SWAP 56

“Uh…”

I never imagined they would go as far as committing theft just for a mission. Seoul looked at Yun Hyeok, who was still patting down his own body, then glanced toward the front entrance where the sunlight was glaring down, and finally lowered his gaze to the screen. This is a bit strange. Even as he re-read the event details he had already speed-read, a lingering sense of discomfort wouldn’t go away.

It wasn’t because of the production team’s sticky fingers, which would put a pickpocket to shame.

It was because of the timing, which seemed to reveal a subtle determination to make him exchange Seo Saheon no matter what.

Let’s say they decided to go home by taxi without doing the exchange. They would eventually have to come back to get the car anyway. And the car they had driven today belonged to Yun Hyeok. They had chosen the vehicle that was more comfortable for moving around since they didn’t have plans to stop by a grocery store like yesterday.

If it were their own car, that would be one thing… but since the intention behind wagering someone else’s car keys to force an exchange seemed somewhat impure, Seoul snapped his head up. As luck would have it, the production team, who had followed the cast out, was not far away. When he held up his phone and stared at them—staring ve—ry—long—and—hard—several of them turned their heads away with looks of having a guilty conscience.

……?

What, for real? He had only wondered “what if,” but having accidentally seen through their intent, Seoul blinked with a vacant expression. Then, he suddenly remembered the incident from yesterday. The disastrous scene of the staff members sprawling out and panting all over the place the moment he threw open the front door. And Seo Saheon, who, with a brazen face, asked why only he was being scolded when he was the one who ran like a dog just because he was told to run….

“…….”

Once his reasoning reached that point, there was nothing more to think about.

“Good grief,” Seoul let out a small sigh and pressed the [YES] button without hesitation.

In fact, regardless of this incident, his choice would have been the same anyway. Seoul once again recalled the Ashibel X Ra121 18th Anniversary Collaboration Loafers that had been listed at the top of the Friendly Market catalog. They definitely said 100 coins.

The coins he received from the first-come, first-served event were 10 coins, and the hobby list he just achieved was 5 coins, so the total friendship coins Seoul currently held was 15 coins. Even if he achieved all the remaining weekly events, the additional amount he would gain would be a mere 15 coins. Since he didn’t know how many opportunities to acquire coins there would be in the future, it meant that in short, to collect 100 coins for the loafers, he had no choice but to frugally exchange Seo Saheon every single day.

Clatter!

At the sound of the slot machine spinning noisily, the gazes of all three people poured onto Seoul simultaneously. It was almost a spinal reflex. Though it had only been two days, the experience following that sound had been engraved into their bones.

Ye Juyeol, who had most recently experienced being exchanged, asked Seoul with a shocked face.

“Wait, did you just do an exchange?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah…. Ahhh.”

Because it was such a refreshing affirmation, Ye Juyeol had nothing to say, and his eyes quickly darted to the side. He was more terrified of the reaction of Seo Saheon, who had just been exchanged right to his face, than anything else. Inferring from his temper, it seemed like it wouldn’t end with just a normal fit, so Ye Juyeol instinctively took a step back. Perhaps because friends are of one mind and body, Yun Hyeok did the same.

However, contrary to expectations, Seo Saheon didn’t throw a fit; in fact, he didn’t even look particularly angry.

No, rather, as if he found it funny that Lee Seoul was only staring intently at the frantically spinning slots, he took a long stride toward him and asked.

“Lee Seoul. Why are you exchanging me?”

Based purely on his appearance, the words “By any chance, do you want to die?” seemed likely to follow, but his softened gaze said something entirely different. It was a look as if he had discovered a cat sitting perfectly on a newly purchased cat wheel. He initiated a conversation as if waving a cat teaser, finding it adorable that Seoul wasn’t even paying attention to the packaging, but Seoul wouldn’t even look his way. Saheon poked Seoul’s cheek with his knuckle.

“Why no answer.”

“I told you yesterday.”

“Does just saying it make it okay?”

“Yeah.”

It was the moment Saheon laughed it off, as if the somewhat brazen answer was absurd.

The spinning slots stopped, and the expression on Seoul’s face as he read the text appearing on the window instantly became subtle. “Mmm,” he tried to act as if nothing were wrong, but it was already too late. Simultaneously with Seoul surreptitiously taking a step—no, three steps—to the side just like Ye Juyeol and Yun Hyeok had earlier, Saheon’s phone rang.

⚠ NOTIFICATION ⚠

You have been exchanged by your best friend.

For the rest of today, [vehicle transportation is prohibited and you must be a pedestrian]!

Remaining Time: 11:33:53

“…What?”

As he clicked the push message, the notification window that immediately popped up caused Seo Saheon’s expression to also turn subtle. At that same moment, several production staff members in the distance silently clenched both fists and pumped them into the air. Got you, you rascal. They didn’t know how anxious they had been that an option like “sitting in the passenger seat” might come up.

Finally able to take revenge for the “Corn Run,” they approached with beaming faces, holding the stolen car keys of Yun Hyeok and a hand-cam.

“Please take the car keys; Mr. Saheon, from now on, vehicle transportation is prohibited for the rest of today, so you must walk everywhere. We’ll show you how to operate it, so you can film yourself with this!”

Because they had memories of being thoroughly defeated, they didn’t even plan on attaching a VJ this time.

Ye Juyeol and Yun Hyeok, seeing the staff member who started explaining the hand-cam operation as if they had been waiting for this, finally understood the situation.

Lee Seoul chose the car keys over Seo Saheon.

The moment they realized that, as soon as they received the car keys, they quickly scurried backward. They were afraid they might get caught in the crossfire. Sure enough, as Seo Saheon slowly raised his head while listening to the staff’s explanation with half an ear, his expression was about five degrees chillier than before.

At the gaze staring blankly without a word, Seoul, who awkwardly hid his phone behind his back, offered an apology.

“…….”

“Mmm, sorry.”

Saheon was the type who hated wandering around in this kind of weather more than anyone. If it weren’t for his schedule, he was the type to stay glued to the house all day with Seoul, and due to his constitution, he belonged to the category of people who loathed summer itself. He treated jogging as an exception since he went out prepared to be hot and sweat anyway, but for any other means of travel, it meant a vehicle was mandatory.

Knowing that well, Saheon spoke toward Seoul, who now had a troubled expression.

“Come here.”

“Can’t we just talk?”

“I’m going to.”

“Your expression says otherwise…?”

He was correct. Instead of waiting for Seoul to come to him, Saheon took a stride and reached Seoul in just a few steps. Before the flustered Seoul could even step back, Saheon reached out, grabbed the small face with one hand, and poked his cheek while muttering. What are you going to do, Lee Seoul. Are you going to take responsibility if I melt on top of the asphalt? Do you know or not know that you’ll have to carry me on your back if I collapse. So who told you to exchange me.

At those words, Seoul, who had been blinking with his lips pouting, burst into laughter. Having noticed that Saheon was just grumbling for the sake of it after catching a break, Seoul grabbed Saheon’s hands with both of his and pulled them all the way down as he spoke.

“What do you mean ‘melt’. It’s not full-blown midsummer yet. It said 26.8 degrees, at this level… We can just go straight home and not go out anymore today. Since it only took about ten minutes to get here earlier….”

It was exactly as he said. Since it was about ten minutes by car, Seoul, who estimated it would take 20 to 30 minutes on foot, lifted the phone he had hidden behind his back and quickly ran the map app. He pinned his current location, entered the Friendly House address, and the loading button spun. And….

“……Why is it one hour?”

1 hour and 3 minutes on foot.

Surprised by the impossibly increased time, he checked the map window; unlike the road for cars which had a shortcut, a nightmare route unfolded where one had to circle around almost an entire lap to go on foot. It was close when riding in a car, wasn’t it? Well, it’s not when you’re walking. Seoul, who had lost his words and remained silent for a while, slowly raised his hand and patted Saheon’s shoulder.

“Um, I’m sorry. Just suffer a little bit, and I’ll cook you something delicious when you get back….”

“Why prepare something else. Just stop somewhere on your way and eat.”

“Oh, you want to do that? Should I give you the card?”

“Forget it.”

“Then what are you going to buy food with? We have to use this card for payments no matter what.”

“You can just pay for it.”

“I… will probably be eating at home…?”

“…What?”

At those words, the eyes of Saheon, which had become calm for a moment, whipped around fiercely. Facing the glare that seemed to ask what he meant, Seoul spoke with a bewildered expression.

“I have to take the car and go home.”

“……You’re abandoning me and going?”

“Are you going to talk weirdly again? It’s not abandonment, it’s just that the rules are like that.”

Seoul, answering as if he were stating something obvious, spun his body around. Because he even grabbed Saheon’s wrist, saying they should go to the parking lot together, Ye Juyeol and Yun Hyeok—who had been holding their breath like non-existent humans until then—were also forced to move. Since it was a distance where they just had to go down the stairs right next to them, it took less than three minutes to arrive.

Wait, are you really going like this…?

Yun Hyeok, who somehow felt like a sinner even while inserting the car key, peeked his gaze toward the opposite side. There, Seoul, who had the back door half open, and Seo Saheon, whose expression had turned terrifying as if his earlier grumbling was nothing, were in a standoff.

“Are you serious? Are you really going to leave me?”

“Saheon, look at the map carefully on your way. Don’t take the wrong turn and end up going the long way around.”

“I’m asking if you’re really going.”

“I’ll give you the card so you can buy something to drink. If it’s too hot, rest at a cafe.”

“Lee Seoul.”

“Yeah.”

“…….”

“Come back safely, okay?”