Chapter 27: Sweet Surrender

5: A Simple Thank You

I shut down the computer. Time to get ready to head out.

It’s around 2 p.m. The usual time to meet my friends at the PC café. I must’ve gotten lost in the game for it to be this late already.

The sudden flood of attention from guildmates when I joined voice chat was a bit off-putting, but the boss raid was pretty fun after so long. The guide was helpful too.

Hmm.

Nice.

Now to head out…

But what about my clothes?

I’m wearing the white dress I changed into this morning after spilling water. It’s clean, barely worn since I was gaming all day, so I could go out in it. But meeting my friends in a skirt again feels… embarrassing.

Junseo already saw me this morning, so he’s fine, but letting the others see me like this? An indescribable wave of shame surges up.

Sure, I wore a dress last time, but that was because the sunlight messed with my head—an act of force majeure. If I’d been in my right mind, I would’ve made an excuse and stayed home.

My T-shirts still aren’t dry. If I go out now, it’s either this white dress or one of the many women’s clothes in my closet. Embarrassing. No way.

Wait, now that I think about it, I changed in front of Junseo this morning…

“Ugh.”

Yeah, no way I’m going out.

The memory I forgot while gaming comes rushing back. The embarrassment triples. My face burns.

I can’t face my friends in a skirt twice. And after this morning, I can barely look at Junseo. Yup, it’s unavoidable. I’ll skip today and aim for tomorrow.

I grab my phone, open the group chat, and start typing that I can’t make it today.

Just as I’m about to hit send—whoosh—the clouds part, and sunlight streams down, bathing me in warmth.

My body freezes. I slowly tilt my head up. The radiant sun gazes at me.

The sky greets me through the window. Hello, angel. It’s nice weather today. Wanna come out? My mood lifts, floating like a cloud. My halo glows brightly.

I see. It’s nice weather today. My wings spread slightly, fluttering. A pleasant high, like I’m floating in the sky. Giggles spill out.

I pocket my phone and step forward. Standing before the mirror, I look inside.

A pristine white dress. A silver-haired, blue-eyed angel girl smiles brightly. Sunlight dances down, blessing her.

Cute, pure, and endlessly holy—a scene unfolds in the mirror.

So cute.

Yup.

Pretty.

“Hehe…”

I’ll go out like this.

Like this!

…

…

“….”

So unfair.

Really unfair.

The moment I step outside and see my friends’ faces, clouds cover the sky again. My soaring mood crashes instantly.

Sky, you said it was nice weather! You told me to come out!

I look up. Dull gray clouds mock me. Hohoho, you believed that?

If you’re gonna lure me out, at least stick with it! Why get cloudy the second I meet my friends? Argh!

My face flushes.

I recall giggling and prancing here, making my face redder.

Realizing my friends saw me in this outfit again triples the blush.

Thinking of this morning with Junseo quadruples it.

Ughhh.

Look at their faces. I’ve shown up in women’s clothes twice, and now they just accept it, staring like it’s normal.

Argh!

No, it was force majeure!

Really!

No matter how much I explain, they don’t listen. Their minds have already decided I love women’s clothes.

Sure, it’s pretty! And cute!

But I didn’t wear it because I wanted to!

“Alright, alright. Shall we go?”

My three friends nod with benevolent expressions, ignoring my protests.

My face goes red and blue with embarrassment, mixed with a bit of anger at them not listening.

My halo, as if embarrassed too, dims slightly, almost reddish.

Just a figure of speech—it’s still yellow, just fainter.

Sigh.

“Fine…”

I give up. What’s the point of getting mad?

Maybe I should just lean into it and wear whatever.

There are still 97 unworn outfits in my closet.

Since my friends have seen me like this, maybe I should just wear them. They’d go to waste otherwise. Jimin bought them all—it’d be a shame not to.

They’d probably… look good on me.

Yup.

People are drawn to pretty things, right?

It’s not weird. Yeah.

Convincing myself, I walk with my friends.

Destination: the usual PC café. The same streets, the same scenery.

Today, a cloudy sky.

A cool breeze makes my dress flutter, the air slipping underneath feeling refreshing.

Nice.

On the way, Min-jae pushes up his glasses with his middle finger and speaks.

“Garam, let’s do well today, okay?”

His words carry layers of meaning. His glasses glint as he adjusts them. I retort.

“My skills are improving, okay? Today, I’ll carry—”

Thwack!

“Ow!”

“Don’t ruin my carry.”

My head hurts.

Whine.

I walk along.

And then…

A café catches my eye.

Glass-fronted, with a wooden design exuding a classy, vintage vibe.

But it’s not the chic exterior that grabs me.

It’s a tall glass filled with ice cream, cookies, fruit, and cream.

Yup.

A parfait.

Beyond the glass, someone’s enjoying a parfait, snapping photos.

A giant parfait topped with a huge strawberry and a wafer stick.

They’re eating it so deliciously.

As someone with a sweet tooth, I can’t just walk past that.

It’s a fierce temptation, stopping my PC café-bound steps and urging me toward the café.

But who am I?

An adult. Too old to fall for sweets. A 21-year-old adult, Garam Lee.

Hah, you think I’d lose to this?

“… Garam, you want it that bad?”

“Huh?!”

When I snap out of it, I’m already at the café’s glass window.

Is the café alive? Did it walk up to me? Why’s it getting closer?

Drool drips. My cheek’s stuck to the glass, unpeeling.

The sweet parfait’s form looms beyond.

Someone’s even eating honey bread.

Slurp…

I wipe my drool with my sleeve.

I won’t lose to this temptation…

I won’t!

…

…

“Garam, your parfait’s here. Honey bread too.”

“Huh?!”

I blink and find myself seated inside the café.

The other three are at the table, sipping random coffees.

In front of me sits a parfait as big as my face.

“W-When did…!”

A sweet aroma wafts up. Sugary, delightful fragrance.

“N-No way!”

I’m an adult. I won’t lose to this.

I tear my eyes away from the parfait, but the new direction isn’t safe either.

Honey bread!

Where my eyes fled, nine perfectly cut toast squares gleam, dripping with syrup and cream. Look at me, look at me. Don’t you want to eat me? Sweet, delicious me?

I won’t lose to this…!

I turn my head.

But there’s the giant parfait again.

I turn again.

More honey bread.

Again…!

Again…!

AGAIN!

There’s nowhere to look!

I’m cornered, trapped, surrounded—a desperate situation! Oh, Zhuge Liang’s trap! Is there no way out?!

But I won’t give in. Even if I’m surrounded, with no escape, I won’t break!

I won’t lose to this!

“I won’t… lose!”

“Stop being dramatic and eat.”

A spoon suddenly enters my mouth. Sweet ice cream melts, enveloping my tongue.

…

…

…

“Hehe… So good…”

I lost to temptation.