Chapter 5 - Him
Love 2.0
The days of the final year exams were nearing and each day seemed to past by so quickly, just like a breeze in a autumn day. During the past few weeks, I've been working hard on revising my work to ensure that I would get good results. Unlike most of the people here in the university, my family isn't that well off. My parents work hard back in my hometown, as factory workers. To lighten their workload, I had to obtain good results to be able to continue getting my scholarships to stay in the school. Other than school work, I have been working with the boys to complete the video for the video competition. We've decided that the title would be, ' The Art Of Love'. The story was about a group of young lords traveling in the forest, one of the lords happens to be a good looking musician and he caught the eye of the female bandit. In exchange of their safety, the female bandit asked for the musician, to be kept as her prisoner. Back at her lair, the bandit tried to keep the musician by her side and to do so, she tried her best to make him happy. But no matter what she did, the man never smiled. The bandit then decided that she'd better give the musician his freedom, she realised that she rather have the musician happy then by her side being miserable. However, on his way out of the forest, the musician had an encounter with a monster and managed to escape with the help of the bandit. They end up falling in love, but on the day of their wedding the royal guards came in to arrest the bandit. The musician planned it all and ends up killing the girl with his own bare hands. Guilt ridden, he jumps off a cliff while holding onto her cold and lifeless body. At least that was the story we decided to go with.
During the past weeks, I've been attending the computer science electives and I've noticed that Jong In sunbae attends the lessons too. Being one of his fan girls, I know that he not only majors in Business but in Computer Science as well. A part of me wants to know the reason behind him taking a computer science elective even though he's already taking it as a major. Not that I was complaining to have him in my class, the guy sits beside me every lesson but I never found the courage to talk to him. And in the forums of our school website, there have been many rumours that Jong In sunbae moved back to the dorms as he has been seen in school more often than usual. Some say that he moved back cause he broke up with his heiress girlfriend, the more sane and logical people just say that he moved back just because finals were coming. Regardless of whatever reason it was, I was just happy that I get to see him more often now.
"Choi Jae Hee...." Seri groaned, giving me a back hug and breaking me out off my thoughts. "You still busy with the video editing?"
"Nope, Kai is editing it. What's wrong Seri?" I asked, knowing that her sudden act of affection had an ulterior motive behind it.
"You see, I have film production elective and it's my first day..." She trailed, adding agyeo to her voice. " And you know that it wasn't my choice of an elective right? Could you, maybe just help me to call in sick?" She asked with a cute pout.
"No. Kwon Seri, you've only attended film production three times in this month alone, the staff here aren't idiots you know. If I called you in sick, again, they're going to get suspicious. And worse scenario, you get found out and can't go home during winter break."
"Aish... You're right...." She sighed, complying to my reasoning.
"Leave now and you'll still be able to buy breakfast before class." I said, knowing that food is the thing that can energize her in the morning. Her eyes gleamed in happiness and left quickly mumbling about the bread being sold in the cafeteria.
_
-Mark POV-
"The film that we'll be talking about today is 'Titanic'. I'm pretty sure that you guys have watched or at least heard of this movie before right? The movie was produced by Paramount Pictures-" Just as I was listening to the lecture, my concentration was broken by a person who was kneeling down beside me while emitting a 'pst' noise.
"Excuse me, yah! Hello~" She said in hush tones, trying to grab my attention with her annoying noises. "Omo, Mark sunbae?" She gasped, finally realising that it's me.
"You know me?" I asked, turning to face the girl crouching down, trying to avoid the teacher.
"Of course, but that's not important. You're sitting on my seat! I just went out to get breakfast and here you are, in MY seat." She explained. "Look, my textbooks are still under the table so could you please move a seat inside? I'd really appreciate it." She continued, with a sheepish smile on her face.
"Listen, I was here while you were gone. I happen to like this seat so why don't you move inside instead?" I suggested, deliberately making things difficult for the girl.
"YAH! Why are you making this so difficult? You could just move your in right!?" She exclaimed loudly, finally exploding in class causing everyone to turn their heads to look at us.
"Student! What are you doing?" Mr Ahn, the lecturer asked, feeling annoyed.
"He took my seat!" She complained, just like a child.
"Look, just squeeze in the seat beside Mr Tuan." He said, sighing and massaging his temples due to the sudden rise in blood pressure from the girl. The girl dropped her head down and awkwardly climbed over me to get into her seat, upon sitting down she finally noticed that the seat was broken. The seat wouldn't stay up and would drop down whenever someone sat on it, the reason why I refused to move.The seats kept dropping down and the girl beside me slid down each time.
"Yah, you're playing on a slide?" I teased, causing the girl to turn and glare at me.
"You knew this seat was broken... And my name isn't ya, it's Kwon Seri..."
"Well Kwon Seri, stop it. It's distracting." I commented. The girl seemed to be tired of sliding down the seat, she decided to kick the seat down and ended up sitting on a bar that supported the rest of the seat.
"Ah... So you're not playing on the slide anymore? Decided to hang on monkey bars?" I teased again. The girl glared at me one more time, muttering a possible swear word before she stepped on my foot and kicked my shin after, causing me to let out a loud yelp. The class turned, looking at us again. Mr Ahn warned us, saying that if we made anymore noise we would have to write a thousand word essay as a punishment.
"Is there something wrong with you? Sick in the head or what?" I asked, embarrassed and agitated by her actions.
"Why? Do you have medicine for it?" She retorted, sticking her tongue out. I could tell that she was just as irritated at me as I was with her, luckily she slept through the rest of the class and the class was able to pass by quickly. When the teacher dismissed us, I immediately dashed out of the classroom. Not only just to avoid Kwon Seri but to see her.
_
I ran quickly, in order to catch up with Jae Hee. She has her elective class at this time of the day, not that I'm being a stalker but I noticed that her elective class ends around the same timing as mine. I saw her, walking alone. She's wearing a simple plain t-shirt with jeans and sneakers, on her arm was her coat and the other hand held her laptop and she had her same old back pack on her back.
"Do you need me to carry that for you?" I asked, walking along side her. She jolted, feeling startled by my presence.
"Hey Mark sunbae, it's fine. I can manage." She said, not making much effort to carry out a conversation.
"So, how about a meal with me? My treat!"
"It's fine, you don't have to treat me to a meal to compensate for what you did." She rejected me nicely, with a smile on her face.
"At least let me just walk with you..." I trailed, to which she complied.
"I have something to tell you." I mumbled. Jae Hee furrowed her eyebrows looking at me blankly, implying for me to continue. "You know that I like you right? I mean more than just a junior, I like you or maybe even love you, Choi Jae Hee. Will you be my girlfriend?" I asked, my voice filled with sincerity.
"Mark sunbae, I know how you feel. But I don't think we're suitable for each other." Ouch, that rejection.
"How are we not suitable?" I asked feeling agitated. "We are both in the same faculty, we have plenty to talk about. And-"
"Sunbae..." She trailed, abruptly stopping the statement I was about to make. "I just don't see you in that way and besides, there's someone that I already like." She said, setting her gaze upon the ground.
"Who?" I mustered the courage to ask, my tone was weak from the fear of knowing the name of the guy who has her heart.
"Kim Jong In sunbae, he's my crush and has been for a long time." The rejection was real.
"I don't care. As long as you're not with him, I have the rights to pursue you, to like you." I said, determined to make her like me.
"Please, at least give me the rights to like you."
"Sunbae..." She muttered softly before bowing to me and leaving. I looked at her back as she left, she didn't even turn back to look at me. Being a optimist, I assumed that she gave me her consent to continue liking her. I was determined to make her mine, to make her look at me and only me.
"Wow, wow, wow. Did Mark Tuan just got rejected by your faculty beauty?" Someone said, gaining my attention. I turned my head, only to see Victoria standing with a smirk on her face. "Since when did you fall for the sugar baby type who liked old men and nice red sports cars? I thought you despised her?" She asked, taunting me.
"That was a misunderstanding and I've already taken the article down so give it a rest." I said, with a subtle tone of annoyance in my voice.
"Standing up for her, huh? Your taste in girls are so bad."
"I'm not standing up for her, it's the truth!" I retorted. "Don't you dare spread any rumours about her, I'm warning you. And me being rejected is my own problem, off Victoria." I warned before leaving the annoyed girl behind.
_
I huffed angrily into my dorms and slammed the doors, startling my roommates. I sat down at my desk and took out my computer. I opened up the gallery and stared at the picture of Jae Hee, the one of her leaving the car. I thought to myself, if the article I posted was a blessing or not. Without the article, maybe Jae Hee would have thought nicer of me. She would have a better impression of me and we could have a better start with each other, eventually she would have accepted my confession to her. But without the article, we wouldn't have even talked in the first place, let alone having the chance to confess to her. I sighed in frustration of my current situation, not knowing what to do.
"Who's that? Your girlfriend?" My roommates asked, gathering behind me to look at the girl on my computer screen.
"I confessed and got shot down, rejected..." I sighed as the boys looked at each other, worried.
"What? Which girl dares to reject Mark Tuan huh?"
"It doesn't matter who she is... I just need a way to connect to her..."
"What about doing something she likes? Like her hobby or something, maybe that'll get you guys talking?" The boys suggested.
"That's right! She did say that she liked playing computer games once." That's great, I could start playing that game... What was it again? Legends of Champions! That's right.
"Thanks guys!" I said, feeling motivated to start chasing her again.
"No problem bro, we still playing basketball?" They asked, to which I nodded my head furiously.
_
-Choi Jae Hee POV-
"You're looking for Jae Hee?" Seri asked, after she picked up the phone ringing in our dorm. "Who is this again? Mark Tuan!? She's not in, bye!" She yelled before ending the call.
"Jae, does Mark sunbae like you?" Eun Ah asked, curious of what was going on between Mark and I. After the confession, he kept on calling the dorms and asking for me. The perks of having an admirer, sense the sarcasm...
"Erm..." I trailed, not knowing what to say.
"SPILL!" The three girls exclaimed all at once.
"Well, he kind of confessed to me today..." I admitted, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
"And your response was?" Yuna asked, smirking.
"Obviously, it's a no. " I assured her.
"Thank god you said no!" Seri exclaimed. "I tell you Jae ah, it's a good thing you said no. The fact that the guy posted such pictures about you online once, show's that he has issues!" She continued.
"Hmmm what happened Kwon Seri? Just a few days ago you were still gushing about how perfect Mark sunbae is, why the sudden hate?"
"Nothing! It's just that I had a close encounter with him and let's just say he ain't a prince charming anymore, he's more like the devil." She muttered, shivering at the thought of Mark Tuan.
"So, Jae. How did you reject him? Mr smart- never takes no for an answer." Eun Ah asked, knowing that Mark sunbae was a stubborn man that wanted everything his way. According to Seri, he grew up having everything he wanted. His father was a member of the parliament, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Being a spoiled kid, showered by money made him rather stubborn.
"I lied." I admitted, "I couldn't even look Mark sunbae in the eye cause I lied! I said that I had a crush on Jong In sunbae just to turn him down..."
"You sure it's a lie? Pretty sure you do have a crush on Jong In sunbae." Yuna teased, wiggling her brows suggestively to which I responded with my eye rolling.
"I admire Jong In sunbae, I don't like him in that way. He's like a far away dream that I can never reach."
"That's true. Eun Ah and I saw it just now. A girl wanted to pass him a confession letter but he just ignored her and walked by her, such a cold and distant man." Yuna said with a sigh, understanding that Kim Jong In was a guy only to be admired and not to be wanted by normal girls like us.
"But now that I think about it Jae, if you don't like someone like Mark sunbae who's belongs so high up in the food chain, who do you like?" Seri asked.
"What exactly is this food chain?" I asked, feeling amused that food chains existed.
"Oh Jae Hee..." Eun Ah sighed at how oblivious I was to all this. "Guys like King Jong In is right at the top, the cream of the crop, second are his groupies. They're not that good looking but being friends with the King brings them up in the food chain cause not everyone gets to be close friends with the King, ya know. And then third belongs to people like Mark sunbae, smart, rich and hot, but not that relevant. Fourth are the jocks, the people who play sports in our school. And those down and below are just irrelevant to our lives." Eun Ah explained. I rolled my eyes in response of what she said, I wasn't as superficial as what the girls thought of me. The reason why I don't have a boyfriend was mainly because no one caught my eye, or at least my heart. I don't care what my other half looks like, what I care about is his personality. Honestly, rather than have Kim Jong In as a boyfriend, I'd rather have Kai. A guy like him was hard to come across. Yes, I barely know the guy, how he looks like or know of his habits and personality but judging from how we interact in the game, I could tell that he was a sweetheart, a nice guy.
"Urgh... You guys are hopeless..." I commented before starting up my computer to play LOC.
"Jae, let's play together." Seri said, starting up her laptop as well.
"Since when?" I asked, amused that the girl who once concluded that computer games were an abomination is actually starting to play now.
"15 minutes ago..." She replied sheepishly.
"And why?"
"You see, if I really do get selected by Oh Enterprise to intern for them, they're going to find out that I don't really play LOC. Right now I'm just trying it out, just so I know about." That was so expected of Seri, to cover up her lies like that.
"Jae save me!" Seri cried in distress. "There's something wrong with the stupid game, I can't kill these monsters!" She whined, pouting. As if expecting me to do something about it.
"What do you want me to do?" I asked sighing, knowing that she'll want the easy way out.
"Help me." She begged, pouting. I rolled my eyes and settled down in her seat and starting leveling her character up.
_
-Kim Jong In POV-
"Jong In, you've been going to the computer science elective class now." Baek Hyun commented, curious by my actions.
"And so?" I asked, pretending to be naive of his intentions.
"Why have you been going for the elective when you already take it as a second major?" He demanded for a answer, dribbling the basketball away from me.
"No apparent reason. My computer science has been weak anyway, the elective is basically like having a tutor, a shared tutor in a big class." I said innocently, stealing the ball back from him.
"Uh huh... But you're the best student in our class. Your lies are so bad, it's as if you really want us to find out what you are really hiding." Yi Xing commented, stealing the ball away from me this time. I kept quite, finding the right time to snatch the ball from him and managed to shoot a hoop.
"You guys, we're about to take on Oh Enterprise and start working on the new Legends of Champions project, Fire Games Corporations aren't that easy to please. Think of me going to computer science elective as a boost, a helping hand for our Haneul." I said, trying to assure the boys that me going to computer science electives was nothing but an innocent act to try to get my coding and programming skills to the next level.
"Hmm, your intentions are just like mine... But why did you change your schedule?" Chan Yeol asked, eyeing me suspiciously.
"Change his schedule? What do you even mean by that?" Baek Hyun asked, walking towards me with Yi Xing.
"Our dearest Kim Jong In-ssi decided to change his schedule for the elective classes. We use to be seat mates bro! And you betrayed me!" Chan Yeol exclaimed, faking a cry.
"Oh no! How could you Kim Jong In, break our Chan Yeol's heart!" Yi Xing said while joining in on Chan Yeol's little play, the young innocent Park Chan Yeol being hurt by the notorious heart breaker, Kim Jong In.
"Whatever..." I trailed, before taking the ball and heading out to shoot hoops again. I couldn't, I didn't want to admit that I changed the schedule so that I had more chances to meet Jae Hee. During the past few weeks, I've met her around five times. Even though five might seem like a small number, to me it was more than enough. Being able to sit and admire her face and her presence for an hour or more per day was pure bliss.
"Are you Kim Jong In?" Someone asked, blocking me from shooting any hoops.
"I am." I replied simply, a mixture of amusement and irritation was rising in my head.
"Do you mind if we had a match?" He said. I couldn't put my finger on it, it seemed like he was acting kind of smug and at the same time he had this aura, as if he was angry at me? As if he wanted to challenge me.
"It'll be impolite not to." I answered, wanting to put that smug smirk off his face. "How do you want to play?" I asked, causing the boys to start to gather around me.
"One on one." The guy replied, glaring at the boys. "The first to shoot 10 points wins." He continued, to which I nodded my head. I waved my hands to beckon Yi Xing over and explained to him the game rules and asked him to be the referee. He agreed and held the bright orange ball in his hands.
"Ready, start!" He said, throwing the ball upwards to the sky. The ball went up and so did we, jumping to snatch the ball first. Being taller than the guy, I managed to jump higher than him and snatched the ball within my hands. I landed on my two feet and started dribbling the ball away, to where my hoop was. The competition was getting 10 points was nothing but a breeze to me, within less than 15 minutes of playing the score was 1 to 10. Not shocking who the 10 points belonged to. The match was nothing, in fact it was more like a warm up. The guy who challenged me sat down on the floor, panting and gasping for air as sweat trickled down his face and drenched his shirt.
I walked away from him and headed to where the boys were sitting, spectating the game. When I returned the boys cheered, proud that I humiliated the boy who dared challenge me for a game. Not being narcissistic or anything but I am the MVP (most valued player) of every basketball match I was in, not to mention I was the captain of my basketball team back during my high school days.
"You crushed the guy!" Baek Hyun exclaimed, giving me a high-five along with water and a towel.
"Who is he anyway?" Chan Yeol asked, obviously mad that the guy who challenged me cut short on our own basketball game from awhile ago.
"I think is name is Mark, Mark Tuan?" Yi Xing said, while eyeing the guy seated at the centre of the court, still panting like a dog that has been too strained while on a stroll.
"Oh I know him, the top student of the arts and social science faculty. He's a smart kid." Baek Hyun added.
"Tsk, if he wanted to challenge Jong In why not ask Jong In to join a English debate or something like that. The guy obviously won't win against Jong In in basketball." Chan Yeol said, feeling slightly bad that the match ended so pathetically.
"He'll still get crushed, Jong In's English isn't that bad you know." Yi Xing said to back me up.
"Mark Tuan!" Min Seok hyung exclaimed out of nowhere. "I heard our junior, Eun Ah mention that he's the guy who's chasing after Choi Jae Hee, you guys know her right? He was rejected but that didn't stop him to continue to pursue her." He continued. At that moment my heart dropped slightly. I was happy that he was rejected but irritated and annoyed by how close the two actually were. I threw the towel and bottle that were in my hands to the ground, scaring the guys with my frustration.
"I'm going back for a re-match, I was too easy on him just now. I want to reclaim the one point that I lost to him" I said, taking proud and heavy foot steps to him.
"I sense... a murderous aura." Yi Xing commented.
"The skies had just turned darker." Chan Yeol added in, shivering.
"I literally formed goosebumps after looking at him." Baek Hyun chimed in too, showing off the bumps on his arms.
"Mark Tuan was it? I was too easy on you just now, let's have a proper match now. Shall we?" I asked, taunting him.
He stood up, accepting my challenge. As soon as the game started, you could feel the tension between us. It was so clear to us now, the competition was to see who was worthy of Choi Jae Hee's heart and actually deserved her, instead of a " man's pride" situation. The game ended as soon as it started, I emerged victory. The fuel to my desire to win was nothing but pure frustration and irritation of that love confession I heard about not long ago. I was pissed off.
"Good game." I said, taunting him with a smirk and shooting out a hand to shake his. He ignored every ounce of hate and pride in his body and struck out his hand as well, shaking mine. He knew that being the bigger man here makes him look less of a loser. He soon left with his friends, out of breath and dejected.
_
After getting back to the dorms, I took out my computer, ready to start the couple's competition, the one I used as an excuse to start talking to Jae Hee in the first place. The games went along quite well, that was of course before we found out that our next competitors were them....
Kkamjong Kai: The world is such a small place huh
Heehe Jae : This would be an exciting match
-Yehet Bubble Tea and Princess Min has left the match, Kkamjong Kai and Heehe Jae wins!-
Heehe Jae : Did they just...
Kkamjong Kai: wow, decided to run away from humiliating defeat
Heehe Jae : it's all your fault, you're too scary
Kkamjong Kai: I'm pretty you're the scary one, wifey~
Heehe Jae : tsk, of course lol
The games were a piece of cake, considering that Jae Hee and I were both in the top 10 leadership board, it's easy to tell that we were an unstoppable pair. Not bragging but most of our fights never lasted for more than 15 minutes, for a three rounded game that was considered very fast already. This was why Jae Hee is such a special girl to me, she's good at playing and isn't like any typical girl, my wife is so cool.
_
-Choi Jae Hee POV-
"Yes! Victory is ours!" I yelled out, causing the girls to turn over and look at me.
"Ours?" The girls asked, eyeing me.
"Ahhhhh, is it that Kai guy you've been mumbling about in your sleep?" Yuna teased, causing my face to be red of embarrassment knowing that I've been mumbling his name in my sleep. Just as I was about to respond to her, my computer let out a beeping sound.
Fairy Nana : Hey Jae! Just wanted to congratulate you on your win!
Heehe Jae : Thank you!
: Did Butterfly lose during the qualifying rounds? didn't see her during the competition
Fairy Nana : That's why I wanted to talk to you...
: ultimate didn't show up for one of the matches in the semi-finals...
Heehe Jae : Why?
Fairy Nana : I don't know... I tried sending a message to her but she didn't respond
Heehe Jae : I'll message her later, how's the guild doing?
Fairy Nana : After you left, Butterfly came back. She's sad that you left...
: the guild has many new members and none of them know Butterfly
: everyone is just surrounding themselves around the Princess family
: none of them realise Butterfly started the guild...
Heehe Jae : Didn't ultimate say anything?
Fairy Nana : That ... after getting equipment from Butterfly, he just sticks with An all the time!
Heehe Jae : ... Thanks for telling me that, I'll talk to Butterfly
: Take care of the guild for me, I'll talk to you soon
Fairy Nana : Wait hold on!
Heehe Jae : ?
Fairy Nana : Your video... It has been really popular recently huh?
Heehe Jae : It's out?!
Fairy Nana : It's your own video that was posted under your name... lmao Jae you're so clueless!
Heehe Jae : Was too busy training for the competition, Kai posted it under me I think
Fairy Nana : Would you take it down if someone were to pay you a large sum of money for it?
Pay me to take down a video I so painstakingly made over the month? The reason why Nana was to ask this kind of question was definitely because of that one annoying , him.
Heehe Jae : Did Yehet put you up to this?
Fairy Nana : Yes.... He's not a bad guy Jae! He's good looking and rich
: he did it to appease Min, they're together in real life you know
Heehe Jae : Doesn't concern me, tell Yehet to not make you the messenger. Tell him to be a man
Fairy Nana : lol I will, remember to talk to Butterfly! Bye!
Heehe Jae : Bye
I knew it, that had to be behind it. Nana's such a nice girl and I can't believe he made her do his dirty work. I went to LOC's forum and found that the video has indeed been posted and it was under my name. As much as I wanted to go ahead and watch the video that was first in the rankings of the video, I had to go talk to Butterfly first, that was my main priority.
Heehe Jae : Butterfly, are you ok?
: I heard a few things from Nana...
: Reply me as soon as you can... I'll be here waiting...
I sighed... Butterfly rarely gets on the game and when she did I can't believe Ultimate stood her up in the semi-finals of the game. I was pissed off, to know that Butterfly left the game and to leave the guild to a man she thought that she could trust but looks like he turned out to be an than a prince charming. Still, I see her giving him her equipment and the money she earns in the game. Love really turns people blind.
"Why the sad face Jae?" Seri asked, lifting her head up from the computer.
"Nothing... How's the game so far?"
"Great! Thanks to you, I have the highest level in the village." Seri gloated.
"Shouldn't you be moving out of the village by now?"
"Pro gamers like you don't understand it, let me live in the limelight for just a while more ok."
"Go for it... I'm going to the library ok?" I announced before leaving.
_
-Mark POV-
"Legends of Champions? Since when are you into that game?" Jin Young asked, eyeing me up and down.
"Just leave me alone Jin Young..." I sighed, rolling my eyes.
I headed into the game and gaming was seriously not my thing. I barely managed to finish the first task and now I'm being chased by these monsters that I just can't seem to get rid of. Luckily, a girl was just around and she managed to help me slay the monsters. Her user name was Se Shine? Isn't that Jae Hee's user name? Not that I was being a stalker but I paid a classmate who was staying in the same dorm building as Jae Hee and asked her to look for her game username, in return I'll have to change her attendance sheet to make it seemed like she was present for all the classes that she missed but hey, it's fine.
Dumpling : Hey! Thanks for saving me back there
Se Shine : you're welcome^^
Dumpling : since you're so good at the game, why don't you take me in as a disciple?
Se Shine : I'm not that good...
Dumpling : Please!
Se Shine : Well, if that's what you want then sure!
And that is how Mark Tuan scores and gets the girl. I'll talk to her through the game and soon this girl will become mine. Be nice to her, stop being an and ask to meet up with her. When she see's that Dumpling is actually me, she'll be so surprised and impressed for sure!
_
-Choi Jae Hee POV-
I stayed in the library for over two hours and finally finished my work and revision. I finally have the time to watch that video that we posted on the forum for the competition. The video was well edited, the story was just as how the story line should go. However, at the end instead of the musician dying along with the bandit by jumping off the cliff, the musician knelt in front of the tree the bandit was buried at and reminisced about their past together, there was a huge flashback montage about their life before her death and of course the musician eventually dies from exhaustion from the kneeling. As embarrassing as it sounded, I cried... The ending was sadder than what I expected it to be and my tears couldn't help but spill from my eyes. As much as I wanted let my heart out and cry as loud as I wanted to, I realised that I was in the library. The silence in the library felt awkward with my sniffles that I tried to keep down and quiet.
Kkamjong Kai : Are you watching the video?
Heehe Jae : Yep, how did you know?
Kkamjong Kai : Guessed
Heehe Jae : haha that's a good guess then
Kkamjong Kai : what are you doing now?
Heehe Jae : Going to tutor this kid I know
Kkamjong Kai : you're leaving the library soon?
Heehe Jae : now, actually
Wait.... How did Kai know that I was at the library? Strange....
Heehe Jae : How did you know that I'm at the library?
Kkamjong Kai : I guessed, be safe on your way there
Heehe Jae : Haha, ok!
Kkamjong Kai : Remember that we have to enter the finals for the couples competition at 9 later
Heehe Jae : of course, we'll win right?
Kkamjong Kai : duh, I'll be a bit late though. I have a dinner that I have to attend
Heehe Jae : I'll come later too then
Kkamjong Kai : not too late, latest 8.30 ok?
Heehe Jae : ok, see you later
Kkamjong Kai : bye~
I quickly logged out of the game and packed my bag, ready to rush to Ji Sung's house to tutor him. I was prepared to dominate the game, win the couples competition and rub it in Yehet's face. I was so concentrated and excited about the competition that I didn't notice the guy who sat quietly behind the shelves, hiding himself from me. He was there.
_
"Not bad, these are high school leveled questions and you still managed to solve them." I praised, looking at the work that Ji Sung has done.
"Noona~ do I get a reward?" Ji Sung asked with a hopeful gleam in his eyes.
"Of course, what does our dear Ji Sung want as a reward?"
"Noona, I see that you brought your computer." He commented, eyeing the black case that sat on the opposite side of where the his stationary and work was sprawled all over the table. "Can I play LOC using your account?"
"Absolutely not! You know today is not computer day Ji Sung..." I sighed, praying hard that the boy was not addicted to the computer games again. It took me a long time to get him out of his addiction for the games.
"We can switch it out for another day noona!" He exclaimed, "Please noona, pleaseeee~" He pleaded again and again, tone filled with agyeo. After 10 minutes of his cute begs and pouts, I conceded defeat and took out my computer. I started it up and immediately logged into the game.
Just as I logged on and entered the enchanted forest, I saw a familiar avatar. My worst nightmare and the bane of my life, Princess An. Her avatar was there in the forest and was fighting a boss on her own, losing. I immediately went ahead and tried to steal the boss she was fighting, I am a woman of my words and when I said that the next time I was to see her with a boss I would steal it from her, I meant it. My avatar rushed in forward and immediately went to attack An, slowed down her movements and went ahead with attacking the boss.
"Are you stealing a boss?" Ji Sung asked as he continued to watch my playing.
"Aren't you lucky, the first time I'm playing in front of you and here you are, watching me steal a boss."
"Isn't stealing a boss a bad thing?" The boy pestered, concerned of my morality.
"Of course, don't learn this from me." I warned, adding a final blow to the monster before I killed it.
- Heehe Jae acquires rare material : Admonite-
"Did you get something good?" Ji Sung asked, curious of the prize I got from slaying the beast.
"Of course." I flaunted. "The system even announced it on the world chatroom." I said, pointing to the announcement made on the screen.
"Noona, you're so good! Can I play?" He praised before asking, knowing that it'll get him the chance to use my character.
"Sure, I'll get someone to play with you." I said, sending a message to Kai to play with Ji Sung. "You play, I'll go and help your mom to make your dinner." I continued, handing him my computer.
"Noona, this guy is so good, I can't beat him!" Ji Sung shouted in the direction of the kitchen.
"Then tell him that you're a kid and to go easy on you!" I shouted back, somehow feeling proud of my husband.
"Tsk no, I'm a man and I need the easy way out!"
I chuckled at his response and continued chopping the vegetables with Ji Sung's mother. As much as I was a slob, I must admit that I was a pretty good home maker. I can cook, but I choose not to. I can wash and clean, but I choose not to. Maybe I'm not such a good home maker as I thought I was, my laziness overrules all. Just I was deep in thought, fighting the inner-conflict of whether I was a good home maker or not, Ji Sung shouted my name multiple times.
"What's going on?" I asked, rushing into the hall where he was.
"Noona, look! They're bashing you online, in the world chat room." He said, returning me my computer. "This Princess An is saying that you stole her boss, she's acting all pitiful." He added. I knew this would happen, knowing An's character she would have eventually told the online community about this but who knew that she would bring it up to the online chat room. This was getting irritating, it was not a lie that I stole her boss but the reason was because she maligned me before and it was only right for me to get revenge.
"Noona, what are you going to do?" Ji Sung asked, panic stricken for some weird reason. I kept my silence, hoping that it would help me think but it doesn't work. I could only sigh in frustration and keep my silence online as usual. "Noona look someone is speaking up for you!" Ji Sung exclaimed, pointing at the screen. A user named, Not Eating Today said that he had evidence that An was the one who was steal-killing the boss, and I was standing up for justice. Of course, Princess An denies it.
-Not Eating Today posted a video on the world chat room-
"Noona, let's watch it!"
The video showed that Not Eating Today was fighting a boss and An came along. The two battled it out, Not Eating Today died and lost. The beast was faced up with Princess An and that was when I came along. The response was relatively good, An left the chat room without saying anything.
"All that Princess An does is act pitiful, who can't do that huh?" I said while typing.
Heehe Jae : It's sad to see what the world has come to nowadays... The world has turned gray.
: It's such a shame that the good people get blamed for trying to help the weak
: I thought that my silence was enough to prove my innocence but I guess not...
"Pitiful enough?" I asked rhetorically, causing a chuckle to emit from Ji Sung.
Yoda : wahhh, sis in law trying the innocence game too huh?
Heehe Jae : learned from watching the best actress trying her best just now
Kkamjong Kai: bidding a high price for Admonite
Xing Xing : Kai? you're on the world chat room too?
Wonder Fish : OMG KAI! Can I have your autograph?
Worry XX : Master, you're buying the admonite to boost your equipment?
Kkamjong Kai: no
Worry XX : Then why are you buying it?
Kkamjong Kai: just supporting my wife
Reading that caused my face to blush, the heat radiating was enough to make me feel slightly dizzy and a smile just innocently crept on.
"Noona~ This Kai person. The way you look at his avatar is the way you looked at Kim Jong In on the magazine the other time you were here." Ji Sung teased, with a smirk planted on his face.
" It's different, Kai's my friend and well... Kim Jong In is a king that I could never reach. That's the difference." I explained. The irony though, I remember the times when I got to sit beside the King during the elective classes. We literally seated beside each other, so close physically yet emotionally we were so far apart...
Heehe Jae : I thought you had a dinner you had to attend to?
Kkamjong Kai: I am at a dinner
: see you at 8.30
Heehe Jae : mhmm
: btw Xing Xing, Not Eating Today... is that avatar yours?
Xing Xing : it's a secondary account, belongs to all of us
Bacon : we heard about what happened in your guild and was staking her out ever since
: who knew we were lucky enough to catch her steal-killing
As expected, the gang once again had my back. It seemed as if whenever there was trouble they were there to support me.
"Ji Sung, I'm leaving now alright? I have a match to prepare for." I said, packing up my computer and study materials.
_
I rushed back to the dorms and immediately settled everything down, getting comfortable for the match that was about to begin. This was the finals, I was prepared to conquer the couples competition. The clock at my desk read 8.30. I logged in while drinking the yogurt drink that I placed on my table. My avatar stood at the pavilion alone, the other avatars started to come to watch the finals.
8.45 p.m, he said he was going to be late.
.
.
.
8.50 p.m, he was probably stuck in traffic without internet connection.
.
.
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8.59 p.m, he's logging in right now right?
.
.
.
9.15 p.m, he never came.
-Heehe Jae and Kkamjong Kai loses by default-
Hey guys! Thank you for reading, remember to leave comments so that I can improve on the story and of course, subscribe and upvote!
Btw, isn't the new poster so cool?
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