What Happened at the Guild Meetup [1]
So… this is…
“Table three. That one’s for table three. It’s hot, so be careful.”
“Got it.”
I lifted the bowl where the golden-brown corn cheese bubbled and sizzled. Even though I gripped the wooden holder wrapped around it, the heat from the pan still tickled my fingertips. It felt hot enough to turn the corn into popcorn any second.
“Here’s your corn cheese.”
“Haha. You’re even wearing an apron? Guild Master, no one would doubt you actually worked here.”
“At this point I feel like I should be getting paid.”
Four people sat at the table. Faces I had never seen before, yet we were already comfortable enough to trade light jokes. I chuckled at the playful jabs and moved on.
“This one’s for table seven.”
“Yessir.”
I did not usually visit bars like this. But the owner hyung kept telling me exactly where each dish belonged, making me wonder if I might actually have a hidden talent for serving.
To explain how I ended up doing this, I have to go back a few weeks.
Arcana Online. A computer game I first started playing in middle school. I remember hordes of users rushing in when it launched as the very first 3D MMORPG. The fantasy world I discovered at the PC bang left such a deep impression that I am still playing it at twenty-five years old.
Inside that game I run a small guild. Though it is closer to abandoning it than actually managing it. The guild members are all good people, so it runs smoothly without any major incidents or accidents.
The story began on the day the new raid launched. Everyone was excited about the long-awaited update, and the guild voice channel had been packed.
Vote Results
In Favor: 29
Opposed: 2
The small suggestion someone tossed out spread like wildfire.
“Oh! I’m down for that.”
“Yeah, when we met Handy last time he asked why our guild never does meetups.”
“True. Some of us have met individually, but we’ve never all gotten together.”
The guild was approaching its fourth year. I had not created it expecting it to last this long, but over time many of us had grown close. Everyone else felt the same. Playing games together every day, voice-chatting, hanging out—there was no way we would not become friends. I had even heard that some members met in real life beyond the screen.
I had not, though.
An offline meetup… Just thinking about meeting in person the people I only knew online felt strangely awkward. If even I, the guild master, felt that way, surely others would be reluctant too. So I chose a vote. The demand far exceeded my expectations, leaving me no choice but to organize the guild meetup.
The owner hyung had reached out to me separately.
“How about we do it at my shop? It’s my day off anyway, so I’ll open it up for you.”
“Is that really okay, hyung?”
“Why not? You guys are coming, so the least I can do is provide the venue. You’ll help with sales too, right?”
The headcount was perfect for his bar, and the location in the heart of the bustling district made it easy to reach. Some members were even traveling from out of town just for this. I had no reason to refuse since I did not need to contact other places and ask for permission. However, he mentioned it was normally his closed day and there were no part-timers scheduled, so I gladly offered to help with the shop work myself.
…I had not expected to end up working for two full hours straight.
The atmosphere was loud and lively. There were definitely many people meeting for the first time today, yet everyone laughed and talked like old friends. Was this what people meant by feeling full just from watching others eat? Seeing them enjoy themselves gave me a warm sense of accomplishment.
I usually stayed cooped up at home, either working or gaming. Simply moving around a little had my legs trembling. Not nearly as bad as hyung, who had been stuck in the kitchen sweating buckets.
“Here, good work!”
What the owner hyung set in front of me as I collapsed into my seat was a special stir-fried seafood and meat dish. It was clearly a delicious combination of the seafood used for jjampong and the ingredients for samgyeopsal and bean-sprout stir-fry. He must have heard my stomach growling since I had not eaten dinner.
“Thanks, hyung. I’ll enjoy it.”
“Dig in.”
They say food tastes best after hard work. Whatever this mystery dish was, it tasted like pure honey. The moment I scooped a big bite of rice topped with seafood and meat into my mouth, I sensed someone approaching.
“Mind if I sit here?”
“…Yesh.”
A woman’s voice suddenly spoke. I had answered without swallowing first and nearly choked. Thankfully I did not spit anything out in my panic.
The person who had spoken poured water into the cup in front of me with a glug-glug. Long, straight black hair. A black suit jacket and skirt as dark as her hair. Her face looked youthful, around my age, but her outfit was the perfect office look. It only made her face stand out more. Her luxurious aura probably came from her nearly perfectly symmetrical features. That elegant nose and bunny-like face could easily belong to the heroine of a web drama.
“Drink some water. I did not mean to startle you. Sorry about that.”
“…It’s fine. I think I will live now.”
The fiery flavor owner hyung had carefully built was stabbing the back of my throat. I had to drain three full glasses. That is how painful it was.
“I am late with my introduction. I am Kim Woojin. My in-game name is Woojinim12.”
I hesitated, but embarrassingly that was my username. I had created it in middle school and never bothered changing it simply because it was a hassle. If I had known this would happen I would have updated it.
“Ah…! So you are the Guild Master! Nice to meet you.”
The woman nodded with a surprised expression, then smiled brightly and looked at me with a meaningful glint in her eyes.
Usually after an introduction the other person would introduce themselves too, right…? With the identity reveal turning into a one-way street, I stared at her with a slightly awkward look.
She chuckled.
“Do you know who I am?”
“…No.”
I searched my memory, but the voice was completely new. Knowing she was a woman was not enough to identify her. There were quite a few female users in the guild, after all. If we had raided together or talked in voice chat, she would definitely be in my memory, yet her voice was entirely unfamiliar.
“Wouldn’t it be boring if I just told you? Try guessing.”
“Uh… um…”
Who could she be…? I went over the attendance list, but most people who had said they were coming seemed to have already arrived. Seeing her holding a bag and sitting down, she must have just gotten here. Perhaps she was one of the people who had mentioned they might be late?
“Cheriji…?”
“Wrong.”
Had she not said just once? She still did not seem ready to tell me.
“Handy?”
“Incorrect.”
“Andersongood?”
“Nope.”
Could it be this person? There had been someone who said a sudden schedule kept them from coming.
“…Candidate2NamSeongsik?”
“As if.”
I had thrown it out half-heartedly, but it was wrong. Deciding the twenty-questions game was pointless, she finally revealed her identity herself.
“I am Duguang. Jeong Duguang.”
“Huh…? You are Jeong Duguang?”
Who was Jeong Duguang? The newbie who had suddenly joined the guild two years ago, that insane muscular barbarian who ran around wearing nothing but panties. To think the person behind that character had a face like this… Of course she had never used voice chat before, but the preconception created such a massive shock that I was left stunned.
“You are not surprised?”
“Of course I am surprised! I did not know you were a netkama either.”
“Well, you never asked if I was a girl.”
Her casual answer now seemed a bit brazen. Who would think a crazy pervert running around in just panties was a woman? …Best not to say that out loud. I was already exhausted from working and did not want to make unnecessary jabs.
“Can I… try some of that? I have not eaten dinner.”
“You just arrived?”
“Yes, that is right. I thought I would not be able to come because of overtime, but it ended earlier than expected. It was nearby, and I heard you were all still here, so I stopped by.”
“Give me a moment.”
I could not share what I was already eating, so I went to the kitchen and scooped fresh rice. Everyone had eaten their fill, so there were no new orders coming in. Owner hyung had left the kitchen and was sitting at a table chatting with the other guild members.
“This is really delicious?”
When I returned she was already picking at pieces of meat with chopsticks. She did not seem to mind that I had been eating from the same dish.
“There is rice, so eat together. It is quite spicy.”
The seafood stir-fry was nicely spicy, but the peperoncino mixed in could suddenly crank the heat way up. She took the rice bowl and soon joined me, making soft sipping sounds as she ate.
We ate in silence. The quiet felt awkward yet not unpleasant. It was closer to a meal meant purely to fill our stomachs.
Once we were both somewhat full, she spoke first.
“I did not expect everyone to be this good at having fun.”
“Tell me about it.”
The surrounding chatter was so loud that the silence during our meal did not feel silent at all. There must have been that many things left unsaid online. The nonstop conversation was almost comical to watch.
“Duguang—.”
“Pfft.”
She lowered her head and burst into laughter. Her beautifully curved eyelashes did not match the nickname Jeong Duguang at all.
“Why are you laughing?”
“…It sounds weird hearing the nickname in real life. Actually, that was the name of the dog I raised. Just call me by my real name. I am Jeong Yeonhui.”
Any name would suit her far better than Duguang.
“Is this your first time meeting everyone like this, Yeonhui?”
“Yes. What about you, Guild Master?”
“You told me to use your name but you are still calling me Guild Master? Is that not a little strange?”
“That is true. What about you, Woojin?”
“It is my first time too. Oh! Would you like something to drink? We have cola.”
“Do people not usually offer alcohol at gatherings like this?”
Jeong Yeonhui smiled as if it amused her. Maybe I had been thinking too much from my own perspective. I was not particularly fond of alcohol, after all. Honestly, my heart nearly stopped. They say a beautiful woman’s smile is a weapon, and it might actually be true.
“Should I get you a drink then? Beer? Or—”
“Water is enough.”
I had already gulped down all the water, so I had to fetch a new glass. On the way back from the kitchen, owner hyung asked me.
“Woojin, if you are still hungry I can make something else.”
“I am fine. I am just getting water.”
“But who is that beautiful woman over there?”
Where owner hyung jerked his chin, Jeong Yeonhui sat. Her striking features already drew attention, and unlike everyone else in casual clothes, her formal suit made her stand out even more.
“Um… It would be better if you heard it from her directly.”
“Huh? She is a guild member, right?”
“Yes.”
I grabbed the fresh water and turned around, only to find that owner hyung had already reached the table first. Back perfectly straight. Voice lowered in an attempt to sound deep. An awkward smile paired with a polite greeting that made it look like he was on a blind date.
“Haha…. Hello. It is nice to meet you.”
“……? Hello.”
What is with this hyung…?