He Is That Guy

“Remember how Yu Ji-han used to rag on guys for playing female characters? Well… he ended up marrying a guy.”
I frowned as Kim Daeseok teased me while we were leaving the PC bang after a round of FPS with our classmates.
“Shut up.”

“Huh? How do you even marry a guy?”
That was Eun Haeseong, another classmate trailing behind us, looking genuinely puzzled as he asked. His orange-red hair stood out so much it was impossible not to notice him. He was the type who kept nagging me to go clubbing. If I didn’t answer properly, people might get the wrong idea, so I gave him the simple version.
“It’s about the game.”

“Ji-han, you married a guy in a game?”
Knowing Haeseong’s stubborn nature—once he fixates on something, he’ll keep asking until he’s satisfied—I let out a sigh. Thanks a lot, Daeseok.
“Yeah. With a colossal lunatic. He happens to be the server’s top dog.”

Daeseok dropped his heavy arm onto Haeseong’s shoulder, chuckling.
Hearing my explanation, Haeseong’s eyes sparkled.
“Is it Xenorise? That game, right? Is it that fun?”
“It’s a blast. After Heroes of the Realm, Xenorise feels stress-free, real healing. Sure, you run into a few assholes, but that’s every game.”

“Maybe I should try it too? ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) Since you’re playing, I’m kinda interested.”
“I told you to play before and you ignored me, you bastard.”
“Yeah, but you’re good at games, Ji-han. I’ll need a carry.”

“Shameless prick.”
“Carry or not, the new semester’s starting soon. How much time do you think you’ll even put in?”
“Oh.”

Realization dawned on Haeseong’s face at my words, and he shrugged.
“Still, I could just make a character and play here and there. But yeah, once the semester starts I’ll be busy—with drinking.”
“You’ll be slammed from chugging booze and doing assignments. God, I hate the semester starting.”

“Oh, right. Yu Ji-han.”
I was ignoring the two loudmouths and scrolling through unread messages on my phone when Haeseong called me, so I looked up.
“You’re single now, right?”

“Why.”
“There’s this noona I know who wants me to introduce her to you. I posted that picture of us on Stargram the other day, and she saw it.”
He pulled up a photo on his phone. A radiant beauty with long, light-brown hair was smiling brightly.

She’s my type, actually.
“How old?”
“Three years older than us. Already working. Pretty solid, right? She looks even better in person than in the photo.”
I usually prefer younger women, so that’s a bit of a shame.

“I don’t think I’ll have time to talk this week.”
“She won’t care about that. Want me to give you her number?”
“Send it. I’ll message her next week.”

How long’s it been since I broke up with the last one? Counting this month, maybe six months?
Yeah, probably time to start dating again.
“Whoa, she’s gorgeous. Hook me up too!”

“How am I supposed to hook you up when there isn’t a single girl who likes you?”
I half-listened to the two of them bickering as I checked the guild chatroom.
[ㅇㅇ: @Jeo Jolryeoyo]
[ㅇㅇ: Hyung, when are you coming?]

[Haereun: Hyung parrot ㄷㄷ]
[Drink Some Water: Just go DM each other already]
[I’m Lagginggg: Don’t you need his number to DM?]

[Let’s Play Pattycake: Yep]
[Let’s Play Pattycake: Guess Jolrye-nim never gave his number, so DM’s impossibleㅋ]
[Jeo Jolryeoyo: Out rn]
[Jeo Jolryeoyo: Why]

[ㅇㅇ: I made my alt]
[ㅇㅇ: But my alt’s got nothingㅠㅠ]
Nothing on it, so he’s asking me to play together.
I smirked at Yu Chae’s unusually indirect way of saying it and typed back immediately.

[Jeo Jolryeoyo: Wait 30 mins]
[ㅇㅇ: ^ㅡ^!]
“I’m heading out.”
“Where to?”

“Home.”
“You’re not even staying for dinner?”
“Nope. Got plans.”

Plans that just got made, but plans are plans.
Leaving Daeseok and Haeseong looking dumbfounded, I walked out of the PC bang.
 

****
As soon as I got home, washed up, and logged into the game, a stranger in guild chat greeted me way too cheerfully.
[Guild] JolryeOwner: Hyung, hyung!

[Guild] JolryeOwner: Hiii >_<
[Guild] Jeo Jolryeoyo: ?
The hell is with that disgusting username.

A chill ran down my back and I typed the most heartfelt response I could.
[Guild] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Not marrying, bye
[Guild] JolryeOwner: Ah why not!!

[Guild] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Do you seriously not know why?
[Guild] ManaOing: Oh, Jolrye-nim’s here
[Guild] Marinated Crab, Slurp: o/ o/

[Guild] TheHunter: lol imagine what it was like for us, having to see that first
[Guild] Drink Some Water: Hey Jolrye, hi
[Guild] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Hey
[Guild] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Sorry, I literally just found out tooㅋ;

[Guild] JolryeOwner: Hyung, where are you??
[Guild] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Just come to my farm
Personal farms were easy—you could just click a name from the guild or friends list and teleport straight there.

[Guild] Drink Some Water: His farm really did become a honeymoon house lololol
[Guild] Haereun: fr lmao
[Guild] Park Seungjin99: Damn, it’s heating up in here

[Guild] Jeo Jolryeoyo: What the hell are you all sayingㅡㅡ
[All] JolryeOwner: I’m here >.<♥
Didn’t take long before a small female avatar appeared in the farm.

A high ponytail, plain robe, and just like I’d said before—brown hair and brown eyes.
‘Why does it feel more like siblings than a couple…’
That gross username made it even worse.

Should’ve just let him reincarnate when he first suggested it. Too late to regret now.
[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: What level?
[All] JolryeOwner: 35ㅎ.ㅎ

[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: How the hell are you 35 already?
[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Didn’t you make that char like an hour ago?
[All] JolryeOwner: Hour and a half?

[All] JolryeOwner: Early levels go quick anyway.
[All] JolryeOwner: But that’s not the point.
What’s more important than leveling in an RPG?

While I was trying to recall fast leveling routes, Yu Chae tossed off the shabby robe and started equipping other outfits.
[All] JolryeOwner: Hyung, what do you think of this?
[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: ??

Yu Chae spun in front of me, flaunting a frilly pure-white dress.
[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: …What about it
[All] JolryeOwner: Do you like it?ㅇ.ㅇ

[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Yeah, looks nice
[All] JolryeOwner: Then what about this one?
Next came a skin-tight formal suit.

[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Sure, fine
[All] JolryeOwner: And this?
He just kept cycling through outfits. At first I humored him, but after endless costume changes, I finally snapped.

[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Stop asking me pointless crapㅡㅡ;
[All] JolryeOwner: It’s not pointless
[All] JolryeOwner: This is more important than leveling right now

[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: What, does one of them give some insane buff??
[All] JolryeOwner: Nope…
[All] JolryeOwner: You’re kinda frustratingㅡㅡ

You’re the frustrating one, you lunatic.
[All] JolryeOwner: Since it’s your favorite female char, I’m just trying to figure out your taste in clothes
[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: For fuck’s sake, stop saying I like women, bastard

[All] JolryeOwner: Then do you like men?
“……”
Instead of answering, I sent him a PvP request.

[All] JolryeOwner: Heyㅠㅠ I’m a newbie charㅠㅠ
[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Doesn’t matter, I’m killing you
[All] JolryeOwner: lol sorry sorry

This bastard… even though he clings to me calling “hyung” nonstop, he’s not just some obedient puppy.
Sometimes he needles me like this too. He might be obsessed, but he’s definitely not mild by nature.
[All] JolryeOwner: So which one’s your type?

[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: The first one
[All] JolryeOwner: The dress?
[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Yeah

[All] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Enough, let’s just hit a dungeon
[All] JolryeOwner: lololololol
[All] JolryeOwner: Okayㅎㅡㅎ

Wearing the white dress, Yu Chae partied up with me and we headed to the low-level zone.
Since the mobs here were weak due to the level gap, I swapped to my old shabby staff. Using the expensive one here would just waste durability and repair costs.
Following me quietly at first, Yu Chae suddenly piped up with another question.

[Party] JolryeOwner: Hyung, but like
[Party] JolryeOwner: If I were a real girl and not in-game,
[Party] JolryeOwner: What would you have said just now?

What’s with him today? Scratching my forehead, I answered flatly.
[Party] Jeo Jolryeoyo: I would’ve said you look good in anything
[Party] JolryeOwner: Aha

[Party] Jeo Jolryeoyo: Why
[Party] Jeo Jolryeoyo: You got a girl you like?
[Party] JolryeOwner: Hyung, I’m too busy chasing you around.

[Party] JolryeOwner: Where would I find time for that lol
Now that I thought about it, I really didn’t know much about Yu Chae. The only thing I was sure of was his age, but even that could be a lie.
According to the others, he never shared his real name or face.

‘…It does bother me a bit.’
I fiddled with my piercing, lost in thought.