Chapter 66: Promising (6)

Part 11

What was the intent behind that question? Seokyoon’s slow blink scanned Kwon Hyuk. The awkward expression on Kwon Hyuk’s face, so different from his confident streaming persona, made it hard for Seokyoon to pinpoint the question’s meaning.

“…Sorry, I don’t quite get what you mean,” Seokyoon said.

Kwon Hyuk’s eyes darted around, a mix of embarrassment and surprise at his own words. Yoonseo. Your friend. Don’t you feel anything? Wasn’t it normal to feel nothing for a friend? Why was that something to question?

Seokyoon figured Kwon Hyuk was as flustered as he was. Then, a chilling thought struck—maybe this wasn’t about questioning a universal truth. Maybe it was something deeper.

“…No, sorry. Forget I said anything. You wanted a signature, right? We’ve got time—should I draw something with your name? Got a nickname you use often?” Kwon Hyuk said, hastily changing the subject.

His frantic movements, fiddling with his laptop and tablet, gave Seokyoon a clue. He’s avoiding it. It clicked—To others, she’s just that stunning.

As a friend, should he be angry? Should he accept it as understandable, even if he’d only just realized it? Kwon Hyuk’s rambling voice felt distant. Thoughts chained together, one leading to another, as the laptop’s flickering screen filled Seokyoon’s vision.

“You might not believe it, but we’re friends. That’s how it’s supposed to be,” Seokyoon said.

Kwon Hyuk’s movements froze. Seokyoon still couldn’t read the emotions in his gaze. I don’t even know what face I’m making—how could I know what he’s thinking? A silent complaint sank heavily in his throat.

“…Sorry, really,” Kwon Hyuk said.

“It’s understandable. People would think that,” Seokyoon replied.

What? He ignored the question rising in his mind. It’s just understandable. No need to overthink. Yoonseo was Yoonseo, and Kim Seokyoon was Kim Seokyoon. They’d been through everything together since school. That was enough. What was there to question? What embellishments could fit between them?

“…I might’ve been too casual, treating it like a passing encounter. Really sorry,” Kwon Hyuk said.

“I probably said something to make you think too much. Don’t worry about it,” Seokyoon replied.

Stop. He barely swallowed the words. His throat felt dry. Each of Kwon Hyuk’s words made it harder to avoid the truths he’d been dodging, stirring a vague fear that pressed him urgently.

“Honestly, when I saw her come out in that outfit with her hair down, I was like, Wow… I tried not to show it because of what you said, but… maybe it’s unprofessional, but I couldn’t stop noticing her. It messed with my focus, made the stream chaotic,” Kwon Hyuk admitted.

Stop. I get it.

“She’s hard to forget,” Seokyoon said.

“Haha… but you, a fan, seem unfazed, focusing only on my stream. I wondered how you could do that. That’s what I meant… Ugh, I’m just sorry. It’s not a normal situation, and I shouldn’t have spoken lightly as an outsider,” Kwon Hyuk said.

“It’s really fine,” Seokyoon replied.

He figured he was forcing a smile, his lips tight, refusing to relax. It has to look like I’m smiling. It had to.

“Either way, we’re friends,” he said.

“That’s cool. True friendship like that’s rare these days,” Kwon Hyuk said.

“Don’t you have close bonds with other artists?” Seokyoon asked.

“It’s different from your kind of friendship… We’re more like, We went through tough times together,” Kwon Hyuk explained.

Seokyoon couldn’t understand why his chest ached at his own words.

Let’s call it unknowable.

Part 12

“You were super shy at first, but you’re getting used to it, huh?” Hyunji said.

“Thanks,” I replied.

After an hour of shooting, my legs wobbled. Homin suggested a five-minute break, and I collapsed into a folding chair. A playful voice and approaching footsteps came with a disposable cup of iced soda. I took it carefully, smiling lightly to avoid spilling, and looked up to see Hyunji holding a dry towel.

“When I thought of myself as a model, it felt embarrassing, but holding props and posing reminded me of childhood roleplay,” I said.

“Always the tragic heroine captured by the villain?” she teased.

“Haha… maybe I played the sword-wielding role a lot too,” I replied.

“A princess knight from childhood? So romantic!” she exclaimed.

No need to correct her indirectly. It’s just chatter. I brought the cup to my lips. The cool touch of ice, the crisp fizz of soda—it sent a shiver through me, but the cold was soothing, cooling the lukewarm heat.

“It’s more tiring than I expected… but there’s something romantic about it, don’t you think?” I said.

“Hehe, right? That’s the charm of cosplay,” Hyunji said.

Holding a prop sword and striking poses was exhausting. I didn’t know what it was made of—not metal, but heavy enough. Just keeping my arms raised was tiring. I’d never felt my body was frail before, but now I thought, Maybe I should exercise a bit.

“Want me to wipe you down?” Hyunji offered.

“Haha… no, that’d be awkward for you. I’ll do it. Thanks for the thought,” I said.

“Awkward? In this field, it’s a treat!” she replied.

The familiar word made me laugh, nearly spilling my soda. Treat? That’s used in real life too?

“Pfft?!” I choked.

“Yoonseo-ssi?” Hyunji asked.

“No… it’s just, I hear ‘treat’ so much on streams, I never thought I’d hear it in person,” I explained.

“Oh, like, It’s a treat! vibe?” she said.

Not hiding my lingering giggles, I nodded slowly. With a slightly trembling hand, I tilted the cup. Hyunji dragged over a folding chair and plopped down beside me with a thud.

“We don’t say that to total outsiders. I know you’re not fully in this scene, but you’re used to it from streaming, so it slips out,” she said.

“Wow, ‘in this scene.’ Sounds so cool,” I teased, exaggerating my tone.

Her eyes widened, trembling with mock emotion. The cup saved me from another bear hug, but…

“Ugh…! To think, in this era, a pure soul who doesn’t dismiss romance as cringe still exists…!” she said.

I just smiled, unsure how to respond, but I vaguely understood. An era that belittles romance as cringe? Things have gotten harsh in many ways.

“That’s what makes cosplay so great!” she continued.

“Huh?” I said.

“When you’re cosplaying, you can wear flowy outfits, wield swords or staves, strike dramatic poses, and no one judges! It’s… I don’t know, fulfilling?” she exclaimed.

Watching her wave her hands excitedly, I felt both stunned and like I got it. There’s definitely romance in it. Fantasy worlds, epic journeys, heroic tales—things anyone might dream of, man or woman. Maybe some people feel that pull.

“…I get it, yeah. Hehe,” I said.

“Right?!” she replied.

It reminds me of childhood. That thought felt like an extension of this. When cosplaying, you can indulge in those fantasies without judgment. That’s pretty appealing.

“But personally, I liked longswords over one-handed ones,” I said.

“Katana-wielding schoolgirl?!” she gasped.

“I’m a college student, though…” I clarified.

The break passed leisurely. Wiping sweat from my neck and elsewhere with the towel, I chatted with an increasingly enthusiastic Hyunji. What are those two, who left to continue the stream, doing now? As the thought crossed my mind, Homin’s voice announced it was time to resume shooting. No whining about being tired or needing more rest, right?