Chapter 55: Togo Napshin (7)

Part 15

“Whoa, you’re here early for once,” I said.

“When it’s just familiar faces, it’s one thing, but there’s a stranger involved,” Seokyoon replied.

Seokyoon was already at the bench near the station where I’d once waited for Seongyoon, securing a spot. Given his history of being late, seeing him there, looking relatively put-together, brought an odd sense of relief.

“Playing a game?” I asked.

“Watching a stream,” he said.

A stream? I tugged the brim of my cap lower, tucking my hair inside. The slight pain from my pulled hair was worth it—I didn’t want to stand out. Hiding my noticeable hair felt like enough without covering my face.

“Whose?” I asked.

“Roldosa’s VOD,” he said.

“Who’s that?” I pressed.

“Solo rank number one in LoL,” he answered.

“Better than pros, then?” I asked.

“He says solo queue and pro leagues are different,” he replied.

Hmm. Team games with practiced synergy versus impromptu matches with strangers must feel different. Thinking that, I settled near the middle of the bench. Seokyoon’s eyes flicked toward me briefly as I approached, but they snapped back to his phone screen, unyielding.

“…You’re not getting flak at work because of this, right?” I asked.

“Nah, it’s fine. Don’t worry,” he said.

A subtle distance hung between us. Was he upset because of me? His curt reply didn’t invite further talk, and silence settled, broken only by the city’s hum seeping in like water through cracks.

Glancing at him, I cautiously pulled out my phone. Messages from my parents, a dozen from the group chat with friends. Replying took a minute or two. No earphones meant I couldn’t watch streams like Seokyoon, no games to play, no one to call…

“…Ugh,” I muttered.

Fidgeting with my fingers, I stole glances at him. We weren’t awkward together, so what was this weird vibe? Ten minutes until the meetup, stuck in this silence with nothing to do—pure torture.

Scooting closer, I leaned in just enough to avoid bumping heads, hoping to watch his stream.

“Is LoL that fun?” I asked.

Startled, his hand twitched, and his head whipped toward me. I jerked back just in time to avoid a head-on collision. His shocked expression probably mirrored my own.

“…What’re you doing?” he asked.

“That’s what I want to know,” I shot back, a bit pouty despite myself. I just tried to talk, and he’s acting like I spooked him. Like I interrupted something forbidden.

“You could’ve just asked from there. Hearing your voice right in my ear freaked me out,” he said.

“Come on, it’s not like I caught you watching something shady. I didn’t sneak up and choke you like Seongyoon would,” I retorted.

“That’s not what I mean… ugh,” he sighed.

His soft sigh and my tilted head met his gaze, which darted between me, the sky, and the scenery before dropping to the ground. If that wasn’t the issue, what was? I wasn’t crossing lines—just wanted to watch a stream together.

“…Just like before…” he mumbled.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing. Just thinking about that play I saw,” he said.

“Hmm…” I hummed.

His muttered words bugged me, but I let it go. He offered an earbud, so maybe it didn’t matter.

“Only ten minutes left, but wanna watch?” he asked.

“Is LoL that worth watching outside?” I teased.

“Don’t watch then,” he said.

“No, I didn’t mean I don’t want to,” I clarified.

Part 16

“Man, I never dreamed I’d get to ride with Nuna. It’s a bit late, but thanks for agreeing to this crazy request,” Homin said.

“Just call me Yoonseo. I’m not a streamer or celebrity,” I said.

“Hahaha… the nickname just stuck. Is it uncomfortable?” he asked.

“…Can’t say it’s not,” I admitted.

The city’s scenery blurred past the car window. The shoot was about 20 minutes away by car. Hearing Bonfire was already there made me appreciate the convenience of a car over public transport.

“…Wait, the cosplay team is Flying Rabbit?” I asked.

“You know it?” Seokyoon said.

“Even casual fans have probably heard the name, even without cosplay,” he added.

Homin, the photographer, let out a proud chuckle. I hadn’t realized when I got his card, but it was apparently a well-known group.

“Your friend knows his stuff,” Homin said.

“Yeah, I’m into games and anime, so I’ve heard things,” Seokyoon replied.

“I thought, being Cheungjeokun’s family, you’d at least know the name, but Yoonseo had no reaction to my card. You don’t know how shocked I was,” Homin said.

His laughter grew louder, his hands on the wheel almost bouncing with excitement. Hope he’s still driving safely.

“He’s clueless about Roldosa, so don’t expect much. Flying Rabbit’s famous enough that anyone in the know would recognize it,” Seokyoon said.

“Who’s clueless? There are tons of streamers—can’t know them all,” I protested.

“Flying Rabbit and Roldosa are different. It’s like how everyone knows Haeundae even though there are tons of beaches,” Seokyoon countered.

“Right? My otaku friends were so jealous when I started working there,” Homin added.

My pouty retort was brushed off as they dove into their own conversation, clearly clicking. Game characters, streamers, news I’d never heard of. I listened for a chance to jump in, but it felt like a different world.

“Can we talk about something I can follow?” I said.

“…It’s all stuff anyone in the know would get,” Seokyoon said.

“Not a single thing wasn’t new to me. Fine, you two talk,” I huffed.

Ignoring their attempts to include me, I turned to the window. The city sky was gray—smog, maybe? Does Korea get that? Staring blankly at the passing scenery, I let my thoughts wander.