[TS] The Return of The Gamer - Chapter 13

Following that, I won three consecutive matches.

As expected of a high-elo game, there wasn't a single easy game, but even so, I won.

[Friend Request (50)]

I received a surge of friend requests, perhaps because I hard-carried every game.

[Friend Request from qq7785dd55]

[Accept/Decline]

[Friend Request from bbangyabbangyabbangya]

[Accept/Decline]

[Friend Request from Jungler's Slave]

[Accept/Decline]

.

.

.

[Friend Request from GRS JjangGa]

[Accept/Decline]

Among them were current pros, and even some former pros who are now working as coaches.

‘Hmm.’

If it were before, I would have accepted them with a happy heart, but now, well…….

I felt a bit detached from that part of it, like a terminally ill patient facing death.

‘No need to accept them.’

However, completely rejecting them would feel like disregarding their sincerity, so let's pretend I didn't see it.

Anyway, Prisoner will disappear soon.

+

[Prisoner]

Rank 2

Solo Rank

- Challenger

- 1,684 LP / 245 Wins 172 Losses

- Win Rate 59%

+

I checked the match history website out of habit while lying in bed to rest for a moment, and I could see that my rank had gone up.

The point difference with the first place was now only about 20 points.

I could reach that level if I won just two more games.

‘Should I play two more games?’

In fact, it would be right to say that I'd already exceeded my daily quota.

That’s why, if it were before, I wouldn't have even hesitated to rest, but I was contemplating this because I could play for hours after my body became like this.

‘Ugh, what should I do.’

If my tier was in the middle range, I would have immediately queued up without the slightest hesitation.

However, the games at the top of the Challenger tier weren’t easy, and that fatigue would show up in subtle judgments, even if it didn't appear on the surface right away.

That was when I was lying in bed, wavering about whether to get up again.

Knock, knock-

“Come in.”

“Are you busy?”

It was my mother.

“Not really.”

“That's good. Let's go somewhere with me.”

“Where?”

Is it a problem related to my identity?

If so, it wasn't the time to be playing games.

No matter how important being rank 1 was, it wouldn't be more important than my future, would it?

“Shopping.”

However, the word that came out of my mother's mouth was very unexpected.

“…Huh?”

“Let's go shopping with me. Also, buy some clothes for you.”

“Suddenly?”

It's not like I don't have any clothes.

No, on the contrary, I have a lot.

“You can just order them online.”

After becoming a woman, I bought all sorts of clothes online.

Rather than suddenly developing a hobby of improving my appearance, it was just a few that I chose because my younger sibling and mother kept urging me.

In addition, I didn't throw away the clothes I used to wear when I was a man.

Originally, my body wasn't in great health either, and my physique was quite similar, and the clothes I used to wear were still more comfortable.

“You have to try clothes on in person and buy them. What do you know from the internet?”

“These days, shopping malls have clothes that fit your body measurements, and it's also scientific and systematic…….”

“Shut up.”

“No matter what you wear, it looks good on you anyway.”

It was just a random comment, but my mother didn't seem to have anything to retort, so she just gaped blankly.

This works.

“……”

Soon, my mother shook her head as if she couldn't believe it and declared.

“Come out wearing clothes.”

“…I haven't showered yet.”

“Then just wash your hair and come out.”

I had never seen my mother with such a strong attitude before, so I had no choice but to give in.

“Uh, um… alright.”

The reason I avoid going out is simple.

It was an outing I had dreamed of before, but in reality, more than twenty years have passed since I spent my time in my room.

For a shut-in, an outing was another unknown territory.

“Haa……”

With a deep sigh, I prepared to go out.

For some reason, the silver hair that had fallen to my shoulders felt uncomfortable today.

‘Should I just cut it all off?’

However, I shook my head.

It was a bit, no, very much a waste to just cut it off.

‘Let's get ready.’

I headed to the bathroom with a stumbling gait.

* * *

Raising the blinds, which I hadn't raised in ages, I see the world outside the window, which is all white.

I don't care much about the changing seasons anymore.

It was because I didn't need to go outside, and I didn't want to either.

That was also the same reason I just brushed off my mother's words about dressing warmly.

“Why, why is it so cold?”

As soon as I stepped out the front door, what greeted me was a world covered in white and a biting cold that felt like it was tearing at my skin.

“Ugh. Go back inside and put on a warm coat.”

“Alright.”

I rushed back into the house.

I didn't realize such a cold snap was hitting outside…….

‘Come to think of it, I haven't felt the seasons much inside the house.’

Whether a heat wave warning was issued outside, or a cold wave warning, or heavy rain or heavy snow, I never felt uncomfortable inside the house.

‘Maybe it was because of me.’

It's a belated story, but I finally felt how much our parents were paying attention to the temperature control of the house.

“Ugh.”

I came out wearing a long padded coat, which is synonymous with winter, along with a scarf wrapped around half my face, and even a hat.

“…Are you going to the North Pole or something?”

“This is the North Pole to me. Let's go quickly. It's cold.”

“I'll bring the car, so wait here.”

“Ah, yes.”

Fortunately, the move would be by car.

As I stood there blankly, feeling a little bored, I slowly stepped on the snow, which I hadn't seen in years.

Squeak, squeak.

What can I say about the touch of the snow, which I was stepping on for the first time? It wasn't as soft as I had imagined.

When I see actors in dramas stepping on the snow, I think, I want to roll around there, but it seems that it was just for show.

As I was walking on the snow, a familiar car approached, and the window went down.

Judging by the look of it, it seemed like they had come a long time ago and were watching me.

“You could have said you were here.”

“It's nice to watch.”

“What.”

“Anyway, get in.”

“Okay.”

If I had been able to walk a little earlier, I would have reacted a little differently than I do now.

The white snow I was walking on for the first time.

I would have moved tirelessly to imprint this intense experience in my memory, treading on the softly falling snow.

However, what can I say about myself now… Has my heart grown old? Anyway, that’s how it is.

I was more concerned about the cold right in front of me than romance.

“Co, cold.”

“The heater is on, so it'll be warm soon. Just bear with it.”

My mother, who used to be so anxious at my words of being cold, now seemed quite indifferent.

However, that appearance wasn't completely unfamiliar either.

‘Hmm.’

Thinking hard about where I had seen my mother's look like that, it turned out that it was the look she usually showed when she was with my younger sibling.

Just as I was gradually getting used to this appearance, my mother was also getting used to this appearance of mine.

‘It's not bad.’

Change is scary, but that doesn't mean I can always avoid it.

I have changed, and I will change even more in the future.

So, all I can do is to accept this change as calmly as possible.

Bit by bit, bit by bit.

I'm becoming another me.

*

The scenery of the city flashed by outside the window, which was blurred by humidity.

It was now January.

The world still maintained a white background, even though the White Christmas that the news had been talking about had passed.

As I stared blankly out the window, we arrived in front of a department store.

“Be careful of the car next to you when you open the door. You'll have to pay if you scratch it.”

“Ah, yes.”

Since I'd never opened the car door myself, I almost left a glorious scratch on the door of the car next to me.

“Ouch.”

As I struggled to open the car door and got out, the bustling scene of the department store parking lot came into view.

People here, people there.

People, people, people, people, people.

‘…I feel like I’m going to throw up.’

It seemed like shopping wouldn't be easy.