Chapter 7
Chapter 7
“Could we move somewhere else and talk for a moment?”
“Oh, yes.”
As we moved to the officials’ seating area of the tournament, the supervisor introduced himself.
“I’m sorry for the late introduction. I’m professional go player 7-dan Ahn Seong-hyeon.”
“…I’m Kim In-ha.”
A professional go player.
A master who had reached the pinnacle of go.
Facing someone like that in person made him feel overwhelmingly large.
Ahn Seong-hyeon 7-dan bowed politely.
“I apologize on behalf of the tournament staff for our slow response to this unpleasant incident.”
“No, it’s fine. There are so many matches going on, you can’t supervise everything.”
When I waved it off, he smiled gently.
“I was surprised after reviewing the game record. After the stone relocation, you overcame a disadvantageous situation and turned the game around. Honestly, it was impressive.”
“Really…?”
“Yes. That last move in the center was exquisite. It’s a brilliant move you don’t often see in amateur tournaments.”
At Ahn Seong-hyeon 7-dan’s praise, I couldn’t quite keep my composure.
“A brilliant move?”
That move I played?
It was simply the only move that could reverse the situation, the best possible move.
So I just placed it there.
But hearing that word, “brilliant move,” from a professional go player…
For some reason, my chest began to pound.
“So, by any chance, are you a research student?”
“A research student?”
I blinked and asked back.
A flicker of confusion crossed Ahn Seong-hyeon’s face.
“Do you not know what a research student is?”
“No, it’s my first time hearing it.”
“Well… to put it simply, they’re students preparing to become professionals. Depending on their results, they get opportunities for professional entry.”
“Ah, I’m not that. I only started playing go not long ago.”
“…You only started playing go not long ago?”
At his reaction, I inwardly flinched.
His gaze was full of suspicion.
“I mean, I just recently started taking go seriously.”
“Then you wouldn’t have any rank certification or dan certification either?”
“No, I don’t.”
If I added anything more, I felt like I would end up looking even stranger.
Watching my reaction, Ahn Seong-hyeon 7-dan continued gently.
“I see. Then when you have time, please try participating in association-hosted tournaments as well. If you place, you can receive official rank or dan certification.”
“Really? Then I’ll think about it.”
“Yes. If you obtain a dan certification, you’ll also be eligible for the amateur strongest division.”
“Ah, thank you for letting me know.”
I smiled awkwardly and nodded.
‘But why is he telling me this?’
From his perspective, I should just be a typical amateur tournament participant.
Yet it felt like he was encouraging me to get a dan certificate and enter the strongest division.
‘…Still, if I can get a certificate for free, I kind of want to try.’
While I was thinking that,
“Oh, I almost forgot to say this earlier because things were hectic.”
Ahn Seong-hyeon 7-dan met my eyes and smiled.
“Congratulations on your victory.”
“…!”
The moment I heard those words, all tension in my body loosened.
Something hot welled up deep in my chest.
Right. I won.
Only then did it feel real.
My first go tournament.
And the fact that the winner was me.
Monday syndrome.
Every office worker probably suffers from it.
And I was no different.
Ever since I started working as a bank security guard, I had been tormented by it every morning on my way to work.
“Ah, refreshing.”
But today was an exception.
The lingering afterglow of the go tournament victory still hadn’t faded.
‘Mom and Dad were really happy too.’
On the weekend evening, for the first time in a long while, the three of us sat at the dinner table together.
My son, who throughout his school years had never brought home anything except perfect attendance awards.
Had brought home a tournament championship trophy.
We grilled meat, drank traditional liquor received as a prize, and spent a warm, happy time together.
For a family who had rarely had reasons to smile while struggling with debt, it felt like a brief rain after a long drought.
‘It felt like I was finally being a good son.’
My nose tingled slightly.
I felt sorry that I couldn’t do more for them.
I pressed the stop button and stood holding the handrail.
‘They said the prize money would be deposited today.’
500,000 won.
Not a small amount, yet not a huge one either.
But for someone like me earning less than 2 million won a month, it was significant.
‘Yesterday I saw that local government and association tournaments have much bigger prizes.’
On average, first-place prize money ranged from 1 to 3 million won.
More than my entire monthly salary.
If I were lucky enough to win a local government tournament and obtain a dan certificate,
I could qualify for national tournaments.
And if I placed there, I might earn more than several months of salary combined.
Of course, that was assuming I even placed.
‘Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’re not that special.’
It was just one local tournament win.
Although I hadn’t played many matches, my online go rank was still stuck at 4-dan.
It was too early to get carried away.
As I calmed my excited mind, the bus stopped.
After getting off at the stop and turning around the market corner, the bank building came into view.
On the steps to the entrance, I saw a parked luxury car.
‘That’s the branch manager’s car.’
Opening the bank was part of my job.
I had to disable the security system and raise the shutters, so I arrived earlier than other staff.
But the newly appointed branch manager often arrived even earlier than me.
I went to the locker room first and changed clothes.
A neat, suit-style uniform.
The funny thing was that even though I was a bank security guard, I didn’t carry a gas gun for protection.
‘…Instead, I’m wringing out a mop.’
Holding a tightly squeezed damp mop, I headed to the branch manager’s office.
Cleaning the bank was usually done by cleaning staff, but the branch manager’s office was an exception.
It was assigned to me by the manager himself, citing security reasons.
Knock knock.
“Manager. I’m here to clean. Manager? Are you not in?”
Even after knocking several times, there was no response, so I carefully opened the door.
As expected, it was empty.
I actually felt relieved. If I ran into him, it would be uncomfortable and I’d probably get an earful.
I wiped down the low cabinet next to the flower pot by the door.
Then I moved on to the double-door cabinet, bookshelf, and safe.
That’s when I saw a go board in my field of vision.
“So he was reviewing a game.”
Reconstructing the sequence of a match by following the game record and searching for better moves.
When I didn’t know go, I used to wonder what he was doing alone like that, but now I understood.
“But the position is interesting.”
Curious, I stepped closer to the board.
Just by looking at the shape, the black and white stones were elegant.
Even though sharp and heavy moves had been exchanged, the overall position remained stable.
I could feel the intent of trying to play not just the best move, but the greatest move.
“So this is what professional go players’ games look like.”
Suddenly, I felt a desire to play go like this too.
With that thought, I became deeply immersed in the board without realizing it.
Black to play next.
If I were the player, where would I move?
‘Not here. If I hane, I gain territory, but I lose tempo. But extending the knight’s move is too risky…’
The margin was less than one point, including komi.
A move that could secure a decisive advantage.
I focused so deeply that I lost track of time.
“I found it.”
As if possessed by something, I picked up a black stone and placed it on the board.
Tap.
At a glance, it looked like a losing move.
However, with this sacrifice, the dead stones would gain value and reduce white’s territory.
As I lifted my hand from the stone, a strange sense of satisfaction welled up.
I didn’t know whether it was correct or not,
but it was the best move I could make right now.
“Good morning, Manager!”
“…!”
At that moment, I heard greetings from employees outside the door.
Heavy footsteps came closer, thudding like they were striking the floor. It was the manager.
Creak.
The door opened and the manager walked in.
“Still cleaning?”
“Yes, I’m almost done.”
Flustered, I pretended to wipe the table quickly.
The manager, who looked thin and somewhat irritable, stared at me.
“Really? While you’re at it, clean under that flower pot thoroughly too.”
After speaking, he slumped onto the leather sofa in front of the go board.
Then he picked up a game record book that had been lying face down.
‘Ah, I didn’t clean up the stone.’
I swallowed hard.
It wasn’t something I had seen in a record, but a move I had placed myself.
If he noticed the stone in the wrong place, I might get blamed for it.
“Hm, did I really play a move like this?”
“…!”
My body instinctively flinched.
Glancing over, I saw the manager frowning.
He seemed unsure whether his memory was correct.
“In-ha.”
“Yes?”
“You said you’ve never learned go before, right?”
At the sudden question, my mind went blank.
No answer came out.
The manager crossed his arms with a stern expression and looked down at the board.
“Go isn’t just about placing stones. It’s like life.”
He slowly reached out his hand.
“This move here… it’s one of the legendary god moves in go history.”
“…!”
His finger was pointing at the stone I had just placed after deep thought.
“In-ha, someday you should be able to play a move like this too. You can’t live like this forever, right?”
“Yes…”
“This might even be the beginning. Try learning it. Young people these days don’t listen even when you tell them things that are useful. Even when I tell them to learn go from someone, they don’t even hear it properly. Tsk.”
After a long lecture, the manager waved his hand as if telling me to leave.
I bowed and quickly left the office as if escaping.
“Phew.”
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like he realized it was my stone.
More than that, his words about a “god move” lingered in my mind.
‘He probably just said that to sound wise.’
He always liked using quotes and impressive-sounding phrases.
I shook off the thought and headed toward the restroom.
As I passed the locker room, I heard employees talking.
“Now that I think about it, isn’t a new staff member coming today?”
“Yes. It’s an additional hiring batch.”
“Funny. They say they’re downsizing branches but hiring more people at headquarters.”
I had also applied for that recruitment a few months ago.
And I had been rejected cleanly.
So someone else who passed that hiring process would be joining my bank branch.
It felt bitter.
‘Focus on your own work.’
I went to the restroom, washed the mop thoroughly, and hung it somewhere customers wouldn’t see.
Returning inside, I operated the devices and restocked supplies.
Ten minutes before business hours.
“Alright, everyone listen up.”
The manager clapped his hands as he came out.
Everyone’s attention, including mine, focused on him.
“As you all know, a new colleague has joined our branch. Please guide them well and let’s work together to achieve good results. Applause.”
The manager stepped aside after finishing his introduction.
From behind him, a new employee who had been hidden came forward.
Neat uniform, hands politely folded.
A short haircut with a subtly refined impression.
Clear features and a gentle voice.
“My name is Lee Yeon-hee, and I will be working at Samil Branch starting today. Please take care of me.”
“…!”
The moment I heard that name, my pupils trembled.
The youthful image in my memory had faded, replaced by a more polished face.
But I was certain.
‘N-no way… Lee Yeon-hee?’