Chapter 19: Guild Chat and Chaos

In response to his ideal type combination, which hadn’t changed once in his entire life, a reply came up that trembled even more than before.

[Seo-Hyeon: No, but Hyung, since you prefer the ‘batshit crazy and bubbly’ type]

[Seo-Hyeon: Later I’ll send you a pic of me wearing a white tee and jeans]

[Seo-Hyeon: So don’t cry saying you’ve fallen for me]

[Yun: You keep spouting bullshit]

[Seo-Hyeon: f*ck, woof woof. Just unblock me already]

[Seo-Hyeon: It’s my first time being blocked like this]

[Seo-Hyeon: So I’m suffering from like, post-traumatic something or other right now]

It seemed he was trying to scratch at Gyeong-heon’s guilt with some words he’d picked up somewhere, but the person reading it didn’t even bat an eye. He was just dumbfounded.

[Yun: You mean post-traumatic stress disorder. Stop acting up, eat your chicken, and go to sleep]

[Yun: Hyung has to work]

“Is it because the kid is young? If you look at him, he doesn’t seem to sleep.”

Even when Gyeong-heon was hospitalized, the kid had stayed until dawn, dragging ‘Macho King’ around. It was one of two things: either he was crazy about the game, or he really didn’t need sleep. It was back when Gyeong-heon, grumbling in a lackluster voice, used to worry about the guy’s future, wondering what would become of him acting like this.

[Seo-Hyeon: Right now, because of you Hyung]

[Seo-Hyeon: I got a fever and had to lie down]

[Yun: Oh dear]

Glancing at the parking lot across the road, there was still no sign of the vehicle he was waiting for. Gyeong-heon checked Seo-Hyeon’s messages while keeping a close eye out the window and smirked.

[Seo-Hyeon: I’m f*cking pissed, but what makes me even more pissed is]

[Seo-Hyeon: Even though I contacted you first]

[Seo-Hyeon: You haven’t said a single word of apology to me, Hyung]

[Seo-Hyeon: And you’re telling me to eat chicken and get lost]

[Yun: Seo-Hyeon-ah]

[Yun: Hyung has been thinking calmly for the past week]

What we need is a reasonable sense of distance.

He was just about to add that.

[Seo-Hyeon: I thought about it too]

[Seo-Hyeon: Why I had to be blocked]

[Seo-Hyeon: I thought about it in my dreams]

[Seo-Hyeon: I thought about it while working]

Reading the messages, Gyeong-heon tilted his head to the side.

[Yun: What kind of work does a twenty-four-year-old do?]

[Yun: Did you graduate already?]

[Yun: Is that possible because you didn’t go to the army? Early graduation?]

He asked out of pure curiosity, but the kid trembled at the word ‘army’ as if he had been burned by fire.

[Seo-Hyeon: From now on, mentioning the army in front of me is prohibited]

[Yun: Yes, yes. Victory, Victory*]
(T/N: “Pil-seung” is a military salute slogan).

[Seo-Hyeon: ‘Victory’ is prohibited. ‘Once a Marine, Always a Marine’ is prohibited]

[Seo-Hyeon: Reserve forces prohibited. Exemption prohibited]

He must have had a lot of pent-up feelings, given how the list of banned words poured out. After receiving a list of over ten prohibited items, Gyeong-heon pondered what men were supposed to talk about if they didn’t talk about the military. While he was thinking, the chat window had returned to square one.

[Seo-Hyeon: Anyway, since I work too]

[Seo-Hyeon: You eat the chicken, Hyung]

[Seo-Hyeon: Unblock me]

[Seo-Hyeon: Fck, the engineering guy]
(T/N: “Gongdol-i” – slightly derogatory slang for a factory worker or engineer).

[Seo-Hyeon: Said I’m being a pushover for you, Hyung]

[Yun: The engineering guy is LA Engineering Boy?]

Is it a real-life friend? Is that why the two of them bickered like that? Gyeong-heon asked based on his assumption, and a reply came back immediately.

[Seo-Hyeon: Yea]

[Seo-Hyeon: The kid working under me]

Working under him? The more they talked, the less he could understand, so his poor head just tilted left and right repeatedly. Because he had to mobilize boundless imagination for every single line of text, dark circles soon began to appear under Gyeong-heon’s eyes. It meant he was tired.

Gyeong-heon, whose eyes had darkened for a moment, moved his hands with the intention of wrapping up the conversation.

[Yun: Okay, well, you figure it out]

[Yun: Hyung is outside right now so I can’t unblock you immediately]

[Yun: I’m going home the day after tomorrow, I’ll unblock you right then]

[Yun: Kill that temper of yours and go to sleep now]

Not knowing that this would actually pour oil on the fire.

[Seo-Hyeon: The day after tomorrow?]

[Yun: Yeah, I’m outside so I can’t log in]

[Seo-Hyeon: What are you doing outside that you’re going in the day after tomorrow?]

[Seo-Hyeon: Isn’t it just that you don’t want to unblock me?]

[Seo-Hyeon: Do you know how much I, because of you, Hyung]

“How much?”

His head slowly lowered as he read along with the typed words.

[Seo-Hyeon: Was pissed off]

[Yun: Was pissed off?]

Is the shock of being blocked that great? Somehow, the more he read the kid’s messages, the more frequently things popped up that required interpretation.

**

When the autumn excursion season arrives, traffic safety measures are promoted nationwide, and a period of intensive crackdown on drunk driving begins. In short, it means it’s a season where the conditions are ripe for something to blow up, no matter what it is.

For that reason, Gyeong-heon, who usually handles heavy cases like drugs and violence as part of the Violent Crimes Unit, was deployed closer to the lives of citizens. Wearing a detective’s vest every afternoon and conducting public order activities in pairs, the boundary between getting off work and going to work became blurred. Patrolling high-crime areas intensively made him react sensitively even to the sound of a cat crying on a wall.

Still, while I’m at it, let’s try to be a useful servant of the state.

With that mindset, he worked himself to death for two weeks and returned, only to find…

[Seo-Hyeon: Come in quickly]

Because he had been rushing him tirelessly for a while now, Gyeong-heon turned on his PC and shifted his gaze to the vibrating cell phone in his hand.

[Yun: W8]

[Seo-Hyeon: Hyung, please, can you not use abbreviations?]

[Yun: ????]

[Seo-Hyeon: No, it’s just that it lacks sincerity so it’s a bit…]

[Seo-Hyeon: It feels like I’m the only one using Korean]

[Seo-Hyeon: And it feels like you’re just recycling things from a character map or something]

[Seo-Hyeon: Being on the receiving end, it feels pretty dirty]

[Yun: Hahahaha, wait]

Gyeong-heon, logging into the server familiarly, headed to the meeting place following the coordinates Seo-Hyeon had sent.

Upon arrival, four characters gathered closely together greeted Macho King one by one.

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Macho-nim, long time no see^^

Engineering Boy, who had regained his laughter after many twists and turns, welcomed Macho King even more gladly than before.

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Since we see you twice a month like this

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Every time we meet, I feel vaguely nostalgic for no reason^^

[Guild] Kitty: ….Ah, so this is that nostalgic feeling oㅅ,o

Kitty, who had taken out her skirt to wear again, stood quietly by Macho King and agreed with Engineering Boy.

[Guild] Kitty: Right right, I kinda feel like I’m visiting someone in prison when I meet you, Hyung-nim

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Where is the location?

[Guild] Kitty: Prison?

Macho King, who had suddenly been imprisoned in a penitentiary while standing still, now heard a greeting from 88 (Pulpul).

[Guild] Odin’s 88: Hahahaha that’s funny. Long time no see, Macho-nim.

It was nice that they welcomed Macho King, who wasn’t particularly helpful to the guild, but it was bitter that not a single person called Macho King by his proper nickname. Gyeong-heon looked at his character with pity, whose three-syllable name was never called correctly, and typed on the keyboard.

[Guild] Macho King: Hello everyone haha

[Guild] Seo-Hyeon: Hyung, long time no see.

Until just a moment ago, he had been harassing him on Talk, but here he seemed intent on acting like it had been a while. He had practically attacked him to unblock him, so Gyeong-heon unblocked him as promised as soon as he got home. But for the past two weeks, the guy hadn’t tired for a single day and had tormented Gyeong-heon with messages.

Seo-Hyeon, whose appearance became clear after the block was lifted, stood right next to Macho King.

[Guild] Macho King: Yeah

And the KakaoTalk window flashed again.

[Seo-Hyeon: Put some sincerity into the chat]

He thought he’d let it slide, but apparently not. Gyeong-heon let out a bland laugh.

[Guild] Macho King: It’s been a while for you too, Seo-Hyeon-nim.

[Guild] Seo-Hyeon: Just call me Seo-Hyeon.

[Guild] Macho King: Oh, sure.

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Hahahahahaha

[Guild] Odin’s 88: It’s a harmonious atmosphere haha

Contrary to 88’s impression that it was harmonious, the KakaoTalk room was on fire.

[Seo-Hyeon: Don’t call me that, it’s annoying, seriously]

[Seo-Hyeon: What do you mean ‘Seo-Hyeon-nim’?]

[Yun: It’s chaotic so let’s just do one. Only guild chat.]

After temporarily leaving the chat room with Seo-Hyeon, Gyeong-heon began to focus on the monitor.

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Yes, everyone, today is

[Guild] Macho King: Thump thump (Sound of heart beating/excitement)

[Guild] Engineering Boy: Hahaha ah Macho-nim’s abbreviations are cute

[Guild] Macho King: Thank you haha

And then, without anyone starting first, a heartwarming conversation ensued.

“I heard you were thirty-four, but you use abbreviations well.” “Haha, this is all coming out because I’m hanging out with you guys.” “No, Macho-nim has a young sense.” “Ay, don’t say that, it’s embarrassing.” As compliments went back and forth, Kitty and 88 slipped into the conversation too. The guild chat was finally starting to look like a proper guild chat after a long time.

[Guild] Seo-Hyeon: What are you doing?

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: What do you think we’re doing haha^^

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Something our Seo-Hyeon-nim couldn’t even imagine

[Guild] Seo-Hyeon: Hyung, don’t just mix words with anyone.

Engineering Boy, who was ignored in an instant, scurried over to Gyeong-heon to tattle.

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Macho-nim, did you see that?

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: I told you he’s like that.

And before Gyeong-heon could reply, his cell phone vibrated. It was obvious without looking.

[Seo-Hyeon: Leaving the chat room is prohibited]

Gyeong-heon, who was invited back to the chat room by Seo-Hyeon, typed on the keyboard instead of checking the flashing KakaoTalk.

[Guild] Macho King: Guild Master-nim, what is the schedule for today?

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Today is a dungeon^^

[Guild] Macho King: Oh hahaha

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Since Macho-nim said he couldn’t run dungeons

[Guild] Kitty: That’s right, it’s the first time with Hyung-nim hehe oㅅ,o

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Let’s build some memories this time^^

However, before the fire of excitement could even be lit, a bucket of ice water was poured over it.

[Guild] Seo-Hyeon: We cleared the dungeon last time.

[Guild] Seo-Hyeon: What more do you want to do?

[Guild] LA Engineering Boy: Vice Guild Master, please step out for a moment^^

[Guild] Macho King: I want to run a dungeon.

[Guild] Seo-Hyeon: But Hyung, if you go, you’ll get killed in one second?