Chapter 8: A Bargain for Companionship

‘How can they quit so easily?!’

They were Rank 3! Not 13th, not 30th, but 3rd! And they were quitting…

I couldn’t understand Ban-ye’s nonchalance, so I asked,

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[Ah-ang] Why did you get banned in the first place? ㅠㅠ

[Ah-ang] Should we go to the company and complain? Want to go together?

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Go where together…?

[Hwang Hyun-joong] I got banned for selling gold, so they won’t lift it.

[Ah-ang] What?

___

I didn’t understand what they meant by selling gold at first, then realized they meant real-money trading (RMT) and sighed, “Oh…”

RMT, exchanging in-game gold for real money, was a serious violation of most game’s terms of service, often leading to a permanent ban upon the first offense.

I clicked my tongue disapprovingly and asked Ban-ye why they used their main account for RMT, not their alt.

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[Ah-ang] ㅠㅠ Why did you use your main account…?

[Hwang Hyun-joong] I get better rates with a Rank 3 account.

[Ah-ang] What?! 

__

I realized Ban-ye was obsessed with money.

That made me even more regretful.

Should I have given them real money instead of cash shop items? Should I have asked them to play with me instead of doing such a risky trade… I could have paid them a friend fee.

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[Ah-ang] Don’t quit,

[Ah-ang] and level up an alt account.

[Ah-ang] You can quickly level it to max like you did for me.

___

Ban-ye’s account being banned was irreversible… but their skill was real.

I liked that Ban-ye’s high rank made them look cool, but after playing with them for the past few weeks, I was truly captivated by their skill.

Ban-ye was cool, awesome, and had an aura unique to those who had reached a certain level of mastery in gaming, beyond just being an expert. Charisma, perhaps? So, I wanted them to keep playing.

However, Ban-ye seemed a bit disillusioned.

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[Hwang Hyun-joong] Even if I do, it’s obvious the alt won’t be as good as Ban-ye…

[Hwang Hyun-joong] And to get it to that level, I’d have to pour money into the account and wouldn’t be able to earn gold for a while.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] I don’t have the confidence or the motivation.

[Ah-ang] I’ll give you the money to level up.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] ? Why would you give me money?

[Ah-ang] Because I want to play with you, of course.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] ;;

Ban-ye seemed taken aback, but I persisted.

[Ah-ang] You let me join the guild,

[Ah-ang] took me as your disciple, and now you’re quitting? ㅠㅠ

[Hwang Hyun-joong] What are you talking about? Seriously.

[Ah-ang]  ㅠㅠ..Sob.. 

[Ah-ang] I’ve grown attached to you.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Lol

[Ah-ang] You haven’t? (ㅠㅠ…)

[Hwang Hyun-joong] This is creepy.

[Ah-ang] ㅡㅡ

[Hwang Hyun-joong] LOL

I was slightly hurt, but Ban-ye then spoke to me rather kindly, considering it was them.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] I’ll put in a good word for you in the guild. Play hard.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] You can have all the crafting items on my alt.

[Ah-ang] What…? I’m seriously going to cry.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Ha… You’re making a fuss even when I’m giving you stuff.

[Ah-ang] Don’t quit (ㅠㅠ..)

___

After that, Ban-ye went silent for a long time. Even into the next day.

But my persistence surpassed theirs. I contacted them every day after that conversation. For over two weeks.

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[Month] [Day]

[Ah-ang] Ban-ye
[Ah-ang] I miss you

[Month] [Day]

[Ah-ang] Ban-ye! Nice weather today lol

[Month] [Day]

[Ah-ang] What are you doing, Ban-ye?

[Month] [Day]

[Ah-ang] Ban-ye~ Ah-ang is bored ㅎㅎ

[Month] [Day]

[Ah-ang] Ban-ye, are you asleep?

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Ugh

[Ah-ang] ?

___

And on the second week, Ban-ye finally reacted.

I didn’t know if they were annoyed or not, but I was overjoyed that they had reacted, however small it was.

[Ah-ang] Ban-ye! Bored these days? Want to chat on Discord? lol

I quickly jumped at the opportunity.

After a brief silence, Ban-ye asked,

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[Hwang Hyun-joong] Did you quit Chaos Online?

[Ah-ang] No?

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Then go play with HugMeRaiseMe.

[Ah-ang] But they’re not Ban-ye…

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Haha want to hear something harsher?

[Ah-ang] No!

[Ah-ang] I want to play with you.

[Ah-ang] And

[Ah-ang] I have an idea.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Are you sure you actually thought?

[Ah-ang] ㅡㅡ

[Hwang Hyun-joong] lol

[Ah-ang] Listen.

[Ah-ang] How about you play Chaos Online with my account? It’s already max level, so you don’t have to level it up.

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I told Ban-ye the idea I had spent two weeks meticulously crafting, about how we could play together.

[Ah-ang] And I don’t play much during the day… since you’re unemployed,

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Lol

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Unbelievable

[Ah-ang] Sorry. Anyway, you can play during the day,

[Ah-ang] and when I want to play, you can just log out.

This was the brilliant idea I had come up with over two weeks.

This way, Ban-ye wouldn’t have to go through the grueling process of leveling up again, and I would have an excuse to play with them. Wouldn’t it be great?

However, Ban-ye responded indifferently to my revolutionary idea.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] What if I don’t log out when you want to play?

[Ah-ang] I’ll watch you play.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] What are you talking about?

[Ah-ang] I want to watch you play.

[Ah-ang] But you have to be on Discord with me…

[Ah-ang] How about it?

I had grasped Ban-ye’s mischievous side to some extent, so I had anticipated this kind of response.

But Ban-ye asked me,

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Are you asking me to pilot your account?

“Huh? Is that what this is?”

[Ah-ang] Is it…?

[Hwang Hyun-joong] It is.

Then, Ban-ye asked directly,

[Hwang Hyun-joong] How much will you pay me per month?

“Ban-ye is seriously obsessed with money…”

But thinking about it, their question wasn’t a bad sign. It was a hopeful message, implying they would play with me if I paid them.

I thought for a moment and carefully asked,

[Ah-ang] How much did you make per month with RMT before?

[Hwang Hyun-joong] You can’t afford that much.

[Ah-ang] ;;

Their confident tone made me think they made millions of won per month, and I was intimidated.

Actually, I could give Ban-ye… about 20% of my allowance per month. That was my maximum… I couldn’t afford millions of won…

Then, Ban-ye said,

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Just kidding.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] If I can sell gold with your account,

[Hwang Hyun-joong] I’ll pilot it, as you suggested.

[Ah-ang] Really?

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Yes. I won’t take any money from you directly.

[Ah-ang] Whoa, I was going to give you a little…

[Hwang Hyun-joong] I don’t want it.

[Ah-ang] Why?

[Hwang Hyun-joong] You’re kind of annoying.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] I think it’ll be even more annoying if I take your money.

[Ah-ang] ㅜㅜ My heart…

But Ban-ye was firm.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] If you don’t like these terms, I won’t do it.

I replied within a second.

[Ah-ang] Deal! Deal! Deal!

As if waiting for those words, Ban-ye immediately listed their conditions.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] And I’ll log out whenever I want.

[Ah-ang] Okay.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Don’t tell me what to do.

[Ah-ang] Okay.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] You have to do whatever I say. Can you do that?

[Ah-ang] I have no will of my own when it comes to gaming.

[Hwang Hyun-joong] Lol okay.

And just like that, Ban-ye became my account pilot.

I was the account owner, and Ban-ye was my pilot… no, my Pilot-nim. I grinned from ear to ear. Ban-ye and I had become the closest of gaming buddies.

‘I’ve made it…’

I was so happy.

[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] Whoa, so you’re coming back on Ah-ang’s account?

[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Yeah

[Guild][Ah-ang] Yes ^^♡

Ban-ye informed the guild members that they would be joining the guild with the Ban-yeStorage character and piloting my account.

The reason for bringing Ban-yeStorage into the guild was that I planned on using that character occasionally.

Fortunately, the guild members agreed to let Ban-yeStorage join without being max level. They seemed to have made an exception due to Ban-ye’s ban.

[Guild][HeyYam] So now Ah-ang has two owners?
[Guild][HeyYam] Or is it main owner Ah-ang and pilot Ban-ye?

[Guild][Ah-ang] Pilot Ban-ye!

[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] So now Ah-ang is Ban-ye’s master lol

“Ooh! I like that!”

I really liked the sound of “master,” but Ban-ye didn’t seem to.

[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Don’t start.

[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] Look who’s talking, a lowly pilot lol

[Guild][HugMeRaiseMe] Lol, blocking whispers.

HugMeRaiseMe continued to taunt Ban-ye, and Ban-ye, seemingly annoyed, told me to log out.

[Friend][Ban-yeStorage] Ah-ang, log out.

[Friend][Ah-ang] Now?

[Friend][Ban-yeStorage] Do I have to say it twice?

I quickly opened the options menu and clicked log out.