TGMND 104

It had been cloudy all week. Waking up early on Saturday morning, Yeo-woon drew a smiling face with his finger on the frosted window while yawning softly. A gentle voice flowed from the TV he had left on just to listen to the sound.

– The cold will intensify this week. This morning’s temperature will briefly rise to -1°C, but on Tuesday, December 25th, it’s expected to drop to -9°C.

No wonder it felt cold. Yeo-woon shivered, tightening the blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

– From the afternoon of the 24th, a cold continental high pressure system will expand, and Seoul’s minimum temperature on the morning of the 25th is expected to record -9°C. Good news for those expecting a White Christmas, there’s a snow forecast for Christmas Day this year, so we can look forward to a White Christmas.

It’s going to snow?

“It’s going to be damn cold…”

Yeo-woon muttered to himself as he pressed the power button on the remote. The screen went dark, and the house became completely quiet. Trapped in the silence, Yeo-woon belatedly came to his senses and stretched.

He thought this year’s Christmas would pass without much meaning, but last night, a sudden appointment was made. His friend Se-hyung was suddenly hospitalized for a minor surgery. Of all days, the surgery date was December 24th, Christmas Eve, and because the attention-seeker kept insisting on visitors, Yeo-woon reluctantly planned to go see him.

Seon-young: But what if I suddenly feel lazy tomorrow?

Seon-young: Friend, can’t we just meet after you’re discharged?

Jung Se-hyung:(photo)

Yeo-woon: lolololololololololol

The photo Jung Se-hyung sent was an old picture of Ha Seon-young. It was a photo taken when he got caught trying to secretly smoke, stealing cigarettes from his father’s bag, and had to go to school with only the center of his hair shaved like a highway. Since Se-hyung was the one who had introduced Seon-young to his current girlfriend, one wrong move could result in this embarrassing photo being sent to her.

Seon-young: Master, I’ll bring drinks….

Jung Se-hyung: Okay

Yeo-woon: Can I come in the evening?

Jung Se-hyung: Yeah

Jung Se-hyung: But guys, what if I die during surgery when you come to see me ㅠㅠ

Yeo-woon: lol That’d be some great drinking story material

Jung Se-hyung: ?

Jung Se-hyung: (photo)

Seon-young: F*** Lee Yeo-woon the one said that, why is this bastard messing with my photo

He was already making a fuss even though it wasn’t a major surgery. When he searched for the hospital location on the map, Yeo-woon saw that it was quite far away—he’d even have to cross a river. He was already feeling lazy about the long trip but decided he might as well raid the hospital’s food stash while visiting.

After having an early breakfast and leisurely turning on the computer to log into the game, Yeo-woon felt a sense of familiarity seeing only a few guild members online.

[Guild] neutaaaa: Hi

[Guild] neutaaaa: Cat, you’re up early!

[Guild] Ji9star: ? Cat didn’t sleep

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: That’s you lol

[Guild] Ji9star: I’m different, I just woke up after leaving the game on for a bit

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: You only slept for two hours

[Guild] neutaaaa: Why aren’t you both sleeping?

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: I’m doing arena rankings with alarms on

[Guild] Ji9star: Me too

It seemed to be the season when the arena rankings were wrapping up. He couldn’t tell when CatMeowMeowMeow had leveled up enough to participate in combat ranking. Why did only he level up like crazy, leaving him behind? Yeo-woon felt an unfounded sense of betrayal towards CatMeowMeowMeow.

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: But you know

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: I have a concern…

[Guild] Ji9star: Yeah?

[Guild] neutaaaa: What is it??

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Recently, while helping my friend level up, I’ve been helping newbies with quests too, you know?

[Guild] Ji9star: lololololol How could we not know…

CatMeowMeowMeow’s helpful nature was already famous within the guild. Kindly put, it was charity, but for some reason, Cat often attracted newbies with poor manners who didn’t appreciate the help. Despite getting burned so many times, why did they keep helping strangers… Still, Yeo-woon didn’t dislike CatMeowMeowMeow’s kindness.

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: But lately, I’ve been running into this one person a lot

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: I meet them more than ten times a day

[Guild] Ji9star: Isn’t that possible if your level ranges overlap?

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Yeah, but weirdly, their level doesn’t increase every time I see them

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Even just doing quests should level them up, but they’ve barely gained 5 levels in a week and stuck at level 50 lolololololol

[Guild] neutaaaa: Isn’t it pretty easy to get to level 100 though? That’s odd.

[Guild] Ji9star: An alt character maybe?

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Not an alt, they have basic equipment

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: And every time I see them, they’re hunting solo and dying. They don’t seem to have any friends…

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: So I’ve been thinking

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Maybe they’re following me

That couldn’t be. Despite CatMeowMeowMeow’s recent rise to fame, Yeo-woon believed there wouldn’t be a crazy person following an individual user.

[Guild] neutaaaa: Cat, you seem to have severe self-consciousness lol

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Wow ㅠㅠ That’s harsh;;

[Guild] Ji9star: lolololololololololol

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Yeah, maybe I’m overthinking it. I actually laughed while saying it out loud haha

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Yesterday, they gave me 999 roses saying they picked them, made me wonder what kind of person they are

[Guild] Ji9star: Roses?

Roses were one of the lowest-tier items in the game, practically worthless in trades and not even useful for quests. But for a beginner, it could be understandable.

When Yeo-woon first started Illusion, he had given 100 green slime tails to a high-level player who was giving away various items, saying they were quitting the game. The player laughed for a while seeing Yeo-woon put the slime by-products in the trade window. Thinking about it now, how dumbfounded must that person have been? Yeo-woon chuckled recalling that memory.

[Guild] Ji9star: lolol Then doesn’t that person like Cat? >_

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Huh? How would they even know me lol

[Guild] Ji9star: Just a thought~

[Guild] Ji9star: I had someone who gave me various things too lol

[Guild] Ji9star: Ah! This isn’t me bragging

[Guild] Ji9star: Even though I insisted I didn’t need anything, they gave me macarons~ bubble gum~ lots of candy~~~~ Anyway, it was like that hehe

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Ugh

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: A man who’s happy even with junk items

[Guild] Ji9star: lolol But it turned out they seemed to like me >_< hehe

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Neuta…

[Guild] neutaaaa: Yes

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: I don’t think I’m the one with the severe self-consciousness

[Guild] neutaaaa: lololololololol Yeah….

Earth Star, really… Hearing the item names, they seemed to be from the Dessert Garden, but to think someone likes him just because he received a few of those. Does he think that makes sense?

[Guild] neutaaaa: So who is it?

[Guild] Ji9star: lololololololololol

[Guild] Ji9star: It’s someone you all know hehe

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Wow, I really don’t care~

[Guild] neutaaaa: I wonder if that person thinks the same way

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: For real lolololol

[Guild] Ji9star: It’s true though

‘Is there anyone I know who’s showing interest in Earth Star?’

Yeo-woon thought hard but couldn’t remember anything. Earth Star was always either doing ranking battles in the arena or had a hobby of following guild members around teasing them, so who on earth would have gifted Earth Star junk items? No matter how much he racked his brain, he could only think of Earth Star sticking to him all day.

Or could it have been during times when Yeo-woon wasn’t logged in? No, then he wouldn’t have said it was someone they both knew

“……”

Yeo-woon gave up thinking. It was Earth Star’s business, and he wasn’t curious enough to pry deeply into it. Though he was curious if that person really thought the same way as Earth Star.

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Guys, I’m going now, I’m sleepy and need to sleep

[Guild] Ji9star: Bye

[Guild] neutaaaa: Bye, see you tomorrow

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: Ah, I won’t be on tomorrow! I’ll just do the daily check-in at dawn and then go to my grandma’s house

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: You guys sleep well too….

‘CatMeowMeowMeow has logged out.’

[Guild] neutaaaa: But it’s morning….

[Guild] Ji9star: lolololololololololol

[Couple] Ji9star: Hyung!

Yeo-woon had wondered why he wasn’t calling him that. Earth Star must have been holding back because CatMeowMeowMeow was there.

[Couple] Ji9star: Do you prefer rice or noodles?

“Is he choosing the breakfast menu?”

Earth Star would sometimes throw out two choices like this, and depending on Yeo-woon’s answer, he would decide the menu for the day.

[Couple] neutaaaa: Rice, since it’s breakfast?

[Couple] Ji9star: lololololololol

[Couple] Ji9star: OK, then I’ll go grocery shopping and sleep a bit before coming back

[Couple] Ji9star: Good night to you too ^ㅇ^/

[Couple]Ji9star: Poof

‘Ji9star has logged out.’

“I said it’s morning….”

What was so wrong about sleeping on time and waking up in the morning? Yeo-woon couldn’t understand the time habits of those who flipped their night and day.

***

All preparations were complete.

Yoon Ji-gu had worked hard to create an atmosphere where Yeo-woon would have no choice but to confess to him, thanks to his brilliant research results. Moreover, since he didn’t know when Yeo-woon might ask to watch a movie together, he had to have everything ready starting from Christmas Eve, the 24th.

From the morning, he cleaned the entire house. The cat, awakened by the vacuum cleaner noise, ran around trying to avoid it. Ji-gu lit a scented candle at the entrance to create a subtle fragrance as soon as one entered, and turned off all the lights in the living room except for a soft orange indirect light. He had even considered making a path with fake candles from the entrance to the living room, but that felt like overdoing it. It wasn’t a proposal, after all.

Besides, the confession should come first from Yeo-woon, who liked him more. He should give Yeo-woon some leeway, but not show that he had put in an enormous effort for him. Just in case, Ji-gu had also placed roses he bought in the morning in a vase he had secretly taken from the cafe. With some snacks prepared for eating while watching the movie, everything was ready. Now he just needed Yeo-woon to come.

On the morning of the 24th, Ji-gu’s eyes opened wide even without setting an alarm. As soon as the morning sun rose, Ji-gu thoroughly washed his body under running water. Thinking that today or tomorrow would be the decisive day made his heart race. While fixing his hair, he felt it looked too styled, so he messed it up again. After spending nearly an hour taming his hair, Ji-gu began to wait for Yeo-woon.

“Is he still not up?”

Yeo-woon hadn’t logged into the game, and Ji-gu was starting to get bored. He turned on the TV to pass the time, but the variety shows he usually enjoyed failed to grab his attention. He couldn’t understand what was so funny, even though the audience laughed at every joke. Normally, he would’ve laughed too, but now he found himself nervously shaking his leg, trying to calm his pounding heart. The morning news announced that snow would start falling this evening. A white Christmas—what a perfect day for a confession!

While petting the cat that headbutted him for attention as soon as he woke up, he heard movement outside the front door. He wanted to jump up and check through the intercom, but the cat sitting on his lap prevented him from getting up.

Finally managing to put the cat down, Ji-gu rushed to the front door, only to face the elevator already heading down. He returned to the house and went to the window. Opening it, a cold wind blew in. Soon, he saw a familiar face coming out of the building entrance.

“Why is he so dressed up?”

Well, well, he even wore a scarf. Ji-gu grumbled. Yeo-woon looked tiny like a dot from above, but he sparkled enough to be recognizable. Ji-gu had never seen anyone who looked so good in a white long padded coat!

“…But where is he going?”

Ji-gu muttered as the cold air hit him. Soon, a black car pulled up in front of Yeo-woon. Smiling brightly, Yeo-woon said something to the driver and got into the passenger seat, closing the door behind him. Ji-gu’s heart sank. He couldn’t stop wondering who the person in the driver’s seat was and where Yeo-woon was heading, all dressed up like that.

Yeo-woon had said he wouldn’t be going to work today, so Ji-gu had been waiting in Illusion since morning, but it seemed Yeo-woon had a prior engagement. But something felt off. Today was Christmas Eve. He shouldn’t be meeting anyone else today of all days.

‘Hyung said it himself, that he’d be alone on Christmas. That it’s even awkward to meet friends on such a day…’

Then shouldn’t he be spending it with him?

The giddy excitement that had filled Yoon Ji-gu all day came crashing down in an instant.