Chapter 17
Chapter 17
“Aah… my chest feels weird.”
Watching him like that, Yeonhee felt a strange tickling sensation in her chest.
Just this morning, he was the same senior she casually linked arms with, taking photos together.
But right now.
He felt like a completely different person.
“Congratulations, sunbae!”
Afraid her thoughts might show, Yeonhee forced a brighter smile as she congratulated him.
“Thanks.”
Inha gave a faint smile.
Yeonhee couldn’t take her eyes off his face.
For a moment, she just stared blankly, then quickly shook her head as if snapping herself out of it.
“Get it together, Lee Yeonhee.”
After organizing the stones, Inha followed the organizers toward the award ceremony.
Soon, the ceremony began.
“Chunhyang Division Winner, participant Kim Inha!”
Though the name of the division was different, the Chunhyang Division was essentially the top class.
Inha received the trophy and a quiet round of applause.
With a modest smile that revealed little emotion.
“……”
Yeonhee simply watched him in silence.
Inha came down carrying the trophy, prize money, and a box of pears, the local specialty.
Yeonhee carefully approached him.
“Sunbae, you looked kind of cool today.”
“So I’m not cool normally?”
“There you go again.”
Inha chuckled.
“But sunbae.”
“Yeah.”
“…For someone who just won, you don’t look happy at all.”
“I am happy.”
“It doesn’t show.”
Inha shrugged slightly.
“I didn’t think I’d lose.”
At that, Yeonhee let out a small laugh.
It wasn’t modesty or arrogance.
Just a simple statement of truth.
And that made it sound even cooler.
Even his confidence felt attractive in that moment.
“Shall we go?”
“Since I won, dinner’s on me.”
“What, were you going to make me pay? That’s harsh.”
Trading jokes, the two got into the car side by side.
On the way home.
Though it was a long journey, time felt a little different for the two of them.
It was a day that lingered.
Work at the bank had become a bit more comfortable.
Ever since that incident with the branch manager.
First of all, the way the employees treated him had clearly changed.
“Assistant Manager Kim, could you help me for a moment?”
A title he would never have heard before.
No longer “Inha-ssi.”
Now, properly “Assistant Manager Kim.”
Unreasonable task assignments had disappeared.
Of course, the unofficial tasks outside his security duties still remained.
But things like forcing him to install apps were no longer even mentioned.
“And that’s not all.”
There was another change.
Yeonhee.
After going to Namwon together, they had grown noticeably closer.
It wasn’t that their relationship had become romantic.
But they started messaging each other more often, even without any particular reason.
“Sunbae, the branch manager is treating you to eel again? Where does all that energy go?”
“This came out so well… it seriously looks like we’re dating. Whatever, I’m posting it.”
“Sunbae! I think Manager Ha saw my SNS.”
“His face looks terrible.”
“He’s not even talking to me. This worked perfectly.”
Photos that looked like a real couple, silhouettes and back views.
Right after uploading them.
The look on Manager Ha’s face when Yeonhee saw him at work was something else.
There was no better way to describe it than “like he’d just eaten something disgusting.”
His lips were tightly shut, but his eyes looked like he had a lot to say, flickering awkwardly.
Just watching him felt satisfying, like landing a clean hit.
Lastly.
The biggest change in Inha’s work life came during lunch.
Before, he used to eat convenience store meals while watching webtoons or videos.
Now, the menu had become upscale, and he always had someone to eat with.
The branch manager.
“You reached amateur 7-dan yesterday? And undefeated?”
“Yes.”
“Impressive, as expected. I knew I had a good eye. You’ve got talent, Kim.”
At a high-end Japanese restaurant.
Sitting across from the branch manager, eating expensive sushi had become somewhat familiar.
“It wasn’t like this at first.”
It felt good, but also not entirely good. A strange mix of emotions.
To be honest, at first, it was more awkward and uncomfortable.
But after deciding to just enjoy it for what it was.
The meals became more relaxed.
“The funny thing is, the other employees actually like it.”
Most employees avoided eating with the branch manager.
He used to be the same.
Trying to eat while listening to the branch manager’s nagging made it impossible to even taste the food.
Now that Inha had become the one handling him.
From their perspective, it was like someone had taken on a bomb disposal role.
“Ah, Assistant Manager Kim.”
Just as Inha was about to take a spoonful of miso soup.
The branch manager spoke casually.
“You said you applied for the Presidential Cup, right?”
“Yes. Last week.”
He swallowed the soup and picked up a piece of salmon sushi.
“I applied too. In the general division.”
“Ah… I see.”
His chopsticks slowed slightly.
“So, how about we go together on Saturday?”
“Together?”
“We’re going anyway. Might as well take my car. More comfortable, right?”
The branch manager took a bite of sushi and continued.
“I’ve already booked a hotel. Two rooms, of course.”
“…What?”
His hand holding the chopsticks froze for a moment.
A hotel reservation.
It was so sudden that he was momentarily stunned.
“I might get eliminated on the first day, but you won’t. Who knows, you might even make the finals. You need to manage your condition.”
Half joke, half serious.
His tone wasn’t particularly heavy, nor light.
But Inha found it hard to respond or laugh.
“A hotel is a bit…”
“Don’t worry about it. No need to feel burdened. Can’t I invest a little in a valued subordinate?”
The branch manager smiled brightly.
He was offering a ride and even paying for a hotel out of his own pocket.
Yet somehow, he looked even more excited than Inha.
“There’s no real reason to refuse.”
The situation was a bit strange.
But transportation, stamina, logistics, condition management.
Everything was perfect.
Except.
“It’s a bit much.”
Yes, to be honest, it felt burdensome.
“…Thank you, sir.”
In the end, that was his answer.
The branch manager nodded in satisfaction.
Yes, this should be fine.
At least, that’s what he decided to believe.
“Another win.”
In front of the monitor.
Looking at the result screen showing a resignation victory, he stretched.
Nickname Mumyeong
Rank Amateur 7-dan
Current record 38 wins 0 losses
“At first, I just wanted to check my level.”
He recalled his first game after gaining the talent.
Back then, he only knew how to place stones.
Patterns, openings, reading moves, all of it felt unfamiliar and awkward.
And now.
“Even most 7-dans don’t feel threatening anymore.”
Confidence had built up.
No, it had turned into certainty in his own skill.
Maybe that’s why.
He wanted to face even stronger opponents.
Within the flow of stones.
Reading the opponent’s plan, piercing through their moves.
The thrill of it.
It wasn’t just about wanting to win.
He wanted to know just how far he could go.
Just thinking about it made his heart race.
“In that case… one more game.”
He moved the mouse and pressed start.
The upcoming Presidential Cup top division.
From amateur 7-dan to 9-dan.
The best amateur players in the country would gather.
This match was just a warm-up to maintain peak condition.
“A game request from Waryongja has arrived.”
“Rank Amateur 7-dan”
“Record 63 wins 28 losses”
“Chinese?”
The red flag icon next to the name.
It was his first time facing a foreign player.
“Let’s try it.”
Different country meant different culture.
Then their Go style would be different too.
It might be refreshing in many ways.
“Match accepted.”
6.5 komi, 10 minutes, 3 byo-yomi periods.
The automatic stone draw finished, and the game began.
Tap.
Holding black, Waryongja placed the first stone on the star point.
Inha calmly responded with a lower-left 3-4 point.
A normal, uneventful opening.
But.
“What is this… this sense of discomfort?”
It was a familiar shape, yet strangely unfamiliar.
A sensation he had never felt before.
As more stones were placed, the discomfort deepened.
“…The shape and flow aren’t great. But when you look back, the moves are good.”
Every move was precise.
Sometimes eerily sharp.
In the opening, black pursued extreme territory.
Once ahead, he subtly led the game into fighting.
In directions favorable to him.
Inha unconsciously leaned closer to the monitor.
A sense of caution rose, and his fingertips grew damp with sweat.
“Am I being pushed back?”
For the first time.
Since gaining the talent, he had never been on the defensive.
But this opponent.
Was on a different level.
Every sequence felt calculated.
A precise reading based on cold logic.
“If I make even one mistake… I’ll get devoured.”
The 6.5 komi had long been forgotten.
Each time black placed a stone, it felt like an alarm going off in his head.
At that moment, he made a decision.
Tap.
He initiated a psychological battle.
To shake the board and seize control.
Tap.
“…!”
The response exceeded his expectations.
A bizarre move that ignored conventional shape and form.
At first glance, it looked absurd.
But the moment he grasped its value.
A chill ran down his spine.
“This is insane.”
The words slipped out.
This wasn’t just someone “good.”
This was a move refined purely for maximum efficiency.
To the point it was hard to believe an amateur 7-dan could play like this.
“…Even pros weren’t like this.”
He slowly steadied his breathing.
Still.
“It’s not over yet.”
He straightened his posture.
He had already spent too much time in the opening and middle game.
Soon he would be in byo-yomi.
But that was fine.
Rather.
Now, on the edge.
This was the perfect chance to see the limits of his ability.
“That wedge was the mistake. It got too thin and gave the opponent a chance to attack.”
Jang Yuna 2-dan moved her mouse and pointed at a stone.
It was from the just-finished viewer match.
“If you extended two spaces here, it would’ve been better. Still, you held on well until the end.”
The chat scrolled rapidly.
“Held on? You just destroyed their entire group lol”
“Yuna, stop accepting even games”
“Why? It’s fun watching you crush them”
“We want to see you suffer, this is boring”
“Classic strong vs weak behavior”
Yuna smiled slyly.
“I win because I can. If you’re unhappy, try beating me.”
A notification popped up.
Manager chat. PD Heo.
“Jang pro, Mumyeong just started a game!”
“Okay.”
Her expression changed instantly.
“Alright! That’s it for viewer matches today. What, ending the stream? Nope.”
She waved her finger.
“Today we have a special live game observation.”
She clicked the link.
A live match appeared, about 30 moves in.
“Mumyeong!”
“He’s already 7-dan?”
“38 wins 0 losses wow”
“Is he actually a pro?”
“Are you stalking him, Yuna?”
The chat exploded.
Mumyeong.
The only viewer who had beaten her in an even game.
“See? I told you. It’s not that I played badly. This person is just good.”
She smirked.
Then focused on the board.
“…Wait. Mumyeong is getting pushed back?”
Her expression froze.