SWAP 55

“Time, time!”

“Uh-huh. You can do it. Don’t lower your arms!”

“No way. My arms are totally pumped, I can’t reach that far…”

“Don’t lie to me.”

Slurp. Seoul watched the scene of hell unfolding before him while sipping iced americano through a transparent straw.

Ye Juyeol and Yun Hyeok, who had been bickering for thirty minutes already, were debating whether it was possible or not with incredibly serious expressions. Unlike earlier, Ye Juyeol was wearing a bright red drill instructor hat and brandishing a silver baton while driving Yun Hyeok hard; it suited him strangely well, which made it even funnier.

The incident started like this.

It was around the time when Yun Hyeok and Saheon had both successfully completed their basic training and moved to the areas they wanted to challenge for some personal time.

Ye Juyeol, who had been possessed by the spirit of Tarzan in the advanced course, suddenly approached Yun Hyeok for no apparent reason and started giving him unasked-for advice.

Well, actually, calling it advice was an understatement; it was more like relentless coaching.

It couldn’t be helped… because Yun Hyeok was unimaginably stiff.

It had been that way since the lesson.

While Saheon and Seoul were briefly lost in their past memories, Yun Hyeok was constantly reaching out and falling, stretching his legs and falling again, pioneering a “Fallen Angel” route. Thanks to that, he learned landing techniques for falling on his back at an expert level. From that point on, he seemed to accept that he had no talent for climbing.

Indeed, he was a trainee worthy of a total grade C—A+ in singing and F in dancing. What could he do about being naturally uncoordinated? Since dancing was his main job, he was willing to practice hundreds or thousands of times, but this was a different field. Shrugging as if to ask what he was supposed to do when his arms wouldn’t reach as he wanted, Yun Hyeok lost his enthusiasm for climbing. The mission said to share hobbies, not to fall in love with them, so it wasn’t an action that significantly strayed from the goal.

But there was no way Ye Juyeol would let that slide.

Always drenched in the desire to make his own “Clim-Friend” (Climbing Friend), Ye Juyeol rushed toward Yun Hyeok like a hornet as soon as he finished his own problem. Then, he started coaching (meddling) with all his might. It was a disaster for Yun Hyeok.

“Ah, just let me give up.”

“Why? Let’s try a bit more. Looking for a Hyeok-ss to go to the center with me…”

“Be honest. You just need someone to drive for you. You’re scared you’ll take the highway to Busan by mistake again like last time.”

“…….”

Since Yun Hyeok had already experienced Ye Juyeol’s disastrous driving skills, pointing out his hidden motive precisely made him shut his mouth immediately. I should have abandoned him on the road back then. Along with that regret, as Yun Hyeok stepped down onto the mat, Ye Juyeol lunged at him again as if he had never been cowed. It was at that moment of bickering as usual.

Ta-da-da, ta-ra-ra!

A notification rang from Yun Hyeok’s phone.

Since there was only one mission that could come now, he hurriedly pressed the push message, and soon a familiar screen appeared.

EVENT <<

Unfortunately, you are continuing the lineage of the Fallen Angel!

Isn’t your throat parched from the repeated falls?

Do you need iced americanos for everyone?

It’s possible if you exchange your best friend!

As Yun Hyeok read through the event details, the corners of his mouth curled up wickedly. Since he was thirsty anyway, he touched the screen, thinking this was a golden opportunity to get rid of this annoying climbing-parrot.

Would you like to exchange Ye Juyeol for [4 glasses of Iced Americano]?

Reward: 5 Coins

⚠ Caution: Your best friend might [ ]…

“What? You’re trying to exchange me…!”

Ye Juyeol, who realized the situation too late, lunged at him with a face that said he was doomed, but he was already a step behind. Yun Hyeok, pressing the [YES] button without hesitation, spoke as if exorcising a ghost.

“A meddler like you should disappear along with the coffee.”

“Agh, no!”

With Ye Juyeol’s scream, the bracketed space in the warning message spun rapidly like a slot machine. Seoul, who had just finished a climb and stepped onto the ground, let out a hollow laugh at the sight. Those two play so well together, he muttered, just as the slot stopped.

And the moment he saw the notice that popped up on the screen, he drew a question mark.

Who?

Yun Hyeok did.

⚠ Caution: Your best friend might [become a Tiger Trainer]…

At the same time, a notification arrived on Ye Juyeol’s phone as well.

⚠ NOTIFICATION ⚠

You have been exchanged by your best friend.

Right now, [become a Tiger Trainer and make your best friend complete a climb (Lv.2)]!

Remaining Time: 11:33:53

“What is this…?”

Yun Hyeok, who had been smiling triumphantly at the unbelievable result, backed away. No, I was the one who did the exchange, so why am I the one being trained? When he looked at the production team with a sense of injustice, he only received a benevolent smile that seemed to say “what can we do since it was a random result.” Soon, a writer handed something to Ye Juyeol. It was the appearance of the bright red drill instructor hat and the baton.

And so, back to here; Yun Hyeok, who ended up having to “eat” a finished climb instead of a “bitter pill,” joined a bouldering retreat that was never in his destiny.

“Trainee Number 66, Yun Hyeok. Is that your best right now?”

“Hey, let’s seriously not call out that number, for humanity’s sake.”

That was Yun Hyeok’s number during his hellish survival audition days. As he reacted in almost a second to the nightmare crawling back up, Ye Juyeol, who was possessed by the tiger spirit, flinched and nodded.

“Hmm, agreed. That was my mistake.”

“Ha… Fine. I’ll try again.”

Just as Yun Hyeok, who seemed to have gathered his resolve, stepped onto the mat and started stretching, Saheon was also just coming down after touching the top hold with perfect timing. Seoul thought he would be good at climbing since he naturally enjoys exercising, but his movement speed was truly on another level.

According to Ye Juyeol, that was just pressing down with pure physicality. Since his limbs were naturally long, he had an innate advantage in grabbing holds. On top of that, his strength was so good that he moved through routes that usually required footwork by simply supporting himself with his arms. Witnessing that, Ye Juyeol gave him a warm round of applause, saying that his body was shaped just for climbing. And Seoul, who was listening quietly, casually spoke up.

“Oh, then you could be Saheon’s Clim-Friend…”

He was about to ask if he could just look for him, but he shut his mouth when he saw Ye Juyeol’s expression. It was an expression as if all the holds in the climbing center had crumbled. While thinking it was a bit premature, Saheon approached and naturally sat down next to Seoul.

“What color did you get up to?”

“That blue hold over there. I couldn’t see anything from the midpoint, so I came down.”

“Want me to guide you from below?”

“Hmm… it’s okay. I’m done for today.”

It was the moment he declined, thinking it would be better not to overdo it for no reason.

A cheer erupted between Yun Hyeok and Ye Juyeol, who had been bickering the whole time.

Surprised, Seoul turned his head to see Yun Hyeok holding the top hold with both hands, having climbed all the way up the Lv.2 red holds. He had said he’d never be able to do it, yet here he was, succeeding. While Seoul was admiring him, the other people nearby also began to applaud with similar expressions.

Everyone had faces like they had witnessed a human victory, so Seoul laughed along with them, but then he suddenly looked around. Even if they were people he met for the first time today, the atmosphere of celebrating with a clap, clap when someone succeeded was simply fascinating. Regardless of the sport, perhaps it was because it was his first time enjoying a hobby with so many people. Everything just felt new.

Thinking about it, it’s funny.

What was the big deal about stepping on toy-like stones sticking out from a wall and hitting the top block with a ding?

It was humorous that they were cheering and applauding for each other over things that had zero productivity, but on the other hand, he thought those were ultimately the things that keep people living. That even if there is no meaningful result, and even if you can’t reach the top and crash to the floor, you just have to brush yourself off, get up, and grab hold again.

While he was having such thoughts, Yun Hyeok, who landed on the mat with perfectly mastered landing techniques, ran over with an elated face.

“Hyung, did you see?”

“Hyeok. You were really amazing…”

“Then please, let’s get out of here now!”

Since the mission was over, Seoul checked his watch at the plea to save him from this hellish place. Since it was almost 1:00 PM, he suggested, “Shall we go eat then?” which moved even Ye Juyeol’s jungle-like heart.

It was just as they changed their shoes and were about to head to the parking lot outside the center.

“Huh?” Yun Hyeok, who was rummaging through his body, said in a panicked voice.

“What is it? The car keys are gone…?”

And as if waiting for exactly this timing, Seoul’s phone rang this time.

EVENT <<

Today’s midday high temperature is 26.8 degrees.

You, who have suddenly become a pedestrian.

Do you need the car keys?

It’s possible if you exchange your best friend!

The crazy production team had now started stealing car keys.