Chapter 286: Dreams
After escaping from the Dungeon Maker’s labyrinth, and returning home.
“Da-in, why were you holding hands?”
“…Haha.”
I was being interrogated by Seo-eun.
…Actually, it was expected. Since Stardus’ words had already been broadcast, everyone would have inferred that much, and the TV would be showing me and Stardus’ love story again and again. In fact, it was the fourth or fifth time I’d said something about me and Stardus, so I wasn’t really impressed.
Of course, my Egostream colleagues naturally didn’t believe such nonsense…
“…Seo-eun, it wasn’t a big deal, I just grabbed her in the middle because it looked dangerous.”
…Seo-eun’s eyes had already turned away.
The child was grown up, and I was almost in trouble because Seo-eun was secretly obsessed with me these days. Seo-eun, you’re a big girl. You’re 20 years old…
Anyway, Seo-eun’s eyes looked too dangerous to tell the truth, so I had no choice but to cover my words. It’s true that I held her a little bit because she looked dangerous in the middle. I just held it a little too long.
“It’s okay, I’ll hold your hand the rest of the day.”
Of course, she didn’t seem to hear me, and as a result, I found myself being held by Seo Eun.
So there I was, sitting on the couch, with our hands intertwined on the cushions.
“….”
“….Seo-Eun, are you satisfied?”
“….I’ll keep doing this, so don’t think I am.”
With a slightly reddened face, Seo-Eun said that.
…No, Seo-eun, please don’t be embarrassed if you hold my hand.
You’ll just make me want to make fun of you.
“Hic?”
Just then, I moved my finger to tickle Seo-eun.
“Hey, Da-in, what are you two playing?”
“…Oh, Soobin.”
With a gentle smile, Soobin walked towards me.
Oh yeah. That’s good. I should ask her to stop Seo-eun and just as I was about to say that.
“Can I join you?”
“…What?”
Soobin, who was sitting next to me, grabbed my right hand and said that.
…No, Soobin, even you.
“You really have big hands, Da-in.”
“…Hahaha.”
I was breaking out in a cold sweat as I listened to Soobin, who smiled and said that.
The members who saw us doing this thought it was funny, so my hand was grabbed by everyone.
Ouch.
***
Having barely escaped Seo Eun, who was following me to my bed under the pretext that it was time to sleep, I sighed and sat down at my desk.
It had been an eventful day. It’s hard to believe it was only this morning that I was lost in the labyrinth with Stardus.
Out of habit, I turned on my laptop.
[Stardus shocker… What happened that day in the Labyrinth, just the two of us?]
It wasn’t until I saw the news about me and Stardus on the portal that I remembered that I had decided to stay off the internet for a few days.
…Right, but I should at least get a feel for the general atmosphere so I entered my fan cafe with a bit of anxiety.
*
[Victorious Starmangoㅋㅋㅋ other couples just perish ㅋㅋㅋ]
* [[Analysis] 101 reasons why it’s pretty obvious that Egostic and Stardus are already dating]
[[Leaked] Egostic and Stardus in the Labyrinth.avi]
[(Analyze) “You’ve got big hands” <<< What’s with the guys who said they held hands, she was just looking at his hands lol]]
[(Facts) If you look at what Stardus said while glancing at the camera, it’s true that she was just looking at it lol]
[Oh shit, #Starmango is on the overseas real-time trend rankings.]
[If you’re a member of Egostream who thinks Stardus plays games, that’s fine haha]
[Yeah~ Egostream members live in the same house everyday~ I bet they’ve held hands 1223 times~]
[Egostic << Holding hands and burning the entire country beyond a cafe with one rice cake is just GOAT itself~]
[I wonder if Stardus and Egostic really just held hands, we need to find out about the ‘last room’ quickly]
[Dungeon Maker<<<I like it if we have to release her, lol]
*
…I closed my laptop again, looking at the clutter on the list of articles that had gotten hundreds of likes and taken the top spots.
What do you expect from them, I thought to myself, it’s not like they’re going to say anything incendiary.
…So.
What the hell was wrong with Stardus?
“…Do I have big hands?”
I muttered, suddenly looking at my hands.
…I think they’re just average. Maybe it’s because of the physical difference between Stardus’ hands. They were definitely bigger than Stardus’…
‘…Why am I thinking this?’
I shook my head as I realized how useless my thoughts were.
Da-in, get a grip. You have to think coolly, coolly.
I regained my composure and decided to slowly review what happened today.
…Stardus was a little strange today, to say the least.
From the way she suddenly grabbed my hand…if I’m not mistaken, to the ‘I don’t care if I have to kiss you’ comment in the room, to the sudden TMI about my big hands at the end.
(TMI- too much information)
‘…What is it?’
I pondered, but couldn’t figure out why, especially since she never did this to anyone in the original.
“……”
My best guess is that she was trying to embarrass me.
Other than that, I couldn’t imagine why. She’s the hero and I’m the villain.
Yeah, that’s probably it. Let’s stop thinking weird and get some sleep.
I turned off the light, lay down and closed my eyes.
“….”
The day’s events flashed through my mind.
‘…You said we are in danger so we should walk together, this is the only way to be sure.’
The image of Stardus holding my hand tightly in her own soft hand.
‘Ugh…..’
…Stardus’ face as she looked up at me, slightly watery-eyed and red-faced, as I walked towards her in the room that was supposed to be off-limits to kissing.
‘…I don’t mind, as long as it’s with you.”
The way she said that, touching her lips at the end.
“…You’re crazy.”
I sighed as the images flashed through my mind.
I sighed and lay back on the bed, shielding my eyes with my arms, and muttered, “It can’t be.”
…That can’t be right, and I’m not supposed to have rational feelings, and she’s probably just trying to embarrass me without thinking about it. Come on, Da-in, you’re not a middle schooler with a crush, are you?
And so, that night, with all my thoughts running through my head.
‘…..’
It wasn’t until I finally had a “what am I doing to myself” moment that I was able to fall asleep.
…Yeah. Now that I think about it, Stardus should be sleeping soundly and peacefully, and I should be thinking about what the hell I’m doing.
She probably doesn’t care anyway.
***
Meanwhile Stardus is lying in bed, equally unable to fall asleep, thinking about the events of the day.
“…I’m crazy, I’m crazy…”
She muttered as she lay in bed.
‘…You have big hands, don’t you?’
“Ugh…”
Having already reached the peak of her shame at her own words, she was almost in tears of embarrassment.
…Actually, anyone would have a point if her words were being repeated ad infinitum on television, spreading like wildfire.
‘…That, Stardus. Um… No.’
That look in the eyes of the association’s president, the same look that he had while awkwardly scratching his head….
“Ha… I wonder why I did that.”
She could only squirm in self-pity.
…Actually, that wasn’t the only thing she was ashamed of.
What the hell was she thinking, walking around holding onto Egostic’s hand.
To the regret she’d felt in that last room, somehow…
“Ha…”
And so, even though she was extremely embarrassed by what she had done today.
… She had to admit this one thing: she had secretly enjoyed being with him like that…
Holding his hand, feeling his body heat, talking to him, her heart skipping a beat.
…That she, the hero, had done that with the villain.
“…No.”
With that thought, she decided to change her mind.
It’s part of the Egostic correction process. It’s a correctional activity to reform Egostic who is kinder and warmer than anyone else on the inside, but acts evil on the outside. It’s more heroic than anything. Holding a villain’s hand is a heroic thing to do, and it’s what I would do if I were in the same situation again.
Honestly it felt good to hold his hand, and…
“…Ha.”
With all of that on her mind, she was thinking about her encounter with Egostic today.
Unbeknownst to her, the key at the end…She thought about what would have happened if she hadn’t found a way to escape from the room where she couldn’t leave unless she kissed him.
“…I’m crazy.”
Blushing, she decided to stop thinking such crazy thoughts and finally fell asleep, exhausted.
‘…Wait, Egostic. Hmph. Ugh.’
‘…Yeah, mmmm.
‘….’
“…! Ha, ha, ha… Ha ha.”
Waking up from a strange dream, Shin Haru muttered in a small voice as she covered her reddened face with her hands.
“…Haru, are you really crazy…”
Apparently, she was crazy…
