Chapter 42
Chapter 42
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: 8. Behind Sis's Back (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
8 PM.
Still a long time before her sister got back.
Having instantly shed all her pent-up frustrations, Lee Ji-yoon plopped down in a chair wearing her comfy PJ set.
She had no clue where Seo Woo-jin's place was, but assuming it was nearby...
He's a guy, so he probably got to his computer faster than her.
No need for makeup removal or whatever.
She fired up the game quick and checked her friends list first.
But it was spotless.
Just the usual suspects showing Online—no cute friend request from that newbie.
Bummer.
She'd wanted to bus him a daily game or something since he hadn't Champed even once.
If MMR was an issue, she figured she'd lend a hand with her smurf alt.
Lee Ji-yoon stuck her butt out toward the chair, pouting.
Yeah. He might still be busy with other stuff.
Cleaning or cooking or laundry or showering.
Or maybe he wasn't home yet.
Still, she'd told him before they parted: "This is payback, so you have to add me as a friend, okay?" So he'd log in tonight for sure.
Just taking his sweet time, apparently.
Her head felt fresh. Maybe grind some more aim practice while she waited.
Right as Lee Ji-yoon was slipping on her headset—
"...?"
A faint Discord ping she had muted sounded off.
She'd silenced all her gaming channels, so probably a DM.
Who could it be?
No way it's that guy again?
After a moment's hesitation, Lee Ji-yoon moved her mouse as the pings kept coming: ding-dong, ding-dong.
...Yup, that guy.
She'd gone quiet lately, sticking to other FPS games, so he'd probably spotted the Apex status on Discord and DMed her.
Should turn off that indicator next time.
The "ugh, annoying" bubbling in her head lasted only a moment. Lee Ji-yoon fired off a polite DM anyway.
One-on-one was whatever, but they shared tons of FPS acquaintances across games.
He was kinda famous in amateur circles too.
He's got eyes—he'll say "have fun casuals" and bounce, right?
She'd spelled it out: real-life acquaintance. No clueless intrusion.
...Or so she thought.
Yeah.
If he had any tact, the DM would've ended ages ago.
Lee Ji-yoon glared at the Discord screen like it was a bug and hammered her keys.
Oh.
Fuck.
Frowning at Discord, Lee Ji-yoon let out a long sigh.
Guys being extra nice 'cause she's a girl in game? She brushed it off as "boys gonna boy."
But dealing with creeps like this made her wanna spit curses in their faces.
They'd never seen a pic—just her voice—and still acted thirsty. Why?
She swallowed the urge to block him on the spot.
Finally, she typed.
She stewed for a minute picking music to cool off.
DM sent, she right-clicked the notification off.
42
"...He's laaate."
11 PM.
About time for sis to clock out and head home.
Lee Ji-yoon whined after three hours of aimless YouTube scrolling.
He might be eating dinner—fair.
Showering or cleaning—could be.
But three hours straight? Nah.
His place farther than thought? Nah, sis said they met at the nearby conbini.
Forgot the ID she taught him?
No way he'd forget "Ji-yoon" spelling.
Probably mixed up the birthday tag at the end.
Should've grabbed his number then. Didn't think of—
"..."
Sis's boyfriend's digits.
Weird...
No, not really.
Sister's little sis having her BF's number? Normal-ish.
If sis unreachable, hit him up.
Or emergencies.
It's fine. She's overthinking.
As Lee Ji-yoon mulled with headset around her neck, the door lock beeped outside.
She bolted from her room.
"...Sis."
"Hm? What?"
"Uh, sis..."
Boyfriend's number, please.
Blunt like that? Kinda sus.
...Nah.
Totally fine.
"...Got Woo-jin's number?"
"You two still on that formal name basis?"
"Anyway, you got it?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"Forgot to grab it during treatment today. Can I have it?"
"Oh. Hold on."
Lee Ha-yoon scrolled forever while Ji-yoon waved her phone.
Seo Woo-jin's number zoomed into view, freaking her out.
"Here. Call him direct next time it flares up. He Kakao'd me about it."
"Kakao? What'd he say?"
"Probably full cure's tough. He's no pro, doesn't know the cause."
Whatever.
Just meet quick, tough out the awkward seconds.
After academy enrollment, heal in nurse's office, no stares.
"..."
The "treatment" from hours ago flashed, but sis spoke up.
"Dinner?"
"Picked at stuff during work. Not hungry."
"Cool, me neither. Ughhh... Don't game too much. Ruins your eyes..."
"Psh. Both 1.5 still."
"Could change. Yawwwn..."
Sis stretched with a tired groan and vanished into her room.
Lee Ji-yoon stared, fiddling her PJs, then checked her phone.
...Got it for real.
Seo Woo-jin's number.
A weird tension prickled her neck.
Just treatment and quick games. Nothing else.
Hmm.
Fuck it.
All CZ's fault, that creep.
No clue how, but yeah.
She dove back to bed.
Filled the empty Kakao chat for the first time.
Hmm.
Tried casual, but felt off.
Sis added chit-chat beyond the point. Shoulda too?
Hugging her blanket, glaring at the chat in dissatisfaction—
The "1" vanished.
...Gulp.
...Circumstances.
Details aside,
No need to apologize though. Hm.
Same as at the cafe—
Apologizing's just habit for him.
Unlike thirsty dudes creaming over a voice, cluelessly annoying.
If only that creep took after sis's BF half as much. Sigh.
Faceplanted on the bed, she patted it with her feet, tapping the screen.
Wait, really?
Bought the pad already?
Thought he'd skip it as wasteful.
Such an obedient newbie...
How to describe this.
Heart-melting? Too sad.
Warm and fuzzy? Heart-pounding?
Whatever the odd glow deep in her chest felt good.
Honestly, noodlep—
...
No, not that. Uhh,
What was it.
Oh.
Newbie-raising.
Thought it sounded lame,
but trying it? Kinda gets it.
Erasing "noodlepounding" from her mind, Lee Ji-yoon kept texting Seo Woo-jin.
Discord icon blinked orange below the monitor,
but her eyes stayed glued to her phone.
"No way that voice ain't a hottie."
"Nah. Plenty of fatties or uggos with cute voices."
"Your ears busted? Every chick I've hooked up was a smoke."
"Luck, dumbass. Anyway, if she ghosts, drop it? Girls who vibe give Discord easy. They dox themselves sneaky-like."
"She ain't giving—so booze her up and smash, retard."
"...True?"
"Potato squad's planning offline meets now. Branching other games. Some already banged behind backs."
"Yeah. But your target's a no-show."
"Call anyway. More girls, feels safe."
"Hm..."
"Heard she's 20. Freshman—hit before busy season."
"Fine. Don't get hopes up."
...What the hell.
"..."
Right before sleep,
Lee Ji-yoon skimmed the Discord offline meet details—time, place—and sighed flatly.
Figures.
Recent RPG sesh together was sus too.
Honestly, didn't wanna go.
Not people-phobic.
Just hated wasting energy.
Go there,
drink,
shots,
someone pukes—clean up.
Hauling sis alone was a chore; a dozen? Nightmare.
Dizzy just thinking, so she shut her eyes, shook her head lightly.
Decline sent, Lee Ji-yoon pulled up the covers and drifted off.