[TS] The Return of The Gamer - Chapter 76

"A test? What test?"

"Entering the pros."

"...What?"

My mother seemed to choke for a moment, coughing a few times, and then spoke in a trembling voice.

"Really? A pro gamer?"

"Yep."

In the past, meaning now a distant past, I had once been thwarted in my dream of being a pro gamer.

My mother, who had supported and encouraged me more than anyone else, knew that fact well, so her lukewarm reaction was inevitable.

"That... when?"

Even so, my mother didn't seem to want to stop me, and instead answered with a question.

"I haven't decided on a date yet... maybe around next week?"

I haven't contacted the YSG side yet, but it didn't matter whether it was sooner or later anyway.

'First, let's take the test, and think about it after passing.'

After all, once I pass, it's all up to me until I sign the contract.

...Right? But so what?

"Is that so?"

My mother put down her teacup and paused with a face of deep thought.

"...What do you need? Anything?"

"Umm, I don't know yet. I haven't contacted them yet."

"Then let's go buy some clothes first."

"What's with the clothes all of a sudden?"

It feels like it hasn't been long since I went shopping... or has it?

"If it's an entrance test, it must be an important occasion, right? Are you going to that kind of place looking like that? No way."

"Would I go like this? I have lots of pretty clothes."

Now, the adjective "pretty" doesn't even bother me, so I'm definitely getting excited.

"Those are winter clothes."

"It's winter now."

"Spring is coming soon."

No, it's still cold enough now.......

Still, looking out the window, I see white, or rather, black snow, piled up here and there.

Even though the weather is a mess, my mother still seems to firmly believe that Korea really has four distinct seasons.

Well... that's not wrong. Even though it's not like the old days, there are four seasons anyway.

"Then I'll know we're going."

"Oh, that..."

"Why? Do you have something to say?"

"...No, I don't."

It seemed impossible to persuade my mother, no matter what I said now.

In the past, my mother would listen to me no matter what I insisted, but now the situation has reversed.

'...How did it come to this?'

Of course, it's not that I don't like it... But sometimes I miss the mother who unconditionally cared for me in the old days.

'No, anyway, this is for me, too......'

Seeing all sorts of useless thoughts wandering around in my head, I must be excited about the test proposal.

'I don't know.'

It'll work out somehow.

*

"How is it?"

It is often said that humans are creatures of adaptation.

I don't want to agree, but my body is honestly nodding, so it seems to be true.

"Yep, yep."

"This one?"

"Everything's fine."

The place I was led to by my mother was another department store from the one we went to before.

Not the luxury clothing store I usually go to, but a little more ordinary... that is, relatively, should I say, the vibe itself is younger? Anyway, that's how it is.

"Don't just say it, try it on."

"I'm telling you, everything is fine."

"Then I'll buy this long skirt too. Please ring this up as well."

"Yeah yeah. ...What?"

I was nodding without thinking, just out of reflex, and belatedly, I looked at the packaged clothes with a dazed expression.

"Why?"

"...Did you already buy it?"

"You said it was fine?"

"That... no."

I bought it, but I won't wear it anyway. Yes, that'll work.

"I don't force you here because you're so annoying, but you have to try it on once at home. Got it?"

"..."

I put off answering.

I was afraid that if I gave a clumsy answer, something I couldn't take responsibility for would happen.

"Mom!"

Perhaps because it's been a while since I went out, my younger sister, who had been in the library, heard the news from my mother and ran straight to the department store.

It was clear that she was overjoyed at the thought of putting me in all sorts of outfits.

"...Did you call her too?"

"Since you're going out with me after a long time, she said she'd come too. Why, don't you like it?"

"No... I don't dislike it."

It feels like my fatigue will be doubled.

Of course, I didn't add that.

They say that if a woman bears a grudge, frost will fall even in the fifth and sixth months, so I didn't want to say anything unnecessary.

"...I can buy my own clothes."

"Then you won't buy them."

"What are you talking about? How many clothes have I bought lately?"

Internet shopping, where I don't have to go out in person, was one of my not-so-bad hobbies.

Of course, some of them were useless items that I impulsively bought after being swayed by viral-like advertisements, but there were also clothes.

"They're all the same. Why do you like hoodies so much? Do you like wrapping yourself up like that?"

I protested against my younger sister's criticism.

"What are you talking about? The colors and designs are slightly different."

"Ugh."

I understand why they want to dress me in these strange clothes... but if the person in question hates it this much, shouldn't they show a little consideration?

"Unnie!"

"Oh, yeah!"

Even while thinking that, my body responded to my younger sister's voice, like Pavlov's dog.

"Try this on. I saw it when I stopped by before, and I thought it would suit you perfectly."

"...Can't I try it on at home?"

"No! You have to try on clothes before you buy them."

My younger sister was more decisive than my mother in a certain way.

"...Okay."

I'm tired.

*

Thud, thud.

I didn't try on the clothes I bought this time when I got home, and instead, I stood in front of the computer.

Throughout the shopping, I chose to spend my energy on thinking about the proposal I received rather than focusing on shopping.

Soon, I made a decision.

"Hoo..."

I'm nervous.

According to a survey by an organization, about 40% of recent baby boomers and 76% of millennials experience call phobia.

Whether or not they took that fact into consideration, the contact information left by YSG coach Park Tae-hyung also included the ID of a national messaging app.

It means that I don't have to worry about whether to call the phone number.

'If necessary, I can text them... but it's more comfortable to type on the keyboard.'

Instead of agonizing over the smartphone, I turned on the PC version of the messaging app.

Of course, you can also send texts on PC, but isn't the process quite annoying?

[Hello, this is Outlaw, who suggested the test the other day.]

Calming my trembling heart and writing the message one character at a time.

Unlike what I expected, the reply didn't come right away.

Five minutes passed.

"Umm."

Staring blankly, waiting for the 1 on the messaging app to disappear, another ten minutes passed.

15 minutes.

20 minutes.

30 minutes.

And... 1 hour.

[Oh, yes. Hello. I'm sorry for the late reply. Have you given our offer some thought?]

The reply came exactly 1 hour and 14 minutes after I sent the text.

I was quite taken aback because I had never had such a late reply when I had received several offers as Prisoner... Well, they must have been busy.

[Yes. Can I take the test?]

[You've thought it through. Then, what time would be convenient for you next week?]

[Anytime is fine]

[Oh, would next Monday be okay?]

[Yes]

[Okay. Excuse me, but where do you live...?]

[Jongno area]

[Aha, fortunately, it's close to our accommodation. You can come straight to the accommodation. The time would be around 2 p.m., but do you have any other time you'd like?]

[I'm fine]

[Yep. Then I'll see you at 2 p.m. that day. Oh, I'll send you the address right away.]

[Yes, thank you]

[Yep]

It wasn't a long conversation.

But I couldn't calm my trembling heart throughout the conversation.

'Finally... I'm going.'

I remember something that happened a long time ago.

I remember the expressions the team members showed when I went to take the test as Prisoner.

Confusion, bewilderment, annoyance, anger, pity.

Facing all those emotions, I was finally defeated in front of the wall of professionalism.

But now it's different.

The professional life I longed for has come within reach.

"Heh, heh."

A snort came out involuntarily.

If my mother or sister saw, they would look at me with a strange gaze, but I was alone in my room for now.

'Then...'

I looked at the calendar.

Today is Thursday, so there are still a few days left until next Monday.

'Still, I should raise my tier as much as possible.'

Of course, not all pros diligently raise their solo queue tiers.

But that's only for players who have already proven their achievements and themselves to some extent.

I'm an amateur.

The only thing I can prove myself with is my solo queue score, and I knew that very well.

'Let's reach Master by then.'

That was my goal for the moment.

After running the Legends of League client, as I was about to start the game, I realized that I was missing one very important fact.

'Come to think of it, did I mention my gender?'

...Well, it'll work out somehow then.

Does the saying "a healthy mind in a healthy body" mean this?

I, who had once lived as a pessimist, felt that I was becoming an optimist.

"It'll work out somehow."

I repeated those words.