The 2D T-Shirt Weirdo
Siwoo blinked in stunned silence, too flustered to even greet him.
What a weirdo.
Who in the world walks around in a T-shirt with a 2D girl character plastered on it? And that speech pattern... Siwoo realized the guy was exactly like the weirdo he'd seen on YouTube.
But on the flip side, his face was perfectly normal. No, actually on the handsome side. Tall and well-built, with flawless skin to boot.
His sharp features suggested he was far from that kind of otaku...
Ah, not the time for this.
Siwoo hurriedly bowed his head.
"Hello. I'm Lee Siwoo, the new attacker joining Kaiserst."
The 2D girl T-shirt weirdo grinned and patted Siwoo's shoulder.
"Ah, Sniper Siwoo—Lee Siwoo. I already know all about you. Word's spread like wildfire on our side."
"Am I famous?"
"Yeah. The pros are buzzing about you. 'Ran into this guy in ranked, and he's way too good. Who the hell is he?'"
"I see..."
The 2D girl T-shirt weirdo extended a hand.
"I'm Lee Soo-hyuk. Joined as the supporter. Twenty-two years old. My favorite anime is Fate/Unlimited Blade Works. Or is it a game? Eh."
"...Unlimited what?"
"Unlimited Blade Works. One of the legendary routes from Nasu Koyoko's masterpiece. Wait, hold up—you don't know Fate?!"
"No clue."
"You're a normie... No, has the world really changed that much? Someone who doesn't know Fate... Okay, what about Saber? Artoria Pendragon?"
"Sorry, no idea."
"You don't even know Saber...? That's a shock..."
Lee Soo-hyuk stared blankly into space, at a loss for words, and Siwoo felt the exact same way. No matter how you sliced it, the guy was a total weirdo.
He'd suspected as much from the 2D character T-shirt, but talking to him solidified it completely.
Still, a supporter, huh.
That meant he'd be syncing up with Siwoo right after the attackers in matches...
Can I make this work?
Siwoo wasn't sure.
Even now, he couldn't read the guy's thoughts or figure out why he was wearing that T-shirt.
Of course, things might change once they hopped into a game.
"Anyway... the second room on the left is mine. Keep that in mind if you're picking one."
"Ah, I already chose the first on the right."
"Quick adapter, huh? Call me Soo-hyuk hyung. We're teammates now."
"Got it, Soo-hyuk hyung."
"Yeah, yeah."
Lee Soo-hyuk patted Siwoo's shoulder a few more times, then picked up his tablet.
"Gotta binge this new anime now, so hit me with any questions. Once I start, I might not respond—full immersion mode."
"Ah, I gotta head back too. Was unpacking when you came in, so I stepped out."
"Cool. Catch you at dinner then."
"Sure."
And with that, Lee Soo-hyuk vanished into his room...
Can I really adjust to this?
Siwoo suddenly felt anxious about what lay ahead.
Maybe it was the first impression, but pro gamer life didn't look easy. Probably full of more oddballs like him.
Still, he didn't seem like a bad guy. Just had some... unique tastes.
Unpack, text noona...
Siwoo finished a quick tidy-up and sat on the bed.
Should text Jiyeon too.
Getting here was thanks to Han Jiyeon. She'd given him the courage.
Taking that first step had been the hurdle, and she'd helped him over it.
Of course he had to let her know. Not that he had any ulterior motives or anything...
Siwoo paused, pondering his reply.
Tell her the truth?
Straight talk might tank Soo-hyuk's image. He hesitated.
But it's Jiyeon. She'll be fine. She probably knows already.
She knew most pros inside out. She'd guessed Soo-hyuk from one mention.
From what she said, Soo-hyuk was already infamous among fans as a "weeaboo." With that ingrained behavior and speech, it was weirder if you didn't know.
Either way, no major worries in-game or out. Jiyeon said he had real skill as a pro.
Siwoo's eyes widened at Jiyeon's follow-up.
She even compiled player info?
Ten domestic teams, fifty active pros. Sorting them all would've been a hassle—yet she'd done it in her free time...
She's seriously helping me out.
Come to think of it, Jiyeon was always genuine. Helping him fit in at school, pushing him into esports...
Jiyeon sent a file next.
The Excel sheet had player photos, playstyles, main weapons, preferred tactics—all detailed.
Soo-hyuk, his new teammate, caught his eye.
Versatile skills, wide weapon pool, universal utility—shone brightest supporting teammates.
Sounds like a great combo with me.
Snipers needed team resources to shine fully, given their limits.
Soo-hyuk's support strength made them ideal.
Personality might clash, though.
Anyway.
Siwoo blinked at the message.
Monster rookie? Guess I gotta cement that image. How?
Nothing came to mind.
Copy some soccer player's celebration based on his name...?
Siwoo chuckled. He could picture Jiyeon shrugging playfully.
Knock knock.
Chat time was over. Someone rapped on the door.
"Yo, Siwoo! Dinner time!"
It was Soo-hyuk.
"Coming right now!"
Siwoo fired off a quick reply.
He stepped out and headed to the cafeteria with Soo-hyuk.
Time flew by.
The fun offseason—stove league—was winding down. With the season looming, players' personal time was nearly gone.
Siwoo stuck to solo ranked to keep sharp, staying in the dorm to adjust to team life. Occasional outings for food, that's it.
Soo-hyuk, meanwhile, was a different story.
Dashing out for winter events or holing up watching anime, Overlant on the back burner.
Is that okay? Siwoo wondered but shrugged it off. Four years as a pro—he knew his routine.
In the process, Siwoo climbed to top Grandmaster, cracking the rankings, Challenger in sight.
Season scrims would tank his score, but it hyped the fans.
Siwoo's name dominated the Kaiserst fan forum daily.
And so, one week before season start.
"Everyone here?"
Coach Shin Seung-hyun gathered the team at the dorm.
Today was move-in for his recruits. Mostly new faces, so Siwoo nodded quietly.
Extreme introvert by MBTI—words vanished in unfamiliar spots.
"Let me say it upfront. This season, I'm winning OCK, advancing to Asia Masters and winning that, then capping it with Worlds."
"...?"
Siwoo's eyes widened. Had he misheard?
That was a Grand Slam—no one's done it in esports history.
Others mirrored his shock, staring like What the hell is this guy on about?
"Yeah, expected that reaction. Minimum Worlds win, maximum Grand Slam. That's why I brought you all here."
Shin Seung-hyun grinned.
"Any objections?"