Before finally introducing ourselves and playing a game together at Yellow’s house, I spent my weekend as usual. I met Yura on Saturday and Hayang on Sunday. Both of them brought up a common topic:
“Can I go on a trip with the members?”
“Babe, is it okay if I go on a trip?”
While I was busy focusing on Yellow and playing games, it seems the HunterKiller members had started discussing a trip in earnest. I couldn’t know exactly when or how they discussed it, but judging by the fact that Yura and Hayang asked if they could go, it seems they had already set a schedule.
“Sure, go ahead. But when?”
“The third week, Monday to Wednesday. We decided to go to the West Sea together.”
Seeing that I didn’t object, Yura, thrilled about the trip, smiled brightly while doing the dishes.
“All together?”
I already knew that Yellow wasn’t getting along well with the other members, and playing games together wouldn’t improve communication. After Yura and Yellow had a fight over something related to Green, they hadn’t been talking much, which made it seem like this situation was already familiar and that they had just brushed past the incident.
In other words, it seemed like they had just let it fizzle out without any real reconciliation.
“Yeah, Yellow probably won’t come. She hasn’t been attending the meetings, so there’s no chance to talk, and even if we asked her, she probably wouldn’t go.”
Still, she should try talking to Yellow. After all, Yura, who had known Yellow for much longer than I had, would know her better. That’s what I thought during the weekend before going to Yellow’s house.
“I also have some work in the province around that time.”
“What kind of work?”
I was sitting on the living room couch with Hayang on my lap, hugging her waist. When I mentioned going to the province, Hayang turned her head to look at me.
“Just a short business trip,” I said, smiling as our eyes met. Since Hayang knows I have a regular job, saying it was a business trip seemed the most reasonable.
I didn’t mention anything specific to Yura. Lately, the HunterKiller members had been talking more frequently, and conversations about relationships seemed to naturally come up. Yubin, Yura, and Hayang were probably the main ones talking about it, and the man they were discussing was undoubtedly me.
To avoid creating any common points in their conversations about men, I had to think carefully. Though it was a lie, from an Earthling’s perspective, polygamy isn’t allowed, so I needed to be cautious. At worst, I had to consider the possibility of them discovering that I’m a member of Spacystro.
“Be careful on your trip.”
“Don’t worry about me and have fun with your colleagues.”
“Got it.”
When I returned home on Sunday evening, Yubin was waiting for me, and we also talked about the trip. I relayed the schedule to her and told her to have a good time.
However, the next afternoon, something unexpected happened when I met Green.
“Um… I’m planning to go on a trip next week.”
“A trip? Have fun.”
While walking her home after lunch, Green brought up the trip. Was she going to tell me not to come to the park during the trip schedule?
“Ah, okay.”
My response seemed to leave something ambiguous or bothering her, as Green’s reaction was unclear.
“Something wrong?”
“No! It’s nothing.”
She forced an awkward smile and said there was no problem, making it difficult to ask further. Soon, we arrived at her house, and after confirming she went inside, I went to the arcade to meet Yellow.
The next day, Tuesday afternoon, I met Yellow at the arcade. After losing to her as usual, I went to her house in the evening. Watching her start up the game, I wondered if Yellow also wanted to get along with the other members.
I couldn’t help but think this way because, despite her love for games, she was doing her best to teach me and play together, even though I was someone she had never met before.
“What are you looking at?”
She felt my gaze and turned her head, narrowing her eyes. Maybe she didn’t really need friends.
“I wasn’t looking at you.”
I brushed it off and picked up the bulgogi rice bowl on the table to eat.
“But you’re improving. Why can’t you win yet?”
“How am I supposed to beat you?”
“It’s not just me you can’t beat. Idiot.”
After losing to Yellow in the arcade, I tried online matches with others while she watched. As she said, I lost every match and had to endure her nagging again.
“Take it easy. I want to win too.”
“What’s the point of wanting to win? You have to actually win.”
The game started, and we were in a waiting state while eating. We had dinner together yesterday too, and Yellow had a huge appetite. How does she eat so much and not gain weight? It didn’t seem like she exercised much, but she must have an incredible metabolism.
I don’t eat small portions either, but Yellow seems to eat about 1.5 times more than me. The food on the table was overwhelmingly more on her side.
Since she didn’t care about maintaining her image in front of me, she ate a lot without hesitation. It was oddly satisfying to watch.
“You eat so well.”
As I admired her eating, she looked at me with a spoon in her mouth. Her eyes seemed to ask, “What’s your problem?”
“No, just saying you eat a lot.”
I answered her silent question and kept eating. Yellow watched me for a moment, then took the spoon out of her mouth, chewed the food, and grabbed the gamepad.
Playing while eating made it harder to focus, but since focusing well wouldn’t guarantee a win, I just played as much as I could.
“…Do you have other games?”
While playing with the CD in the console, I wondered if she had other games. My question must have been strange because Yellow looked at me with wide eyes.
“Why? Done with fighting games?”
“No, just asking.”
“Yeah?”
Starting the game made me curious about other genres. Maybe fighting games aren’t for me, and there’s a genre that suits me better. But since Yellow seemed relieved when I said I’d keep playing fighting games, she opened the shelf under the TV to check out various CDs.
“I have a bunch. Want to try something else?”
“Like what?”
I went over to check the CDs with her. I didn’t know them by sight, but there might be something interesting. While looking through them, I noticed something Yellow had been eyeing.
It was a game she had set aside when she first opened the shelf. I reached out and grabbed the CD case to check the details.
“It’s a co-op game?”
The game had cute graphics and required at least two players to solve puzzles and clear stages. A co-op game seemed not to suit Yellow at all.
“Want to try it?”
She seemed more interested, probably because she wanted to play but couldn’t do it alone.
“Sure, let’s try it.”
Yellow closed the shelf and swapped the console CDs. She sat back on the sofa and grabbed the gamepad.
Since it was co-op and not competitive, I thought we’d hear fewer harsh words and see a different side of her.
“You idiot, can’t you get that one right?”
“Why are you only yelling at me? We both messed up the timing!”
We needed to step on a platform and jump at the same time to reach a high place, but our timing was off, and we failed after a few attempts.
“Let’s try again.”
But our timing was off again in the middle, and we failed once more. In a co-op game, both sides usually make mistakes, but this time it was clearly my fault.
“Was that both of us messing up?”
“…Sorry.”
My earlier bravado was gone. Seeing my mistake clearly, I had nothing to say. But I could tell Yellow wanted to play this game because, despite her harsh words, her brow was less furrowed than when she was teaching me fighting games. She actually seemed to be enjoying herself.
Her furrowed brow during fighting games might have just been because I was bad at them.
Seeing her enjoying this co-op game made me think it would be nice if Yellow went on the trip and played games with the others. While it might be awkward for me to interfere with the HunterKiller members’ relationships, seeing her play games made me think she wasn’t entirely against getting along with others. Maybe there was still a chance for Yellow to get closer with the members.
“Hey, I get that you’re sorry, but can’t you speak a bit more kindly?”
“People who suck get yelled at.”
“You just yell whenever you’re frustrated.”
“And you’re frustrating me, apparently?”
Her blunt remark made me pause mid-jump in the stage, and we fell back to the start.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“I’m wounded by your heart-piercing words.”
“…Really?”
I said it jokingly, but Yellow seemed momentarily stunned. Was she worried I was hurt by her harsh words?
“I’ll say it again, it’d be great if you spoke more kindly.”
Yellow’s harsh tone is probably just a habit she’s used to and doesn’t think much of. I’ve seen plenty of videos online of friends trading insults during games. Even I sometimes mix in harsh words when talking with my team. Especially in gaming, it’s a common scene for friends to curse at each other.
Honestly, I’m not hurt by Yellow’s harsh language. I’ve gotten used to it over the week, and I don’t sense any malice in her tone. However, the HunterKiller members might feel differently.
Given that all the members have had difficulties in their interpersonal relationships, Yellow’s way of speaking might not sit well with them.
“I’m fine with it, but you should consider others. Like your hyper-human colleagues.”
I was trying to give her a piece of advice, but Yellow’s expression turned cold.
“…It’s none of your business.”
Her dry tone made it clear she didn’t want me prying, but I couldn’t help adding one more comment.
“It’s not my business, but if you’re too harsh, others might get hurt. That’s how you get along with your colleagues.”
“Hey.”
Was I meddling in something I shouldn’t? Yellow called me out in an annoyed tone, glaring sharply.
“Shut it. It’s got nothing to do with you, so why are you talking like you know anything?”
…From Yellow’s perspective, that’s how it was. I have nothing to do with hyper-humans and know nothing. If she continues to think that way, it’s all the better for me. One less thing to worry about.
But Green’s family issues, Yura’s fights, and the stress Yubin must have felt—I can’t just brush it off because I’m supposedly ignorant. I’ve already had many grievances with Yellow.
Despite playing games and spending time together, I thought this part was being resolved, but I just realized it wasn’t.
“I may not know much, but still, considering the other person’s feelings might help.”
“Shut up!”
Yellow’s tone finally rose sharply. I couldn’t say it directly, but I wanted to tell her there are misunderstandings between her and the members. Or maybe, under the guise of pointing that out, I just wanted to vent my own dissatisfaction.
As my heated mind quickly cooled with her loud voice, thinking about the stress other people felt from Yellow made my rationality falter.
Hayang said Yellow couldn’t express her true feelings, but I felt it again. That’s probably just Hayang trying to see Yellow in a positive light.
“Yeah, just keep being like that. Keep speaking harshly to others, hurt them, and be misunderstood.”
It’s not just harsh words that hurt others. Ignoring words, pointing out flaws, and disregarding consideration—there are many ways words can hurt, and people get hurt easily by them.
“Get out.”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was the most resounding thing she’d ever said.
“…”
There’s no point in continuing this conversation.
Without answering, I put down the gamepad. I grabbed my phone and wallet on the table and left Yellow’s house without turning back. Riding the elevator down and heading home, my mind was void of thoughts.
After A left, alone in the house, Yellow watched the TV, the music playing, then put down the gamepad and held her head in her hands.
“Ha. Stupid bitch.”
She cursed herself, sighing deeply.
