Chapter 51
Wooseok didn’t answer at all. The question was so absurd he didn’t feel like responding. But was he surprised? It was a question he had vaguely anticipated. With no need for a dramatic reaction, he merely raised one eyebrow.
Yuntaek, who had expected a notable reaction like anger or displeasure, became flustered and added:
“Just in case, I want to clarify that I don’t have those kinds of prejudices.”
“What prejudices are you referring to?”
“Meeting someone online and dating them. If your hearts connect, it’s just a natural thing that can happen, right? In this day and age, I’m not some old-fashioned person who judges that kind of thing.”
Hwasan watched Taek’s hasty self-defense with a strange expression. When Taek finally stopped talking, feeling increasingly awkward, Wooseok, who had been listening quietly, smirked.
“So you think I’m having an online romance with Girmu, hyung?”
“That’s how it looks, so I asked.”
“Just because I take good care of Girmu?”
When Wooseok crossed his arms and stared at him, Taek glanced at Hwasan and Jin. The three of them had been thinking the same thing, and he had just been the representative who spoke up, but somehow it felt like he was being scolded alone…?
“You are old-fashioned, hyung.”
“What?”
“Looking at me with that perspective just because I treat someone nicely seems old-fashioned to me.”
Wooseok had intended to be somewhat indirect, but Taek was too shocked to speak.
‘If I’d said he only has romance on his mind, he would’ve collapsed completely.’
Inwardly clicking his tongue, Wooseok filled Taek’s glass with water and handed it to him.
“I think he’s suggesting you drink some cold water and come to your senses, hyung.”
“You’re just the same.”
Jin, who had been snickering, shut his mouth at Wooseok’s rebuke. He had asked the same question earlier that day.
“It’s not just that you’re being nice to them, it’s how you’re doing it.”
After putting the water glass in Taek’s hand, Hwasan looked at Wooseok.
“Yuntaek is comfortable enough with you to ask directly like this. Other guild members probably can’t ask and are just thinking it to themselves.”
“That’s true. Are they dating? Or are they just in the talking stage? They probably think something like that.”
“Don’t you all have better things to do? Why does it matter?”
“It didn’t matter when Girmu was an outsider. But now they’re a guild member. If you two date and break up, the guild atmosphere would be so nice… Ow!”
This time, it was Yuntaek who stepped on Jin’s foot. Coming to his senses belatedly, he punished Jin and then said:
“That was too far, man. Honestly, no one in our guild has as much influence as you do, so of course everyone’s concerned.”
“You were the first one to suggest adding more new members to help Girmu adapt more easily.”
“You all agreed, didn’t you? It’s true that the guild atmosphere has become more lively since Girmu joined, so I thought it might be good to accept a few more newcomers. I may have brought it up, but everyone had the same thought, which is why Youngglory agreed too.”
Though he countered cleanly, Wooseok understood what they were trying to say.
“I won’t do anything that harms the guild. Do I seem like someone who would ruin the atmosphere with personal matters?”
But fundamentally, their concern was misguided.
“How can you like someone when you don’t know anything about them? I already told you. That person doesn’t like talking about their private life. I don’t know Girmu well either. I might know a little more than you do. But the whole idea of liking them or not is ridiculous.”
Taek and Hwasan flinched, looked at each other, and hurriedly turned away.
“But I was curious too. Then what about Girmu makes you so attached that you take such detailed care of them? According to you, you don’t know much about them, and it’s true that your care seems unusual just for a newbie.”
This time, even Wooseok couldn’t answer immediately. Frowning briefly, he muttered as if he wasn’t sure himself.
“…Good question.”
He couldn’t say that Girmu seemed to be his senior from the department. And even if he did, the fact that he was giving them special attention wouldn’t change.
These were people he’d known for years. Everyone knew that Shin Wooseok wasn’t naturally the type to take particular care of someone. That’s why they kept asking so persistently. But if he had to find a plausible reason…
“Maybe I just find them likeable, in a human sense.”
Objectively speaking, isn’t Girmu a good person who makes you feel rewarded for taking care of them? They’re the kind of person who would easily win anyone’s favor, not just Wooseok’s.
“…If you say so?”
Jin, who had asked the question, broke out in a cold sweat as he looked at Hwasan and Taek. The two nodded glumly in response.
“Well, whatever…”
“…If you say that’s all it is.”
After exchanging glances, the three covered up the strange inkling they each felt and awkwardly changed the subject. Fortunately, until the gathering ended, no one mentioned Girmu’s name again.
“I’ll drop you off on my way, hop in.”
“It’s fine. We’re going in opposite directions, what do you mean ‘on your way’?”
“SaltySalt, you too?”
“Yeah. I’ll just take the subway.”
“You probably smell like meat.”
“I sprayed fabric freshener before we left!”
“You’re declining even when offered a ride.”
“Then let’s meet with Youngglory next time.”
“Sure.”
The four people who left the restaurant split into two groups – Hwasan and Taek, Wooseok and Jin – and went their separate ways. Wooseok and Jin saw Hwasan and Taek off before heading to the subway.
It was when they reached the subway entrance. While they were quiet, each looking at their phones, Jin suddenly raised his head and said:
“Ah, I just remembered.”
“What?”
“That guy we saw at the PC bang earlier, I think his voice was similar to Girmu’s.”
His persistent pondering had paid off. Jin spoke refreshingly, like someone freed from a problem he’d been struggling with for a long time, but Wooseok’s expression darkened.
“How many times have you heard Girmu’s voice?”
“Once? But you don’t know, hyung. I couldn’t even sleep that night because of their voice.”
“What?”
“I got beaten with carrots even in my dreams.”
“…What are you talking about.”
Whether Wooseok looked at him strangely or not, Jin’s recent discovery was more important.
“What about you? How did it sound to you? Whether it was that senior person or Girmu, you’ve talked with them much more than I have.”
“…I’m not sure.”
Wooseok, who had been aware before anyone else that the two people had the same voice, strangely evaded the question.
“Really? They really sound similar though… Maybe it’s because it’s been a while since I heard Girmu’s voice?”
“Stop talking nonsense and go down.”
Jin tilted his head in confusion but moved along, pushed by Wooseok’s urging. Meanwhile, Wooseok’s mind was becoming increasingly tangled.
‘Why did I hide it?’
It would have been reasonable to say he’d had the same thought, but for some reason, the words wouldn’t come out. This symptom persisted until he arrived home, showered, and lay in bed.
Wooseok stared at the ceiling, reconsidering the questions from Hwasan, Taek, and Jin.
“Does one normally go this far for someone they just humanly like?”
His answer was, “I don’t know.”
## Chapter 14: What’s Jealousy, Anyway?
The Grace guild had gained new members. After Girmu joined, everyone agreed with Sinu’s opinion that it would be good to accept more newcomers to refresh the guild atmosphere.
[Guild] Youngglory: For now, about three people will be joining, so please welcome them^^
[Guild] Goyounghee: It’s Junwan~~
[Guild] Shotgun: OkOk
[Guild] Maeil: Oh, is the interview already over..?
[Guild] Sinu: Yeah
[Guild] RoyalFamily: Since there weren’t any tough requirements, there were lots of applicants and it was hard to filter them
[Guild] Parody: Oh…
Beodeul, who had been a free pass without an interview, watched the guild chat and asked through party chat.
[Party] Girmu: SaltySalt is also an original guild member… didn’t you participate in the interview?
[Party] ShinSogeumi: Me??? I did it a few times back then but it was uncomfortable so I asked to be excluded ㅇㅅㅇ
[Party] ShinSogeumi: I’m an expert at pressure interviews ㅋㅅㅋ… everyone told me to tone it down
[Party] ShinSogeumi: Is the interview over??
[Party] Girmu: Yes, they said three new people will be joining ㅎㅎ
[Party] ShinSogeumi: Hmm ㅇㅅㅇ…
SaltySalt had been hunting in a party with Girmu using an alt character of the Holy Knight class. It was a good thing for Beodeul, who had been hunting alone since Youngglory announced the guild reorganization plan along with new member recruitment and the executive members became busy. He wasn’t bored anymore.
[Party] Girmu: After this buff ends, will you switch to your main?
[Party] Girmu: Youngglory is looking for people who can come to the guild castle
[Party] ShinSogeumi: I just refilled it though ㅇㅅㅇ…
[Party] ShinSogeumi: I’ll tell Youngglory hyung that Girmu and I are hunting!
That day could be dismissed as a coincidence, but for some reason, SaltySalt kept taking Girmu around and avoiding the new guild members. Beodeul wasn’t the only one who found it strange. Eventually, Youngglory himself appeared at the hunting ground where they were hunting.
[General] Girmu: Hello Youngglory ㅎㅎ
[General] Youngglory: Hello^^
[General] Youngglory: Sogeumi, let’s talk for a moment^^
[General] ShinSogeumi: Huh ㅇㅅㅇ?
[General] Youngglory: Either disable whisper blocking or
[General] Youngglory: Answer the voice chat call
[General] ShinSogeumi: ㅇㅅㅇ;;;;;;;;;
[General] Youngglory: Are you going to keep blocking?^^
When ShinSogeumi continued to avoid talking with Youngglory and kept hunting, Youngglory eventually apologized to Girmu and went as far as killing the monster that ShinSogeumi had targeted.
[General] ShinSogeumi: Ah… I’ll report you for intentional stealing -ㅅ-
[General] Youngglory: Go ahead^^
[General] ShinSogeumi: ㄷㅅㄷ;; The guild master is oppressing a mere guild member’s alt~~~!
From Beodeul’s perspective watching the subtle power struggle between the two, it felt like the inevitable had finally arrived. With only three people on the map, he was wondering if he should give them space to talk, when:
[General] Youngglory: Girmu, if it’s not too uncomfortable
[General] Youngglory: Would you mind joining us in a voice chat for a moment?^^
The inevitable… had come for Beodeul too.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
