Chapter 97
Chapter 97
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 97
Chapter Title: Frontline (Complete)
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『Um. Ahh. Sis, can you hear me?』
Her head snapped up as if on a spring, her gaze locking onto the screen.
No way.
To calm her pounding heart, her mind raced to a quick conclusion.
Has technology gotten that good? To the point of recreating her little brother's voice, even after seven years in a coma.
『Talking like this in a place like this feels kinda awkward, right?』
Her brother gave a wry smile.
No.
This wasn't some CG. That gaze, the breathing, the way his voice formed the words.
The brother she thought she'd never see again.
A brother who looked impossibly healthy after seven years asleep, dressed in a sharp suit and looking right at her.
『Have you been well?』
Their eyes met.
His clumsy, awkward smile tugged one from her without thinking.
Always the same—getting nervous in spots like this, just like back in the day. What a chicken-hearted little bro.
Memories flooded back of him crying in terror before his elementary school play, and Seon found herself chuckling softly.
Is this a dream?
The thought hit her in a flash.
When she opened her eyes, would she still be trapped in that room plastered with Seol's photos, all of this just a dream?
『I have so much I want to say. So much I want to hear.』
Me too.
So much she wanted to tell him.
So much she wanted to share.
"What? Little bro?"
"No, wait! It's Legend! Myth's boyfriend!!"
"Huh? A person named Legend?"
"No, that guy who woke up after seven years!"
"Gasp! Yeah?! He's Frontline's brother?!"
The audience buzzed.
Reactions split sharply between those who knew Legend and those who didn't, but most were in the know.
The miracle boy who awoke after seven years, boyfriend to a VTuber with five million followers.
Their story was already legendary in Korea—even people clueless about VTubers had heard the name.
"What? Senpai's little bro is famous?"
"No wonder she glared daggers when I called her noona. Backstory there."
"Tommy, you seriously don't know? You love VTubers."
"Eh... no, uh...? Frontline's bro is QWER...?"
"QWER who?"
"It's a thing."
Landrox's teammates were just as stunned.
Who knew Seon, always so gloomy with those dead eyes, could make a face like that.
Cry? Laugh? Her expression was impossible to read.
One thing was clear: the emotion overwhelming her was joy.
『These are words too precious for a screen. So, sis.』
The screen went black for a moment.
Broadcast glitch?
The thought barely formed when it flickered back on.
Not the interview anymore—the view of the arena itself.
More precisely, the back of Landrox.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her heartbeat thundered. The pounding drowned out her ears, her trembling heart urging her legs to turn, but they wouldn't obey.
The screen showed her teammates turning—everyone but her.
Some bowed awkwardly, others looked flustered.
All craning necks to identify the figure approaching from behind.
Seon was the only one who hadn't checked yet.
Right up to the very last second, she couldn't turn.
No special reason.
Her brother's voice came from directly behind her.
"What? Thought you'd spin around for the big emotional reunion."
"...Shut up."
Their first words in seven years: shut up.
Ridiculous, but so very them.
Even after seven years, their bond felt unchanged. Maybe it was just her selfish comfort.
"When did you wake up?"
"Last Christmas."
"Not long ago."
"A bit over half a year. But sis, I heard you didn't visit for like four years."
Ugh. Seon was at a loss for words.
Her behavior while he slept? Even she knew it wasn't normal.
"Had my reasons."
"Sure."
"...You don't believe me."
"Heard way too many rumors. So spill over dinner later—what happened."
If she hadn't lost her mind to the hate comments, she'd have gone every time—that excuse felt like a luxury now.
"What, really not turning around?"
"...Holding back. Don't tease. Idiot."
Seon clenched her fists tight.
Her heart felt ready to burst even now, legs like jelly—if she faced him, confirmed he was alive, she'd collapse right there.
Least here, she couldn't drop without even gripping her mouse.
For her teammates, her fans, her family—and him.
No unseemly display. She desperately reined in the urge.
"Seol-ah."
She uttered the name she'd longed for.
Whispered it countless times to his closed eyes, but never a response.
A name that always chipped away at her heart, drowning her in sorrow.
"Yeah. Sis."
But this time, he answered.
After seven years—the reply she'd waited for most.
Sis.
Just hearing it made her hands shake, her chest ache.
Because she'd waited an eternity.
"Just... pat my back or something."
"Hard? Parents would love that."
"...Do whatever."
"Then, to snap you out of it."
Smack!
His palm slammed into the Frontline logo on her jacket.
Her slight frame swayed like she might topple, but Seon smiled instead.
If that pain was proof he was alive, she'd take as much as he gave.
"Gonna head out."
"Yeah. I'll be waiting."
Sob.
She swept away the rising tears with her sleeve.
Her heart screamed to turn, to hug him tight right now.
To shout her longing, pour out her gratitude.
But it was time to act like an adult. Especially now that her brother was awake—no more pathetic shows.
Seon wiped her tears and strode forward with head high.
Her flustered teammates trailed behind, settling into seats amid roaring cheers.
"...What're you staring at."
"C'mon, can you blame us? Curious."
"...Fair enough."
Seon said it with a smile.
Her teammates' eyes went wide.
That Seon... smiling?
First time they'd ever seen it—their young faces flushed red.
The smile from their usually stone-faced beauty team member hit with that much force.
Did the broadcast cam catch it?
The crowd started screaming loud enough to tear ears off.
A smile from the woman who held a poker face through every game was worth that much.
"Frontline."
The impassive coach cut through their fluster.
"What about that earlier talk."
"...I'll handle main DPS."
"Shed a ton of tears. You're already low on stamina—in this state, against those guys? Emotional weight's gotta be crushing."
Whatever. Touching reunion from clueless family? He could congratulate, sure. But he was the coach.
He wanted victory for the team. The strongest team's coach eyed Seon, pointing at her sleeves.
Sleeves soaked through with tears, color changed completely.
Could she perform on the world stage, drained like this? He demanded an answer.
Seon snorted.
"Burden?"
Her eyes locked straight on Coach Lyan.
Like she'd heard the most absurd nonsense—not defiance, but pure bafflement.
"How could my brother waking up be a burden?"
Today, I'm the strongest.
Lyan was speechless before her smile.
That day, the Highwatch world tournament ended in the most one-sided beatdown ever.
Three days later.
In the end, sis patched things up with Mom and Dad just fine.
Wasn't even a fight worth dragging out—seven years without seeing each other meant reconciliation took no time at all. No, it barely needed any.
"Oh my, oh my! Look at you! Skipped every meal?!"
"Mom, it's—"
"What's 'it's'! Oh, honey, your ribs are showing!!"
Of course, there was that incident where Mom saw sis's condition and nearly fainted, then stormed Landrox threatening to tear the place down—but it all wrapped up nicely over a family home-cooked meal.
Yeah.
Thought it'd end on a high note—
"So, in this match, I looped top on purpose, but this idiot dropped the barrier right then by mistake."
Not the family home—my living room.
Sis plopped in front of the TV, eyes sparkling as she jabbed at the screen.
A six-year-old match vid—her spring season, game five.
"...Sis."
"Yeah? What's up?"
"...You really gonna commentary every single match?"
"You said you wanted to hear everything. I'll walk you through all seven years, word for word."
Unlike before, sis had changed since my "death and resurrection"—suddenly super affectionate, all gentle and sweet. Overly so.
I shot Myth a dead-eyed glance.
Eleven hours of briefing already today.
"Haha. Right, bro. That part was gold."
"Totally."
Myth wore a blank look, tossing out soulless reactions on loop.
Well, honestly, it was kinda fun listening.
...The problem? Two weeks of her vacation meant two weeks of this.
For those two weeks, we caught up on everything piled up.
Mostly sis's glory tales, but whatever.
"So, right here—I fired at the wall on pure instinct—"
As long as sis looked happy, it was fine.
If cramming seven years of waiting into two weeks meant listening, I was game anytime.