NOVEL NEXT chapter 65
Kim Daeseok wasn’t wrong. I was jumping to conclusions without anything solid to back it up.
But there are things that only make sense if Chae Yu-jeong and Yu Chae are the same person. Like the way I first met Yu Chae, for example.
Judging by how Chae Yu-jeong acted at the wedding, he thinks pretty well of me. So the moment he realized the Hiore “Jeo Jolryeoyo” and the Xenorise “Jeo Jolryeoyo” were the same person, he flipped his attitude.
After that he would’ve heard from Seo Tae-young that I play Xenorise. Hiding his personal info? He probably did that on purpose in case he ran into me at the wedding.
Most of all, I’ve already been through him approaching me while pretending to be someone else. I had the same strong hunch I felt when I realized Cotton Candy Fox was his alt.
“But still…”
That was it. With just this much, I couldn’t look Chae Yu-jeong in the eye and ask, Are you Yu Chae?
Whether they’re actually the same person or I’m just imagining things—I needed time to verify it. As is, I’d stress over it and end up being a nuisance to both of them.
Especially to Yu Chae… we’d only just gotten close. I didn’t want to hurt him with some ridiculous misunderstanding I cooked up alone.
I gathered my thoughts and lowered my gaze to the glass on the table. The lemonade with ice in it glittered like a gemstone where the sunlight poured in through the window.
Then someone walked up to my seat, nerves written all over his face, and spoke.
“Hello.”
I lifted my head. As expected, it was Chae Yu-jeong.
I answered with a simple nod and pointed to the chair across from me. He sat down stiffly, like a rusty machine.
Why’d he dress up like that?
He’d swept half his bangs to the side, wore a deep navy turtleneck with a light fall coat thrown over it. Meanwhile I was just in a hoodie and jeans.
He was already flashy-looking to begin with, and because he’d gone all-in like that, people’s attention in the café tilted our way.
“Uh, did you wait long?”
“No.”
“Sorry. I, uh, meant to come straight here.”
Face flushed, he stumbled through an apology. That actually makes it more awkward.
“I really only waited about ten minutes… and I’m the one who messaged out of nowhere to meet, so don’t worry about it.”
“Y-yeah.”
“Order a drink first.”
He glanced at the lemonade in front of me and lit up with a bright smile. It felt like flowers bloomed around him.
How does a guy look that pretty? Wild.
“I’m fine.”
“It’s one drink per person.”
“…”
Awkward, he stood back up, ordered, and returned. He got the same lemonade as me.
“Sorry for asking to meet on short notice. I wanted to ask you something face to face.”
“It’s okay. I’m really glad you asked first. I… actually wanted to meet too.”
Blushing to his ears, he peeked up at me with shining eyes.
“Can I call you Ji-han hyung like last time?”
“About that.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, thinking how to start, and finally opened my mouth.
“Ah…”
“Of course I know you, Mr. Chae Yu-jeong. You’re a popular pro. We’ve been on opposite sides more than once.”
When I cut the smile and spoke seriously, the excitement drained from him just as fast.
“But I can’t figure out any reason you’d know me. Even if Tae-young hyung told you about me, this much is…”
Wait. How do I phrase this? “You like me” has the wrong ring to it. “You feel favor toward me” is vague. “You’re chasing me,” maybe?
“…I don’t understand why you’re trying to get close.”
I swapped in the safest word I could find on the fly. He pulled up the corner of his mouth in a smile.
“I get what you mean. I was a little too forward at the wedding, right? I went home that day and regretted it a lot. I didn’t mean to freak you out.”
Calmer than before, he answered in a low, gentle voice.
“It’s true I like you. Like fan-level. I kind of look up to you…”
“Huh? Look up to me?”
A successful pro looking up to a normal college student?
“You’re good at games. Not just Hiore—everything you touch. It’s cool.”
“Are you making fun of me right now? Or joking?”
“I’m serious.”
My chest tightened. I sighed lightly and folded my arms.
“Do you type ‘jungle diff’ and whatever at people you look up to?”
“Ah, that…”
“From my side, it’s ridiculous. I can’t complain about losing whenever I meet you—that’s a skill gap and team luck thing. But dropping stuff like that in all chat—any way you slice it, that’s picking a fight, isn’t it?”
“…I’m sorry.”
His shoulders slumped in an instant, and he looked at me with eyes full of gloom.
…Ugh.
He looked so pitiful—like a puppy abandoned in the rain—that my resolve wavered a little.
“I was trying to tease you, but I went too far. The second I hit enter I knew it was a mistake and wanted to apologize… but you exited right from the damage chart and wouldn’t accept a friend request, so I never got to.”
…Is that what happened?
I mean, I probably did it because I was pissed. Come to think of it, I shoved Sensory onto my block list right before I quit Hiore.
Hiore isn’t like an RPG—if you don’t add each other you can’t chat. At best, if you end up in the same game you can use all chat or the damage chart chat, but I bailed from the game right away, so even that wasn’t possible.
“…Got it. I blocked you before hearing you out, so I won’t harp on that part.”
“B—blocked? You blocked me?”
Eyes round in shock, he flailed for a beat, then pouted and shot me a glare.
And what are you going to do if you glare.
“So answer the question. I asked why you’re trying to get close.”
“Are you curious?”
“I’m asking because I’m curious.”
He clamped his lips shut, face full of sulk, then flicked his head away and spoke primly.
“Unlock me and I’ll answer.”
“What?”
“Ha…”
Unbelievable. What kind of guy is this?
I rubbed at the corner of my eye, swallowing down the irritation, and forced a smile.
“I’ll go home and unblock you right away, so how about you explain now?”
“How am I supposed to trust that? You blocked me just because I teased you once.”
“I quit the game after blocking you, okay? It doesn’t even matter.”
“Nope. No.”
“Then what do you want me to do?”
“Send me a screenshot showing I’m unblocked. Then we can meet and talk.”
“…Do you know you’re really annoying?”
I couldn’t help it and let one slip. He covered his mouth with his hand and looked like he might cry.
“How could you… that’s so mean, hyung!”
“What is?”
“You just straight-up called me annoying. I like you… that’s really mean.”
“You’re meaner.”
“Asking you to unblock me isn’t some big ask… I genuinely want to be friends with you…”
He blinked those big eyes several times like he was hurt. His /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ long lashes fluttered like butterfly wings.
“If you don’t want to hear that, then explain.”
“You called me annoying and basically cursed me out over the block…”
As my voice started to rise, more café patrons turned to look.
“Hey, I think they’re fighting.”
“Whoa, he’s seriously handsome.”
“Is one of them crying?”
“…”
Maybe he heard the whispers, because he made an even showier display of drooping his eyes and looking utterly tragic.
This two-faced bastard…
Me with my arms crossed and a scowl twisting my face; him hunching his shoulders, hand over his mouth, head bowed.
Anyone could tell who looked like the assailant and who looked like the victim. A curse slipped out on reflex.
“Fuck.”
I grabbed the lemonade I hadn’t touched since he arrived and downed half of it in one go. Then I popped a half-melted ice cube into my mouth and stood up.
“Come on.”
He flinched and watched me warily, then asked, dumbfounded,
“Huh?”
“Let’s go. You wanted proof.”
“Wait, hyung!”
I strode out of the café without further explanation. Startled, he scrambled after me.
“Hy—hyung. Are you mad? I seriously don’t want anything else—just send a picture showing I’m unblocked and that’s it.”
“Be quiet and follow.”
I didn’t want to hear him babble. I grabbed his wrist and led the way; rattled, he didn’t shake me off and followed quietly.
Luckily, the destination wasn’t far. We turned into the alley right next to the café building, walked three minutes, and a familiar sign came into view.
[Latest specs, comfy space! NICE PC BANG!]