Chapter 89: Deathlight and Mr. Heart
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 89: Deathlight and Mr. Heart
“Kyaaaah! Domi, the Dalmore 62, the Dalmore 62 is hereeee!”
Amidst the strange atmosphere, Naek's voice echoed from downstairs.
Seol-hyang and I flinched simultaneously. Our eyes met for a moment before we both looked away in embarrassment.
Then, Seol-hyang spread her arms, clenched her fists tightly, and charged right at me.
Before I could say a word, she was already hugging me tightly. I could feel a soft weight against me, along with a sweet fragrance.
I flinched and quickly grabbed her shoulders, and at that moment, Seol-hyang spoke quietly.
“I told you, didn't I? That I wouldn't just stand by while waiting for your answer.”
She lifted her head slightly from my chest to meet my eyes.
“But I'm holding back because I know Mari-unni would worry about me, too. Understand?”
Her face flushed a faint red. I opened my mouth to speak, then closed it.
Quick-witted as ever, Seol-hyang seemed to have already seen right through why I was hesitating to answer.
My childhood friend was just too perceptive.
“Ha-chan, your heart is pounding.”
She pressed her ear against my chest and smiled, looking pleased.
“Stop listening.”
“Huhu, I like the sound. It's proof that you're not entirely indifferent to me.”
Damn it.
Thump, thump.
Just then, the sound of footsteps started coming from downstairs.
A startled Seol-hyang slipped away from me. I turned my gaze to the stairs, and there stood Eva-noona.
“Domi, are you logging into the game now… Did I interrupt something?”
“No! Not at all. I should log in, quickly.”
As I made my hasty excuse, Eva-noona tilted her head, glancing between the two of us, before her eyes fell on the game room.
Her blue eyes widened, bigger than I'd seen them all day.
“…Heaven?”
It was a fitting reaction for a guildmate who had played Lord of Academy with me to the point of exhaustion.
After that, I finished my preparations to enter Lord of Academy.
Except for Naek, who was excitedly running around on her own, Eva-noona and Seol-hyang watched me from the side.
“I'll go and persuade her.”
“…Please do.”
Hearing Eva-noona's voice, I gave her a small smile, then met Seol-hyang's eyes and nodded before starting the connection.
[ You have connected to Lord of Academy. ]
The familiar notification window appeared, and the scenery of the guild room came into view.
I had already confirmed that Juksim was logged into the game.
So, I immediately opened the guild chat.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Welcomes you. ]
[ Doremi Fasol: Juksim-nim, hey. ]
I felt a little nervous.
Juksim was such a shut-in that the convenience store in front of her house was the limit of her range of activity.
There might be days I didn't log in, but there were never days Juksim didn't. She was a true gaming addict who did nothing but play.
But that same Juksim had left her house to find and save Naek.
Of course, it seemed she went right back home immediately after.
It meant that I wasn't the only one who cherished our in-game relationships; Juksim did, too.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Asks if you met up with everyone okay. ]
[ Doremi Fasol: Yep, Naek and Eva-noona drank so much they got totally wasted. ]
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Laughs, saying it must have been fun. ]
After exchanging a few familiar messages with Juksim, I decided to get to the point.
[ Doremi Fasol: Juksim-nim, if you're not busy, could you come to the guild room? There's something I'd like to talk about. ]
After my message, Juksim's chat went silent for a moment.
Just as I was starting to feel a bit tense, a new message from her appeared.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Says she'll be there soon. ]
Hearing that, I relaxed a little.
I waited for a short while.
Soon, a corner of the guild room glowed faintly, and Juksim began to walk in.
As always, Juksim, with her small character clad in a black hoodie, walked straight up to me.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Asks what's wrong. ]
Looking at Juksim tilting her head with a blank expression, I decided to start by explaining my situation.
“Juksim-nim, I heard the story from Naek.”
Juksim’s hands, which had been about to type, froze.
She fiddled with her fingertips for a moment, glanced at me, and then began typing again.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Says it seems Naek was very drunk. ]
“Yeah, she was. Naek didn't plan on saying anything, but the situation is a bit… complicated.”
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Says to tell her. ]
Juksim seemed to have realized I needed help.
She was someone I had played with for a long time.
We'd been coordinating in-game for years; we could understand each other with just a hint.
“Eva-noona's physical body is trapped in a dimensional rift.”
I began to explain Eva-noona's situation to her.
Everything from Eva-noona's terminal condition to how her twin brother, Hyeok-seo-hyeong, had joined the organization Girasung to save her.
Juksim listened to my entire story in silence.
Then, after seeming to think for a moment, her fingers moved again.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Says she understands the situation. ]
Seeing that message, I looked at her.
It was always hard to tell what Juksim's character was thinking, but I knew very well how much she cherished our guild members, just as I did.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Asks if you're afraid she'll refuse. ]
“Well, yes. You don't usually like interacting with people in real life, Juksim-nim.”
In all the time I’d been gaming with Juksim, I had never once heard of her going to meet someone.
Juksim was always alone.
She never seemed to mind it, which was why even I, who had come to hate people after the incident with Kwak Sa-yeon five years ago, could get along with her without any problems.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Asks if Eva isn't a member of the guild we built together. ]
“She is. That's why I want to help, too.”
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Says she feels the same way. ]
My eyes widened at her words.
And a smile spread across my face.
There was no need to persuade Juksim.
Just like when she saved Naek, Juksim had already decided to help Eva-noona the moment I brought it up.
That fact made my heart swell.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Asks where she should go. ]
“Is it okay for you to come out that far?”
I asked, surprised, and Juksim tilted her head.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Questions why Domi treats her like someone who can't even go outside. ]
“No, it's just… you were bragging just the other day that you finally made it to the convenience store in front of your house.”
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Says outside is outside. ]
The distance is completely different, though.
Regardless, Juksim straightened her back, looking confident.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Confidently states she'll be there right away. ]
Maybe Juksim didn't have as much of a problem going out as I thought.
Then again, she had to go out to help Naek, so it wasn't that surprising.
“Thank you. I'm counting on you. I'm at a different location right now, so I'll ask for the address and send it to you through chat right away.”
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Says she understands. ]
Seeing that reliable message, I felt a sense of gratitude and logged out of the game.
I then asked Seol-hyang for the address and sent it to Juksim via my phone's messenger. She replied that she was on her way.
And a short while later.
[ Deathlight and Mr. Heart: Sniffles. ]
I quietly called a taxi for Juksim, who had apparently tried to take public transport and given up.
It seemed the hurdle of public transportation was too high for confidence alone to overcome.
*
Leaving Naek, who had already opened a bottle of liquor, I stood waiting in front of Seol-hyang's house.
I was waiting alone, thinking Juksim would be reluctant to meet people. After a moment, I saw a taxi approaching in the distance.
This was my first time meeting Juksim in real life.
As I waited with a slightly nervous expression, the taxi soon stopped in front of me.
The rear passenger door slowly opened, and a short girl stepped out.
Pale white skin and black eyes like obsidian.
Her black hair was so long it nearly dragged on the ground, and the inside of it held a mysterious, galaxy-like blue sheen, creating a mystical aura.
The problem was that despite wearing a worn-out, oversized men's t-shirt with the Lord of Academy logo—so long it looked like it was about to slip off—the front of it was considerably full.
So much so that I couldn't help but wonder if her center of gravity would be off, with a chest like that on such a small frame.
Her eyes met mine, then she immediately averted them, her gaze dropping to the floor.
It was obvious at a glance that she was extremely reluctant to make eye contact.
There was no doubt.
It was Juksim.
“Juksim-nim.”
As I called her name and approached, Juksim flinched and waved her hands in the air.
Then, as if she'd just remembered something, she suddenly lifted her t-shirt.
Her pale stomach was revealed, and I froze in surprise. She fumbled in her shorts pocket, pulled out her phone, and then quickly pulled her shirt back down.
[ Asks if you are Domi. ]
What she had done was turn on a text-to-speech program.
Clutching her phone tightly in her small hands, she looked up at me, and I couldn't help but laugh.
[ Asks what's so funny. ]
“Hah- hic, no. I'm just surprised because you're exactly as I imagined.”
I can't believe she talks like that even in person.
It was so typically Juksim that my tension eased, and I gestured inside.
“Everyone's waiting inside. Think you can go in?”
[ Asks what you take her for. ]
“You're Juksim-nim. Of course you are.”
The most elite member of our guild.
With that, I entered the building with Juksim.
Despite her timid demeanor around people, Juksim didn't seem particularly overwhelmed by Seol-hyang's house.
However, she had started clutching the back of my shirt and trailing behind me, a clear sign that she was nervous in her own way.
“You're here?”
As I came inside with Juksim, Seol-hyang was the first to greet me.
She then glanced behind me, but Juksim was hiding behind my back like a small animal, completely concealed.
Her frame was so small that the simple act was enough to hide her completely from Seol-hyang's sight.
“Is that really Juksim?”
Just then, Naek, who had appeared beside me, peered over my shoulder at the hiding Juksim and asked.
At that, Juksim freaked out and buried her face into my back so hard it felt like she was trying to drill through me. It was quite painful, but I did my best to endure it.
“Thank you, Juksim. You saved my life.”
Hearing Naek's words, Juksim finally, cautiously, lifted her head from my back.
She stared at Naek for a long moment before lifting her phone, just as she had with me.
[ Says it was nothing. ]
“Hehe, well, I'm glad it was nothing.”
I watched Naek and Juksim for a moment before turning my head to Eva-noona, who had been observing us.
Her eyes met mine, and she nodded before walking over.
“Um, Juksim-nim.”
Perhaps thanks to Naek, Juksim seemed a little more relaxed as she looked at Eva-noona.
“It's nice to meet you. This is our first time meeting in person. I'm Ediknorjeva.”
As Eva-noona introduced herself, Juksim nodded in return.
[ Says she is Deathlight and Mr. Heart. ]
After the introductions, Juksim finally stepped away from my back.
She stood in front of Eva-noona, looked her over for a moment, and then typed on her phone again.
[ Tells her to hold out her hand. ]
“Like this?”
Following Juksim's instruction, Eva-noona extended her hand. Juksim reached out to take it with her own small hand.
But then she paused, quickly wiped her hand on her shirt, and then took Eva-noona's hand again.
Every one of her small actions was strangely cute.