“Caw! Caw!”
The sound of crows woke me from consciousness early in the morning.
‘Wasn’t the quintessential morning bird song supposed to be sparrows in the sunlight? What were crows doing in the middle of Soul?’
‘Even if it were pigeons, I’d understand, but this was downright strange.’
As I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar ceiling.
Sometimes, I worried that if I woke up, I’d find myself staring at the unfamiliar ceiling of another world.
But today, I welcomed a refreshingly pleasant morning, as if washing away that lingering unease.
While diligent folks might stretch and rise right away, my eyelids, having lifted for just a moment, fell back down helplessly.
Surely, there’s nothing sweeter than wrapping yourself in the morning sunshine as a blanket for a quick nap.
“Ugh…”
My body trembled in response as it relaxed on the bed, teetering on the boundary of consciousness.
Just before completely drifting into the land of dreams, I felt a tension brush past me, like walking a tightrope precariously close to falling off a cliff.
It wasn’t sleep paralysis—my consciousness was intact—but it felt as though one more step forward would drop me into the dream realm.
Although I could have snapped myself fully awake, I chose to savor the current sensation without filtering it.
And then—
Bzzzzz!
A sound, far removed from nature, pierced through the peaceful morning, jolting my eardrums.
The familiar buzzing vibrated near enough to grab with a stretch of my hand, irritating my nerves.
The unusually loud vibrations emanating from the bedside table snapped my languid mind to full alertness.
Eyes still closed, I groped blindly with one arm, determined to feel the soft touch of my sheets as long as possible, until my hand clutched my smartphone.
Finally turning my head, I spotted the notification displayed on the screen.
“Ah…”
Faced with an alert I couldn’t ignore, I furrowed my brow and reluctantly lifted my body.
My heavy eyelids and drowsy mind pleaded for me to crawl back into bed, but I forced myself to leave its embrace and stretched with all my might.
“Ack!”
It felt as if not just my blood but an unseen energy surged through my veins, filling my body with an exhilarating vitality.
Like a bird breaking free of its chains to revel in the open sky, I felt invincible.
Not that I had superpowers, but if this feeling lasted forever, wouldn’t that make me as good as a hero? I chuckled at the silly thought.
Having woken up on time thanks to the alarm, I mentally reviewed the tasks for the day while heading into the shower.
As warm water cascaded over me, my mind spun quickly with an odd sense of excitement.
Water is truly miraculous—just pouring a bucket over myself or standing under a shower often sparks some great ideas.
Today marked the start of the pre-event phase, so I began organizing my thoughts about what to eat, what to wear, and when to leave.
It was like performing a disk cleanup in my head.
Creak.
When I opened the door after finishing my shower, the warmth filling the bathroom burst out all at once.
As the cooler air from outside seeped into the heat, it felt oddly like someone brushing against me, prompting me to hurriedly dry myself off.
Drying my long hair took some time, and I wondered if I was just being overly sensitive to the air’s touch.
‘How would I react in front of others if I’m this sensitive?’ I mused, my heart oddly racing at the thought.
‘It’s an offline public broadcast…’
This wasn’t just another event.
Unlike the previous online-only tournaments, this one would be held offline.
The idea of my real self being broadcast was thrilling, laced with excitement and anticipation, though there was also a small tinge of anxiety mixed in.
Some might scoff, saying I’ve already revealed my face during live streams, so why make such a big deal out of this?
But streaming and public broadcasts are entirely different.
‘Streaming feels like my personal space, where I control how I interact with viewers.’
‘Public broadcasts, on the other hand, force me to expose myself in an unfamiliar environment.’
And why did that thought suddenly feel… suggestive?
‘If I had to explain it, it’s like performing a strip show in front of an audience, baring everything.’
Such ridiculous thoughts crossed my mind, but after all, isn’t imagination equally accessible to everyone?
No one would see or judge this, so I considered it my personal safe zone.
Taking a brief pause, I checked the time.
It was 9 a.m.
A slightly awkward time to whip up a full meal.
To make matters worse, today was Saturday, meaning the event would start in the morning.
‘Should I just grab something on the way?’
As I moved to change into my outfit, I heard a soft knock at the door.
***
Knock, knock.
When I opened the door, standing in front of me were—
“We’re here!”
“Unni, it’s me!”
“Sehee, it’s me!”
Dayoung, Ajin, and Yuri were all gathered outside.
They smiled brightly upon seeing me, but their faces gradually turned pale as their gazes dropped downward.
What’s wrong with them?
“Seriously, unni! If you’re going to answer the door, at least put some clothes on!”
“Come on, you’re the only ones who come here anyway.”
“That’s not the point. Why would you come out in just your underwear?!”
Though I tried to argue that it didn’t matter since we were all the same gender, Dayoung’s scolding silenced me.
If I kept talking, I’d surely end up as the infamous “Shameless Sehee.”
I quickly threw on some casual clothes and properly greeted the three of them.
Once they stepped inside, the quiet room instantly became lively.
Yuri, who had brought a container with her, proudly set it on the dining table.
“You haven’t eaten yet, right? I made sandwiches. There’s plenty, so help yourselves.”
“Wow, thanks.”
The neatly arranged sandwiches in the container looked quite appetizing.
Even without tasting them, their presentation rivaled that of a high-end bakery.
The baguette was stuffed with ham, cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes—each ingredient layered perfectly without being squished, reminding me of a rainbow rice cake.
Taking out one sandwich and biting into it, the bread and filling combined harmoniously as the flavors blended on my tongue.
“Wow, it’s delicious.”
“Right? You really did a good job with this.”
“This… this flavor!”
We were all impressed by how good it was.
It wasn’t gourmet-level food that would blow your mind, but it was tasty enough to enjoy repeatedly without getting tired of it.
Poorly made sandwiches tend to have ingredients that feel disjointed, but this one brought out a natural, cohesive taste.
“You’re really good at this.”
“Ah, well, my parents run a café, so I’ve picked up a few things here and there. Since you live alone, Sehee, I thought you might not be eating properly, so I made this for you.”
“Thanks. This was the best breakfast I’ve had in a while.”
“I’m glad it suits your taste.”
Her flushed cheeks and shyly diverted gaze radiated such charm that it was impossible not to notice.
Yuri’s homemaking skills were on full display today, and she seemed particularly graceful.
It was a delightful new side of her.
At that moment, I felt a strange gaze prickling my awareness.
Turning my head, I saw Ajin filming me with a camcorder—no, wait, there were two of her!
Ah, right.
I forgot she could use her duplication ability.
“Are you already recording for your vlog?”
“Yep! Since the concept is daily life, the more footage I have, the better. Don’t worry about the angles; I’ve got it covered. Just relax and eat.”
“Well, even if something problematic gets recorded, it’s not like I can’t just edit it out later.”
Dayoung shrugged nonchalantly while munching on her sandwich, while Ajin, controlling her duplicate with one hand, focused intently on her filming.
Seeing this, I was reminded once again of how real it felt that we were heroes.
After finishing my breakfast, I returned to my room to change clothes.
Since I wasn’t entirely familiar with women’s fashion yet, I decided to base my outfit on the items Dayoung and Ajin had chosen for me during our last shopping trip.
Taking out the clothes, I laid them on the bed and examined them.
Looking at the top and bottom, I imagined how they’d look on me.
“Hmm, this should be fine, right?”
‘Probably?’
I wasn’t planning to walk around inappropriately dressed, and these were standard women’s clothing items sold in stores.
Even online reviews didn’t mention anything odd about these outfits, so I figured it would be okay.
Since this was only my second time wearing this style of clothing after being dragged around by Dayoung and Ajin during that shopping trip, I took a moment to gather myself.
“Alright!”
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.
***
After about a minute of steady breathing, I opened my eyes wide and declared, “Let’s do this!”
“Hey, slowpoke. Why’s it taking unni so long?”
“Huh? Oh… um…”
Dayoung reflexively started to say, ‘Maybe because she used to be a guy, so she’s not used to dressing like this,’ but stopped herself, hastily gulping down her words.’
‘Phew, that was close.’
She grumbled inwardly and took a sip of juice.
The sweet fruity scent filled her throat, helping to soothe her startled mind.
‘It’s fine. I’m the only one who knows unni’s secret.’
Sehee’s secret was something even the other heroes didn’t know.
Unless she spoke about it herself, Dayoung knew she’d remain the sole keeper of this forbidden truth.
There was no need to react to any stray comments from the others—just play it cool.
“Maybe she’s just struggling to pick an outfit because she has too many options?”
“Yeah, maybe.”
Ajin, fiddling with her camcorder, seemed disappointed, as if she couldn’t wait to film Sehee in her casual outfit.
Dayoung decided to change the subject.
“Yuri, you’re staying home, right?”
“Yeah, I’d rather not go outside since I turn into a guy when I do. It’s just not a comfortable feeling. I don’t think Sehee would want me tagging along in that state, either. I’ll stay here and hold down the fort.”
“That’s too bad. But once the year is up, you and Ajin will be able to go outside too. Let’s plan to hang out together then.”
“Sure, thanks.”
Yuri smiled warmly, clearly appreciating the sentiment, which made Dayoung feel all fuzzy inside.
Getting along as fellow heroes was something Sehee had always hoped for, and it truly felt good to see their camaraderie.
Just then, the door to Sehee’s room opened, and she finally stepped out.
“Huh?”
“Ah…”
“Oh my gosh!”
The three of them reacted differently.
Yuri seemed surprised by Sehee’s sudden image change, while Ajin was utterly captivated by the allure radiating from her new outfit.
And Dayoung…
“Oh my god, unni, this is… no, it’s too much.”
Dayoung’s expression was a mixture of shock and embarrassment as she assessed the outfit.
“Seriously, with a chest like that, why would you wear a bustier and sheer top? Are you trying to get every guy to stare?”
“It’s black, so it’s not that revealing, is it?”
“The fact that it’s black is the problem! Do you have any idea how much it shows through? Especially with your pale skin, it stands out even more!”
Dayoung was practically foaming at the mouth as she continued her tirade.
“And this bustier—what size is it? Why is it so tight? What if something shows?”
“Is it… really that bad?”
Unable to answer, Dayoung averted her gaze with a flushed face.
Sehee’s outfit was bold—a black bustier that barely contained her ample chest, layered with a sheer black blouse.
A skirt that just barely covered her hips, paired with sleek black stockings that accentuated her legs.
Around her neck was a black choker resting against her snow-white skin.
Thus, Sehee’s first outfit for her debut offline broadcast was decided.