Chapter 25: The True Colors of an Ex

It was when I was about to log in with my ID for the first time in a while.

[A new private message has arrived.]

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: Is this a video you uploaded?
YouTube Link: Ah-ang1]

I never usually clicked on private messages, but for some reason, I felt the urge to check it today.

The message I clicked on was, unluckily, from Kwon Da-jung.

On the official website, the sender can immediately see if you’ve read a private message, so I felt a slight regret as soon as I clicked it on impulse.

I had a feeling that if Kwon Da-jung knew I had read it, he would immediately start talking to me again.

Besides, the link the j*rk sent was indeed one of the YouTube videos Ban-ye had been uploading.

“Gasp. This b@stard… how did he know?”

I was startled and stared at the message from Kwon Da-jung, pondering for several minutes.

If Ban-ye were home right now, I would have called him over to discuss it, but he had just stepped out to go to the convenience store in front of our building, so no one was here.

“For now, should I just ignore it until Ban-ye gets back….”

[A new private message has arrived.]

But then, another message arrived right after.

I opened it, wondering what kind of nonsense he was spouting this time, but Kwon Da-jung’s words were even more absurd.

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: I think it is hh
Looks like you server transferred and found another guy to carry you like I did lol]

“…? What’s with this tone.”

Unlike how he had been clinging to me and acting pathetic until now, his openly provocative tone was baffling.

Of course, it was true that Kwon Da-jung had carried me.

I didn’t do much grinding in the first place.

But these days, I was grinding quite hard myself, and back when I was with Kwon Da-jung, I only wanted to focus on crafting, but he was the one who insisted on dragging me along to the hunting grounds he frequented.

And he made such a big deal out of it, too.

Saying I leveled up this much because he carried me….

At the time, I couldn’t help but be grateful, but even back when I liked Kwon Da-jung, I thought it was a bit of a hassle.

But, what on earth is this nuance…?

It’s as if he’s saying I ditched him, transferred servers, and found a new carry named Ban-ye.

I was annoyed and dumbfounded, and I debated whether to block this b@stard.

But Kwon Da-jung wasn’t done yet.

[A new private message has arrived.]

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: Ban-ye? You snagged a pretty famous ranker
He’s famous for having a sh*tty personality
Did you get close by showering him with gifts again lol
Or did you act pitiful? You’re good at that]

“…What did you say?”

I felt my blood pressure shoot up at Kwon Da-jung’s outright aggressive behavior and sent him a message.

[Sender: hanO0
Content: Why are you picking a fight?]

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: Because it’s absurd
Seems like you’ve been dating for a while, did you jump ship?
You shouldn’t be so dirty like that lol]

“No, this crazy b@stard! Who is calling who dirty right now?”

It was absurd to hear this from the dirtiest person I knew.

[Sender: hanO0
Content: Don’t have such ridiculous delusions
If you didn’t want to break up, you should have treated me better
I only left because I didn’t want to associate with someone who backstabs people in the first place
Why don’t you reflect on your own actions tsk tsk]

It was the first time I had revealed the reason for my server transfer to Kwon Da-jung, but absurdly, he played innocent.

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: Backstabbing?
When did I? hh
I’ve listened to you backstab others, but I’ve never done it to you first lol]

“What?”

I completely lost it at Kwon Da-jung’s attempt to pin his own faults on me.

As my hands trembled and my heart pounded, Kwon Da-jung began his tirade as if he had been waiting for this moment.

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: The guild members all said your server transfer was absurd too lol
Even if it’s just a game, leaving without a word to the guild and then going around talking sh*t about them isn’t polite, Han-young^^]

I completely lost it at his lecture on politeness and typed out a furious message.

[Sender: hanO0
Content: Politeness? Is taking everything you can get and then backstabbing people behind their backs polite?
You guys acted like my best friends when you were taking my cash items]

But in the meantime, Kwon Da-jung sent another message with more f*cking nonsense.

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: You showered people with gifts because you wanted attention, and when it didn’t go your way, you just left lol]

“No!”

When did I ever do that?

I could feel my face flush beet red with shock and shame.

But Kwon Da-jung didn’t stop there.

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: You buy 100 or 200 won items and then ask for so much in return
Everyone was so f*cking tired of it ^^
We just put up with you because you were young]

A corner of my heart that I thought could no longer be hurt by his words felt a sharp sting.

With a surge of emotion, I retorted with trembling hands.

[Sender: hanO0
Content: When did I ever buy 100 won items and ask for a lot in return?
I spent hundreds of thousands on you guys
And I don’t know about the others, but you, Kwon Da-jung, shouldn’t be talking to me like this, you f*cking b@stard]

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: Let’s refrain from swearing hh I’m older than you
It’s not like I don’t know how to curse^^
You shouldn’t be so rude to your hyung]

“Wow, what the f*ck is wrong with this crazy m0ron?”

I was so irritated, and I f*cking hated Kwon Da-jung so much.

I wanted to smash his hypocritical ^^ and hh to pieces.

[Sender: hanO0
Content: Yeah, be proud of being old lol
Don’t contact me again ㅗ
I’m doing just fine with a guy who’s much younger, more handsome, and better at the game than you ^^]

This time, my words seemed to have hit a mark, as the incessant message notification sound went silent for a moment.

But that was also fleeting.

Kwon Da-jung soon sent a vile message.

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: lol I’m giving you a chance to apologize right now
Does Ban-ye know you’re this kind of person?]

[Sender: hanO0
Content: What kind of bullsh*t is this]

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: I’m asking if you told Ban-ye about how you confessed you liked me and sent me your pictures
It’s just amazing how you were so passionate then, and now you’re acting so disrespectfully lol]

“….”

As for pictures, the only thing I had sent was a selfie that Kwon Da-jung kept pestering me for.

But the way he put it made it sound like I had done something obscene with him.

To be honest, Kwon Da-jung did sometimes make weird jokes with me.

I never really played along because I was too awkward with those kinds of dirty jokes….

And I think that was a blessing in disguise even now.

If I had fallen for his attempts to get me to make weird jokes, saying he liked proactive people, I would be in more pain now than I am.

But….

Separate from that, the more I confirmed that the person I once liked was the worst kind of trash, the more my mood plummeted.

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: You haven’t, right? Don’t tell him lol. This is advice for your own good
No matter how much guys say it’s okay on the outside, deep down they think it’s disgusting lol. So keep meeting him while hiding it ^^
Oh, and one more piece of advice
You used to talk about your family situation whenever you felt down and how you’re living like a semi-hermit after failing your college entrance exams
Listening to that is fine once or twice, but for the person listening, it gets f*cking tiring, so don’t go around talking about it from now on lol
If you already told him, gg lol]

I felt like tears were about to well up, but I clenched my jaw and said to the j*rk.

[Sender: hanO0
Content: Pay back the five million you borrowed from me, you f*cking beggar]

It was something I had decided to bury, thinking I was a fool for lending it in the first place and not planning to get it back.

But after his words dug into my wounds, I no longer felt the need to hold back.

However, as if he had expected me to say this, Kwon Da-jung taunted me smoothly.

[Sender: kdj0313
Content: You gave me that money because you liked me, so why should I pay it back lol
Thanks though, it was a sweet deal burp lol]

Kwon Da-jung, who had revealed his true nature with his vulgar tone, went silent after that.

I felt like I had been beaten up several times over, my fists clenched as I trembled.

Beep, beep, beep, beep.

Just then, I heard the sound of the passcode being entered at the front door.

It must be Ban-ye.

Normally, I would have gone to greet him happily, but right now, I couldn’t manage to control my expression at all….

I turned off the computer and lay down on the bed.

And I squeezed my eyes shut for no reason.

I thought it was better to pretend to be asleep.

Because I didn’t want to talk to anyone right now….

“Hyung, are you sleeping?”

“….”

Ban-ye came into the room without knocking, saw me lying down, and after seeing me motionless, he quietly closed the door and left.

I pressed my lips together firmly.

A whirlpool was raging inside my chest.