Chapter 111
Chapter 111
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: High School Reunion
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A free holiday.
The downtown shopping district was unusually bustling.
Families out for the day, and young people meeting up with friends or lovers were everywhere. Amidst them, dozens of people filed into what appeared to be a high-end restaurant.
"I'm here."
"Why'd you take so long? Come on, sit over here!"
The second floor was already packed.
It seemed like they'd rented out the entire place—no other groups were in sight.
Familiar faces.
Or people looking to get friendly for the first time since they hadn't had the chance before.
Men and women in their mid-twenties had gathered like this to catch up and bond.
An awkward yet oddly familiar scene the longer you watched.
That's right.
What was happening in this restaurant right now was a class reunion.
Their first high school reunion since graduation, no less.
"Whoa, you've changed a ton. Especially that hair—what happened to it all?"
"Oh yeah? Starting off by hitting me where it hurts, huh?"
"But seriously, how do you even walk around?"
"What?"
"Without any hair, kekekeke!"
"Hey, you punk!"
As always, a few sociable types livened up the mood.
Especially those who'd built solid relationships back in school—they stepped up again to keep things cheerful and friendly.
It was the perfectly ordinary flow of a reunion, nothing out of the ordinary.
But that only lasted a moment.
The atmosphere froze as two men entered late through the entrance.
A strange silence.
Gazes converged in an instant.
And in the midst of it, the two men were being led inside by a staff member.
A bear-like build, a fierce look, savage eyes.
The first one to catch the eye was the young man on the left.
Next was the curly-haired youth on the right.
In contrast to the hulking figure beside him, this slim guy was yawning lazily as he walked.
"Hey, those guys..."
"Yeah, looks like it."
"What? They invited those two to the reunion too?"
Uncomfortable glances were exchanged.
Anxiety. Wariness.
The vibe wasn't exactly welcoming for the pair.
"They've had terrible rumors swirling around them since back then. Always picking fights all day, hanging out with gangsters or whatever..."
"Nah, no way it's that bad..."
"You never know. But either way, even talking to them seems scary..."
The reason was simple.
They'd had bad reputations since high school.
So everyone whispered cautiously, stealing glances at each other.
The mood sank in an instant.
And through it, the two young men headed to their empty seats.
They stayed quiet for now, but the stares were unavoidable.
Yoo Seokwoo.
Do-sik.
There were just so many rumors swirling around the two of them.
Especially Do-sik, with his massive build and intimidating face—he exuded an aura that made him hard to approach.
But they didn't know.
"S-Still, doesn't he look a bit different smiling like that?"
That he was already grinning brightly.
"Yeah, smiling makes you look a lot better."
"R-Really?"
"No, just stay still. You look scarier when you smile."
"...Really?"
Do-sik's face fell.
His surprisingly timid personality didn't match his burly frame—a trait he'd had since way back.
That's why he often showed fragile sides over little things.
Like right now.
Seokwoo chuckled at the sight and poured him a drink.
He'd tagged along with Do-sik to this high school reunion.
But as expected, it wasn't a warm welcome.
People just kept glancing their way nervously.
Even the ones hyping up the mood earlier hesitated to approach.
Well, it was only natural.
They'd barely interacted in school, and the rumors weren't great.
The only friend he really knew here was Do-sik, sitting across from him.
No one else—he hadn't exchanged a single word with any of them.
'But this guy...'
Seokwoo gave Do-sik, who was fidgeting anxiously, a quick once-over.
Cleaner outfit than usual, clearly put effort into it.
Faint whiff of cologne.
Hair styled stiffly with wax.
It was a far cry from his own casual tee—he'd obviously put thought into his appearance.
'Kid's more excited than he lets on.'
The way he was squirming and checking reactions said it all.
"No one's coming over here."
"Well, we knew that might happen."
"I-It is because of me, right?"
"Probably just the rumors."
"They won't keep this up till the end of the reunion, will they? Ahh, we should've just skipped. I should've said no back then..."
Do-sik clutched his head in agony.
Pure regret on his face.
"Ugh, sorry. Shouldn't have dragged you into this."
"Just chill already."
"But..."
"No buts. Fidgeting won't change a thing. Just drink quietly for now."
Seokwoo offered the bottle.
Do-sik let out a deep sigh, then held out his glass.
Glug glug.
The glass filled up.
"Anyway, how's work going these days?"
"A bit tangled, but managing somehow. You?"
"Same here."
"Good to hear."
"Yeah."
Their conversation flowed naturally.
No awkwardness despite just a few exchanges.
They simply sipped their drinks in comfort.
What actually bugged him was the menu on the wall.
'This place seems pricey... and they rented the whole thing?'
The entrance alone screamed luxury.
The interior decor, expensive dishes and drinks—everything reeked of high class.
The reunion organizer who'd booked the entire spot, Kim Hyun-tae.
Student council president back in high school—his wealth was obvious.
'Rumors always said he was loaded.'
Seokwoo recalled their cafe chat before.
'That Kim Hyun-tae guy, the prez from high school, messaged me. Wants us both at the reunion.'
'Hmm, you going?'
'He begged so much I couldn't say no.'
Hyun-tae had personally asked Do-sik to come.
Honestly, Seokwoo couldn't fathom why.
They weren't close.
Yet he'd gone out of his way to invite the rumor-plagued duo.
No clue what his angle was.
'Guess it'll come out naturally later.'
For now, enjoy the free booze and food.
No pressure since the organizer was footing the bill.
'The real issue is...'
Seokwoo looked up.
Do-sik was downing his drink with a pout.
How long had it been since they talked? Back to sulking already.
"Tsk tsk. Anyone'd think you got dumped."
"......"
"Don't sweat it so much."
"Huh?"
"This isn't high school anymore. For us or them."
Seokwoo nodded sideways.
A classmate hesitated... then finally approached, bottle in hand.
"We're past the age of judging by rumors alone."
"Ooh...!"
Do-sik's eyes sparkled.
Seokwoo smirked and raised his glass.
"Now we just blend in smooth."
A little later.
"What? That's your sad face?"
"Hard to believe."
"Whoa, big body but such a softie inside?"
The room that had been empty around them was now buzzing with classmates crowding in.
At the center: the two young men.
Seokwoo and Do-sik.
"Before you guys showed, he was all 'what do we do' and freaking out by himself."
"Wh-When did I ever?!"
"Puhahaha!"
Laughter erupted at Seokwoo's quip again.
Do-sik's true self was nothing like expected.
His timid nature clashing with his size was melting away their guards bit by bit.
The vibe had completely flipped from the start.
And Seokwoo deserved full credit.
When that latecomer approached, he'd shown a side beyond the rumors, smoothly integrating them.
'Misunderstandings clear up quick.'
Do-sik wasn't the chatty type in front of others anyway.
Especially with near-strangers.
So it fell to him.
But approaching first might backfire.
That's why he'd waited for them to come over.
To blend naturally.
'Didn't plan to go this far, but...'
Seokwoo turned.
Do-sik was surrounded by classmates, grinning ear to ear.
'Eh, he's happy. Good enough.'
Mission accomplished.
With the groundwork laid, he'd handle the rest.
Seokwoo poured drinks for the group as he thought that.
"Oh yeah, you guys play Agas by any chance?"
Then one classmate brought up Agas.
The VR game anyone could enjoy, regardless of age or gender.
Its popularity was unrivaled worldwide.
Maybe that's why.
"Of course!"
"Who doesn't play Agas these days?"
"Some treat it like a full-time job!"
"Top players are basically celebs."
"Heard dark gamers rake in eight-figure salaries."
Reactions popped up everywhere.
As expected, Agas was a hot topic even among classmates.
'Ah, Agas... speaking of, I shouldn't be here slacking.'
XP, items, proficiency—all that lost time.
Other players were grinding levels and scoring loot right now.
"Oh, right. Hyun-tae plays Agas too, I heard."
As Seokwoo thought about it.
The organizer Kim Hyun-tae got mentioned, drawing heads that way.
"Hyun-tae too?"
"Yeah, something about working under his brother."
"Ugh, I can already picture it. Strutting in like hot stuff, our gracious host!"
"He bragged nonstop in the group chat when he said he booked this place."
Talk about Hyun-tae flowed naturally.
But despite being the organizer, it wasn't flattering.
Annoying. Braggart. Lives off his ego.
Complaints about his personality kept coming.
"We're just here for the free meal, so no complaints from us, but he's always been like that."
"Yeah, hasn't changed a bit."
Finally, Seokwoo got a read on Hyun-tae's character.
'Total asshole, in short.'
And that guy specifically invited them?
Even messaged personally?
'This feels off.'
Right then.
"Everyone's gathered here, huh."
Speak of the devil.
A sleazy-looking young man was already at the front, waving.
"Hi?"
The organizer, Kim Hyun-tae.