An Awkward Victory
While the audience erupted into fits of laughter, it was a deeply embarrassing moment for the broadcasting station. They had scrambled to replace the footage with something else, but it was already too late—the broadcast had aired! The commentators and the caster all wore expressions that practically screamed, How on earth do we spin this? But they were professionals. Even in a disaster like this, they had to keep talking.
"Ah... haha! That highlight reel was a bit... unusual, wasn't it?"
"Well, since the highlights are automatically selected by an AI rather than a human, there are bound to be a few minor glitches."
"To be fair, the match itself was a bit unusual. After watching Matches 1 through 4, Match 5 probably felt a bit underwhelming to the audience. Honestly, Ryu Tae-su was practically cra—"
Just as commentator Bae Joong-hwan was about to blurt out his unfiltered thoughts again, Bae Joong-yeol swiftly kicked his older brother in the shin.
Urgh!
Think before you speak, Hyung! MBS is already breathing down our necks because of what you said earlier!
Bae Joong-yeol shot his brother a desperate, pleading look. Bae Joong-hwan nodded apologetically.
Bae Joong-hwan was great in every other aspect, but his habit of speaking before thinking was a chronic issue. Even during his days as a professional gamer, his tendency to throw out thoughtless provocations had landed him in hot water more than once.
Sigh, looking at Cain over there really reminds me of my brother, Bae Joong-yeol thought to himself.
If Cain had known what the commentator was thinking, he would have wept from the sheer injustice of the comparison.
With the atmosphere already tense after their earlier criticism of MBS regarding Do Dong-su, they had to walk on eggshells. Even if MBS had put together a completely garbage team, they couldn't just say it out loud.
"Ah, the players are stepping out of their capsules now!"
"Applause is pouring in! A well-deserved round of applause for the players who gave us such spectacular matches!"
"Though, the atmosphere seems a bit..."
"Hyung, please, I beg of you!"
"U-Um, excuse me, you two..."
The caster frantically tried to intervene and stop the commentators. However, Bae Joong-hwan wasn't wrong. The atmosphere on stage was excruciatingly awkward.
The awkwardness of the highlight reel had only been the beginning! First of all, the vibe within Tae-hyun's team was bizarre. It looked absolutely nothing like a victorious team. For starters, Tae-hyun and Do Dong-su were actively avoiding each other's gaze, turning their heads in opposite directions. Everyone in the venue could understand that much.
"Well, that's only natural!"
But Cain was also turning his head away from Tae-hyun. He was still reeling from the shock of what he had learned earlier. Now that the match was over, the reality of it was hitting him all over again!
This makes no sense...!
It was a truth his brain simply refused to process! I mean, listening to Tae-hyun's explanation, it was actually weirder that he hadn't noticed until now, but still...
"This makes no sense, this makes no sense..." Cain muttered like a broken record.
Lee Se-yeon observed this and whispered to Tae-hyun, "Hey, I think you broke him."
"A quick slap to the face should snap him out of it. Just wait."
"No! The cameras are rolling!"
Lastly, the atmosphere of Team Eight was the epitome of awkwardness. Ryu Tae-su, in particular, was so red-faced that he couldn't even lift his head. The fans, assuming his distress was due to the bitter taste of defeat, showered him with words of encouragement and support.
"Tae-su! Lift your head! You did your best!"
"That's a true professional, giving it his all!"
"A real pro stakes his life on every single match!"
"Ryu Tae-su is so cool!"
Of course, while the sting of defeat was part of it, the real reason for Ryu Tae-su's behavior lay elsewhere.
"Uh, well..."
"..."
It was time for the winners and losers to shake hands. Ryu Tae-su kept his head bowed low, completely unable to look Tae-hyun in the eye.
"Um, sorry..." Tae-hyun muttered.
The atmosphere was so suffocatingly awkward that even Tae-hyun felt compelled to apologize!
"N-No... Mr. Kim Tae-hyun... it's not your fault..."
"Uh... right..."
"I... well... even so... would it, by any chance, be possible to get your autograph?"
Hearing such a request from a man whose fierce, intimidating appearance rivaled Tae-hyun's own—albeit in a different way—was bound to be disconcerting.
"I'll sign it for you after the broadcast is over," Tae-hyun replied.
"Th-Thank you..."
Ryu Tae-su and Tae-hyun quickly shook hands and parted ways. As Ryu Tae-su walked off into the distance, Tae-hyun let out a long sigh of relief, clutching his chest.
"Wow, I thought I was going to suffocate."
"What's wrong with you?"
"You'd only understand if you went through what I did. You have no idea what kind of nightmare I endured during Match 4."
"??"
Lee Se-yeon tilted her head in confusion. There was no way she could have known what Ryu Tae-su had actually said to Tae-hyun when they faced each other!
While the players were enduring the most awkward moments of their lives, the commentators were also doing their absolute best to steer the broadcast away from the tension.
"Ah, speaking of which, player Kim Tae-hyun dropped quite a bombshell during Match 4, didn't he?" Caster Kim Su-a brought up, as if suddenly remembering.
They had glossed over it earlier due to Do Dong-su's teamkill and the ongoing match, but thinking about it now, it was an incredibly massive topic. Moreover, bringing it up now was the perfect way to transition away from the current awkwardness!
"What? You mean when he suggested teamkilling Do Dong-su?"
"No... when he revealed that he was the legendary 'Kim Tae-hyun' from Pan-On 1..."
Now, even Kim Su-a was staring at commentator Bae Joong-hwan with a chilling gaze. Bae Joong-hwan hung his head in shame, looking utterly defeated.
Sensing that the atmosphere was about to go down the drain again, Bae Joong-yeol quickly intervened.
"Ah, yes! That statement was truly shocking. Actually, rumors that player Kim Tae-hyun was indeed the legendary 'Kim Tae-hyun' from Pan-On 1 have been circulating for quite some time."
"Really? How come I've never heard of that?"
"Because Kim Tae-hyun himself consistently denied it. Since the original 'Kim Tae-hyun' of Pan-On 1 was such an legendary figure, everyone thought, Wait, if he really is that Kim Tae-hyun, why would he feel the need to deny it?"
Of course, Tae-hyun had only hidden his identity to escape the burning wrath of the countless players he had player-killed in the past, but there was no way someone like Bae Joong-yeol could know that. To those who had never crossed paths with him, Tae-hyun was simply the legendary ranker who had generated the most buzz at the end of Pan-On 1!
"Ah, I see. But why would player Kim Tae-hyun deny it in the first place?"
"Just as he mentioned himself, he probably wanted to draw a clear line between himself and his past in Pan-On 1. It might be hard to understand at first glance, but I completely get it. If he had revealed his identity from the very beginning, everyone would have constantly associated his current actions with his past achievements in Pan-On 1. He simply didn't want that kind of attention. Players of his caliber tend to have immense pride."
Bae Joong-yeol nodded repeatedly, wearing an expression that said, I understand him perfectly.
Listening from afar, Tae-hyun found the explanation utterly absurd, but he decided to let it slide. There was no reason to stop them when they were busy spinning his lies into a noble narrative.
"In a way, that's incredibly admirable, isn't it?"
"Indeed. Honestly, very few rankers from Pan-On 1 started Pan-On 2 while hiding their true identities. It's even rarer for a player of Kim Tae-hyun's legendary status."
"Are they kidding me?"
Lee Se-yeon, who was listening alongside him, was utterly dumbfounded. This was a guy who had hidden his identity solely because he had made enemies with half the server! What was all this nonsense about 'pride' and 'starting fresh unlike other rankers'? Even rose-tinted glasses had their limits!
Hearing her mutter, Tae-hyun smirked and teased her. "I guess there are some cheap players out there who ride on the coattails of their Pan-On 1 ranker status to play Pan-On 2, huh?"
"...I am literally going to kill you."
While the two bickered, the commentators spent a good chunk of time showering Tae-hyun with praise. He had led his team to victory, and his MVP title was practically guaranteed. Since a laughable incident like an in-game teamkill had occurred, focusing on his achievements was the best way to salvage the broadcast.
"Let's go. The award ceremony is about to start."
"Can't we just leave those two behind? They're bringing down the mood..." Tae-hyun said, pointing at Cain and Do Dong-su.
Of course, there was no way that was going to happen.
The award ceremony proceeded smoothly. Tae-hyun was crowned the tournament's MVP. As he stepped up to receive his award, a distinct teeth-grinding sound echoed from beside him, but Tae-hyun simply flashed a bright, refreshing smile and accepted his trophy.
Team Eight took the runner-up spot. Every time Ryu Tae-su made eye contact with Tae-hyun, he averted his gaze with the most awkward expression imaginable, prompting Tae-hyun to do the same. But that level of awkwardness was child's play compared to what came next.
The climax of the awkwardness arrived when the entire team stepped forward to receive the championship trophy. The sight of everyone lifting the trophy with strained, forced smiles was destined to go down in history on the community boards under the title: The Most Awkward Photo in the World.
Fortunately, neither the commentators nor the caster brought up the teamkill incident that had occurred during the match. It was such an unprecedented disaster that even MBS had no idea how to address it, choosing instead to sweep it under the rug.
"And now, for our final words! Please share your thoughts on the victory!"
"It was filthy being with you all, and I hope we never meet again!"
Lee Se-yeon's blunt declaration sent the crowd into fits of laughter.
She's totally serious, isn't she?
Oh, absolutely.
"Congratulations!"
"Oh... weren't you watching from inside the game?"
"It's the finals! I couldn't just watch from in-game!"
Lee Da-bi handed him a celebratory bouquet of flowers. Tae-hyun accepted it, looking slightly bewildered.
"You really didn't have to."
"But it's a celebration!"
"Then why aren't you letting go of it?"
Lee Da-bi's hand was still tightly gripping the bouquet. She couldn't bring herself to let go—because of how much it had cost!
"You don't have to push yourself to buy things like this..."
"I-I can afford this much, okay?"
"Are those tears welling up in your eyes?"
"No, they're not! These are tears of joy, okay?!"
While Tae-hyun and Lee Da-bi bickered, Lee Se-yeon spoke up with a weary expression.
"I'm going to head out now. I have plans."
"Is it a boyfriend?"
"What are you talking about?! It's family!"
"Ah, right..."
Lee Se-yeon quickly composed her flustered expression and made her exit. Tae-hyun shrugged and turned to the remaining members.
"Well, should the rest of us go grab a celebratory dinner?"
"Ah, I'm sorry, but I have plans as well..." Kim Chul-soo said apologetically.
"If it's a family gathering, it can't be helped."
"Actually, I have a date with my girlfriend."
"..."
"..."
Under the icy, murderous glares of Tae-hyun and Lee Da-bi, Kim Chul-soo quickly made his escape.
"By the way, where is Cain?"
"Ah. Him..." Tae-hyun said, his voice laced with mock pity. "He got caught. By some weird woman."
"??"
After the award ceremony concluded, Tae-hyun's team was about to head out, exchanging polite "Thank you for your hard work" greetings with the broadcasting staff. At that moment, Ha-yeon from Five Girls approached them.
"Ah, hello, Ms. Ha-yeon. What brings you here?"
"Which one of you is the player named Cain?"
"Oh, he's right over there."
"Thank you!"
Recognizing Ha-yeon's face from a distance, Tae-hyun instantly realized what was going on.
Aha! It's because I used Cain's name back then!
Of course, he had absolutely no intention of apologizing to Cain. Tae-hyun immediately abandoned his teammate, spun on his heel, and bolted.
Cain, whose mental state was already completely shattered from the shock of the match, hadn't even noticed Tae-hyun's sudden disappearance. He stood there dazed, only to be cornered on the spot.
Having heard the explanation up to that point, Lee Da-bi asked curiously, "So? What happened next?"
"I told you, I don't know. I ran away."
"..."
"I'm sure he'll handle it. It's not like she's going to kill him."
Just then, his phone began to vibrate. It was a call from Cain. Tae-hyun casually swiped to decline.
"Let's just eat by ourselves. I don't think he'll be able to make it."
"Um, actually, I..."
Don't tell me you have plans too? Tae-hyun wore a sour expression. Is Evangeline really the only one without any friends? No, wait, even Evangeline has friends now...
"No, it's not that. I brought my younger sisters with me today. I need to take care of them..."
"Bring them along. We can all eat together."
"Really? Is that okay?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't it be? Bring them."
"Okay!"
While Lee Da-bi happily went to fetch her sisters, Tae-hyun's phone rang again. He was about to decline it, assuming it was Cain again, but stopped when he saw the caller ID: Choi Sang-yun.
"Hey, Sang-yun."
"Congrats on the win, you absolute lunatic!"
"Hey, I was trying to play nice, but Do Dong-su kept picking on me."
"I watched the broadcast, okay? If anyone was doing the picking on, it was you tormenting Do Dong-su, not the other way around! More importantly, how are you going to handle the aftermath?"
"Come on, it's not like I'm a novice anymore. If one or two guys come after me, I can easily fight them off or run away."
"It's not going to be just one or two guys."
"Huh?"
"There are already dozens of people gathering on the community boards right now, organizing a manhunt to come kill you."