Seventh Part| Games and Stories

Irene

In the past 27 years of my life, I thought boys are dumb. I didn’t know someone could ever be dumber.

            “For the last time, don’t touch that!” I screamed, slapping Seulgi as she kept hugging the teddy bear Bogum gave me before. “That’s from Bogum! Don’t touch that!”

            “Tss…” She snorted, still hugging the bear. “It looks like me, Irene! Look, look! Let’s call her Kangsseul!”

            I almost kicked her with my foot if it weren’t for the fact that it’s early in the morning. My body is still sore from a slight hangover last night, and from crying, and this bear next to me has the brightest grins in the morning that I couldn’t handle.

            “NO!” I snatched the stuffed toy from her hands and threw a glare. “Why should I even name my bear from you anyway? Tss… You’re acting like a kid.”

            “Wha—but Irene~~~”

            Curse that adorable pout and manipulating cute eyes. She looks totally like a bear.

            “What do you want, idiot?”

            “I’m not an idiot!” She retorted, putting up a childish frown that wasn’t a least bit scary.

            “Oh yeah? Tell that to me after you almost set my study room on fire!” My stares got harder. Seulgi even almost shivered from fear. Yeah, she did. “I mean, who does that Seulgi?!”

            “Well, I didn’t know that gun like thing was actually a spawn of Vulcan! I thought it was just a toy!”

            “You idiot, that was a cooking torch! It’s in my kitchen for a purpose!”

            She shrugged, grinning widely again before settling comfortably in my bed. She flicked her fingers and once again, my teddy bear flew into her arms. I gave up and she had this triumphant grin, calling the bear Kangsseul over and over again.

            Gods, why do you have to bring this annoying matchmaker to guide me in my love life? I would’ve done better on my own!

            Well of course not. I would probably still  be wallowing myself in self-pity and lament to death.

            Even Thanatos was probably laughing at my miserable state right now.

            “Hey, speaking of Vulcan—or Hephaestus… I may have kinda sorta somehow talked to him last night…” I decided to open up, glancing at Seulgi. I haven’t had the chance to tell her this after that sooo dramatic episode I set up. I was probably totally out of it.

            That got her standing up to her feet in surprise though.

            “Wha-why-whe-how?!?! Hephaestus talked to you?! Like the god of fire, and invention and all of that? That bulky god?!”

            “Yah, don’t speak bad of him! He’s nice!” I defended, only for her eyes to turn into slits, narrowing as if she’s caught me doing something fishy.

            “You…like that god?”

            “W-what—what are you talking a