LG Chapter 42

Translator: Shewee

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[WARNING: Guys you all may know that I never really put warning tags. This chapter contains stuff that may not be suitable for a category of people so be warned before you read this. It contains extreme fluff and sweetness so people who are single please proceed with caution. Thank you]

Chapter 42

The day after GreenAppleCheong’s account deletion, Kyungsoo’s couple status window was entirely empty. It was as if the player named GreenAppleCheong had never existed. The sheer determination Noeul exhibited to push him to quit within just three days was chilling.

Moreover, pseudo-news outlets picked up the story with headlines like, “A woman who gave her items and heart to someone she met in a game, only to find out he was a man?” This spread Noeul’s post and GreenAppleCheong’s downfall widely across social media. Consequently, players familiar with GreenAppleCheong from his previous games began surfacing, turning this into a butterfly effect. This even led to netkamas (players pretending to be the opposite gender) confessing their true identities and quitting games. This led to Sunset earning himself an unofficial title of “Military Service Evaders’ Hunter,” or more succinctly, “Asshole.” No one knew why it was shortened like that.

Kyungsoo and Noeul officially became a couple the very next day. As Kyungsoo had expected, their guild members didn’t sit idly by. The same was true for the guild Melody. The moment Kyungsoo accepted the relationship request, Jigu Byeol broadcasted the news of their coupling over the server’s mic. Members from both guilds extravagantly used the server mic to celebrate the new couple. Messages of congratulations flooded in, and Noeul, in the spirit of celebration, threw nearly a billion game coins in a frenzy with the “Make It Rain” skill from Isis.

Even afterward, mysterious compensation money occasionally arrived in Kyungsoo’s in-game mailbox. When he tried to return it with a reply, the system would show the message, “This character has already been deleted.” Though he didn’t know who it was, he wished he could tell them not to bother.

About three days later, the commotion within the game settled, returning to its usual atmosphere. Since then, Kyungsoo occasionally met up with Noeul to watch movies, visit each other’s homes to play games together, and even share light kisses, living a peaceful daily life. Before he knew it, Cheon Noeul had naturally become part of his routine, and rumors of Poseidon and Melody forming an alliance began circulating.

—

[Noeul]: When are you coming back, hyung?ㅠㅠ

[Me]: Running errands. I’ll be back by 3 at the latestㅇㅇ

[Noeul]: Not in-game… When are you coming back to Seoul?

It was summer break, and Kyungsoo had gone to the countryside to visit his parents. His father had injured his leg, so Kyungsoo ended up staying away from his apartment for nearly a month. Naturally, he saw Noeul less frequently, only meeting him in the game. Initially, Noeul had just said he missed him, but after a week, he started pestering him about when he’d return.

[Me]: Not sure. Maybe after the break?

To be honest, staying with his family was far more comfortable than being alone in his apartment. There was always someone to prepare meals, and even the occasional nagging didn’t feel so bad.

[Noeul]: Ah…ㅠㅠ

[Noeul]: I miss you, hyungㅜ

That made sense. They had seen each other almost every day, and now they were apart for nearly a month. Even Kyungsoo felt a bit lonely, so for Noeul, who actually liked him, it must’ve been even harder. It was a wonder he hadn’t already thrown a tantrum and rushed to visit him.

[Noeul]: There’s no way you’d suddenly lose your mind and come back this week, right?ㅠ

[Me]: Probably not?

Kyungsoo wasn’t the type to do something so impulsive. Though Noeul stopped replying after that, Kyungsoo couldn’t get his crestfallen face out of his mind. Even after a month apart, he could vividly imagine Noeul’s pouty expression.

“…….”

I should go clean my room and get ready for school…. My parents will be disappointed, but I’ll try to find a bus ticket for next week or so….Kyungsoo blinked dazedly and stared at the dry branches swaying in the wind. Pulling the cap of his hoodie even deeper against the biting wind that slapped him in the face. He shoved his cell phone into his pocket and quickened his pace.

—

For some reason, Cheon Noeul wasn’t online that day. He’d been leveling up his new healer character, “Defense Ministry,” with Minjae, so Kyungsoo expected him to be logged in. Yet seeing all three characters—Sunset, Cheon Noeul, and Defense Ministry—offline felt oddly unfamiliar. Maybe they had gone for a late lunch? Even after waiting an hour, Noeul didn’t log in. Growing impatient, Kyungsoo sent a whisper to their mutual friend, SpadeQueen.

[Whisper] MeowieMeowMeow: What’s up? Why isn’t Cheon Noeul online? lol

[Whisper] SpadeQueen: Oh, him? lol He got dragged away earlier. lol

Dragged away? The first thing that came to Kyungsoo’s mind was the police. No way. As outrageous as Noeul could be, there was no way he’d do something that would warrant getting arrested.

[Whisper] MeowieMeowMeow: By who??

[Whisper] SpadeQueen: His mom. lol

The phrasing, “dragged away,” suggested that Noeul wasn’t too fond of going home. Come to think of it, Kyungsoo couldn’t recall Noeul ever talking about his family.

[Whisper] SpadeQueen: His birthday’s the day after tomorrow, you know? He’s been ignoring calls and skipping visits home, so she came to pick him up herself. lol. Tomorrow, he’ll probably get dragged away by his dad. haha

[Whisper] MeowieMeowMeow: The day after tomorrow?

Kyungsoo quickly checked his phone’s calendar. The day after tomorrow was… the weekend. Suddenly, he remembered the message Noeul had sent earlier.

“There’s no way you’d suddenly lose your mind and come back this week, right?”

“Was he hinting at his birthday?”

“……”

He couldn’t bring himself to outright say he wanted to see me on his birthday, so he casually hinted at it instead. No wonder I couldn’t catch on. Thinking about what he must’ve felt when he sent that message gave me a headache. To make matters worse, I had given him a vague answer like “Probably not,” which must’ve frustrated him even more.

[Whisper] SpadeQueen: ?? Hyung didn’t know? Cheon Noeul didn’t say anything?

[Whisper] SpadeQueen: That can’t be trueee??

[Whisper] MeowieMeowMeow: Nah, just enjoy the game lol

[Whisper] SpadeQueen: ?

My head felt foggy, maybe because of the cigarette smell wafting from the man sitting beside me.

Cheon Noeul, your birthday is the day after tomorrow, right?

I typed out the message in the chatbox but hesitated to send it. Why didn’t he say anything? It’s just once a year. He was so quick to complain about trivial things, never hiding his feelings over the smallest grievances, but why didn’t he just ask to meet up for his birthday?

“Ah, this is driving me crazy.”

I couldn’t focus on anything because it kept bothering me. In the end, Kyungsoo deleted the message he had typed out and impulsively booked a bus ticket for the morning two days later.

As I’d feared, Noeul didn’t log into the game yesterday either. Minjae had muttered something nonsensical like, “Yesterday was the mother, so today must be the father.” He had never talked much about his parents before, so I figured his family situation must be sensitive. Hearing about it through a third party didn’t feel right either. Restless, I spent the night tossing and turning. At the crack of dawn, I left home and got on the bus.

By the time I arrived at the terminal, it was 10 a.m. I picked up a cake from a nearby bakery and headed to Noeul’s house. Surely, he wouldn’t be upset about me showing up unannounced. I pressed the doorbell next to his door.

“…What the? Is he not home?”

I pressed it three or four more times, but there was still no answer. He couldn’t still be sleeping at this hour. Just in case, I tried punching in the door lock code. 258789. Luckily, the password hadn’t been changed, and the door clicked open.

“Cheon Noeul!”

I called out his name, but there was no response. The house was eerily silent. It seemed like he hadn’t come home yet. The place was just as neat as ever, save for the desk with his computer. There wasn’t a hint of everyday life here. I even started worrying whether he’d been eating properly.

I tried calling his phone, but it was turned off.

There wasn’t much else I could do. I placed the cake on the dining table and decided to leave a note before heading back. I fetched some paper and a pen from Noeul’s room.

Happy Birthday. Call me later.

While I was writing the note in big, clear letters on an A4 sheet, I heard some commotion outside the door.

Cheon Noeul?

I perked up my ears and looked toward the door.

“That bastard Cheon Noeul didn’t change his password, did he?”

“As if. Even if he did, it wouldn’t matter. Hyung would crack it in five tries tops.”

There wasn’t just one person outside. Judging by the voices, Noeul wasn’t among them.

Beep beep beep beep beep beep.

It seemed like they were Noeul’s friends trying to guess his door code. Panicked, I glanced around the room for a place to hide. My eyes landed on his wardrobe. Without a second thought, I ducked inside and closed the door.

Thinking back, there was no real reason to hide, but it was too late. Just as I squeezed inside, they managed to unlock the door and entered the house noisily.

“See? Told you.”

“This is insane…”

“If Cheon Noeul’s house gets robbed, I’m blaming Jung Minjae. I’ll testify in court.”

“Shut up. There’s nothing to steal, you bastard.”

The footsteps grew closer, and my heart pounded in my chest.

“Hey, there’s water on the sink. Was someone here?”

“There’s a cake here too. Wait, what does this say…?”

“…….”

“…….”

After a long silence, someone sniffled.

“Poor guy… living all alone like this.”

“What would he have done if we hadn’t come…”

Why are they pitying him? As I blinked in the darkness, I suddenly realized something.

‘Happy Birthday. Call me later.’

They must’ve thought Noeul left that note for himself.

I didn’t have the courage to step out and clear up the misunderstanding. Just then, my phone screen lit up, and music started playing. It was a call from Cheon Noeul.

His timing was impeccable. Freaking out, I hastily declined the call.

“Did you hear that?”

“…Hiding in the room to play games, perhaps?”

“No way. Cheon Noeul!”

The sound of footsteps drew closer. Kyungsoo silently screamed in his head, praying they would dismiss their suspicions and leave the room.

“He’s not here.”

“Check under the bed.”

“Nothing.”

“Then in the closet?”

“Are you kidding me? Who hides in a closet these days?”

I do, you fuckers.

Kyungsoo shut his eyes tightly. I shouldn’t have hidden in the first place! What’s more suspicious than opening the closet to find someone cowering inside? Maybe I should just walk out now and pretend I’d fallen asleep. As he debated, the sound of the door lock being disengaged suddenly echoed.

“…What’s this?”

It was Noeul’s voice, muttering in a confused tone. Thankfully, his friends stepped away from the closet, giving Kyungsoo a moment to breathe. He tried peeking through the small gap in the closet door, but it didn’t offer a clear view, so he gave up. Outside, the friends began wailing dramatically as they approached Noeul.

“Oh, Noeul, my dear!”

Naturally, Noeul was bewildered, having no idea why his friends were acting this way.

“What the fuck is wrong with you guys? Did you all collectively lose your minds or something?”

Annoyance was evident in Noeul’s voice. Kyungsoo silently prayed that Noeul would take them all out of the house soon. His legs were starting to cramp.

“It’s your birthday. We brought you a cake….”

“Yeah, I get it. Now let go of me. I just need to change my clothes and head out.”

A brief silence followed his statement, and then his friends spoke again in voices thick with emotion.

“…Buying yourself a gift alone?”

“This guy… he’s just too pitiful…”

“Did you all eat something bad today?”

“Where are you going? You don’t even need to change! Let’s just leave now!”

“…?”

Yes, just leave. Please, hurry! Kyungsoo hugged his numb legs, hoping Noeul would take his friends out for some fun.

“Huh?”

Meanwhile, Noeul let out a small exclamation as he noticed a pair of familiar shoes by the shoe rack.

“….”

No way. That’s impossible… Kyungsoo’s heart raced as he heard Noeul kick off the friend clinging to his leg. Noeul scanned the house, checking places where someone could potentially be hiding. He turned his gaze toward Minjae.

“Jung Minjae, did you see anyone when you came in?”

“See who?”

Minjae squinted, confused by the question. He began listing everyone he encountered on his way over, none of whom were relevant. Noeul clicked his tongue, thinking Minjae was as useless as ever.

Drawn toward the kitchen, Noeul found two cakes sitting on the dining table. One was a cream cake, the kind his friends wouldn’t usually buy for him, knowing his aversion to overly sweet things. A suspicion took root in his mind. His friends, sensing the shift, shut their mouths and exchanged uneasy glances.

“…You guys, get out.”

Noeul’s voice quivered slightly, betraying a hint of excitement. His lips curved upward, but he quickly masked the expression.

“We’re not messing with you about this!”

“Ugh…”

Ignoring their protests, Noeul glanced under the dining table but found nothing there.

“By the way, who unlocked the passcode?”

“Minjae did.”

“Fuck, I didn’t!”

“Guess I’ll have to change it again. Now, leave.”

No matter what his friends said, Noeul was no longer paying attention. He was certain that someone was hiding in the house and had no intention of letting them be exposed to these uninvited guests. With that resolve, he pushed his friends out of the door and locked it.

“……”

“……”

“……”

The last thing his friends saw before the door closed was Noeul’s flushed ears and his conflicted expression.

“If I were Noeul, I’d want to die from embarrassment,” one of them whispered as they walked away. They reluctantly agreed to give Noeul some alone time.

“You can come out now!”

Once the sound of footsteps disappeared, Noeul called out, his voice loud enough to fill the house.

“……”

But Kyungsoo couldn’t bring himself to emerge from the closet. Hiding in a closet out of panic wasn’t exactly a dignified move. He could already imagine Noeul teasing him. When should I come out? Kyungsoo let out a bitter laugh.

“Hyung?”

“……”

“Oh, I see. Alright, I’ll find you then.”

Noeul chuckled softly, then began searching in all the wrong places. The sound of the refrigerator opening made Kyungsoo stifle a laugh.

“Ahchoo!”

A sudden sneeze gave him away. Noeul’s movements paused, and Kyungsoo knew the game was up. Moments later, the closet door swung open, flooding his eyes with light. He squinted, adjusting to the brightness, and saw Noeul’s face. Strangely, the sight filled him with a sense of longing.

“…Found you.”

Noeul’s tone was ambiguous, neither happy nor angry. What’s with that expression? Is he not happy to see me?

“What are you—hey, get out!”

“Ah—”

Kyungsoo shoved Noeul, who was trying to squeeze into the cramped closet with him. He stumbled out awkwardly, finally stretching his cramping legs. Relief washed over him as he let out a long breath.

“Did you come to see me?”

The hopeful look in Noeul’s eyes made it impossible to say no. Kyungsoo averted his gaze and replied, “If not, why else would I be in your house? You should’ve told me it was your birthday earlier.”

“Hehe.”

Noeul smiled sheepishly.

“Happy birthday. I, uh, don’t have a gift…”

Kyungsoo faltered, realizing he hadn’t prepared anything. But Noeul didn’t seem to mind, his eyes crinkling as he grinned.

“You’re my gift, Hyung.”

…I’m the gift?

“……?”

This asshole. Kyungsoo stiffened, quickly denying it with a stern “No way.” But Noeul just laughed, his joy unmistakable. Seeing him so happy, Kyungsoo thought, Coming here was the right choice.

—

Even as the day progressed, Noeul wouldn’t let him leave. Every time Kyungsoo glanced toward the door, Noeul would cling to him, using his birthday as an excuse to keep him there.

“So, where were you this morning?”

“I got dragged to my dad’s place yesterday. Missed the last bus, so I stayed over.”

“……”

The day before it was his mom, now his dad. Do they live separately? Kyungsoo hesitated to ask, watching Noeul for cues. But Noeul seemed unbothered, munching on fruit Kyungsoo had tossed into his mouth.

“If I’d known you were coming, I’d have walked home earlier. But my stepbrother acted like he didn’t hear me when I asked for a ride.”

“You have a brother?”

That was unexpected. Kyungsoo had assumed he was an only child.

“Didn’t you know? He’s new—only a few years older.”

Noeul’s casual tone left Kyungsoo at a loss for words. How was I supposed to know when you never mentioned it?

“Well, you never talk about your family…”

“Why would I talk about anyone else when I’m with you?”

“…Most people do.”

“Then we have that conversation that normal people have.”

“When you say that, it makes me sound like I’m not normal either.”

“Come on, let’s do it!”

“What are we going to do?”

“Well, me first. Do you have any brothers?”

“…No.”

“Aha, I thought so.”

“…….”

Kyungsoo was about to get up and grab him by the throat when he remembered it was his birthday, so he decided to let it go for today.

They exchanged questions and answers, sharing snippets of their lives, and Kyungsoo couldn’t help but chuckle at how ridiculous the situation felt.

Eventually, Noeul revealed that his parents had divorced due to personality differences and remarried. He had moved out because his new stepbrother doted on him excessively, making it unbearable.

“Oh, and when I left earlier, I swiped his car keys.”

Noeul pulled the keys from his pocket, smirking mischievously.

“If he’d just driven me home when I asked, this wouldn’t have happened. Guess he’ll find out right before work tomorrow.”

“……”

Noeul’s brother had his car keys confiscated yesterday for the crime of not giving Noeul a ride home. Noeul had shoved the keys into a corner of the dining table and was now smiling brightly with a sunny expression that didn’t match the words he had just spoken. It was a relief that they weren’t family. If they were, Kyungsoo thought he might’ve died of hypertension, losing his temper multiple times a day.

Imagining the horrifying scenario of living under the same roof as Noeul, Kyungsoo glanced up cautiously. Noeul was staring at him intently, his eyes sparkling with amusement. It wasn’t as if Kyungsoo was telling a particularly funny story—what on earth was so entertaining?

“What are you looking at? Look away.”

“……”

“I said, what are you looking at?”

For some reason, Noeul’s eyes grew wide in surprise, and then he burst into a clear, ringing laugh. To be honest, someone laughing out of nowhere when being picked on didn’t come across as entirely normal. After laughing for a while, Noeul spoke, still smiling.

“I like you.”

“What?”

“You?”

“……”

Out of nowhere? Caught off guard, Kyungsoo couldn’t hide his bewildered expression as he blinked.

“Do you dislike me?”

Was it the radiant smile? For some reason, the answer didn’t come easily. Then again, it was Noeul’s birthday—saying he didn’t like him would’ve been too harsh. Fine, only because it’s his birthday…

“…Not really…” Kyungsoo mumbled, trailing off.

“I thought so.”

Noeul’s lips curled into a sly smile. That relaxed expression, as if he held all the cards, irritated Kyungsoo to no end. And Noeul didn’t stop there—he pushed the boundary even further.

“Then give me a kiss!”

“Are you insane?”

“You don’t dislike me, so that means you like me!”

“No! Why do you always jump to extremes?”

Regardless of Kyungsoo’s protests, Noeul closed his eyes tightly. Kyungsoo briefly considered smacking that puckered mouth with his palm but ultimately decided against it. He was a year older now and, at the very least, more rational and mature than Noeul.

“…”

Well, this much isn’t a big deal, right? After a long moment of hesitation, Kyungsoo licked his lips, placed his hands on the table, and slowly leaned toward Noeul. The sweet scent of whipped cream lingered at the tip of his nose—he couldn’t tell if it was coming from himself or Noeul.

“…”

He tilted his head slightly, letting their lips meet lightly. When Noeul’s lips parted ever so slightly, an even sweeter aroma wafted out. Noeul stuck out his tongue and licked Kyungsoo’s lips. Before long, Noeul’s tongue slipped inside his mouth, intertwining and pulling back. Somewhere amid the sweetness, there seemed to be a faint fruity taste.

Something had definitely changed from before, but Kyungsoo couldn’t pinpoint what. Or perhaps he didn’t want to. Feeling strangely unsettled, he pulled back and wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

Noeul smacked his lips as if disappointed, opening his eyes slowly. Their gazes met, and Kyungsoo’s heart thudded loudly in his chest when he saw the faint hazel hues in Noeul’s eyes.

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T/N: Guys due to some reasons (exams lol) I’ll stick to one chapter a week update till 26th. Thank You.