#inspiritnet

He found friendship in a rogue drow elf whose appearance was nothing short of his character’s. Myungsoo would discover that his real name was Lee Sungjong. When Sungjong had sat down next to him that day, as Myungsoo waited for the group to arrive at their designated meeting spot, he found himself startled by how Sungjong looked like he had jumped right out of a painting. He recalled at first, how for months after he had first joined the guild, Myungsoo had thought that Sungjong was a girl until he was finally corrected by the rogue during a heated raid, “Yah! I’m a guy you idiot!” Sungjong’s looks matched his voice easily and with his delicate features he had a feminine air to him. But his friendly spirit however was no surprise to Myungsoo as he quickly greeted him like the old friends that they were. Later on Sungjong would become like a younger brother to Myungsoo, a smile to smile back to. Even though they lived so far apart they would continue to do things together even after Sungjong left Seoul. He would chat with him late into the night as they streamed horror movies and make fun of the terrible acting. He would even listen to Sungjong’s cheesy pop music that Myungsoo would have hated before but learned to love along the way. With Lee Sungjong Myungsoo found a honey sweet friendship that he knew would always be there with him.

He found friendship with a troll assassin whose offscreen name turned out to be Lee Sungyeol. He was a person who seemed to be taciturn and aloof at first, but when Myungsoo introduced himself he quickly changed to a gummy smile and a welcoming disposition as he wrapped a long arm around his shoulder. Sungyeol had an elongated body from his hands to his feet that he didn’t seem to quite fit into, and a sheepish smile, both of which were charming in their own ways. But his brashness and tendency for his volume to rise when he did something he was proud of was no different from the way he was behind the screen. The two had joined the guild around the same time and before long Myungsoo found that he would always return to Sungyeol, no matter how long the dungeon and no matter how far he strayed from him on the map. They were like partners in crime, Myungsoo’s hawkshot arrows able to pelt enemies from afar and Sungyeol always being there to finish what Myungsoo had started. Their twinship would carry to outside the game as well, with Sungyeol taking him by his side as quickly as they had met. Despite how far apart they lived, Sungyeol would start to pop in and out of Myungsoo’s life. It would become a recurring instance that Myungsoo would come home, only to see Sungyeol sprawled across his couch waiting to drag him out of the house. “The new spiderman is out. Let’s watch it!” And just like Sungyeol was always there during the best of times he would also be there to help Myungsoo through the worst. As they grew as friends Myungsoo would also find himself helping Sungyeol through his own problems too. Sungyeol’s friendship was like a hand always there to reach out to him no matter the reason.

He found friendship in Lee Howon, a worgen with the title of dark knight. Upon meeting him, however, he would discover he was not dark at all. Someone who was a bit reserved at first but before long was making jokes and teasing his friends like he had known them since childhood. “I just like purple” was his explanation when Myungsoo had asked him why he had chosen a dark knight one day. In person Howon was no exception. He was quiet at first and seemed to be observing them with hawk-like focus but as soon as he was able to catch onto a conversation he ran with it. He had introduced himself as his screen name, Hoya and only gave away his real name when he was pressed for it. He said it made him cooler, but Myungsoo thought it sounded the same either way. Hoya was broad shouldered and muscular and except for the rectangular glasses, he was far from what Myungsoo had imagined the quick witted gamer to be like. Later on Hoya would prove himself to be quite a dancer, even showing off his skills as one of the more athletic members of the group. He would even convince Myungsoo to try it once, though Myungsoo could hardly keep up with the steps. Hoya was a crafty and ambitious, so ambitious that he even quit school to pursue dancing. While Hoya started playing the game on the side, he had bigger plans outside of it. Myungsoo would come to admire that ambition like a far off star. Hoya would even begin to try and convince Myungsoo to find his own path in life and it would be, by his recommendation, that Myungsoo would pick up his old camera once again. Hoya’s friendship was a lighthouse, guiding him towards a distant shore.        

He found friendship in a type of person who he never thought he would be able to relate to. Nam Woohyun, a blood elf with amazing magical ability, was this very person. Woohyun was friendly and talkative and endlessly popular with women, at least that’s what he thought when he had entered the guild. Woohyun was a streamer and so Myungsoo suspected at first that he was only ever in it for the money. When it once came down to a one on one phone call with Woohyun the other end flatlined and it grew Myungsoo’s animosity substantially. Myungsoo had wondered for the longest time if it meant that Woohyun thought that he was better than him. But later on he realized that Woohyun merely did it with everyone. When he was gaming in groups or in front of girls he would always put on persona, but when it came to private guild chats, Woohyun would show his true colors as a kind, but sort of awkward guy with a motor mouth and a bit of an ego. When Woohyun walked through the door to meet him that day, Myungsoo was able to tell who he was almost right away, due to seeing him time and time again on stream. Instead of the bleach blonde hair of his character, he was a brunette with chubby cheeks and a smile that could (and probably did) knock millions off their feet. When Myungsoo greeted him, he was expecting the same awkwardness that he experienced before on call, but was surprised when he was met with that award winning smile and sense of familiarity. When Woohyun would find out that Myungsoo lived in Seoul too, he quickly snatched him up under his wing. Before long he would be sitting Woohyun down in front of a camera so they could do streams together. Myungsoo would even begin to have a small fanbase of his own the more he streamed. When one day he would ask Woohyun why he streamed, he would come to learn that Woohyun originally did it so that his mom would never have to work another day in her life. While making a living working at a music store, he saved all his money from streaming for her. He also would admit that as he became a popular streamer, he realized that his fans counted on him for something more than just entertainment. He would tell Myungsoo that he realized how much his fans cared for him and how he wanted to give it back in any way he possibly could. He would begin to see this selflessness in the guild as well, Woohyun always saving his last heal for someone else, or spending his gold to buy the members lavish gifts. Even in real life, Myungsoo would always find Woohyun going out on a limb for him, no questions asked. Woohyun’s friendship came in the form of generosity, always giving and never asking for anything in return.

He found friendship Satyr and a Paladin: Jang Dongwoo. Dongwoo was all grinning and laughs, pats on the back and affectionate nudging. Myungsoo would have shied away from a person like that normally, except for the fact that Dongwoo was just to kind to do so. His spontaneous personality had come to no shock, Myungsoo often hearing boisterous laughter from the other end of the chat line, but it was the way that Dongwoo seemed to conduct himself with unbridled amounts of energy that threw Myungsoo off the most. Like Hoya, Dongwoo also had quite a bit of musculature, working as a kids dance instructor himself. He had sandy brown hair and a wide smile that seemed to light up the room. When they met Dongwoo greeted Myungsoo with a warm hug. All his gestures were welcoming and warm and no different than if he had just seen Myungsoo the day before. As time went on this demeanor would never seem to change. Though an hours drive away, Dongwoo would always welcome Myungsoo into his home like he was family. He would always have advice for Myungsoo if he called and was constant source of encouragement for Myungsoo if he needed it or not. Dongwoo was like an open door for Myungsoo, always there for him to go through when he needed it.

He found friendship in his leader, a human cleric. Indeed Sunggyu was a natural leader, despite his propensity towards laziness. He would always say to the members “it’s easier to be active in a game than in real life, but it still tires me out”. What he lacked in energy though he brought back an astounding ability to bring 7 people together and a wise mind that could orchestrate attacks that were nearly immaculate. When Myungsoo first met his squinty eyed leader he never would have noticed him, until Sunggyu said, “What? You don’t recognize me?” At the time, Myungsoo quickly searched his mind on who he could be until Dongwoo finally shouted out “Leader!” Sunggyu was somewhat of a character, a little domineering and yet a little bit nervous. But Myungsoo was expecting nothing less from the leader he had grown to know so well. He was neither tall nor short but somewhere in between and so his presence was neither diminutive nor overbearing but it was his personality that made him feel like the same man who had been leading them into battle for so long. He was a leader through and through and it would carry on to his life offscreen as well. Sunggyu would go on to watch over Myungsoo after they had met, just as always. He would monitor him from afar and would only step in when he thought something was really wrong. But he would always look out for Myungsoo, even when he didn’t know it, as he did for all the members, and when Myungsoo needed help, Sunggyu would always be prepared with something to say him and a way to fix his problems. Sunggyu's friendship was a sturdy and reliable one no matter the situation.

As time would pass, each member would begin to draw Myungsoo more and more out of his shell and as they did Myungsoo would become happier and happier. He would start to go out more and accept friendships with many different people. The Myungsoo who never thought he would befriend anyone other than his friends online and the Myungsoo who thought he would never be anyone but who he was online would disappear. He would have never had guessed that the 6 who sat around him would become a link to a whole new life.

So as he sat at the table that day, worrying about his lack of communication skills, his unyielding shyness, and the fact that his frizzy hair just wouldn’t lay flat despite multiple tries to flat iron it, Myungsoo held his breath in anticipation of what their meeting would bring. But his nerves were mollified a bit by the familiar voices that surrounded him in a chorus of banter and laughs as they all watched Sunggyu struggle to get Woohyun and Hoya under control so he could finally bring their meeting to an official start. When Sunggyu was finally able to quiet them down, he cleared his throat as if he were a king making a speech.

“Ahem. Hello everyone and welcome to our very first ever meeting, that is in real life. I know it’s a little disorienting meeting like this, what with my stunning good looks and all, but rest assured we are all still the same people that we are in game. So let’s be comfortable with each other shall we?”

“You’re the only one who’s making this uncomfortable,” Hoya cut in and Sunggyu gave him a death glare that made Myungsoo sputter in an attempt not to laugh.

“Shut up. Anyways let’s have a toast. For success for our guild in the future and for our meeting to bring us closer together. We are eternal, so don’t ever forget it. To Guild Infinite!”