Races: Online (VR Smartphone App)

Chapter 105: Cut Scene of the Worst Gamer

"Huh? If it isn't big brother Han Jing?"

When he lifted his head up from his phone, he was given the sight of his neighbor. He blinked once at the view. 

Standing by the entrance of the laundry room, the young woman stood there with a bright grin on her face. Her long dark hair was pulled into a ponytail that rested on her shoulder, she was showing an ample amount of smooth skin with her shorts.

"Oh, hey Chan Lee. You don't have classes in the afternoon?" He lifted his head back up to her face and sheepishly grinned back. That only happened for a second.

Shaking her head, the young woman moved closer to him with her own laundry basket in hand. "Not really, I kind of hate my schedule, early morning classes, a free afternoon and then night classes. Weird isn't it?" Squatting in front of one of the washing machines, she started to dump her clothes in.

Han Jing pocketed his phone and stared out the window, "It does sound sucky, I wouldn't want morning classes at all. You can choose the subjects you'll enroll in next semester though."

"That's a relief, although it isn't quite bad I guess. I get to go home after my classes and unwind a bit—or do laundry." Closing the washing machine's cover, she stood back up.

And it really didn't actually make much of a difference to her height. She really was kind of small.

"What about you, big bro? How are you doing?" She glanced at him and managed a sheepish smile, her gaze immediately went over to the buttons on the machine. "I ended up talking more than I ought to, thanks for listening to my rant."

She called it a rant?

Han Jing watched her stare at the buttons for a good ol' minute before she managed to turn it on.

He rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm doing fine. Thanks for asking." That was a lie—he woke up shitty and… he was still kind of feeling awful, but she didn't need to know that.

Nobody needed to know that.

"I forgot to say something—" She glanced back at him and sheepishly smiled before inclining her head down. "Please thank your mother once again for inviting me over dinner. It was really great. Thanks to you as well, big bro Han Jing."

Somehow she quickly got comfortable with him. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

The memory of her coming back home with a guy came back to him. It just happened last night didn't it? His mind was still being kind of wonky right now. But it simply backed his initial thoughts on her. 

She was just friendly.

He coughed a bit, "Ah, you're welcome. I was actually worried that we were invading your private time, it was late and you just got home—you were probably eager to get back to your room and relax."

It kind of really felt like he was blabbering here.

Han Jing probably wouldn't have batted an eye if this had happened with him as 'Han'. But now it just felt like he was really kind of making himself an idiot.

"I mean you're not wrong." Chan Lee scratched her cheek, embarrassment in her tone. "But, it's still quite nice to have dinner with your family right? I'm grateful."

He wondered what circumstances led her to be so thankful over that thing, but he nodded, "I'll thank my mother when she comes… actually, she should be here if she hadn't gone and checked on our other neighbors." 

"That's nice, keeping in touch with friends is kinda rare."

"I guess you're right." Han Jing answered. A part of him was kind of happy that she was here and yet at the same time, he kind of wanted her gone.

Somehow, she was able to distract him.

Although the way she talked… well, there wasn't anything wrong with it. Maybe he was just being a jerk right now. He inwardly sighed and leaned back against the wall, it would even be more jerkier if he started checking his phone again.

"Hah, doing laundry shouldn't take too long huh?" Chan Lee spoke up once again. The young woman copied him and leaned back against the wall.

He wasn't sure if she was talking to herself or to him. And whether it was for him or her own, he wasn't sure if he should take an opportunity to say something again.josei

Although it was his fault that the conversation kind of died.

The silence wasn't so bad though right?

Did he really need to fill in the void? Forming connections, getting into relationships… His fingers twitched for a moment. There was always the chance to make himself look like a fool by saying something—she was acting like some awkward person by speaking out.

Most people would simply let something like this pass, wouldn't it? He didn't get why his mother would try to make friends with complete strangers who'd probably leave after a couple months.

And yet it was also where bravery came from didn't it?

"...you don't seem quite used to household chores aren't you?"

"E-eh?!"

He said the wrong thing didn't he? Han Jing rubbed his face, "Sorry, what I mean by that—"

"Well, you're not wrong." She gave a sheepish smile, her gaze dropped to her feet. "Ah, it seems like I'm a bit wet behind the ears in this regard. Although you seem quite used to it huh? You could make a great house husband or something!"

Was that how she gave compliments?

Han Jing chuckled, "I kinda have to help out my mom for our chores. She'd probably nag me to death if I didn't help her out, she'd call me an unfilial son or something."

"Wait, seriously?"

"No, of course not! But she does nag." Han Jing shrugged, his mother would kill him if she had heard that. He glanced at the door.

Perhaps his face was too wracked with nervousness that it warranted a laugh from her. She gazed at the door as well, "Pfft, that would have been bad timing eh?"

"Yeah, you'd probably end up having to visit my grave."

"Yikes."

It wasn't so bad. The atmosphere between the two of them wasn't as awkward as before. He just needed to be… more inquisitive? People always liked talking about themselves more when given the chance.

And it would be a lie if he didn't admit that he was interested in her.

Her story.

He glanced at her once again, she was leaning against the wall. A somewhat composed expression on her face and yet she managed to exude a youthful kind of vibe.

'Ah so you're not into older girls or the ones around our age but you like younger girls eh?' Mou Gu's words crept in the back of his mind as he tried not to slap himself again. Still, it just kind of proved his point a bit.

What was a young woman like her doing in a big city all alone? 

Han Jing needed to hit his head. That was too cliche even for him.

"It really is nice to just stay at home, big bro Han Jing—what are your hobbies? I mean, what do you like to do?"

Her questions, manner and demeanor.

Even his little sister Jinjing didn't ask questions like that. Han Jing scratched his cheek, "Well, I guess what I really like to do is play games. You liked watching shows if I remember?"

"Ah, if only one could be paid to laze around and watch multiple series." She chuckled. "Maybe a movie critic or something would have been a career path, but ah—are you good with games?"

Was he good at games?

Han Jing ran his fingers through his hair, "...well, truth be told. My friends call me the worst." He shouldn't exactly be happy saying this but he got to see the surprised expression on her face.

Chan Lee's lips parted in surprise as she blinked once and twice before waving a hand at him. "Ah, that's kind of mean to say, even to a friend. Although that's probably normal for you guys?" 

She really seemed to be thinking about it and considering his words. "Maybe you just need more practice?"

"Well, it's mostly because I end up needing to go to the PC cafe to play with them—and I usually just end up downloading mobile games. And I like simulation games. A lot. They think it's too casual. So that's why my friends call me that way."

"Oh, that's really weird." She raised a brow. "But I play games too, well rarely. You told me last night that your friend would kill you if you didn't go online eh? How'd it go?"

...That had been the time before he and Timothy ended up attending their first day in their classes.

"Well, he nagged—but it can't be helped that he still ended up waiting for me."

She smiled and nodded in agreement, "Ah, now that's what friends are for."

Somehow she really was like a ray of sunshine wasn't she? Han Jing scratched his cheek, "Yeah. Although I really should start lessening my game time, or stop it altogether. I need to focus on more important things."

"Your friend might miss you." She pointed out with a tilt of her head.

"He'll be fine."

If the 'Soul-Wave' thing worked accurately, Timothy wouldn't even know a thing. And it wasn't like he was actually… well, Han Jing considered the guy real. But this really was his opportunity to step down from the game and get serious.

Who cared about what Peach said about unfulfilled desires that would lead him to returning to the game? He still needed to check on his health too.

So if Han Jing put his mind to it, then he could really stop playing if he wanted to—

"But you know, if you really do like gaming, I think it's fine to keep doing it. What kind of life would you be living if you didn't do what you wanted, right?"