Chapter 1: Hey, what exactly do you do all day?

"Hey, seriously, what exactly do you do all day?"

"Huh? Me?"

"Yes, you! You got accepted into university but never show up. You ignore deployment requests. You said you’d become a pro gamer, but all you do is sit at home, play games, and rage-smash your desk. Do you have any idea how many keyboards you’ve broken?"

"Is that so?"

"Haa..."

Ugh, the nagging is starting again.

Jin-wook grabbed his forehead as if he had a splitting headache.

I grabbed a nearby Max-Power sausage, peeled the wrapper, and carefully took a bite. Chomp.

"Hah, so tasty."

"This bitch is at it again."

"Wait, hey!"

Jin-wook looked like he couldn't even stand the sight of that. He snatched the sausage I was eating and shoved the whole thing into his own mouth.

"Uh, uh? I was eating that..."

"So, what?"

"That’s an indirect ki—Ouch!"

I smirked, thinking of a way to tease him, and deliberately touched my fingertips to my lips. But what came back wasn't the shy reaction of the past, but a flick to the forehead filled with genuine irritation.

The stinging pain spreading through my skull was enough to make tears well up in my eyes.

"Do you really want to die? Go to school, or use that fancy ability of yours to get a part-time job, just do something!"

"No, Jin-wook, why are you suddenly being like this?"

"Because seeing you rot at home like a hikikomori pisses me off! If you don't like it, either go get a Dungeon Clear Certificate or go get your attendance checked at school. Do one of them, got it?!"

"W-Wait! Don't kick me out, let's talk about thi—"

"Get out!"

And just like that, dragged by Jin-wook’s hands, my dream of staying cooped up inside was shattered. I was unceremoniously thrown out of the house.

Even if it’s still autumn... it’s gotten cold lately, and I’m only wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt and track pants. To think he’d kick me out without a coat or shoes...

"I'm telling you clearly: if you don't bring back proof of one of those two things, don't expect to be let back in."

He must have heard me grumbling.

The door burst open, and along with his warning, my long padded coat (padding), my turned-off cell phone, shoes, and socks came flying out of the house.

I thought it was my chance and tried to dart back in.

"Aaaack!"

The front door closed heartlessly, smashing only my fingers in the gap.

I sighed as I picked up my belongings from the ground.

"How am I supposed to go to school looking like this..."