Offseason (2)
Just because it was the off-season didn't mean pro teams had nothing to do.
Most of the off-season was spent the same as always—practice games and scrims. For some players, it was even worse than the regular season.
The biggest reason? No real matches meant their competitive edge dulled.
On top of that, sponsors who'd been waiting for the off-season hit them with filming requests, dragging players away from practice. Time got stolen for team social media content, videos, and all sorts of promotional shoots.
Shining Star had just entered Division 3, but the girls' star power had the tournament organizers eager to push us as the league's flagship team.
Plus, as their coach, I was still holding the top spot in solo queue, making it impossible to avoid the spotlight.
Interviews poured in from gaming media outlets, and the association started requesting their own chats or dorm tours.
Even our team's marketing department was hounding us for social media content shoots. If anything, things felt busier now than during the season.
Today was a shoot at the venue, requested by the organizers—an interview digging into the players' "off-stage" sides.
"Hobbies? Hmm, mine's gaming... Wait, does that mean a pro gamer with gaming as a hobby has no hobbies at all?"
"I like dancin'... Ah, yeah, just dancin'! Yep, dancin'."
"Oh, does Player Kim Eunjae dance well? Mind showing us a bit?"
Eunjae didn't hesitate, hopping right up at the interviewer's question. She'd been a dancer trainee before going pro, so she had zero shyness about it.
Come to think of it, this is my first time seeing her dance.
I'd heard the stories, but never actually watched her move.
And the dance she unveiled to me and the rest of the team for the first time? Pure fireworks.
Waves, grooves, steps, hip work—it was straight out of a music video, dancer pros and all.
"Whoa..."
"First time seein' Eunjae dance. She's no joke."
The players murmured as they watched her flashy moves. I was just as impressed.
"Anyone else among the players good at dancing?"
"Me!"
Seona shot her hand up high.
First I'd heard of her dancing.
"You can dance too?"
"Of course! Ain't nothin' Kim Seona can't do!"
Seona strutted out confidently, snorted like a bull, and started grooving to the music the staff fired up.
It was... utterly rootless, trash-tier flailing. The worst.
Staff and team alike lost it, laughing our asses off. Seona didn't care, kept up her "dance" (if you could call it that) and struck a pose.
"Nailed it, right?"
"Pfft... Haha... Yeah, yeah. We'll save this for the blooper reel."
"Is that a compliment?"
No.
"Aw, if only one other player could dance, we could've paired 'em with Kim Eunjae for a nice visual."
Too bad—outside Eunjae, our team had zero dance talent.
I could manage basic croc-ha steps, but...
Damn, what's with the status window now? Telling me to dance? I'm not even a player!
Ugh, no thanks. Too annoying.
Fuck it.
"Even if I'm not a player, as long as it looks good on camera?"
I raised my hand. All eyes turned to me.
"Oh, Coach knows how to dance?"
"Nothin' fancy—just basic steps."
"Coach dances too?"
"I'm curious. Show us!"
"Show us! Show us!"
The girls, buzzing with curiosity, shoved me toward the camera.
It was true—I could do steps. Back when interviews felt like scripted snoozefests, I'd picked up quick ones during off-season boredom: trash talk flair, simple talent show moves. Never used 'em much as a player, but coaching? Perfect timing.
"Coach, you really dance?"
Even Eunjae looked surprised.
"Not like you—just basic steps, I said."
"Alright, Coach, give us a show! Three, two, one—action!"
I shook my left foot side to side, sliding laterally, while my right tapped up and down like stamping the ground. Left once, right once, full spin in place.
Threw in simple hand flourishes. That was my limit.
Eunjae beamed.
"Whoa! Croc-ha?! No way! Me too!"
She watched my moves, synced to the upbeat backing track the staff played, and mirrored me perfectly.
Staff cooed "Ooh~" at the duo stepping in sync. Guess it made for good footage.
"That's all I got..."
But the staff weren't done milking the shot.
The music shifted—upbeat gone, replaced by something thick, sultry, slow and sticky.
I froze, flustered. "Wait, I didn't train for this kinda—"
"Just sway your hips side to side, slow."
Eunjae glanced back with a sly smile, then pressed her back against me, sticking close. No choice—I followed her lead. Then she ground her ass right into my crotch and started twerking it side to side.
Club dancing. Full-on grinding.
I whispered in panic. "Hey, what the hell kinda dance is this?"
"Shh."
She tilted her head back, winked at me.
One arm stretched up, fingers trailing my neck to my cheek; the other hand grazed my thigh. All while her ass stayed glued, hips swaying seductively.
Big problem brewing—my dick, rubbing against her, started rising to make its case. If she pulled away now, I'd be tented and fucked. No way they'd air it, but getting caught by staff...
Shut up, you see I'm about to get screwed?!
Ten more seconds like this, and it'd be a full-on riot down there.
Before it was too late, I stopped, grabbed her shoulders, and nudged her forward—breaking the grind.
Luckily, rebellion crushed undetected.
"And cut. Haha... Hope the shots turned out nice."
"Perfect. Can we air both once edited?"
"Uh, just the stepping part, please. That last dance? Kinda misleading... Not even for bloopers. Big ask, but thanks."
"Got it. Shame, though—looked great. Total couple vibes."
This status window bastard was clearly trolling me.
Ahem. Not that the act itself sucked. Wrong job, wrong place.
Something felt off, though...
Break time declared, Eunjae and I rejoined the girls.
Then it hit me.
Sera was glaring daggers, eyes flicking between us.
"Uh... That was just for the shoot. No weird misunderstandings, okay?"
"What? Got somethin' to hide? Crush on Eunjae?"
"No!"
"Hmm... Maybe I should learn dancing too, when I've got time."
Hayoung pondered innocently, oblivious.
"Hey, Kim Eunjae. What kinda dance was that? In front of everyone, so embarrassing..."
Yuna's face was beet red. Weak to this stuff, apparently.
"Huh? It's just dancin'. What's sis imaginin'?"
"N-No! I just thought it looked..."
"Heh~"
Eunjae smirked at Yuna, sidled up to me, and pressed in close. Her chest squished softly against mine.
"That duo dance was fun, Coach. Wanna do it again later? Just us."
"Y-You messin' around? Talent show for camera's fine, but tone down the antics. Gives weirdos the wrong idea."
"Huh? Won't happen. I only did that 'cause you were there."
"...What're you sayin'?"
"Secret~"
Eunjae grinned, grabbed water, and stepped out.
"Bathroom break."
Sera passed me with a deadpan voice. Then stomped hard on my foot.
"Ow!"
"Sorry."
Not sorry at all. She shot me a glare and headed down the hall.
Shut it?