as the night still refuses to end | Glowfic Constellation

One advantage of the Western ranking system over the one used by places like Korea and Japan is that it can characterise the high-end of power much better. D-, C-, B-, and A-ranks are reasonably objective to define for espers, and a dungeon of a given rank is one that can be reasonably taken down by a small team of two to six espers of that same rank, but S-rank is basically anything that breaks the scale. D- through A-ranks are designed to cover 99.9% of espers and dungeons, so it's not usually that big an issue, but the power distribution has a pretty long tail, and occasionally you get prodigies like Tae-gun—whose matter conjuration powers are unmatched in volume, rate of creation, precision, and duration are unmatched—and horrors like Nightmare—which has been cropping up for decades and has yet to be destroyed.

And you know what's concerning?

What's concerning is that it's been over three months since the last big S-rank dungeon Tae-gun has had to deal with.

Usually Tae-gun has to be sent to an S-rank dungeon abroad about once a month, two would be strange, and three flips over to concerning. It's concerning because, see, when this kind of thing happens, about twice or three times a decade, it's followed by a very short period of time during which an insane number of A- and S-rank dungeons appear all over the world.

And that's due to happen, too.

Nightmare doesn't only appear during those times, but it always appears during those times.

So that's concerning.

Tae-gun is concerned.

He doesn't have anything to do with that concern, though, other than work.

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yoo_min_max

To the highly esteemed Kim Hye-jin-nim,

I trust this missive finds you in the most agreeable of spirits and in good health. Pray, allow me to intrude upon your day with a matter of no small significance.

It is with an unyielding sense of occasion that I extend to you an invitation of the highest esteem: an evening dedicated to the timeless and exalted art of communal song. I speak of none other than a Karaoke Night—an event which I assure you is no mere frivolity, but a noble gathering where voices may rise in harmonious splendor, and the unspoken bonds of fellowship may be fortified through the medium of music.

The proceedings of this assembly shall unfold on this Friday-tide, within the venerable halls of Pizza Art Karaoke. The hour of commencement is set at 7PM, a time chosen with great deliberation to ensure both punctuality and propriety. Libations and refreshment will be provided to sustain the vigor and vitality requisite for such a momentous situation.

Your attendance, attired in a manner befitting the gravity of this event, is not merely requested but earnestly sought. Your participation would undoubtedly elevate the evening to one of unparalleled grandeur. This event shall also be attended by my colleagues and close confidantes Choi Seungjoo, Min Woo-young, Seo Tae-hwan, Kim Da-eun, Yun Minseo, Baek Ji-woo, and of course our mutual friend Lee Tae-gun, all prepared to receive each performance with due reverence and enthusiastic acclaim.

I entreat you to convey your intentions regarding attendance with all possible haste, that I may make the necessary preparations. Should any queries or concerns arise, you need only dispatch a reply, and I shall endeavor to provide immediate and satisfactory resolution.

I have the honour to be your obedient servant,
Park Yoo-min

To the strangely formal Park Yoo-min-nim,

Okay, but do I have to sing?

Your mildly amused coworker,
Kim Hye-jin

yoo_min_max

To the most pleasant of coworkers Kim Hye-jin-nim,

While this company would be delighted to pay homage to your undoubtedly sublime skill with song, you are by no means obliged to partake in any activities you find disagreeable, as the evening is to be one of merriment and joy to all present.

I have the honour to be your obedient servant,
Park Yoo-min

P.S.: I'm definitely making Tae-gun sing though. I can just see his face, I might need to take pictures of it to keep forever.

To the whimsical and well-spoken Park Yoo-min-nim,

Well, who could turn down an opportunity like that?

Your dungeon obsessed coworker who does actually know what fun is, no really,
Kim Hye-jin

And here she is, at the appointed place and time, dressed up more than usual in a clingy black blouse and deep red skirt. She's trying very hard not to overthink whether this is the sort of thing a certain someone might leverage against her! She has a mic on, she will not set anything on fire even with extremely good reason, it's fine. And... she should really get out and do something fun. Tae-gun will be there, as will Quasar's sensor esper, which makes it a probably dangerous outing for anyone to crash.

(Also: this way if Tae-gun does sing, she will have a recording.)

It's the sort of karaoke bar that has booths—they're all of them celebrities so this should guarantee some privacy.

The inside of the booth is really cosy, with the left and right walls being lined by sofas and love seats and the central space having some more chairs and tables. The tables already have some snacks—chips and dips, chicken fingers with barbecue sauce, tapioca squares and pepper jelly—and drinks—soju, rice wine, red wine, honey wine, and beer. Across the room from the entrance is the stage, currently empty save for three microphones on stands. A large flat-screen TV on the back of the stage shows the karaoke app, and they can access it from their phones on the bar's website.

yoo_min_max

Yoo-min and Seungjoo are already there, of course.

Min Woo-young

there_to_stay

Woo-young is, too, but not Tae-hwan.

Yun Minseo

And the sensor from the rescue dungeon, Yun Minseo.

"Huh. Guess this won't be a sausage fest 'til unnie gets here after all. Ugh. Fine, Yoo-min, I'll sing one song of your choice."

"Pleasure to meet you properly," says Hye-jin, amused.

yoo_min_max

He throws his arms up in the air. "Woohooooo! Hye-jin, I owe you a favour, I'll do whatever you ask—"

Choi Seungjoo

sen_so_joo

Seungjoo, who's sitting on the loveseat right next to Yoo-min, elbows him. "Hyung at least wait until you're drunk before you start flirting with people."

yoo_min_max

He rubs his side but keeps the dumb grin on his face while he lowers his arms and wraps one around Seungjoo's shoulders. "Ji-woo-noona's going to be late and Da-eun-noona can't come, she's taking care of her kid tonight."

Min Woo-young

there_to_stay

"Tae-hwan's gonna be late too, but I told Tae-gun-hyung that I'm teleporting him here at 5 past no matter what so he'd better be decent or else."

yoo_min_max

"I believe I speak for most of us here when I say that I hope he's not."

"Pass."

"I feel like he'd just make himself a pair of ice pants or something," says Hye-jin. "Which just sounds uncomfortable? But the reaction would be funny."

Yun Minseo

"... Okay, Hye-jin's selling me on it. Ice pants would be pretty fucking hilarious."

yoo_min_max

Yoo-min opens his mouth, glances at Seungjoo, then closes it again.

Choi Seungjoo

sen_so_joo

This deserves a reward, Yoo-min gets pets.

yoo_min_max

there_to_stay

"Hye-jin, check the bar's website, if there's anything you want you can order it from the menu there and a waiter will come over to bring it to us." He's holding a glass of wine, himself, though he hasn't drunk anything yet.