Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Late Maknae
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The weather had turned noticeably chilly. By evening, it was safe to call it full-blown autumn.
"Nothing's changed, huh."
Rat Mouse—Seongil Kim—muttered softly as he scanned the packed interior of the izakaya.
Since graduating high school, his job had kept him in Anyang, so this was a place he rarely had reason to visit.
Seoul, which he'd come back to after so long, was still teeming with people, and surprisingly little had changed.
"You used to live in Seoul?"
"He's living in Anyang because of work, duh."
The izakaya was noisy with chatter, but somehow Na Hani—Hanna Lee—had caught it and asked. Firefly—Jonghun Oh—answered for him.
"How'd you know? You guys into that bromance stuff?"
"Nah, sis just doesn't pay attention."
"Hey! I care a ton about you guys! Jonghun, weren't you tired coming all the way from Hwaseong?"
"Suwon."
"...Didn't you go to Hwaseong University?"
"Kyungki Foreign Language University."
"...Chinese department?"
"Japanese department. ...Don't make that pity face. It's not even close."
"......"
Hanna Lee and Jonghun Oh, who bickered often even in Eden, were exactly the same in person.
Hearing voices he'd always known from Discord in real life was emotional enough, but seeing them too made it all feel so novel.
We did the right thing by meeting up.
After two years of knowing each other, you'd think they'd have met at least once, but surprisingly, no such talk had ever come up—it was something he'd said in frustration.
He'd suggested meeting, but he'd worried it might be awkward.
Of course, now that they were together, it turned out to be all for nothing.
All the time they'd spent together hadn't vanished anywhere. There'd been no awkwardness even at first sight. It felt like reuniting with old friends.
As he got lost in sentiment, Jonghun Oh's voice snapped him out of it.
"Rat Mouse, when's Oppa-bung coming?"
"Hang on, I'll check."
They were already well past the agreed time.
Seongil Kim pulled out his smartphone and dialed naturally.
Right before meeting, they'd realized open chat was their only contact method and hurriedly exchanged numbers. A feat after a full two years.
His ringtone was a typical idol song.
Thinking of the guy with the low voice who rarely said much outside leading, Seongil Kim briefly mused that it didn't match at all.
—Hey, hyung.
"Dokgo-hyung, where are you?"
—Almost there. Everyone else here?
At the familiar voice of Dokgo—Jeong Dokgo—from the phone, Seongil Kim glanced around.
Regrettably, just him and two others. The out-of-towners had arrived first—a lamentable situation.
"Not yet. Just Na Hani-noona and Firefly."
—What about the maknae?
"Absent as usual."
—Hmm. Gotta give the maknae some discipline training.
Seongil Kim nearly blurted out to hurry up, but Jonghun Oh, sitting beside him, beat him to it.
"...Isn't that Dokgo-hyung?"
"Hm?"
"That bear over there."
At the end of Jonghun Oh's pointing finger was a bear-like guy with the phone to his ear, scanning around the entrance.
Yeah, a massive bear of a man.
"Hyung, you just walked in?"
—How'd you know? Where are you?
"...Pretty sure that's him."
As he spoke, the bear moved his mouth, and Dokgo's voice came through the speaker at the same time.
Seongil Kim turned to Jonghun Oh and said so, but the shameless guy bellowed out loud.
"Oppa-bung! Over here!"
As eyes turned their way, Hanna Lee subtly hid behind the menu, and Seongil Kim awkwardly looked away.
—...Was that Firefly?
"Spot on. So hurry up, hyung."
A deflated, incredulous voice came from the speaker, and the bear approached.
His solidly muscled frame matched the image of Dokgo Jeong that Seongil Kim had imagined.
Not easy to nail the match, but this guy had pulled it off amazingly.
"Oppa-bung, why're you so late?"
"Haven't been to Seoul in ages, got a bit lost."
"Hyung, didn't you leave your garrison?"
"On leave."
"What's a garrison...?"
"Doesn't matter if Na Hani doesn't know."
Dokgo Jeong settled naturally between Seongil Kim and Jonghun Oh while greeting the raid members.
Twenty minutes past the planned time, four out of five were finally together.
"What'd you order?"
"Nah, waiting for the dongsaeng."
"Maknae's always late. Let's just order something."
True to the eldest, Dokgo Jeong took charge. Every time he moved, his massive biceps flexed, making Seongil Kim suddenly feel the seats were cramped.
"What do you want, Na Hani?"
"Oppa pick for me."
"And Firefly?"
"Okonomiyaki for me."
"So Japanese."
"Major's Japanese too."
As they ordered, Seongil Kim picked up his phone again.
This guy was the maknae who was always latest and impossible to reach, as Dokgo Jeong had said.
A kid whose voice he'd never heard in two years of gaming together. Seongil Kim often wondered if their "maknae" even existed in real life.
"Whoa, Rat Mouse. Check that out."
He was about to call the number he'd saved when Jonghun Oh tapped his shoulder and whispered low.
"What."
"Hurry, before you regret it."
"There?"
"Don't stare like that. Look natural, like me."
Wondering what had him so worked up, Seongil Kim turned and froze solid.
"Gratitude arises?"
"...Damn."
"What? Oh."
Dokgo Jeong, turning with him, stiffened too, letting out an admiring grunt.
A woman in jeans, white tee, and cardigan over top. At a glance, ordinary—but special.
Her celebrity-level looks made it plausible.
Not just the three of them—when she entered the izakaya, most guys glanced her way instantly.
"Model?"
"...Seoul's on another level."
Jonghun Oh's boasting as Gyeonggi's top dog trailed off.
"...Men, honestly."
Hanna Lee grumbled from across, but Seongil Kim had no bandwidth for it. His ears rang like he'd gone underwater.
The weather was chilly, but spring bloomed warm in his heart.
No courage to approach, let alone speak.
"...Boyfriend, probably."
"Weird if she didn't, looking like that."
He'd muttered to himself, but Jonghun Oh confirmed it ruthlessly.
"Look, wine box? Probably here for an anniversary with her boyfriend."
"......"
"Whoa? Waiter took it. Snatched away."
Jonghun Oh commentated like a caster.
As the waiter took the wine box she'd cradled so preciously, her face visibly fell into gloom.
Her every changing expression tugged at Seongil Kim's heart. He'd already projected onto this total stranger.
Bet she's got a kind heart too.
That thought brought pointless regret, but Seongil Kim was self-aware enough to regain composure.
Reality wasn't a novel—no way she'd approach and talk to him. He knew that better than anyone.
Priority was the historic raid offline meet. Seongil Kim refocused and called the missing one again.
Endless ringing. As he waited for it to cut off, chaos erupted.
"Whoa! Rat Mouse, alert!"
Jonghun Oh next to him started freaking out. Following his gaze, Seongil Kim's eyes met hers.
For that instant, he thought his breath stopped.
"...She's looking at me?"
"Nah, don't flatter yourself. She was looking at me."
"Sigh......"
Hanna Lee's sigh came from across, but that wasn't the issue now.
She was definitely looking at him—and proving it by heading their way.
"Ha. Fell for this body, huh?"
"...Shut it. Feels like she's coming to me."
With every step closer, his heart pounded in his ears.
A dream?
Or maybe a novel.
Something from movies, happening for real!
She reached their table, shyly offering her smartphone. Seongil Kim thought he'd die without regrets that day.
"...R-right?"
Her voice matched her looks—soft, sweet, enchanting. He nodded, entranced.
Here for my number? Welcome. Kids planned?
Of course, he couldn't say it aloud. His mouth locked up.
Seongil Kim took the phone she offered. Beside him, Dokgo Jeong and Jonghun Oh gaped in disbelief.
See that?
Beaming triumphantly, he checked the screen—and a familiar name stared back.
A dream...?
Same word as before, different meaning.
The softly vibrating phone urged him to answer,
[Rat Mouse Hyung]
The caller was none other than himself.
Seongil Kim looked up at her in shock, and she grinned cheekily.
So breathtakingly beautiful. And shocking on the other hand. Tears nearly welled up.
At the flower-like age of 26. His first love had begun.
"Hyung, it's me......"
No, it was about to begin.