“Who’s That Girl?”
“…Who’s that?”
“Pardon?”
“The girl who just ran out crying.”
“Uh, not sure? She looked like the streamer who came by earlier to sign a contract.”
“Why was she crying?”
The moment I stepped into the office building, I spotted an insanely pretty girl bolting out of the lobby in tears. Even with that tear-streaked face, she was stunning—her image was burned into my brain.
Who the hell was she? Why was she crying? Did something go wrong with the contract? If a streamer like that existed, I’d have known about her. Who are the streamers in that age group…? Crisu? Nah, she’s got a sharper, more vicious look.
“Anyway, what brings Player Kim Seongchan here?”
“Can’t a player drop by the office whenever? I heard Yeonwoo hyung was coming.”
“Seo Yeonwoo? The only one who came today was that girl who just ran out.”
“For real? Ah, shit… fake news, huh?”
“Who told you that?”
“I overheard Manager Im on the phone.”
“Player…”
“Kidding. I just happened to catch the name and figured I’d swing by, just in case.”
“Well, Seo Yeonwoo definitely hasn’t been here today.”
The lobby staff’s words made me click my tongue in frustration. Tsk. Guess there’s nothing for it. It wasn’t like I’d actually eavesdropped—the name just popped up, so it wasn’t solid intel anyway…
I’d come all the way to the office specifically to see Yeonwoo hyung and apologize. What I’d said last time? Yeah, it was a bit too harsh. The office was right next to the dorm anyway—no big trip. Not that I’d told the other guys.
But he wasn’t picking up calls, ignoring texts, I didn’t know where he lived, or how bad off he was. How the hell am I supposed to apologize? Who ghosts like a pissed-off girl?
…Truth be told, I was a little worried too. He was still grinding games for hours every day on his smurf, so it didn’t seem life-threatening, but not knowing the situation had me on edge.
Even I wouldn’t feel great about ripping into a sick guy like that. I didn’t regret the words themselves, but I was sorry.
Then I overheard Manager Im mentioning “Seo Yeonwoo” on a call. I didn’t catch the details, but I thought I’d check it out anyway—and strike out, apparently.
All I’d found was one ridiculously pretty girl in tears.
“…Should’ve grabbed her number or something?”
Not the right moment, but damn if the thought didn’t cross my mind. She was exactly my type.
Regret gnawing at me, I headed back to the dorm when I spotted Manager Im stepping out of the elevator.
“Hey, Manager!”
“Player Kim Seongchan? What brings you here?”
“Ah, thought maybe Yeonwoo hyung showed up.”
For some reason, Manager Im’s face stiffened just a bit. Subtle, but I caught it.
“Eavesdrop on a call or something?”
“Heh, nah, just caught the name by chance. The name, that’s it.”
Manager Im let out a sigh. Come on, I really wasn’t trying to spy.
“Yeonwoo hasn’t been here. We can’t be telling a sick guy to come and go like that.”
“Can’t you just tell me how Yeonwoo hyung’s doing? Why’s everyone keeping it secret?”
“I don’t know much myself.”
Didn’t seem like he was being straight about that.
“Fine, whatever. Hey, did you see that girl who ran out crying earlier?”
“Pardon? Ah… that.”
As Manager Im hesitated, the lobby staff chimed in.
“The one who came to see you, right? Why’d she run out bawling? We’re not in for some public scandal tomorrow, are we?”
“It’s not like that.”
“You’re getting all serious—super suspicious…”
“She… well, it didn’t work out. I kinda put my foot in my mouth.”
Manager Im’s expression was pretty grim. Hard to pin down since I’d never seen it before, but he looked guilty. Fair enough if he’d made a girl cry.
“What the hell did you say to make a girl like that cry? No scandal today, right?”
“…It won’t come to that. Anyway, let’s drop it.”
“Come on, who is she? Where does she stream?”
“…Why are you so curious, Player?”
“She’s hot, duh…”
Manager Im’s face shifted—now he was looking at me like I was trash. Hey, come on. You’re the one who made her cry.
“Can’t—personal info protection.”
“Then maybe her number…”
“Do you know what ‘personal info’ means?”
Tsk.
Manager Im stormed off with a sour look. I watched him go for a sec, said bye to the chatty staffer, and headed outside.
On the short walk to the dorm next door, something unexpected happened.
I spotted that girl again.
She’d stopped crying and was staring blankly toward the dorm from a distance.
~
Where should I go? Only one answer: home. Not my home, but that place that used to be. This hollow ache inside me wouldn’t fill no matter where I went.
It had been my home just a little while ago.
Maybe call the coach? I’d jumped to this decision without consulting him, so I owed him an explanation at least. But right now, I didn’t want to.
I finally understood why the coach wanted to keep my TS disease under wraps.
Front office must’ve planned this from the start. Coach probably tried to stop it, but there’s only so much a coach can do about contracts.
Did he predict I’d cut ties like this?
To give me a shot at a clean break, a life unlinked to my past as a regular person?
…What a needless meddle.
It hadn’t even been long, but the reality was sinking in: I wasn’t a pro gamer anymore.
Today, I’d lost my home. I wasn’t the King of Orphans anymore, or Dice. No longer Proud’s rival—hell, I’d never beat him now.
I wasn’t pro gamer Dice anymore.
I was just Seo Yeonwoo.
That’s what quitting as a pro meant.
The sense of purpose ripped away, my body trembled. Tears threatened to spill again.
Fuck, I’m not some damn girl—why am I sniffling like this? Body changed, so my mind did too? No. It shouldn’t. It can’t.
But no, no, I want to deny it, I’m still me, but
I wasn’t Dice anymore.
I wiped whatever it was—tears, probably—with my sleeve. Fuck, it’s cold…
“Um, you okay?”
A voice hit me then. One I knew, that annoying, all-too-familiar tone.
“Y-you okay?”
Kim Seongchan stared at me with a worried look.
“Kim Seongchan…”
“Ah, uh, you know me? Yeah, Pola, Kim Seongchan.”
Why was this asshole approaching me? He didn’t seem to recognize me as Seo Yeonwoo. Probably just pitying a crying girl.
At this point, I didn’t care if he knew I was a woman now or not. But I sure as hell didn’t want to tell him. We weren’t enemies, but he was cocky as fuck, and that recent shit still stung.
“I’m fine.”
“Huh?”
“I said I’m fine. Get lost.”
Kim Seongchan looked flustered. Rejected by a girl, huh? His dumbstruck face was kinda funny.
“Uh… glad you’re okay…?”
“Why’re you dropping the honorifics?”
“You did it first…”
Listen, asshole, I’m older than you.
“I’m older.”
“Huh, I’m nineteen.”
“I’m twenty. Scram.”
“With that face? Wait, for real? But why do you hate me so much…? You really older? Starforce fan or something…?”
“Starforce Gaming and Proud are the two things I hate most in the world.”
“…Didn’t know there were two people like that.”
Just one, dumbass.
“Then how much do you like Tundra?”
“As much as their Worlds wins.”
“…We have zero Worlds.”
“You know, so go.”
We’d bantered a bit despite myself, but I didn’t want to keep facing him with my blotchy face. I cut it off and turned to leave when a voice grabbed me from behind.
“Hey!”
“…What.”
“Uh, so… could I maybe get your number, noona?”
Ah, fuck.
Nausea surged.
So that’s why this prick was hitting on me—not pity, just hunting. And calling me noona. Kim Seongchan, to me, Seo Yeonwoo.
Fuuuuck, that’s creepy as hell.
The disgust killed my melancholy. Never imagined hearing that shit from him. Anyone else would’ve been bad, but this guy? Worse.
My face twisted in horror, but he just kept staring, chill as ever.
Words failed me, so I flipped him off and bolted.
A loud shout chased me.
“Noona! Fuck, where do you stream? I’ll subscribe!!”
At least the psycho had some sense—not chasing a fleeing girl.
The world was such bullshit.
~
“Huh? Yo, Kim Seongchan. What’re you doing out front of the dorm instead of coming in?”
“Yo, Seong Yujin. I just saw the hottest girl ever.”
“…Dumbass.”
“No, for real, insanely pretty.”
“Get her number?”
“Shot down.”
“What a fucking moron.”