TGMND 111
by SpringlilaFrom the circumstances, it was clear Ji-gu had already decided that they would definitely do some kind of S&M play together. It would have been better if he hadn’t said that nonsense about “figuring things out together” from the beginning. To be caught by his own words and unable to move forward or backward in this situation.
Even cold wind can give you a headache if you’re exposed to it for too long. As soon as the air felt cool enough, Yeo-woon trudged back to his desk and sat down. The office was empty except for him, since everyone else had left, leaving him to wait for the air conditioning repairman.
“…Sigh.”
He wondered what Yoon Ji-gu had seen to develop such a hobby. What should he do with him… Should he just close his eyes and hit him once today? Maybe his thoughts would change if he got hit.
‘Ah, but if I suddenly hit him as soon as I see his face, won’t he cry?’
Even if he’s into that stuff, it’s not like this is some kind of staged role-play. No one would like getting hit for no reason in everyday life.
Yeo-woon was thinking about his months-old worry while swiveling his chair left and right when he finally noticed the message that had arrived in the chat window overlaid at 50% opacity on his Excel screen.
: The repairman is here. Going to fix the AC!
Business Partner: Hyung, you remember our bet, right?
“…?”
Yeo-woon sat up straight, his eyes wide open. His heart sank at the word “bet.” Earlier, he was so happy about the repairman coming that he hadn’t thought about the bet at all. His worries about Yoon Ji-gu vanished instantly, replaced by thoughts of the bet with Earth Star.
“…I’m screwed.”
Yeo-woon muttered blankly. He had to take responsibility for the consequences of his rash decision. Below the chat bubble from “Business Partner,” six cat emojis eagerly demanding a reply had appeared.
The situation was as follows: For the past six months, Earth Star had been constantly asking to meet. His originally persistent personality intensified day by day, and eventually, he started pestering Yeo-woon even during voice chats while gaming. If Yeo-woon changed the subject, he would make a fuss about it. If Yeo-woon pretended not to hear and escaped to another channel, Earth Star would always follow and annoy him.
At first, it seemed he could brush it off by saying “Later” or “Let me think about it more,” but as time passed, those methods stopped working. So Yeo-woon came up with an innovative idea.
A bet. That was a card Earth Star, with his strong competitive spirit, would never avoid.
Yeo-woon always proposed bets that were disadvantageous to Earth Star, saying he would grant a wish if he won the bet, as a way to avoid the crisis.
The win rate was 99%. Yeo-woon only bet on things where the outcome was already determined. Earth Star always charged in despite knowing it was disadvantageous, and as a consequence of losing, he was subjected to penalties like “No chatting for an hour” or “Run dungeons together all day with all speed increase items unequipped.” Especially in the latter case, Earth Star expressed considerable distress, so the bets were always intense. Earth Star winning a bet against Yeo-woon would be harder than a baseball team that hadn’t even touched the championship cup for 9 years suddenly rising to first place.
This time was no different. The air conditioning repairman had firmly said he wouldn’t have time this week because he was busy with apartment complexes, but he suddenly showed up today. In his happiness about this, Yeo-woon had completely forgotten about the bet and even quickly told Earth Star that the repairman had appeared…
Business Partner: I told you this would happen someday lolololol
Business Partner: Persistence pays off! >_<
Business Partner: Because even if the bet is super disadvantageous to me
Business Partner: I’m going to persist until I win lol
Yeo-woon couldn’t bear to imagine how smug Earth Star must be right now. Unfair bet? So what. Earth Star himself had also used the promise of marriage as a means to blackmail him.
Business Partner: I see you’re reading
Business Partner: But not replying lol
Business Partner: ㅡㅡ Why do you keep reading and ignoring?
Business Partner: Babe, please reply??????
Business Partner: Just one dot pleaseㅠㅠ
Was he out of his mind? Would he reply if it was him?
Business Partner: If you reply within 3 seconds I’ll marry you
: ㅁ
Yeo-woon quickly typed any character and hit enter before Earth Star could take back his words. Earth Star sent an emoticon of a cat holding its stomach and laughing hard on the floor in response to Yeo-woon’s immediate reply.
Business Partner: lololololololol
Business Partner: I knew you were watching
Business Partner: Hehe what are you doing now? >
: 1 (work [the number 1 (one) is read as il, which is also pronounced the same with 일 (il) that means work])
Business Partner: Liar, it’s not work time yet
: For real
Business Partner: If you lie I won’t marry you
: Srry;;;;
Just as Yeo-woon unilaterally controlled the bets with Earth Star, Earth Star did the same. He had been holding the promise of marriage over his head for half a year now. If Yeo-woon had spent that time breaking up the couple with Earth Star and finding someone else, he could have been married by now.
Of course, Earth Star wouldn’t have just watched if Yeo-woon had gone looking for someone else. Even CatMeowMeowMeow’s sub-character had gotten married to the guild master before him. Do they just eat and play games all day? He couldn’t understand why the youngest in the guild was progressing so fast. Yeo-woon glared at the monitor, filled with inexplicable jealousy.
Business Partner: Aren’t you going to ask what my wish is?
“…..”
His wish was obvious.
“He’s going to ask me to meet up….”
Business Partner: Come over to my place this week >_<
Bingo.
Business Partner: I have a cat too!!
What’s the use of a cat he hasn’t even shown a picture of for over half a year.
Business Partner: Want to come today??
How could he meet today when he doesn’t even know where it is. Yeo-woon gave a hollow laugh at Earth Star, who talked as if they lived just around the corner.
: Gubyeol seems excited^^
Business Partner: Lol you seem pissed off
“…If you know, then stop being annoying.”
Would he still act like this if they met face to face? He wanted to smack him on the head. No, before that, what if they really end up meeting? Yeo-woon began to feel nervous, recalling a news program he’d watched last week. It was about people who lure others through social media, build relationships, and then reveal malicious intentions and do terrible things in real life. It wasn’t something most people would experience, but the fact that it had happened was enough for it to be on TV.
: Gubyeol, I have something to confess…
Business Partner: Confess in person, please ><
: Will you listen seriously?
Realizing it wasn’t a joke, Earth Star paused before replying.
Business Partner: (Serious)
: Actually
Business Partner: Go on
: I’m a heavy smoker and drink four bottles of alcohol a day ㅜㅜ
Business Partner: ? What…
: The truth is I also do drvgs three times a day…
Business Partner: I don’t steal organs, just so you know ;;;
: Even my blood type changes every time I get tested….
Business Partner: What’s your blood type? lol
: It’s one of A, B, AB, O?? but
: it changes every time, so I’m not sure anymore ㅠㅠ
Business Partner: Lolol;;;; you’ve gone from one joke to another
Business Partner: How’s your eyesight?
: My eyesight is -5 in both eyes so I can barely see anything lol
Business Partner: Any pain right now?
: Ah I feel nauseous and like I’m about to d1e but it’s okay I can bear it haha
Business Partner: You’re lying lolololol Have you had any surgeries?
: I’ve seen plenty of surgeries on TV dramas
: I guess indirect experience counts too
Business Partner: Lololololololololol
: Did it work?
Business Partner: Stop bullshitting
: Shit.
Business Partner: Just pick a date that works for you >< I’m free today too!!
There was no escaping this unless he quit gaming entirely. A promise was a promise, so there was no choice but to give in. Of course, he planned to text his friends “If I don’t contact you tomorrow, my organs have been stolen so please report it ㅜㅜ” before meeting Earth Star.
: Gubyeol you idiot
: Telling me to come over without giving me the address
Business Partner: Ah lol I was going to tell you right before the meeting time ㅇㅅㅇ
: I should at least know the general area to go
Business Partner: Looks like you’re really coming lol
Business Partner: What should I do I’m nervous ㅠㅠ
: You’re the one who told me to come ㅡㅡ
Yeo-woon sent an emoticon of a duck character throwing a phone at the screen. He desperately hoped that Earth Star would understand his frustrated feelings that he tried to convey fully.
Business Partner: But you’ll be surprised when you know my address lol Be prepared!!
: I wouldn’t be surprised even if you said you lived in the Blue House(The SK president’s house), don’t worry…
Business Partner: What will you do if you’re surprised?
: There’s nothing I can do…
Business Partner: Ah what’s this
Business Partner: So are you coming today?
Judging from past conversations, it seemed certain that they lived in the same area, but meeting today was still a bit too much. Yeo-woon absentmindedly stared at his phone calendar, contemplating which day to choose.
“…!”
At that moment, his phone screen darkened. It was a call from Yoon Ji-gu. He thought it was good timing since he had a headache. As soon as he swiped to answer the call, Yoon Ji-gu cleared his throat.
-He-hello?
“Yeah, Ji-gu. What are you doing?”
-I’m about to eat. How about you? Have you had lunch, Hyung?
Ji-gu’s voice sounded strangely excited today. Well, did something good happen at home?
“I haven’t had lunch yet. My stomach isn’t feeling great.”
-…What? Why is your stomach…
“Just feeling a bit nauseous. Maybe I’m catching a cold?”
-…Nauseous?
“Ah, don’t worry. This happens sometimes in summer.”
-You don’t feel like you’re dying, do you?
“Why would I die?”
His concern was excessive. Yeo-woon muttered with a hint of laughter in his voice, then turned his head to cough softly as his throat hurt.
-If you’re feeling really bad, should I come get you?
“Don’t worry, it’s really not that bad.”
-…Come to think of it, your voice does sound a little off…
“Yeah. I’m definitely catching a cold, so I probably won’t be able to go swimming today. …Ji-gu, if you’re free, want to just meet briefly this evening?”
-Hmm, okay. I’ll text you when I finish swimming in the evening.
The headache that had been throbbing for no reason suddenly subsided. Yoon Ji-gu didn’t usually make many phone calls. Maybe twice a month? They often talked face to face anyway, and Ji-gu tended to refuse calls at night, saying his voice was hoarse and he didn’t want Yeo-woon to hear it. He wouldn’t meet up unless he’d showered, and if his voice was hoarse in the morning or at night, he wouldn’t take calls either. Yeo-woon thought he was quite particular about things like that.
But today, surprisingly, he called during lunch time, though there wasn’t much content to the call. It didn’t seem to be a call with a specific purpose. Still, listening to Yoon Ji-gu’s voice made his headache better, the sky outside suddenly looked clearer, and a smile spread across his face. It was a cure-all.
Maybe Yoon Ji-gu suddenly wanted to hear his voice too and that’s why he called. If so, it was fine even if there was no special purpose for the call. He felt like he wanted to go home quickly.
-Hyung.
“Yeah?”
-…Don’t get sick.
Yoon Ji-gu hung up first after saying that. Looking at his phone after the call ended with a click, it showed that the call had lasted over 10 minutes. It felt like it hadn’t even been 5 minutes.
Ding!
“…?”
Earth Star, whom he had forgotten about, sent a message.
Business Partner: Hmm thinking about it, today won’t work
Business Partner: Something came up >ㅅ< lol
So Earth Star has things come up too. It didn’t feel real. The fact that Earth Star, who only existed as a character smaller than a finger, was actually a real person with their own life. It would probably feel even stranger to meet in person. He was already getting nervous. Although he was confident he could talk well when they actually met, it seemed like it would take a lot of time to match the person themselves with Earth Star’s character.
: I can’t go today either
Business Partner: How about this Saturday?
: I have plans on Saturday…
Business Partner: Ah but I think Saturday is the only day that works for me
“…?”
Didn’t he say he had a lot of time earlier?
Business Partner: Ask that person if you can cancel your plans, lol!
: No, they’d get mad ㅠ
Business Partner: ?
: They get upset easily, how can I cancel the plans;;
Business Partner: Lol who gets upset easily? Doesn’t seem like it lol
Business Partner: Is that person more important than your lover (me)?
When talking to other people about Yoon Ji-gu, he couldn’t think of good ways to gloss over it. For one thing, Yoon Ji-gu wasn’t his lover…
Not yet.
Business Partner: Anyway, let me know if Saturday works
: Okay I’ll ask
But it probably won’t work…
He knew Ji-gu would say it was okay verbally, but his eyes would show it wasn’t okay. He would give a pitiful look and make Yeo-woon feel guilty. That was just who Yoon Ji-gu was.
Business Partner: Hyung
Business Partner: What did you say your blood type was exactly? ㅇㅅㅇ
: ㅗ
Business Partner: Lolololololololol
Business Partner: Ah take better care of your health ㅡㅡ Don’t catch a cold or something and postpone our plans again
“…..”
Yeo-woon’s shoulders twitched. Was that a joke? It was clearly a well-meaning comment, but why did it send chills down his spine?
I don’t think there spesific reason mentioned why Yeo-woon saved Earth Star as “Bussiness Partner” on the contact.
Actually, the word is 거래처 (georaecheo) in Korean refers to a “business partner,” “client,” or “customer.” It is commonly used in a business context.
I noticed there are different title used for this. Manhwa FanTL use “Seller”, Manhwa Official TL use “Client”, while I use “Bussiness Partner” from the first time it’s mentioned(Ch1), so I’ll keep using this.
I mentioned this to avoid confusion that may rise for some readers.