episode_0036

A dark room.

Chae Yeon-hee was looking at the brightly shining monitor.

The reason is, I don’t know why, but I wanted to play Tales RPG, which I usually enjoy.

With Seoha Lee, an academy student.

‘That’s amazing.’

Although Tales RPG was once popular, it is gradually declining as numerous new games are released.

Finding a newbie is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, and it has become a league only filled with veterans.

In that situation, a newbie, even a student from the same academy?

It’s probably less likely than the extremely evil gacha.

Yeah, I’m sure it will.

Thinking like that, Chae Yeon-hee launched Tales RPG.

Then, immediately, a series of dazzling characters appeared on the monitor.

In fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Tales RPG was Chae Yeon-hee’s life.

I leveled up when other people made friends, and I raided when other people were dating.

Even the reason I started living alone was to avoid my parents’ nagging.

If nagging was natural, then it was natural.

Because it’s not likely that parents will look favorably on a daughter who doesn’t sleep and just plays games in the corner of the room.

But maybe it’s because I’m mature.

Chae Yeon-hee was beginning to understand her parents’ feelings.

‘But it’s awkward…’

It was awkward to talk to other people, or even just to be with them.

So naturally, I was also on the outside looking in at the academy.

When I went to work at the health center in the morning, I didn’t go out until I got off work.

I also just had to make do with food bought at a convenience store.

I don’t think it was like this in the past… .

As I’ve been playing games for a long time, my timid personality seems to have gotten worse.

Anyway, what appeared in the midst of all this was Lee Seo-ha.

He was so sociable that I felt a little uncomfortable when he first came to the infirmary.

Of course, feeling that way may also be your own problem.

He just spoke to me, but I guess I felt burdened as an introvert.

‘Are we a little closer now…?’

Chae Yeon-hee couldn’t be sure.

Because you might think you’ve become close to each other.

I didn’t want to get excited and get hurt for no reason.

Anyway, it was really interesting.

Even though we only had a few conversations, I felt very comfortable and not burdened.

Thanks to that, I was able to muster up the courage to make a promise to play a game.

Click-.

Chae Yeon-hee logged into the game as an assassin character.

It was the first character I ever created, and also my favorite.

‘You said you started anew. You’ll probably be in Florin Village.’

Chae Yeon-hee thought so and asked Lee Seo-ha.

“Where are you?”

Then, immediately, Lee Seo-ha’s voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

“Ah, that’s the town of Florin.”

Well, I guess we’ll meet soon.

A smile naturally spread across Chae Yeon-hee’s face at the thought of meeting Lee Seo-ha.

In fact, this was my first time playing a game with a friend in real life, not a friend I met in the game.

Of course, it is unclear whether we can call each other friends… .

‘Tch, can we be friends…?’

I think I’ll be very sad if I’m denied, so I’ll just keep it in my heart for now.

While Chae Yeon-hee was thinking like that, an assassin character arrived in Florin Village.

And soon after, I found a berserker who seemed to be a newbie.

Since Lee Seo-ha said he’s raising a new light warrior, he’s probably right.

however.

“Are you, by any chance, a woman named Yeonyimerong…?”

“Oh, that’s right.”

Lee Seo-ha’s nickname was subtly strange.

If you say Yeon-i, isn’t it similar to your own name, Yeon-hee?

No, no, I don’t know.

Because he might have other interests besides himself.

If it’s not Yeonhee, it could be Suyeon, or a nickname for a friend whose name ends in Yeon.

Yeah, we’ve only known each other for a few days, so there’s no way I’d put your name in my nickname.

That’s something that only very, very close friends or lovers do.

But there was a very subtle difference between what the head thought and what the heart felt.

Chae Yeon-hee felt her chest becoming uncomfortable for no reason.

He is my only friend.

Even a newbie to Tales RPG.

Since that person used someone else’s name as his nickname, he already felt like he was being NTRed just by that.

Of course, it was all just Chae Yeon-hee’s fantasy of playing games in the corner of the room.

The nickname actually meant Chae Yeon-hee.

Tata-tata-tak-.

[I, I’m here…]

Chae Yeon-hee quickly typed in the chat.

The timidity of feeling uncomfortable but not being able to express it on the outside was just like Chae Yeon-hee.

[Wow…you were ranked number one?]

[Didn’t I tell you?]

[Yes, you just said you’ve been doing it for a long time. You didn’t say you were number one.]

Ranked 1st, the overwhelming peak.

At his admiration, Chae Yeon-hee’s bad mood suddenly improved again as if nothing had happened.

‘First of all, before playing the game, I have to put my sleeves in.’

The opposite of pickpocketing, it refers to when veterans give game items or goods to newbies.

Click-.

Chae Yeon-hee requested a deal with Lee Seo-ha.

Finally, when he accepted the deal, a window appeared where he could upload items.

‘First of all, money, this is also needed for the quest, and this is used to open up a mount slot… .’

Chae Yeon-hee’s hands were moving very busily.

[Can you give me this much?]

[I don’t use it even though I have it anyway.]

Of course, you can sell items and exchange them for in-game currency.

But it is better to use it to raise newbies.

[Wow…thank you so much.]

Even though it was clearly a chat, his moved face seemed to linger before my eyes.

Chae Yeon-hee felt a sense of joy at that.

The whole body trembling was truly extraordinary.

Newbies are always wild. They’re even wilder because they’re people I know.

[Then let’s go. I’ll do my best.]

[Yes, I will follow you.]

Chae Yeon-hee’s character acted in a high-spirited manner, unlike Chae Yeon-hee herself.

In the game world, he was someone who was beyond compare, and rather, someone that others looked up to, so there was no reason to hesitate.

After that, Chae Yeon-hee helped Lee Seo-ha level up for a while.

We hunted together, collected materials for quests, and even went out to find our way.

I’ve helped a lot of newbies so far, but this time it felt a little different.

Maybe it was because they knew who was playing the game.

A subtle tingling sensation, as if I were going on an adventure with Lee Seo-ha… .

‘Wait, is this a date?’

Even though we hadn’t met in person, spending time together could be considered a date.

When she realized that fact, Chae Yeon-hee’s heart started pounding loudly.

It was because the stimulation was too strong for her, who was living a life far from love.

It was also typical of her in that it was the result of her own delusions.

[What’s wrong?]

[No, it’s okay.]

Chae Yeon-hee acted as if nothing had happened.

Just like before, I helped Lee Seo-ha level up.

Just my toes were wiggling under the desk the whole time I was playing the game.

Time passed and it was already 1:00 in the morning.

[That’s all for today.]

[Yes, thank you for your hard work.]

My date with him has come to an end.

Chae Yeon-hee felt truly sorry about that, but she couldn’t bring herself to hold back and ask them to do it any longer.

Because he wasn’t someone who was as into games as I was.

In order to enjoy the game for a long time in the future, it is better to play it lightly.

Besides, he said, ‘today.’

That meant that even if it wasn’t tomorrow, there would be a chance to work together someday, so that alone was satisfying enough.

Soon, Lee Seo-ha’s character disappeared from the screen.

And at the same time, a guild member sent me a chat message.

[Aren’t you an assassin or something? Are you going to do a raid today?]

[Well, I don’t think that will work.]

Now wasn’t the time to go on a raid.

I felt like I wouldn’t be able to avoid the pattern because I couldn’t concentrate.

By the way.

‘How will I see student Seo-ha tomorrow…?’

My face was already burning at the thought of meeting him face to face.

* * * * *

1:00 a.m.

I quit the game abruptly because I thought it might cause problems tomorrow if I played it any longer.

Will Chae Yeon-hee continue playing the game?

I wish I could sleep moderately.

I was worried that my dark circles under my eyes were getting darker these days, so I called Chae Yeon-hee.

Dooroo-.

The beeping continued for quite a while.

I wonder if he should take a deep breath before answering the phone.

“Hello?”

Finally, the ringtone stopped and a voice was heard on the other end of the phone.

You’re so confident in the game, but you become timid when you return to reality. That gap is strangely cute.

“Thank you for today.”

“I was more grateful. It was fun because we could play games together.”

“Then, teacher, are you going to keep playing the game from now on?”

“Ah… I think I should just sleep today.”

That gamer Chae Yeon-hee is just sleeping. Did she have a change of heart?

I’m not sure, but it wasn’t a bad thing at all.

“Oh, then go to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Yes, Seoha, sleep well too.”

That was the end of the call.

I don’t like the title of student Seo-ha, so I think I’ll have to change it soon.

If you just wear it as is at school and change it when you meet in person, no one will suspect you.

I wonder what kind of face Chae Yeon-hee will show tomorrow.

I have a feeling something will change since I went on a date today.

I went straight to bed, looking forward to tomorrow.