Vacation (3)
Seona's house.
Seona rushed desperately to one of the maids who handled the household chores in her absence.
"Mrs. Hyun-sook! The capsule in my room! The gaming capsule! You really threw it away?"
"Ah... Miss, I'm sorry. While you were away, the chairman found it and flew into a rage, ordering us to toss it out immediately. I had no choice..."
"Wh-when? When did that happen?"
"It's been over a month already."
If it had been discarded more than a month ago, there was no chance of recovery whatsoever. Seona swallowed her surging irritation, forcing herself to stay calm as she asked,
"Did Dad go through my room...?"
"Yes... He said he wanted to check if you'd been studying hard lately, so he went into your room and saw it... You know how the chairman is."
If it weren't for her father, Seona would have unleashed a torrent of profanity.
She'd kept the gaming capsule a secret from him precisely to avoid this, desperately convincing her mom to have it delivered when he wasn't home. Even her application to the pro gaming team had been kept under wraps.
"...When's Dad coming home?"
"He's been busy lately, but once he hears you're back, he'll probably come home early for a day or so. Maybe tomorrow..."
"Got it."
Seona's father returned home two days later, in the evening.
"The chairman is here!"
The staff greeted their employer—the master of the house and Seona's father—in unison.
His somewhat arrogant, impeccable expression told the story of his life. A man a bit older than middle-aged, with a touch more white in his hair, he naturally handed his coat to one of the lined-up staff as he removed it.
Kim Seon-woo, chairman of the SA Group—one of Korea's top conglomerates—spotted his youngest daughter descending the stairs but showed little change in his expression.
"Seona, it's been a while."
"...Yeah."
"How was your trip?"
Seon-woo only knew that his youngest daughter had gone on an overseas trip. Seona, her mother, and the close staff had all conspired in silence to hide her pro gamer aspirations.
Even though it was during the semester, he'd allowed it because she insisted on traveling to broaden her horizons. Poor attendance and grades could be smoothed over with some "donations" to the school via his wife—no big deal.
"Fine."
"Let's eat first, then. I haven't had dinner yet. Anything you want?"
"Doesn't matter."
"Then tell the kitchen to bring out three steaks. Mine just with salt."
"Yes, Chairman."
Once the staff withdrew, Seon-woo, his wife, and Seona took their seats at the oval dining table, intricately engraved with ornate gold patterns along the edges. Though the family of three was together, an suffocating awkwardness hung over the table.
"So, which countries did you visit?"
"...Just here and there."
"I wonder if you went to the Czech Republic. Prague's Astronomical Clock is magnificent. The Old Town across the Vltava River is my favorite spot in Europe. If you took photos, I'd love to see where you went—"
"Dad."
Seona cut her father off sharply.
"What's wrong?"
"...Did you tell them to throw out my gaming capsule?"
Seon-woo met his daughter's piercing glare head-on, lifting his wine glass for a sip. Seona's mother anxiously glanced between her husband and daughter.
Setting the glass down lightly, Seon-woo replied in a calm voice.
"Yes."
"Why."
"You call that a question? You're supposed to take on a key role in the SA Group like your siblings someday. How can you waste time on such pathetic child's play? You've traveled now, so if you want to get into an Ivy League school, you'll need to study your ass off just for me to pull strings for housing."
"Who said I want to go there?"
"If you want to live smoothly without money worries, like now, listen to me. You don't want to end up like those slum-dwellers scraping by on the streets."
"I can handle my own life just fine doing what I love."
"You're talking like that because you don't know society. This is all for your sake, so listen to your father."
At her stubborn father's attitude, a vein bulged on Seona's forehead. Her voice began to rise in agitation.
"Oh, really? All for my sake? So that's why you pulled me away from my elementary school friends because they 'weren't our level,' shipped me off to that snobby ladies' academy full of kids bragging about their fancy houses and acting superior, surrounded by sycophants kissing up to me? Do you have any idea how suffocating that was? I finally found a game I love, and while I'm gone, you ransack my room and toss the capsule? How is that for my sake?!"
"Kim Seona! I won't stand by while the daughter of the SA Group chairman wastes time on the kind of gaming addiction losers indulge in! If you have time for that nonsense, read one more page of a business book or an English original! There's no time to squander on the idle games of addicts who contribute nothing to life!"
Seona's face hardened. The look she gave her father turned ice-cold.
"...You don't know a single thing about what I like."
"......"
"I'd rather have street skewers than prime American steak, and I prefer gaming buddies over those noble-act-ladies'-academy girls. Because of you, I've been torn from childhood friends since I was little, stuck all day with tutors and fake smiles among kids I don't even want to befriend, pretending to be refined!"
"The world doesn't let you just do whatever you want. You're too young to understand. Normal people don't waste golden time on games."
"Is it normal to force life decisions on an 18-year-old, preaching about the world?"
"Seona, you should be grateful. Those without money can't even pursue their dreams properly—they whimper like trash. Born into a wealthy family like ours, you need to live accordingly—"
"Then how are you any different from the trash whimpering because they can't do what they want?!?"
Tears welling up, Seona slammed the table and stood.
"I'm sick of it. Your attitude treating poor people like subhuman just because of money, your way of choking the life out of me. Make your precious company executives and 'proper life' demands on my siblings who already live like that! I can't live this way."
Wiping her tears before dinner even arrived, Seona stormed off.
"Kim Seona! Get back here!"
Ignoring Seon-woo's bellow, she headed straight to her room. In the silent dining room, only her mother alternated uneasy glances between her irritated husband and her daughter's empty seat.
And the next day, Seona ran away from home.
Ten days into the two-week vacation.
Having set aside analysis and special training for ample rest, catching up with friends, and chatting with my parents, I was starting to prepare for an early return.
"Yuseong, leaving already?"
Mom asked as I packed my bags one by one.
"Yeah. I've played enough—time to head back and prep for work."
"Aigoo, all grown up. Last year, you were sleeping in on test day."
"That was last year. I'm different now. See? Fancy restaurant dinners with Mom and Dad—I've made it."
"Yeah, yeah, good job, my boy. Who'd have thought you'd be earning real money at college age while your friends are still studying."
Proud, Mom patted my butt. I was a full-grown adult now.
"Don't get too proud yet. Once we hit Division 2 and Division 1, I'll bring home millions, billions even."
"Aigo, watch your mouth. Focus on what's in front of you, not pipe dreams!"
"Don't worry. Trust your son this once."
"Fine. Take care of yourself. Rest properly—rest is key."
"Got it. Tell Dad I headed back to the team."
"Sure, safe travels!"
After that, I took the subway back to the dorm. No seats, so standing the whole way drained me completely.
Only after getting off near the dorm station did I escape the crowd and breathe freely.
"Ugh... legs hurt. Gotta save up for a used car."
I had my license and drove well, but no car meant subway rides. I resolved to buy one as soon as I could and returned to the dorm after ten days.
Winter season was still far off, but off-season training plans and opponent analysis would take time.
TIC was coming soon—I could reference those matches for our strategies.
I unpacked in my room near the practice area, rested briefly, then headed to the practice room.
The building felt more like home than my actual house after ten days.
Even before regression, practice rooms had been more familiar than home.
No one should be around, so I could dive into focused match analysis in the quiet...
"Why's the light on?"
Opening the practice room door lock, light spilled from the floor into the entryway.
No one should be there, and the cleaning lady didn't come this late—what?
A few seconds later, a sharp scent hit my nose.
Alcohol.
The thick beer smell tickled my nostrils.
"Who's here?"
Slipping off my shoes and stepping in, I saw someone slumped face-down over the kitchen table.
Empty beer cans littered the side. Head turned away, so no face visible, but it was a woman with black bobbed hair. And only one girl on the team had a bob.
"Lee Ha-young!"
I rushed to Ha-young on the table in shock. Her body reeked of booze.
"You idiot, have you lost your mind? A high schooler drinking? Where'd you even get this! Wait—"
I yanked open the fridge. It used to hold the girls' cola, soda, fruit juice, and beer for Yuna or me. Several beers were missing. Obvious where they'd gone.
"Lee Ha-young! What the hell! Who said you could sneak drinks here! You're underage, you nut—"
But thinking about it, Eunjae smoked openly. No idea where she got them, but booze or smokes—same difference. Hard to scold just her.
"Anyway, what's this? Talk to me."
Grabbing her shoulders to sit her up, Ha-young groaned, then stared blankly with unfocused eyes. She'd clearly drunk beyond her limit.
"Huh? C-coach...? No... Yuseong oppa? Huh? T-two people...? Heehee... I d-drank booze."
"I can see that. Who told you to drink like this? Vacation's not over—why're you here early, and why start with booze?"
Her tongue slurring, Ha-young gaped at me, then tilted her head sideways.
"Vacation...?"
"Yeah. Four days left."
Ha-young's blank expression scrunched in thought, then she gasped "Ah!" Tears suddenly poured out, and she wailed like the world had ended.
"Hic... Whaaaah!"
"W-what? Why're you crying now?!"
"I-I hate vacation...! Hate p-part-time...! I-I ran away...! Jerk parents...! Jerk parents...! Whaaa! They threw me out! Uwaaa! W-what do I do! Hic... I-I'll just die..."
Stumbling up, Ha-young staggered toward the balcony window.
"Hey, hey! Are you crazy? What's this drunk habit?!"
I grabbed her before she could open the balcony door and laid her on the sofa. Still sobbing loudly, screaming to let go, I pinned her shoulders to keep her down.
After brief resistance, the sofa's comfort slowed her. Still smelling of booze and sniffling, one thing was clear watching her.
No match analysis today.