He Is That Guy

[Chae Yu-jeong: hyung]
[Chae Yu-jeong: You said you’re going out today, right?]
[Chae Yu-jeong: They say it’s insanely cold (sticker)]
[Chae Yu-jeong: Dress warm!]
[Yu Ji-han: Okay]
[Chae Yu-jeong: Where are you going?]
[Chae Yu-jeong: Is it far?]
[Yu Ji-han: nah]
[Yu Ji-han: Gangnam Station]
I put on something decently neat and headed out.
The knife-cold wind grazed my body the moment I stepped outside the building. The sky was a heavy gray and the wind was strong—the weather wasn’t great.
“Might rain later.”
The forecast only said cloudy, so bringing an umbrella felt iffy. I hesitated a moment, then ditched the idea because I didn’t want to go back up.
[Drink Some Water: y’all on your way?]
[Drink Some Water: it’s fine to be late so if you can come just swing by and eat meat]
[DoraHeeImnida: I’m hustling over! hehe]
[Hwa So-un: on my waaay]
[IBirthedAMonster: on my way~ (sticker)]
[GuGuOtter: I’ll be about 10 mins late ㅠㅠ bus is jammed]
[Haereun: fr roads are crazy backed up..]
[Haereun: so I gave up on the bus and took the subway]
[GuGuOtter: ah I should’ve taken subwy too]
[SseSseSse: who’s coming from farthest?]
[Mocha Bread Bread Bread: Marinated Crab, Slurp?]
[TheHunter: yeah think they said from another city]
[Marinated Crab, Slurp: yep that’s right ㅜ]
[Marinated Crab, Slurp: I’m in Daejeon so I’m staying in Seoul 1 night]
[Hwa So-un: if it’s Daejeon that’s manageable]
[Hwa So-un: would’ve been rough if you were Busan lolol]
[Marinated Crab, Slurp: Busan would be hardcore fr]
[IBirthedAMonster: let’s just keep going till first trains for the adults lolol]
[Haereun: go?]
[Marinated Crab, Slurp: not bad]
[Haereun: or 2nd round drinks then 3rd round PC bang works ㅇㅇ]
[Hunting Madman: envious of all-nighter PC bang]
[Hunting Madman: I can’t drink for a day this sucks ㅠㅠ]
[Hunting Madma: (sticker)]
[Jeo Jolryeoyo: btw Sa-chin]
[Jeo Jolryeoyo: how’d your CSAT go?]
I’m pretty sure he said he was a senior in high school last time. With my mind all over the place because of Yu Chae, I hadn’t checked in since.
[Hunting Madman: !!!]
[Hunting Madman: whoa….]
[Hunting Madman: (sticker)]
[Haereun: ddddd]

[TheHunter: ddd]
[Jeo Jolryeoyo: ?]
I only asked as a courtesy—what’s with this reaction.
[Haereun: Korea University Architecture is asking you..]
[Haereun: how’d the CSAT go?]
[Park Seungcon-ssi: damn]
[Park Seungcon-ssi: the aura dddd]
[Hwa So-un: lmao ffs]
[I’m Lagginggg: the swag is insane lololol]
[Jeo Jolryeoyo: no;]
[Hunting Madman: I feel relatively deprived right now ㅠㅠ]
[Haereun: I concede…]
[Hunting Madman: ugh the mental damage is too ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) big..]
[Hwa So-un: ㅠㅠㅠㅠ]
[IBirthedAMonster: didn’t think you were like this, Jeo ㅠ]
[Drink Some Water: lmao ffs]
[Drink Some Water: “relative deprivation,” he says]
[SseSseSse: wow that’s a big one]
[SseSseSse: Jeo might lose the image he built up;;;]
[Jeo Jolryeoyo: what are you talking about seriously lolol]
[Jeo Jolryeoyo: I literally just asked….]
[Hunting Madman: whatever]
[Hunting Madman: can’t even understand a fragile teen’s heart.. hmph]
[Haereun: d d]
[TheHunter: lolololololol]
[TheHunter: too much, Jeo, too much]
[It’s Staeric: lol too much too much~]
[TheHunter: ?]
[TheHunter: what are you old man — —]
[TheHunter: did you even leave yet?]
[It’s Staeric: yep heh]
In the end I never did hear Sa-chin’s CSAT results. I quietly turned off my phone and slid it into my coat.
That heated reaction… I asked without reading the room. Rooting for Sa-chin’s future in my head, I set off again.
 
****
“Sis.”
“Oh, you’re here?”
Haereun waved as she walked up to Drink Some Water, who was standing in front of the restaurant looking at her phone.
They’d known each other through the guild for two years and had met multiple times in person; in-game they called each other “-nim,” but in real life they were older sister and younger brother.
Meeting thirty minutes before the meetup time, the two went inside and headed to the reserved private room. Since a guild meetup gathers people living all over, Guildmaster Drink Some Water and Vice-Master Haereun arrived early to keep things smooth.
“There’ll be a lot of new faces this year.”
Haereun filled a glass with water and handed it to Drink Some Water, who had posted the reservation name and room number in the group chat.
“Yeah. Looks like more than double last year.”
The guild had grown a lot over the year, bringing in all kinds of people. Some, like Haereun, had attended last year’s meetup, but there were far more first-timers.
Rolling her gentle eyes, Haereun smiled that signature smile.
“Personally, I’m most curious about Jeo.”
“Same.”
Drink Some Water grinned along. There was no one they weren’t curious about, but the top of the list was, of course, “Jeo Jolryeoyo.” From the moment he joined in summer till now, he’d given them so much fun—how could they not be excited.
They were grateful, too—if Jeo hadn’t quickly read the opponent’s tactics in the prelims with Fever, it would’ve been chaos.
“Is this the place? Hello.”
“Gasp, unnie! Long time no see. And you too, Haereun.”
About ten minutes later, attendees began arriving one by one. SseSseSse and Hwa So-un came first, and then guildmates streamed in.
Just greeting the newcomers and chatting lightly made the room lively fast. With the headcount quickly over ten and things hectic, Haereun ordered the meat in Drink Some Water’s stead.
“Hello.”
The thirteenth to arrive opened the door and stepped into the room. A strikingly handsome man with ink-black hair and a cool aura drew everyone’s attention.
“Hello. Um… your nickname?”
Drink Some Water, stationed by the door to greet each arrival, asked with an awkward smile. The man’s lips ticked up.
“I’m Jeo Jolryeoyo.”
A face that had seemed cold softened with that faint smile. Jeo bowed his head and shook hands with Drink Some Water.
“Wow, welcome. I’m Drink Some Water.”
She’d been most excited to meet Jeo—but to think this kind of handsome guy would show up. While the quietly shocked Drink Some Water introduced herself, two more men followed in behind Jeo.
“I knew at a glance.”
“Don’t lie. ‘At a glance’ what… and why are you talking down to me?”
“Oops, slipped out. My apologies.”
The two who came in bickering were polar opposites at a glance.
The black-haired one who frowned and snapped looked more pretty than handsome; the brown-haired one standing beside him radiated a warm vibe with his smile.
“Welcome. What are your nicknames?”
Haereun hurried forward to greet them, and both answered at once.
“I’m TheHunter.”
“I’m Staeric.”
Holy shit. Every eye—Haereun’s, Drink Some Water’s, and all the seated guildmates’—snapped to the trio.
Haereun, recovering a beat late, pushed up her slightly slid-down glasses and asked:
“Did you two come together?”
“No. We ran into each other at the entrance.”
Staeric sat in an empty seat. TheHunter took the spot next to him, and Jeo took the seat across.
“I recognized you as TheHunter right away. But you didn’t recognize me.”
“What are you on about. Then you should’ve said hi like you owned the place? You only said hi once you got to the room.”
“Oh? Sounds like you were miffed.”
“Quit talking nonsense.”
Snapping back at Staeric’s teasing, TheHunter finally noticed Jeo sitting across and tilted his head.
“What’s your nick?”
“I’m Jeo Jolryeoyo.”
Repeating exactly what I’d said in my intro earlier, TheHunter’s black eyes lit with delight.
“I’ve been wanting to meet you. Mind telling me your real name too? I’m Lee Cha-hyeon.”
“Call me Yu Ji-han.”
Watching the two with a smile, Staeric cut in quick.
“I’m Seo Jeong-heon.”
“What the hell, why do you keep butting in, old man.”
“Looks fun?”
Watching the three at the far end of the table chatting, Haereun lowered her voice and murmured to Drink Some Water:
“The focus on just that side is no joke… Is this okay?”
“Can’t be helped. We can’t kick them out for being handsome.”
“You said you had something to discuss with Jeo later. How are you going to pull him aside like this…….”
“Right……”
Hearing her worry, Drink Some Water let out a deep sigh.