Start-Up (Seo Dal-Mi x Han Ji-Pyeong) [FanFic]

Chapter 33: Backstabbing

The momentary sunlight filled in from the curtains making Ji-pyeong wince. Opening his eyes felt like the hardest thing to do in that instant. Hauling the comforter over his head, he twisted around to sleep a little bit more.

An abrupt tune of Running by Gaho filled his bedroom before Yeong-sil's voice reverberated through his ears.

"If you haven't turned deaf by any chance, that's your alarm ringing."

Ji-pyeong groaned into his pillow, cursing at it for being so loud. Every day it tested his patience but never did find an appropriate time to actually throw it out. Today would be different. He was sure of it.

"Threats don't work unless you do something about it," it continues. "You better get up and get to work."

"Ya," Ji-pyeong shouts, yanking off the covers. "I didn't know you were programmed to be this rude."

The blue light turns on before it starts speaking again. "Sorry if you felt that way. As an AI, I only try to learn from my owner."

Ji-pyeong stared at it, ready to pounce and literally crack it into thousand little pieces.

A picture of certain someone made him calm down though, his head sinking back on his pillow. Pleased, he gazed at Dal-mi's face, lips pouted and looking up at him while he had closed his eyes because of the brightening LED lights everywhere. They'd taken that picture on their date to an EXO concert.

It was one of those perfect days he wanted to think of endlessly.

Closing his eyes again, he imagined her sleeping next to him. A kind of peace he only felt when he was with her overwhelmed him, making him feel a little light-headed. There would be no eating dinner alone, no tossing and turning in the middle of the night and no listening to Yeong-sil's voice as a substitute to fill the void of his existence.

He wished to see her stunning face every morning when he woke up.

"Yeong-sil-ah," he spoke, his voice dreamy still. "What is the weather like today?"

Somewhere along the line, asking that became his habit every day. He would wait for it to repeat the same prediction it first read more than a year ago. That was his beginning. And he wanted it to be his only fate going forward.

The blue light turned on with a ping.

"Here's your fortune for today." It said.

Here we go again.

Ji-pyeong smiled ready to recite the words himself.

"You are one step closer to your destination," it continues, making Ji-pyeong spring open his eyes.

"Something new?" he asks. "Did you get an update?"

"The god of fate has merged your path with a beautiful road to happiness. But you are still afraid of doing things for yourself. A selfless act can be combined with a selfish one to bring you the inner peace you always wanted. Soon, you will meet someone whom you would want to give a chance. Don't always criticize things factually. Open your heart to them and they'll do the same for you."