Chapter 18: Bedroom Beauty
Faced with the combined assault of the pop-star cousin and the Young Master, Val let out a long, defeated sigh, adjusting her suit jacket. "Understood... I shall do my best to fulfill this assignment."
Within ten minutes, the grand lounge had transformed into a gaming hub. The massive, high-definition screen mounted on the central wall displayed a colorful fantasy MOBA arena, and five high-end tablet controllers were handed out to everyone.
At first, I thought Dad and Mom would struggle with the controls, but to my surprise, they picked it up almost instantly. Dad played like a tactical mastermind, calmly directing minion waves and holding the defensive lanes with ruthless efficiency, while Mom played a dedicated support, constantly shielding me and showering my character with healing spells.
"Seth, behind you!" Yerin yelled, her thumbs flying across the controller. "I’m coming in from the jungle! Bait them into the river."
"I’m already in!" I shouted back with a huge grin as my character leaped into the middle of the enemy team, unleashing a devastating ultimate that wiped out three opponents in one clean sweep. "Get wrecked!"
"Hey! You stole my kill!" Yerin gasped, glaring across the sofa at me in dramatic outrage. "I softened them up for you, you greedy thief!"
"First come, first served, Nova!" I taunted with a laugh. "Maybe if you moved faster, you’d actually get the last hit!"
"Oh, it is ON!" Yerin declared, cracking her knuckles. "Uncle, don’t help him! Let him get ganked!"
"Now, now, children, play nice," Mom chuckled from the end of the sofa as her character casually cast a massive group shield over mine, saving me from Yerin’s petty attempts to let the enemy finish me off. "I won’t let anyone hurt my Seth!"
"Aunt, you’re totally biased!" Yerin whined, puffing out her cheeks.
Even Val, who had started the game looking like she was executing a high-stakes military operation, was now leaning forward with sharp focus, her eyes fixed on the screen as she executed flawless combo attacks alongside Dad.
We played game after game for hours, completely losing track of time. The quiet, solemn atmosphere of the massive palace was shattered, replaced by nonstop laughter, energetic trash talk, and shouts of victory.
For the first time since coming here, all my lingering reservations and quiet awkwardness melted away. I wasn’t an orphan adjusting to a rich family anymore. I was just a guy having the time of his life with his parents, his cousin, and a friend.
By the time midnight rolled around, the victory screen flashed across the massive display for the seventh match in a row.
Yerin let out a long, dramatic groan, flopping back against the sofa cushions like a deflated balloon. She had played her heart out, but between running around the mansion earlier and flying straight from her tour, she was completely spent.
"I can’t... move my thumbs anymore," Yerin mumbled, her dark eyes drooping as she rubbed her forehead. She looked over at me with a pout. "You got lucky tonight, Seth. Next time... I’m destroying you."
"Sure you are, champ," I chuckled, stretching my arms over my head.
Mom smiled, standing up from the sofa and smoothing down her dress. "Alright, everyone. It’s getting very late. Time for bed."
Yerin pushed herself up from the couch, stumbling slightly as a massive yawn escaped her lips. She blinked drowsily, looking around the hall before her eyes settled on me. Since I had lost our final bet on who would score the most kills in the last match, she immediately claimed her prize.
"I’m too tired to walk to go to my room," Yerin announced, grabbing the hem of my hoodie with a sleepy, stubborn grip. "I’m sleeping in your room tonight, Seth. You lost the bet, so you have to host me."
I blinked in surprise. "Wait, what? My room? Yerin, there are like twenty bedrooms in this mansion!"
"Don’t care. Your bed is closer," she mumbled, practically dragging her feet as she leaned against my arm. "Lead the way, cousin."
Mom let out an affectionate chuckle, completely unbothered by the request. "Go on, Seth. Let her rest. She’s exhausted."
Seeing that I wasn’t getting any backup from Mom or Dad, I let out a resigned laugh and guided the sleepy pop star upstairs to my master suite.
When we reached my room, Yerin didn’t even bother taking off her oversized shirt or denim shorts. She kicked off her sneakers at the door, staggered over to my king-sized bed, and face-planted straight into the soft duvet. Within thirty seconds, her breathing settled into a deep, peaceful rhythm.
I stood beside the bed, looking down at her.
With her dark, wavy hair spread across the white pillows, her soft Korean features relaxed, and her long eyelashes casting gentle shadows on her fair skin, she looked impossibly gorgeous. Her oversized shirt had ridden up slightly around her waist, revealing her slim waist and the graceful curves of her figure.
A sudden, stray thought crossed my mind, a quiet spark of instinctual temptation rising in my gut. My eyes lingered on her for a moment, and a subtle heat settled low in my stomach, my body reacting before my mind could catch up.
[Oho?] Paige’s mischievous voice instantly echoed in my mind, practically dripping with teasing delight. [Look at you, host! A world-famous pop star, a drop-dead gorgeous beauty, fast asleep right on your bed! One command from you, and reality bends to your will. Isn’t your inner pervert waking up?]
’Paige, shut up,’ I replied mentally, taking a slow, deep breath to calm myself.
[Come on, Seth, I’m just curious!] Paige continued, her tone shifting from playful banter to genuine curiosity. [What do you actually think about having a romantic relationship with your cousins? You know this world’s high society doesn’t really care about that stuff, right?]
I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms as looked at the sleeping girl on my bed.
’Honestly?’ I thought back, keeping my mental voice calm and clear. ’I don’t really mind it. You already explained that we don’t share any actual blood, so there’s no real biological connection. If feelings happen down the line, I’m not going to beat myself up over it.’
I paused, giving a firm shake of my head. ’But I’m not a predator, Paige. I’m not going to take advantage of a girl who collapsed from exhaustion in my room just because she’s pretty.’
[Fair enough, boss,] Paige giggled, sounding pleased with my answer. [You’ve got good discipline. So, what’s the plan now?]
"The plan," I muttered, turning away from the bed, "is a very long, very cold shower."
After spending nearly fifteen minutes standing under freezing water while questioning every life decision that had brought me to this exact moment, I finally felt human again.
When I stepped back into the bedroom wearing fresh clothes, Yerin hadn’t moved an inch. She was still sprawled across the center of the bed, hugging one of my pillows like it was a giant teddy bear.
I stared at the scene for a few seconds before letting out a helpless laugh.
"Guess the couch wins tonight," I muttered with a resigned smile, grabbing a spare blanket from the closet.
As I stretched out on the living room couch, I couldn’t help smiling to myself. Maybe Paige had been right. My new life really was starting to get interesting.