LS 66

Me

Hyung.

Moonhyuk-hyung.

Are you really going to keep ignoring me like this?

Me

Can’t we just talk for a minute, hyung…?

Me

I know you probably need time to sort through your thoughts.

But can you please just reply once?

Me:

I know you’re checking the messages, right?

How could anyone be this pathetic?

Dohee sincerely wished he could turn back time. If he could go back to the day he first met Moonhyuk, after seeing that ridiculous and weird username, he would’ve proudly said, ‘Yeah, I’m that GoingSupporter, lol,’ and stopped himself. It must’ve been the fifteenth thousandth time he thought that.

His head was pounding.

— I’m GoingSupporter, hyung.

Sure. It was fine up to that point. He had to say it eventually anyway. Time was running out, and though it hadn’t been intentional, he didn’t want to keep hiding this not-so-trivial (as he had thought) truth from Moonhyuk any longer.

He had imagined every possible outcome.

What if Moonhyuk got mad? What if he felt betrayed?

He was ready to be cursed out if it came to that.

But among all the scenarios he imagined, he never expected the worst one to actually come true, and he really didn’t want to believe it.

What if he just ghosted him completely?

The one thing he’d feared most was happening.

Even yelling out a confession in that desolate field on campus didn’t seem like such a bad idea. He had been struggling to figure out how to say it for so long. Sure, it wasn’t like he initiated it, Moonhyuk had asked first and the answer just slipped out. He knew he hadn’t given Moonhyuk any time to prepare.

But after hearing the confession, Moonhyuk didn’t just look shocked, he went dead white.

His skin was always on the paler side, but Dohee had never seen a person go that pale. His face lost every trace of color in an instant. His eyes fluttered, losing focus. Moonhyuk’s mouth hung slightly open, frozen. He didn’t even move his lips.

Dohee let out another heavy sigh just thinking about it.

He should’ve done something instead of just letting him walk away.

— Hyung, are you okay?

The moment he asked, Moonhyuk flinched like he’d just woken up from a dream and took a step back. Then, he mumbled again.

— So… so you’re… um… GoSupp? You’re saying you’re GoSupp?

— Yeah, I am, hyung. I swear I wasn’t trying to deceive you on purpose or anything like that….

But before he could finish, Moonhyuk began backing away. He was trembling so hard you could see it clearly, and Dohee couldn’t bring himself to stop him.

That was the first time in his life Dohee experienced what it was like to be at a loss for words.

And Moonhyuk ran.

Literally turned around and sprinted away at full speed.

For someone who claimed he’d spent his life studying, he sure was fast…

Even in that moment, Dohee found himself thinking that ridiculous thought.

Even after walking back with a sigh, he’d still felt okay.

Saying what he’d been hiding was oddly relieving. He was worried about Moonhyuk, sure, but figured they could just talk it out calmly over a call later.

That’s how naive and dumb he’d been.

But then, Moonhyuk didn’t respond.

Dohee couldn’t even tell if he was reading the game chat messages.

And obviously, Moonhyuk wasn’t answering his calls either.

It wasn’t unexpected, but it still left Dohee feeling unstable.

He knew he’d have to beg on his knees if that’s what it took, but it still hurt.

Maybe Moonhyuk felt betrayed, or humiliated, or angry.

Dohee understood that Moonhyuk might need time.

He even knew messaging him less than 24 hours later might be too much.

But unfortunately, Dohee liked Moonhyuk more than he’d realized.

There’s a reason people say the one who likes more always loses.

He wasn’t lying when he thought he’d do a backflip in front of Moonhyuk if asked. Or run like a dog if told to. That’s how desperate he was.

And the more desperate he felt, the more terrified he became.

He was scared Moonhyuk would cut him off completely.

And hurt.

Because if this was how it ended, it meant he didn’t mean that much to Moonhyuk after all.

Maybe it was too soon to think like that, it hadn’t even been a full day.

But Dohee was so anxious he couldn’t even bring himself to finish his usual daily quests, which he’d never once skipped before.

Me

Can we just talk once before you go to work?

Me

Hyung… ㅠㅠ

Me

I know you might be angry, embarrassed, even feel betrayed.

But just yell at me instead.

Get mad, I don’t care.

Me

If we stop talking like this, it’s going to break my heart.

It wasn’t even during working hours.

At this time of day, Moonhyuk would usually be studying in the library or reading.

He hadn’t logged into the game once since that moment yesterday.

Dohee put down his phone and turned on his second computer.

The fan whirred to life.

Until yesterday, Dohee had kept thinking maybe–just maybe–Moonhyuk would come over.

So he’d adjusted the keyboard and mouse to fit Moonhyuk’s big hands, cleaned the desk and monitor.

He’d imagined so many times what it would feel like if Moonhyuk were sitting in that chair.

Even though he hadn’t logged into AssaGo or GoingSupporter, Dohee habitually logged into Moonhyuk’s character.

He didn’t have the energy for his own max-level, inefficient dailies, but Moonhyuk, who’d just hit level 125, couldn’t afford to skip them.

That’s the mind of a hardcore gamer.

[Guild Chat]

SiblingSpicyNoodle: IngSupp~ lol did you finish all the hidden quests???

Tando: Based on my experience, logging in at this hour…

Tando: It’s 100% GoSupp lol

SiblingSpicyNoodle: ** Oh right, I forgot lol

SiblingSpicyNoodle: Hey deputy guildmaster~ lol did you finish all of them?

SoftRiceCake: Didn’t he just start the other day? lolol He barely logs in

4EvilPrettyGirl: lol Hidden quests aren’t that easy, ya know

4EvilPrettyGirl: Even if you skip everything, I heard it takes over 10 hours

4EvilPrettyGirl: If you endure it, great things shall be achieved

4EvilPrettyGirl: Namu Amitabha…

SiblingSpicyNoodle: ???? Why are you bringing up Buddha now ** What the hell, this tryhard concept boomer;;

Tando: I guess she converted to Buddhism in the meantime ^^

PrettyHealerHyung: [crying emoji] IngSupp ㅠㅠ… wait, or was it GoSupp?

PrettyHealerHyung: Let us know if you need any help!ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

YeohooHae: lol No response? Must be GoSupp

YeohooHae: If it were IngSupp, he’d be all “Hello… 8ㅅ8!” the second he logged in lol

SoftRiceCake: Ah~ lol you really know him too wellㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

“Knows him too well,” my ass.

Dohee ignored the guild chat without hesitation, even scoffing to himself.

The messages kept popping up, so he ended up minimizing the chat window.

He started gathering Dawn Roses for the daily quest.

IngSupp’s character had gotten pretty good at picking them by now.

After collecting them every day, his gathering level had steadily increased.

Watching the character’s back as he moved through the field, collecting flowers, made Dohee feel oddly lonely.

Chin in hand, barely paying attention, Dohee moved the character on the monitor.

It reminded him of the first day they met.

How he’d thought Moonhyuk was a total weirdo for not even knowing how to whisper in-game.

One thought led to another.

Should I have told him I was GoingSupporter that very first day, whether he believed me or not?

Or when he first whispered me after we became friends?

Or when I brought him into the guild?

Should I have just gotten over the awkwardness and said it then?

Or maybe when we started messaging through GameTalk?

Should I have said it then?

Or…

He shook his head.

In the end, this situation was his own doing.

Once he started genuinely enjoying playing with Moonhyuk, he must’ve deliberately avoided facing the possibility of this ever happening.

He’d become a coward, too scared of ruining things to say anything.

‘God, Baek Dohee, you’re really screwed.’

He scoffed to himself.

He had no idea when he’d even started falling for Kwon Moonhyuk.

Staring at the character standing idly in the field, Dohee suddenly sat up straight.

He snatched up his phone.

It was a low blow, and he knew it.

But it was the only surefire way he could think of to get a response out of Moonhyuk.

Even if it was too much, he couldn’t stop himself.

Me

Hyung, omg

I just logged into your character and I think it got hacked;;;

All your gear and gold, everything’s gone

Did you not have OTP or anything set up??

Dohee stared holes through his phone screen after sending the message.

Soon enough, the vibration he’d been waiting for buzzed.

Knockoff:

…Seriously…?

Sorry, but… are you for real?

Dohee didn’t miss the chance and immediately hit the call button.

Even if Moonhyuk cursed him out for this outrageous lie, he could take it. He didn’t care.

At least now he knew Moonhyuk had read all the messages.

So just once.

Please, just this one time.

Even if they couldn’t meet face to face.

Even if it was just over the phone. Please, just let him hear Moonhyuk’s voice and talk it out properly.