Three Stomachs and a “New Human”

Perhaps because they were a group of people with exceptional drive, cleaning up the area was finished in an instant.
Thus, with all preparations complete, we followed Lee Seyoung, who boldly led the way like a general leading an army, and headed for the bar.

However, where there is good, there is also bad.
What twist of fate was this again?

The shop we had stopped at before going to the PC bang was still closed.
Lee Seyoung looked at the stubbornly closed door, her face expressing utter devastation, and slumped to the ground.

“How… how could this happen…?”

“By any chance, what time did you come before?”

“One… AM…?”

‘That’s why it’s closed.’
It was, quite literally, a place that opened at night and in the early morning.
I took Lee Seyoung, who was clinging to the shop door with a tearful face, to a nearby chicken restaurant as an alternative.

It was still early, so the interior was quiet for a moment.
But then, proclaiming that chicken pairs best with beer, they picked up the menu and started chattering loudly.

Still, since there were few people, I figured we wouldn’t bother anyone.

“Everyone can handle one chicken per person, right? Then how many should we order?”

“We need room for alcohol too, so let’s order three chickens for now, and if it’s not enough, we can order more. What kind should we get?”

“After we eat, let’s go to karaoke! Digest with singing, then go for a third round!”

“For the third round, let’s go to the place I mentioned! Their cocktails are really delicious there! I really want you all to try them!”

‘How can they think of going for a third round as soon as they arrive?’
‘Should I subtly slip away when they go to karaoke?’

Not long after we finished ordering, beer in 500cc glasses filled the table.
The part-timer’s arm trembled slightly as she carried six glasses at once, and I noticed it.

Of course, glass filled with liquid would be heavy.
Im Hyerin put on a mischievous smile, picked up her glass, and said.

“When we’ll meet again is uncertain, so to liven up the mood, should we decide on a toast?”

“Oh, I like that.”

‘A toast for something like this?’
I was momentarily flustered and sighed inaudibly at those who eagerly responded.

“What should it be? To the dead game?”

“Ehh, to the dead game? Was this game ever worth toasting to?”

“Why are you doing this to our dead game! It still has a lifeline!”

“How about ‘To our personal drops’? Here, only Soon, no, Jungwoo-ssi has gotten personal drops.”

“Good! Give me some too! Personal drops!”

The toast was decided: ‘To our personal drops.’

Im Hyerin, the guild master, raised her glass and shouted the toast, and the others followed suit, cheerfully shouting their replies.
My face flushed with embarrassment, but it was hidden by the yellow lighting.

Kim Hyunho, who had chugged his beer before the chicken even arrived, ordered another beer, and not to be outdone, Lee Seyoung also immediately emptied her glass.

I deliberated, watching them one by one empty their glasses and order new ones.
‘Should I empty mine too?’

My deliberation was short, and my action was swift.
I emptied my glass in an instant, and watching Im Hyerin order another, as if she had been waiting, I chuckled softly.

“Wow, SoonToDie drinks well!”

“I told you to call me by my name.”

“I’ve called you SoonToDie for so many years, it just rolls off the tongue.”

At her playful teasing, asking why I hadn’t come to meetups sooner, I felt awkwardly sheepish.
Back then, well, I was much shyer than I am now.

If you asked me why, I guess I just preferred being alone over group activities.

It was certainly more comfortable doing things on my own rather than constantly worrying about what others thought.
If I hadn’t gone to the military, where communal living was unavoidable, it would probably still be the same now.

Yet, now that I was out, I didn’t feel any regret.
I felt a slight sense of relief at their appearances, which seemed no different from when I met them in-game.

Didn’t they say some people are different on the inside and out?
At least these people didn’t seem to be, which was a relief.

As the chicken arrived, my eyes met with the part-timer amidst the cheering.
He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then quietly approached me.
I tilted my head, wondering what was up, then let out a hollow laugh at what the part-timer said.

“—Sir… could I see your ID, please?”

“—Ah, yes…”

‘I thought so, but it really is happening.’

Unable to distort my expression, I sighed inwardly as hushed voices reached my ears.
No, it was too loud to be called hushed; perhaps they were just chatting.

“Hey, hey, even the youngest doesn’t get carded, but he does.”

“The youngest is who… Oh right. Those two said they were twenty, didn’t they? So there was a separate youngest.”

“They’re totally babies, aren’t they?”

The part-timer checked my ID and left, and I let the teasing about looking young go in one ear and out the other.
People say it’s good to get carded after becoming an adult, but I didn’t find it particularly enjoyable.

It was such a hassle to carry my ID around.

To quell my dissatisfaction, I chugged my drink on the spot and ordered another.
Then, Han Do-yoon, who was sitting next to me, cautiously spoke.

(1)

“—Sir… are you okay? Won’t you feel sick if you drink that much?”

“—Ah, you said you can’t drink. It’s fine. I drink well.”

I shook my head at Han Do-yoon’s worried gaze.
It wasn’t bravado; it was true.

I don’t know the principle, but should I say alcohol suits me well or not.
In any case, I didn’t get drunk easily and was less tipsy than others.

When my friends and I went drinking as soon as we turned twenty, everyone except me passed out, which said it all.

I shrugged, drinking my newly arrived beer, and a question arose when I noticed Han Do-yoon’s glass, which was still less than half-empty.
‘How bad was he at drinking that he hadn’t even finished one glass yet?’

I took my eyes off his glass and turned my head towards Jung Taewon.
He was the only one here who could answer my question.

“Aha, you said earlier that Han Do-yoon-ssi can’t drink. How bad is he?”

“—He? Well… you could say two 500cc glasses is a lot for him.”

‘Really?’
‘To get tipsy on two low-alcohol beers, how much of a lightweight was he?’
‘I pity you, who doesn’t know the joy of alcohol.’
I looked at Han Do-yoon with a sympathetic gaze, and he flushed, covering his mouth in embarrassment.

Uniquely, everyone around me was either eccentric or a tomboy, so seeing him, who appeared cold, make a shy gesture felt a bit novel.
The world is wide, and there are all sorts of personalities.

Of course, his actions were shy, but his gaze towards Jung Taewon was murderous.
He must be the type who enjoys cursing with his eyes more than with his mouth.

“You’re very different from when I saw you in-game.”

“—…Is that so?”

“Yes. In-game, you were a bit… hmm.”

‘You were like a madman.’
‘A madman who said whatever he wanted.’
In fact, his first impression was already strong.

From beating up trolls with facts to his ‘Does it bother you? Can I kill him?’ remark to Transparency.
He was no pushover.

“Why are you hesitating?”

“—…It’s nothing.”

It was a bit much to blurt it out directly to his face.
I chuckled awkwardly and raised my glass, and he also raised his glass to match mine.

Did he want to clink glasses?
I involuntarily extended my glass towards Han Do-yoon, and he, flustered, clinked his glass with a slight tremor in his hand.

The beer glass wasn’t heavy, so why was he trembling like that?
Was it essential tremor?
‘A gamer with essential tremor is a bit…’

“Oh my, here, there are so many people, and only the two of you are talking. Clinking glasses and making eye contact?”

“Thank you for the fresh nonsense. Are you already drunk?”

“Hmph, Do-yoon-ssi is the only one who gets drunk on beer here.”

“Hitting him with facts. He might get emotionally hurt.”

“It’s not wrong, though. His drinking habit is crazy, so don’t let him drink too much.”

“Now that you say that, I’m so curious! What’s it like?”

“Annoying.”

Jung Taewon’s voice, which came out with a bright smile, had no variations in pitch, but the content was unsettling.
I’ve seen all sorts of drinking habits, but what kind of habit would warrant being called ‘annoying’?

I subtly rolled my eyes to look at Han Do-yoon, who was still cursing with his eyes.
‘Why does he keep cursing with his eyes instead of just saying it? Isn’t it frustrating?’

I debated whether to curse on his behalf, then shook my head.
They were close, so they could say such things freely, but wasn’t I an outsider?

It wouldn’t look good if I intervened here.
If he asked ‘Who are you to butt in?’, I’d have no answer.

“Come to think of it, Isn’t ‘DiedToDie’ Do-yoon-ssi? You have a main character, so why did you suddenly start following SoonToDie?”

“Exactly! I was super curious about this!”

“—Ah, that is…”

Han Do-yoon subtly glanced at me, his words trailing off.
‘Isn’t it just because it looked fun? Or because he was such a veteran player, he had nothing else to do?’

To suggest another reason seemed wrong, as he literally seemed to be enjoying himself.
Then, Jung Taewon set down his beer glass and said in a light tone:

“He’s just a madman.”

“Oh, I see!”

“And I thought… he was truly in love!”

“As if.”

‘Why would such a normal-looking person like me like me?’
‘Well, at best, he might like me as a close acquaintance.’

As the conversation flowed, I casually responded and drank, but I felt Han Do-yoon’s gaze.
‘What are you looking at? If you have something to say, just say it. Should I prompt him?’