PP Chapter 7
by Luka“When human relationships get complicated in a game, that’s when things get the most fucked up, so I’m telling you in advance.”
At those worried words, Dohwa, resting his chin on his hand, nodded half-heartedly while clicking his mouse.
At the reaction that clearly showed he wasn’t listening, Sohyun grumbled something.
However, naturally, that grumbling didn’t reach Dohwa’s ears either.
Since that was all plain to see, Sohyun chose to just shut up and play his game instead of nagging Dohwa any further.
And Dohwa, satisfied with the suddenly quiet seat next to him, continued to make rare pickled peaches.
It was when about two hundred rare-grade pickled peaches had piled up.
Won finally logged in.
It was after Sohyun, unable to wait for Dohwa who had become like a stone statue making nothing but pickled peaches in one spot, had gone home.
Dohwa, who had been diligently making pickled peaches even while alone, welcomed Won gladly.
To exaggerate slightly, it was the reaction of a puppy waiting for its owner to come home from work.
And Won, who felt that exact same sentiment, burst into laughter as he received Dohwa’s welcome.
Unlike usual, Dohwa was the one to send a party invite to Won first. Won obediently accepted the party invite and then asked.
[Party] Won: What’s this? Your welcome is a bit intense today? Did a dungeon open or something?
At that playful question, Dohwa gave a coy snort.
“Hmph, he’s saying that because he doesn’t know what I’ve made. He’ll be surprised when he finds out, won’t he?”
Dohwa babbled in a voice that sounded excited no matter who heard it.
While doing so, he rustled together the pickled peaches he had made and initiated a trade with Won.
Won, who had been marveling at the fact that Dohwa had maxed out both the Plant Expert and Cook classes in that short time, was momentarily speechless at the sudden gift.
“What. Is it because you don’t like it? But you eat this all the time… Pickled peaches…”
‘They were quite expensive when I looked in the marketplace.’
Dohwa, who was muttering timidly even though he knew Won couldn’t hear him, asked tentatively.
[Party] Peach: what is it? is this somthing you dont need?? i made it bcas i saw you eat it often… i thoght it was importat but if not shuld i cancel the trade??
“I really worked hard making them…”
Unlike the chat message, which was deliberately phrased lightly as if it were no big deal, his voice dripped with disappointment.
Fortunately, as if he had heard Dohwa’s muttering, Won accepted the trade.
[Party] Won: No, I was wondering why you were leveling up so intensely. Did you really do that just to make pickled peaches for me?
[Party] Peach: yes.
“Of course. Why else would I level up a Cook and a Plant Expert that I don’t even need?”
Dohwa chattered in a small voice towards the monitor.
Even though he couldn’t hear those words, Won spoke as if to coax Dohwa.
[Party] Won : I thought you were just making pickled peaches for me while leveling up the classes to craft something else you wanted, Peach-nim.
“He gives me everything I need. What else would I have to make?”
[Party] Peach: no! i leeveled it just to make everything for you Won-nim
[Party] Won: Really?
[Party] Peach: Yes!!
“Why can’t he just believe what people say. Has he been living a life full of lies?”
While muttering in a slightly annoyed voice, Dohwa carefully watched Won’s reaction.
Even though he knew that no matter how much he looked at the lump of polygons on the monitor, he wouldn’t be able to tell ‘Won’s’ mood.
And after a long silence, Won patted the head of Dohwa’s character several times.
[Party] Won: Seriously, why do you only pick out such pretty things to do?
He said that several times.
Seeing that he seemed to like the pickled peaches, and rare ones at that, Dohwa smiled proudly.
It felt like the hours he spent making them hadn’t been in vain.
He hadn’t realized it, but crafting was surprisingly addictive.
Dohwa decided to level up his other crafting classes as well, and naturally, he received Won’s help.
Won didn’t complain once during the long hours of simple grinding.
Today, after finally reaching max crafting level with Carpenter as the last one, Dohwa stared blankly at his character profile.
“All crafting classes are level 100.”
Dohwa muttered in a voice filled with a strange sense of excitement.
Meanwhile, Won had switched his class to tailor—which he rarely used—and was hammering away at something beside him.
Wondering what this man was up to now, Dohwa watched quietly. After switching between various classes and making several things, Won initiated a trade.
“Whoa.”
Reflexively accepting the trade, Dohwa checked what Won had given him.
It was a crafted item whose recipe had been released very recently, one that he had been debating whether to buy because it was so expensive.
‘I-Is it okay to just take something like this?’
It was an outfit so difficult to make that if you sold it and cashed out the in-game currency, it would be worth several hundred thousand won.
In fact, Dohwa had already tried to make it a few times, only to waste expensive fabric.
As he let out a small groan, Won spoke as if he knew what Dohwa was worrying about.
[Party] Won: Just take it. It wasn’t that hard for me, and I just happened to get some fabric, so I made it for you.
[Party] Peach: Sstill…
[Party] Won: If you’re really grateful, just keep hanging out with me.
Dohwa pursed his lips at the playful remark.
He suddenly became curious about what Won, who said those words every time he gave him something, actually wanted from him.
He must be asking to keep hanging out because he wanted something or liked something.
Dohwa couldn’t guess the reason at all.
Dohwa let out a small groan and played with Won for a while longer before gathering his courage just before logging off to ask.
[Party] Peach: Can I ask u somethin??
[Party] Won: Yes. Of course.
“Why are you so nice to me? Do you like me?”
Of course, he couldn’t actually ask that, so he phrased it a bit differently.
[Party] Peach: Why are u treatin me so wwelll??
Because he was a bit nervous, the last word was a mess.
However, a typo wasn’t what was important right now.
Dohwa waited anxiously for Won’s answer. And before long, Won sent a reply.
[Party] Won: Because your character is pretty.
It was a rather absurd answer to Dohwa.
Seeing him say “Goodbye” and give his usual farewell right after, it didn’t seem like he was joking.
“…He’s serious?”
Dohwa hurriedly accepted Won’s farewell, received his pats and hugs, and logged off.
Even so, he chewed over Won’s answer with a dazed face.
A person who is nice to someone just because their polygon is pretty.
There are all sorts of people in games, but even to Dohwa, who didn’t know much about games, it was a very strange reason.
“Is that right?”
Dohwa’s face, as he muttered quietly, was a mess of bewilderment.
Perhaps the Dohwa of that time was anticipating the absurd events that would happen in the future.
Dohwa stared at the monitor with a serious expression.
He had entered a dungeon via random matchmaking while in a party with Won, and one of the other two users was nitpicking that the remaining user’s item level was too low.
Then, Won, who had been quietly giving heals the whole time, took the side of the user being nitpicked.
Of all things, the user with the item level issue was the tank, so they couldn’t even progress through the dungeon.
The four of them stood still at the beginning of the dungeon, fighting constantly while making sure not to draw aggro from the monsters.
To be precise, one person was venting their rage, one person was ignoring it, and two people were walking on eggshells.
[Party] Won: Their item level might be a bit low. Why are you making a fuss when I, the healer, haven’t said anything?
[Party] UniversityLifeStartingFromReZero: Because it’s ridiculous to come to this dungeon with that item level. You should of at least hit 50.
[Party] Won: *should have.
[Party] UniversityLifeStartingFromReZero: You ♡♡ing bast♡♡d, is that what’s important right now??
As Won pointed out the spelling, hearts began to fill the chat window.
And Dohwa, knowing those hearts were profanity filters, looked at the monitor with a strange expression.