Gender Reversed Geum Taeyang - Chapter 18

Chapter 18 – Ari’s Romance

Tgather. Simply put, it’s like a personal bulletin board for streamers.

On Sunday night when Yuhan and Ari met, a break notice was posted on streamer Rete’s Tgether.

The break that’s now approaching its 5th day.

Viewers showed various reactions to the post written in her characteristically stiff and serious tone.

-Really worried about what’s happening with Rete

Some expressed concern about the brief post citing personal reasons, especially since Rete usually announced breaks several days in advance or clearly explained her circumstances when she couldn’t.

-This isn’t right though, suddenly taking a 5-day break?

Some criticized Rete for going dark for 5 days, even though she was usually thorough with announcements.

-Something must have happened, weird not to trust someone who’s always been reliable

Others, knowing Rete’s personality from broadcasts, thought if it was serious they could understand and suggested just waiting.

Meanwhile, Rete, who wrote that notice, was texting her boyfriend Junhyuk.

-Clear your schedule tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at 10 AM.

Though Rete usually wrote stiffly, she didn’t typically use such a tone with her boyfriend, but now her message was just a firm announcement to the recipient.

Rete herself feels somewhat uneasy. Is it right to suddenly text like this after no contact for days following their fight? Isn’t it against etiquette?

But Rete, who was always loved by everyone close to her, had never fought with friends before, much less with her boyfriend Junhyuk. She didn’t know how to handle such situations. Though she had friction with thugs, those weren’t relationships that required apologies.

In that situation.

‘Well. First try contacting him to meet tomorrow.’

‘But I have a stream tomorrow… and the break has been too long.’

‘Is that important right now?! You need to be flexible! You seem to work hard usually, viewers will understand this much. Act like a man… no, like a woman and say something like “Be ready at this time, I’m coming to meet you” and bring a flower or something. Just apologize first and say it won’t happen again, wouldn’t that work?’

‘I can’t say it won’t happen again since I’ll still film content in the future.’

‘Hmm…’

Actually, Yuhan didn’t know either. Whether buying flowers would work, whether simply apologizing would resolve things, or even if viewers would understand the break.

Ari had naturally asked a male about male psychology, but Yuhan was closer to a woman in this world and hadn’t had time for relationships in his previous world due to his busy life.

He just gave the best answer he could based on what he’d heard here and there.

Then came advice that would be shocking to Rete’s fans.

‘You usually take one day off per week, right? Wouldn’t it be good to extend it another day to spend time together? Then take another break when filming content.’

Like above, Yuhan wasn’t sure if this was good advice either.

In the end, full of uncertainties, Ari now came to meet Junhyuk.

Meanwhile, Junhyuk, who often stayed overnight at Ari’s place since she lived alone, had naturally returned to his own home after their fight.

They’d known each other since they were very young, and had never fought like this before.

After the fight, thinking back, he felt he’d been overly sensitive due to being in a bad mood that day, and had been feeling uneasy about it too.

Due to pride, and his unconscious feeling that she should yield more to him as a woman, he just couldn’t speak up first.

“What is it? Why’d you come all this way when you’re so busy?”

But anger still tinges his words. Perhaps because he still doesn’t want to lose.

That didn’t last long.

“…Take this first.”

The bouquet in Ari’s hands melted Junhyuk’s heart.

While Ari had a good personality of course, she wasn’t particularly romantic, and having been together for so long, she still somewhat thought of him as a ‘friend,’ so she hadn’t done many romantic gestures until now.

They hadn’t even kissed yet, perhaps due to shyness despite being a couple.

Maybe that’s why. This awkward gesture felt quite meaningful to Junhyuk.

“Um… I’m sorry. You’re usually so busy, I should have spent weekends with you at least…”

He enjoyed seeing this unfamiliar sight of Ari rambling apologies.

Though he wanted to see more of this rare scene, Junhyuk, who was about to laugh at the situation’s absurdity, cut off Ari’s apology appropriately.

“Pfft! It’s okay. That’s enough apologizing. Just spend more time with me from now on. We are a couple after all.”

“Yeah… I will.”

Junhyuk knows Ari has rarely had reasons to apologize to others in her life. So he knows she doesn’t have much experience apologizing.

Though they’ve been together for over ten years, this awkward appearance is still a first.

Junhyuk liked this newness.

He liked the awkward apology.

Somehow more than usual.

He liked Ari.

###

Yuhan had said. Don’t worry first about whether the apology will be accepted, but think about where to go together if it is accepted.

I wondered if that was right. Where would we even go together? Wouldn’t all that planning be useless if the apology isn’t accepted in the first place?

I always think it’s better to consider the bad situations first when worrying. Then you can keep your wits somewhat even if things go badly.

It was the same when apologizing to Yuhan.

What if they don’t accept my apology?

What if the hurt I caused from misjudging them based on first impressions was too deep?

Would apologizing more even help in that case?

Fortunately, Yuhan had such a good personality that he easily let it go, saying he was at fault too…

I knew that I was the one who first caused problems by reacting sensitively for no reason when the video donation came.

I knew I was lucky things went so smoothly and we even became friends.

Yes, I was just lucky then.

But to think about the best situation? Isn’t that just leaving things to luck again?

Yuhan said so. That with such a long relationship, fights happen sometimes, and would he really not accept a single apology?

Looking back now, he was definitely right.

The situation I worried about didn’t come close to happening, and my long-prepared apology ended in an instant.

Afterwards, as Yuhan predicted, I naturally went on a date with Junhyuk.

Restaurant, movie theater, and cafe. Though just a basic date course, Junhyuk seemed really happy.

After several days, I achieved the reconciliation I wanted, so easily – I should normally be feeling good in this situation.

Of course, it’s not that I feel bad… but my lips keep freezing up. I feel uncomfortable.

How should I put it.

Actually, this apology is just giving in. Not something reached rationally, but just me backing down completely.

I know. This is how relationships normally are, and it’s very common for women to yield to men.

It’s really petty to feel uneasy about not being able to back down on just this one thing.

But.

It’s not like I normally don’t spend time with Junhyuk. We spent plenty of time together, and I often took breaks from streaming on special occasions.

Also, isn’t it natural that sudden schedules can come up in life like this time? Honestly, I didn’t like that we had an argument over something like this in the first place.

Though I backed down, personally I thought Junhyuk reacted too sensitively.

But earlier when I showed intention to apologize, that reaction assuming of course I was wrong and of course he just needed to accept the apology.

My idea of an ideal relationship was one where both parties step back and respect each other, but this situation where only I stepped back. Where that becomes normal.

That situation somehow felt unsettling to me. Thoughts crossed my mind about what if this relationship continues like this later, can I keep giving in.

…Even when I wronged Yuhan first and reacted excessively making him unfairly troubled, he turned it around to blame himself and apologized when he didn’t need to.

Then he took the initiative to lighten the mood.

He actively led the conversation to keep me from feeling guilty. He was so considerate of me.

No. That’s not it. Why is Yuhan suddenly coming up? Yuhan and Junhyuk are completely different people. Am I tired today?

“Ari, are you uncomfortable? Your expression doesn’t look good.”

“Huh? …No, just thinking about something.”

I answered with a gentle smile.

Well, though I had such thoughts, isn’t it natural for couples to have one or two disappointing aspects? These things must happen sometimes.

If it becomes truly unbearable, we can resolve it through serious conversation.

So I don’t think this is something to worry about now. Let’s forget these feelings for now.

Let’s focus on this date.

“You’re still wearing a cardigan? Aren’t you hot?”

Junhyuk said that while picking up the cardigan I had set aside.

The black cardigan I wore yesterday too, since I don’t get hot easily.

“Pfft. Why do you have hair stuck to you?”

“Huh? It’s a black cardigan, you can see the hair?”

My hair should be darker than other people’s, is it that noticeable?

“Huh? This is blonde? Did you have a blonde manager…”

“Why, why are you suddenly like this?”

“This… why is it so short? Isn’t this men’s hair?”

…Come to think of it, last night Yuhan suddenly changed mood and brought his face very close to mine.

That must have gotten stuck then.

Well, I can just say it. That I happened to meet a broadcaster I’m friendly with. That somehow their hair must have gotten stuck.

Though it’s a bit awkward to say this… it’s true that Yuhan’s appearance gives off a thug-like impression.

Junhyuk knows well that I extremely dislike thug-like men, so it shouldn’t cause unnecessary misunderstanding.

No, is it more suspicious to be friendly with a man of such appearance?

But we’re not the kind of couple who would doubt each other over something like that…

And it’s not like I’ll never meet Yuhan again, and as we keep meeting in passing, eventually Junhyuk will have to learn of Yuhan’s existence. Since he’ll find out eventually anyway, it shouldn’t matter much if I tell him now.

But.

“Um… I think it got stuck while playing with kids at the orphanage?”

What was the reason this lie flowed from my mouth?

(End of chapter)