After that, I blocked Shin Heejae and didn’t log back into the game. Instead, I was just watching YouTube for the first time in a while.
But then, out of nowhere and completely unrelated to anything I’d searched, a video from Shin Heejae’s channel popped up on my feed. I frowned and was about to tap [Don’t recommend channel] when a message notification popped up at the top of my phone screen.
Hyejin
This is fake, right?
(link)
Panicking, I immediately tapped the message. Hyejin had sent it along with a cat-tilting-its-head emoji.
As expected, the preview of the link showed a bright pink thumbnail from a new video titled [♥Perfect Arcadia Class Combos for Couples♥] uploaded by Shin Heejae.
“Goddamn it...!”
Burning with humiliation, I scratched my ear and messaged Hyejin.
I’ll explain...
Hyejin
No way
Oppa… don’t tell me… you really did it because I said to try being a netkama?
ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Ah fuck hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Of course, Hyejin didn’t seem remotely interested in hearing an explanation. Judging by how she spammed the chat with endless laughter, it looked like she already had a good idea of what was going on and just wanted to mess with me.
I hit [Stop] mid-convo, unable to bear it any longer, but Hyejin just switched to [ㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜ] and kept laughing.
Come to think of it, I’d almost forgotten—maybe because it had been so long—but Hyejin had always enjoyed teasing people and collecting screenshots and clips of others, especially specific individuals. In a way, she was kinda similar to Shin Heejae… though not nearly as bad.
Hyejin
So what’s your couple nickname, kek
I revoke everything.
I warned her with a [Stop it].
Hyejin
Agh lol sorry ><
Lmao but how’d you seduce him??
I almost typed out another warning, but quickly realized that saying anything serious to Hyejin when she was in this kind of mood wouldn’t work at all and gave up.
He’s just following me around by himself...
Hyejin
LMAO
That bastard Heejae… at least he’s got taste...
?
Hyejin
Oppa’s cuteness should be for me only, kek
She cackled, saying the same thing she always did.
There was a time when I’d seriously wondered, “Does Hyejin… maybe like me?” whenever she said stuff like that. But now I knew better.
When Hyejin said “cute,” it was just a filler word tacked onto the end of her sentences. A verbal tic, basically. Plus, she used to openly say her type was someone trashy... like, literally said that with her own mouth…
“Honestly, she’s kind of weird too...”
I sighed and shook my head while Hyejin’s excited messages kept flooding in.
Hyejin
LOLOL ah fuck, you seduced him
What if Heejae can’t get it up from the psychological shock now? lol
Please stop.
Hyejin
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
Heejae... this is your karma...
Hyejin
Ah but seriously... oppa you’re not gonna meet him and dump him, right?
I just wanted to see if his face is real for once ㅠㅠㅠ
Or should I go in your place and pretend to be you??
No way.
Hyejin
True lol he’d probably notice instantly lol
I’ve been a bit out of it lately lol
I sat silently, waiting for her excitement to fade. But then she suddenly threw a sharp question my way.
Hyejin
But seriously, why did you help with the siege battle this time ㅠ
You should’ve just gone 3:1 with Siben
Heejae needs to lose a castle to understand what real life is, kek
That was the issue I had been trying to avoid. I fumbled, unable to answer right away, and ended up giving an excuse so flimsy even I was embarrassed by it.
Lmao I was just gonna take the staff and dip lol
But the timing didn’t work out, so I ended up fighting anyway
Hyejin
Ooh, so are you selling the staff?
“……”
I was speechless again.
I had no idea how to answer, and when Hyejin kept waiting for a reply, I racked my brain for some kind of excuse.
I guess… maybe it’s too expensive… no one wants to buy it lol
Hyejin
Hul oppa!!!!! You know the #1 healer on Ohara server, right? Yuna
She blew up her enchanted staff yesterday!!
She’s been scrambling since then to find a +9 staff
Total sucker—this is your chance to sell it high lololololol
I should’ve played along with the timing, but for some reason my chest felt tight and my head started spinning. Meanwhile, Hyejin was all smiles, already laying out her master plan.
Hyejin
You could probably just tack on the server transfer fee too kek
Yuna’s famous for paying quick and clean
Oh, and I’m actually in the same trade group chat as her
Hyejin
Want me to contact her??
She was going so far out of her way that I had no real reason to refuse. Besides, if I rejected this offer too, Hyejin would definitely start to suspect something was off.
I wasn’t thrilled, but... in the end, I had no choice but to accept her offer.
lol ok, let’s do it
Hyejin
Oppa but can I get 100,000 won as a finder’s fee hehe
Who are you
Hyejin
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
Our friendship is next level, huh?
Lmao… haggle well…
Hyejin
Aw yiss lololol
Even as I watched Hyejin buzzing with excitement, I didn’t feel happy. Even though I’d been going back and forth about quitting for good, now that someone had finally shoved me into action, I didn’t feel even a shred of relief.
* * *
This user is not on your friends list.
Yuna
Hello
In less than an hour, Hyejin connected me and Yuna via messenger ID.
Even after entering the chat, I hesitated and couldn’t bring myself to say anything. But Yuna immediately sent a greeting, and I had no choice but to respond.
hi
Yuna
You’re the one selling the +9 staff, right?
Yeah
Yuna
Can you show me the detailed options?
Ah, just a sec
Gotta log in...
Yuna
Sure
I logged into the game, opened my equipment window, and hovered my mouse over the staff.
As I took a screenshot with the options clearly displayed, I felt like I was being dragged to the slaughterhouse. I knew this was the best time to sell for top price. I also knew I’d be making big money without spending a dime of my own. And yet—I felt nothing but dread. I kept stalling.
I tried to figure out where that uncomfortable feeling was coming from.
‘Is it because the options are just so overpowered…?’
I clung to that excuse even though I didn’t believe it. While I was still mulling it over, Yuna sent another message, impatient.
When can I see it?
I hurriedly sent the screenshot. Yuna seemed pleased after looking over the item’s stats.
Yuna
Top-tier options, lol
It’s better than what I used before
Ah, yeah...
Yuna
I’ll buy it. What price are you thinking?
I knew in my head that it’d sell fast at around 12 million won. But instead of saying that, I typed [One moment] to buy myself more time and kept thinking.
I just felt weird. Sure, scamming someone out of this much would obviously make anyone anxious, wondering how to cover their tracks afterward... but this wasn’t just about guilt. It was something deeper, something fundamentally uncomfortable.
What would Shin Heejae do if I took the staff and vanished? Judging by how easily he handed it over, he probably wouldn’t be too shaken up by it…
“……”
I imagined Shin Heejae shaking with betrayal, then fell silent.
But from Yuna’s perspective, my stalling probably looked like a negotiating tactic to hike up the price. True to her “silver spoon” reputation, she coolly threw down a blank check.
Yuna
Haha, I’m good with most prices, so name it
Just give me your bank account
Ah, it’s just...
Yuna
Is something wrong?
No... not wrong exactly...
Yuna
Then why the delay...?
You told the intermediary this was an urgent sale
I couldn’t say anything, caught off guard by Yuna’s sharp tone. I had dragged the deal out for over thirty minutes by now.
And the moment she mentioned the intermediary, I panicked—if this deal fell through, Hyejin would definitely hear about it.
I’ll sell for eighteen million
And so, I ended up blurting out an outrageous price. Even I was shocked the moment it left my mouth. No matter how open the market was, that number was ridiculous enough to sound like a joke.