digital heart | minsung | ✔

06

"Yah, just a random guess but were you maybe watching the match in the PvP arena?" Lino carefully asks and I suddenly feel like a deer in the headlights because yeah, I was watching. But then I mentally scold myself; it was a public match so why should I be ashamed of watching?

"I did, you put up a great fight. I really underestimated your daggers," I admit with a sheepish grin. "It's shitty that you lost your title, though. I never knew I met a champion yesterday."

"A lot of players do, but I really prefer them over swords," Lino chuckles, unconsciously placing a hand over his left dagger. "I'm really clumsy with swords, I just can't handle them well, or so it seems. And about that, the match was a set-up and I lost on purpose to get rid of that champion title. Hwall is a-"

"Ah, and suddenly you feel the need to save your pride, huh?"

Another male appears from behind Lino. I didn't notice him before but apparently, he's been here the entire time. I quickly scan him up and down. Unlike Lino, the smaller male -he's even smaller than I am- is really wearing all black, with a black leather sleeveless tunic, a long-sleeved cotton shirt underneath it and arm guards in the darkest shade of iron I've ever seen. He, too, is wearing black leather pants. The only parts of his outfit that aren't black are his brown leather boots and a few strong leather belts that cross his torso and disappear behind his shoulders, securing a huge zweihander there.

Just like the other, his fingers carry many rings that boost his stats and the gems are the only color I could find in his being. His raven hair is simply styled, shining in the sunlight and proudly showing off the undercut. Then I glance up at his player bar and it takes all that I have to stifle the laugh that threatens to escape my lips.

smalldarkandhandsome, 250/250, LV: 25, it reads.

The boy catches my gaze and gives me a bitter smile.

"Please don't call me that. I lost a bet with this asshole and I had to name myself this," he sighs, lightly punching Lino's shoulder. "Call me Bin, please. I hate my username. You're Jay One, I see? Mi- LeeKnow told me about meeting a cute guy that looks like a squirrel yesterday."

I shoot Lino a glare and said boy seems to shrink in size, skillfully averting his eyes and turning to Bin instead. "Cut the crap, Binnie. I never called him cute.  But you have to admit he really looks like a squirrel."

"I do not look like a squirrel," I protest.

Both the guys turn around at once and my cheeks heat up under their inspecting gazes. A frown quickly sets on my brows as they don't avert their eyes after a moment and an uneasy feeling creeps up my back. Heaving out a heavy sigh, I pout.

"He totally does look like a squirrel," Bin whispers to Lino, obviously meant for me to hear, too.

I'm about to open my mouth to say something in return as footsteps approach me from behind. Both Lino and Bin look over my shoulders and I turn around as well, only to find my two best friends standing there.

"There you are," Felix huffs, dramatically placing his hands on his knees in order to catch his breath. Seungmin, however, looks completely unaffected and rolls his eyes at our best friend's exaggerated behavior.

"It took us longer to find you than for me to reach level six," the youngest states, ruffling his cherry hair to flatten it a little before giving me a pointed look. I quickly flash Seungmin an apologetic smile.

Shit, I completely forgot about my friends.

He's about to answer -most likely some kind of witty remark- but a soft gasp from Felix stops us. We turn around, only to find him staring at Lino with wide eyes that sparkle like a little kid's eyes.