TGMND 58

Yeo-woon immediately went to the Illusion homepage after hearing that, and there were several people furiously writing posts to the point that normal posts were buried. When clicking on the details, they were all from guilds like Seojeri, Melody, and Vermouth who had just finished today’s castle siege.

There were some reviews from people who watched today’s siege, but even when Yeo-woon searched for the keyword ‘Poseidon’ in the aftermath, he found only a few posts like ‘Poseidon won. Will they fight Seojeri like this? lol,’ or something like that. Well, it wasn’t the finals, so who would have recorded a video from a spectator’s perspective…

[Guild] Captain Poseidon: I think… it would be faster to learn the meta by watching the video!

[Guild] neutaaaa: I’m looking for it, but can’t find it ㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜ

[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Didn’t Earth Star record videos every time?

[Guild] ParkRoach: Yeah, LOL. It’s almost become a habit since being accused of using hacks…

[Guild] Captain Poseidon: I think you should ask Earth Star, he might have recorded today’s too…

However, Earth Star left the game as soon as the siege ended. He came in without saying a word, participated in the siege, and then left as soon as the victory marker appeared. He didn’t even chat with Yeo-woon today, so something must have changed in his mind.

“Ji9moon has logged into the game.”

That’s when Earth Star logged in with his alternate account. What impeccable timing.

[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Speak of the devil lol

[Guild] Ji9moon: ? Me?

[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Yeah lol.

[Guild] Ji9moon: Uhh

[Guild] CatMeowMeowMeow: What’s up with him?

Captain Poseidon returned to the guild room and used ‘Gather Everyone.’ All of the guild members were summoned into the Guild Room by Poseidon’s Guild skill, and of course, Earth Moon, with the black dots under the eyes was also summoned by the skill.

[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Earth Star

[Guild] Captain Poseidon: Neutaaa wants to talk to you.

Yeo-woon flinched at those words. He thought Captain Poseidon would directly ask for the video, but instead, he used the gather skill to make Yeo-woon speak himself. Earth Star came over and sat down in front of Yeo-woon, using a series of question mark emoticons. The ringing sound effects were almost painful to the ears.

[Guild] neutaaaa: Earth Star, if you took a video of the Isis battle today, could you share it with me?

[Guild] Ji9moon: Why would I do that?

The response came out so bluntly, without a moment’s hesitation. Yeo-woon’s eyes widened in surprise at this unexpected reaction. He had anticipated either, “I didn’t record it,” or “I’ll give it to you,” but didn’t expect such a clear refusal.

[Guild] ParkRoach: He said he wasn’t Earth Star but he’s responding today lol lol

[Guild] Ji9moon: Ah! I’m not Earth Star, though ㅋㅅㅋ

[Guild] ParkRoach: Too late now

[Guild] Ji9moon: Why do you need the video?

[Guild] neutaaaa: I just want to see why I died so much ㅜ

No matter what, having more deaths than even the healer was a serious issue. In fact, during the previous 2:2 PVP, Yeo-woon also recorded more deaths than expected. If he hadn’t begged for help, he would have died at least five or six more times. This wasn’t a problem that could be solved through practice. He needed to analyze the root cause by rewatching the video dozens of times.

[Guild] Ji9moon: For nothing?

[Guild] neutaaaa: What do you want?

[Guild] Ji9moon: Nothing? It feels like extorting a beggar… LOL

For some reason, Earth Star was being unusually sullen today. What’s up with him lately? Yeo-woon wondered if he was going through a belated puberty phase. He rummaged through his equipment storage to see if there was anything he could give Earth Star but soon gave up. Earth Star either already had everything or didn’t need the items he had. What didn’t Earth Star have? As Yeo-woon pondered this, a thought crossed his mind.

[Guild] neutaaaa: Should I give you my cloak?

[Guild] Ji9moon: Even if you give it, I won’t take it;

[Guild] neutaaaa: ….

[Guild] Halloween Gazi: lol lol lol

[Guild] ParkRoach: Woah, damn. Is this a proposal or what?

[Guild] Wandu Wandya: He practically offered him everything and got rejected…lol

[Guild] neutaaaa: Please we’re good friends right??ㅠㅠ

Earth Star, who had been bouncing above Yeo-woon’s head, suddenly froze in place. He twitched while moving pixel by pixel, and only after a brief pause did he speak.

[Guild] Ji9moon: We’re… friends?

[Guild] neutaaaa: ? Yeah, yeah

[Guild] Ji9moon: How close…?

[Guild] neutaaaa: Very close

[Guild] Ji9moon: Not like that… really, how close??

[Guild] neutaaaa: Veeery cloooooooose

[Guild] Halloween Eggplant: Wow, they must be really close~

[Guild] Ji9moon: Ha…haha

[Guild] Wandu Wandya: Such a drama queen LOL lol lol loves it

[Guild] al0ha: Veeery cloooooooose <<lol lol lol

[Guild] ParkRoach: lol lol lol

Maybe that was enough to satisfy him. Yeo-woon decided to wait for Earth Star’s response.

[Whisper] Ji9moon: Are you serious?

He did it! If Earth Star’s whispering him, he’s at least halfway there.

[Whisper] neutaaaa: Yes

[Whisper] Ji9moon: So I’m your closest friend right?

[Whisper] neutaaaa: Yess haha

[Whisper] Ji9moon: Really???

[Whisper] neutaaaa: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

He didn’t know why Earth Star was so fixated on this, but at least Yeo-woon wasn’t lying. Of everyone in Illusion, Earth Star was the one he talked to the most. He was closer to him by just a finger’s breadth compared to CatMeowMeowMeow, who had helped him the most in practical terms.

[Whisper] Ji9moon: Then

[Whisper] Ji9moon: Can I call you ‘hyung’…?

“…?”

Didn’t he hear something similar before? Back then, Earth Star had also asked if he could call him hyung. It was probably when they were voice chatting on HolBlue. The Poseidon Guild had a number one rule, as stated in the announcement, “Mutual respect/no personal socializing”. No matter how casually friendly they may seem, maintaining a formal tone and avoiding personal bonds helped preserve the guild’s harmonious atmosphere.

For a moment, Yeo-woon had a personal curiosity about what would happen if he snitched to Captain Poseidon about what Earth Star said, but he shook his head firmly. After all, he wasn’t someone who strictly followed the rules to the letter either.

[Whisper] neutaaaa: I could call you my brother^^.

[Whisper] Ji9moon: ? That’s a bit;;

[Whisper] neutaaaa: But why?

[Whisper] Ji9moon: Never mind if you don’t want to ㅡㅡ

[Whisper] neutaaaa: I don’t mind if you call me that, but I’m just curious.

[Whisper] Ji9moon: !!

Earth Moon character bounced in place. He was unexpectedly quite adorable with how he was reacting to the hyung address. At first Yeo-woon just found him annoying, but… Of course, he’s still less annoying than before but nevertheless annoying. CatMeowMeowMeow, who had been planting pumpkins in her field, turned to look at the bouncing Earth Star and shook her head, calling him an attention seeker.

[Whisper] neutaaaa: But it has to be a secret, okay? Don’t call me that in front of the guild members… it’s fine when it’s just us

[Whisper] Ji9moon: Why? ㅇ_ㅇ

[Whisper] Ji9moon: Why does it have to be a secret…?

[Whisper] neutaaaa: Isn’t personal befriending between guild members banned by guild rules?

[Whisper] Ji9moon: Ah…

Earth Star clenched his fist and used the ‘enlightenment’ emote. A yellow lightbulb flickered above his head before disappearing. He really had all sorts of unique emotes. How did he know how to use the perfectly fitting ones right away? …Could he have shortcuts to emotes registered?

[Whisper] neutaaaa: Why aren’t you calling me hyung?

[Whisper] Ji9moon: Mmm….

[Whisper] Ji9moon: It’s kinda awkward since you’re suddenly telling me to…

[Whisper] neutaaaa: You can’t do it when I set you up lol

What an idiot. Yeo-woon muttered to himself as he stared intently at the frozen Earth Star. Then, the HolBlue alarm went off on his phone next to the mouse. He unlocked the screen and opened the app to find Earth Star had sent a single period in the chat and was in the voice channel.

「Earth Star: .」

“…”

It had been almost a week. Yeo-woon gazed at the blue online circle before joining the voice channel himself.
-Hyung.

“…Yes?”

-…

“What did you just…”

-…I called you h-hyung.

Earth Star suddenly cleared his throat awkwardly and fell silent, the sound of him swallowing audible through the mic. What was he thinking, suddenly bringing up this hyung business when he knew he’d be so embarrassed? Yeo-woon chuckled and kicked Earth Star’s character.

“Give me the video.”

-You won’t understand just by watching…. I’ll write down all the skills I used and give you a report along with it.

“Do you have that much free time?”

-You complain even when I’m offering to help…. But hyung.

After always hearing “nim” or “neu-nim,” or just “hey you,” hearing “hyung” felt oddly embarrassing. Probably because Earth Star was clearly even more embarrassed. He had cleared his throat so many times by now that Yeo-woon had lost count.

-Why aren’t you… no, why don’t you drop the honorifics too?

“I’m afraid it’ll become a habit. If I accidentally slip up and speak informally to you, I might get kicked out of the guild.”

-…Okay. But am I really your closest friend?

“That’s right.”

-Are you really not lying at all?

“What do I gain by lying to you?”

-…But why…

“Hmm?”

-…Ahem, never mind. It’s nothing.

How silly. Yeo-woon chuckled lightly with a faint smile.

“But, Earth Star, why did you suddenly create an alternate account?”

-Huh? …Oh, I’m just trying to get some time for myself…

“Time to yourself?”

-Yeah…uh, that sort of thing. I had something I wanted to think about for a bit!

“No, you could have just said so. You almost burst my eardrums.”

For some reason, Earth Star seemed flustered. …But what was that about? If he had something to think about, he could just think, why bother making an alternate account?… So even kids like Earth Star do think sometimes. Fascinating.

-Hyung. I can hear you.

“…,”

This won’t do. Yeo-woon opened an internet window and searched ‘how to break the habit of talking to yourself’.

A: Hmm talking to yourself. In my professional opinion as an aspiring psychiatrist, that may be an expression of depression. A similar case is shown in the Naver webtoon ‘Doctor Jordi’ episode 68. You should meet people. There’s a saying that humans are social animals, you know?? Meeting friends will solve everything. Friends are the best!! So please accept my answer~^-^

The answer didn’t seem very trustworthy, and even after looking at a few other similar questions, there weren’t any particularly enlightening responses …Was it really because he hadn’t seen his friends in a while? Yeo-woon couldn’t remember the last time he had a drink with his friends since he started working. The thought made his mouth water suddenly

: Who wants to get chicken and beer at my house today?

Seon-young: You’re crazy it’s Monday tomorrow, should’ve called yesterday~

Jeong Se-hyung: I’ve been taking herbal meds since last week lol

: Lol ok I’ll eat alone then, you’re not real friends

Seon-young: What a thing to say^^ Stop sending messages, I’m with my girlfriend.

Jeong Se-hyung: We’ve known each other for 10 years. It’s time to end this friendship.

“….”

It seemed he had made poor choices in friends. Birds of a feather flock together, they say, so why were all his friends like that? Yeo-woon took the opportunity to reflect on his life so far.