[TS] The Return of The Gamer - Chapter 80

I'm tired.

My body feels heavy.

"Ugh."

But I have to get up.

What kind of day is today?

Even though the sunlight shining in from the window was the same as always, today's routine wasn't.

"If you're up, come out and eat."

"...Can't I skip? I haven't been eating breakfast much lately."

"You have to eat."

Clatter, clatter. All sorts of sounds from the dishes, the sound of the gas range turning on, and the savory smell of food wafting in.

It was a busy morning, as if I were going to school or work.

Sitting blankly at the table and drinking a cup of cold water, I feel like I'm finally coming to my senses.

"By 2 PM?"

"Yep."

"Then I should arrive nearby by 1 PM. It's close, but... It's better to go early than to be late."

The location of the YSG dorm is in Oryu-dong, Guro-gu.

It's not that far distance-wise, but considering the traffic, it could take surprisingly long.

In that sense, my mother's urging wasn't something I couldn't understand.

Yes, if only it wasn't now.

"...Isn't it too early, even so?"

8 AM.

Normally, for me, an owl-type person, it would be the time I had just fallen asleep or was sound asleep.

Wouldn't it be okay to prepare leisurely if it's until 2 PM? Why all the fuss?

...Of course, I didn't say the last part.

I've learned recently that arguing pointlessly with my mother's actions isn't very wise.

"You said it's an important day? Then you should choose your clothes and go to a shop."

"...Shop?"

As I blinked at the appearance of a word I didn't know at all, my mother sighed softly.

"Go get your hair done, and get your makeup done."

"...Me? Why?"

"You should look pretty since you're going. You said it's an important occasion, right? How many times do I have to say the same thing?"

"That... Mom. I think you might have the wrong idea, but the test I'm going to see isn't a model test, is it?"

Of course, I think I could do okay even if I took a model test... No, that's not it.

"Yujin."

My mother's gaze pierced me sharply.

*Ahem.*

The dog in my heart puts its tail down.

"What did you hear until now?"

"...I heard everything."

"Besides. You said it's an important occasion. Then you should go with the utmost courtesy."

It's important, yes... But was a pro gamer entry test such an occasion? Wouldn't that put pressure on the team?

"Anyway, you should know that. Going there looking sloppy is a disgrace to your parents."

"Sl, sloppy isn't quite it... Besides, I don't look that way no matter what I wear."

They say people are creatures of adaptation.

Even though I used the trick that usually silences my mother, she didn't care and glared at me again.

'Ahem.'

I put my tail down again.

All sorts of thoughts flashed through my head, but sadly, I had no right to speak.

"I'll be leaving around 10 AM, so get ready by then. Oh, Yuri, you pick out the clothes with me."

At first, I thought it was too early, but when I heard the schedule, I even thought there wouldn't be enough time.

"Ugh... Okay."

My younger sibling, who didn't seem to have any other schedule, followed my mother's words without saying much.

Barely rubbing her sleepy eyes, she looked at me with a strange gaze and blurted out a word.

"...Oh, right."

"Yes?"

"That... Legend of League? You're going to take the pro gamer exam for that game, right?"

"Oh, yes."

"Aha... That, you know, that guy who asked me persistently the other day. What's your brother's tier, he asked? Did he say he wanted me to give him some advice since he got demoted? Anyway, something like that."

...Come to think of it, that did happen.

I had completely forgotten.

"You didn't say anything unnecessary, did you?"

"What do you take me for? I said I didn't know. ...And I really don't know."

Well, since I don't brag about my tier to my family, it was natural that they wouldn't know.

"You're so uninterested in me."

"You never told me... And don't say that with that face. I was a little hurt just now. What should I say? Like, I feel like I'm sinning as a human being? Anyway, that's how it is."

"Really? Sorry."

"You don't look sorry at all."

"That's true."

I chuckled.

After pointless topics, pointless conversations passed, and I had a simple breakfast, I started getting ready to go out.

Washing wasn't a big deal, but the real problem was, as always, the clothes I would wear.

If it were just me, I would have gone out wearing my usual clothes... But sadly, I had Lee Yuri, the one-day stylist, by my side.

There were several points of compromise.

"I don't like skirts. Absolutely not."

"Oh why? Can't you try wearing one? You said it's an important occasion."

"...It's cold."

The excuse I blurted out was lame.

"You can wear stockings. If you don't like that either, wear leggings."

"I don't want to."

Skirt-related items were rejected unconditionally.

Whether it was a dress, a tennis skirt, or a long skirt that reached my ankles, everything was rejected without exception.

"Can't you just wear one?"

"I don't want to. There are other clothes, why are you trying to make me wear something I don't like?"

"Well... Because you hate it so much, brother."

In short, the reason she wanted me to wear it was because I didn't like it.

"...Are you trash?"

"If I'm trash, will you wear this?"

"No."

In the end, what was chosen was a flowy, dark-pink blouse of unknown material and black, women's suit pants.

A neat and tidy look.

If anyone saw me, they would think I was going to a job interview.

'...No, come to think of it, isn't it an interview?'

The definition of my reflection in the mirror was simple.

'I look like a secretary.'

"You look like a secretary."

At the same time as my thought, I flinched at the words that came out of my younger sibling's mouth.

This is why genetics are scary.

After a fashion show that lasted for a whole hour, I came out to the living room.

"Umm."

"What's wrong?"

"...No, it's probably good enough. Pretty. Neat. ...Then let's go. Yuri, do you want to come?"

"No. It's a bother."

"Okay, okay."

My mother didn't seem to like something, but she didn't throw me back into the dressing room with my younger sibling.

It couldn't have been more fortunate.

*

The place we arrived at with my mother was a high-end beauty salon in Yeongdeungpo.

A beauty salon that exudes an aura that I wouldn't have gone near, let alone enter, if I had been alone.

It's not the shop my mother usually goes to, but she said it seemed better to go there considering the route... or something like that.

As we entered the beauty salon in earnest, a middle-aged woman greeted us.

She seemed to be the actual head of the beauty salon... the manager, so to speak.

"Welcome. ...Oh my."

With a short exclamation, the gazes of the people in the beauty salon began to turn towards me.

'...I can't get used to it.'

If it had been before, I would have covered my face and hair with a hood right away, but sadly, that was out of the question with my current attire.

No, even if I had something to cover my face with, I wouldn't have covered it now.

Because if I were to stand in front of the public as a pro, I had to be able to withstand this much attention.

"Hoo……."

"What are you doing? Let's go in."

"Ah, yes."

And then, I sat down in the chair following the manager's touch...

It was like magic.

"What can I do for you?"

"My child has an important interview."

"Oh, I see, I understand."

It was a statement that didn't include my opinion at all, but the designer moved as if she understood with those words.

'It is an interview, though…….'

I gave up thinking any further.

Even though I was just sitting there, several people were attending to me.

Makeup artist, hair designer, and the people who looked like assistants.

"Your hair is... really good. Didn't you bleach it?"

"Oh my, it's baby skin."

"You're so pretty."

"Ahahaha……."

An uncomfortable time passed.

Finally, after the makeup and styling were finished, I looked in the mirror.

Hmm. Pretty as usual.

No, a little bit too pretty.

"...Oh my, oh my."

The designers stared blankly at the mirror, as if they were very satisfied with their work.

"Um... Is it all done?"

"Ah, yes, yes!"

I was finally able to leave the beauty salon.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Anything."

We had lunch at a nearby restaurant.

I ate at a restaurant with a private room on purpose because I felt like I would choke because of the gazes around me, and it was a good choice.

After eating lunch, I looked at the time and it was already 1 PM.

I had planned the route nearby in the first place, so it took less than ten minutes to arrive in front of the YSG dorm, which was written on the address.

"Here you go."

"Hoo…….

My mother implored me.

"Don't write any contracts carelessly. Be sure to bring them home and discuss them with Mom and Dad and sign them. Got it?"

"Okay."

"...What am I going to do with you? Are you really okay to go alone?"

"I'm fine."

I decided to go alone since I was just going to take the test.

What should I say... Going with my parents at this age...... I did before, but now, as an adult, my self-esteem...

Anyway, that's how it was.

"Be careful on your way. I'll be waiting in front. Call me immediately if anything happens. Got it?"

"Yes."

I tried to calm my trembling heart and took a step.

A skyscraper that makes you feel intimidated just by looking at it. The YSG dorm is in one of them.

[YYY Building]

Of course, YSG doesn't use this entire huge building, and I heard that they use about one floor.

I arrived at the first floor and exchanged a light greeting with the security guard sitting in the security room, and then I sent a message to Coach Park Tae-hyeong.

[I've arrived now. It's the 1st floor.]

[Yes, you can come up right away by the elevator. It's the 9th floor.]

Whether it was because it was the day of the test, or whether Coach Park Tae-hyeong happened to be waiting for my message, the reply came unexpectedly quickly.

After getting on the elevator, I looked at the mirror in the elevator.

I wouldn't say it myself... If there were fairies or elves in reality, wouldn't they look like this, exuding both mystery and beauty at the same time?

'Oh, right.'

Come to think of it, I didn't mention the most important thing.

-9th floor.

Soon, the elevator doors opened, and a man in his late 20s was waiting in front of the elevator doors.

It was Coach Park Tae-hyeong.

'I'm glad I searched beforehand.'

Pro gaming teams aren't public, but they are treated as quasi-public, so the faces of the players as well as the coaching staff are also public.

If I hadn't recognized Coach Park Tae-hyeong, I would have been in a bit of trouble, so it was fortunate for me.

"Hello."

Coach Park Tae-hyeong looked around at my greeting for a moment, and realizing that he was the only one here, he carefully pointed to himself with his finger.

"...Me?"

"Yes, are you Coach Park Tae-hyeong?"

"That's right... But, uh, um. What brings you here...? Oh, are you a member of our players' family? Please, come in."

"It's not that... I, that... I'm here to take the test."

"……Yes?"

Coach Park Tae-hyeong's face was filled with astonishment.