Chapter 88: Encounter!

Whether it’s a game or something else, going through it intensely requires thorough preparation.

That preparation included a mental aspect, and I was paying the price for not being mentally ready.

From buying clothes to cosmetics, even a full beauty course—our journey was relentless, like running a game raid, moving between floors and sections without pause.

“Oh, this looks nice.”

“Uh, what about this one?”

After circling around, we returned to the clothing store and shifted to the casual corner.

This time, they were enthusiastically trying on outfits, checking how they looked in the mirror.

It was expected from Dayoung, but even Ajin seemed surprisingly excited.

‘At this rate…’

Even though I wanted to leave, seeing how much fun those two were having made it hard to speak up.

Physically, I was fine, but mentally, I was exhausted.

Trapped in an unfamiliar sense of fatigue, I sighed inwardly and let myself be dragged around.

At that moment, I felt like nothing more than a useless mushroom—completely powerless to do anything.

“This is on sale, but it’s still so expensive. Clothing prices are insane these days.”

“Me? I’m fine with just the clothes I have at home…”

“Should I buy it for you?”

“Huh? Why would you?”

Watching the two of them get flustered, I nodded casually.

“Why are you so surprised? You just treated me to lunch earlier.”

“Don’t hold back. Pick whatever you want. You can even choose two outfits each. Summer will be here before you know it, so it’s good to prepare early.”

“Seriously, you’re unbelievable. First lunch, now this?”

“I’m… I’m fine too…”

Oh no, lying is not allowed.

Even though they were saying no, their eyes betrayed them, glancing at the clothes again and again.

“Here, take my card. Go ahead and pick what you want.”

“Roger!”

“Thanks!”

Apparently, they already had outfits in mind because they immediately picked a few and rushed off, looking adorable as they went.

Casual clothes, huh…

The outfits I bought were more formal, office-style suits, so I couldn’t help but glance at the casual section myself.

‘Maybe I’ll check something out too.’

I grabbed a plain gray hoodie, held it up to my body in front of a mirror, and took a look.

Hmm.

‘Not bad.’

Considering my current wardrobe leaned toward heavier formalwear, having something simple and comfortable to walk around in didn’t seem like a bad idea.

I picked out a few similar outfits and started comparing them when…

“Hey!”

“Nice discovery…”

Startled by the mischievous voices, I turned around to find Dayoung and Ajin already done with their shopping, grinning at me.

“Hehe, so you wanted to try on other clothes too, huh? What a sly sister we have here!” Dayoung teased, patting my shoulder lightly.

“Seriously, everything looks good on you. You really know how to dress up!”

“Uh… sister, next time, how about picking a theme? Maybe even dye your hair…?”

…I might’ve made a mistake.

***

“Phew, that was great. With this, we’re set for summer!”

“Yeah, me too!”

[What’s the point of having clothes if you’re just at home?]

“Sh-shut up!”

[Anyway, who shops for hours like this? You crazy people. The real winner here is me, who’s been taking a sweet nap all this time!]

Oh, so that’s why it was so quiet.

The little frog had been sleeping the whole time.

Feeling an odd sense of envy, my pride took a slight hit.

Damn frog.

“Sister, aren’t you thirsty? There’s a nice café nearby. Should we grab some coffee?”

“Y-yeah! I-I’ll come too!”

“Thanks. I’ll wait here. I’ll have an iced Americano with extra syrup.”

“OK. Take a rest while we’re gone.”

“I want a caramel macchiato with cinnamon, whipped cream, and syrup in a 1:1 ratio with water. Got it, you fools?!”

Dayoung firmly squeezed the bag where the frog was hiding and headed off to the café with Ajin.

Leaving the shopping bags neatly on the chair next to me, I sat down and slouched back in my seat.

“Finally, I can relax.”

***

Watching Dayoung and Ajin in the café line from a distance, I felt a sense of satisfaction.

Especially seeing Ajin, who would normally struggle in crowded places, looking so happy made me feel proud.

‘Well, sometimes this isn’t so bad.’

As I soaked in a sense of contentment, a small smile naturally crept onto my face.

“Excuse me…”

‘What?’

Just as I was enjoying the moment, an unfamiliar voice snapped me back to reality.

I turned toward the voice, narrowing my eyes, and saw a young man with a greasy smile.

He looked to be around my age.

“Who are you?”

Although I wasn’t looking in a mirror, I could tell my expression had hardened.

“Ah, you’re so beautiful… Would you mind exchanging numbers?”

‘Ah, so it’s one of those guys. Street hunting.’

Feeling a strange sensation, I glanced around and noticed other people sneaking glances at me.

It seemed this hadn’t happened earlier because I was with Dayoung and Ajin.

Moreover…

‘I really don’t like the look in his eyes.’

The people who approached me before seemed at least a bit hesitant, but the guy in front of me acted so confidently that it was obnoxious.

He had this arrogant air like, “Someone like me could totally go after a girl like you, and I’ll definitely win you over.”

“Your number?”

“Yes, your number.”

Stop smiling so creepily, you jerk.

‘If I had been married early without being summoned to this world, I might’ve had a son around your age… Well, maybe not.’

Anyway, this kid still looks wet behind the ears.

“My number? What are you going to give me in return?”

“Should I give you my number too? We can chat together.”

“Oh, I see.”

Resting my chin on my hand, I chuckled slightly.

At first, I thought he was annoying, but on second thought, it wasn’t worth getting worked up over.

A kid like this just needed to be dismissed gently.

“Just leave. I’m not interested, and I’d like to relax right now.”

“No, don’t say that.”

‘What? Persistent, aren’t we?’

Just as I was about to get a little serious to drive him away, a voice called out from behind me.

“Unnie?!”

Ah, I thought Dayoung and Ajin might be back, so I turned my head.

But standing in front of me was…

“What?”

A familiar figure with long black hair flowing down to her waist approached me, her face filled with astonishment.

It was the lotus herself, Eunha.

“Why are you here?”

Eunha, clearly surprised, strode toward me.

Originally, she had been leisurely walking through the shopping mall.

Hoping for a chance to meet me and shop together, she had been disappointed when I hadn’t contacted her.

But then she noticed something unusual about the atmosphere of the shopping mall.

‘What’s going on?’

Everyone’s eyes were fixed in one direction, sneaking glances and gossiping.

Curious, she followed their gaze and spotted a very familiar figure with golden hair.

Normally, blonde hair wasn’t uncommon—it could be dyed or even a default choice in virtual reality.

To Eunha, it wasn’t anything special.

But this blonde…

‘Could it be…?’

There was only one person in her life with such pure, radiant blonde hair, and that realization quickened her pace.

Although the distance wasn’t far, Eunha felt as though every step took an eternity.

Even compared to her time as a professional gamer, no moment in her life felt as significant as this one.

‘Please, please, please, please…’

When she finally reached her and confirmed the face of the blonde woman, “Unnie?!”

Her voice burst forth, filled with joy at the unexpected encounter.

Startled by the loud greeting, I finally looked in her direction.

Our gazes met, and Eunha felt a thrilling jolt through her body and soul.

The mix of surprise and joy in her expression made it clear—this blonde woman knew who she was.

With the same appearance as in virtual reality and the recognition in her eyes, everything clicked together in Eunha’s mind like a complex puzzle.

Finally…

‘I’ve found her!’

A smile of pure elation spread across Eunha’s face.

“What are you doing here? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“Uh… oh…”

“And who’s this? Do you have some business with my sister?”

Her frosty tone and piercing glare were enough to make the persistent guy back away before fleeing entirely.

With the situation resolved, Eunha’s stern expression melted into a warm smile as she turned back to me.

“It’s so good to see you, Friede-unnie.”

“Eunha?”

“Yes, it’s me. I knew it was you, even from behind.”

Her confident demeanor radiated pride, as if recognizing me was an accomplishment.

“Why didn’t you reply to my messages? If you were coming here to shop, we could’ve done it together.”

Noticing the bags around me, Eunha’s tone briefly betrayed her disappointment, though her smile quickly returned.

“Since we’re already here, how about we go around one more time?”

For girls, shopping was an endless source of fun.

Even if Friede-unnie didn’t have any money, Eunha wouldn’t have minded.

After all, she was a two-time Soul Cup champion, the only one to achieve that feat, with seven domestic league titles under her belt.

No other pro gamer could rival her career—not even her equally famous teammate, Warden Kim Chanhyuk.

Her reputation as a superstar brought her substantial earnings through salary and countless brand endorsements.

‘If anything, I could just buy everything she wants.’

Eunha was confident that there was nothing in this mall she couldn’t afford.

“Eunha, meeting in real life like this without any prior notice feels a bit…”

“Come on, unnie. We’ve danced together before, haven’t we? If I invited fans to shop with me, the line would stretch around the block.”

Leaning in close to my ear, Eunha whispered softly with a playful smile.

“This is a rare opportunity, unnie.”

Her breath tickled my ear, making the moment feel oddly intimate.

To an outsider, her light taps on my chest might’ve looked like an adorable tantrum.

That’s when…

“What’s going on here?”

A cold voice cut through the air from behind us.

Eunha turned her head toward the source, sensing hostility in the gaze directed at her.

Standing there were Dayoung and Ajin, one holding a tray of coffee cups, the other with a bag of cookies.

Eunha had no idea who they were, but…

“And who might you be?”

“Who are you to be clinging to our unnie like that?”

“Ugh… Disgusting.”

The reactions of the two girls made Eunha’s brow furrow slightly.

‘Our unnie?’

“Ha!”

At the absurdity of their claim, Eunha let out a bold laugh.

It was the calm before the storm.