Your Commander-in-Chief – Chapter 61

The arena tournament was over, and the next morning had arrived.

After finishing my shower, I sat at the dining table, eating while pondering.

What promise had I made with Sohee again?

“Hmm.”

“What are you thinking about so much?” Harang, sitting across from me, asked with his mouth full of food.

“Hmm, I made some kind of promise with a friend, but I can’t remember.”

“Why not just ask her?”

“I asked last night, but she didn’t reply.”

“How many times did you ask?”

“Once.”

After hearing my response, Harang made a peculiar expression, as if he had a lot to say but was holding back.

“What are you looking at?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to ask her one more time?”

“Why?”

“Because… she might not have seen it.”

I shook my head. The fact that the indicator had disappeared in front of my sent message meant Sohee had definitely seen it.

“She must’ve seen it already. Maybe she doesn’t care because the promise isn’t important.”

“Do you really think so? Isn’t that just your wishful thinking?”

“My wishful thinking? If it was an important promise, Sohee would’ve let me know.”

Harang fell silent after my words.

It seemed he didn’t want to have any more conversation.

I, too, had no interest in chatting with a gloomy dude first thing in the morning.

After a simple meal, I walked past Harang, who was devouring his food like a pig, and stepped outside.

The scorching summer heat had vanished, replaced by a chilly breeze brushing against my legs—a sensation quite unfamiliar.

While I was walking alone, I suddenly recalled the forgotten promise.

“Ah…”

I let out a sound of realization.

That’s right! I had made plans to go somewhere with Sohee.

Back then, I had postponed the promise to clear a hidden quest, and afterward it slipped my mind, but Sohee seemed not to have forgotten.

Just as I was hastily crafting a message to Sohee, the faces of my guild members and party members came to mind.

Good people who trust and follow me.

In the previous world, when I played Deron, my guild mates and I would often hold gatherings.

We would meet up to eat, go to an internet cafe, or sometimes, thanks to our guild leader’s whims, we would go hiking.

We had some really delicious meals at the restaurant at the foot of the mountain.

Maybe I was reminiscing about those happy memories, which put a smile on my face.

As I walked, rubbing my cold cheeks, I finally arrived at school.

Alright. Since it’s got to this point, I might as well set up a gathering with my guild members.

Sohee also seemed to enjoy mingling with people, so it seemed like a good idea.

Upon entering the school, there was an oddly chilly atmosphere hanging in the air.

Normally, the kids would be chatting and laughing with each other, but today, they looked rather subdued.

It was as if they were trying to read someone’s mood.

What could possibly be the reason?

“Hayun.”

“Ah.”

At that moment, someone approached me quietly from behind.

A sudden rustling sound and the absence of any detectable presence made me jump in response.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

Sohee, when I turned around, wasn’t wearing her usual smile.

Was something bad happening?

After putting down my bag and taking my seat, Sohee perched herself atop my desk.

“Ah, Sohee. About our plan to hang out…”

Before I could finish, a smile blossomed on Sohee’s face.

Right, Sohee looked much better with a smile than with her usual poker face.

“You didn’t forget, huh?”

“Of course not. How could I forget a promise with a friend?”

Seeing Sohee’s reaction, I felt it might not be wise to mention that I had forgotten it.

Could it be that her lack of expression was because she thought I had forgotten the promise?

With shining eyes filled with anticipation, Sohee tightly held onto my hand.

“Where shall we go?”

“Well, what about having a guild gathering?”

“What? Huh?”

“Guild gathering—bringing everyone together for some fun.”

“Everyone…?”

“Yeah, we can invite all the people who can come, eat together, and go to the internet cafe, or no, the capsule room. Sounds fun, right?”

“I actually wanted to hang out just with you, Hayun…”

“Oh really? But if we’re going to hang out, wouldn’t it be better to have more fun with everyone?”

I pictured the guild members I’d meet at the gathering.

They all thought I was going for the schoolgirl concept.

And there I would be, showing up right there. Just like my character in the game.

They’d be utterly shocked to find out their party leader and guild leader was a real high school girl.

Some might even faint right there!

The thought made me chuckle in delight.

“Hey, doesn’t that seem a bit risky?”

“Risky?”

“Yeah.”

I blinked at Sohee’s words.

Risky? What’s supposed to be risky?

“Those people might do something bad to you.”

“Sohee, they’re my friends. There are no bad people among them.”

No matter what Sohee thought, my decision was already made.

Before the weather got any colder, I needed to finalize the gathering plans.

Sohee, looking down at me, seemed reluctant about the gathering.

The smile that had been on her face faded, and her gaze towards me was filled with anxiety.

“You’re worried because you saw some weird stories on the internet, huh? There aren’t really that many bad people.”

I pressed down hard on Sohee’s legs as she sat perched on my desk, pushing her away.

She was taking up too much space for me to use the desk freely.

Where should I hold the gathering?

A lively area with lots of spots to have fun seems best, right?

I took out my phone and began looking for places that had a lot to do.

“Sohee, where do you think we should go?”

She didn’t respond. Instead, she merely pouted, then cautiously pulled me in from behind.

It was the same kind of skinship as always.

“Then should I just decide?”

Again, Sohee didn’t answer.

I started swinging my short legs back and forth and began plotting the gathering route.

*

Upon returning home, one problem arose while deciding on the gathering route.

The fact that Sohee and I were minors was the issue.

Naturally, my parents wouldn’t allow me to stay out, and Sohee’s parents would be the same.

Feeling a deep sense of regret, I sighed and wrote an announcement in the guild chat.

[Guild Gathering Announcement for Saturday, October 22nd]

Greetings, this is Guild Leader Yeo.

The scorching heat of summer has finally subsided, and cool weather is upon us.

The reason I am writing is to hold a gathering before the weather gets any colder.

Please click here for the meeting location.

*Location confirmation.

The meeting time is by 11:10 AM!

*Please vote on attendance.

You must vote on your attendance to prevent any issues when making reservations for the restaurant.

*All meal costs will be covered by the Guild Leader.

Once the announcement was completed, a flood of messages from guild members began pouring in.

Questions about whether I would really be there, and if I was actually in middle school, flooded the chat.

Only questions, nothing serious.

In that moment, I heard pounding footsteps from the corridor outside the living room, and Harang came rushing in, phone in hand, with a look of shock on his face.

“You! You!!”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“I mean, a gathering? Are you serious?”

“So?”

I had already settled all the plans.

Now all that was left was for those who could attend to enjoy themselves that day.

“Did you tell your mom?”

“Yeah. I said I was going to hang out with gaming friends, and she seemed happy about it.”

“Oh man…”

Harang ran a hand down his face and collapsed onto the floor.

Wondering why he was acting like that, I stared at him until he jumped up suddenly.

“Cancel it!”

“Why?”

“It’s dangerous.”

“Dude, you’re sounding just like Sohee now.”

“Sohee? Your friend?”

“Yeah, her in-game nickname is Helena.”

“Huh, Helena… you mean Helena’s your friend?”

I frowned and nodded.

This noisy guy was so loud…

sigh I shook my head at my naive younger self.

“It’s dangerous. Really dangerous.”

“Dangerous? Where’s it risky?”

“Those people might do something bad to you.”

“I’m gathering people I can trust. There are no bad types among them.”

Regardless of Harang’s thoughts, my mind was set.

“I need to finalize the gathering plans before it gets colder.”

Sohee seemed against the guild gathering, looking down at me.

The smile that had lingered was now gone, and her eyes wobbled nervously as she looked at me.

“Did you read some strange stories online? There really aren’t that many bad people like that.”

With that, I pressed down on Sohee’s legs again, pushing her off the desk.

She was so big that I couldn’t use my desk properly.

Where would be a good place for the gathering?

Definitely somewhere lively with lots to play.

I took out my phone to search for spots to hang out.

“Sohee, where do you think would be good?”

She stayed quiet, only mumbling her lips and cautiously hugging my back.

It was the usual kind of affection.

“Then I’ll just decide?”

Once again, Sohee didn’t respond.

I began swinging my short legs back and forth, plotting the route for the gathering.

*

Time passed quickly.

Like lightning.

October 22nd—the promised day of the gathering.

Waking up at 7 AM.

I got out of bed and checked how I was feeling.

No health issues, and I’d already prepared what clothes I was going to wear today.

I also had enough money saved up from selling an orc ring the day before.

Everything was perfectly arranged.

I threw on my clothes and checked myself in the full-length mirror.

A white sweater and jeans.

The sweater was a bit oversized, making me look even smaller, but it was a decent combo regardless.

With that, I headed outside toward the corridor, where I ran into Harang, who was dressed in a black suit.

I looked up at Harang, wondering.

-What’s he doing, going for an interview? Why’s he in a suit?

“What’s up with you?”

“What’s up? I’m ready for the gathering.”

“Looking like that?”

“What’s wrong with my look?”

Could he really not see how he looked?

With his black suit, Harang looked even taller, exuding a sense of intimidation.

The slicked-back hair only accentuated his fierce expression.

Anyone would think he was a thug.

“Are you really going like that?”

“Yup.”

“No one goes to a gathering looking like that.”

“Mind your own business.”

“This is crazy…”

Harang genuinely seemed to be planning to go to the gathering in that state.