"Why me?" Chaeyoung asked without even looking at her friend who is begging her to go to the Underground Arena. "Why not ask the other Chaeyoung?" Her voice sounding annoyed as she really doesn't want to go out right now and just stay at home all day. "It is Sunday, for God's sake. I want to sleep."
"Rose is busy with her girlfriend." Jisoo pouted as they don't spend time that much now when their friend, Rose, started dating Jennie.
"I'm busy too, unnie." Chaeyoung deadpanned. "Go away," She doesn't want to go to that place as she'd surely just get bored to death since she's not into games. She often wonders how her unnie got addicted to such a hobby that she can stay up until dawn playing computer games but can't do it for studying.
"No, you're not. You're just dozing around." Jisoo took a step closer to Chaeyoung's bed crossing her arms. "Plus, you don't have a love life." She smirked.
Chaeyoung scrunches her nose. "I'm busy doing nothing."
"Come on, you lazy bum." Jisoo chuckled, pulling Chaeyoung by the wrist. "Aren't you tired doing nothing?"
"The last time I went there with you, I felt so out of place." She shakes her head remembering what happened that time when Jisoo invited her to go to that place for gamers. She was so confused hearing jargon she's not familiar with, plus, a lot of guys tried to hit on her. Those guy gamers with long one-sided bangs are still vivid in her memory. Thank God she was able to refrain from punching them. It was a nightmare.
"Just this once, please," Jisoo begs down on her knees with her hands clasped and puppy eyes.
"Give me a good reason why I should go with you." Chaeyoung sighed in defeat. She can't say no to her unnie with a face like that. Chaeyoung is known to be mischievous in their university along with her buddies, Dahyun and Tzuyu. They are known as Evil Maknaes as the three of them are the youngest in their family who owns a big share in the university. You wouldn't want to mess up with them as they can make your life a living hell, especially Chaeyoung. She's nice though to her family and friends, well except for Nayeon, her stepsister. She's not on good terms with her.
Jisoo stood up and her eyes brightened. "Pengu Master will be there." She exclaimed excitedly with dreamy eyes.
"And who the hell is that Pengu Master?"
"Hey, watch your mouth, small bean." Jisoo chides in. "She's a famous gamer and she is my role model. I want to be like her. She's a gamer goddess."
"Gamer goddess, huh?" Chaeyoung snorts. "What does she look like? I bet she doesn't take a daily bath just like the other gamers, or she looks like an ugly penguin that's why her name is Pengu Master."
"Yah!" Chaeyoung earned a slap on the arm, "Don't you dare talk about her like that. I know she's pretty!"
"Geez. Relax, I'm just kidding unnie." Chaeyoung laughed at Jisoo's reaction. "You have a picture of her?" She asks curiously as she wants to know what her unnie's role model looks like.
Jisoo takes out her phone and scrolled through her gallery. "This is her." She showed the photo to Chaeyoung.
"She's wearing a penguin face mask. Don't you have a picture showing her full face?" Chaeyoung asked disappointingly. She could tell that this Pengu Master is really pretty though she has only seen her eyes; those tantalizing doe eyes.
"Err. I actually haven't seen her without that mask." Jisoo answered scratching her nape. "She's always wearing a face mask and navy-blue hoodie. Nobody has ever seen her face. She's a mystery. I don't even know her real name." She pouted, wishing she can be friends with the gamer goddess.
Chaeyoung laughs rolling on the bed, "The hell, unnie. You don't know your role model's real name. She's hasn't revealed her face. Maybe she really is ugly; thick lips, flat nose bridge, let's also add some big moles with a strand of hair on them."
Jisoo glared at her sharply but that didn't stop Chaeyoung from teasing her unnie more. "What's worse is she's even hiding behind that ridiculous pseudonym."
Jisoo jumps to the bed and hovers at Chaeyoung and attacks by tickling her, "Unnie, stop! I-I'm just k-kidding." She squealed, almost out of breath.
"Her pseudonym is not ridiculous, it's cute!" Jisoo exclaimed still tickling the small bean.
"Alright, unnie. I-I'm so-sorry. I'll go with you!"
Jisoo stopped and grinned widely, "Really?"
"Yes, unnie. Unless you want to stay on top of me?" Chaeyoung winked.
"Eew. Son Chaeyoung, you wish." She abruptly stood up acting she's about to vomit which earned a smack from Chaeyoung.
"Maybe if you're Nayeon, I would." Jisoo wiggles her brows. It is not a secret to Chaeyoung that her friend has a little crush on her step-sister.
Chaeyoung's mood gone sour. "Then ask her to go with you instead."
Jisoo pouted wishing she could take back what she just said. She's aware of the bad blood between the two. Nayeon is a nice girl but Chaeyoung doesn't like her and she doesn't know why. Everybody likes her, except Chaeyoung.
She tried multiple times to ask her what's up between the two of them but to no avail, she couldn't get a decent answer from the younger. She wonders if Chaeyoung opens up that topic with Dahyun and Tzuyu. That thought made her feel jealous knowing that she's closer with those two. Now is not the time to think about that matter so she sets that aside for now. What's more important is Pengu Master.
"I'm sorry, Chaeyoung-ah." Jisoo took small steps to Chaeyoung's bed and sat by the edge. The younger remained silent, covering herself with her blanket.
Jisoo sighed deeply thinking of what to say or do to make Chaeyoung go with her. "Hmm... How about we eat at your favorite ice cream shop afterward? My treat."
Chaeyoung grinned widely and slowly pulls down her blanket, "I'm in!" She's not really mad, well a bit disappointed maybe. She was just acting because she knew Jisoo would bribe her with something.
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The two got out of the car as soon as Jisoo parked her gray Porsche. "You're really bad at parking, unnie." Chaeyoung teased as Jisoo almost hit the red ford mustang on the side. "We should've just used my car and let me drive."
Jisoo just pouted. The small bean is really enjoying making fun of her unnie.
They walked towards a small shop. If you're going to take a look at it, it's like a normal shop selling action figures and gaming stuff but it is not. They went inside and Jisoo pulled a platinum card out of her purse showing it to a middle-aged man who's guarding a small door with signage saying, "Restricted Area Authorized Personnel Only"
The man took the card and inspected it. He handed it back to Jisoo a second later and opened the door for them. Only members of the Underground Gamers Club can enter that door and since Jisoo is in the Platinum tier, she's allowed to bring a friend with her. This scenario is not new to Chaeyoung as it's not her first time going there. But she still finds it funny because it looks like something illegal is going on down there.
"Is Platinum the highest tier in this club?" Chaeyoung asks as they walk through a narrow passage leading to the elevator.
"No, it is Diamond." Jisoo answered.
"Oh, I thought you got the highest tier."
"Second to the highest," Jisoo explains, "There are 4 tiers in UGC; Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond. The benefits you get depends on the tier you're in."
The Underground Gamers Club was founded seven years ago by those gamers who belong to prominent families. Joining the club is not easy as you should be a hardcore gamer for you to meet the standards for gaming skills. Every end of the year, they are organizing tournaments for various games and your score determines your tier for the following year.
Jisoo pushes the elevator button and the door slides open immediately. She doesn't need to push any button when they get in as it automatically goes down the basement.
"Those in the Diamond tier must be really good in gaming," Chaeyoung commented.
"Actually, there's only one person who holds a Diamond card, and that's Pengu Master," Jisoo said proudly. "She really is a monster when it comes to gaming. She deserves her spot. She's been in the Diamond tier for three consecutive years."
"Wow." That's all that Chaeyoung could utter.
"She beats those guy gamers without any sweat. That's why I really admire her." Jisoo continues gushing over the gamer goddess as they alighted the elevator. "Also, she gets the chance to be the first-ever gamer to test the games created by the famous game developers before the release date. Really lucky."
Chaeyoung yawns as she's no longer interested in what Jisoo is blabbering about. They walk towards the double steel door guarded by a bulky man. He nods to Jisoo and opens the door for them.
Gaming machines are everywhere as Chaeyoung wanders her eyes on the massive space occupied by gamers of different ages. It may look childish to some but there are a lot of adult gamers here. She even spotted a grandma shooting a gun controller killing every zombie on the screen.
"Why are we here, anyway? Is there a tournament?" Chaeyoung asks.
Jisoo shakes her head, "No. There's an event now since a new game will be released next week. We get the chance to try out the game before its official release in the market." Her eyes light up thinking about playing the game today.
"But you said Pengu Master gets to test it out first,"
"Ah, yes. Of course, she already tested it last week if I'm not mistaken." Jisoo responded.
"Jisoo-yah!" They both turned to a man in his late twenties waving at Jisoo.
She pulls Chaeyoung and walks towards the man. "Heechul-oppa!" Jisoo called out.
"He is one of Pengu Master's rivals. He ranks second in the Platinum tier." Jisoo whispers.
The two gamers start talking about games that Chaeyoung doesn't get. "I'll just go to the restroom." She said and walked without even waiting for Jisoo's response.
"Damn it. I shouldn't have tagged along." She muttered. It took her almost 5 minutes to find the restroom and she blames herself for not asking Jisoo where the Goddamn restroom is located. There are three doors to choose to indicate the gender symbols; ♀ and ♂. She walked past the two doors, "What is this door for? Is this for neuter genders?" She jokes to herself.
She took a closer look at the third door and it has a diamond symbol on it. "Don't tell me that Diamond tier gamer has her own restroom here?" She chuckles. She suddenly feels excited and got more curious about what it looks like inside. "Is the bowl in here made out of diamonds?"
She opens the door loudly which startled the girl washing her hands by the sink. The girl is wearing a navy blue hoodie. The girl's back is facing Chaeyoung but she can clearly see her reflection through the big mirror.
The girl looks familiar and she's sure she goes to the same university. The girl rushes and wipes her trembling hands with tissue. She hurriedly pulled up her hoodie and put on her penguin mask.
"You are Myoui Mina!" Chaeyoung finally blurted out after a few seconds of remembering the girl's name. "And you are Pengu Master?" She added. She can't believe it; the elegant Myoui Mina is a gamer. Not just an ordinary gamer but the freaking holder of the Diamond card in UGC.
"Wow. Who would've thought that you're a hardcore gamer?" Of course, Chaeyoung has heard about her as she's quite famous in the university because of her elegance and beautiful face plus, her family is also a shareholder of JYP International University.
It is her first time seeing her closely as she usually doesn't care about the other students and rarely attends her classes. She only attends during the examination and still manages to get passing grades. The professors don't complain at all as long as she's still taking the exam. They also don't want to get kicked out of the university if they mess up with her. It's not that Chaeyoung hates studying. She's doing it on purpose to annoy her parents; her mother and Nayeon's father.
"Please, don't tell anyone." Mina took off her face mask. She knows Chaeyoung is a troublemaker and there's a 90% of possibility that she would spread out the news on the campus. She'd be dead once her parents find out. Only her two best friends know about this; Sana and Momo, and now this little evil maknae. Though she knows that Chaeyoung wouldn't shut her mouth, she still begs believing in that 10% of chance that she'd keep it a secret.
"This is interesting," Chaeyoung said grinning widely at the pleading face of Mina.
Mina feels helpless and thinks it's the end of her glory days in the underground gaming world. She closes her eyes and lets out a deep sigh.
"I won't tell anybody." Chaeyoung suddenly said making Mina open her eyes.
"R-really?" She asks in disbelief.
"Yes, but in one condition."
Mina gulps, "W-what condition?" She doesn't have a good feeling about this condition but she still asked for the sake of her gaming career.
"You're going to be my slave."
"Eh?!"
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