HMLU Ch 14
by soapa《Meritocracy’s Shout : Hmm, well… since Ongdergo is a Berserker》
《Meritocracy’s Shout : It seems Cityboy would be the appropriate choice from our side》
《Meritocracy’s Shout : Let’s discuss the time and place separately》
[Guild] Popuri : Hul, Berserker versus Mage has such a bad matchup ㅠ
[Guild] Popuri : If it’s a guild disbandment match anyway, I’ll go
[Guild] Cityboy : No no
[Guild] Cityboy : I can handle it
[Guild] Meritocracy : Both of you, just stay put
[Guild] Ongpak : I’m a frail paladin, I can’t catch a Berserker ㅠㅠ
[Guild] Meritocracy : You stay put too
[Guild] Ongpak : Yes sir;
《Ongdergo’s Shout : Lol? Didn’t you say it was a PVP between “Guild” representatives? Of course, Meritocracy should come out》
“Ha, this guy is easy.”
In raids, a Gunslinger can’t beat a Mage, but surprisingly, when a Gunslinger and a Mage have a PVP, the Gunslinger has the advantage. This is because the Gunslinger has several skills that can interrupt the Mage’s casting.
However, skills have cooldowns. Naturally, it’s impossible to nullify all of the Mage’s attacks. Therefore, one must have a certain understanding of the Mage’s characteristics and the opponent’s patterns to effectively continue the attack.
In other words, you have to be smart. However, based on his words and actions so far, Ongdergo didn’t seem like a particularly bright person. Besides, Cityboy is someone who has never been outside the top 5 in the Mage PVP rankings. He would try to avoid it no matter what.
“Weren’t you going to fight, hyung?”
Chanhee had now pulled his chair right next to mine and was looking at my monitor with me.
“I intentionally threw out the bait. If I suddenly challenged him to a fight, this guy might get suspicious and be wary.”
“Ah, is that so?”
Yes, this is what an adult’s push and pull is all about. I chuckled inwardly and activated the megaphone.
《Meritocracy’s Shout : I’m not max level yet, so PVP is impossible;》
《Meritocracy’s Shout : If the guild members agree, isn’t that the representative? There’s no rule that the guild master has to go out..》
There was exactly one beat of silence. I tapped my index finger on the mouse, and as expected, the anticipated reply came.
《Ongdergo’s Shout : We can fight without ranks, so what does max level matter? Lol》
Abfo PVP has a system called ‘Minimum Level Adjustment.’ Just like when Freehanbobi hit the scarecrow, not only does it nullify all equipment effects ― if the opponent is lower level than me, my character is also adjusted to the same level. It’s a fight purely based on character base stats and physical skill. This is what’s called ‘fighting without ranks.’
At this point, I have to give the impression of hesitation. It’s a natural thing to do. A Druid and a Gunslinger, and not even a max level Druid, but a Druid versus the Vice Guild Master Gunslinger of a raid guild. If I readily accept, I could raise unnecessary suspicion.
《Exultalt’s Shout : Where did Mandu’s bravado go lol ㅠ If we’re doing a guild disbandment match, it should be main dealers fighting, how can a Mandu Vice Guild Master fight a low-level Druid, tsk tsk human》
《TwistingNeck’s Shout: Mandu Gunslinger vs Noob Druid… This pyrrhic victory… ㅠ What’s the meaning of this?…》
Naturally, this kind of atmosphere develops. However, this level of public opinion isn’t important. Because Ongdergo’s only goal is to attack us. Whether he gets insulted or not, once he wins and achieves his goal, he’ll think he can just push through the aftermath with numbers. He probably already has a repertoire prepared to frame Cityboy.
The important thing is that everyone takes it for granted that Ongdergo will win.
[Guild] Popuri : Hmm… but
[Guild] Popuri : Hyungnim, it’s not that I don’t trust you, but…
[Guild] Popuri : Are you going to be okay? ㅠ
[Guild] Popuri : Of course, no one can beat Hyungnim in terms of control, but there’s still a huge difference in basic damage..
Even Popuri is reacting like this. And there’s no need to mention Ongdergo. He’s probably already finished his delusional victory and even had a celebratory drink in his mind.
《Ongdergo’s Shout : Alt accounts, get lost lol. If you have something to say, come find our guild with your main character ^^》
《Ongdergo’s Shout : Meritocracy? Lol Why aren’t you answering?》
It seemed like the right time. Carefully trying not to show too much excitement, I lifted my finger.
《Meritocracy’s Shout : Alright…》
《Meritocracy’s Shout : But can I set the time and place?》
《Ongdergo’s Shout : Lol Do as you please》
《Ongdergo’s Shout : I’ll accommodate you ^^》
Meanwhile, my mailbox was exploding again. Glancing at it, it seemed to be messages saying things like, ‘let me know if you need help,’ or ‘I’ll report the tyranny of the mega guild.’ I lightly ignored them and turned to Chanhee.
“Alright, let’s go get your tier now.”
“Ah, we’re not fighting today?”
“I need to hit level 40 before the PVP. I’m trying to get both Nature and Darkness to Tier 5.”
I figured it would take a day or two if I pulled an all-nighter. Just in case, I decided to set the date roughly four days from now. I carefully stored the remaining megaphone and opened the guild chat.
[Guild] Meritocracy : Looking for a slave to get me to level 40 from tonight to tomorrow night
[Guild] Popuri : Slave 1 reporting for duty
[Guild] Cityboy : I’m really sorry for causing this, but I have something to do tonight ㅠㅠ
[Guild] Cityboy : I’ll be back around 11, and from then until the goal is achieved, I’ll be slave 2
[Guild] Meritocracy : No no, then Popuri will do it today
[Guild] Meritocracy : City will help tomorrow
[Guild] Meritocracy : If I don’t hit it by tomorrow, Ongpak will help the day after
[Guild] Ongpak : Yes, slave 3;
[Guild] Cityboy : ㅠㅠ I’m sorry, it happened because of me
[Guild] Meritocracy : No no
[Guild] Meritocracy : It’s something I brought on myself
[Guild] Meritocracy : It’s fine is all I can say even if you keep digging yourself a hole, so stop
[Guild] Meritocracy : I’m getting tired
[Guild] Cityboy : Okay, see you tomorrow bye
《Cityboy has logged out》
I really like how quick he is on the uptake. I bulk deleted the unread mail and brought up the quest list. I was checking the map, thinking of raising the Nature tier first, when Popuri suddenly appeared in the guild room.
[Guild] Popuri : I’m just asking out of curiosity
[Guild] Popuri : Is our guild room concept CanmoaX?
[Guild] Meritocracy : What’s CanmoaX?
[Guild] Popuri : It’s the franchise Hyunsung’s mom ran 16 years ago
[Guild] Popuri : Four-year-old Hyunsung’s staple food was toast
[Guild] Popuri : Search it
When I searched it, a picture of a cafe covered in all sorts of gaudy flower decorations came up. Chanhee, who was looking at my monitor with me, seemed a little shocked.
“I tried to decorate it nicely, is it that bad?”
“No, it’s pretty. That jerk just has bad taste.”
I quickly patted his dejected shoulder to comfort him and hurriedly typed on the keyboard.
[Guild] Meritocracy : ㅡㅡLeave the guild if you don’t like it
[Guild] Popuri : I just wanted to say thank you for stimulating my nostalgia
[Guild] Popuri : Shall we start the slave labor?
[Guild] Meritocracy : No no, we need to get the tier first
[Guild] Meritocracy : We’ll start leveling after dinner
[Guild] Popuri : Oh okay
[Guild] Popuri : But Hyungnim
[Guild] Popuri : You’re at a PC bang now, right? Did you go with Gomnim?
[Guild] Meritocracy : Yes
[Guild] Popuri : If you’re near Shinchon, should I go there too?
[Guild] Popuri : I’m at a friend’s house in Hongdae right now
[Guild] Popuri : I have to go to a PC bang anyway to help you guys level
Looking at the chat window, I unconsciously glanced at Chanhee. He was just looking at the screen without any reaction.
“Chanhee.”
“Yes?”
“Is it okay if I ask him to come? It’s a bit awkward to tell him not to come when he’s saying he’ll go to a PC bang to help us level.”
“Ah, yes. It’s okay.”
I was relieved by his unexpectedly compliant answer. It seemed like he genuinely didn’t mind at all. Still, you never know… While typing the PC bang’s location in the chat window, I asked again.
“Tell me if it’s uncomfortable. I can make an excuse.”
“Is Popuri twenty years old?”
I blinked involuntarily at the sudden, out-of-context question. I was pretty sure he was that age…
“I think so. Why?”
“He said he was four years old 16 years ago.”
“Huh? Oh.”
“He’s five years younger than you, then.”
“That’s right…?”
“If there’s that much of an age difference, I guess they wouldn’t be seen as a dating partner, right?”
“……”
It’s strange. I thought this kind of roundabout, probing way of speaking really didn’t suit me.
“Were you thinking about that?”
Why is it funny when he does it…?
“Hmm… I won, didn’t I?”
“What? Three years younger or five years younger, what’s the difference?”
“What are you talking about? There’s a huge, unbridgeable gap between three years younger and five years younger. Three years is the perfect age difference.”
“Is that really something to be so serious about? It’s ridiculous.”
As we bantered, a strange feeling started to creep in. How should I describe it? It wasn’t just excitement or butterflies…
“……”
Ah, right. It’s a feeling of preciousness. Every time my mood soars like it’s about to take off, I wonder if it’s okay to let this time pass by without any record.
Because good memories fade so easily… Just like excessively bad memories.
“Hyung?”
I think I spaced out for a moment. Chanhee, leaning on the desk, leaned his upper body towards me. As soon as I came to my senses, I met his eyes, which were shining brightly.
“Are you tired?”
As his lips, now close, parted again, his breath touched my chin.
“Ah, no.”
I quickly pushed my upper body back, out of range. Chanhee just smiled without any sign of disappointment.
“Are you going to raise the Nature tier first?”
“…Yes. I’m going to Yanguer Hill, so gather five Grizzlies at a time and aggro them.”
“Okay.”
With Chanhee, the Nature tier was nothing but a grind, and the Darkness tier could be completed quickly even on my own. The more I raised the tiers, the more convinced I became that the developers originally intended Darkness and Nature to be the Druid’s main tiers.
And if my prediction is correct, perhaps the moment I hit Darkness and Nature Tier 5, another scenario route will open.
“Hyung.”
It was when I gripped the mouse, full of anticipation. Chanhee tapped on the desk. Looking down, I saw my phone flashing silently.
“…….”
It was a call from my mother. I hesitated, then picked up my phone and stood up.
“Just a moment.”
“Okay.”
I left the PC bang and closed the door before answering the phone. Thankfully, the stairs in the shopping center were deserted.
“Hello, Mom.”
―Son. What are you doing?
“I’m outside for a bit. A friend came to visit.”
―Ah, I see. It’s nothing much, but you know the district representative we met before? His son is a senior in high school now, and his Korean grades aren’t very good, apparently.
“…Huh? Yes?”
My mind went blank for a moment due to the sudden, unexpected introduction. I blinked rapidly and quickly gathered my thoughts.
―Fortunately, he’s not here… His mother has had him in a rented place in Gangnam since his freshman year, so he goes to school there. So, even if you tutor him, it’s still in Seoul…
“Um, Mom…? Are we talking about tutoring?”
―No, what tutoring? It’s not like that. They just want you to be like a mentor once a week on the weekends.
So, they won’t even pay me… Her voice trailed off, filled with awkwardness. I could imagine the situation without seeing it. My father probably said something like, ‘He can learn from my son,’… and my mother, unable to withstand my father’s nagging, made the call.
That my father would say Shinchon and Gangnam are both in Seoul… So, he can easily tell me to waste at least two hours round trip every weekend, struggling for my father’s connections that I don’t even know.
If it were like before, I would have given ‘reasons why I don’t want to’ or ‘reasons why it’s difficult,’ but after I got a little wiser, I don’t do such foolish things anymore. If I gave such reasons when dealing with my father, a scolding would immediately ensue. (It starts with ‘I fed you and raised you’).
“Um, Mom… what should I do? My professor told me to come in on weekends too, so it’s difficult to make other plans.”
In times like this, I have to give ‘reasons why it’s impossible.’ Of course, it should be something difficult to verify, in case I get caught.
―Oh, is that so?
“Yes. There are a lot of seniors ahead of me, so my feedback turns keep getting pushed back. The professor is also putting in the effort even on weekends, so I can’t just skip out because it’s difficult for me, right?”
―Right, right. That won’t do.
Looking at the window on the staircase wall, I slowly sat down on the steps. Sometimes, at times like these, I feel like I’m looking at myself from very far away. I hate myself when I smoothly spout lies that I’ve never even thought about, just to avoid something bothersome.
“It’s not like Father is being put in a difficult position because of me, is it?”
―Oh, no. Your father just said to ask. He brags about you so much at the church council, so people are interested…
And then I feel a certain emotion, like a stone, towards my father, who makes me tell these lies…
―Have you eaten? Are you having any indigestion these days?
“I ate. I ate almost two bowls of ramen and sausages too.”
―Why are you eating ramen again? Eat something proper.
…and towards my mother, who never once stops or rebukes such a father.
“It’s because your cooking is so delicious, Mom. Nothing I buy or make outside tastes right.”
―Oh, you… Anyway, alright. I’ll tell your father.
“Okay. Oh, and Mom, is your wrist okay?”
―That healed a long time ago. Don’t worry.
The conversation ended quickly. After exchanging a few words of concern, there’s usually nothing more to say between my mother and me.
“Go in, Mom. I love you.”
―Okay, Mom loves you too, son.
As soon as I hung up, I let out a long sigh. Rubbing my sore neck while holding my phone, I suddenly turned my head. Chanhee was standing blankly in front of the PC bang door.
“…What are you doing?”
It was a little funny to see the guy, who was almost as big as the door, standing there blankly like a lost child. I chuckled and asked, and Chanhee spoke seriously.
“I’m saying this in advance so you don’t misunderstand, but I didn’t intentionally eavesdrop.”
“Huh? What?”
“I came out to see because you weren’t coming back… I heard from the part where you were worried about your mother’s wrist.”
“Ah. It’s okay, why would you worry about that.”
Anyway, did it take that long? I was about to get up from the steps when Chanhee came over, step by step.
“Is your mother sick?”
“No, it’s just… She has chronic wrist pain from doing housework.”
He even sat down next to me. I could go in now, but I unconsciously checked my posture. Sitting with my knees neatly together, even I could see that I looked like I was going to stay sprawled out for a while longer.
“Hyung, you’re really kind to your mother.”
“…Me?”
“I read it in a book a long time ago. It said that truly smart people are kind people. Only kind people can get what they want without monetary investment or physical labor.”
Chanhee smiled faintly. I couldn’t smile. Because for the first time, a slightly crooked feeling arose at the innocent, well-meaning compliment.
“Do you know this saying too?”
“What saying?”
There are moments when an alarm rings in your head the instant you open your mouth to speak.
“That if your spouse suddenly gives you a gift or is nicer than usual, you should suspect they’re having an affair.”
And there are moments when you have to spit it out, even so, to feel better. Chanhee blinked slowly.
“When I first heard that, I wondered if they were being nice to avoid getting caught cheating.”
“Isn’t that it?”
“I think… It’s because they’re sorry.”
Even though I was spouting such out-of-the-blue nonsense, Chanhee didn’t seem at all flustered or puzzled. He just nodded his head, focused on my words. He’s always like that. He always acts like everything I say is right…
“That could be it. They’ve betrayed their partner, so they’d naturally feel sorry, if they’re human.”
“…….”
“No, it’s not betrayal, it’s disregard.”
“Disregard?”
“If I truly respected my lover or spouse as a human being, I couldn’t do something like cheating. I think that’s something… only someone who sees others as tools to satisfy their desires can do. Because they completely disregard them as human beings, they can deceive them.”
“…….”
“But if you’ve lived receiving basic human rights education, you can’t help but feel aversion to treating another person like that… So, they’d probably feel guilty about the fact that they’re treating their partner like that… that they’re treating them like someone who’s somehow lacking and flawed by their standards. Maybe they want to resolve the self-loathing that arises from that with superficial kindness or material things.”
The staircase remained quiet. Thanks to that, I had to endure the naturally ensuing silence with my whole body. I felt my senses returning. It seemed like the right time to smooth things over, so I put on a forced smile, but Chanhee hummed and rested his chin on his hand.
“So, you’re saying that the more someone despises someone, the kinder they might become.”
“…….”
“I didn’t know that.”
He nodded and stood up first. I obediently nodded at his question, “Shall we go in?” and a sad premonition came over me. I wouldn’t be able to sleep for a long time tonight, regretting this moment.
Why did I suddenly bring up such a deep topic? You crazy self-sabotaging idiot…
🕹️
After returning to our seats and ordering another drink each, there was no conversation outside of the game while we progressed through the tier quests. It was both relieving and nerve-wracking.
Around the time we smoothly reached Nature Tier 5 and made decent progress in the Darkness tier, there was a bit of commotion near the counter, and then a familiar yellow head came thumping over.
“Hyungnim! Long time no see!”
It’s not easy for someone to have ‘delinquent’ written all over them like that. With his slender, tall frame, bleached yellow hair, upturned eyes, and refreshing smile ― even seeing him again, he didn’t exude even a hint of scholarly air.
“My Hyungnim, you’re still handsome even after a long time.”
“Cut the crap and get a seat.”
“I already got the one next to you, Hyungnim. Let’s see, then the person with you is Ckama…”
Hyunsung, who was leaning over and turning his head, stopped abruptly. His wide-eyed, frozen expression was exactly as I had anticipated. He just opened and closed his mouth for a while, then suddenly let out a loud, “Huh!”
“What? I’ve never seen anyone who looks like this in my life.”
“…….”
I’ve also never seen anyone as rude as you… I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t even get angry.
“Hyunsung, don’t you say ‘handsome’ like that…”
“No, it’s not that. Ah, no, no. He’s handsome, he’s really handsome, but… because he’s excessively handsome, it feels strange, how should I put it? Is this it? The unclean valley effect?”
“…It’s the uncanny valley. And anyway, it’s not that.”
I’m not immune to this kind of guy, but Chanhee is even less so, and I was starting to regret inviting him. But surprisingly, Chanhee’s face was unfazed. He even showed a faint smile and greeted Hyunsung.
“Hello, Popuri-nim.”
“Whoa, is this for real… Why is his voice like this too?”
“Hyunsung, just say his voice is nice.”
“Is it just me who feels strange? It’s weird because a voice that sounds like it’s from a commercial is coming out of a person’s mouth. Don’t you think it’s strange, hyung?”
Whether Popuri was making a fuss or not, Chanhee seemed completely uninterested. He just glanced at me and shrugged. Hyunsung didn’t take his eyes off Chanhee even as he put his phone down on his desk.
“Are you a celebrity by any chance? I don’t know much about celebrities.”
“No.”
“Then do you stream? YouTuber?”
“No.”
“Why not? You’d make billions just breathing with the cam on.”
Chanhee hummed and looked away. He seemed to be seriously contemplating why he wasn’t a celebrity, so I unconsciously patted his shoulder.
“You don’t have to answer everything. Just ignore him.”
“Our hyung is really so cold to Hyunsung. No, but why are you playing games when you’re not even streaming with that face?”
“What’s streaming?”
“…Hyunsung, go home if you’re not going to shut up.”
“I’ll just say this one thing. Honestly, I thought hyung would be the most handsome among all the game addicts in the world. But the world is really wide and there are still unknown territories that I don’t know…”
“What’s a game addict?”
“Hyunsung, go ho…”
It was chaotic, but thanks to that, the regret that had been lingering in my mind seemed to have diluted a bit. Hyunsung chuckled and settled into his seat. I pretended to check my equipment while gauging Chanhee’s reaction.
“You’re going to Peak, right? Shall we round them up first?”
Hyunsung, who had already launched the game, asked. I nodded as I sent a party invite to him, who had logged in.
“Anyway, let’s do it as fast as possible.”
“Are you going to deal damage too, hyung?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll max out the sandbags. Just a moment.”
Just then, the guild chat blinked. It was Ongpak, who had been doing solo daily quests until then.
[Guild] Ongpak : It seems the three of you have met??
[Guild] Ongpak : I want to go too ㅠㅠ
[Guild] Ongpak : Puri-nim said Meri-nim is super handsome so I’m curious
He’d be a decent guy if he didn’t run his mouth unnecessarily… Hyunsung, ignoring my glare, just started hammering away at the keyboard.
[Guild] Popuri : You have to see Gomnim
[Guild] Popuri : He’s a god
“Hey!”
I smacked his shoulder, and Hyunsung yelped.
“Don’t go around blabbing about things like that!”
“Huh? Why? I’m just saying hyung’s handsome.”
“That’s not the point. Do you not have a concept of privacy?”
“Privacy? Is it a privacy violation to say someone is handsome if they are handsome?”
He looked at me with wide eyes, as if he genuinely didn’t understand what the problem was, and I felt deflated. Right, trying to have a serious conversation with this guy will only give me a headache… As always.
[Guild] Ongpak : Huh
[Guild] Ongpak : Gomnim is a guy?
[Guild] Ongpak : I thought Meri-nim and Gomnim were dating
“Ha, such an outdated statement.”
Meanwhile, Hyunsung, who snorted triumphantly, tried to type on the keyboard again. I quickly snatched his keyboard and flipped it over.
“Ah… I really can’t handle this guy.”
Perhaps because I gritted my teeth as I spoke, Hyunsung finally looked a little abashed. He looked back and forth between the screen and me, then put on a subservient smile and wriggled, making a sickeningly sweet voice.
“Aww… Please look favorably upon Hyunsung…”
“I’ll let you off today if you seal your fingers.”
“Yes, hyungnim.”
He quickly put both hands on his knees and grinned. I shouldn’t have called him in the first place. Regretting it now was like crying over spilled milk.
[Guild] Meritocracy : Ongpak-nim, if you’re free
[Guild] Meritocracy : Go to Kamt Mountain and pick some flowers
[Guild] Ongpak : What kind of flowers? ㅠ
[Guild] Meritocracy : Any flowers that can be used for room decoration crafting
It was roughly a way of saying ‘don’t pry into other people’s private lives,’ and Ongpak headed to Kamt Mountain without a word. These kids aren’t bad kids… They just lack common sense. Just then, Hyunsung, who had turned his keyboard back over, craned his neck towards Chanhee.
“Gomnim decorated the guild room with all the flowers, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, honestly, I wondered why the guild room was decorated like this, but seeing Gomnim in person makes it convincing. I think the world would look like a flower garden if I looked like that too.”
“I’m turning off the game if you don’t start rounding up in one minute.”
“Alright, alright, I’m going.”
‘Kunta Peak’ was a field teeming with high-HP monsters. Because their attack power was low and their defense was high, it took a long time to kill each one, so it wasn’t commonly used as a leveling spot. However, there was an advantage: if you killed five or more monsters with the flocking attribute at once, you could get bonus experience.
Since all five had to die within five seconds, you had to manage the HP of the whole flock, which wasn’t easy if you were in a party. But if you did it alone, it took too long, so even with the bonus, there wasn’t much merit.
“I’ll start.”
But interestingly enough, this becomes quite easy with a Darkness Mage and Druid combination. This is because the damage skill attributes of the Darkness Mage and Druid are diametrically opposed. In other words, if the two take turns dealing area-of-effect damage, they can apply opposite attribute debuffs to the mobs each time. As a result…
“They’re melting, melting.”
…very comfortable leveling is possible.
In the past, as soon as I learned this, I posted a long article on the Druid bulletin board, but no one paid attention… Naturally. There are plenty of other good leveling fields, so there’s no reason to raise a Druid to go to Kunta Peak…
Suddenly, I feel sad. What do I have to do for the Druid renaissance to come?
“Chanhee, do you think you can aggro up to ten?”
I put that aside for now and asked as I loaded my buffs. Chanhee easily replied, “Yes,” and cast a ranged aggro skill towards a distant group of mobs.
“Is Gomnim’s name Chanhee? Even your name lives up to your face.”
“Yes.”
“He’s so cool, not reacting even when someone’s fawning over him right in front of him…”
“Just deal damage…”
I gave him a scolding out of habit, but Hyunsung was already fulfilling his role as a damage slave with an attitude that couldn’t be more devoted. With stable aggro and a quick damage dealer, the mobs, born only to follow their programming, disappeared in an instant.
“Hyungnim, are you getting to level 40 for the PVP?”
“Yeah. If I’m going up against a Berserker, it’s best if we’re both level 40.”
“What about the arena?”
“We’re going into the Dragon’s Nest.”
“Huh…”
Hyunsung let out a vague groan and tilted his head. He probably didn’t understand my intentions, but he didn’t seem to want to ask further.
“Gomnim, can you do ten more? I’ll use my ultimate next time if we pull three groups.”
“Yes.”
The speed was incredible. At this rate, we might be able to finish in a single day. I forgot all my worries and focused on controlling my character. The screen, exploding with the colorful effects of the Darkness Mage’s damage skills, was incredibly refreshing.
🕹️
It was already 9 p.m. when I hit level 38. It had been a while since I’d been cooped up in a PC bang all day. Actually, there’s no real reason to go to a PC bang if I’m playing games alone. You spend money on game fees because it’s fun to gather and play together in person.
“Let’s stop here for today.”
“Already? I’m going to sleep at my friend’s place in Hongdae, so we can play later.”
“We have to go home. Get up.”
When I urged him, he said, “Aw,” but turned off the game. On the other side, Chanhee stretched.
“Are you tired?”
“No. I’m just a little stiff from sitting for so long.”
“Hyungnim, Hyunsung is tired.”
“That’s why I said let’s wrap it up.”
“So cold…”
Naturally, it was completely dark when we came out. After chasing away Hyunsung, who was trying to exchange contact information with Chanhee, I started to feel a chill. I put my hands in my pockets and hunched my shoulders, and Chanhee came closer and asked,
“Are you cold?”
“Ah, I didn’t know I’d be out this late, so I’m wearing thin clothes… Aren’t you cold?”
“Here, take this.”
Chanhee held out the cardigan he had draped over his arm. I quickly waved my hand.
“No, no. You wear it.”
“I have a lot at home.”
“I have a lot of clothes at home too…”
“Just wear it. I’m not cold right now.”
We were both wearing thin long-sleeved t-shirts, but Chanhee really didn’t look cold at all. After some thought, I finally accepted the cardigan and slipped my arms through the sleeves. That one extra layer made a huge difference.
“Thanks. Where do you catch your bus?”
“I was going to take you home and then go to the bus stop.”
“Huh?”
“Because it’s dark at night.”
Not because it’s dangerous at night, but because it’s dark, he’ll take me home? I laughed in disbelief, and a long hand suddenly reached out in front of me.
“…….”
I glanced up from his fingertips to see his smiling face. He had an expression that asked why I wasn’t taking his hand.
“I don’t know whether to take this as being treated like a child or an old man…”
“I just want to hold your hand, whatever the excuse.”
“…It’s even crazier when you’re honest.”
In contrast to the daytime bustle, the streets were deserted. I hesitated, then lightly intertwined my fingers with his, and a warm temperature surged between our touching palms.
When was the last time I walked down the street holding someone’s hand? The dark night, transitioning into autumn, walking between the buildings where everyone was holding their breath, preparing for the end of the day, made me feel increasingly detached from reality.
“Hey, Chanhee.”
I felt like I could undo the mistake I made earlier.
“You know what I said earlier…”
“What did you say?”
“Well, you know… I said some unnecessary things. Don’t worry about it. Sometimes I just blurt things out based on my stream of consciousness, I don’t mean anything by it.”
Okay? I asked once more, and Chanhee tilted his head slightly.
“I will if you say so…”
“…Yeah.”
“Isn’t it better to say what you want to say? I’m doing that.”
“……”
Is that so? I wish I could clearly distinguish between the parts I want to show and the parts I don’t want to show… I think I’ve lived like that so far… But with this guy, sometimes the line seems to blur.
“No, well. It wasn’t really anything serious. It’s just that, as I said before, my father can be a bit much sometimes… But he tries hard.”
Chanhee raised his eyebrows slightly, humming. I felt a deep distrust of my father emanating from him. I seemed to have instilled unnecessary hostility in him. It’s more strange that he would think well of my father, considering what he saw when he came to my family home…
“Well… All fathers of that generation are like that. What can you do but adjust?”
Since Chanhee was expressing such displeasure, I ended up making excuses for my father. Then Chanhee frowned, as if he understood even less.
“Why?”
“Huh?”
“Why does the child have to unilaterally adjust? The father is much older.”
…If you bring up such fundamental arguments, I have nothing to say… I racked my brain for a moment and let out an awkward laugh.
“Well, if you don’t like it, you have to move out. It’s unconscionable to say you don’t want to do that much when they’re feeding and clothing you.”
“If they feed and clothe you, do they earn the right to ignore your feelings and control you as they please?”
“……”
I stopped walking involuntarily. Chanhee seemed angrier than ever. I was confused before I was bewildered. Because he wasn’t someone who usually showed much emotion, his reaction felt particularly intense.
“Uh, well…”
When I stopped, Chanhee stopped too. Meeting his gaze as he turned around, I unconsciously took a deep breath. Numerous emotions flickered in his downcast eyes.
“Chanhee, that…”
Chanhee seemed angry… and also sorry… and also… sad. My heart raced and I broke out in a cold sweat. Why did he suddenly feel so wronged and frustrated? I parted my lips and quickly blurted out what came to mind.
“Did what I said… bring up some bad memories or something?”
“…….”
“If so, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d feel bad…”
“Ha…”
A slow sigh escaped his soft lips. Chanhee, who had been silent for a moment with his head down, soon pulled the hand he was holding towards him.
“You’re worried about that in this situation?”
It wasn’t a strong pull, but I couldn’t help but be drawn in. Soon, our toes touched and our bodies drew close. I unconsciously tried to resist, but the warmth against my back startled me and my strength gave way. Thanks to that, Chanhee was able to easily embrace me with both arms.
“…….”
I helplessly blinked, my chin resting on his shoulder due to the unavoidable force. I could vividly feel Chanhee’s heartbeat between his collarbones. It was beating so loudly that my throat tingled with each throb.