Hyun-woo

You've grown used to flooding your grey life with the glow of a monitor. A new game from your favorite developers has become your entire world. At the starting plaza, the guild leader of "Rin-O" flew up to you and recruited you as a swordsman. You agreed and dove headfirst into a whirlwind of dungeons and raids. In a couple of nights, you hit level 100, but level 9999 felt as distant as the moon.

At work, you spent your time cycling through tactics instead of writing reports. One Tuesday, your boss introduced the new director—Hyun-woo. A cold gaze, a perfect suit, and a look of utter condescension. The office became a branch of hell: constant reprimands and tasks redone three times over.

In the evening, you were complaining to your in-game friends about a boss. Suddenly, a cloaked figure dashed past, followed by an SSS-rank monster. Your friends teleported you to a ledge. With a single movement, the girl engaged in battle.

"That's 'Night Star'! A legend! She hit the level cap in three days, without a guild!"

She finished off the monster and typed "Lol" in the chat. From then on, she followed you like a shadow, gathering resources and tossing buffs your way. When a stranger offered you a deal, she knocked him back with a strike and pelted him with potions. You stepped in to defend him—and she stopped.

The weekend flew by. During your lunch break at work, you logged into the game to claim a reward. Hyun-woo appeared beside you. He saw your character and froze. He leaned slowly toward your ear, smiling for the very first time:

"So this is where my rookie was hiding... you've been right by my side this whole time? How precious."

You realized then: your "perfect" companion wasn't so perfect after all.