Secret Revealed, Offer Extended
I called Arang first thing when I got home. I told her I had something important to discuss and asked if we could meet again tomorrow. She happily agreed, and we set a spot.
The next day, we met up near her house.
"Hi!"
"Hey. You look cheerful."
"Yeah. 'Cause Pudge messaged me first this time."
It was a relief to see her in good spirits. I'd been worried she might still be reeling from the shock, but she seemed fine.
And anyway, what I had to say today wasn't exactly cheerful news.
"So, what'd you call me for? Gonna tell me that secret from last time?"
"Yeah."
"Wait, really?"
I'd only said yesterday that I'd tell her someday. She probably never expected it this soon, just one day later.
"I was gonna wait a bit longer, but something came up."
"What happened?"
"First, I gotta ask you something. Do you still wanna go pro?"
"Huh? Uh, yeah. If I could, I'd love to try."
"...That's good."
At least she hadn't given up. That was a positive.
"I've got two things to tell you today. First is that secret I mentioned before."
"Right, the secret."
"And second is a proposal."
"A proposal?"
"Even if the first part upsets you, please hear out the second."
"Okay... Huh?"
Arang looked a bit dazed. This was the first time I'd revealed my secret to someone who only knew the new me, not the old acquaintance. I had no idea how she'd react, and it made me tense.
But I'd steeled myself. Whatever her response, I wouldn't blame her. Just be honest.
"Remember that pro gamer I told you about? Dice."
"Oh, yeah. Dice. Kinda weird, your names are the same. Seo Yeonwoo, Seo Yeonwoo."
"That's me."
"Huh?"
She looked utterly confused, so I handed her the documents I'd brought—the same ones I'd shared with the team yesterday. They laid out proof that I and Dice were the same person.
Uncharacteristically, Arang took the papers and read them carefully. My stomach twisted; I had no clue what her reaction would be.
I couldn't help worrying. Even if she got upset and stormed off, it wouldn't be that strange.
But that would just mean...
"Ah, so Pudge is Dice?"
...I'd been underestimating her.
"That explains it! I thought your playstyles were similar!"
Arang wasn't mad at all. Not upset, not even baffled—just mildly intrigued.
I was the one thrown off. Her reaction was so refreshingly straightforward.
"You're not pissed?"
"Why would I be?"
Why? Because...
"I used to be a guy, and I didn't tell anyone while streaming or even you."
But Arang brushed it off like it was nothing.
"You told me now."
"Up till now."
"I'm fine with it!"
"Why?"
"'Cause you're Pudge?"
She said it just like that.
"What does that even mean?"
I couldn't help but laugh in disbelief. Arang pondered with a slightly dopey look.
"Well... You're Pudge, and you're good at games anyway, and... you treated me well, right? I dunno! But it doesn't matter if you're a guy or girl."
Her clumsy, half-baked reasons were just plain, simple, and primal. Nothing profound.
And as she'd said before...
"You didn't abandon me."
That was enough for her.
"...Thanks."
"Is this worth thanking?"
"Yeah, totally."
"Then great!"
Arang had finally drawn out the thank-you I'd held back yesterday. What a ray of sunshine she was.
If only she didn't troll online, she'd be a total angel.
"You just thought something mean!"
"How'd you know?"
"Your face got weird."
Damn, she was sharp.
"Still, it's good you became a girl. If you were still a guy, I might've been too scared to meet up."
"...Lucky me, then."
Lucky me too, getting to meet you.
It might've sounded a tad rude, but it didn't bother me. Hell, I even thought it was lucky I'd become a girl.
"Guys are kinda childish; I don't like that. You turning into a girl is a plus!"
"Doesn't matter guy or girl, you said."
"Yeah, but... I dunno. I'd still like you if you were a guy!"
"You just said you'd be too scared."
"Did I? But I'd still like you."
Because Pudge wouldn't reject me.
"Right?"
"Yeah."
Her inconsistent, contradictory words left me no choice but to admit she was comforting me.
~
"So, what's the second thing? What proposal?"
"Hmm, Arang. You're still set on going pro, right?"
"Yeah."
Then, as her friend, I had to pass this along.
"Truth is, I'm prepping for a comeback debut right now."
"Huh? For real? Back to pro?"
"Yeah."
"Which team?"
"A second-division team. E Revolution Gaming."
"If you're Pudge-Dice, couldn't you join a better team?"
"Sadly, no spots open, and my skills aren't there yet."
"But you seem way better than before."
Well, yeah. I could even handle her now. My mechanics had improved a ton.
"Not about that."
"Huh?"
"Never mind. Let me explain first."
"But here's the thing. Our team has no top laner."
"...Wait, you mean...?"
Arang's eyes sparkled.
"Yeah. Our coach wants to recruit you."
"R-Really?"
"Sure, it's a second-division team with an uncertain future—not like a powerhouse like Milky Way Hynix—but no trainee period either. Join, and you're playing games right away."
"I wanna do it! I wanna, wanna, wanna! I wanna go pro!"
...Even more enthusiastic than I'd expected. I'd assumed she'd be interested, but not this hyped.
"You're... way more excited than I thought."
"'Cause I'd be on your team!"
"So?"
"We could game together every day!"
Ha. Maybe I'd carved a bigger place in her heart than I realized. It was touching, embarrassing, and a little bewildering.
"That's why it's good?"
"Pro play and gaming with Pudge? Perfect!"
"...If you're happy, that's what matters."
"Where do I go? Can I sign right now?"
She tossed out "stamp the seal" without a second thought, but her enthusiasm was crystal clear.
"But there are conditions."
"Conditions?"
"First, obviously—get your parents' permission. Sorry, but time's short. Can you bring your mom or dad tomorrow? Phone call if not."
"No problem! I already got pro permission, and Mom's off tomorrow."
Dual-income family, probably. Good timing. But permission was another story.
"That's different from general pro approval. Second division feels different from Milky Way to parents. Talk it over properly and get fresh okay."
First- and second-division teams hit parents differently.
"No worries!"
"Good. Then second."
"There's a second too?"
"Said first, so yeah. No instant contract tomorrow. You gotta test first."
"Test?"
"Like an exam."
Arang's face stiffened. Scared of tests? But she relaxed quick and puffed up confidently.
"Fine! Hate tests, but LoE? I'm the best."
"Just so you know, it's not just games. For you, expect game knowledge checks, teamplay concepts, reviews—everything."
"...Hate tests."
Nothing to do about it. If she bailed here, no fixing that.
"If you really hate it that much."
"No no no! I'll test! I'm confident!"
Didn't look confident, but she didn't quit. Good teammate material, but her grit was praiseworthy.
"Don't stress the test too much. Why'd I come all this way today?"
"'Cause... you wanna hang?"
"Test tomorrow—no time for that. Here to teach you, obviously."
"Study?"
"Yeah."
"Ughhh..."
She made a rare show of hating it. But no complaints—meant she really wanted pro.
"And third."
"A third...?"
"You're not the only candidate. There's competition."
"Competition?"
Yeah, there was.
"Yep. They'll test too, and results decide who joins."
"Who?"
"Sharpness."
Yeah, Sharpness.
The top laner who'd reached Eld Cup quarterfinals, once called China's sturdiest top.
Sure, with nicknames like "dullest blade," but that didn't diminish his skill.
"ArangdongSharpEyes that guy?"
She remembered from solo queue. Arangdong, not Aramdong, but close.
"I renamed him! Fine by me! I won't lose to him!"
Most would wilt, but Arang perked up at Sharpness. One solo win made her think he was beatable? Tough matchup, but pure Arang logic.
"They might do 1v1 top-only?"
"1v1 duel? Dunno if coach plans that, but possible."
Nah, likely. If coach wanted her, he'd test her 1v1 shine.
Would irk Sharpness's pride, but refusing might lead to excuses picking her anyway.
But Arang's confidence went beyond that one win. She grinned smugly.
"Perfect! I know Sharpness's weakness!"
"Weakness?"
"Yeah. Secret, though."
Sharpness had a weakness? Not low knife-champ mastery—that was public, not her level of intel.
What could it be? Not solo habits like I'd guessed.
"Remember? We were blue side."
"That matched game? Yeah."
"When I attacked from the left, he reacted slow!"
...What did that even mean?
I pressed her more, but it was vague—just a hunch. Probably her imagination.
People can have slight left-right reaction diffs. With her mechanics, maybe exploitable.
"Sharpness testing tomorrow too?"
"Yep. Was set for tomorrow anyway; we're matching it."
With her in, time to get parents' okay.
She called her mom right there. Wasn't smooth, though.
"Pudge, Mom wants to talk to you?"
"...Gimme."
Makes sense. I'd hesitate too if a stranger pushed pro on my kid.
I played scout, explaining her potential, second-division realities, team future. Finally, Mom approved.
Handed the phone back; Arang wrapped up soon after.
"She said yes?"
"She worried a ton for a yes."
"Mom's like that."
Is she? No mom, so dunno. Kept that zipped—read the room.
Prep done. Now, test countermeasures.
"Anyway, let's go."
"Where?"
"PC bang, duh."
"Gaming?"
Yeah, gaming.
Planned to cram all of League of Eternity from basics to advanced into her head. Fun, educational time ahead.
"Hurry!"
Her happy face was already vivid. Forgot the study talk, just urging me on.
"No need to rush."
It'd take a while.
We hit the PC bang and dove into Arang's crash course.
Three hours later, her wails echoed through.
"I don't wanna go pro anymore!!"
Of course, she didn't mean it.