SWAP 70

The Blue Marble game, which began alongside someone’s deep irritation, proceeded in a warm and friendly atmosphere. This was because Ye Juyeol and Yun Hyeok, whose eyes widened when Seoul mentioned he had never played before, explained the rules with all their passion. Thanks to them, Seoul mastered the rules without difficulty and murmured with sparkling eyes.

“So it is a real estate game.”

At those words, Seo Saheon, who was sitting next to him, was triggered once again. Villas, hotels… he wondered why anyone would build more buildings among already crowded, developed cities. Not a single part of it pleased him, but unlike his distaste, the globe-trotting travel game commenced quickly. The first round, which started with Ye Juyeol’s suggestion to play exactly three games and finish, was full of laughter and joy until the midway point—except for one person.

However, from the latter half, the atmosphere suddenly turned strange.

“Hyung… why are you going to a deserted island through space travel?”

Despite being able to go anywhere, Seoul had chosen to drift to the deserted island without hesitation. When they asked if he had misunderstood the rules, Seoul, looking troubled, pointed a finger directly at Saheon. Then, he let out a terrifying remark that would shake the future landscape of the game.

“Well, his hand hits really hard…”

“…”

“…”

At that, everyone’s eyes darted around quickly. They had been so focused on playing a fun game that they hadn’t noticed, but a mountain of real estate deeds had piled up in front of Seo Saheon. Since he had been quietly spraying money whether he was building structures or paying tolls, they had treated him as a mere bystander… but when they came to their senses, one side of the game board was covered in red, Seo Saheon’s color.

Fortunately, it was a section where the tolls were not high, so from then on, Ye Juyeol and Yun Hyeok’s tearful real estate buying and selling show began. Since even his best friend Seoul spoke like that, they were terrified, not knowing just how hard his hand could actually hit.

Ye Juyeol, realizing belatedly what kind of proposal he had made, turned pale and hurriedly purchased Seoul.

With the mindset that they just had to stop Seo Saheon from getting first place somehow, the two put on the best performance they could.

And as if heaven helped, Seo Saheon landed on Seoul.

“Ah.”

“Wow! Waaa! I’m saved…!”

Truly the land of real estate.

Because the special toll reached a whopping 2 million won, Saheon’s small buildings were liquidated in an instant. Even so, it was scary that about half remained, but with this, first place was out of reach. While they were cheering at that, Yun Hyeok also landed on Seoul as if passing a baton.

The result was, naturally, bankruptcy.

The first place winner was Ye Juyeol, who suddenly earned 4 million won.

“Uh-haha. Any last words?”

“Hey, humanely, we… Ack!”

Before the sentence could finish, pain arrived. Ye Juyeol, who cowardly assassinated his best friend when he was most off-guard, took a triumphant pose with three cheers of victory. While Seoul, who had narrowly survived by being trapped on the deserted island, let out a sigh of relief, the second round began quickly due to an enraged Yun Hyeok.

And before even five minutes had passed, everyone sensed they were screwed.

With a ghostly parade of doubles, doubles, and triple-doubles, Seo Saheon took over Seoul in just two turns.

Their mouths hung open, wondering if this was even possible, but having learned a lesson from the first round, he thereafter began purchasing only the most expensive cities in order, planting only hotels.

The three horrified people hurried to purchase other cities, but they could not stop his solo run. With everyone on the verge of bankruptcy due to the ensuing toll rush, fortunately, Seoul stopped on the Golden Key space and drew a card with a thumping heart.

Please, please let it be an exemption pass, he prayed, but…

<Let’s go on a sightseeing trip!> Go to the center of the world, Seoul. (If the opponent owns Seoul, pay the toll.)

“Ugh-ap!”

Startled, he ended up throwing the card away.

Instead of Seoul, who had covered his mouth after shouting without realizing it, Saheon, who was next to him, picked up the card instead. In any case, Seoul’s assets consisted only of cheap cities with one or two villas built. Even a math-avoider of the 9th grade would see that bankruptcy was certain, but Seo Saheon insisted on liquidation.

“Go sell all your real estate deeds.”

“Uh… there’s no point? I don’t even have money.”

“Sell them all anyway and come empty-handed, Seoul-ah.”

He didn’t understand, but since it was a notification from the landlord, he decided to follow without a word. Even after selling his few securities, the total was a measly 330,000 won; as Seoul moved his piece tap, tap, tap toward Seoul, his complexion grew darker and darker. Although he had never been hit directly, he knew better than anyone how strong Saheon’s grip was. He wondered if his forehead might actually break…

Still, rules were rules.

Seoul, having declared bankruptcy, leaned his face toward Saheon.

He did it with the feeling that it’s better to get the beating over with quickly, but Saheon did not move at all. Because Saheon was just staring down at Seoul’s face which had suddenly approached him, Seoul eventually closed his eyes tight and tilted his chin up slightly.

“Here.”

It was his own way of being considerate.

He thought he might have been shrinking back too much, so he created a posture that was easy to hit, but the problem was that his opponent was Seo Saheon.

Is he fearless? Saheon, with an expression of disbelief at an angle that was interpreted completely differently from the intention, stretched out his arm. As he snatched the chin, there was plenty of room left in his single hand. While wondering where there was even room to hit on such a small face, his temper suddenly flared up. The thought that Seoul would have done the same even if other guys had won made sparks fly in his eyes.

This kid doesn’t know how scary men are.

Even though his face is held, he isn’t struggling but is just quietly closing his eyes.

Saheon’s gaze naturally moved downward. The lips, situated thickly beneath the straight bridge of the nose, came into sharp focus as if zoomed in. Even though the way they were pressed tight out of nervousness was cute, at the same time, his mood was ruined thinking about who else had rubbed their lips there. Would they have stopped at just that? Since he’s acting like this with this face, fuck, they must have put their tongue in too. Knowing a slutty thing is pretty… just die.

While Saheon was busy writing a will again like that, Seoul, who had been holding his breath, peeked one eye open. They say the most frightening thing is a delayed attack; as time went on, Seoul grew more afraid and finally spoke.

“Just do it quickly…”

“What?”

Seoul, flinching at Saheon’s answer which sounded fiercer than expected, added.

“I said hit me quickly. Because I’m scared.”

“…”

“Why are you acting like…. Ah!”

I was the one who lost the game, but Saheon looked like he was carrying all the irritation in the world. As he was parting his lips because that was strange, he felt a stinging pain at that moment.

Ttap.

Seoul, who had been hit with a flick with an honest sound, hurried to rub his forehead. It wasn’t as bad as he thought, but since it still hurt, he glared at Saheon while rubbing his reddened forehead. As if that were funny, Saheon, who squished Seoul’s cheek with the hand that had been holding his chin, spoke bluntly.

“You told me to hit you.”

“…”

“If you had told me not to hit you, I wouldn’t have even touched you.”

Because he spoke like that only after the situation was over, the spitefulness doubled. You’re teasing me right now, aren’t you. With a reasonable suspicion, Seoul, whose eyes turned into triangles, shook his head to escape from Saheon’s grasp. Feeling needlessly wronged, he sat two spans away.

“Eueueuk. Please, just let me off once—, …!”

However, in the very next round, the moment Ye Juyeol—who had met his doom by unluckily landing on someone else’s prime land consecutively—was executed by Seo Saheon’s hand. Everyone, including Seoul, could not say a word.

It wasn’t a ttap, and it wasn’t a puck; it was a bbuck.

Ye Juyeol, who fell to the floor without even being able to let out a scream, flopped like an electric eel and then stopped moving for a moment. Since it looked like he had truly fainted, Seoul and Yun Hyeok rushed over a beat late, and the living room turned into a mess. As per Saheon’s warning, Ye Juyeol, whose skull was half-shattered, murmured while looking into the air.

Uh, u-huh… it’s not me… don’t call my name… Because he sounded like he was seeing the Grim Reaper, Yun Hyeok slapped his cheek telling him to snap out of it. Afterward, Ye Juyeol, having come to his senses, demanded a video analysis from the Producer, asking if Saheon hadn’t actually kicked him, but Saheon alone had a strangely refreshed face.

And in the interview that evening, Seoul covered his face with a sigh.

[Q. Saheon’s mood seemed down today.]

“I’m sorry. I think it’s probably because of me…. He’s just being cranky because I said I’m looking for a house. I’ll try to pay attention starting tomorrow, so don’t worry too much.”

[Q. (Cranky?) Why does he hate the idea of living separately so much?]

“How should I put it…. It’s a bit complicated. It’s just because we know each other so well that it’s almost annoying. He’s a friend who has been with me for almost my whole life and watched me from start to finish when I debuted at a very young age. Because of that, I’ve shown him many bad sides, and we share worries that I could never tell others… so at some point, he began to find me quite unstable. That’s why he can’t leave me alone. Because he’s worried.”

[Q. Then is the independence plan still ongoing?]

“I have to do it. I can’t lean on him forever. Actually, the reason I came out here was for that. Come to think of it, we’ve never left anything behind in video form. We have quite a few photos…”

[Q. How do you think you’ll look to each other in the videos?]

“It’ll be childish. Fighting over useless things, reconciling, and then sticking together again. I can already hear people saying we aren’t acting our age, but I think it will remain a good memory for me. I can take it out and watch it later when I miss him.”

[Q. Wouldn’t Saheon run to you immediately if you said you missed him?]

“Is that so? Haha. But the ‘him’ of today can only be seen today… and you never know what will happen with people. I hope we stay close like we are now, but we might grow apart or get busy. I’m preparing in advance. I’m the type of person who has more lingering attachments than you’d think.”

[Q. Seoul, what kind of friend do you want to remain as to your best friend?]

“Hmm. No matter what the middle pages look like, one with a good… ending. That kind of friend.” …… “I hope I’m a good friend until the end.”

And 30 minutes later, Seo Saheon, sitting in the same chair, countered in a monotone voice.

[Q. Seoul said the independence plan is still ongoing.]

“That’s Seoul’s plan. My plan is different.”

[Q. Because you’re anxious about leaving him alone?]

“Ah. Is that what he says? But I think the subject is different. I told you last time. The one who can’t do anything is me.”

[Q. Then you still have no intention of giving up?]

“……”

The answer that had been flowing smoothly stopped abruptly. Saheon, tilting his cheek with a strange expression, cast his gaze toward the camera for the first time. It was a moment when a short smile spread like a crack across his lips, which had been closed in a straight line the whole time.

“In my life, I’ve never once given up on him. I’ve never done it, so I can’t; and Mr. Lee Seoul can’t break up with me either.”

It was a perfect ending shot that needed nothing more.

A certain person, who edited the video all night in the editing room, still often gets lost in thought while reminiscing about this moment. While quickly uploading the footage for the four episodes to be pre-released on the first broadcast day, they shouted “This is it,” and in fact, the online community didn’t just turn upside down, it became a complete mess.

It was, indeed, the beginning of ‘Seo Saheon, you crazy bastard, what am I even watching.’