Chapter 29: Dial 112!

After confessing that he wanted to become Macho’s jujube tree, there was a period of silence from him. But just because the messages stopped didn’t mean that fiery confession had faded.

[Hyung, if we go out, you won’t become gay, right?]

‘Then what would I become, you little…’

[What else would it be?]

‘No, never mind.’

[Just think of it as a man loving another man.]

His words made my stomach churn, and I couldn’t hang up.

‘Hang up, hang up!’

Do guys confess like this? Don’t gay people go all out when they like someone? No matter how much Kyunghun, who had only ever been with women, tried to reason, the answer was clear.

He had gotten involved with someone he shouldn’t have.

[Hyung, are you asleep?]

One day, half-asleep, he picked up a call from an international number. Just seeing an unfamiliar number made his heart race two or three times faster than normal. He mumbled with his eyelids drooping.

‘…Did you drink again?’

[No, I didn’t drink. Hyung, it’s time to give me an answer.]

‘An… answer?’

What does that even mean? His voice sank lower as he mumbled in a sleepy haze.

[You promised to answer my confession last time.]

‘…Me?’

Kyunghun suddenly blurted out a curse. When had he ever said he’d think about it? From the start, it was a rejection. Yelling in a mixture of sleepiness and swearing, he gave Seohyun more time to consider, like a wealthy philanthropist in the dead of winter.

‘Don’t give me time. Don’t! If you do, I’ll die.’

[Do you know what Einstein said?]

‘You little… Please!’

Kyunghun flailed his blanket and shouted in frustration.

[I have no way to think about the future. It will happen anyway.]

‘These bastards.’

Why did Einstein leave unnecessary words behind that torment future generations? Kyunghun was fuming after being hit by a bolt of lightning in his sleep.

[What we needed was time. Wow, hyung, I think I see a bit of hope now.]

‘Where’s that hope? I’ll tear it apart.’

If hope were a physical object, it would have long since met its end in Kyunghun’s hands, but unfortunately, it was hidden only in Seohyun’s heart.

Seohyun ended the call after notifying Kyunghun that she’d contact him again later—and even teased that if he blocked her number, she would contact him from another one.

That day’s shocking confession changed not only Kyunghun but also MachoKing’s life entirely.

[Guild] MachoKing: 112! 112! Call 112 without the area code!

The entire forest echoed with MachoKing’s desperate cries while Seohyun’s messages kept popping up alternately.

[Guild] Seohyun: What are you doing right now?
[Guild] MachoKing: 112! 112! 112!
[Guild] Seohyun: Are you protesting right now?
[Guild] MachoKing: Call 112 without the area code!
[Guild] Seohyun: Shut up, seriously!

Before he could pull out a weapon in anger, Kyunghun preemptively acted.

<‘MachoKing starts running in rage.’>

Kyunghun clicked the cursor randomly, distancing MachoKing from Seohyun and other guild members. Behind them, Yaong shouted “Hyung! Hyung!” calling after MachoKing.

The situation started because Seohyun kept whispering her confession in the game as soon as Kyunghun logged in. If he pretended not to see, her character would follow MachoKing, nuzzling against him.

Seeing that, MachoKing decided he’d rather die than endure it.

Thus, he ran toward the outskirts of the village. A little combat with veteran players would be a fun experience anyway.

But he soon realized that Seohyun’s character was running right alongside him.

[Guild] Seohyun: What am I doing???

You’re moving! Kyunghun typed angrily on the keyboard.

[Guild] MachoKing: 112! 112! Save me!
[Guild] Seohyun: Hyung! Why are you embarrassing yourself?!

Frustrated beyond control, Kyunghun typed again.

[Guild] Seohyun: You’re running away!

Seohyun chased MachoKing through the forest. Guild members watched, bewildered, but the two were too busy running and dodging each other.

[Guild] Seohyun: Come here?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kyunghun typed frantically.

[Guild] MachoKing: Everyone, call the police!
[Guild] Seohyun: Please, Macho-hyung!!

Yaong, startled, asked Palpal what number to call for 112, then hid behind the guild leader, LA Gondaen.

[Guild] MachoKing: Call 112 without the area code!
[Guild] Seohyun: Stop running already!!

At his wit’s end, MachoKing called voice chat. The previous night, Kyunghun had threatened to cut his wrist if Seohyun called again internationally.

Kyunghun made MachoKing stop running and answered the call.

[You got a confession and haven’t answered?]

“Because I said no, Seohyun. Damn it.”

[Hyung, I said I’d think about it first.]

That “think about it” made Kyunghun curse once more.

“Come on, it’s been a week. Isn’t that enough thinking?”

A faint laugh came from the other side.

[Don’t act like you’ve never dated anyone. When you get a confession, you take at least a month to answer.]

“You, don’t act like some jujube tree romance is happening. Seriously, I don’t do that crap.”

[Sorry, hyung. Honestly, I was a little drunk when I sent that text after confessing.]

Kyunghun opened his mouth but closed it again, focusing on Seohyun’s voice.

[So… I just want to see where it goes lightly.]

“Light dating never has depth. I hate that—no substance.”

During the call, Yaong typed in chat near the unmoving MachoKing.

[Guild] Yaong: Hyung!
[Guild] Yaong: Did you go to the bathroom???

No response. Then Palpal chimed in.

[Guild] Odin88: Macho, are you not here…?

And then the guild leader LA Gondaen got involved.

[Guild] Odin88: Guild master, I’m curious about something.
[Guild] LA Gondaen: Go ahead^^

While Kyunghun focused on Seohyun’s voice, he noticed the chat text rising slowly.

[Guild] Odin88: Macho, it’s not… like that, right?

Palpal often mumbled like that, usually centering the conversation on someone absent.

Someone else, Yaong, stepped in.

[Guild] Yaong: Palpal, Macho-hyung isn’t like thatㅇㅅ,ㅇ
[Guild] Yaong: Why would our hyung show up here if he’s in the bathroom——

Having once been criticized for a bad costume, Yaong became fiercely loyal to MachoKing from that day.

Her loyalty was so strong that she would step in whenever Kyunghun might get bad comments.

[Guild] Odin88: Lately, every server seems to have a “net-kama”
[Guild] LA Gondaen: Huh?ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
[Guild] Odin88: The forums have been noisy about it…
[Guild] LA Gondaen: That “net-kama”?
[Guild] Odin88: Yes.

Kyunghun’s eyes darted at this unfamiliar word.

[Guild] Yaong: Palpal——

Yaong, standing with her hand on Palpal’s waist, defended MachoKing.

[Guild] Yaong: Some things you say, some you shouldn’t――
[Guild] Yaong: Net-kama are men dressing as women to scam people,
[Guild] Yaong: Macho-hyung is manly to the bone,
[Guild] Yaong: He curses like crazy in chat, haven’t you seen?
[Guild] Odin88: Y-Yes, I know… Macho has a chaotic personality…
[Guild] Yaong: Even if Palpal’s class is like that, you shouldn’t doubt people――
[Guild] Odin88: Yes…

Kyunghun, holding his phone between shoulder and cheek, typed to clarify before the misunderstanding spread.

[Guild] MachoKing: Palpal
[Guild] MachoKing: Dressing as a woman? What are you talking about?
[Guild] MachoKing: I’m not a pervert like that.
[Guild] Odin88: Ah…
[Guild] MachoKing: Also, MachoKing is a man.

Seeing MachoKing clarify personally, Palpal hesitated.

After giving him the chance to speak, the chat slowly resumed.

[Guild] Odin88: Macho, I apologize first.
[Guild] LA Gondaen: Good to see a prompt apology^^

[Guild] Odin88: The vice-guild master behaves unusually in front of Macho…
[Guild] Odin88: Acting unlike himself.

LA Gondaen was surprisingly intrigued.

[Guild] LA Gondaen: How so? Giving items?ㅋㅋㅋ That I get
[Guild] Odin88: More than that;;; Macho knows when they log in,
[Guild] Odin88: Stands guard at the auction,
[Guild] Odin88: And whatever is bought goes to Macho;;
[Guild] Odin88: Like a courting peacock…

Then, Yaong spoke up again.

[Guild] Yaong: Um…

She recalled a strange post she saw on the forum a few days ago.