Chapter 19: An Overwhelming Presence

Toss, turn.

I kept tossing and turning, my ears tuned to the tiny sounds coming from the next room.

Of course, there was no particular noise coming from the room where Ban-ye was staying.

It was almost as if Ban-ye coming to my house today had been a lie.

But the presence I had witnessed earlier was so immense that I couldn’t fall asleep, continuously replaying the image of Ban-ye in my mind.

‘He’s seriously handsome….’

Fidget.

I recalled the moment Ban-ye looked back at me and swept his bangs up, and I curled my fingers into a tight fist.

I don’t know why my hand suddenly moved on its own as if it had a cramp.

Anyway… in that moment, I wanted to look at Ban-ye for a long, long time, but as soon as I recognized that desire, I quickly averted my eyes.

That was a bit of a shame.

Even after that, I couldn’t get a proper look at him, worried I’d seem weird if I stared, which left me slightly dissatisfied.

Ban-ye must know he’s handsome, right?

There must have been many people who stared at him, dumbfounded, just like me….

‘What would it feel like to live with a face like that?’

However, Ban-ye didn’t seem particularly thrilled.

In fact, considering the situation, Ban-ye had essentially beaten up his mother’s boyfriend (?) and come to my house, so his life was likely not as rosy as his looks.

Still…. Something about him, he’s tall and all.

‘He has the kind of face that deserves to be loved….’

He also gave off a feeling that slightly reminded me of my older brother.

What I mean is, the feeling of being tall and likely popular was similar?

I smacked my lips with a sense of regret, as if it were my own loss.

‘If I were Ban-ye, I would’ve become a celebrity… no, a YouTuber.’

He had the kind of face that could get daily donations just by turning on a camera and showing himself gaming.

Besides, Ban-ye’s voice was quite nice, too.

Come to think of it, that’s true.

Why doesn’t he do it?

‘Ten million won, he could probably earn that in no time…?’

I closed my eyes, thinking I should suggest it to Ban-ye when I wake up tomorrow.

But even after that, my heart kept pounding from the thought that ‘someone else is in the house,’ and I couldn’t get to sleep.

In the end, I spent the entire night with my eyes wide open, greeting the morning with a haggard face.

“G…good morning. Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah.”

Ban-ye gave a simple greeting, then flinched upon seeing my gaunt face.

But he didn’t say anything and just turned his head away.

It was better for him to pretend not to notice than to point out how messy my face was, so I was grateful for his silence.

However, the courage I had mustered last night to suggest things like becoming a streamer had completely vanished.

Somehow it felt awkward… and… a thought suddenly started to creep in, wondering if I was even in a position to say such things to him.

‘…I’m so conscious of him.’

Moreover, the real-life Ban-ye had an aura that made it difficult to be clingy like I was in the game.

The Ban-ye in the game, despite his charisma, had an opening you could worm your way into, if that makes sense.

It’s a bit hard to explain, but anyway, there was some room for me to mess around.

But the real Ban-ye was quiet and didn’t make much eye contact with me (though it was mostly me avoiding his gaze whenever our eyes met…), so saying cringey things or acting cute was absolutely out of the question.

Just like me, Ban-ye also seemed to find it awkward that I was so different from in the game—not chatty, but quiet.

So after he came out of the shower, he said to me.

“I looked up some part-time jobs before bed yesterday, and some of them have dorms.”

“…A d-dorm?”

“Yeah.”

Then he added, as if to reassure me.

“I’ll have an interview at a place with a dorm, and if I get in, I’ll be out within three days, so….”

Ban-ye’s voice trailed off, but the words that would have followed were probably something like, ‘So don’t worry too much thinking I’ll be here for a long time.’

I felt a little ashamed, and also uncomfortable for making Ban-ye feel like he was walking on eggshells.

So, for the first time, I mustered up my courage and grabbed his arm.

Of course, the moment I did, I saw Ban-ye’s puzzled expression and shrank back a little….

Still, I managed to convey what I wanted to say, albeit in a timid voice.

“St-stay comfortably! I… I really don’t hate you being here…. Uh, I just had a bit of trouble sleeping yesterday… that was just because it’s been so long since someone else slept over at my house, s-so I was just excited….”

Ban-ye looked at my hand gripping his arm, then glanced back and forth at my beet-red face and moved his lips as if to say something.

But in the end, he didn’t say anything.

However, the atmosphere hanging in the air had clearly softened compared to before.

Ban-ye let me hold onto him for a moment before slowly removing my arm and saying.

“I understand.”

My heart started pounding again at his soft voice.

And as soon as I became conscious of that change, I grew aware of Ban-ye’s gaze and deliberately asked him in a loud voice.

“Ban-ye. Do you eat breakfast? Should I make you something?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, just a moment!”

I guided Ban-ye to the dining table and heated up the pre-packaged retort food I often eat in the microwave for him.

The real Ban-ye was the type whose expressions were quite honest, and he didn’t seem to particularly like the food I gave him….

But, he cleaned his plate without leaving anything behind.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Yeah!”

“I’ll do the dishes.”

“Huh? No…! It’s okay….”

“I have to pay for my meal.”

He said it so bluntly that I had no room to refuse.

I just stood there saying, “Uh, uh,” as I let Ban-ye take over the dishwashing duty and stood up.

It didn’t seem like he enjoyed the meal very much, and I felt bad for making him do work.

However, Ban-ye was already washing the dishes with rubber gloves on.

I turned away awkwardly, unable to say anything.

I felt bad, like I was making a guest do chores.

It was even more so because Ban-ye knew I was uncomfortable around him.

Is there anything I can do for him?

“Ah!”

Just then, something came to mind, and I rummaged through my room.

What I found was a laptop I had used before and then shoved away.

By the time I found the charger and came out, Ban-ye was just finishing the dishes and coming out of the living room.

Ban-ye’s gaze fell on the laptop in my hands.

“Here, use this. It’s a spare.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. For gaming or….”

Oops. Was it too thoughtless of me to say that to a guy who’s trying to save money and move out?

“…You can use this to look for jobs more comfortably.”

I quickly added another sentence and pushed the laptop towards Ban-ye.

He took the laptop from me without any resistance.

Relieved by his action, I glanced at him cautiously and asked.

“Hey, let’s keep the fact that we’re living together for a bit a secret from the guild, so don’t worry….”

But Ban-ye turned his head and looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Why?”

He looked as if he genuinely didn’t know the reason.

“Uh…? If we suddenly say we’re living together, they’re going to ask why, aren’t they?”

Then we might have to share personal stories….

But Ban-ye just replied with a simple, “Ah,” as if it were nothing, and shrugged.

“I don’t care.”

“…You don’t care?”

“Yeah. Whether you tell them or not… do whatever you’re comfortable with, hyung.”

If he says that, well, I guess there’s no need to… mention it.

I watched Ban-ye sit at the table and turn on the laptop before awkwardly returning to my room.

I immediately turned on my computer and logged into the game.

As soon as my login notification appeared, the first person to react was ImSoCute.

[Guild][ImSoCute] Ah-ang? Is this the account owner?

[Guild][Ah-ang] heyy

[Guild][Ah-ang] Yep

[Guild][ImSoCute] ! I was surprised when you suddenly left yesterday

[Guild][Ah-ang] Ah

Come to think of it, I was so out of it because of Ban-ye’s shocking revelation that I couldn’t properly end my conversation with ImSoCute, only giving a brief goodbye late at night before logging off.

[Guild][Ah-ang] sry sry

[Guild][Ah-ang] Something suddenly came upㅠ

[Guild][ImSoCute] lol it’s okay

[Guild][Ah-ang] ㅠㅠ you’re so magnanimous

The generous ImSoCute accepted it as if nothing had happened.

As we chatted, laughter escaped my lips without me realizing it.

[Guild][ImSoCute] Btw Ah-ang

[Guild][Ah-ang] Yeah

[Guild][ImSoCute] You left yesterday so you didn’t hear

[Guild][ImSoCute] Are you interested in riding? lol

“Ah, right.”

I went AFK right when I was about to get bicycle recommendations yesterday….

I remembered belatedly.

[Guild][ImSoCute] I have a few good lineups

[Guild][Ah-ang] Nice, introduce me lol

ImSoCute got quite excited and chattered on about bicycles.

His explanation was so detailed that even other guild members who had no interest chimed in, saying [Oh, that’s tempting lol].

I chuckled listening to the bicycle comparisons.

Then, just as I was wondering which one would be good and typing away.

“What’s so funny?”

A low, somehow gloomy voice fell from above my head.

I froze, too surprised to even scream.