The Perfect Game Mate

I thought that senior was perfect in every way. Turns out he was a gaming addict.

Being next to an addict, have I become one too? He appears before my eyes at all hours.

'He's pretty.'

By the time I had such thoughts while looking at those hands that tap keyboards all day, it was already too late.

In front of my senior, I was always just Level 1.

"Are you interested? Want to play together?"

"Well, I..."

"I'll make it really fun for you."

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. A gaming addict for a gaming addict. I must reach max level!

And so, at the edge of twenty-one, the third act of Jang Kwon-ju's life began.

In the form of a gaming addict, no less.

***

"Senior."

Feeling that now was the right moment after carefully calculating, Kwon-ju cautiously broke the silence.

The only way to make someone who saw him as just another junior develop special interest and deeper affection.

Having waited for this situation for quite some time, he could feel his heartbeat growing stronger.

"I, um, play games."

"Huh?"

"Arc Serenity. I remembered you talking about it all the time... I tried it and it's more fun than I expected, so I've been playing it."

Surprised by the unexpected gaming talk, Ji-won froze with his ice cream spoon midway to his mouth. He plays Arc Serenity?

The name that casually dropped from his friendly junior's lips was more welcome than he could have imagined.

"Where, which server do you play on?"

"Asuka."

Even better—the same server, as if by fate. Thinking it would be silly to show his excitement too openly, Ji-won carefully pulled down the corners of his mouth that threatened to rise into a smile, and asked:

"Want to add me as a friend?"