Chapter 118

To be honest, Seoyeon had known about the esports club at school for quite some time.

She just hadn’t joined because she was genuinely busy.

‘Game!’

For Seoyeon, gaming was an essential element.

After all, don’t characters who undergo a gender transformation typically tout their gaming skills as an essential feature?

Therefore, Seoyeon naturally believed that she would be good at games too.

At least, that was the case until she appeared on the variety show, “[King of Gamers]..”

“That’s because that was a console game.”

“Hmm? Who said that?”

Seoyeon half-heartedly defended herself to Jiyeon but Jiyeon seemed to not care at all.

Jiyeon’s face revealed no understanding of the importance of video games.

And so, with a dull look, Seoyeon stared at her.

Still, even Jiyeon didn’t fully understand why Seoyeon was so down.

Anyway.

‘PC games are different.’

Truthfully, if there were the usual VR games controlled by physical abilities that often show up in TS stories, or some other hyper-scientific gaming devices, it would have been much better.

If such devices existed, Seoyeon would have been very confident about her gaming skills.

But, naturally, there was no such thing, so she had no choice but to use a keyboard and mouse.

“You can play games at home, right?”

“I can’t.”

In response to Jiyeon’s question, Seoyeon firmly shook her head.

“Your mom and dad don’t seem like the type to stop you from playing games.”

“That’s true, but…”

As Jiyeon said, Sua and Joo Young-bin weren’t the type to stop their daughter from doing what she wanted.

However.

“Look, daughter. Your highly skilled play leaves the foolish players behind.”

“…”

“Clearly, this father didn’t raise you to be the type of child who can’t press the R key…”

“…”

“The Anyu wants to see daddy; tell him he’s right here.”

Seoyeon found it impossible to concentrate on the game with her father constantly chiming in from the sidelines.

Whenever this happened, pointing at the frame holding half of a torn fencing uniform would quiet him down for a little while, but not for long.

Because of Joo Young-bin always sneaking over to watch when she played games, Seoyeon had ultimately decided against gaming at home.

“After I climb higher than dad, then I’ll play.”

“Alright then, how about playing at the agency?”

“Too awkward.”

Although there was already a console game available at the company, bringing a PC there too was something even Seoyeon felt self-conscious about.

What kind of look would people give when they see a female actor clicking away while playing League of Legends?

Imagewise, it wouldn’t be good.

‘She’s surprisingly cautious about these things, huh.’

Jiyeon found Seoyeon’s words interesting.

To an outsider, she might seem like the type who doesn’t care about others’ opinions, but Seoyeon was actually quite sensitive to them.

Specifically, she seemed to enjoy being in the spotlight.

Probably because she just loved receiving praise from others, it’s likely her sensitivity stems from that.

She mused on it rather vaguely.

‘But, I’m worried.’

Jiyeon looked at Seoyeon walking ahead of her with a light step, full of anticipation, and couldn’t help but worry.

Today, Seoyeon was heading to the esports club.

Surprisingly, it was a rather serious club.

They even had two semi-professionals, and one member already competed in professional teams.

Yeonhwa High School heavily supported arts and sports, and esports had achieved significant results at this school, so support was robust in various ways.

‘That said, the academic scores do suffer relatively because of it…’

But who cares?

How many people really take the national university exam and advance from this school, anyway?

‘As long as they don’t cause trouble, that’s all.’

Today’s visit to the esports club was originally supposed to be Seoyeon’s solo outing.

Jiyeon happened to tag along after spotting her excitedly walking alone.

If left alone, Seoyeon would certainly cause some trouble, so Jiyeon had that vague premonition.

“But you don’t really like games, Jiyeon.”

“I do, though. I’ve been playing a lot recently.”

Is that so?

As Seoyeon thought that, she suddenly recalled the recent joint stream with “Wizard Erchebet” and Ramiel.

They hadn’t played League of Legends or a similar AOS game but a different FPS game called Valorant.

The memory of them both happily streaming together surfaced.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s nothing.”

Seoyeon looked at Jiyeon intently for a moment and then turned her gaze away.

Anyway, that was that.

Gaming is a necessary item for VTubers.

So even Jiyeon, who had little interest in games, eventually couldn’t avoid it.

The issue was…

‘She’s surprisingly good at it.’

Seoyeon felt a little twinge of alarm.

The first time Ramiel, who had supposedly only played FPS games like Valorant, had done surprisingly well for a beginner.

After about two hours of playing, she was already zipping around with ease.

‘Come to think of it, Ramiel was good at games…’

She already knew this, but knowing it and seeing someone get that good in just two hours felt somewhat unreasonable, didn’t it?

It seemed even the Wizard was rather surprised.

‘Well, I can play games properly in the right environment.’

She was confident.

After all, as stated before, gaming is a rather essential item for VTubers.

“PC games are different. Console games are different.”

Naturally, holding that belief, Seoyeon firmly opened the door to the esports club.

That was the process through which Seoyeon arrived at the esports club.

***

The male members of the esports club at that moment experienced firsthand what it felt like to have their minds go blank.

Especially the club president, Baek Geun-soo, who was quite—no, extremely flustered.

“What… Is this a dream?”

It was an ordinary day.

After classes had ended, before heading to the game team, he planned to play a game to warm his hands up.

Since playing with friends and playing with professional gamers are different experiences.

Right as he was starting his PC and getting warmed up,

“Hello.”

The club room door opened, and two female students walked in.

Long black hair, contrasting stark white skin, and eyes tinged with crimson.

Their distinctive appearances were unmistakable to Baek Geun-soo.

“Joo Seoyeon!”

And it was undoubtedly Lee Ji-yeon standing next to her.

Without a doubt, if you were to name the most famous students in the school, it would undeniably include these two.

Especially Joo Seoyeon, whose name had recently become well-known, making it all the more impossible not to recognize her.

“Wow, now I get it…”

Frequently, when students saw Seoyeon around the school, the most common remark was, “It’s overwhelming.”

It wasn’t a comment on her personality but on her appearance.

Overwhelmingly beautiful, that sort of thing.

During “[A Past Remembrance]”, when Baek Geun-soo hadn’t seen Seoyeon in her role as Princess Yeonhwa because he had been in the middle of preparing for a crucial tournament at the team’s practice room, this was his first time seeing her in person.

And what did he feel? Simply put, it was the kind of appearance where the word “overwhelming” perfectly made sense.

An aura unique to professional actors, coupled with the impenetrable stoic expression that didn’t easily welcome approach.

Along with the subtly chilling air she carried, the male esports club members could do nothing but gulp nervously.

Frankly, it didn’t even feel like she was their peer.

“Even the announcer I saw at a tournament can’t compare.”

No matter how renowned that announcer was for her beauty, she still couldn’t hold a candle to real-life actors.

Even Lee Jiyeon, in her own way, carried an intimidating presence.

With her cat-like upward-slanting eyes and overall sharp features, combined with an appearance that was undeniably strikingly beautiful, both she and Seoyeon were almost like the natural enemies of the esports club’s male members.

Why?

How?

Neither of them seemed to belong in a place like this.

“Is the status of esports getting this high these days?”

It was true that these days, some celebrities would post pictures on their Instagram accounts after watching a match as part of their image management.

Some even made direct visits.

Honestly, everyone had assumed it was just for that purpose…or was it something else?

“Excuse me.”

Interrupting Baek Geun-soo, lost in such musings, was Jiyeon’s voice, tinged with a mild sense of impatience.

“Are we going to stay standing here forever?”

“No, no, definitely not! Not at all! Nope!”

Flustered, Baek Geun-soo frantically waved his hands. Meanwhile, the other members of the esports club watched him with disdainful eyes.

Here was a guy who clearly looked like someone who’d had no experience talking to girls, and watching him act that way was just plain embarrassing on his behalf.

“So…”

Baek Geun-soo recalled the words Seoyeon has said earlier.

After the introductions, Seoyeon had said:

“Yes, I’d like to experience esports. I’m still without a club activity.”

This statement further puzzled those around her.

“Don’t actors usually join the drama club?”

The nearby Jiyeon herself belonged to the drama club.

Though she wasn’t particularly active, she was formally affiliated with it.

Since club activities could earn extra credit for grades, a lot of students would join clubs without being actively involved.

“Ah, but… can you… or do you know how to play games?”

“Although, why do you talk to someone older like that?”

Seoyeon questioned the hesitant way Baek Geun-soo spoke.

He was a year older than her, his senior.

However, based on his demeanor alone, one would easily mistake him for her junior.

“Ah, ahem! Then, let’s speak casually!”

“Yes.”

“But do you know how to play games?”

“Of course.”

Seoyeon furrowed her brow as if to say, why on earth are you asking me such a thing.

Because of that, the male students’ gazes shifted to Baek Geun-soo, piercing him.

“No, no! We need to figure out your skill level properly.”

“Why would you normally ask like that if you were curious about someone’s skill?”

“Hmph.”

The reproachful comments from fellow club members left Baek Geun-soo speechless.

Fine, then let them handle the conversation.

Everyone stood about two meters apart from each other, awkwardly holding the conversation until it became too comical to maintain.

“Alright… got it.”

In a nutshell, this was what Seoyeon conveyed.

Seoyeon was interested in esports, specifically League of Legends.

There were many leagues, lots to watch, and it was often featured on internet broadcasts.

Roughly for those reasons.

“Would you like to play a game with us?”

“Yes!”

Seoyeon replied with full enthusiasm.

Finally, I’m here.

‘Although at home, I couldn’t focus because of Dad.’

But surely here, it would be different.

Frankly, unlike console games, Seoyeon privately felt confident.

After all, it’s basic for TS characters to become experts in AOS games.

‘I’m feeling a bit uneasy though…’

Jiyeon decided to observe rather than participate.

Jiyeon had some knowledge of League of Legends.

Naturally, given that she acted as Ramiel, she couldn’t avoid knowing about it to some extent.

She had to keep up with the topics her viewers talked about, so even though she didn’t actively play, her related knowledge was fairly comprehensive.

In that sense, Seoyeon’s choice was worrisome in many ways.

“Top?”

The 5-man queue started.

Seoyeon immediately chose a top-lane champion.

Everyone’s eyes turned towards her.

Top lane, here?

Seoyeon declared confidently,

“I’m good at this.”

“Ah, okay.”

Who are they to question if she says she’s good?

Especially when she picked Irelia.

Recently reworked, it might have lowered in difficulty slightly, but it’s still notoriously hard for beginners…

‘No, she said she’s good, so she must be good.’

Doubting her like this is like looking down on her.

With that thought in mind, Baek Geun-soo headed to mid-lane.

And precisely 10 minutes later.

Seoyeon’s character stood motionlessly in front of the tower.

Checking her stats through the tab, [Irelia 0/7/0] hung there.

Her opponent Teemo said,

– Teemo : ? Giving up the game? Why aren’t you moving?

Of course, Seoyeon wanted to move.

If only her mouse hadn’t been smashed to smithereens, that is.

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