Chapter 19
Modern-day South Korea, in the city of Hangyo, Gyeonggi Province.
The streets—ones I’d walked daily for years, so familiar that I could navigate them with my eyes closed—had been recreated in virtual reality with such accuracy by Development Team 3 that I barely had time to marvel before the game pulled me along.
The game Echo drops players into a randomly selected time period and then throws them into yet another random situation. From there, the goal is to meet characters, share emotions, grow together, and eventually find a genuine connection.
But getting to that point? That’s no easy feat.
Bzzz. Bzzz.
—Hey, Mak Rye! Where are you? Are you walking too slow or just fooling around? Why’s the coffee taking foreverrr? Do you even know how long I’ve been waiting? Do youuu??
The phone in my pocket blared so loudly that my ears rang the moment I picked it up.
Ding.
≪Mak Rye has received a direct order from her immediate superior.≫
“An order?”
≪Mak Rye’s immediate superior has instructed her to go to a famous bakery near the office to buy various roll cakes, madeleines, and canelés, then head to the café right next door to buy coffee for the team.≫
≪The coffee order list given by Mak Rye’s superior is as follows:≫
“Huh?”
≪Team member 1: One Dirty Vanilla Cream Cold Brew (BUT—make it a double shot, only half cream, light ice, no syrup.)≫
≪Team member 2: One Matcha Espresso Whip Latte (BUT—make sure to pour the matcha first, then add the espresso shot; whipped cream on the side; keep the layers separate, do not mix.)≫
≪Team member 3: One Affogato (BUT—split the espresso into two shots; pour one immediately and give the other separately so it can be poured later.)≫
…
≪Team leader: One Tiramisu Latte (BUT—make sure the mascarpone cream and espresso shot don’t mix; the layers must be distinct; lightly dust cocoa powder on top.)≫
Is this game supposed to be fun?
“Wait a sec!”
In the middle of a Hangyo street, just after my boss hung up, I found myself clutching huge paper bags in both hands, calling out to the person ahead of me who was holding the café door handle.
Bang!
But modern city folk aren’t exactly known for holding doors open for strangers.
I’d wanted to ask for help holding the door, but before I could, weighed down and grunting with my load, the person ahead slipped inside without a backward glance.
And…
‘This feels way too real.’
Whoever came up with this storyline had nailed the details.
“Kang Seung-eon, I heard you’re a parachute hire. Whose connection got you in?”
That was back when I’d just joined HG, my grandmother’s company.
There’d been one senior colleague who didn’t know my background yet and went out of his way to make my life miserable.
I had no idea why he resented me so much. I hadn’t done anything wrong, but he’d deliberately assign me troublesome tasks or falsely accuse me of mistakes that would get me chewed out by higher-ups.
It was obvious he simply couldn’t stand how much attention I drew.
Until he found out about my background, he’d even sent me on ridiculous errands like this café run—just to humiliate me.
‘Haah.’
I glanced down at the paper bags I was holding, and even one I was clenching between my teeth.
Three bags stuffed full of roll cakes and desserts.
‘Why can’t I just buy the desserts and coffee in one trip instead of separately?’
What a pointless hassle.
‘Well… if they say do it, I guess I have to.’
As an underpaid employee trapped in this role, there wasn’t much resistance I could muster. And apparently, my past self had felt the same way.
I was staring at the firmly shut café door, about to step forward, when—
Ding-a-ling.
“Careful there.”
Just as I was pushing the door open with my body—since both hands were full—a warm voice spoke above my head.
“Going in, right?”
I looked up to see a man smiling gently at me.
“Let me help you.”
Before I could refuse, he took two of my paper bags in one smooth motion. As he started to move forward, he paused.
“Where are you sitting?”
I hesitated, then pointed at an empty table. He nodded slightly and placed the bags there.
“You must work nearby.”
I was about to thank him when my eyes widened.
“I’ve seen you a lot. Running errands, I mean. I work at the company next door.”
I turned my head and saw the building—a major game company that rivaled my own company, Luccin, for the top spot in the industry.
‘Was there someone like this?’
It wasn’t like they’d modeled him after a real person exactly, but clearly they’d been “inspired.” His looks were striking enough to make me stare awkwardly.
“If you don’t mind—”
Bzzz. Bzzz!
Just as he was about to continue, my phone went off again. I excused myself and answered.
—Mak Rye! What are you doing, brewing the coffee yourself? Why’s it taking so long? At this rate lunch will be over!
The sharp voice of a man—definitely my in-game boss—rang in my ear.
“I’ll be right there. Please wait just a little longer, Deputy.”
—Hurry up! Even the team leader’s starting to ask why you’re taking so long~!
“Yes, sir.”
Swallowing my irritation, I ended the call. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the man watching me, still looking a little surprised by the conversation.
I gave him a brief nod and headed to the counter.
“…Could you repeat that order?”
The barista’s polite tone didn’t hide their discomfort.
I’d been momentarily startled by their face, then forced down a bitter smile.
‘Yeah… they probably hate this.’
I did too.
But to get through this situation, I had no choice but to say the lines I had to say.
“One Dirty Vanilla Cream Cold Brew, double shot, half cream, light ice, no syrup.”
“…”
“And one Matcha Espresso Whip Latte—”
“Wow, you’re something else. It’s not even one or two drinks, it’s over ten, and you’ve got special instructions for every single one? Can’t you just make them all iced Americanos like every other office worker? The day’ll be over before they finish that.”
A sharp tsk came from behind me.
They were clearly annoyed at the long, customized order.
‘Honestly… they’ve got a point.’
This really would take forever.
But ignoring my superior’s orders wasn’t an option.
Even though I could hear the grumbling from the line behind me, I continued, ready to give the next team member’s order—
“Looks like your boss told you to order it that way, right? We’ve all been there.”
A man standing right behind me had spoken up, clearly to shut the complainers up.
I turned my head, and our eyes met. He gave me a warm, reassuring smile.
“Go ahead and order the rest. I can wait.”
And that wasn’t the only suspiciously convenient encounter in the café.
While waiting for my drinks, when my phone had died, a man at the next table had happily lent me his charger.
When I’d spilled coffee on my clothes, another had handed me a wet wipe.
And when I couldn’t carry all the drinks and desserts in one trip, yet another had offered to carry them all the way to my office.
Every single one was ridiculously handsome, the type of kindness that would make the average female player’s heart race.
But…
Slurp. Slurp.
I sat in the brightly lit café, staring at someone, even as the sky outside grew dark.
Bzzz.
A text came in as I sipped on the milkshake my secretary, Chu, loved so much.
[Mak Rye! Where are you? Weren’t you just going to the bathroom? We’re heading to the third round, but the manager says we’re not going without you…]
Without even finishing reading it, I turned off my phone.
Slurp.
I fixed my gaze back on the counter, where someone was standing.
No matter how I looked at it…
‘I’m sure of it.’
It was that man.
“Would you like to order?”
The face of the man behind the counter was strangely familiar.
