Remembering Your Roots
People often say you shouldn't forget where you started, but few things were harder than that. As long as you were human, gaining popularity was bound to change your mindset. How many players had acted arrogantly toward their fans just because they got a little famous? If that was the number of those who got caught doing it openly, there had to be far more who did it in secret. Working in the industry, Kim Team Leader had seen it happen all too often. Players who were genuinely good-natured behind the scenes were incredibly rare! Yet here was Cain, showing such deep consideration for a fan. Honestly, it was touching.
"Cain, I'm truly touched that you care so much about your fans. I'll make sure to pass the message along to him. He'll be absolutely thrilled."
"Just tell him to actually remember what I look like next time."
"Hahaha! Of course, of course. Cain, you've worked so hard today. Is there anything you need?"
Kim Team Leader casually probed. He was currently in a rare one-on-one situation with Cain. It was the perfect opportunity.
In the past, there was a saying that floated around among industry insiders:
Naturally, the weakest link was Cain. The infamous loophole of Team KL! It didn't help that his captain, Tae-hyun, was one of the greatest players in esports history, making the contrast even more glaring.
When people called Tae-hyun one of the greatest, they weren't just talking about his raw skills. They were also talking about everything he did outside of the game.
When Team KL boldly started as a tiny, independent gaming team, every industry insider predicted they wouldn't last long. It was Tae-hyun who shattered those expectations. He secured advertisements and sponsorships on his own, invested his own money, and brought home stellar tournament results... It was a transcendent display of management! This wasn't the kind of capability a mere player could possess.
Usually, young players like him were too busy just playing their games, but Tae-hyun managed to pull all of this off while maintaining a grueling schedule. While the fans simply cheered, the industry insiders who knew the truth couldn't help but view Tae-hyun as a monster.
A cold, calculating monster who wouldn't bleed even if you pricked him with a needle! With Tae-hyun standing firm, any corporation that had initially approached them thinking they would be an easy mark ended up bleeding dry instead.
The loophole they eventually discovered was Cain! He was the perfect target, possessing the trifecta of being good-natured, loose-lipped, and soft-hearted.
Of course, even that had become a thing of the past now that Tae-hyun had locked him down completely...
Still, Cain is a great opportunity.
Kim Team Leader had no intention of letting this chance slip away. He was determined to pry out any grievances, desires, or honest thoughts Team KL might have! Even if Tae-hyun was loyal and unmoved by money, nothing in this world was absolute. How many sports stars had jumped ship to rival corporations in the blink of an eye?
If Tae-hyun grew dissatisfied with Prosdas and signed with another brand, Prosdas would go down in esports history as...
...or something humiliating like that.
If Team KL or Tae-hyun had any complaints, he had to hear them in advance and prepare.
Even just now, it was a close call.
What if he had arrived late? The mere thought made him dizzy.
"Something I need?"
"Yes! Please, tell me anything."
"Could you maybe post about what just happened on social media? I'm running a bit low on wholesome anecdotes lately..."
"..."
Kim Team Leader lowered his estimation of Cain by just a fraction.
"Whoa, isn't that Kim Tae-hyun?!!"
The people shooting in the adjacent studio grew excited at the news of Team KL's arrival. Even celebrities and actors played Pan-On. To anyone interested in the game, Tae-hyun was bound to be a superstar!
"Kim Tae-hyun? Seriously??"
"Can we go talk to him?"
"What are you even going to say?"
"How about, 'Hello, are you a fan of mine?'"
"...Well, if Kim Tae-hyun posts on social media about meeting a weirdo, you'll definitely trend on the search rankings. But what if he has no idea who you are?"
"He... He probably knows me, right?"
The celebrities gathered here were actors signed under SI Entertainment. They had assembled in the studio for a simple photoshoot, but hearing that Tae-hyun was next door piqued their curiosity. They wanted to meet him and ask so many things! From his thoughts on the tournament to behind-the-scenes stories, and the players' vivid experiences...
And maybe even a hint about where the island he's currently on is located!
"What are you thinking about?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing. I wasn't thinking about anything."
"You literally just had a super sly, greedy look on your face."
"..."
The actor, Jang Je-seong, felt a surge of annoyance. Sure, he had been hoping to get a hint about Tae-hyun's location to get a head start on a quest. But calling that sly and greedy!
"Don't tell me you were planning to ask him about a quest?"
"Oh! Come to think of it, isn't there a quest to find Kim Tae-hyun? Were you seriously going to ask him about that? How shameless can you get?"
"Je-seong might be a greedy bastard, but surely he's not that bad of a guy."
"..."
Those jerks! I'm never helping them with a quest again!
"What are you guys up to?"
"Ah, Sunbae-nim. We heard player Kim Tae-hyun is next door, so we were just talking about going over to say hello."
"Oh, Tae-hyun?"
"...Sunbae-nim, I know you don't mean anything by it, but people might misunderstand if they hear you talking like that, so you should probably be a bit careful with your words..."
"We actually know each other!!"
Kim Chun-sik shouted in frustration. They had trained at the same gym and even appeared on a broadcast together! He felt a surge of indignation when his juniors looked at him with eyes that said, 'Come on, you don't even know Kim Tae-hyun, why are you acting like you're close already?'
"Whoa, really?"
"Are you sure you actually know him? Just passing by him once doesn't count as knowing him. If that's the case, I know him too."
"I think I saw him once in Pan-On too."
"...We worked out at the same gym, you punks."
At Kim Chun-sik's words, the actors' eyes widened in surprise. They had that close of a connection?
"Where is that gym? Can we go train there too?"
"It's a place for professionals, so it's pretty intense."
"We'll work hard!"
"Besides, Tae-hyun doesn't come by much lately. Ever since they got their team house, he trains near there with his teammates."
"..."
The actors immediately lost interest. They got their hopes up for nothing! Watching them shift their expressions in an instant—living up to their profession as actors—Kim Chun-sik cursed them inwardly. Are they using their acting skills for stuff like this?!
"...Well, I could probably get you his autograph, though."
"Sunbae-nim!"
"Let us hold your coat for you!"
"You guys are seriously too much, you know that?"
Receiving the sudden royal treatment from his juniors, Kim Chun-sik grumbled. Talk about fair-weather friends...
"It looks like they're in the middle of shooting over there, so let's wait a bit before we go in."
"Don't tell me you're getting cold feet now..."
"No autograph for you. By the way, aren't you guys under SI Entertainment? Since you were in the same agency, how do you not even know Kim Tae-hyun's face?"
"Do you know how many people are signed to this agency? Besides, it's been ages since player Kim Tae-hyun left."
After forming Team KL and hiring a dedicated agent, Tae-hyun had left SI Entertainment. He wanted to manage and take care of his teammates directly. Whenever that topic was brought up, CEO Lee Dong-pal would weep bitterly.
"My stomach hurts... Oh, the jealousy is killing me..."
"Still, now that I think about it, we could probably use the 'same agency' excuse to strike up a conversation, right?"
"What is everyone doing?"
Nam Woo-yeon, a member of the idol group Maple Mint who had arrived late, looked at them in confusion. A bunch of currently popular actors were huddled together, pressing their ears against the wall. Were they practicing for a stalker role or something?
"They say Kim Tae-hyun is next door."
"Oh, really? I should go say hi."
"...Whoa, hold on!!"
"What do you think you're doing!"
The actors grabbed Nam Woo-yeon in a panic. Had this girl lost her mind?
"What's wrong with you guys?"
"Do you want to get dragged on social media as a Kim Tae-hyun stalker? How dare you just barge in!"
"Sunbae-nim Kim Chun-sik is waiting for the perfect timing right now, what do you think you're doing!"
As the actors shouted frantically, Nam Woo-yeon stared at them as if they were absurd. What on earth are these people doing...?
"Don't tell me you guys want to talk to him but have never met him before, so you're just standing here being shy?"
"..."
"N-No, we're not. We're just taking a break during our shoot."
"Just watch."
Nam Woo-yeon confidently walked off. Watching her back, the actors muttered under their breath.
"She's got some nerve."
"She needs to get brutally rejected once to snap out of it."
"A pretty face doesn't solve everything in this world! Do you know how many gorgeous people are around player Kim Tae-hyun?"
"Who are you talking about?"
"Lee Se-yeon."
"Ah. Lee Se-yeon."
The actors of SI Entertainment always spoke of Lee Se-yeon with deep respect. After all, she was the CEO's niece! But Nam Woo-yeon wasn't relying on her looks alone. She had actually met Tae-hyun once before. And on a cooking show, no less!
"!!!"
"No... No way!"
The actors watched Nam Woo-yeon with expressions of sheer shock. When Nam Woo-yeon approached and spoke, Tae-hyun greeted her warmly in return. Anyone could see he was genuinely glad to see her!
"Is Woo-yeon secretly holding a gun to his back? Like, 'Act glad to see me or you die'?"
"Honestly, that sounds plausible."
"No, look! He's actually happy to see her!"
Hearing the whispers from behind, Nam Woo-yeon felt a swell of pride. By now, those actors must be losing their minds in confusion! In reality, though, the situation was a bit different from what they imagined.
"Thank you for the autograph last time. Lee Da-bi is a huge fan of yours."
"Oh, it was nothing. It was the least I could do."
Indeed. Lee Da-bi was the fan of Nam Woo-yeon. That was why Tae-hyun had asked for her autograph in the first place... Nam Woo-yeon, who had prematurely celebrated thinking Tae-hyun was her fan, had been forced to swallow a bitter pill. On top of that, she had to witness the two of them being all lovey-dovey and showing off their relationship right in front of her!
...Even now, thinking back to how obnoxious they were made her want to smack them both on the back of the head, but with time, her annoyance had faded and reason had returned. When she thought about it, how many celebrities could get such a warm greeting from a player like Kim Tae-hyun? It was an opportunity others would die for but could never get.
"Lee Da-bi, I'm really looking forward to the World Cup. Fighting!"
"Th-Thank you so much!"
After exchanging greetings with Lee Da-bi, Nam Woo-yeon made her leisurely exit. The actors, completely oblivious to the underlying story, stared at her with faces full of shock and awe.
"Did Kim Tae-hyun fall for you or something?"
"That's... That makes no sense... Why on earth would he..."
"..."
Even if they were close, the actors' blunt disbelief made Nam Woo-yeon feel a bit miffed.
I am absolutely never telling them the truth.
"From what I heard from player Kim Tae-hyun, he seems to be in a really bad mood today."
"!"
"I don't know what happened, but he said if anyone asks him for an autograph right now, he feels like throwing a punch."
"!!!"
The actors' eyes went wide. Oh no!
Kim Chun-sik, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up.
"Wait."
Ah, did he catch me in my lie? Nam Woo-yeon wondered.
"...Did he really say he'd punch someone?"
"..."
"..."
"Sunbae-nim..."
"No, I mean... Tae-hyun is the kind of guy who actually punches if he says he's going to punch..."
"Where on earth did you go?"
Tae-hyun stared at Cain with a look of sheer bewilderment.
"I just went out to grab some drinks..."
"There are plenty of snacks and drinks right here in the studio, and you actually went all the way outside?"
Cain heard a distinct click. The sound of Tae-hyun's nagging switch being flipped!
...I'm doomed!
"Because of you, the staff members could have been kept wait—"
"The Team Leader! I ran into the Team Leader! The Team Leader!"
"Who?"
"You know, Kim Team Leader! The one who was in charge of us!"
"Ah. Him."
Having barely managed to divert the topic, Cain let out a sigh of relief. Of course, that was a delusion.
"But as I was saying, because of you, the staff members could have been kept wait—"
"..."