SOMETHING UNKNOWN

HEARING his confirmation, Luo Yan suddenly had a moment of enlightenment.  The reason why he felt a familiar feeling when he saw his blue eyes, even that part when he said that stupid moniker, it suddenly all became clear to him.  That day they met during his older brother's graduation just immediately flashed inside his head.

This guy saved him from that dude who was harrassing him and then he accompanied him to the auditorium where the graduation ceremony was taking place.  He introduced himself as Shen Ji Yun and that he was there because his uncle was the guest speaker.  Then before he left, he called him 'silly rabbit'.  He remembered being temporary annoyed by that.  Because, first of all, he's not in any way silly and which part of him resembled a rabbit? 

But after that, he readily put that encounter at the very back of his head.  It's not that Luo Yan had forgotten it.  He probably just thought that they wouldn't cross paths again.  Who would have thought that they would meet here?  Or that Shen Ji Yun would actually still remember him?  He even recognized him despite looking more mature than his real face.

"Do you need something, Brother Ji Yun?" he asked.

"Survey questions, do you mind answering them?"  

Shen Ji Yun almost punched himself the moment he said that.  Survey questions, really?  It's like he was some salesman trying to ask if the product he was selling was good or not.  And a rather bad salesman at that.  Even if it was true that he originally came to Olkdale Town to ask some questions regarding their game experience so far.  But surely, he could have phrased that better.  Or better yet, he should have not started with that.   

There were a lot of better ways to start a normal conversation.  He could only blame himself for being rather bad at socializing.  He usually didn't care.  Most of the times he didn't really need to talk to people.  He only talked and gave proper response to those who mattered to him.  That might make him too cold, but for him, that's more than enough.

But for some reason, Shen Ji Yun wanted to be close to this rabbit.  He already had that feeling ever since they met.  It was the first time he felt like that towards anyone.  He couldn't even properly explain it.  The only answer he could think of was that he wanted to be friends with him.  As absurd as that sounded.   Because if not, then why would he feel this way?

No matter the answer was, right now, he's just thankful that he had this perpetual cold face.  A face that had always been devoid of any emotion.  If not, his embarrassment would surely show on his face right now.

Luo Jin snorted.  "Survey questions, couldn't you even think of a less lame excuse?  Just admit that you have ulterior motives towards my brother!"

Of course, Luo Jin also remembered this guy.  How could he not?  When he first saw him with his brother, his gaze was so focus that it felt like Luo Yan was the only person he could see.  It gave Luo Jin a bad feeling.  That's why he couldn't help but be antagonistic towards him.  Even now, he still wanted to beat the crap out of him.  Because the way he looked at his second brother was still the same.

Shen Ji Yun wrinkled his brows after hearing what the annoying gnome said.  Ulterior motives?  Could wanting to be friends be considered as ulterior motives?

Luo Yan amusedly held back his younger brother once more before he could attack Shen Ji Yun again.  "Ah Jin, don't be like that.  It's insulting to Brother Ji Yun."  He looked up at Shen Ji Yun.  What ulterior motive?  Just look at that cold handsome face that seemed to be carved out of jade.  If anything, he'd be the one people wanted to take advantage of.  "Sorry, Brother Ji Yun.  Please don't mind Ah Jin.  What do you mean by survey questions?"  

Shen Ji Yun composed himself so as not to make any embarrassing mistake again.  "I sometimes do beta testing for Arcadia.  The head of the programming team asked me if I could ask one of the players who was given a special race if they had any problems while playing at his Origin Village.  Just to check if there's a bug that the programming team was unaware of.  That player's game name is Noctis.  I accidentaly watched your fight at the Arena yesterday.  I didn't expect that the player I was looking for turned out to be you," he said.  That was probably the most number of sentence he had said in years.

When Shen Ji Yun said this, Luo Yan also suddenly remembered that he was the nephew of Shen Yi Mu - the founder and CEO of Moonlight Media.  How could he just forget that information?  Now he understood why he felt that the Gamekeeper NPC looked oddly familiar.  Because he resembled a mini-version of Shen Ji Yun.  

Knowing that, Shen Ji Yun's explanation wasn't so unreasonable.  Being the nephew of the CEO of Moonlight Media, it wasn't strange for him to know the head of the programming team.  But there was one thing he was more curious about. 

"How can Brother Ji Yun be so sure that I and Noctis were the same person just by watching that fight?"   

"How could I possibly mistook you for anyone else?"

Luo Yan raised one of his brows.  If not for Shen Ji Yun's expresionless face and voice that had almost no emotions in it, he would definitely think that he meant something different by it.  If he showed even a tad bit of emotion, it would definitely seem like he was hitting on Luo Yan.

Luo Jin, on the other hand, was immediately annoyed.  What 'how could I mistook you for anyone else'?  He almost wanted to vomit just by hearing that.  And looked at that, the guy didn't even seem to be aware of what he said.  Should he kick him again on the shin just to wake him up?

"Enough with the lame excuses.  Of all the players given a special race, you just happened to pick my brother?  How could such a coincidence happen?  Just admit it, you're definitely stalking my brother."

Shen Ji Yun looked down coldly at the gnome.  "I'm not," he said without any additional explanation.  Because there's no need for it.  What stalking nonsense?  It was obviously just pure coincidence.  No, maybe he should consider it fate?

"Ah Jin," Luo Yan said with gentle admonition.  Luo Jin just pouted in return.  He helplessly shook his head and turned to Shen Ji Yun again.  "Brother Ji Yun, we're planning to apply for a class today.  Could I answer the questions later?  Ah Jin could also do it since his game avatar was also a special race.  That way, you could receive two sets of answers."

Shen Ji Yun slightly glanced at the gnome and just like what the silly rabbit said, he was indeed a special race.  He frowned a little, why didn't he notice that?  "Okay.  Then could I add you as a friend?"

"No problem," Luo Yan agreed, not seeing any reason why he shouldn't.

Luo Jin on the side wanted to disagree.  But his second brother gave him a look, silently telling him not to make trouble anymore.  So he could only sulk.

Shen Ji Yun opened his Status Window and typed the rabbit's game account name.

Luo Yan received a friend invitation from the player [Shen].  Seeing Shen Ji Yun's game name, the corner of his mouth twitched.  Could this guy thought of a more imaginative game name?  But then again, this was infinitely better than his younger brother's game name.  Amused, he approved of his friend invitation.

He raised his head and smiled at Shen Ji Yun, he didn't even notice that the smile he gave was devoid of any fakeness.  It was his real smile.  Making his already beautiful face even more enchanting.  "Then see you later, Brother Ji Yun."

Shen Ji Yun stared at the smile that bloomed at the rabbit's face and he felt that something unknown inside him stirred.  He could only nod at the end.