The kings Avater

On a hot afternoon, Somi walked through the streets, dressed in a pink face cap, a baggy top, and matching pink shorts. She wore a nose mask and kept glancing at her phone, following the map that led to Ye Qiu's house.

The neighborhood was not at all what she had expected. It was simple and a bit shady, with old buildings lined up on either side of the street. It surprised her—this wasn't the kind of environment she imagined for someone like Everstay. Based on her understanding of the game's payment system, his earnings should have been more than enough for a fancier home. As the top-level player in their team and one of the game's oldest players, Everstay's income would likely dwarf everyone else's. She figured he should be living in a mansion, not an ordinary apartment in a run-down area.

Walking down a narrow, quiet road, she suddenly became aware of someone following her. A tall man wearing a face cap and a nose mask trailed behind her. Wherever she turned, he was still there. Her heart began to race as unease crept in. She quickened her pace but resisted the urge to look over her shoulder too often.

Finally, she ducked into a small side shop, pretending to browse as she watched the man from the corner of her eye. He was approaching the shop, his posture calm yet deliberate. Somi clenched the hem of her shorts, hoping she was just being paranoid.

"Miss, are you buying something?" the elderly shop owner asked, pulling Somi out of her thoughts.

Startled, she turned to the woman and quickly shook her head. When she glanced back toward the street, the man was gone.

Relieved yet still on edge, Somi stayed in the shop for a few minutes before cautiously stepping out. She resumed following the map, constantly checking her surroundings.

At last, she arrived at her destination: a tall, six-story apartment building that stood out like a diamond in the rough. Unlike the rest of the neighborhood, the apartment looked modern and well-maintained. Somi smiled, relieved. "This has to be Everstay's place," she thought.

Just as she was about to walk toward the building, her eyes caught a familiar figure standing near the entrance, staring at his phone. Her smile faded as her stomach dropped—the same man who had been following her earlier was standing there.

Her brows furrowed in frustration. She had had enough of this mysterious stalker. Gathering her courage, she marched straight toward him.

The man, sensing movement, glanced up. At first, he seemed confused but quickly tensed as the pink-haired girl approached him with purpose.

"Why are you following me?" Somi demanded sharply, her voice firm and unwavering.

The man looked taken aback. "Why would I…?" He trailed off, squinting at her face, and suddenly his eyes widened.

Somi froze, her own expression changing as recognition hit her. His voice sounded familiar. Too familiar.

"This voice…" they both murmured at the same time, their words overlapping.

Then, the realization clicked.

"Wait… Somi?" the man said cautiously.

"Grayworm?" she replied, her eyes narrowing in disbelief.

"Is that really you, Somi?" he asked, scanning her from head to toe. She was shorter than he had imagined.

As she too scanned him from toe to head, she noted he was taller than she had expected. Meeting his eyes, she quickly turned away, blinking fast. They both stood silently for a moment.

"Okay~ why is this suddenly getting awkward?" he said, breaking the silence as they stared at each other, unsure of what to make of the situation.

Suddenly, she furrowed her brows. "Wait," she started, "why are you here?"

"Uhh... About that..." he trailed off, sneaking a guilty glance away.

"Urgh, Grayworm," she sighed. "I told you I'd meet him alone! You know he wouldn't be okay with us showing up like this. You're just gonna mess things up! I promised him I wouldn't share the little information I know about him or try to find out more. Now I've broken both promi—"

"Chill out, Pinky..." he interrupted, hesitating on whether to finish with "Pinky Hair" like he usually did. This time, seeing her in person, he realized she didn't just have pink hair but was decked out in pink—a pink cap, pink shorts, and even a slight pinkish undertone to her skin.

"Anyway," he continued, "since we're already here, we might as well just go to him." He started walking toward the building as Somi rolled her eyes and reluctantly followed.

"I thought you were 5 foot 10," he said casually as they walked.

"I thought you were 10 foot 10," she retorted.

"There's no such thing as 10 foot 10..." he began, only for her to cut him off smoothly.

"There is," she said, walking ahead of him.

When they reached the building, they started knocking on different doors, asking for Ye Qiu. After checking several apartments, they were left frustrated. Most people were out for work, and the few they met claimed they weren't Ye Qiu.

They walked out to the front of the building, visibly irritated.

"Are you sure we didn't miss anyone?" Grayworm asked. "Maybe that girl who kept staring at you weirdly?"

"Girl?" she asked, raising a brow.

"For all we know, Ye Qiu could be a girl. A little voice editing, and boom—Ye Qiu."

"There's no way she's Ye Qiu. If you're talking about the weird stare, then think back__ didn't you see the Somi poster on the wall of her house?"

"So?"

"So she probably noticed my pink Somi hair and thought I was a Somi fan too. she's probably wants to hang out or something," Somi replied.

"Hmm, smarty head. No wonder you're a hacker—"

"A computer genius," she corrected, cutting him off.

Grayworm raised his hands in defeat. "Fine. I guess we'll have to start asking around, then."

Just then, an old lady walked by.

"Excuse me," Somi called out as they approached her. "Do you know of anyone named Ye Qiu in this neighborhood?"

The woman furrowed her brows. "What's with all the questions about Ye Qiu today?" she grumbled, making Somi and Grayworm exchange glances.

"That's his apartment over there—room 106," the old woman said, pointing to a building beside the fancy one they had just searched. It was one of the ugliest in the neighborhood—an old, run-down five-story building.

"That?!" Grayworm asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"What, it's too shady for you?" the old woman snapped.

"No, no," both he and Somi replied quickly.

Before leaving, the woman added, "Good thing you're here. That young man hasn't left his apartment in days. Someone needs to drag him out for some sunlight," she muttered as she walked away. They both bowed politely in thanks.

When they arrived at the building, they spotted room 106. Approaching it, they noticed a tall figure standing in front of the apartment. He had curly hair and wore a nose mask, standing as if he were waiting for someone.

Somi and Grayworm's faces lit up as they rushed toward him.

"Ye Qiu!" Somi was the first to call out, running to hug him. The man squinted, confused.

"Somi?" he asked, his voice surprised as Somi looked up in shock.

"Sparrow?" Grayworm recognized the voice instantly.

"Grayworm?" Sparrow replied, equally surprised.

Just then, another tall figure walked toward them, wearing a face cap and nose mask as well.

"Sparrow, I think we'll have to break in—" The newcomer stopped mid-sentence, noticing Somi and Grayworm.

"Omega?" both Somi and Grayworm called in unison.