Dokgo Dae-Jung has an assignment that he has to finish for class next month. However because he has a group assignment due to complete soon, so he figured to get half of it done now rather than later.
Hence he's at a PC cafe, with his compatriot Seob Ryung.
"What are doing playing games? You asked me to help you with this remember."
"No. You misheared me. I said, 'Can you help me later at the PC cafe, after school?' and you thought I meant, with my homework. Quickly join, I'm getting hammered."
"You didn't mishear you. You asked after the teacher gave us the assignment, and you were like this," Dae-Jung held his book in his hand and positioned it, next to his head, to draw attention to it, just like how Ryung did previously. "See. You tricked me. You even promised me food remember?"
"Your imagination. Dae-Jung, I only need one more key before they close this server. I need you to join."
Dae-Jung closed his books and started to log in on his computer. He knew better than to try and convince Ryung to do homework rather than play games, it would have been a losing battle. And Daejung also had things that wanted to do in the game. That why it was so easy to convince him. "Did you even start with the assignment? We have a week left with the group assignment. Where?"
"Only you will start an assignment on the day. Me, I'll just do it on the week. Lagnar's dungeon."
"I'm only like this because it's a group assignment. They drain my energy more than they are supposed to and it feels like mental torture because I'll probably end up having to do the whole thing myself." Dae-Jung was a Trap wizard.
If he's going into a dungeon and he's only going with Ryung's main character who is also a Battle wizard, then he needs to stockpile on mana and stamina elixirs, enough for the both of them, because Ryung usually focuses on high-grade equipment and magic scrolls. This would balance each other out.
"Why? Don't they help you?"
"No, girls in our class rarely contribute anything when it comes to group projects. They know that I will eventually do it myself, so they play the waiting game."
"But that's not enough to exhaust you. Isn't the assignment about history? You like stories. What seems to be the problem?"
"How could you not know? You're in the same situation as me, aren't you? Location?"
"How am I supposed to know? We tend to think differently when it comes to these things. Like I like group projects. But maybe it's because I don't tend to do it myself."
Ryung tapped his shoulder, to share his screen. Dae-Jung, who copied the location and pinned it on his map, started heading to him.
Dae-Jung let out a heavy sigh.
"I'm practically the moderator of the group. Do you remember how rumors were circulating around the campus about an upperclassman two-timing with three girls in our class?"
"Oh yeah. They're all in your group. Gosh, no wonder. Sorry. Bring a mimic."
"Are you crazy? Do you know how hard it is to control a swarm when we have that thing?"
"The server is closing in an hour, we don't have time to travel to each location to kill them. So bring it to the boss room and then we will play a monster vs. monster."
"Do you have a scroll?"
"Of course. I'm practically broke now because I spent it on this, but it doesn't matter anymore. I need to finish what I paid for."
"I told you not to waste your money then. Look at where are now. Broke."
"Sorry, Father."
"I'm on my way. I placed a mana elixir, come and carry me. We should get as many exp points as possible."
"Yes, Father."
The rest of the previous conversation has been forgotten as they focused more on their gameplay. And adrenaline flooded their senses.
It's just like when they first started as kids. Nothing has changed about this game. The gameplay, the graphics the terrible play speed after many years passing, Dae-Jung could help but be shocked at that fact.
There should have been an update or two at least, since it has been somewhat 5 years when they found this game online. And yet not one bug has been fixed.
And it be honest, he loves it like that.
[Frozen Horizon] is a survival fantasy MMORPG game that came out when they just started middle school together.
And they played it because they had no money for anything else. They were broke and they were bored.
Frozen Horizon isn't exactly I widely known game, nor is it tolerated. Its design is so bad that it repulses anyone and the genre is practically overused in the game market.
Making it a game that appeals to a lot of people.
However, those who gave it a chance find that the is annoying. It has multiple bugs, an unfinished storyline, a bad leveling system, and an unbalanced setting.
The worst is when the screen freezes and the next thing you know your dead. All loot gets left behind and you have to start from scratch.
It's not a hard game at all. It's just a game that's hard to tolerate.
However, these two tolerated it and even played this game
for close to 5 years.
"Fucking shit. The screen froze!"
"Don't I have your character on a scroll? Quickly come back and help here before I die too."
"Okay, save my shit for when I get there, it won't be long."
"Hurry."
Ryung who was on the loading screen recreated a basic character and made his way back from the beginner village.
"While I come you, I forgot to ask. Did you ever make a move on them?"
"I'm making tons of moves right now. Dodge. Dodge and dodge. See."
"No, not on the game. I mean in your assignment group, did you make a move on any of them."
"What made you suddenly bring that back? Ah - A headache is forming just thinking about them. I can't play when I have a headache."
"Hey you remember when you were 11—"
"Can't remember what I had for lunch, let alone then. What about then?"
"—I asked you why you don't watch porn. You told me something about research and that it is bad for you."
Dae-Jung who heard this confirmed by a nod.
"And when asked you, when and how will you learn to have sex, you responded by saying that with your wife and shit. Yet, to this day you never had a girlfriend or even attempted to get one. I want to know what's your plan."
Dae-Jung who heard this started to get what Ryung was going on about. He thought about how he should respond, but he didn't completely lose focus from the screen as he didn't want to die.
"I am not going to have a girlfriend."
"Again? Until when?"
"This time until never." Dae-jung could sense Ryung's confusion at his response, so elaborated. "Even though I love love, I want to remain single even more."
"You? The romantic? You wanted kids since we were four, what changed."
"Hmm. I realized I being in a committed relationship meant changing life to maintain it. Dating, living together, and even sex all sound draining to my mentality. And my money."
"Isn't dating like having a friend?"
"Probably. However, I find friends draining."
"Hey!"
"Don't worry. You're not a friend anymore. More like my other testicle."
"Wow. I'm deeply touched lefty"
"How did you know I meant my right?" Dae-Jung used half of his mana fueling the mimic ability to draw monsters, but at this point, most of the monsters were defeated. His character was fighting off monsters with one hand occupied by a weird-looking chest. "These days avoid actions that could make someone think I like them without even thinking about it."
"I can't imagine it," Though he says that Ryung genuinely understands what he means. He knows Dae-Jung more than anyone since they grew up together since infants. So he figured out that what he said it out of fear of commitment or anything. Dae-jung is a hard worker. He's diligent and he's very calm. He's a person who would grow resentment even when facing injustice. But most of all, he's self-observant.
This is probably like when they were in middle school and they were just finding their hormones. Ryung tried to drag him to sexual content, but Dae-Jung researched the consequences of doing so and felt like he would rather remain oblivious about sex.
Of course, Ryung didn't push him further. He wouldn't lose a friend for not doing so, so he left it alone.
Ryung knows that people tend to observe the same circumstances differently. If Daejung felt he might suffer being in a relationship status, he not going to push.
But he'll still make fun of him obviously.
"But what about one-night stands."
"Have the same thoughts with kids."
"Is that so. A shame. Your group has — Hey! I'm back through a memory scroll. The servers almost closed!"
"Stop yelling you bastard. Here's your loot."
Dae-Jung and Ryung subconsciously push the conversation that they just had to the back of their mind again, and the game prioritized their attention.