In one corner of the one-room apartment, the towering stacks of volume-based trash bags and pizza boxes stood as a testament to the human known as Noeul Lee.
People like me got labeled "hikikomori" by some or "home security guard" by others.
But those terms were really just derogatory jabs at jobless moochers sponging off their parents and eating them out of house and home.
'Still, I'm not a total bum, right?'
Ever since becoming an adult, I'd lived independently without asking my parents for a dime. I was engaged in legitimate economic activity and even held the respectable class of Sage.
I was a proper member of society, safeguarding the world of Eden—an industrial powerhouse, if you will.
Yeah, let's call it being a sole proprietor.
'...This month should be manageable, at least.'
To cover rent, I had to keep hustling.
After wrapping up raid weeklies, I'd grind levels and farm gold through hunting. It was the endless cycle of herding field monsters and dumping skills on them to rake in gold and XP.
A perfect blend of economic activity and self-improvement—personal development at its finest.
📺 Live Stream: [Apple] Casual Chat Stream ^^, Farming Elixir Materials!— Stream Chat"But does Immortal Grass really spawn here?"— ViewerNope, that's Recovery Grass. Third time I've said it.— ViewerImmortal Grass is in Vergel Ruins (2 stacks)— ViewerIf you're not gonna do it even after we tell you, why ask in the first place? Smh— ViewerOpen your eyes, please.— Stream Chat"Vergel Ruins? Crazy! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"— ViewerThis noob deserves a good smack upside the head.— ViewerLMAO why now? Fair point tho @lol— ViewerNot chill (lie), not chatty (lie), not farming materials (lie). Nada checks out LMAO— ViewerLet me smack her just once, plz— Stream Chat"But can I even hunt there?"— ViewerMob trains won't work, but picking them off one by one is fine lol— ViewerShe'll be farming all day lol— ViewerThink she'll manage? Lol['ㅇㅇ' donated 1,000 won!]— Stream ChatI'm just a dabbler~ Please don't sub~— Stream Chat"Yeah, I'm just a dabbler~"— ViewerTook down Iron Mountain 2 named with this gear? Must be a total noob then lol— ViewerAhem! (1-year dabbler)~ Don't sub~
One monitor streamed the broadcaster "Apple." Her voice was pleasant, her banter sharp—leaving it on while hunting made the grind far less tedious.
She was like a refreshing rain in a dull world. To me, Apple was exactly that.
'Vergel Ruins might be a stretch with her gear though...'
The recent massive patch had brought in a flood of newbies, spiking gold prices and making work feel rewarding. The highlight? The influx of a streamer I'd long been a fan of.
As her fan, I was thrilled by the unexpected overlap in our worlds. That's why I'd drop tips in chat, but sadly, our streamer wasn't great at multitasking.
Yeah. Her cost-performance ratio was abysmal compared to her spending habits.
'Prinche Village has a teleport—it's quick from there...'
She had the specs for Iron Mountain 3 named trials now, yet she was still sprinting across this massive field.
Viewers loved calling it "thirst trap vibes," but they were all degenerates.
Feeling bad for her, I hammered out a chat message.
'Apple, how about mounts instead of walking? Head to town, warp over—faster that way. Pro tip: Mount shortcut is "Z." Summons a big, cute Bernard!'
...A heartfelt expression of affection.
— Devoted FanYo noob, who the hell walks to Vergel Ruins? Warp from Prinche Village to Temple of Agony while you can. And Z key? Gives you the shits or something? Get a mount already—saving Bernard for some Bernard stew?— ViewerUgh... cringy explainer detected?— ViewerHogging the chat lol— ViewerGTFO lol— ViewerSo, you hit Iron Mountain yet? Lol
I paused hunting to offer some solid advice, but her stream was overrun with sycophants who tuned out wisdom.
Banning me in chat? Truly lamentable.
'She made it there somehow...'
She wandered a bit, but after bounding across the fields, she finally reached Vergel Ruins.
What a plucky little newbie.
— Stream Chat"This is it, right?!"
Her proud voice rang out as she stepped through the portal.
A brief loading screen.
Then her stream showed a familiar field backdrop—and a very familiar character hunting away.
— Stream Chat"Gasp."— ViewerLMAOOOOO— ViewerOf all people lololol— ViewerJustice time~ Justice time~
A choked gasp echoed—like she'd seen a ghost. Whatever the panic, she triggered recall, and without hesitation, I dropped Meteor on her.
I'm a real fan.
Let's interact.
⚔ PVP KILL ⚔[Tasty Apple (Sage) has killed Apple (Archer)!][Apple (Archer) / Suppressor of the Twin Forge Masters]: What the hell? What the actual??? [Tasty Apple (Sage) / First to Summit Iron Mountain]: I'm a fan [Apple (Archer) / Suppressor of the Twin Forge Masters]: This is how you fan???
Feels like yesterday I was hunting newbie fields to bump into her—now here we were. Nostalgic.
— Stream Chat"Aaaah!! That bastard again!! Do something about him!!"— ViewerLOL natural predator lol— ViewerTastyDori for the win! TastyDori! TastyDori!— ViewerI'm a fan lol I'm a fan lol— ViewerInteract more? Lol
Her agonized scream tore through the headset.
Bastard, huh.
Couldn't help feeling a sting—I'd even changed my nick out of pure fandom.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇💰 BANK ALERT 💰"[Web Transfer] Daesung Bank deposited 500,000 won to 'Choi*Seok'"
My smartphone, rarely ringing these days, buzzed with the fruits of my labor—this week's earnings.
💬 Group Chat— Tasty Apple(Photo)— Tasty AppleLOL— Rat MouseYum~ way too sweet lol— FireflyDelish
Joy is meant to be shared. I promptly fulfilled my treasurer duties.
Divvied up by raid member count, it was only 100k each, but rent was safe this month.
A tightrope walk of a life. Today, too, I'd defended my personal kingdom.
A cozy 5-pyeong realm where everything was within arm's reach.
Piles of trash in the corner and clothes scattered on the bed might look messy at a glance, but it was all part of Noeul Lee's meticulously ergonomic layout.
I reached out familiarly for the flat, lukewarm cola. Or rather, I tried to...
...It's out of reach.
My shrunken body had thrown off the positioning.
'Gotta rearrange stuff...'
It'd been over a week since the "manifestation," but I kept forgetting.
This change was harder to get used to than expected.
Realizing it alone was tougher than I'd thought.
'All because this world's so convenient you can get essentials without leaving home...'
Overdeveloped convenience was breeding hikikomori.
Of course, I knew this couldn't last forever.
Still—
Knock knock knock.
The door raps shattered my reverie.
I rose from the worn chair, seat cushion threadbare. Peering through the peephole, I spotted a familiar face.
The Landlady.
...I paid this month's rent already.
Chain still on, I cracked the door.
"Room 302 guy! Made extra side dishes—try some!"
A sliver of connection to the outside world. I eyed her warily through the gap, but her affable charm won out.
The container in her hands seemed to plead innocence, so I unlatched the chain and opened up.
She'd bring food like this now and then—burdensome, but ignoring the gesture felt wrong.
In this capitalist society, I was just a tenant, after all.
"...Thank you, always."
I expressed my gratitude clearly and reached for the container. But it didn't budge as expected.
A vague sense of déjà vu hit; looking up, the Landlady's expression was odd.
"...First time seeing you, missy? Where's the 302 guy?"
"..."
Oh crap. I'd forgotten again in that split second. What an idiot.
Her face, scanning my features and chest like a cat licking cream, looked dangerous.
I had no idea what wild imaginings she was entertaining, but I opened my mouth to clear it up—only for her words to come faster.
"...Girlfriend? Nah, couldn't be..."
"..."
Couldn't be? Why not...
Like a frog croaking its last from a careless stone, her words stung. Intentional or not, if that was the goal, it landed perfectly.
I shook my head vigorously to protest my innocence.
"...So it is your girlfriend?"
No, that's not an invitation to agree...
Her dubious squint made talk seem futile, so I fetched my ID and held it out.
She alternated between ID and face, then glanced past my shoulder into the room.
Her eyes narrowed.
"No way... is that what happened to 302 guy? That... Terrace Syndrome or whatever?"
"...Yup."
The term was off, but close enough in meaning—I nodded, and her face filled with shock.
"...Oh dear lord."
"..."
"...You're done for, 302 guy."
She tsked briefly.
I bowed my head to escape her blatant scrutiny dissecting my face. My ears burned.
Glad she caught on quick, yet a corner of my heart ached.
Something felt... off.