Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Panic Room
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◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Park Dahye stared back and forth between me and my hand with her sparkling eyes.
Her head bobbing up and down at 30Hz.
[Hurry hurry hurry hurry!]
She was so proactive when it came to things she liked.
I swear I don't have mind-reading powers, but it felt like I could hear every bit of what she was thinking.
Yeah, I get it—I totally get how you feel, so I want to hurry up too.
But for some reason, ever since earlier, my hand just wouldn't move.
A small room with the computer all set up.
All I had to do was turn the doorknob to show off my setup, but the hand gripping it kept hesitating.
Ugh.
Bad memories are surfacing. So that's what this is about.
[Games? Sigh... I told you last time. You're almost thirty now. How long are you going to live like a pathetic loser? Time to stop that nonsense!]
That's what Suyeon had said.
Yeah, pathetic.
Whenever I have free time, it's all Billion Saga on my mind, and the only thing I buy with the money I've saved from working hard is gaming gear.
By normal standards, I'm a hopelessly pathetic guy.
Of course, Suyeon couldn't accept my hobby either.
From the early days of dating, she'd cringe at the mere mention of games.
And when I recently bought the computer... her glare was so terrifying I couldn't even bring it up.
Ha...
At some point, without realizing it, Suyeon's contemptuous expression had burned itself into my brain.
As deeply as I love games.
That scar hurts now, all of a sudden.
"Seonghyeon, you know there's a computer in this room, right?"
"Ah, yeah. There is. But... Dahye."
"Yeah?"
"Just... never mind."
I wasn't sure.
Getting my hobby denied? I'd already been through that once.
What if.
Even if Park Dahye thought I was pathetic, it probably wouldn't hurt as much as back then.
I opened the door.
"Heek."
The sight inside was enough to make anyone gasp.
Graphics card, CPU, and all the hardware perfectly matched in white, right down to the desk, tower, and chair.
Top-tier specs, with 21:9 curved gaming monitors.
And two identical setups like that.
Next to the computer desks, there was a metal rack stocked full of snacks.
Cup ramen, chips, all sorts of instant foods, and a mini-fridge beside it packed with drinks.
Subtle indirect lighting bathed everything, giving off more of a PC bang vibe than a home setup.
For the record, I'm a performance nut, not a design freak.
And I never eat snacks while gaming.
So in other words, this room wasn't to my taste.
I'd just made it that way, imagining sitting side by side with Suyeon, desperately trying to win her approval and have fun gaming together.
[Don't even dream about it.]
Of course, that dream shattered with one word from her.
I know there's no helping it.
To someone who doesn't game, this room isn't a dream—it's a den of depravity.
I cautiously gauged Park Dahye's reaction.
I figured she'd like it, of course... but this setup was way over the top.
What if, just what if.
If Park Dahye made the same face Suyeon did, how would that feel?
It'd hurt a lot, probably.
"Seonghyeon. What's all this?"
"Huh? Why?"
But... her delayed reaction sent a thrill through me.
Not the painful kind of thrill.
The kind that cleanly heals the wound Suyeon left behind.
Like taking a rank 48 priest's Great Heal straight to the face.
My head felt refreshed.
"Why? You call this a room? This is heaven! Whoa! Whoa! This monitor is huge!"
Phew.
Of course.
Now I can relax.
Dahye wasn't just liking it—she was darting around the room in short steps, marveling at every single thing.
"Whoa, snacks here too?"
"Eat whatever you want if you're hungry."
"For real? Drinks too?"
"Obviously. Just say the word, and I'll fill a cup with ice and pour one for you."
"Wow... So, um, can this computer run Billion Saga on full options?"
"Billion Saga full options? You kidding? This rig wouldn't even spin up the fans."
"Seriously? Whoa... I've always dreamed of running Billion Saga on full options. Come on, Seonghyeon, let's game right now. What's the password?"
A dream?
I'd been nervous just moments ago, but hearing that made me feel weird.
Like my past was being denied.
'Was it really that easy?'
My dream of gaming together with someone I like—turns out it was ridiculously far-fetched.
No matter how much I tiptoed around their feelings, sweetened my words, or appealed to reason, it always ended in rejection.
Why was it so easy with Park Dahye?
She casually overlaid her own dream right on top of the games I'd held dear, and it felt unreal.
'Well, Dahye isn't Suyeon.'
Old memories had unconsciously made me compare them...
But Park Dahye is Park Dahye.
And she's a completely different species from any other human women I know.
Sorry for the comparison.
From now on, I'll accept her as she is, without comparing to anyone.
She's judging me by her own steadfast standards, after all. Only fair if I do the same.
"The password's one you know. It's the same as our shared storage number."
"Huh? Really? That's my PC password too. Hehe, we match."
Dreams matching, passwords matching—everything clicks perfectly.
This is insane.
Wait a sec, hold on.
Something's off.
[Gaming together with someone I like] as a dream?
No, that's not it—cancel, cancel.
Park Dahye isn't that person to me. Especially not a woman—I'm not getting tangled up like that.
Maybe it's because she's been floating in my head since morning.
I had a weird illusion.
"Seonghyeon. Sitting here makes me feel like I could game all day. I've always wanted to pull an all-nighter at a PC bang. Wanna try tonight?"
"Pull an all-nighter? It's noon already."
"So?"
"From now till dawn is at least 18 hours."
"Huh? Seonghyeon, you can't handle that?"
"...What's with that look?"
Park Dahye lifted her chin smugly and flashed a sly grin.
I can read you like a book, you rascal.
She'd been showering me with praise over breakfast, but now her competitive side was peeking out.
Long gaming sessions are her specialty. She wants to win this one, huh?
"Heh, the great Kwon Seonghyeon Fighter can't even handle one all-nighter? You used to do it no problem five years ago. Turned into an old fogey already? Pfft!"
"Hey. Old fogey? I'm still in my twenties."
"Fine, take it back. I'll tease you about it next year. You won't even be able to argue then~"
"Sigh... Fine, you're on. Whoever says 'stop' first loses."
"Deal. Loser grants three wishes."
"Three? Isn't one the standard rule?"
"The old fogey's already thinking about losing...? No problem if you win, though..."
"Sit down. You're done for."
It wasn't even about who boots up the game faster, but we both dove into our computers like it was a race.
Welcome back to Billion Saga, player. Welcome back to Billion Saga, rank 48 High Priest. "Oh? Seonghyeon's login sound is different~?"
I didn't know rankers got special treatment like that.
Trying to psych me out from the start.
But if I had to predict ahead, I'd probably lose this bet.
No drive to beat a twenty-year-old's youthful stamina, and against Kim Pokttal? I know I'm outmatched.
Eight hours tops? Keeping up half her time would be impressive.
At first, I suggested the bet hoping she'd enjoy the room I liked a bit more.
But after she threw in wishes as the prize, my thinking shifted.
Her three wishes.
I'm curious what they are.
Wishes hold desires, and human nature is steeped in desire.
What does she want?
Knowing that would let me understand Kim Pokttal better. That's why I accepted the bet.
"Seonghyeon, we're finishing World Tree Labyrinth, right? Only two days left on the clear timer—let's go!"
Of course, I'd enjoy the process thoroughly.
"Let's go!"
"Let's go!! Kim Pokttal bus departing!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Tatadadatak!
What a bizarre scene.
Kim Pokttal should be somewhere beyond the chat window, but now I can see her just by turning my head.
And for the first time, I witnessed it.
Her control.
Her fingers danced wildly over the keyboard, her eyes glued to the monitor like they were fixed in place.
Incredible focus.
"I'll block with Holy Shield and intercept the arrows. Seonghyeon, just charge straight in."
"Huh? How do you intercept arrows while using Holy Shield?"
"Feels like I can do it right now, so give it a shot?"
"Okay."
No clue what she's talking about.
I trusted her word and charged blindly into the arrow-riddled battlefield.
Arrows incoming.
Dozens aimed at Kim Pokttal behind my back,
one at my foot, another at my head.
But the two headed my way exploded mid-air just before hitting.
"What?!"
Holy Shock.
A basic attack skill for priests holding a scepter.
The issue? Park Dahye was using Holy Shield right now to block arrows coming at her.
Holy Shield's activation requires pressing five random keys with your left hand simultaneously—and they change constantly.
In other words, invincibility at the cost of sealing your left hand.
So she was precisely sniping the arrows headed my way using just her right hand, alternating between mouse and keyboard.
Insane.
"Seonghyeon, focus! No holy water left—this is the last one!"
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