Chapter 10: The Line You Shouldn’t Cross

Episode 10

“Wrong?”

Reading the message, Gyeongheon muttered unconsciously. Wrong? He had plenty. The moment he thought about the torment he’d endured over the past week, his reply shot out instantly.

[Whisper] MachoKing: yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah hell yeah

[Whisper] MachoKing: hey Seohyun

He kept typing without rest.

[Whisper] MachoKing: honestly

[Whisper] MachoKing: I only endure it

[Whisper] MachoKing: because I’m a decent human being

Before Seohyun could cut in, Gyeongheon began unloading everything he’d been holding back. Or at least, he tried to.

[Whisper] MachoKing: hey I’m a patient

[Whisper] Seohyun: hyung I’m a patient too

[Whisper] MachoKing: this little—

[Whisper] MachoKing: I’m not joking man

Even with cold water poured on his rant, Gyeongheon didn’t stop.

[Whisper] MachoKing: I wanna play well too

[Whisper] MachoKing: do you know how much it hurts

[Whisper] MachoKing: when you move a mouse with an IV needle in your hand

[Whisper] MachoKing: if you’d give me buffs

[Whisper] MachoKing: I’d wipe mobs just like those other guys

The Sparta-style training had left a blue bruise on the back of his hand, where the needle had been. When a nurse asked what happened, he couldn’t tell the truth, so he muttered something about rolling on it in his sleep. Gyeongheon stared at the bruise—not a badge of honor, just pain.

[Whisper] MachoKing: you should take it easy on me

[Whisper] MachoKing: you have no in-between setting

[Whisper] MachoKing: hey

[Whisper] MachoKing: you listening?

[Whisper] MachoKing: have some mercy man

[Whisper] MachoKing: I’m ten years older than you

[Whisper] MachoKing: and you’re dragging me around—there and here and look at that

[Whisper] MachoKing: even dog training has more compassion

His sore hand paused. Seohyun’s silence stretched on, and Gyeongheon’s eyes narrowed—this never meant anything good.

Of course.

He stepped on a landmine.

[Whisper] Seohyun: hey Madt-choKing

[Whisper] MachoKing: this bastard’s gone nuts

“How dare he mess with my nickname.”

He took a breath. He’s twenty-four. A dongsaeng.
But before he could compose himself, Seohyun’s messages flooded in.

[Whisper] Seohyun: when are you gonna live up to that nickname

[Whisper] MachoKing: try touching my nickname again I dare you

[Whisper] Seohyun: you’re killing mobs with a daily quest from a guard, not even a main quest

[Whisper] MachoKing: hey

[Whisper] Seohyun: what buff are you talking about

[Whisper] Seohyun: did I not tell you to get a grip

[Whisper] Seohyun: and why would I give you a buff

[Whisper] Seohyun: what’s my class again

Even with Seohyun’s exasperation, Gyeongheon typed calmly—though his cursor kept drifting to “Exit Game.”

He finally sent one line.

[Whisper] MachoKing: like an accuracy buff or something

Seohyun went silent. Because… it wasn’t wrong. But how did a newbie struggling with daily quests know hunters could buff archers?

Then Seohyun typed with a strange tone.

[Whisper] Seohyun: …you went on the forums again?

Gyeongheon didn’t reply, and Seohyun panicked.

[Whisper] Seohyun: why do you go there when you have me

[Whisper] Seohyun: if you at least learned something useful there okay maybe

[Whisper] Seohyun: but all you do is click those shitty petitions

[Whisper] Seohyun: what do you even think I am?

[Whisper] Seohyun: acting like I’m your hyung while I babysit you

[Whisper] MachoKing: hey Seohyun

[Whisper] Seohyun: don’t interrupt

[Whisper] Seohyun: don’t jump in

His frustration practically came through the screen. This felt different from when he’d run away during a quest. Back then Seohyun was furious. Now…

Now he sounded almost hurt.

Gyeongheon moved his character closer. He considered selecting the “shoulder hug” emote, then wisely canceled it.

[Whisper] MachoKing: okay I won’t go anymore

[Whisper] MachoKing: but you’re 24 right? discharged and in school soon

[Whisper] MachoKing: with that temper who’ll hang around you

[Whisper] MachoKing: I gave up on the disrespect but still

[Whisper] Seohyun: what?

[Whisper] MachoKing: you gotta fix your personality

Kids his age needed some softness. Seohyun’s fingers practically had poison needles attached.

But kids like that were often soft inside.

He’d seen enough of him to know.

[Whisper] Seohyun: unbelievable

His attempt at kindness hit a brick wall.

[Whisper] Seohyun: I raise you up for a week and now you come once a month?

[Whisper] Seohyun: and then say my personality is the problem?

[Whisper] MachoKing: when did I say your personality was bad

[Whisper] Seohyun: so you think it’s good then?

Gyeongheon’s face scrunched.

[Whisper] MachoKing: what kinda nonsense—

[Whisper] Seohyun: exactly. bad.

He’d stepped right into the kid’s trap. Again.

[Whisper] MachoKing: why are you so agitated

[Whisper] MachoKing: I’m saying this because I worry about you

[Whisper] Seohyun: you shouldn’t have said once or twice a month

[Whisper] Seohyun: then I wouldn’t be pissed

So that was it—he was mad because hyung wouldn’t be around.

Gyeongheon let out a soft laugh. Moments like this… Seohyun really was twenty-four.

[Whisper] Seohyun: hyung

[Whisper] Seohyun: what are we,

A pause.

[Whisper] Seohyun: the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl?

Gyeongheon burst into laughter—thank god the room was empty. He wiped his eyes.

“He’s really… I’m curious what he looks like.”

[Whisper] MachoKing: what can I do I gotta make a living

[Whisper] MachoKing: and stop mixing informal speech

[Whisper] MachoKing: you served in the army didn’t you, this is mutiny

[Whisper] Seohyun: I was exempt

[Whisper] MachoKing: …what?

The mood froze. Gyeongheon dropped his mouse.

Seohyun hesitated—but Gyeongheon typed first.

[Whisper] MachoKing: …what?

[Whisper] MachoKing: exempt?

[Whisper] Seohyun: yeah

[Whisper] Seohyun: I’m exempt

He even stepped away in-game, but Gyeongheon didn’t notice.
Only one thing mattered.

[Whisper] Seohyun: why? not serving makes me not a man?

[Whisper] MachoKing: no

[Whisper] MachoKing: Seohyun’s a man

His true feelings slipped out. He laughed at himself.
So he’d been bossed around by someone who hadn’t even served.

Well… this was just a game.

[Whisper] MachoKing: let’s drop it. you must have reasons

[Whisper] Seohyun: since I told you a secret

[Whisper] Seohyun: you grant my wish now

[Whisper] Seohyun: that’s fair

Before he could respond, a window popped up:

<Player ‘Seohyun’ has gifted you ‘Meldor’s Whip’!>

[Whisper] MachoKing: what’s this

[Whisper] Seohyun: a gift. swing it when bored

[Whisper] MachoKing: can archers even use whips?

[Whisper] Seohyun: you’ll make it funny

Use a whip instead of a bow? He stared at it, then shoved it into storage. Maybe it’d be useful someday.

The atmosphere eased—right before Seohyun detonated another bomb.

[Whisper] Seohyun: since you got my gift join my guild now

[Whisper] MachoKing: ??

[Whisper] Seohyun: I already told them about you

[Whisper] Seohyun: they won’t care

[Whisper] Seohyun: and you can’t starve

[Whisper] Seohyun: twice a month is fine

The gift was a bribe.

Gyeongheon regretted letting his guard down. He remembered their first meeting—the beginning of all this manipulation.

[Whisper] MachoKing: no I said no

[Whisper] MachoKing: I need a job

[Whisper] MachoKing: I gotta survive

He hadn’t even included this brat in his gaming life.

He pushed aside the words he didn’t type and scratched his hair. He really needed a haircut.

[Whisper] Seohyun: you took everything for a week and now this?

[Whisper] Seohyun: twice a month??

[Whisper] Seohyun: hey MadtchoKing

[Whisper] MachoKing: stop messing with my nickname

Every time he said it, Gyeongheon swore he could smell fried chicken.

But Seohyun didn’t stop.

[Whisper] Seohyun: fine I’m leaving do whatever

A sudden runaway announcement.

[Whisper] MachoKing: running away? where the hell you going

[Whisper] Seohyun: this is a dine-and-dash ♡♡

[Whisper] MachoKing: what’s with the hearts

[Whisper] Seohyun: it’s a curse ♡♡

Two neat hearts popped up. It shook Gyeongheon. Seohyun had never thrown hearts around like this.
Not that he hadn’t insulted him before—

[Whisper] Seohyun: don’t follow me

Then a portal opened in front of MachoKing, glowing brightly. Gyeongheon froze.

[Whisper] Seohyun: just try following me

Then Seohyun vanished through the portal.

Left alone at the village entrance, MachoKing stared blankly. Gyeongheon blinked.

“…‘just try following me’?”

It sounded like “follow me and you’re dead.”

But somehow…

It also sounded like:

If you don’t follow, you’re dead.