I'm Gonna Play Games. (2)

In LoL, the top 50% tier starts at Gold 3. Nam Ha-neul's current tier was Bronze 3. Even if her stats fell short of average, that meant her skill level was rare in Bronze.

"Eheheh."

Bronze games were generally lacking in macro knowledge, so no one could stop her once the early growth gap appeared. Of course, she couldn't replicate dodging multiple skills at once or evading every enemy ability like before.

But who cared? She could just walk up and smack them down with her item advantage. She wrapped up the game successfully with 15 kills.

Even getting voted MVP by her team afterward. Lost in the thrill of carrying for the first time in ages, she flashed a smug grin.

"Yeah~ This is my real skill."

Completely forgetting about the status window's inflation event!

Back in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the main lobby, she immediately sent a friend request—to CherryPicker, the one she'd rejected before. She wanted to brag about carrying her.

Ding.

"Oh, accepted."

It registered quickly since her friends list was pathetically empty. A few were her own smurf accounts, and the rest were haters who'd added her to flame.

CherryPicker messaged first. Nam Ha-neul typed back with puffed-up confidence.

"……."

Objectively, it was true. Even with her status-boosted skills... that double-skill reflect and double kill was mostly luck.

Nam Ha-neul refused to admit it, irritation boiling at CherryPicker not recognizing her. Already grumpy from period aftermath and lingering hormonal instability, she snapped.

She calmed her rage and invited CherryPicker to a party. Silver and Bronze could duo fine. Donning headphones, she tapped the mic to check it lit up. The game had voice chat for parties.

"Uh, n-no. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠What do you know? It's a flex."

But speaking made her stutter from nerves. She wasn't eloquent and feared people.

"-Wh-what? A girl? Hi?"

Unlike her fears, CherryPicker greeted brightly, breezing past the complaint—which dredged bad memories anyway.

'High... school girl vibe...'

She shook off the unhappy flashback, muting briefly.

"What? Can't hear? Hello?"

She fumbled it back on.

"I-I can hear you."

"Nervous? Anyway, queuing up?"

Why did she always stutter under stress? It pissed her off, but what could she do?

"W-wait a sec."

She had to handle business—her game had a mission!

'Nice...!'

Her physical stat hit 36 even without double buffs—top-tier for Bronze physicals. (Purely physical, though.)

"Okay to queue now."

"Got it~"

A quick match popped.

"Oh, and I'm streaming—cool?"

"Y-yes...?"

"Cherry here, Tsuruk streamer. Forgot to mention. Uncomfy?"

"Ah...."

Cherry meant well, but Nam Ha-neul had severe gynophobia. Tomboyish girls doubled it.

'High school girl from class.'

Bad memories flooded: beaten and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠extorted all freshman year by a near-delinquent girl.

"It's fine...."

Admitting discomfort was impossible. She wiggled her toes in spite, self-soothing.

'Think positive...'

She'd never stream otherwise. Every gamer fantasized it; she'd dreamed of being a big streamer (nightmare-stalker ending aside).

With that, she locked Osya.

"No! Why Osya again! I picked DealPorter, already!"

"Eh? Oh, s-sorry...."

Osya was weak, needing support to shine—especially ADC with tanky/util supp.

Nam Ha-neul auto-picked from habit, no deep thought.

"B-but... you picked DealPorter without asking too...."

"What?"

"Sorry...."

Supports usually match ADCs for synergy. Cherry assumed non-Osya meant flexible, not three Osyas in a row.

"Your history doesn't show much Osya—why now?!"

"I-I'll try hard...."

Tears pricking, she gripped her mouse. Pre-womanhood, no waterworks; periods must've feminized her emotions.

'Nah, can't be?'

She still saw herself as a guy.

"Focus! Minions burning!"

"Ah... yes!"

Cherry's champ: Dark Guide Jess, typical mage with non-target skills but long range/high damage.

But...

"Um... could you... aim better...?"

Silver or not, Cherry's aim was eternal-Bronze level, like pre-growth Nam Ha-neul. Skills missed like magnets repelling.

"Damn, why miss...?"

Nam Ha-neul stepped up for minions, eating all poke since Cherry failed to zone.

Enemy bot: long-range gunner Gatlings and buff/debuff NuNu. Range disadvantage crushed Osya.

Old Nam Ha-neul would've died thrice to poke... but now?

"Huh...? What's this, doing good?"

With 36 physical, she outmoved Bronze foes, dodging and spacing. Not winning, but CS even.

"...Heh, see? I'm way better."

One compliment and she puffed up—why she'd gotten beat more in high school.

"Ugh... fine, admitted. Let's take 'em."

Enemy bot overextended. Cherry CC'd; enemy ADC stunned luckily.

"Take this, punk."

She muttered like solo-queuing, diving. Osya's short-range burst melted the ADC.

"Puhaha! What was that? Total thug vibe?"

"Y-yes...?"

Recalling her mutter, shame silenced her. Rookie mistake. She considered rage-quitting... but nah, Cherry'd chew her out.

"I-I'm a tough guy. Thug dude, not girl...."

Petty rebellion was all she mustered.

"Huh? That voice, a guy?"

"Uh... well... tough guy style...."

"What?"

"S-sorry...."

She shut up and farmed. Felt one-sided against Cherry.

Her instinct was spot-on.

'Teasing's fun...? Chat loves it too.'

Cherry was trolling her on purpose now.

Chat buzzed positively. Inexperienced collab-wise, Cherry got why streamers duoed.

Oblivious, Nam Ha-neul fretted more scoldings, hoping for missions. Growth was nice, but clearing thrilled.

Sure enough, mid-lanewave:

"Eh...?"

"What? Something wrong?"

"N-no...."

Eyes squeezed shut at the dilemma. Top kills then DC? Sabotaging the team.

Vertigo hit. '150P's huge...? And -10 hurts...?'

But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gains outweighed risks.

"Something up? Play right?!"

"F-focusin'...."

DC it is. Eyes shut tight!