MMORPG: I was BUGGED-Chapter 392: Beachside Reunion Bliss

"Xin," she whispered, her gaze fixed on his, and Xin met her eyes without flinching.

For some reason, he treated Meilyn just as he always had before they were even dating — like someone he simply knew.

"How have you been?" Xin asked, the words slipping out almost automatically, driven by the familiarity of their past interactions.

"Uhm . . ." Meilyn hesitated, her gaze shifting to the side as if unsure how to answer the question.

A classmate approached her with an air of excitement. "Guess what, Xin? Meilyn and her boyfriend broke up, so she’s single again."

While Xin was surprised to hear the news, his classmates seemed oblivious and proceeded to cheer and tease Meilyn, and him as they had done in the past.

"Meilyn is single again."

"Do I smell a second chance here?"

"They’re childhood sweethearts, so it’s only natural."

"You two should get together."

"Yeah. Obviously. Don’t let the five years go to waste!"

The teasing and laughter filled the air, but amid the commotion, Xin overheard whispers in the background.

"But isn’t Xin dating Seraphina Fey?"

"There’s even a video about it."

"I doubt it. No offense to Xin, but there’s no way Seraphina would like him."

"Besides, do you know how many videos are out there claiming that Seraphina Fey is their girlfriend?"

"Someone must have just made it up."

Despite the emotional turmoil, Xin blocked out the noise and focused on Meilyn.

"Are you alright?" he asked, feeling compelled to offer her some semblance of support, if only for old times’ sake.

Meilyn sadly smiled. "I’m fine. It just didn’t work out in the end."

"Ahahaha! It’s because you love Xin no matter what, right?! Now that he’s here, those past feelings will surely resurface," one of Xin’s classmates interjected, fueling the teasing further.

As they pushed Meilyn forward towards Xin, he instinctively reached out to steady her, his touch gentle as he held her shoulders to prevent her from stumbling.

The teasing grew more intense, and Meilyn’s face flushed with embarrassment.

Despite wanting to set the record straight, Xin felt that now wasn’t the appropriate time or place for such a conversation.

Before he could interject, a booming voice cut through the chatter, drawing everyone’s attention to Rever, who appeared alongside Yuzuro.

Rever immediately squeezed himself into the crowd, draping an arm over Xin’s shoulder with a wide grin. "You really did come. I thought you wouldn’t. We should really play Guildbane again."

"Hey, Rever, this is a reunion party. Stop talking about that game," someone in the crowd admonished.

Rever turned to the speaker with a smirk. "Oh, you’re here too? Don’t you play Guildbane? Sucks to be you then."

"What?! I play that game too. It’s just that we should be socializing at the reunion, not playing video games here."

"Whatever."

"Xin, I’m glad you came," Yuzuro added softly, her words barely audible over the commotion as everyone turned their attention back to Rever, berating him for his attitude.

As usual, Rever remained the life of the party, his exuberance filling the air with energy and excitement.

"Alright, now that everyone’s here, all of you who just arrived, go to your rooms and settle your bags, then let’s meet up at the beach."

"Yeah!" The enthusiastic response echoed through the lobby as everyone dispersed to prepare for the upcoming beach gathering.

Xin watched as his classmates scattered, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside him.

Despite the chaos and the unexpected twists of the reunion, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia.

He really need to socialize more.

=======

"Hey, even if it’s cold and winter, it doesn’t stop the girls from rocking their bikinis."

"But aren’t they freezing?"

"Come on, dude, that’s why we’re at the beach, enjoying this exact view."

"Speaking of views, it’s gotta be Trixie. She’s smoking hot in that two-piece."

"Wait, what about the vice president? She always looks so serious, but she’s definitely hiding a killer body under those conservative clothes."

"You guys are blind. The real beauty is Meilyn. She’s got that adorable charm and curves in all the right places."

As the boys continued their playful banter and admiration of the girls’ beach attire, Yuzuro found herself feeling increasingly isolated.

She watched quietly from the sidelines as her classmates engaged in lively discussions about the girls’ appearances, their admiration evident in their animated gestures and eager exclamations.

Amidst the chatter, Yuzuro couldn’t help but feel a pang of insecurity.

She glanced down at her own outfit — a simple shirt and shorts chosen for practicality rather than style — and couldn’t shake the feeling of inadequacy.

Why hadn’t she thought to bring a swimsuit like the other girls? Perhaps then, she wouldn’t feel so out of place on the beach.

Her gaze briefly flickered over to Xin, who seemed immersed in conversation with Rever.

Yuzuro’s heart skipped a beat as she observed him, her thoughts drifting to the moments they had shared in the past.

If only she had known Xin would be here, she might have made different choices regarding her outfit.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Xin and Rever remained oblivious to the commotion around them as they tended to the grill.

Amidst the sizzle of cooking meat and the tantalizing aroma of barbecue, they engaged in a conversation.

"It’s been a while since we last ventured into Guildbane together, huh?" Rever remarked, flipping a piece of meat with practiced precision.

Xin nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Yeah, it has."

"I’ve been swamped with guild-related duties lately, and the holidays are packed with guild activities. Maybe next month I’ll finally have some free time? We could go on another dungeon run," Rever suggested, his eyes alight with excitement at the prospect.

Xin’s smile. "Sure, that sounds like a plan."

"And let’s make sure to bring Yuzuro," Rever added.

Xin nodded in agreement. "Definitely."

Their conversation was interrupted by the playful scolding of the girls, who had caught Rever sneaking a piece of grilled meat before lunchtime.

"Hey! Stop eating that! It’s for lunch!" one of the girls reprimanded, her hands on her hips as she glared at Rever.

Rever grinned mischievously, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Eh? Don’t be stingy. It’s just a piece."

"Even so, this is for lunch. Now give it to me," another girl insisted, reaching out to snatch the meat from Rever’s grasp.

Rever stuck out his tongue playfully. "Stingy."

As the girls continued to scold him, Rever couldn’t help but laugh, his carefree demeanor adding to the jovial atmosphere of the beach gathering.