Jun was the type of person that would avoid doing something if he could because avoidance often required less effort. This did not mean he was dumb, just lazy and lacking ambition. The moment he heard the ongoings of the stall next door, he started recording everything on his phone and uploaded a copy to his laptop. Whether the recording would be useful or not time would tell, but he had taken the necessary step to give himself some ammunition for protection.

From then on, he committed even more effort to avoiding the gong, shou, and love rival. Their drama shouldn’t have anything to do with him, but then the world decided to play a joke on him. The original Fei Lan was ostracized and reverse bullied until he withdrew from school due to his misdeed, which should have been resolved, yet someone decided to bring his black history back to life on the ADAS forums. How could a homosexual like himself in a publicly known polyamorous relationship with two men be such a terrible person as to bully another over choosing a female avatar?

It was easy to deal with such slander, but irritating. Jun replied honestly: He had a crush on Feng Bingwen in the past and was jealous of Li Jie, so he did stupid things. Now he was in a loving relationship with Azazel Schwarz and Elior Renaud. He indicated that he had also apologized to Li Jie in person and Feng Bingwen was there to witness Li Jie accept his apology, so such things were no longer relevant. This event was over a year ago, and since then he had learned his lesson, stopped being a closeted gay, and became an open gay.

The most irritating part was having to explain himself for something he hadn’t done and then having to explain himself again.

“That wasn’t me, but it was me.”

Elior didn’t know how to react while Azazel was stunned into further silence. “So did you have a crush on that guy or not?”

“My heart has only ever been yours and Azel’s, and it’ll only always be you two that I—” A sense of dread welled up inside Jun. Fear? With clenched fists, Jun swallowed down the uneasiness in his heart. “… Love…”

What was love? Jun didn’t know, but his feelings for Azazel and Elior, something he’d never felt for anyone else, had to be…

“You’ve only ever liked—wait, love?”

“Yes, I… Love…”

Jun realized that he had never once told them that, not even in the beastmen world. Then again, he didn’t realize the depth of his feelings until he suddenly and unexpectedly died in that world.

Though there was a certain hesitation that clung onto his heart, Jun grabbed Elior and pinched his cheek—this action very familiar, like he’d done it plenty of times before? “… I love you, Eli.”

Azazel held Jun from the back. “What about me?”

Jun turned around and smiled, leaning up to kiss the man’s chin. “I love you, Azel… It can only be you and Eli, no one else.”

Elior nodded with a smile. “I love you too, baby.”

Azazel tightened his grip. “You know I love you.”

“Yeah...”

Jun’s feelings for Azazel and Elior had been made clear to them and the world, so it was strange when more negative rumors started to circulate on the ADAS and T University forums. Again he was being called a gold digger who played around with multiple men. A few even analyzed the value of his ear studs, claiming that it was in the 6 digits USD, something he hadn't even thought about.

When he questioned the two men about the price, Azazel responded: “Add one more zero.”

He almost wanted to return the ear studs. The cost was too much for him to wear around so casually. If they were ever stolen or otherwise, he didn’t know how he’d make it up to the two men.

“I’d like to see people try to steal them,” Elior smirked.

“Huh?”

Azazel patted his head with a gentle and reassuring smile. “No one can steal them.”

The rumors were ignored because Jun didn’t see a reason to address them. If anyone paid even a tiny bit of attention to his life, they would realize how utterly boring it was. Other than attending university, studying, staying at home, playing ADAS, visiting Azazel and Elior at the new M Country Monsoon Headquarters, or patronizing some milk tea shops, he didn’t do much else. He didn’t smoke or drink, much less go clubbing.

If he was a gold digger, would he be stupid enough to invoke Azazel and Elior’s wrath? He believed that if he were a gold digger, he’d at least be a smart one.

Time passed and eventually, the rumors faded away, especially after some CP3 fanboys and fangirls of Jun plus Azazel and Elior, created a post filled with pictures of the three in their daily lives. Except for classes or the occasional business trip, it was rare for them to not be together. From the pictures alone and lack of evidence proving the rumors, it was obvious what the truth was.

At last, the long-awaited 2 day Monsoon Convention arrived. Jun had been given a Super VIP pass, though he wasn’t sure what that meant. Azazel and Elior were busy with the opening ceremonies so they couldn’t be with him for the first half of the first day. This wasn’t too much of a problem since he planned to meet up with Oriana, her boyfriends, and guild members of <Chains and Whips>.

“Oh my gosh, little Jun is that you!?” A stunningly beautiful and voluptuous woman ran up to Jun and pulled him into a fierce embrace that almost suffocated him. He was saved by a tall and handsome man, the rank #4 player. Oriana had shown him pictures of her boyfriends before.

“Yeah, it’s me. But what if you had gotten the wrong person?”

“Please, no one can compare to my one and only cute little Jun.”

“Babe, what about me?” A youthful-looking man complained. That was the rank #5 player, the one who appeared angelic but was a sadist in bed. How did he know this? Because Oriana always gave him all the details he didn’t ask for.

“You’re second, honey.”

“Aw…”

They were all just joking around. Jun knew where Oriana’s men really stood in her heart and so did they. Some of the guild members also came over and gushed over Jun.

“You’re even more adorable in real life than in the pictures! How is this possible? So unfair!”

“No wonder Mr. Renaud and Mr. Schwarz are so in love with you. I’d steal you myself but I want to live so I’ll pass.”

“Speaking of that, where are they?”

“They’re participating in the opening ceremonies…”

“Ok, ok, then come sit with us little Jun.” Oriana hooked arms with Jun and ran away with him, leaving her men behind to shake their heads.

Rank #5 said, “You think she’d be happy if we got it on with each other?”

“Probably,” replied rank #4.

“Hell no, I am not doing it with you guys.” Asserted rank #6. “That’s disgusting. If I do it with a guy, they’d have to be better looking than your ugly asses.”

“It’s not like I want to do it with you either, you psycho!”

From afar, Jun and Oriana could still hear this conversation. While he had black lines on his face, Oriana just laughed. This kind of familiarity with her seemed so natural like he’d met her before? Not just in the zombie world but perhaps his original world?

“Big sis Ana.”

“What is it, little Jun?”

“Nothing.”

Oriana fluffed his hair playfully with a wide grin, and a certain sense of nostalgia hit the pit of his stomach, making his nose ache. He knew her from before, he was certain of it.

During the opening ceremonies, Oriana leaned over to whisper: “Little Jun, you aren’t going to cosplay your avatar?”

Oriana was currently dressed up as her avatar, and that’s how Jun recognized her in the first place. That and the all too familiar greeting. Azazel and Elior prepared him a cosplay outfit of his avatar and it was in his backpack. Maybe because it had been a while since he dressed in female clothes—ADAS didn’t count—he was a little embarrassed.

“After the ceremony, I’ll change.”

Oriana nodded in approval. “Need help?”

“No.”

“Oh? Sounds like someone has practical experience, eh?” Oriana teased. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Azazel and Elior are into it.”

Jun didn’t comment on the familiar way of address. If he knew Oriana in his original world, it wouldn’t have been surprising for her to know Azazel and Elior. Except, it was strange. He knew for certain that before experiencing these worlds, he had not loved anyone romantically, much less Azazel and Elior. Yet why had their feelings for him always been so strong?

After the opening ceremonies, attendees were free to visit various exhibitions and vendors for merchandise or to meet and greet industry workers. Some top players were even scheduled to have panels. Jun found a restroom stall and changed into his cosplay avatar. When he came out, another bout of gushing exploded.

“Too cute! Especially combined with that unamused face.”

“I just want to eat you up, little Jun!”

“Let me just touch the tail…”

Dodging away, Jun didn’t expect to bump into the trio he least wanted to encounter: the gong, the shou, and the love rival. Things had been very awkward for him since he realized Li Jie had feelings for Azazel and Elior on top of Bai Changming and Feng Bingwen. He didn’t want to be involved with such a drama courting person.

Jun’s motto in life was “no drama, llama.”

“Oh, sorry…” Jun said.

“It’s fine.” Li Jie smiled pleasantly.

No matter how much he resented Jun for no good reason, he had an image to keep. He, Feng Bingwen, and Bai Changming—actually all the top 10 ranked players—were well known. They even had many CP fans, but they were split into three camps: the Feng and Li camp, the Bai and Li camp, and the CP3 camp of those influenced by Jun’s CP3 fans. Though Feng Bingwen was a doting gong, he was also dominating and super possessive. If he ever found out about Li Jie and Bai Changming’s little tryst, there would be more than just blood.

“Well if it isn’t #1, #2, and #7,” Oriana said mockingly. Amongst the top 10, she was the only female player and firmly held the #3 spot, and these two men, who were not her three men, being above her had always been a delicate spot. There wasn’t much difference between their powers anyway, but these two never wanted to fight her in the arena. Now they probably would have to, since they had all signed up for the competition that would be held the following day.

Li Jie ignored her. He wasn’t interested in females and just gave Jun a look over. “For someone who had an issue with me playing a female avatar, you sure have no problem dressing up as a female.” Everyone was stunned to hear this, Li Jie the most. In his moment of irritation, he had let things slip. Before Jun could retort, someone did it for him.

“What’s wrong with him wearing women’s clothes when he looks so damn good in it? Isn’t that right, baby?” An arm wrapped around Jun’s waist from behind and the familiar cologne made him lean back against the man’s chest.

His head was also simultaneously patted by a large hand belonging to someone whose cologne he also recognized. “As long as you like it, babe.”

Jun nodded with a smile. “Mm, I like it.”

As for the guild leader of <Chains and Whips>, a certain Oriana, and the guild members, they were too busy frantically taking pictures and videos of the eye-catching trio. It was all for research purposes, of course.