It’s not that kind of malicious broadcast

“So, what took you so long?”

It was a greeting that matched his sullen expression quite well. Peeking out from under the brim of his hat was a stiff mouth, which made him look quite displeased.

Did something bad happen to him?

I hadn’t kept him waiting for too long… I had even arrived ten minutes early myself. It couldn’t have been the hastily arranged meeting either. Though I suggested we meet the next day due to my own circumstances, he had agreed to it.

Could he have figured out what I was going to ask him today? No, that couldn’t be it. His face was more filled with suspicion than anger. Suspicion… he probably didn’t have any reasons to feel wronged.

Good thing I had a bribe prepared for moments like this.

“You look a bit out of sorts… Maybe it’s a lack of sugar. Here. I brought something good for you. Don’t refuse.”

I took out a candy from my pocket and offered it to him. He didn’t react, so I stretched out my hand further and put it in his palm. He did take it eventually.

Hmm. He remained silent. Maybe it wasn’t to his taste… No, I was quite confident this time.

“Do you prefer jelly over candy? But, even then, ginseng jelly feels too traditional…”

“No, candy is already traditional enough… And why do you think I’d like ginseng in the first place? Explain yourself.”

Was an explanation necessary? I had just popped into the supermarket on my way here and picked the candy that seemed most fitting. I did specifically go for the ginseng candy.

Why? Because he seemed like a person who was a bit old-fashioned and overly concerned with health, so it made sense to think he’d like ginseng candy. It was an effort to cater to his tastes.

For example, StarPork… Ahri looked like she’d enjoy any kind of tanghulu, and Jinhee seemed like she’d secretly crave a complicated named cake baked by a pastry chef with 25 years of high-end hotel experience.

But this wasn’t the time to mention such things. After all, I had invited him precisely because of his subtle old-fashioned attitude that I’d hoped would help me.

If I made him conscious of it, the self-proclaimed controversy detector I went to great lengths to invite might awkwardly try to act cool.

“Ginseng candy is delicious. It alleviates the guilt of eating sweets… it’s similar to drinking wine and listening to classical music.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Well, what does it mean? I couldn’t explain it exactly, but it felt less guilty, like being a sophisticated drinker instead of a drunkard…

It was difficult to articulate.

In such ambiguous situations, perhaps it was best to smile and carry on.

“Let’s not get hung up on trivial matters. We have a lot to do today.”

With a boisterous pat on Revan’s stiff shoulder, she laughed and took the lead. Revan followed, a deep sigh accompanying his footsteps. It was a relief to hear the sound of him walking.

There were many sounds that could be picked up with keen ears. The conversations of passersby, the slogans of a protest whose intentions were unknown on the other side, and the exaggerated chatter of merchants trying to attract customers. Amidst this buzz, a somewhat wavering voice was heard.

“So, where are we going? At least tell me that.”

“Hmm…”

Should she tell him the destination in advance? Saying she wasn’t worried at all would be a lie, but… this was Revan. The one who didn’t shy away from a fight, even knowing he might lose.

Since they’d come this far, telling him about it wouldn’t make him run away.

“First, let’s go to the police station.”

“… Is it okay? Maybe—”

“Oh. You must report to the police station first if you want to hold a protest. Didn’t you know that?”

* * *

Anyway, she was someone whose jokes and serious remarks were indistinguishable.

“…Can we really cancel this after submitting it? Are we really doing this?”

“Of course. We can cancel it. But we’re really doing it.”

No, he might just be hoping it was a joke.

She had promised before, saying she’d buy him a meal, that they should do a preliminary survey before the protest… It was momentary, but he couldn’t help expecting that it might just be an excuse to make plans.

She had seemed precarious. That was his impression from the start. Although it appeared she did whatever she pleased, in reality, she hadn’t attached myself to anything in the world… the kind of person who wouldn’t be surprising to disappear one day without a word.

If she needed a friend to support me, he was willing to help. Even up to the point where he looked up nearby cafes and good restaurants around the meeting spot, he kept telling himself not to overthink and just listen to me enough.

What had he expected from Lee Yena?

Revan, Shihoon both followed her, she took the lead again, smirking.

After submitting the assembly notification form that strange person had filled out herself to the police station, they were on their way out. It was surprising to see how official it was, and even more surprising that the officer in charge had processed the document nonchalantly. It was most shocking that the Rogue Revival Movement had been formally registered as an organization.

Where did the façade end, and the sincerity begin? Shihoon exhaled a light sigh, just hoping that it wasn’t all genuine from start to finish.

“…Alright then, shall we go scout the address we reported earlier? It should be nearby.”

“Yes, don’t feel too pressured. We’re just trying to ensure that we don’t impose on others if more people gather here.”

Her voice was light. When his expression slightly hardened in disbelief, she turned her head back and said, ‘The sensor’s performance is excellent-‘, as if ensuring that he would hear it.

Just as he was about to say something, a refreshing voice pierced his ears.

“Here we are. How about this?”

It was a square. On one side, a protest was in full swing. It was the same background he’d often seen in protest photos on the news.

Because today was a weekday, the scale of the protest was relatively small, perhaps? There was still enough space for busy office workers or couples strolling through the square to enjoy their time…

The location was so unnecessarily appropriate that my worries only grew.

“……Here… So, you mean you’re going to protest there?”

Before, didn’t Ark describe watching her as like watching a baby with a life jacket playing with needles near the water?

Though he couldn’t entirely relate, today he absolutely understood her description.

“Yes. We’ll hang the banners there… gather around here. Oh, the invited singer can hide behind that tree and start singing while chopping it down with an axe. I’ll buy a separate tree since I heard street trees are expensive.”

“……Please, when you’re joking, give me a warning.”

“I’m already doing that.”

Her faint smile was oddly too pure, which made it all the more…

…

So, it was 4 PM.

“It’s a bit too early to eat. Should we play some games at a PC bang?”

Where had the time gone? They had already spent two hours together.

We had walked around for almost an hour in the still chilly weather, checking the surroundings thoroughly. Lee Yena’s suggestion, with her nose slightly tinged red, was incredibly welcome.

“PC bang? Do you have any computer games you want to play?”

As Revan asked that, a list of classic games Lee Yena had played on streams flashed through his mind. She was someone extraordinarily fond of retro games. Surely, she wasn’t suggesting they go to a PC bang only to play single-player games separately.

“KoK is a PC game. It’s common knowledge, so please remember that. Now, in that sense, I’ll give you one more candy. They say that consuming sugar helps with studying.”

“……Where do you keep getting those ginseng candies from, seriously? And, by the way……you also do it in VR now.”

“That’s because the notorious VR group, Faraday, backs it too much. Nevertheless, the main platform is still PC. You need to restrain the constant criticism. Seriously.”

There was a voice full of discontent. It seemed somewhat sincere. When he glanced at her face, it was expressionless once again.

“Well, fine. Let’s go then. Are you going to play KoK?”

“Yes. I have a build to show you.”

“……A build? Is there still more to show?”

“Yes. This time, it’s a low-difficulty one……Ah. The concept is that it’s easy for even Ark to use. But……I have some concerns.”

Lee Yena tilted her head slightly as she said that. Her pursed lips twisted to one side as if she were contemplating, followed by a somewhat staged ‘Hmmm—’ sound.

“Well, how about you take a look first.”

Her smile was somewhat awkward.

However, despite that smile, her voice was lively as she made the suggestion.

A reproachful thought of why she wanted to get approval in advance for whatever she was planning appeared, then dispersed. Trying hard to dispel the thoughts that naturally tried to fill that vacant space—

Revan bit his lips to stop them from moving on their own, then nodded slightly.

.

.

.

“This is insane……This won’t do. This is a real bug. Where did the casting time of the fireball go, and why is the third fireball invisible?”

“It could be a skill.”

“The fact that you’re saying ‘could be’ means you know it too. Where on earth do you find things like this? I might want people to do as they please most of the time, but this isn’t a build. If a broadcaster did something like this, they’d get banned immediately.”

“……I called because I knew you’d be strict, but you’re really overdoing it.”

“……What?”

“……It was a test. You passed. As expected, you find potentially controversial builds well. So, to congratulate you, here’s another candy……there’s another build, too. How about this one?”

“Let’s just see it.”

“Hold on a second, I need to set up the traits. But……aren’t you going to eat this? It’s really delicious. Sweet and bitter.”

“Let’s just see it.”

TL’s Corner:

It’s a date, I ship them, even if it’s a dude’s soul inside Yena’s body. Bwahahahaha.