Doesnt he realize how weve drifted apart? Or, perhaps he forgot

Of course, there wasnt much I wanted to say to him now. The reigning factor in why Han Kiseok and I drifted apart was how he had spread rumors and talked behind my back

Although, before then, he seemed to be tired of me

Han Kiseok already had a clique that suited his status. Though he had somehow gotten along with me and talked with me often, he still was close with his other friends.

Furthermore, Han Kiseok would completely ignore me while he hung with his crowd. Even if he ran into me while with his friends, he didnt even bother including me in their activities. Therefore, while Han Kiseok talked with his friends, I stood, alienated, until he called for me again.

And, most damningly, hed stand at the front and tell his friends about my issues

And I would have to listen to that from the back of the group.

Honestly, I couldnt remember what Han Kiseok said in detail now. Itd been so longand I didnt think it was that shocking that he thought of me like that.

After all, even when Han Kiseok acted kindly to me, he often belittled or acted superior to me. After that night-to-dawn moment when I had revealed all my insecurities and problems, he began to act a bit colder. There were days when he wouldnt contact me for one or two days at a time. It was as if

He wanted me to stop leaning on him for support.

Therefore, rather than Han Kiseoks actions, I was more shocked by his friends reactions. Their unsurprised giggling and gossipingit was as if they had heard him complain many times before That was perhaps the larger contributor to my shock and sense of betrayal.

He probably wouldnt understand if I were to bring up this by-gone history. Hed probably shrug his shoulders as if he saw nothing wrong with his actions.

It would have honestly been less shocking if Han Kiseok had hit me. If he hated medespised methen at least he saw me as an equal. When I had begun to think of him as something between friend and lover, he had not even thought of me as a friend. The misery I felt that day

Even if Han Kiseok hadnt contacted me from that day on, he wasnt one to usually initiate contact in the first place.

Because we had drifted away under those conditions, I wasnt pleased that Han Kiseok had DMd me. I thought about sending him scathing words or perhaps just ignoring him Or, honestly, I wanted to move on from this conversationas if nothing happenedafter exchanging some superficial small talk.

In any case, I wasnt happy to see him at all. It wasnt that I havent moved on from the events of that day, but

To be honest, its still a dark blot on my personal history

I suppose I was embarrassed by my clumsiness and naivete. My face inadvertently heated up when I remembered how I couldnt hide my affections and sent him notes or letters.

Han Kiseok was like a highschool diary; he probably remembered all the stupid ways I actedthings I attempted to blot out of my memory. Perhaps he thought of me from time to time. Something like

In the past, I had a guy who liked me.

Well, I suppose that would be all hed have to say about me

[Choi Lee-kyung: hi hi] 1

So, after much consideration, I simply gave him a casual greeting. In reality, I wanted to ignore himbut I still had too many lingering grudges to simply ignore him.

However, it wasnt like I wanted to receive an apology for the scars he had given me in the past. I just wanted to show Han Kiseokin the past he had treated me like a nobody; I wanted to clearly show him that I was over him. I wanted to make him think, Choi Lee-kyung must not like me anymore.

[Choi Lee-kyung: Yah, its been a year since Ive become a User lolol]

Therefore, I forced myself to sound friendly and relaxed, adding [lolol] to the end of my response.

Also, I used to have the habit of telling Han Kiseok everything that had happened to me, even before the other asked If he remembered that, perhaps hed feel a lack of warmth in my words.

Han Kiseok replied to me about 2 minutes later.

[Han Kiseok: I searched you up on the System networkI see youre not part of a guild yet.]

[Han Kiseok: Also youre a Necromancer?]

I was totally pissed off. Hahhh?!!

Han Kiseok already knew that my prospects as a User was low; he didnt even deign ignorance. My plan to pretend chicness and nonchalance was suddenly torn apart at the mention of my specifications.

It was customary for Users to enter small social guilds or medium-sized career guilds; furthermore, my class was the worst. Even ordinary people knew that Necromancer was a future-less class. Put together, Han Kiseoks two questions gained a new meaning.

[You dont have a guild]

[And your class is the worst too Are you able to properly feed yourself?]

It was the same as if he said that.

[Choi Lee-kyung: yeye lolol the daily routine of being in a guild just doesnt suit me lolol]

So, even though I was trembling with fury, I tried to respond coolly. And, Han Kiseok connivingly responded with seemingly kind words.

[Han Kiseok: Thats right, lolol, particularly disciplined places are difficult to handle]

[Han Kiseok: Youre in the hub right now, right?]

[Han Kiseok: Your mom is worried because you havent been visiting recently.]

Then, if you consider what Han Kiseok knews about my specs, he probably meant

[Youre too ashamed to go home]

Or, at least, that was my interpretation.

I immediately thought about the money Seo Dawon had given me and the corporate card Koo Hui-seo gave meto spend as much as I pleased. Halfway through typing all that, I eventually deleted everything. It was money I couldnt even brag about I couldnt even send more than 30 million won to my mom because I was afraid Id get caught Damn.

[Choi Lee-kyung: Yah, lolol, Ive had no time because Ive been too busy in the dungeons lolol]

[Choi Lee-kyung: Ive been raiding 3 dungeons a weekIm so frazzled lolololol]

Still, I tried to respond nonchalantly, roleplaying a freelancer with too much scheduled on their timetable. Then, I went overboard and even sent an emoticon of a hamster running on its wheel, squeaking [Im busy, too busy!]. After I sent him that, I felt a bit of shame rolling through me Who the heck even bought this emote sticker set? I bet it was Kim Olim. Damn

[Han Kiseok: lolololol]

[Han Kiseok: I guess youre pretty busy]

[Han Kiseok: Still, do you think youd have the time to see me once?]

It didnt seem that Han Kiseok was affected by my words very much. He took everything I said as truth and refreshingly countered by asking to meetit really did seem like he had forgotten about our past.

Nohe could have simply searched me out of curiosity after hearing I became a User. Now that hed seen what horrible situation I was in, though, perhaps he wanted to ridicule me.

[Choi Lee-kyung: lololol Yeah, lets eat out sometime lolololol]

[Han Kiseok: Do you have time this weekend?]

Han Kiseoks desire to meet must not have been mere empty words; he tried to schedule a set time. I had no idea hed press for a specific time; I could only hesitate and respond [The weekend?]. Han Kiseok didnt back down.

[Han Kiseok: I dont mind meeting in the middle of the week either.]

[Han Kiseok: I should use all my years of experiences, keke]

[Choi Lee-kyung: Well]

[Choi Lee-kyung: Wait lolol Ill check my schedule lolol]

[Han Kiseok: Ah, also, lets add each other as a friend through the system.]

[Han Kiseok: SNS 2 is for common folk, not Users.]

[Choi Lee-kyung: Huh?]

[Han Kiseok: Dont wanna?]

[Choi Lee-kyung: As if. Lololololol]

[Choi Lee-kyung: Go-go!]

[Han Kiseok: Sent lololol]

He had even asked me to accept his [Friend Request].

For some reason, I didnt want to back down either, so I accepted his request. But, looking at the friend tab on my status window[Kim Sangyoon], [Moon Issak], [Han Kiseok] To be honest, I felt incredibly dismal for the future. None of those people became my friend for genuine reasons.

In addition, while browsing through the [Friend Request] section, I was flustered to see Koo Hui-seos name in the Waiting for Acceptance section. How long ago had [Koo Hui-seo] sent a request?

[Han Kiseok: hi hi]

Meanwhile, Han Kiseok left our social media DMs and greeted me over the [Friend Chat] window in the system. Even though inwardly I knew nothing good could come of this situation, I continued to talk to him. And, swept along in the flow of that conversation, we even made an appointment to see each other at the Hub this Saturday

Eventually, our conversation finished, and I tugged at my hair. This wasnt it! I only wanted to chicly say to him, Im not that Choi Lee-kyung who desperately clung onto you, anymore~

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TL: Ahhh too many things to focus on

a) The fact that Lee-kyung thinks Olim downloaded cute sticker packs onto his phone is honestly so so cute.

b) My PR and I were cringing so much bc we can relate with the totally casualnot casual at alltexts that Lee-kyung was sending.

c) Hamchi is just too relateable. Also once again his tendency to doom-think shows uphe takes everything said the worst way possible against him. Still, I dont blame him in this particular situation.