59.
Curiously, as soon as my question popped up, I could feel through the screen that Yoo Chae was in a very difficult position.
I, who was also a bit embarrassed by the guy’s silence for a long time, spoke first.
[Party] I’m sleepy: I won’t ask to meet you or anything like that
[Party] I’m sleepy: I thought the phone number was okay
[Party] I’m sleepy: r u uncomfortable?
[Party] Yoo Chae: No, it’s not uncomfortable
[Party] Yoo Chae: I just don’t want to
[Party] Yoo Chae: I just don’t want to right now, so does that make u uncomfortable?
[Party] Yoo Chae: I’m sorry
[Party] Yoo Chae: But can you give me some time?
[Party] I’m Sleepy: What time?
[Party] Yoo Chae: Time to think about whether I can give u my number
Frozen at the unexpected words, I forcibly moved my hand.
[Party] I’m sleepy: ㅋㅋㅋ
[Party] I’m sleepy: fine
***
“What the fuck, what the fuck… I’m embarrassed.”
“Eh?”
I drank soju from the glass at once and muttered with a frown and Kim Dae-seok, who was sitting across from me, replies with a puzzled noise.
“What’s embarrassing?”
“There’s this thing.”
When I answered with a mixed heart, Kim Dae-seok gave me a pitiful look and filled my empty glass with soju.
“Hey, come on… There are times in life when everyone is like that.”
“What?”
“Is it because of that Noona introduced by Eun Hae-seong?
Oh right. Come to think of it, weren’t I introduced to her? I forgot because of Yoo Chae before the semester started, and after the semester started, there were many meetings and work to be done.
“I haven’t been in touch with her though.”
“You didn’t? Then why? When I saw the picture then, she was so pretty!”
“I was busy.”
When I held out my glass of soju, Kim Dae-seok bumped into it even though he was dumbfounded. I like friends like him.
“Ugh, it’s a bit cold outside.”
“It’s cold when I go out wearing only short sleeves. Isn’t it summer now?”
As I drank another shot, my classmates who went out to smoke came back one after another. Kim Dae-seok opened his mouth after pulling Eun Hae-seong, who had been caught, to the seat beside him.
“Hey, Hae-seong. Yoo Ji-han, this bastard, didn’t contact the Noona you introduced him to?”
“Huh? really? Why? Is she not good enough?”
“No, I’m busy. Kim Dae-seok, stop beating around the bush and shut up.”
“It’s such a waste though.”
What’s the point of sharing contact information with each other? It’s not like you’re going to date or get married right away just by contacting her, so it’s a waste of nothing.
Even though Yoo Chae that bastard didn’t do anything that wasn’t a big deal. Even thinking about it again makes me angry.
After pouring a full beer into an empty beer glass, Hae-seong shrugged his shoulders and said lightly.
“Since she has a nice personality, why don’t we call her later? Or is it someone else?”
“Oh! Crazy Yoo Ji-han, you can’t be embarrassed... Did you get dumped for flirting with another girl other than that Noona?”
“Do you think I’m you?”
“Tsk, really. Why are we worrying over this bastard’s girl problem? You’ll do well on your own, I’m sure.”
“That’s right...”
While I was looking at Kim Dae-seok and Eun Hae-seong, who had a strange misunderstanding, the juniors playing at the other table sneaked up to them.
“Sunbae-nim, can we join you?”
“Ugh! Okay!”
Seeing that they were first-year girls, Kim Dae-seok was delighted and cleared the table of glasses and bottles to make room.
The two girls sitting on either side of me shyly bowed their heads as they met my eyes. These were the faces I had seen many times over the past few days at a tightly packed drinking party.
“Come here, cheers!”
“Cheers~!”
When the girls joined in, they continued to clink glasses in line with Kim Dae-seok, who was in a better mood.
I drank the soju like water and quickly pushed the thought of Yoo Chae out of my head.
After 10:00 p.m. and approaching 11:00 p.m, the meeting ended to some extent.
As they rushed out of the store except for the few people who remained to pay, the cool autumn night air felt on their skin.
I put on a loose coat that fell down my shoulders, and the juniors who had been drinking at the same table flocked to me, each holding a cell phone.
“Yoo Ji-han sunbae-nim. May I ask for your number?”
“Me too.”
They looked like young chicks with their youthful faces cautiously holding out their cellphones.
I thought it was pretty cute, so I smiled and picked up my phone to add their numbers.
“Please write your name in a text message later and send it to me one by one.”
Even if you save just one, it will be automatically updated on the Messenger friends list, but since they are from the same department, it would be better for me to save the number as well. The children who heard me nodded enthusiastically.
After exchanging numbers like that, 5 people were added to the phone log.
‘It’s so easy...…………?
I sighed and tucked my phone into my coat.
Suddenly everything felt meaningless. Neither the interest of people who were interested in me nor the games where I could die and not live were all boring.
‘I’ve been focusing too much on the game.’
Since classes have started, it would be better to keep a distance for a while. Time will pass quickly if you take classes, do homework, and have a few drinks.
Thinking so, I took a cigarette out of my pocket and put it in my mouth.
***
“Ah, I’m going to die...”
Lying on the bed like a corpse, I turned over to my right side with a grunt. That alone made my whole body sore, and I naturally screamed in pain.
I drank until late in the morning with my classmates, and when I blearily opened my eyes, it was already late in the afternoon. Damn you guys... I raised my upper body as I watched the sunset rays shining through the window.
Diing.
When I was sitting in a daze, brushing my messy hair, my cell phone, which I had thrown at the corner of the bed, vibrated.
“What.”
It was Kim Dae-seok who, like me, drank until late in the morning.
Do you want me to go with you to relieve your hangover or something? I lowered my legs under the bed and answered the phone, my torso bent down.
“Uh.”
-Did you go home safely?
“You thought that I couldn’t, huh?”
-Uh-huh, do you see how picky this bastard is? Are you in a very bad condition?
“I won’t be going out today because I’m really tired, so don’t call me.”
- I’m not calling you to go to a place(1) to relieve my hangover. That’s not what this is for?
“So why?”
-No, someone from Zenoris asked me for your cell phone number.
Someone from Zenoris asked for my cell phone number? Could it be... Yoo Chae?
“Who asked?”
-Water Noona.
“Ah.”
The moment I heard the answer, like a sandcastle washed away by the sea, my hopes for hope vanished, and instead I was filled with desolation.
When I realized that, I was stunned and laughed out loud. What am I even thinking right now?
- I said I would ask you first. Should I tell her the phone number? Something seemed wrong.
“I don’t care. Let her know.”
-I think it’s because you haven’t been in the game for too long. Hey, when you enter a guild, it’s polite to connect whenever you have time, even if you’re busy.
“Uh. Thank you so much for letting me know. I’m gonna hang up.”
I didn’t listen to what Kim Dae-seok was talking about and ended the call right away, so I went straight to the bathroom to break out of my hazy mind.
After taking a shower with cold water that chilled me to the bone, I turned on my computer after roughly drying my hair. I had been turning on my computer occasionally because of assignments, but I hadn’t been able to access the game for almost three weeks.
[Guild] Let’s do it: Gasp
[Guild] Seasoned Crab Sauce: Oh, I’m sleepy-nim hi
[Guild] Let’s do it: It’s Sleepy-nim hi hi
[Guild] Harn: It’s been a while~
[Guild] This is Dorahee: Hi-Hi~
[Guild] Manaolingnam: Sleepy-nim Hi
[Guild] Staric: Hi
[Guild] I’m Sleepy: Hello
[Guild] TheHunter: Gasp Sleepy-nim ㅋㅋ ㅋㅋㅋ
[Guild] TheHunter: It’s been a while, hello ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[Guild] I’m sleepy: I couldn’t play because I was busy after class started haha
[Guild] The Hunter: Ah, the beginning of the semester, I admit..
[Guild] The Hunter: Me too, been so busy in a week ㅠㅠ
[Guild] Harn: The beginning of the semester is like that, I agree..
In addition to the guild chatting with greetings, the screen was filled with event pages, access rewards, and notification messages.
After quickly organizing them, I opened the Friends window and checked the connected users. Both Water and Yoo Chae were connected.
Yoo Chae, I don’t know what he’s doing, but why is there no answer from Water? Usually she has something to say and greets me at least.
[Yoo Chae: Hyung]
I was scratching my forehead while leaning back on my chair, but Yoo Chae sent me a private message rather than a guild chat.
[I’m Sleepy: haha]
[I’m Sleepy: Long time no see]
After my wedding, I never logged on, so it’s been a while since I met Yoo Chae. It’s natural that I didn’t play the game since I was deliberately avoiding it.
[Yoo Chae: Yes..]
[Yoo Chae: Hyung, can you use discord now?]
[I’m sleepy: Discord?]
[I’m sleepy: Why?]
[Yoo Chae: just]
[Yoo Chae: I want to hear ur voice]
[Yoo Chae: hyung, you came here after a really long time..]
If you’re unhappy, just give me your phone number, you bastard. I’ll call you all day long.
I raised the corners of my mouth in dissatisfaction and turned on the discord.
[I’m sleepy: yeah turned on]
As soon as I sent the message, this call came as if he had been waiting. When I put on the headset and answered the call, I could hear Yoo Chae’s voice clearly.
“Hyung, how are you?”
“Of course, I have been well.”
“Your voice seems to be a little husky.”
“It’s natural.”
It was a bit awkward to talk to Yoo Chae after a long time. In the end, I was upset over spilled milk...………….
After my answer, an awkward silence fell between him and me. If that’s the case, why did he ask me to do this?
“...If you don’t have anything to say, hang up.”
Surprised by my words, Yoo Chae hurriedly shouted, “No, no! That, Hyung. I’m.......”
“Uh.”
Yoo Chae, who hesitated for a long time, continued to speak with difficulty.
“I… was wrong…”
What?
—----
Note:
[-1] Usually refers to restaurants who cater to the hangover and mainly serve Haejang-guk (Hangover soup).
---
Credits:
Translator: Hoshi Miya
Editor: Meimei
Support on Kofi:
HM: Is MC serious? When he said he could call him all day long?
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