected this kind of reaction.
I slowly reached out my fingers.
I grabbed Catherine’s soft cheek.
“Hmm. (What is it.)”
Hmm.
This texture.
It’s real skin.
It’s not someone wearing a mask that looks like Catherine.
No, I can’t confirm that here.
The technology in the cyberpunk world might have advanced beyond what I know.
I asked the person resembling Catherine.
“You’re not Catherine, are you? Who are you, where’s the Catherine I know hidden?”
“……Dying. (Dying.)”
A piercing gaze met mine.
Automatically, I loosened my grip on Catherine’s cheek.
It seems this person really is Catherine.
As I was caught awkwardly holding her cheek, Catherine turned away and scratched her head shyly.
“…Um.”
Catherine opened her mouth slowly.
“Sorry.”
“?”
Did my ears malfunction?
I doubted what Catherine said.
No matter how shocked I looked, Catherine continued uninterrupted.
“I’m sorry.”
This time, I grabbed my own cheek.
I tugged at it slowly.
…It hurts.
Somehow, I don’t think this is a dream.
Catherine, seemingly shy, kept avoiding my gaze and continued apologizing.
“I feel like I was only thinking about myself. I thought it was just a joke, but I didn’t know you really disliked it that much.”
“What exactly?”
“Like taking you to the pool, or dragging you around to places.”
“I didn’t dislike it that much.”
“…Anyway, I’m sorry.”
No, I didn’t dislike it that much.
Honestly, I thought I’d be the one apologizing. I never expected to be the recipient of apologies.
Honestly, it’s not a situation where I should be receiving apologies. In fact, I didn’t even notice the time passing when I was admiring the swimsuits at the pool.
I looked at Catherine.
Thinking back, I realize it.
If I had done something wrong, I should be sorry.
Receiving an apology like this makes me feel a bit like I’m sitting on a bed of thorns.
And I didn’t want to see Catherine looking so subdued; it just doesn’t suit her at all.
Thinking that, I slowly took a step toward Catherine.
“Well, it’s true I was tired from being dragged around for over a week.”
“……”
“But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t fun. I had fun too.”
I forced a light laugh to dissipate the tense atmosphere.
“I’m not a kid anymore, just because I was hanging out at the landfill. I should be able to say when I dislike something, right?”
It’s true that being ‘I’ makes it somewhat difficult to refuse.
But if it’s to the point of dying, I could definitely say I dislike it.
I lightly raised my hand.
I gave Catherine a gentle tap on the head.
If I hit her with full force, I might break my hand, so it was a very weak hit.
“You fool.”
“…Ugh.”
It’s an action that’s possible only because Catherine and I are childhood friends.
I added some words for the huddled Catherine.
“I should be the one apologizing. Why are you the one saying sorry? Anyway, I’m sorry for leaving without a word.”
“……”
After I said that, I finally made eye contact with Catherine.
Her golden eyes were looking at me.
I have no idea what kind of conversations everyone had while I was away, or what conclusions they reached.
But, honestly, when I entered the building, I was worried about getting grabbed by the collar.
I didn’t expect the atmosphere to be like this.
I assumed that Catherine would feel the same way about our other cohabitants, who wouldn’t match the mood I imagined.
And…
Of course, my assumptions were right.
*
*
Before dinner time,
my cohabitants began to gather one by one.
The last one to arrive was the Chairman,
though “last” meant he left work much earlier than usual.
“Chairman, you finished work really quickly today.”
“…Um, I wanted to talk.”
I sensed an ominous feeling.
I instinctively tried to halt what the Chairman was about to say.
But the Chairman’s apology was even faster.
“I’m sorry.”
“……”
Receiving an apology from the head of the ‘Black Monolith,’ which is the number one market cap company, ruling over the cyberpunk world, is quite a feeling.
And that was just the beginning.
Andrea, Natasha, even Julia and Maya also apologized to me.
“…I’m sorry.”
It felt like a new form of torment.
Other people might understand, but Maya and Julia hadn’t even dragged me around like that, so I couldn’t grasp why they were apologizing.
I thought I needed to change the atmosphere.
I raised my hand lightly to interrupt the ongoing comments.
Since I couldn’t talk informally to the chairman, I began with honorifics.
“Excuse me, sorry to interrupt, but I have a question.”
I continued speaking, breaking the silence.
“…Why are you apologizing to me? I assume Siwoon must have been really stressed out, so you might have discussed that.”
It seemed my assumption was correct.
Several people jumped slightly.
“I told Catherine earlier, but if I had really disliked it, I would’ve rejected it myself. Of course, I needed some alone time, but you guys don’t need to apologize.”
Then I bowed my head.
“On the contrary, I should be the one who apologizes. I’m sorry for leaving with just a message. I’m sorry for causing everyone worry.”
As I lowered my head, everyone moved as if to shy away from my apology.
“Still, you did cause stress─.”
“No, it’s really fine.”
I cut the chairman’s words off.
Tomorrow morning, I might face an assassination attempt from the chairman’s loyal subordinate (executive secretary).
But more than those trivial matters, it was more important to wrap this situation up entirely.
“Then let’s just end this conversation here. Since we all feel sorry, I don’t think we need to say more.”
I neatly wrapped up the situation.
Honestly, I thought they’d demand I repay ‘the crime of running away’ with a date! I never expected things to be this serious.
I felt a bit reflective.
Yet the reactions from everyone still felt somewhat uneasy and unrefreshing.
…As expected, saying I’m fine isn’t resolving anything, is it?
To change the atmosphere completely,
I needed some ‘overwhelming’ different topic.
I calmly contemplated how to do that.
Right.
I turned my head toward Eve.
I have no choice but to trust the Doraemon who always meets my expectations.
I gave Eve a signal with my eyes, hoping she’d see through my thoughts.
And Eve nodded very slightly.
What? Did my eyes really communicate?
Just when I thought that,
“Everyone, please calm down. Thanks to you, I was able to attempt a mucosal contact with ‘Siwoon’ alone outside, but that doesn’t mean you should make it difficult for ‘Siwoon’.”
“?”
Eve?
Everyone’s actions froze at Eve’s shocking confession.
“…Mucosal contact?”
“Mucosal means─.”
I instinctively licked my lips.
Then, everyone’s gaze shifted to me all at once.
It was like a scene from a horror movie.
I wanted the atmosphere to change, but I didn’t want it to change to this extent.
Could I jump out the window now? It’s barely been a moment since I returned after running away. Why am I thinking of running away again?
But for now, I have to stay alive.
“…Haha, Eve is just kidding. No one believes that, right?”
““……””
Hmm.
I’m starting to get genuinely scared now.
I slowly began to step backward.
It was just another peaceful day as usual.
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