Ranker’s Return

Chapter 1

Translator:rainbowturtle Editors: LD & Jyazen

Three months later...

“Give me the red one. The red one.”A drunk middle-aged man staggered to the checkout of a convenience store.

The part-time worker pointed to two cigarettes boxes with a typical red color.“Would you like this one or this one?”

“Give me this.”The drunk man handed over the money and slammed the door.

“It is hard to make money...” Hyeonu muttered to himself as he looked at the drunk man’s back.

Yes, it was hard to make money. He was earning an hourly rate of 6,030 won. If he stayed at the convenience store for a whole month, the amount of money accumulated in his bankbook would be around a million won. One month’s salary was less than half of things he had bought (bags, wallets, watches, etc.) in the past.

Still, it couldn’t be helped. His family was bankrupt. If he didn’t do any of these part time jobs, he wouldn’t be able to put food in his mouth. The ‘gold spoon’ Gang Hyeonu who casually spent millions of won a day didn’t exist anymore. Now, there was only the eldest son of a fallen family, the ‘dirt spoon’ Gang Hyeonu...

At this moment, his phone vibrated. The name that appeared on the screen was a friend, Yeongchan.

-Hyeonu?

“Why did you call? I’m doing something, so call me later.”

-Why did I call? Dude, I want to see your face.It is harder to see you nowadays than when you were in the army.Contact me if you are having a hard time.

“What’s hard?”Hyeonu replied brusquely to Yeongchan’s words that suggested he knew something.

-Someone said they saw you working part-time. Are you really okay?You aren’t the type of guy to do that.No.Where are you?I’ll go to you now.

“Why are you coming? I’ll contact you later. See you then.”Hyeonu hung up the phone.

Yeongchan was a friend who had taken care of him since he was a child. He was the friend who approached Hyeonu when he went to kindergarten late. Yeongchan was a family friend who had always taken care of Hyeonu from elementary school until high school. In a way, Yeongchan knew Hyeonu better than Hyeonu’s own parents. Now... Hyeonu was ashamed and had no confidence to face such a friend.

‘It was nice to have a laugh with you. Now... I honestly don’t know... Yeongchan...’

Honestly, Hyeonu was afraid. He wondered if the fall of his family might change Yeongchan’s view of him. Additionally, Hyeonu didn’t want Yeongchan to see his miserable appearance as he ate foods with no expiration date because he had no money for food. It was a situation where Hyeonu had to skip meals if he had to throw away food.

“Hyeonu, you did a good job! Hurry and leave it to me! You should go in there and rest.”

Had he been thinking too long? Before he knew it, the day worker Sangjin had entered the convenience store.

“You’re here?”

“Yes, dude. You must be really tired. Hurry and leave it to me. I came 10 minutes early because I was afraid you were too tired.”

“Thank you.”

“Man, what is with the thanks?” Park Sangjin laughed. Park Sangjin was one of the few acquaintances who didn’t treat Hyeonu sensitively after Hyeonu was reduced to a dirt spoon overnight. The problem was...

“Ick! Sehui is calling!”

He had so many women on the side that he received dozens of calls at work and women kept coming to the convenience store.

“Hyung, please do your best! Thank you for today!”

“Yes!”

Hyeonu left the convenience store.

“Hey, Gang! Are you done?”It was a familiar voice. At the table outside the convenience store, a glamorously dressed Yeongchan sat waiting with an Americano.

Hyeonu was amazed when he saw Yeongchan, but he soon regained his usual expression. “Yeongchan? What are you doing here?”

“What is the relationship between us? I’m hurt. Someone said you were working part-time here.”

“What... Since you’re here, let’s have a meal.”

Hyeonu took Yeongchan to the nearby soup restaurant. Yeongchan sat down at the floor table of the soup restaurant and looked anxiously at Hyeonu, who was showing a foul expression. “What happened to your family? Why are you working part-time? Hey, tell me honestly. What’s going on at your house?”

“...”

“I know everything.”

“...!”

“I don’t know the exact details... but I have a rough idea.”

“Is that so...”

“It’s disappointing, Gang Hyeonu.”

“Disappointing?”

“Yes, you jerk!” Yeongchan shouted. “Is this the only thing between you and me?”

“Huh?”

“Is this the only thing between Kwon Yeongchan and Gang Hyeonu?! What does your family going through hard times have to do with seeing me? Will you not want to see my face if my family goes bankrupt? Eh?”

Gang Hyeonu felt like he had been hit hard by a blunt force and could not say anything for a while. He had been worried about it, but his friend—Yeongchan—had not changed and was still righteous. It was Gang Hyeonu’s inferiority that made him run away from the people around him.

“Jerk.” Yeongchan pushed forward a bottle of beer with a complicated expression. “Tell me everything. We’re friends.”

“Thank you.” Gang Hyeonu raised his cup.

Gulp gulp. The cool, bitter beer spilled down his throat.

“What happened exactly?”

“It is just...”

After that, Gang Hyeonu and Kwon Yeongchan spent time telling each other the stories they hadn’t shared.

“Hey.” Three hours after sitting face to face and drinking beer, Kwon Yeongchan carefully opened his mouth. “You...”

“What is it?”

“That...”

“Why aren’t you saying it? Was your house ruined as well?”

“Yes, I’m ruined... wait, no!” Kwon Yeongchan fell for Hyeonu’s self-diss and screamed. “Brat, stop joking around!”

“What is it?”

“You...”

“Why are you hesitating so much?”

“Perhaps... you should... try Arena again?”

“...!”

“Huh???”

It was an unexpected suggestion—play Arena again. This was something Hyeonu had never considered.

“I hadn’t thought about this.”

“I’m not saying to decide now. Just think about it. There is an option like this.”

The two of them gave a final toast before leaving the soup restaurant and separating.

“I understand. Brat! Just think about it!” Kwon Yeongchan shouted to the back of Hyeonu’s head.

‘Arena... Can I do it again?’ Hyeonu thought about Arena.

Was it possible to return and succeed? Physically...? He was confident that he was ‘overwhelming.’ Even if he started right now, he was confident that he wouldn’t lose to anyone.

However, the difference of ‘items’ wasn’t easily overcome. People were aware of the importance of time in RPG games. Why? The difference between sets of gear was the so called ‘unsurmountable wall’ that was hard to overcome even with skill.