Chapter 37: A Wall of Silence

So, when we played games or streamed together, it wasn’t that different from usual.

To be precise, when we communicated through chat, Ban-ye would answer me as usual and acted in a way that didn’t feel out of place.

[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Ban-ye, behind you!

[Guild][Ah-ang] OK

Tap, tap.

But, that was all.

Even when we were in the same room, Ban-ye wouldn’t give me so much as a single glance, let alone a word.

Of course, he didn’t usually talk to me affectionately, but… there was a definite atmosphere that was different from that.

‘It’s awkward….’

Staring intently at our own screens, it feels like we’re just at a PC bang….

Of course, if I were to give in to this atmosphere and talk to Ban-ye first, and if he responded, the mood might lighten up.

But, if I do that….

‘I’ll just end up giving meaning to every little thing Ban-ye does and digging myself into a hole… It’s so obvious. Haaa, I hate it.’

Wouldn’t it be better for both of us to keep a certain distance from now on, rather than repeating this vicious cycle?

While I was lost in my various worries, Ban-ye had already finished the dungeon.

I reacted instinctively and greeted him.

[Guild][Ban-yeStorage] Good work, Ban-ye!

[Guild][Ah-ang] GG

Unlike in the chat, reality remained silent.

Screech.

Then, Ban-ye suddenly stood up from his seat as if to leave, and though I flinched, I didn’t look back at him.

I heard the door open, and only after he left the room did I let out the breath I had been holding.

“Haaa….”

Then I let the tension go from my waist and collapsed bonelessly onto the desk, resting my cheek against it.

“…”

What’s the best thing to do in a situation like this?

‘Should I try asking ImSoCute….’

I did feel like I was relying on ImSoCute too much lately… but every time, he would tell me not to think that way, saying he enjoyed listening.

He’s a kind person.

So I decided to try talking to him about today’s worries as well.

‘But before that.’

I looked behind me, just in case Ban-ye came back in.

The door remained quiet, and Ban-ye showed no signs of returning.

More importantly, in our recent chilly state, he would only run the necessary dungeons in the game and then go into his room and not come out, so after he left like this, we wouldn’t run into each other for several hours.

That thought made me feel gloomy for a moment, but anyway, I opened a 1-on-1 chat window with ImSoCute.

[Ah-ang] ImSoCute, you there?

[ImSoCute] I am here ㅋㅋ

[ImSoCute] What’s up?

And just like always, ImSoCute replied to me right away.

I was very happy to hear from him.

[Ah-ang] Hah…

[Ah-ang] My friend is being really annoying lately…… what should I do…

So I got straight to the point.

ImSoCute replied with [ㅋㅋㅋㅋ] and laughed, then asked, [How is your friend being annoying?].

I was about to tell him every little detail, but I hesitated, feeling a bit of post-nut clarity.

Fortunately, ImSoCute was a kind person who understood my feelings.

Instead of rushing me to speak, he just suggested we play a game together.

He also coaxed me into joining a voice chat.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been on Discord together.”

“I know, right….”

“Which dungeons does Ban-yeStorage have left?”

“Um… I don’t think I’ve done the Rose Garden?”

“Then, shall we start with the Rose Garden?”

I partied up with ImSoCute and we ran the Rose Garden.

The boss of the Rose Garden, which could be considered the origin of the Lilith class, was a beautiful female monster that used a thorny vine whip.

Still, I could clear the Rose Garden without dying these days, so ImSoCute and I chatted idly as we slowly made our way through the dungeon.

“You’ve been focusing on being a buffer lately, but you haven’t lost your touch with damage dealing. Why are you only playing as a buffer?”

“…Ban-ye told me to be a buffer.”

“Ah. Hmm…. You’re good at dealing damage from what I can see, how about suggesting you two run dungeons as a duo?”

“It’s not really the right atmosphere for that kind of talk these days….”

I only said that much and let out a long sigh.

It was an unintentional sigh, so I was a little surprised myself.

After a short silence, ImSoCute said to me.

“How about trying to have a conversation? It’s good to accommodate Ban-ye, but….”

“…No.”

I shook my head without even hearing him out completely.

This war of nerves with Ban-ye was enough for now.

I felt that if we had any more clashes of opinion, Ban-ye might just leave the house.

Since I didn’t wish for us to never see each other again, I was just lying low and waiting for this period to pass.

Ding.

But just then, someone else entered the voice chat where it had just been the two of us.

Only then did I realize that this was the guild’s Discord channel and that other people could join, so I flinched slightly and shut my mouth.

ImSoCute also seemed to be about to say something but fell silent.

Cutting through this unnatural silence, someone’s frivolous voice picked a fight.

“Did I interrupt something important?”

It was Aki.

“Whatever!”

I shouted at Aki.

Aki chuckled and then asked, “Where’s Ban-ye?”

This guy, that guy, they all bring up Ban-ye the moment they see me, and it was starting to get on my nerves, so I snapped back bluntly.

“I don’t know!”

“If you don’t know, who would? So what were you two doing?”

“We were running the Rose Garden.”

ImSoCute replied calmly.

Hearing that, Aki sneered.

“The Rose Garden? Why would a max-level player go there? You were carrying Ah-ang again.”

I wanted to strangle Aki for being so annoyingly right.

“If you’re not gonna help, then shut up!”

“Why would I help you? You’ve got two guys, Ban-ye and ImSoCute, waiting on you hand and foot.”

I didn’t like the expression “waiting on hand and foot,” so I fumed.

“No, we’re not! I kill stuff too, you know?”

“In the first place, those two don’t even need to go there, they’re only going because of you. Tsk tsk…. you still don’t get anything, do you?”

But winning a war of words against Aki, who knew the game inside and out and was already max level, was impossible.

Still, I wanted to beat Aki, so I just blurted out the fact that ImSoCute had told me about him.

“You wear the uniform I made too!”

“…What?”

“I-It’s true! I know all about you wearing it on your alt character!”

“…”

I had said it out of a desire not to lose, but unexpectedly seeing Aki at a loss for words made me start to feel good.

‘Is this why Aki goes around picking fights?’

I spoke triumphantly to the speechless Aki.

“Why are you wearing it in secret! Just wear it proudly!”

“…Who told you? Ban-ye?”

“Whatever. I saw it with my own two eyes.”

“You’re lying through your teeth.”

“Haha. I told him.”

“You loose-lipped j*rk.”

Aki took his frustration out on ImSoCute, but he never denied wearing the uniform.

I found that fact hilarious and kept giggling.

Ding.

Just then, another guild member entered.

“Hey.”

It was HeyYam.

It was my first time voice chatting with HeyYam on Discord, so I was a little nervous.

But then, as soon as HeyYam arrived, Aki suddenly said to me.

“I only wore it because HeyYam told me to. What am I supposed to do when the vice-guild master tells me to wear it?”

“What?”

HeyYam seemed flustered by Aki’s pathetic attack, dragging him into it as soon as he arrived.

I said with a grin.

“Did HeyYam tell you to wear it on your alt character all the time?”

“…Ah.”

At those words, HeyYam let out a short sigh, as if he realized this was about the uniform.

From then on, I diligently teased Aki.

“Aki, if you stop saying mean things, I’ll make you a black rabbit hat.”

“Bullsh*t.”

“So you’re not saying you don’t want it.”

“Go put it on Ban-ye.”

“…Ban-ye wears it just fine, you know? He’ll wear it if it’s black.”

“Pfft. Can’t be helped, I guess, even for Ban-ye.”

Of course, whenever Ban-ye’s name came up in the middle of it, my chest felt a little tight, but I still felt like I could breathe a little easier than before.

“By the way, what’s Ban-ye doing now?”

“…I don’t know.”

“He went out after his live broadcast earlier.”

“He’s been streaming pretty diligently these days. Does being a streamer suit him surprisingly well?”

“I know, right? I thought that b@stard would do it for a week and then quit.”

However, the conversation about Ban-ye that started with HeyYam’s question didn’t end.

As I kept my mouth tightly shut, Aki suddenly said something strange.

“Honestly, if he were doing it alone, he would have quit 100%. He quits right away if something even slightly bothers him.”

Huh? What does that mean?

And yet, no one refuted Aki’s words.