Vol 3 Chapter 67

"It's okay to call me Yu-wan."

With those words, seeing Yu-wan... no, Je-hwan's face looking at him with an expectant gaze, Kapros realized he hadn't told his own name.

"No, I don't think we need to use game names here. I'm Kang Mu-heon."

"Kang Mu-heon..."

Je-hwan repeated Kapros's name as if mumbling to himself for a moment, then nodded. His expression had softened, but Kapros could see his gaze occasionally lingering on his leg, suggesting it was bothering him quite a bit.

After that, since neither of them offered any opinions on where to go, they stood silently contemplating before agreeing to get something to eat first and got on Je-hwan's motorcycle. The huge black bike that had been attracting people's attention was so large that it posed a slight problem for Kapros with his bad leg to get on, but with Je-hwan's help, he managed to mount it.

It would have been nice if Kapros could have taken the lead and introduced a good place to eat since this place was close to his home, but having rarely gone out, he was as unfamiliar with the geography as a first-time visitor and didn't know where to go.

When Kapros said he didn't know any restaurants well, Je-hwan briefly looked around the downtown area and then asked if a well-known chain restaurant would be okay. Kapros said it was fine since he wasn't picky about food, and the bike sped off, stopping in front of a uniquely designed building that appeared to be about three stories tall.

Je-hwan got off first, removing his helmet as the bike came to a smooth stop without any tire friction. As Kapros moved to get off too, Je-hwan grabbed his shoulder and shook his head.

"Wait a moment, please."

Then he walked quickly into the restaurant.

Left alone on the bike, Kapros felt quite ridiculous. He didn't need a mirror to know how silly he must have looked, awkwardly perched on the back seat, not even the front.

Thinking it might be better to get off and wait, he tried to plant the cane he had been holding sideways on the ground, but realized he would have to lean his upper body forward as if about to fall to do so, which made him a bit flustered.

'Hah... damn it.'

The massive bike, which even most adult men would find difficult to ride, was so high that it was impossible for Kapros, who had trouble with one leg, to get off without someone's help. Newly aware of his physical limitations, he leaned his body to step down with his good left leg first.

'Uh... oh.'

But at that moment, he lost his balance and slipped off the bike. As he endured the pain from the impact on his leg and side, someone came running out from the restaurant entrance, shouting loudly.

"Kap! Mu-heon!"

It was Jin Je-hwan's voice. Thinking, 'It's rare for him to shout loudly in the game,' Kapros was raising his upper body when Je-hwan ran up, grabbed his arm, and pulled him up in one swift motion.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Sorry. I made a mistake trying to get off."

As Kapros answered while dusting off his dirty clothes, Je-hwan looked him over and then nodded, seemingly relieved.

"It's okay now."

Only after Kapros roughly dusted himself off and showed he was fine by leaning on his cane did Je-hwan release the arm he had been gripping tightly. The tingling sensation of blood flow returning suggested Je-hwan had been holding on extremely tightly. Although his shoulder and hip area still ached a bit, Kapros thought it was fortunate to end with just this much.

"The restaurant?"

"I've secured a table. We just need to go in."

"Hmm."

The restaurant's food was quite delicious, better than expected, and the portions were generous, which Kapros liked. However, perhaps because it was a weekday afternoon, there were overwhelmingly more female-female or male-female pairs than male-male pairs like them, and quite a few people occasionally glanced at them, perhaps finding them unusual.

The meal time was a time of silence. Neither Je-hwan nor Kapros were the type to initiate conversation, so they focused solely on eating, but the atmosphere didn't feel particularly awkward. Rather, it felt surprisingly comfortable. Come to think of it, was this the atmosphere when it was just the two of them in the game as well?

Je-hwan seemed to eat less than expected and put down his knife and fork early, but Kapros, due to his habit of finishing everything served, cleared all the plates on the table, which had been somewhat overfilled.

"Phew..."

As Kapros was drinking water after finishing his meal, Je-hwan, who hadn't said a word while eating, spoke for the first time.

"It looks delicious."

"It tastes delicious when you eat it deliciously."

As Kapros quietly replied while wiping his mouth, Je-hwan let out a low laugh.

"It's been a while since I've experienced this."

At that voice, which sounded very relaxed and tension-free, Kapros paused wiping his mouth and spoke.

"Is what you're doing in MIST still a secret?"

He had asked because it suddenly occurred to him, but the result wasn't very good. Seeing Je-hwan's expression instantly harden as he slowly nodded, Kapros regretted asking.

"I won't ask anymore in the future."

"...No. I should be the one apologizing."

Kapros hadn't brought it up to hear an apology, but seeing Je-hwan's uncharacteristically gloomy expression made him wonder if it was an exceptionally difficult situation.

"Since we can see each other here, not just in the game, I don't think you need to feel sorry."

"..."

When Kapros spoke with his eyes lowered, the other side suddenly went quiet. As he raised his head, wondering what was wrong, Kapros blinked several times in surprise at an expression he had never seen on Je-hwan before.

"You're right. That's true."

Je-hwan was smiling broadly in the seat by the window where the midday sunlight was streaming in brightly. Seeing this unexpected expression formed by the transformation of that always sharp and cool face, Kapros felt for the first time that he was meeting Jin Je-hwan in reality, not Yu-wan from the game.

"Ah... Come to think of it, Kran seemed to want to see you too before."

As they were leaving the restaurant, Kapros spoke up, suddenly remembering Kran. Je-hwan, walking beside him, showed a sneer that Kapros hadn't seen in a very long time.