The Goal is the Ending Fairy

T/N: you guys, I know Dan-ah is a bit of a bitch, but her personality gets better. Just hang in there lol.

After lunch.

I headed to a secluded bathroom to use the reward I received earlier.

I almost got dragged along by Yoon Hee-jo and Lee Jinyu, who I was having lunch with, but fortunately, I managed to slip away with various excuses.

When I said I had a headache and needed some fresh air, they surprisingly let me go easily.

Come to think of it, living in such a crowded environment lately has been quite draining.

Might as well take advantage of this and spend time alone whenever possible.

It’s not that I’m particularly antisocial; I’m just someone who used to spend all day gaming at home.

So this kind of bustling atmosphere still feels foreign to me.

It’s fortunate enough that Chae Seonha is my roommate.

If it had been someone like Lee Jinyu… I definitely wouldn’t have been able to rest comfortably even in the dorm.

‘Main screen.’

While brushing my teeth alone in the bathroom, I tapped the floating main screen in the air.

>Likability: 15/100 → 20/100

Though the likability is still significantly lower compared to other stats… it’s not bad for being in the early stages.

After that, I put away the screen while rinsing my mouth and finished brushing my teeth.

‘?’

At that moment, a shadow fell across the bathroom entrance reflected in the mirror.

When I turned around, I easily came face to face with the shadow’s owner….

“…Ah.”

…it was Won Chaeseo.

The moment our eyes met, she stopped in her tracks and froze like a stone.

‘Is running into me really that shocking?’

As I stared at what had now become a statue, she finally shuffled into the bathroom hesitantly.

Even though we’re on the same team, aren’t we getting tangled up too often lately?

Before the first mission, it was hard to even run into each other, but now we’re having these chance encounters….

It gave me déjà vu, along with that heart-dropping moment with Chae Seonha.

But that feeling quickly passed, and I soon dropped my guard around Won Chaeseo.

This time, I hadn’t had any notable conversations with the helper anyway, so there was nothing to feel guilty about.

“…Why are you here alone?”

After a moment of silence, those were the words that came from Won Chaeseo’s mouth.

After quietly listening to her question, I wiped my wet mouth.

“Even if I’m used to group living now, that doesn’t mean we have to brush our teeth together too, right?”

“…Right.”

“Besides, I just wanted some time alone to think.”

With my last words, Won Chaeseo’s lowered face lifted up.

“Then you too….”

“Hm?”

“Ah, never mind.”

“……”

Why do they keep stopping mid-sentence? First Kim Se-i, and now this….

Just as I was getting sick of what seemed to be a trademark speech pattern of trainee souls, Won Chaeseo’s hands caught my attention.

Two hands neatly clasped together, fidgeting.

What drew my eye was that they were trembling slightly.

…and her eyes looked a bit red and swollen, as if she’d been crying.

After narrowing my eyes at this for a moment, I soon shook my head slightly.

‘Why should I care about this?’

She’s not even a debut member, and definitely not someone I’m close to. Just another game character.

It’s better to think of her as just an NPC.

Right now, my top priority should be getting out of this damn game.

Therefore, it was right to strictly avoid any unnecessary actions.

“Okay then, I’ll head back first. See you at practice.”

After gathering my things, I took my eyes off Won Chaeseo.

She just quietly bowed her head, and as soon as I left the bathroom, she went inside.

Come to think of it, during the midterm evaluation too, there was something off about her dazed appearance.

Though she usually didn’t show much expression, this kind of disconnected state was a first.

‘Maybe I should have talked to her.’

That thought suddenly occurred to me, but I quickly frowned.

…What? It’s not like I know her that well.

She might just be having a bad day, and I’m being unnecessarily nosy.

Instead of worrying about such things, I should focus on getting to practice.

So even though I paused for a moment at the faint sounds coming from the bathroom, I soon turned away without much concern.

* * *

“Cough, cough…. Whew….”

In the empty bathroom,

Won Chaeseo finished throwing up everything she had just eaten and caught her breath.

Though the dizzy head and inexplicable anxiety remained, at least her churning stomach seemed to have settled somewhat.

– Shhhhhh

Won Chaeseo, positioned in the corner of the sink, turned the faucet on full blast.

Although the water pressure was strong enough to splash, she didn’t seem to have the energy to care about that.

As if it was hard just to stand alone, she soon leaned her head against the nearby wall with a ‘thud’.

‘…What should I do.’

Won Chaeseo thought of her teammate she had met just moments ago.

The senior who looked at her with an emotionless smile. She had clearly been staring at her eyes for quite a while.

‘I think she noticed I was crying. Is she pretending not to know?’

This was somewhat fortunate for Won Chaeseo. She didn’t want her teammates to know she was hurting.

Besides, with the main performance coming up soon, she didn’t want her teammates to worry unnecessarily.

That was absolutely something she didn’t want.

After letting out a sigh, Won Chaeseo soon slapped both her cheeks with her hands.

Along with the loud slapping sound, she tried to gather her wits using the stinging pain in her cheeks.

That is, until she saw a hand extending something toward her.

“Is your stomach feeling better?”

“…!!”

Won Chaeseo startled violently, her shoulders jumping.

She even hit her shoulder against the wall because of it, showing just how surprised she was.

‘Why do I always run into this unnie at times like this….’

Won Chaeseo forcefully closed her mouth that had fallen open in surprise.

The person offering her a drink was none other than Seo Dan-ah.

She was smiling while turning off the faucet that Won Chaeseo had left running.

Just moments ago, she had thought it fortunate that she seemed to be pretending not to notice, but apparently Won Chaeseo had been quite mistaken.

Looking back, that wasn’t actually a misunderstanding.

Until just a few moments ago, Seo Dan-ah had indeed intended to ignore Won Chaeseo’s state.

‘But if she’s holding back while feeling unwell and something goes wrong during the main performance… that would be even worse.’

That’s why Seo Dan-ah had turned back after reaching the practice room.

And even grabbed a drink from her bag while she was at it.

“It’s plum tea. It’s good for an upset stomach.”

Won Chaeseo stared blankly at the convenience store plum tea being held out to her.

Then she looked at Seo Dan-ah again, then back at the drink in her hand, repeatedly.

Then Won Chaeseo gently pushed away the plum tea with her palm.

“No, I’m fine. It’s yours, unnie.”

Won Chaeseo remembered seeing Seo Dan-ah occasionally drinking plum tea in the practice room.

It was obviously something she had brought to drink herself, so Won Chaeseo felt uncomfortable accepting it.

“I have another one in my bag.”

“…Still, isn’t it something you like? Really, unnie…”

“I don’t particularly like it. I just drink it because I heard it’s good for immunity and improving constitution. For management purposes.”

Seo Dan-ah cut off Won Chaeseo’s words and wiggled the drink with a kind expression.

There seemed to be an unspoken pressure of ‘So just take it already?’

After hesitating for a moment, Won Chaeseo finally accepted it. Only then did Seo Dan-ah’s built-up tension seem to ease a bit.

“See, I told you to go to the hospital if you’re sick.”

“It’s not really that I’m sick…”

“It’s not?”

However, Won Chaeseo couldn’t give a clear answer to Seo Dan-ah’s question.

Rather, she bit her lip until it turned pale white with hesitation.

Watching this, Seo Dan-ah moved beside her and leaned against the wall.

“Which would you prefer – me listening to what you have to say, or pretending not to notice?”

“……”

“I’ll do whichever makes you more comfortable.”

Still, Won Chaeseo couldn’t answer readily. She just kept fiddling with the white cap of the plum tea.

After a long while like that. She finally managed to open her mouth that had only been trembling until then.

“…I don’t know.”

‘This is the worst.’

And she regretted those words as soon as they left her mouth.

After all that hesitation and contemplation, to say ‘I don’t know’ as the solution.

Won Chaeseo was disappointed in herself for managing to say only that.

“Is that so?”

Moreover, this was in front of the person she least wanted to show such a frustrating side of herself to.

Won Chaeseo had to endure the embarrassment while repeating to herself ‘Why does this keep happening in front of this unnie…’ like before.

“Yes…. I’m sorry.”

“Then what do you think would make you feel more comfortable on stage?”

“…What?”

Her eyes went wider than when Seo Dan-ah had suddenly appeared.

“H-how did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That I was worried about the performance…”

Seo Dan-ah shrugged as if to say ‘what else would it be?’

“What else would a debut survival show trainee be worried about? Isn’t it usually about the performance?”

“Ah….”

Won Chaeseo barely managed to nod as she regained her senses at those words.

‘That’s right…. What a stupid question….’

Realizing this, she lowered her head.

Usually, she wouldn’t have acted like this, but it seemed she was still in quite a bad state.

“So? Do you still not know?”

“Ah… well.”

She tried to look at Seo Dan-ah but quickly lowered her gaze again.

Then she bit the inside of her cheek while fidgeting with the bottle she was holding.

‘You helped me last time too, I can’t keep being a burden like this….’

“……”

As Won Chaeseo remained silent, Seo Dan-ah crossed her arms with an almost inaudible sigh while watching her.

“I think it might be better to at least tell me. Even if we’re not very close, we’re still teammates.”

She tilted her head to match Won Chaeseo’s lowered face.

“Am I wrong?”

While Won Chaeseo was glancing at Seo Dan-ah, she was desperate to avoid that gaze, but.

Somehow, her words seemed to see right through her, almost giving Won Chaeseo goosebumps.

Her words were right.

Right now, Won Chaeseo wanted to confide her worries to someone, anyone.

But the fact that this ‘someone’ was ‘Seo Dan-ah’ was what made Won Chaeseo hesitate.

Given their history, it felt like she was being particularly childish only with her.

‘But unnie and I weren’t close, huh….’

Meanwhile, she felt a bit hurt by Seo Dan-ah’s words. Apparently, her own thoughts had been different.

Anyway, putting those thoughts aside, Won Chaeseo needed to make a decision now.

The most important thing was the main performance coming up soon.

She thought about how to effectively reduce her emotional struggle for that.

After this brief contemplation, Won Chaeseo.

As if she had made up her mind, she looked straight at Seo Dan-ah and asked politely.

“Um…. Could you maybe listen to what I have to say for a moment?”

Seo Dan-ah, who had been expressionless for a while, finally gave a small smile.

As if she had been waiting for those words all along.

“Sure. This place isn’t great though, shall we talk outside for a bit?”

“Yes.”

Won Chaeseo nodded vigorously.

That’s how Seo Dan-ah finally managed to draw Won Chaeseo out of her bathroom hideout.

‘…This is quite a hassle.’

Though she seemed a bit exasperated at herself for volunteering such effort.