Offseason (7)
The next afternoon brought a group interview with a fairly large Eternal Combat community and media outlet.
Group interviews weren't uncommon in pro life, but I'd never heard of one for a Division 3 team.
And with the coach sitting in? Even top Division 1 teams rarely did full coach-plus-players sessions like that.
I felt a swell of pride. My efforts were finally getting recognized.
When we got the call and headed down to the café near the dorm—the interview spot—three reporters were already waiting.
They spotted us right away and stood to greet us.
"Ah, there you are!"
"Hello!"
"Hello. I'm Shining Star coach Kang Yuseong."
No need for the players to introduce themselves. These folks knew exactly who everyone was.
We took the drinks the reporters offered and dove into the interview—the first ever for a Division 3 team featuring the full roster plus coach.
It flowed pretty much as expected.
Questions about the team's founding, dorm life, funny episodes from living together, who came up with all those wild strategies from the academy league...
When they heard every single one came from me, the reporters were impressed, mixing in off-topic chit-chat throughout.
It was a fresh experience. Usually, in interviews with me or groups including me, the spotlight stayed glued to me in that fawning way. But here, I was just a side character.
The stars were our players.
Made sense for a coach, but watching from the sidelines and chiming in occasionally? That was new.
Of course, during the casual off-record bits, questions did zero in on me quite a bit.
They were gamers too, after all. How could they ignore the current solo queue rank 1 who invented all those queue-ruining strategies?
As the mood hit its peak, one reporter tossed out a question.
"Now a question for all the players. Shining Star has been buzzing not just for skill, but looks too. Lots of fans are dying to know—what's your type?"
Figured that was coming.
Men's or women's league, if the players were attractive, this question always slipped in. I'd fielded it plenty myself.
Our girls' types, though... Yeah, I was curious too.
I leaned in to listen.
Yuna went first.
"A guy way better at games than me. And someone who trusts me and cheers me on."
Next, Hayoung.
"Um... Someone who brings joy to my life, I guess."
Then Eunjae.
"Someone who gets me and wraps me up tight. Yeah... and a kind person?"
Seona after her.
"My type? Hmm, never really thought about it, but... sturdy, trustworthy, brave kinda guy?"
Last, Sera.
Before answering, Sera stared right through me, paused a beat, then spoke.
"Straight hair. Handsome face, tall enough that I reach his shoulder. Capable, listens to my ramblings, always on my side. Gets frustrating and mad when he doesn't look at me, but... I like someone who's there by my side anyway."
Wait... that's me, right?
Every trait pointed straight at me?
I'd only guessed she liked me from vibes, but this was straight-up blatant?
Thrilled and grateful, but terrified it'd tip everyone off that she meant me, I scanned the reporters and girls nervously.
Luckily, the reporters had no clue, and the others didn't seem to connect it to me either.
"Whoa... Shin Sera's type is super specific. Got someone in mind? No pressure to answer, and if you want, we won't air this."
Before Sera could say more, I jumped in.
"Sorry to interrupt, reporters. Our team has a no-dating clause internally. If Sera's answer goes out raw, it'll spark misunderstandings. Could you just soften it, make it vague?"
"Oh, a no-dating rule in the contract? Got it. We'll mush Sera's answer into something generic."
"Hey, we skipped the coach's type? Yuseong coach, what's yours?"
Another reporter swung it my way.
All the girls turned to stare. Honest answer might get me roasted...
"...Should I go brutally honest, or the polished PR version?"
"Nothing too explicit, but straight talk's fine. We'll edit if it's too much. But why the hesitation...?"
Ahem. Flat interviews are boring anyway.
I went with my real answer.
"First off, I have a thing for Western girls, so foreigner or foreign-looking."
Sera smirked subtly.
"Tall. Taller than me, but not by too much..."
Yuna flushed red and ducked her head.
"And hips! I love wide hips."
Eunjae covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.
"Personality: bright, gentle, soft-spoken. Less fights that way."
Hayoung smiled faintly.
"And above all, boobs! Gotta be huge! Boobs make the woman!"
Seona scowled, eyeing me like a bug.
"......Too much?"
The reporters looked awkward, and it hit me—I might've overdone it.
People always liked my interviews for the fun...
"Not too much, just... your standards are sky-high. Hollywood actress hunting?"
"Air this raw, and you'll pull all the hate."
"Ahaha... yeah, could you trim or edit it...?"
"Probably best. Or cut your part entirely? Just casual chat."
The interview wrapped soon after. We said goodbyes and stood first.
Stepping out the café door, Seona looked up at me and muttered low.
"You beast."
"Wha, what'd I do."
"Talking boobs and hips with girls around... Hmph, so that time you drank and said stuff to me—you weren't drunk, were you? On purpose."
"Hey! We agreed not to bring that up!"
"Whatever. I'm going first. Pervert coach."
Seona bolted up to the practice room. The others followed quick with various excuses, leaving just Sera beside me.
"...Coach."
"Yeah?"
"I'll... work hard!"
With that, Sera fled after her sisters.
Damn, should've just given the safe, cookie-cutter answer. I was trying to spice up the interview by opening up...
But... boobs are serious business...
You think boobs are serious business too?
This thing syncs with my thoughts sometimes, huh.
A few days after the interview.
Sera finished afternoon practice and was lying on her dorm bed during break, reading a book. She was even trying out the moves it described.
Then Eunjae—her roommate—burst in, and Sera jolted, shoving the book under her pillow.
Eunjae tilted her head at Sera's awkward pose.
"Sera, whatcha doin' alone there?"
"Uh, huh? Oh, me? St-stretchin'! Shoulders stiff from practice..."
"Ah, I get that. Gotta stretch good. Or it knots up forever."
"Y-yeah... Thanks."
As Eunjae climbed into their bunk bed's bottom, Sera slyly pulled the book back out.
Breast Enlargement Exercises
Meanwhile, downstairs, Eunjae had her own book open, reading on the sly from Sera.
Makeup Techniques to Look Foreign
Hayoung and Yuna were no different.
Hayoung, sharing with Seona, waited till she was gone, then stood before the full-length mirror. Mattress on the floor, she followed the book's diagrams.
Hip Widening Exercises You Can Do at Home
And Yuna, in her solo room, searched video sites.
Techniques for Gentle Conversations That Captivate Your Partner