A Warm Welcome and Budding Connections
The meal, which had felt like it might drag on forever, wrapped up in no time.
Father kept firing off one awkward question after another, which was a bit burdensome.
But since he was looking at him with clear fondness, it wasn't so bad.
Truth be told, the questions weren't anything major.
How'd you meet Jiyeon? What were your grades like in school? What do your parents do for work? That sort of thing.
He especially gazed at Siwoo with pity when the talk turned to his parents and big sister. Not that Siwoo felt particularly sad about it.
Anyway.
Siwoo had imagined chaebol families like the stiff characters in dramas, but Jiyeon's home had a surprisingly relaxed vibe.
Warm and cozy, maybe?
It felt like any ordinary family household—no pressure to act superior just because it was a rich house, no fretting over hierarchy.
Drama characters weren't like that.
Earlier, when he'd had to talk about his parents over dinner, a chill had run down his spine. The man had been nothing but warm from the moment they met, but Siwoo had half-expected his attitude to flip.
He wasn't ashamed of his mom battling cancer, his late dad, or his big sister holding the family together single-handedly. But it wasn't exactly an ordinary setup.
So he'd braced for judgmental looks, but his worries hadn't come to pass.
Thank goodness.
That short phrase lingered on his tongue.
As the tension slowly ebbed away, he finally noticed how heavy his shoulders had been.
Maybe he'd gotten worked up over nothing.
Still, feels good to be accepted.
Chaebol houses being cold and cutthroat must just be drama fodder after all.
Maybe Jiyeon had put in a good word beforehand?
"Dessert time, kids."
Lost in thought on the sofa, Siwoo looked up to see Jiyeon's father bringing in a tray of fruit.
"Thank you. I'll dig in."
Siwoo picked up a fork and speared an apple.
Crunch.
"……!!"
The moment it hit his mouth, the apple's fragrance enveloped his entire body—tart and refreshing, with the sweetness perfectly intact.
Did rich folks even buy expensive apples like this? It was on another level from the ones at the market.
"How's it taste? To your liking?"
"It's amazing!"
"Haha, glad to hear it."
"Ahaha, look at Siwoo's face. Like he's discovered a whole new world?"
Jiyeon burst into giggles. Her father beamed with pride and settled onto the opposite sofa.
"Siwoo, I've got a few more questions. Your family situation's got me a little concerned."
"Sure, ask away."
"How're you handling the team contract?"
"Oh, the contract paperwork? I ran it through an AI checker, with some adult guidance."
"Hmm, I see."
Her father nodded slowly.
"Still, wouldn't it be better to get a professional agent? Contracts need to be handled carefully."
"Yeah, that was the plan, but…"
Siwoo set down his fork and continued.
"No time to shop around back then, and I didn't know which agencies were legit. Couldn't just jump into any old one."
Times had changed, and scams were rarer these days, but contracts involving money demanded caution upon caution.
If it was just reviewing the fine print, an AI was probably better anyway. They were advanced enough now to handle real-world stuff.
"Siwoo doesn't know the scene at all. Never even followed esports. He consulted me just picking a team, remember?"
Jiyeon chimed in.
"Right? Lucky he had you. At least he knows the basics from my industry updates."
Her father nodded again.
"You'll need one going forward, though. After your performances, teams will be lining up. Better to have someone to negotiate for you then."
He added,
"On that note, how about I introduce you to an agency our team's players use? Shadow Company—solid outfit."
Siwoo's eyebrows shot up.
"I'd appreciate that! Which one?"
"Shadow Company."
Like a shadow sticking to a player? Intriguing name.
"Tons of pros use them. Been around over fifteen years—solid structure, good reputation."
"Ooh…"
Siwoo leaned in, all ears and interest.
He'd been planning to research agencies anyway. The team manager had even hinted at a possible contract renewal.
And teams from China and North America were already showing interest.
"I'll connect you—here's my contact."
"Sure thing."
Siwoo whipped out his smartphone.
"Dad, you're only introducing the agency to swap numbers with Siwoo, right?"
Jiyeon shot her father a suspicious side-eye.
"Haha, what? Why would I do that?"
"You're going roundabout 'cause I said not to make him uncomfortable."
"Ahem."
Spot on.
"Here—my number."
"Got it."
Her father entered it.
"I'll let the company know to reach out. Expect a call from an unknown number."
"Thank you."
Siwoo bowed politely in gratitude.
Jiyeon, her father—somehow, the Han family kept showering him with help.
"…Ahem, just to check—no thoughts on joining DX Gaming, by any chance—"
"Ugh, seriously! Dad, don't block Siwoo's future!"
"Hey now—what's wrong with our team?!"
"It's lower ranks every year!"
Siwoo's eyes went wide at the name.
His team is DX Gaming!
DX Gaming was run by DX Holdings, with subsidiaries like DX Capital, DX Life, DX Cloud, and more.
They were woven into everyday life—you couldn't not know them.
Jiyeon's from the DX Group…
One bombshell after another today—his heart couldn't take it.
"Ahem, just kidding. Don't take it seriously."
"Ahaha, got it."
Siwoo forced an awkward smile.
They kept up the small talk until her father glanced at his watch.
"Time for me to head out."
"Already?"
"Meeting today."
He stood with a regretful smack of his lips. Siwoo rose too.
"No need to see me off. Hang with Jiyeon."
"But…"
"Haha, really—get some rest."
He turned to Jiyeon.
"Jiyeon, Dad's gotta go. Take good care of Siwoo."
"Was gonna anyway."
"Good."
She nodded.
Her father grabbed both of Siwoo's hands firmly.
"Siwoo, great meeting you. I'm a huge OCK fan—always wanted to meet you, didn't expect the chance."
"No, the honor's mine—meeting Jiyeon's dad, who's helped me so much."
"Haha, kid's got smooth moves already. Alright, I'll invite you again sometime. Dinner on me—good stuff."
"Thank you."
Siwoo smiled awkwardly, thanking him again.
And with that, her father was gone.
"Sorry—Dad can be persistent, huh?"
Jiyeon scratched her cheek sheepishly.
"Nah, felt friendly? Thought he'd be intimidating, but he's so warm."
"Ahaha, I get that a lot."
She flashed a small smile. He always noticed it, but damn, Jiyeon was pretty when she smiled.
"……."
Not the point.
He hadn't been polite-empty; first time meeting, but her dad was a genuinely good guy. Got along great with Jiyeon too.
"So, what now?"
"Hm, nothing planned. Overlant?"
"Sure? Then the capsule room—"
"Capsule room?"
Jiyeon stood and opened the ever-closed inner door. Three impeccably maintained capsules sat there—latest models, fully upgraded top-spec.
Siwoo stared blankly at the trio. Undeniable high-end gear…
"This is the capsule room?"
"……."
Right—rich house.
"Overlant time!"
"Yeah…"
Vacation day, but Overlant felt off. Still, gaming with Jiyeon was healing, so it counted.
A few hours after Siwoo left.
Bored alone, Han Jiyeon fired up her smartphone.
Han Jiyeon chuckled to herself.
It almost felt like they were dating. Exchanging messages like this every day without fail.
He's so cute.
A smile tugged at her lips.
She didn't know when it started, but lately Siwoo just seemed adorable. He showed hints of interest but kept a careful distance—it was fun.
She probably liked him too. She'd spent the whole day with him and messaged right after he left.
What does Siwoo think of me?
Suddenly, Jiyeon furrowed her brows and rubbed her chin, deep in thought.
He definitely likes me. But is he joking, or serious? Hard to tell.
Siwoo could be blunt one moment, slyly teasing the next—it threw her off. No clue what he really wanted.
She didn't dislike him. Quite the opposite, really. She'd watched over him since they were kids; great personality, and pretty handsome too.
But was it romantic interest? She wasn't sure. Maybe she hadn't realized it yet, or maybe it just wasn't there.
"Hmmm."
Her thoughts deepened.
What if we keep hanging out like this, and suddenly Siwoo confesses he likes me? What then?
She wouldn't hate it.
Shed probably like it.
Siwoo was the kind of guy she could brag about to anyone—solid through and through.
…Feels like romantic feelings?
The thought made heat rush to her face.
"Ahem, ahem!"
She cleared her throat pointlessly. Alone at home—what was there to be embarrassed about? Her cheeks burned anyway.
Whatever.
She kept the messages going.
She played it off with laughter, but flustered for a split second, Jiyeon set down her phone and covered her mouth.
…What the—nearly jumped outta my skin.
Tried brushing it off as a joke, but her heart was still racing.
Joke or real?
No clue which was which.
But Siwoo said no plans overseas, so she could take her time figuring out her feelings.