Balance Catch (2)
Balance Catch - (2)
01.
Just as those who suffered school violence or backbiting remain sensitive to such things even after becoming adults, I too utterly despised people's stares and whispers.
Especially when it wasn't in the online world, but in reality.
In the three years since my parents passed away, even though I hadn't harmed a soul, people would point fingers and murmur every time I passed by.
"Man, she's skin and bones."
"Ah, fuck, that wheelchair is such bullshit."
"Son, you absolutely can't end up like that guy~."
"Oh no... is it terminal...?"
"Whoa, total anchovy... bet she'd taste good with gochujang."
"......"
Whenever I went to any public place with even a modest crowd, the masses would mock my appearance and my paralyzed lower body, jeering without mercy.
No matter how much of a saintly gentleman you are, no one could enjoy being ridiculed—especially when they turned your deepest pains into fodder for their amusement.
The stress from it all grew so overwhelming that now, even in places with just a few people, it felt like everyone was badmouthing me.
—Guhk! Kuhk! Euk, kuh, heuk...
Sometimes I'd shadowbox alone, convinced "everyone must be trash-talking me," only to end up hyperventilating and rushed to the ER.
...And at the hospital, they diagnosed it as "social anxiety disorder" stemming from a complex mix of factors.
Physical wounds heal quickly, but the scars on the heart linger.
No matter the pills or therapy, the death of my parents, the finger-pointing, the prison I'd built for myself from it all... they showed no sign of fading, even as seasons turned.
— She's pretty...
— Isn't that legit Gale Dancer? If real, it's not some cosplay—full body scan level.
— Gonna talk to her later.
'Huh? What?'
Even now, in the body of Gale Dancer—not Park Sion, but SION—it was the same. Unfortunately, my mind hadn't transformed into that fearless Gale Dancer's spirit.
Only the exterior had changed, not the interior.
Social anxiety disorder, trauma, old wounds... they were still etched as vivid scars in a corner of my heart.
'Don't... don't talk to me...'
Still, the biggest reason for the finger-pointing—a scrawny, shapeless body—had become the alluring form of Gale Dancer, so I figured things would gradually improve.
— That silver hair is gorgeous...
— No way that's Gale Dancer in the flesh?
— Has to be, totally insane.
"Ugh......"
But the moment I realized the whispers were zeroing in on me—Park Sion, SION—cold sweat poured down, making all those hopeful thoughts evaporate.
To overcome this, I'd started Speed Swordsman streams and ventured into public spaces, but was it still too much?
"Customer! Dine-in or takeout?"
"Ah! Uh......"
...Right on cue, it was my turn to order. The female clerk's face beaming at me was as warm as could be.
"I, uh......"
I hemmed and hawed.
I had to face things head-on; to truly conquer this trauma, I needed to ignore the whispers, order dine-in boldly.
"S-Sorry... I'll come back next time......"
But once again, I fled from the past.
Ding!
The crepe shop's bell chimed innocently bright.
02.
"Ugh......"
Sitting at the city fountain downtown, catching my breath, the frantic excitement in my chest began to settle.
"Haa......"
As my startled heart calmed, the first thought that hit me was regret. With a deep sigh, I stared down at the patterned sidewalk blocks repeating endlessly.
"Why did I do that......"
I felt pathetic for panicking and bolting from the crepe shop without a backward glance.
Rank 7 in Legend Frontier, the game with the top market share—and looking exactly like my character. Did I really think no one would recognize me?
Plus, I hadn't even pulled up my hood this time. Of course I'd get spotted.
I'd brought this all on myself—what was there to freak out about?
And from the whispers I overheard, they weren't even insulting me. They were complimenting my looks. So why run?
"Haa......"
Another sigh.
No progress like this. Having become SION's form, my mindset had to match.
And SION, Gale Dancer's creed and motto was simple: never give up, always give your all.
Utterly unlike Park Sion, the 21st-century Korean youth who only feared, hid, and ran.
...I needed more courage.
"Should I go back?"
I shot up from the fountain.
Quitting like this would tarnish Gale Dancer's name. What was the difference between this and abandoning the jungle because an enemy ganked?
...I'd dive back into the real-life jungle of the crepe shop, no matter what.
"......I wanna eat it."
Plus, I really wanted that crepe.
Maybe my tastes had gone haywire, but I was dying for that sweet chocolate-and-fruit-loaded crepe.
What was wrong with me?
"......"
With some self-hypnosis fueling my resolve, I turned back toward the crepe shop.
Was the hypnosis working? Even in this bustling shopping district, my heart felt far steadier than before.
< Lumiere >
"Hm?"
Then, a pink sign caught my eye—a clothing store that stood out. More precisely, a lingerie shop specializing in women's underwear.
"......"
I stopped in front, mesmerized.
The mannequins in the window displayed elegant, sophisticated pieces that made my face burn red.
"Uh...?"
I felt my cheeks heating up too.
Gale Dancer had XX chromosomes, so browsing women's underwear wasn't weird in itself. But with a guy's mind inside, useless worries flooded in—what if they thought I was a perv? Guilt toward myself welled up.
"Hmm......"
I stood there pondering for a while.
"I need... underwear......"
What was the biggest reason for today's outing?
Buying clothes and underwear, obviously.
I couldn't keep wearing men's trunks forever; I had to get women's undies in Gale Dancer's size.
Meaning, today—now or later—I had to enter this shop.
"Hoo......"
Best to rip off the band-aid. I took a deep breath.
Stepping forward wasn't easy, but with grim determination, I pressed the automatic door button.
Yeah, this took more guts than even buying crepe.
03.
Junglejunglejunglejungle.
Yi Yun-jin's mind, as a part-timer at Lumiere women's lingerie boutique, was consumed solely by thoughts of Legend Frontier.
Outwardly a diligent early-20s college student, at home she was a hardcore game addict.
In a reality too busy with pretenses and navigating the cutthroat politics among her "pure" friends, VR AOS Legend Frontier was her sole escape.
Her go-to role: jungler. True to her dislike of being tied down—in real life or virtual—the jungler's ability to intervene anywhere effortlessly was her perfect fit.
Customized beyond recognition, smashing monsters, enemies, everything with satisfying abandon!
What better stress relief?
Quittingquittingquittingquitting.
Thus, her head was filled with one thing: hurry up and clock out to game.
Plus, she had something to test today.
Gotta try Speed Swordsman.
...Yesterday's chance encounter with Rank 7 SION's personal stream.
Using "Speed Swordsman"—a bizarre all-in-on-agility build—she crushed a tanky spearman (an OP job) in 30 seconds flat on her debut stream.
What kinda build is that...?
Tanky spearman was Yun-jin's main build too. Seeing it effortlessly demolished piqued her interest in that SION player and the Speed Swordsman build.
This is legit gold.
Curiosity led her to dig deeper, and she was hooked.
She'd chosen jungler precisely to roam freely without line constraints.
And SION's Speed Swordsman wielded top-tier mobility to dominate the entire map—that was tailor-made for Yun-jin's heart.
So she planned to rewatch yesterday's stream after work and practice it.
Ugh, when does this end...
...Making shift's end feel eternal. Time flew in-game by the second, but crawled at school and work.
Was spacetime warping?
Yeah, had to be.
Otherwise, why the huge discrepancy?
No... gotta work hard...
But Yun-jin shook her head.
This job paid the bills keeping her alive—she owed it her best, no slacking.
Who knew? God might notice her diligence and bless her.
The world works in mysterious ways.
Whirr—
"Ah! Welcome!"
...The shop door opened after ages, and in crept a single hesitant customer. Yun-jin sprang up with a cheerful greeting.
"Uh...."
The customer looked confused, fidgeting and glancing around.
As if it were her first time in a lingerie shop.
What the...?
Her odd behavior naturally drew Yun-jin's eyes.
"...Looking for anything in particular?"
With a customer-service smile, Yun-jin approached, scanning her up and down.
Great proportions...
Height around mid-150s cm—not tall—but tiny head and long legs made her seem anything but small.
Her hair cascaded past her shoulders in beautiful silver waves. A bit tangled from poor upkeep, but the sheen and texture were stunning.
No natural silver hair in Korea, so which salon? She wanted to ask.
...She's seriously pretty.
Even under the deep baseball cap, her looks shone.
No makeup apparent, yet harmonious features and plump red lips like fresh-tinted ones grabbed attention effortlessly.
And those green eyes.
Mixed race? Colored contacts?
Like emeralds embedded—beautiful, mystical.
Just like a game character...
...Game character?
Yun-jin's expression froze.
Silver-haired green-eyed beauty, mid-150s cm...
Uncannily like yesterday's streamer.
"Sion...?"
The resemblance to that customized in-game look and Legend Frontier's Rank 7 was too much—SION's nickname slipped out instinctively.
She couldn't hold it back.
Like yelling "Fire!" or spotting a celeb and blurting "Hey, it's OOO!" Pure reflex.
"E-Eh......"
Hearing it, perhaps?
The silver-haired girl, who'd been glancing around, froze—
"...Hic."
Then started hiccuping.
"Hic, I, hek, hic, th-that......"
Utterly flustered.