LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 192
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“Ten years ago, no, even five years ago, I could pull an all-nighter without a hitch…”
Time can be so cruel. So cruel…
As Da-eun mumbled, dark circles under her eyes were glaringly obvious.
…Is it possible for dark circles to drop like that in just one day?
Lost in thought about her disheveled appearance, I unconsciously asked Da-eun.
“Are you really okay?”
“Kana’s concern is quite the rare treat!”
“Stop joking around. If you’re really tired, just sleep more.”
“No, I’m fine.”
Da-eun shook her head.
“I’m not that tired.”
“That’s completely unconvincing. You know that, right?”
“…Is it really that bad?”
“Yup, it really is.”
Da-eun touched her own face in disbelief before dashing to the bathroom.
After a while, the sounds of chaos subsided.
Moments later, Da-eun emerged from the bathroom, looking completely dazed.
“Wow, it really was that bad.”
“Like I said.”
Did you not believe me?
Feeling oddly dissatisfied, I sulked.
“I-It’s not that I didn’t believe you…!”
“You didn’t believe me.”
“I mean, that’s not it?!”
“Then what is it?”
“…What are you two doing?”
Yuki, who was yawning wide enough to stretch her mouth, looked at us with a confused expression.
But Da-eun and I weren’t stopping our banter.
“I thought you just looked a bit tired, but Kana seemed to exaggerate it…”
“So you didn’t believe me after all.”
“I-I just thought you might have been joking…! Just, at the very least, think I was just teasing… If only you hadn’t said it in the early morning-“
“Early morning?”
“…Ahem! It’s nothing!”
“Heh.”
That reaction seems suspicious.
What if they talked bad about me while I was sleeping…?
I didn’t seriously think they would do that, but seeing Da-eun’s panicked denial made me want to pry more.
“So, like Kana said, my current state is not human! So that’s it, right?!”
“I didn’t say it like that.”
“Ugh, anyway! Kana was right, and I was wrong! That’s all that matters, right…? Am I wrong?! Am I?! No, that’s not true!”
“Right, uh-huh…”
Is it possible that what I ate for dinner last night was bad somehow?
At this point, it would be strange not to suspect that.
Regardless, pressured by Da-eun’s intensity, I hesitated and took a step back.
…What else could I do?
Her eyes were red-veined, dark circles elongated beneath her eyes, and her complexion was pale like someone who was truly sick…
With that appearance, approaching her with wide-open eyes like a lunatic, how could I not run away?
Of course, if I had a sword in hand and knew how to swing it, I wouldn’t be scared at all.
“You know what you need to live? Sunlight? Water? Carbs? Nope!”
Da-eun, muttering like a madwoman, rushed into the kitchen.
Then, opening the refrigerator door, she yelled,
“What modern people need is caffeine! Oh, caffeine…! My life, my soul, my blood…!”
She triumphantly held up a bottle of coffee that had been resting in the fridge.
“She really should go to the hospital, whether it’s Hallasan or not.”
“I think so too.”
Fake madness can’t hold a candle to real madness.
Yuki, who had been quietly watching Da-eun’s antics, murmured.
Yuki’s values might contrast with the typical Korean ones, but even she recognized her differences.
Of course, this is just my assumption. Seeing her operate strictly within certain rules makes me think that my guess isn’t entirely off.
Yuki’s way of dealing with stalkers arguably didn’t break any rules, did it?
Breaking it down further…
“A socialized beast?”
Yeah. That expression fits perfectly.
Pretty savage, but she knows when to show her teeth, so she isn’t that threatening.
But Da-eun is different.
I know she doesn’t mean it, but sometimes when I see her like that, I think, ‘Am I not misunderstanding something?’
Gulp gulp…
“Yikes…!”
Meanwhile, Da-eun downed the last of the coffee and tossed the empty bottle dramatically.
From someone else’s perspective, you’d think she was chugging alcohol.
“Shin Da-eun, resurrected in full force!”
“No way that’s happening.”
A reflexive retort sprang forth without a second thought.
How could one cup of coffee, especially one that just got chugged, make all that fatigue just vanish?
“Why do you think it wouldn’t work?”
“Why do I think that—”
“Aha, Kana hasn’t had coffee yet, has she? You might actually not know.”
“…Huh?”
Da-eun’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“These days, coffee works wonders! Just downing a cup keeps you awake, and if you drink more than two, it’s like you’ve slept for the whole day.”
“Stop lying.”
“I swear it’s true!”
“You always said you felt tired after drinking coffee.”
How could I forget the countless times she lamented about coffee making her tired? There’s no way she could be lying.
Yet, Da-eun didn’t back down in the slightest, despite my skeptical glare.
“That’s because I diluted it! If you drink it straight, it’s too potent, and you’ll never sleep properly.”
“Stop lying.”
“Really? …Oh? Didn’t we just say the same thing?”
She had to be teasing me.
Though I thought this, Da-eun’s confidence made me wonder, ‘Could this possibly be true?’
After all, science and medicine on Earth are supposed to be advanced compared to Silia.
With all kinds of medications and even bizarre concoctions made, surely they should have a decent energy booster somewhere.
As that thought crossed my mind, Da-eun’s expression, which just moments ago appeared near death, began to resemble that of a normal person.
*Thump-*
“What now?”
Suddenly, I felt a hand on my head—Yuki’s.
I glared at her as she laughed softly, and she swiftly withdrew her hand.
“Don’t be fooled. That stuff is probably all lies.”
“…Huh?”
“Well, there are products like what I just described, but those effects are more for stimulants or high-caffeine products. Not for the cheap coffee sold in convenience stores.”
“…You’re lying! Kana, don’t tell me you believe her!”
“….”
“Why are you silent? Choose! It’s Yuki or me?”
“If you’re asking which to believe—”
I lifted my foot closer to Yuki.
“Of course, Yuki.”
“That’s nonsense!”
*Thud!*
Da-eun’s body crumpled like a marionette with its strings cut.
“How could you do this to me after all the time we’ve spent together?!”
“Who tried to deceive first?”
“You can’t prove Yuki’s words are true either!”
“Well, isn’t that just admitting it’s a lie?”
“….”
With no words left, Da-eun’s eyes rolled around, searching for answers.
Nonchalantly, I said to the suddenly quiet Da-eun,
“Think carefully.”
“W-What do you mean?”
“If you later find out I was right all along about you lying…”
“If I find out…?”
“-I won’t sleep with you again.”
…Ugh.
I trembled at the words coming from my mouth.
Honestly, I never thought I’d say something this cheesy.
Really, it’s so embarrassing that I might just die….
But there was a reason I pushed through the embarrassment to say that.
…
Standing frozen was Da-eun.
With her mouth agape and completely still, she was the perfect specimen of someone who’s just received an enormous shock.
It’d be more than enough if I could shock her with my momentary embarrassment.
“Is she dead?”
Shaking, shaking…
Yuki placed a hand on Da-eun’s shoulder and gently rocked her back and forth.
Finally, Da-eun, who had been as still as a statue, returned to reality.
“-I-I’m sorry! I won’t lie to Kana again, so please take back what you just said! I promise I’ll never lie again and won’t even complain about eating vegetables, so please, please! You know that anyone who’s felt warmth can never live without it… I can’t lose my warm Kana….”
“Setting everything else aside, what was that last part?”
“…Did you understand that?”
“If you’re living with Da-eun, you have to pick up on this level of nonsense.”
“Such a pain.”
Once again, I felt a hand gently land on my head.
This time, though, I didn’t swat it away.
After all, as Yuki said, it was true that hanging around Da-eun can be tiring, so accepting this level of comfort wouldn’t hurt.
“That spot should’ve been mine.”
Grrr…!
Da-eun glared at us with jealous eyes, chewing on a handkerchief furiously.
Where on earth did she pull that handkerchief from?
Though I treated most of Da-eun’s words as nonsense, I couldn’t deny her impressive preparation.
Even if I can’t understand her reasons for going to such lengths.
“Are you sure you don’t need to sleep?”
“I’m fine, really fine. I can just catch a quick nap while we go. That’s what the autopilot is for! It’s such a shame that this feature didn’t exist back in the day… Isn’t that just sad?”
“Uh….”
It doesn’t sound like just driving is the only issue here.
I’m doubtful if my body could handle the fatigue of that climb, but…
Since she says she’s okay, she must be fine.
Seeing Da-eun’s confident smile, I reluctantly nodded my head.
“Alright, then let’s set off!”
Da-eun cheered enthusiastically.
Of course, there was no reply following that.
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