Offseason Jealousy

A while had passed since the studio shoot at the arena, but Sera still felt her stomach bubbling with rage whenever she recalled that scene.

Yuseong stepping lively in sync with Eunjae, the two of them dancing like a couple against that sticky background music, Eunjae shaking her hips seductively while Yuseong swayed his waist from side to side in time...

"Argh!!!"

Sera punched the pillow in fury. If only she'd known how to dance herself—she would've been the one shaking her hips in front of Yuseong to tempt him, not Eunjae.

She didn't know if Eunjae actually ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠liked Yuseong or not, but regardless, just thinking about that moment made her seethe with jealousy and irritation.

Why touch cheeks and thighs like that if it was just dancing? Why make it so seductive?

Ever since that day, Sera had started comparing herself to the others whenever she had a free moment.

Unnie Yuna was tall like a model, her body toned and free of any flab...

Unnie Hayoung was sweet, polite, kind, and her short stature made her look cute...

Unnie Eunjae had an amazing figure, danced incredibly well, and from her usual behavior, she seemed like she knew exactly how to play around with guys...

Unnie Seona had an unbelievably pretty face, and above all, her breasts were enormously huge...

In comparison, Sera felt like she had nothing to boast about except being young and having an exotic mixed-race look.

And to top it off, early after joining the team, she'd played however she wanted during a scrim against Brilliant and gotten chewed out for it...

Maybe that's why Yuseong showed no reaction no matter how she tried to appeal to him?

What if Yuseong just wasn't interested in her at all?

Her thoughts reached that point, and Sera buried her face in the pillow, shaking her head vigorously.

'No way! I must have something I'm good ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at. Something to show off to Oppa...'

After pondering for a long time, Sera suddenly remembered the time Yuseong had gotten blackout drunk.

'Should I get him drunk?'

She recalled how Yuseong, unconscious from the alcohol, had groped her breasts.

'Unnie Seona hated it a ton, but honestly, I liked it... But I'm underage—how could I get Oppa drunk? If only I were older... Gah! No, no! Why am I even imagining this? I'm not some cheap girl!'

Her shady plan hit a wall with her age and dignity, and unable to find a solution, Sera had to revise her approach once more.

In the end, Sera arrived at one conclusion.

The game.

She didn't have an killer body, wasn't super tall, wasn't adorably petite, and had no standout talents—so she'd make Yuseong satisfied by being amazing at the game.

That was the best a love-struck girl with low self-esteem and scant imagination could come up with.

The fact that Yuseong would've loved that conclusion meant nothing to her.

Meanwhile, Sera wasn't the only one obsessing over that sticky club dance between Eunjae ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and Yuseong.

In the fitness center in the company building's basement, Yuna's mind was filled with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that scene as she ran on the treadmill for the 20th minute.

'Damn... Kim Eunjae was totally flirting that time, no matter how you look at it... Who shakes their hips like that and gets touchy-feely in front of someone they don't even like?'

The treadmill beeped as the set time ended, and Yuna wiped her sweat with a sports towel, stepped off, and chugged a protein drink.

Even as she moved to the next exercise, her head was still full of those two dancing.

'Does she like Yuseong Oppa? I never got that vibe... No way. You can't read her usual expressionless face anyway. Has she been hiding it?If she likes him, since when? Maybe after Oppa sorted out that mess with those thugs last time? Oh god, that has to be it!'

Yuna convinced herself while lifting dumbbells.

'Ugh... What do I do? Should I start appealing to him too? B-but it's embarrassing... Especially getting all close and touchy like Kim Eunjae... Eek! N-no, I c-can't! Asking the other girls for advice is too humiliating... Maybe the club girls or my unnies?'

With her tough all-girls school background and zero experience with guys, Yuna floundered without a solution, throwing herself into her workout as usual.

Hayoung's heart was also troubled by what happened at the shoot.

'Eunjae probably just matched the music vibe since the staff told her to dance... Yeah, but it keeps bothering me. No way, right? There were no signs. Yeah, it can't be.'

Forcing the dance out of her mind, Hayoung pondered how to approach Yuseong.

But something big weighed on her: it hadn't been that long since she'd been secretly dating, gotten miserably dumped, and worst of all, caught by Yuseong.

'Aaaah, why did I lose it and drink that night...'

What if Yuseong thought she was some delinquent sneaking around dating and drinking? But she wasn't like that...

Hayoung shook her head as those worries swirled.

'What am I even thinking?! Coach and I have nothing going on! Just player and coach! There's no reason for me to suck up to him or act all feminine!Plus, it hasn't been long since my breakup—if I go after Coach now, I'll look super desperate... Yeah, don't make him misunderstand. Get it together, Lee Hayoung!'

Denying her own feelings, Hayoung grabbed her cheeks with both hands, making a sharp smack.

After finishing my solo interview with that one media outlet, I was back, pulling up the 3rd Division teams' Summer season matches and sending them to the capsules.

I could've just watched VODs on the computer, but it wasn't the same as observing specific things in-game one by one.

Off to the side of the monitor sat that Passfinder or whatever crystal ball, still proudly transparent and alone.

No matter how many times I picked it up and examined it, the text was the same.

So what the hell was this "insurmountable obstacle"? This damn status window kept beeping and dinging at every little thing but gave no answers here...

Had it ever given me any answers at all? It just butted in noisily whenever I tried anything.

I was turning the orb this way and that when the meeting room door opened.

I set the Passfinder back by the monitor and turned.

It was Seona.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Pulling matches to analyze the 3rd Division teams so you guys can beat 'em."

"Oh, got it. Want some ice cream? I grabbed some from the mart earlier."

"You got chocolate?"

"Hey, it's mine. But I'll share one."

With that, Seona pulled an ice cream bar from the freezer. One of those pricey ones costing a few thousand won each.

"You got the fancy stuff. You sure I can have this?"

"I gave it to you to eat—gonna pretend you won't? Then give it back. I'll eat it."

"I'll enjoy it, then."

As I ate, I finally noticed Seona's outfit. A tight white tank top clinging to her body. No matter how hard I tried not to look, with breasts like hers, my eyes couldn't help drifting there.

"Hey, what's with that outfit? It's not just girls here, and even if I'm your coach, I'm still a guy."

Seona raised an eyebrow at my words.

"Why are your eyes all wide?"

"No, it's just ridiculous. You groped my boobs to your heart's content last time, and now you're acting all proper."

Her words made me choke hard.

The half-melted ice cream went straight down my throat, and I battled the brain freeze and rising cough, only able to speak once I'd calmed down.

"Wh-what the hell are you talking about? When did I ever touch your boobs?!"

"Wow, so shameless. You know how after the promotion match was locked in, you got drunk playing truth or dare and blacked out, right?"

"Yeah, you and Sera dragged me back."

"You groped my boobs then!"

"Hey! You keep slandering me!"

"Sera saw it all! Or did she just see?! She knows you groped hers too! We let it slide 'cause it's us—if it were anyone else, you'd be in cuffs by now!"

Seona burst out angrily. She didn't seem to be lying.

And then crushing regret washed over me.

Damn! Shit! Idiot! Why did I drink until I was a total mess and miss that once-in-a-lifetime moment? That sensation! That view! Why didn't I etch it into these eyes, hands, and brain!

This jerk dings along egging on my schemes more than me, but acts all prim when it suits it?

"Got nothing to say?"

Seona asked, arms crossed.

"Ice cream's delicious."

"Not that!!!"

Didn't work.

"My bad! How can I make it up to you?"

Only then did Seona seem satisfied, letting out a smug hmph and grinning.

"Treat me to some super delicious beef, and I'll forget all about it, Coach."

This felt like the player and coach roles had flipped.

In the end, I had to call Seona and the other victim, Sera, and treat them to apology beef.

And before long, the period for TIC, Eternal Combat's grandest global festival, drew near.