This place is the world of the game "Animal Village," and we have just entered the second day of the game.
Before starting the game, Sung Suah hesitantly made a suggestion—or rather, a request—to me.
"Wouldn't it be nice if we could keep things like yesterday…?"
"Ah… I guess a grown man might seem a bit creepy, huh?"
"N-No, it's not that! It's just… like you said yesterday, it feels fresh!"
Sung Suah smiled as she said this.
As per her wish, I logged in with the same settings as yesterday.
Our plan for today was to catch fireflies and install lights inside and around the house.
Since the game's system runs in real-time, matching the outside world, it's always evening when we play.
Because of this, Sung Suah suggested we create streetlights and trees around the village.
While catching flying fireflies, Sung Suah smiled and said.
"At least on weekends, we can log in during the day and try other things."
"Ah… about that…"
"…? Is something wrong?"
At her question, I explained that I had an outside commitment on the weekend, so I wouldn't be able to play the game with her.
"Then on the weekend…"
"Yes, I have something important on the weekend, so…"
"Ah…"
Sung Suah looked disappointed as she glanced at me.
I apologized to her.
"I'm sorry. I'm wasting your time, and now I've ruined the mood."
"Oh, don't say that… We're just having fun together."
Sung Suah laughed and patted my head.
Even though it was only the second day, she was already initiating physical contact without hesitation.
Armonia, who had been watching Sung Suah's actions, spoke in a cold voice.
[She's a sly woman.]
'I get it, stop already…'
How many times is this now…?
Armonia seemed displeased with what Sung Suah had done to me while I was asleep yesterday.
At any rate, the plan was set.
I decided it was important to continue playing the game with Sung Suah like this to close the distance between us.
The most crucial thing was that I couldn't show any unnecessary discomfort.
If I made an uncomfortable expression, someone as perceptive as Sung Suah might feel guilty and start keeping her distance.
Honestly, there was nothing uncomfortable about it. It felt really nice.
What man wouldn't like being treated so warmly by a woman like Sung Suah, who acted like a mother?
The only concern was that Sung Suah might get bored of the game, but considering how long she had been playing, it didn't seem like she'd get tired of it anytime soon.
We roamed the grassy plains, catching fireflies as we saw them, and returned to the house.
We combined the fireflies with other materials to create lights and began installing them around the house.
But then…
'Damn, they really made being short a thing in this game…'
I tried to hang a light on the wall of the wooden house.
But because I was short, I couldn't reach the spot where I wanted to place the light.
As I struggled with the light, Sung Suah came up from behind, grabbed my sides, and lifted me up.
"Here, go ahead."
"S-Sorry. It's just the game…"
"It's fine."
Sung Suah giggled as she lifted me.
If she had done it herself, it would have been much easier, but in the end, I was the one who ended up hanging the lights around the house with her help.
Sung Suah admired the house after the lights were installed.
"Wow, it's so much better with the lights."
As she said, the area around the house had brightened up and looked much nicer.
"You're right. We should save the remaining fireflies for when we explore other areas later."
"That's a great idea! Should we go inside too?"
The atmosphere inside the house had also changed significantly.
The first house we made relied on only one light, but now we had added one by the bed and one above the dining table, making the entire interior much brighter.
And as I looked at the scene, I realized something surprising.
'…Wow. It's already been three hours?'
[Since your stamina isn't being drained, it seems you can immerse yourself in the game.]
In this game, no matter how much you run around, your real stamina isn't affected.
Although the game shows stamina being consumed when you chop trees or gather materials, it's just a numerical value in the game.
I looked at Sung Suah with a surprised expression and said.
"Wow… we've already been playing for three hours."
"Huh? Really?!"
Sung Suah was also surprised and checked the clock.
It was almost 11 PM.
I apologized to her, feeling a bit guilty.
"Now that I think about it, today's Friday… I'm sorry for keeping you up…"
"Please don't say that, Instructor Seong Suho. I'm really enjoying this. Unless…"
Sung Suah pouted and continued.
"You're not having fun with me, are you?"
"N-No way… Of course, I'm having fun."
"See? I'm having fun too. So let's not say things like that anymore."
"Haha… Okay, got it."
This conversation made it feel like we were just friends, a man and a woman enjoying each other's company.
If only Sung Suah wasn't patting my head like I was a child…
I then said to her.
"You should get some rest soon."
"Huh? C-Can't we play a little longer?"
"Ah, aren't you tired?"
"I'm still full of energy!"
Sung Suah rolled up her sleeves and smiled brightly.
The image of her as an instructor was completely gone, and only the older-sister-like Sung Suah remained.
'Well, I guess there's a distinction between work and personal life.'
But it was fascinating how clearly that distinction was visible.
In other words, from my perspective, the virtual world seemed to be the boundary that separated Instructor Sung Suah from the real Sung Suah.
To me, Sung Suah's actions also seemed like a form of escapism.
Sung Suah then took me on a tour of the village, illuminated by the silver light of the crescent moon.
About an hour later, I started feeling drowsy, likely due to the accumulated fatigue from the week's classes.
As Sung Suah began chopping wood enthusiastically, I decided to lean against a tree and sleep.
'She'll handle things on her own if I sleep…'
I crouched down, leaning against the tree, while Sung Suah watched me sleep without waking me.
'Armonia, wake me up in the morning.'
[Yes, understood.]
Keeping an eye on Sung Suah, I drifted off to sleep as soon as I leaned against the tree.
***
"…Instructor Seong Suho?"
Sung Suah, who had been chopping wood, cautiously approached Suho and spoke softly.
She whispered even quieter, worried that he might wake up.
"Instructor Seong Suho, you can't sleep here."
She checked his condition, speaking so softly it was almost inaudible.
"…."
"This won't do. You'll have to sleep here again tonight."
Sung Suah carefully sat Suho down and thought to herself.
'What should I do… I'm so happy… Is this what it feels like to have a child?'
Sung Suah carried the sleeping Suho back to the house.
As she carried him, she felt no discomfort or tension as a woman would toward a man.
Only maternal affection overflowed from her.
If there had been an NPC like Suho's character, she would have treated them the same way.
But such an NPC would ultimately be a programmed entity, and over time, the affection would grow numb from repeated interactions.
However, Suho perfectly matched her expectations.
To Sung Suah, Suho had become someone she didn't want to lose.
Sung Suah carefully laid Suho on the bed, making sure not to wake him, and then lay down beside him.
"Sigh… I shouldn't be doing this."
As Sung Suah watched Suho sleep, guilt and desire began to clash within her.
The Suho she had seen so far was diligent and considerate.
Although the real Suho was nothing like that, Sung Suah had no way of knowing.
If Sung Suah had been in this situation with an ordinary man, she would have woken him up immediately and logged out to go to bed.
But the game, which she started out of guilt toward someone who treated her with sincerity, had now sparked a desire within her to have a family.
Above all, Sung Suah had already realized something.
Even though she knew she shouldn't, she was worried that if she let this person go, she would lose the chance to experience this happiness.
In the end, Sung Suah turned off the lights in the room, smiled, and carefully hugged him.
"Just for a little while… stay with me… Instructor Seong Suho."
***
"…Huh? Ah!"
As soon as Sung Suah woke up, she reached out to feel the child in her arms, but her hands only flailed in the air.
When she came to her senses, the dawn was breaking, and she was alone in the bed.
"N-No way… he's not mad, is he…?"
Sung Suah fidgeted nervously as she got up from the bed.
There was no one around.
"Ah… no… no…"
Sung Suah began to worry that Suho had quietly left because he was upset with her actions.
As guilt crept deep into her heart, she noticed a notification on her messenger.
"…What's this? I'm sure I set it to private so no one would know…"
She opened the messenger and checked the message sent to her.
The long message was from Suho.
=====
Instructor Sung Suah, I'm sorry. I fell asleep again by mistake. I was too embarrassed to face you when I woke up, so I quietly left.
-omitted-
If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had such a joyful school life. Thank you so much for always caring and being considerate.
PS. I'll make sure to apologize to you in person later.
=====
"Sigh…"
Sung Suah lay back on the bed, squirming with joy.
To her, this message didn't feel like it was from Instructor Suho, but from the young Suho.
"What should I do!! I'm so happy!!"
She felt the same joy as if she had received a letter from her child saying, "I love you."
Sung Suah kept reading the message until lunchtime, intoxicated with happiness, squirming in her bed.
***
[Sly woman…]
'….'
Armonia didn't stop saying that until I boarded the ship.
***
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