Chapter 56

‘Looks like you’re not in that much pain after all.’

After setting up his own company, deciding on broadcast hours, and officially turning professional streamer, Victory Jeon Wooseung thought while observing his friend.

The legendary figure’s promised broadcast schedule was from 4 PM to 8 PM, every day from Wednesday to Sunday.

Someone in constant pain wouldn’t be able to promise regular broadcasts like that.

‘Then again, is it too short?’

Five days a week, four hours each day, amounting to 20 hours weekly.

It wasn’t even a comparison to Victory’s own timetable—practicing over ten hours a day, six days a week, and still practicing even outside of that.

Comparing to people who work eight hours a day, five days a week, it still felt short—merely half of their 40-hour work week.

For a lot of professional streamers who broadcast for six to eight hours daily over five to six days, this schedule certainly was short.

‘Perhaps they’re not in great health.’

While the person in question has never specifically mentioned their health, their lifestyle speaks volumes, and not without reason are they nicknamed ‘ByunggaCheong’—a shortening for frail, pitiable, and elegant.

The “frail” comes from being sent to the hospital during a Challenger tournament. The “pitiable” stems from their tiny, delicate hands exposed in public. And the “elegant” is attributed to their clear pronunciation and serene voice.

The nickname, awkward as its sound, seemed fitting like few others.

“Are you watching your girlfriend broadcast again?”

“Stop saying things that can be misunderstood, hyung.”

“Come on, she’s a girl and a friend, so that’s a girlfriend.”

“No, don’t play around with words.”

Team member Selene Choi Jooan started a conversation.

The pro gamers’ schedules were pretty similar overall.

Getting up around midday, eating breakfast, then scrimming from 1 PM till 4 PM. From 4 PM to 7 PM was free time to eat or relax. Then another round of scrims from 7 PM to 11 PM. And finally, from 11 PM till 4 AM, personal streaming or self-practice.

With only one day of weekly rest, this punishing schedule was tough even for the youngest, most robust athletes in their late teens to early twenties. No wonder many said the short career spans of pro gamers were largely due to this intense schedule.

That wasn’t the point though.

The point was—Sol’s streaming time fit perfectly within pro gamers’ free time.

Sol’s streaming schedule, from 4 PM to 8 PM, aligned with the pro gamer’s free time from 4 PM to 7 PM.

Victory was utilizing his own free time to watch Sol stream.

And one of the teammates came teasing Victory after witnessing it.

‘If only they’d been a guy.’

It was awkward, so awkward. Why is the world so hypersensitive to male-female friendships?

Even calling them “close” feels ironic. If they were really close, it wouldn’t have been just three years ago. All they’ve really shared is those days gaming together.

Today, things have gotten awkward between them.

It’s because the world never lets opposite-sex friendships be simple. And for a superstar like Victory, who’s under constant scrutiny, it’s especially difficult. Worse when Sol has already set personal boundaries.

If they had simply been male friends, they would have exchanged numbers, met up, talked about gaming, and become closer. But because she’s a girl, even asking for her number or scheduling a meeting became impossible. How truly unfortunate.

“Where can you meet people in the game?”

Finally, Sol had entered that stage.

The summit where Teamfight Arena’s champions clashed. The Challenger domain.

With both of them now eligible to meet again in-game.

Their first rematch ended in Victory’s defeat, but that wasn’t significant. After all, they always exchanged victories and losses in their matches.

It was just a joyous reunion.

‘As long as they don’t disappear again.’

At one point, the legendary figure vanished abruptly, and the loss Victory felt was significant.

Discovering the legendary figure’s return after three years brought immense happiness—because they could compete again.

Even as a superstar, Victory sought to clear his friend of suspicion because they were special.

The only rival and equal he had, a cherished adversary.

But because she was female, and because of societal opinions, they couldn’t grow closer.

Feeling stifled to the point of insanity. He just wanted to play with her again, yet it was so complicated.

For now, everything was fine. But if she vanished again without a word?

He might really lose his temper then.

‘Regen.’

His curiosity about who she was in reality derived from the fear that one day she might disappear again. Yet, he couldn’t get any closer because he feared she might vanish if he did.

Just feeling overwhelmed, with no one to confide in.

There was a significant event.

It was the release of the Magical Girls Chronik movie.

Magical Girls Chronik isn’t an old property anymore! It’s still in the present!

‘Amy cried. She was moved. Sobbed.’

As someone who usually avoids going out, this wasn’t a regular situation for me. Watching the Magical Girls Chronik movie at the cinema is practically mandatory, isn’t it?

Venus, I love you!

I watched the first screening starting early in the morning. Then after breakfast, the second showing. After heading home to rest a bit, I returned for the third screening.

Am I crazy? No, this is love.

“Gyaaaak!”

What the heck. These people didn’t shuffle the photocard sets, right!?

Of course, watching the movie thrice in one day was out of pure love for the fandom, but the photocard given as a movie special was also one of the reasons.

‘What’s this? Three Noksu cards?!’

Are you saying they didn’t shuffle the photocards? Is it possible that each box just contains the same set of cards, and they are continuously handing out only Noksu’s cards? The probability of getting Noksu is 1 in 7 with a single card. With three in a row, that’s 1 in 343.

It feels more reasonable to assume the theater side isn’t shuffling the cards rather than thinking I hit a 1/343 chance.

It’s intolerable!

I’ve decided to confront the ticket seller. Random distribution should mean giving randomly, right? Handing out only Noksu is practically a crime!

Don’t ignore the important matter of a fan!

“Excuse me, I came for the early screening and then the morning one, and now this, the third screening. I’ve only been given Noksu cards. Haven’t you shuffled the photocards? It’s supposed to be random, right?”

“Dear customer, the special photocard for this movie is distributed with equal probability, as confirmed.”

“Are you sure they’re shuffled?”

“Yes, they are.”

“But I’ve got three Noksu cards in a row!”

1 in 343. Although highly unlikely to occur, it’s not entirely impossible. It’s an ambiguous probability.

“Hey, don’t you want to trade my Venus card?”

At that moment, one viewer observing my argument with the staff approached and proposed a trade.

“’Venus!’”

“I’ve been looking for Venus’s card!”

“Yes!” I replied eagerly before looking at the person closely.

Huh? A familiar face? Despite this person also wearing a mask, I recognized those familiar eyes and voice.

‘Victory?!’

Oh right, if you were here, I knew you’d come to the theater! But… was my identity exposed!?

‘I’ve heard that the voice you hear through a microphone is quite different from someone’s real voice.’

But my expensive microphone conveys the almost exact replica of the real voice. What a waste buying this expensive thing.

’Alter my voice.’

Voice modulation ON.

“Let’s exchange them.”

“?”

It’s done for! Now he’s looking at me suspiciously because of the sudden voice change! Luckily, I’m wearing a mask and sunglasses!

It would have been more embarrassing if I appeared as a stunning girl. Thanks to my habit of disguising myself!

“Thank you.”

Thankfully, I succeeded in trading cards without revealing my identity to Victory.

I love you, Venus! Venus is irresistible!

After the swap, I fled quickly into the theater. Once seated, we wouldn’t have to see each other again.

……

‘Why are we in the same row!’

It was a Monday, not a holiday.

Such an awkward time for a 3 PM screening meant most seats were empty.

This wasn’t because Magical Girls Chronik was obsolete—it was only due to the date and timing.

With that in mind, I chose a great seat, and Victory seemed to think the same.

There were only two empty seats between me and him.

Watching the movie in the same row made me so uncomfortable.

‘Good luck.’

Victory was feeling good.

The random photocard he received as a special bonus featuring Venus was unlucky because what he really wanted was a Noksu card. When he inquired with the woman arguing with the staff, who seemed dissatisfied with getting three Noksu cards, if she’d trade her Venus card, she readily agreed.

‘She’s watched it three times? She must be very dedicated.’

The woman, who was wearing sunglasses and a mask indoors, seemed quite suspicious, but Victory, not particularly concerned if she were a celeb, was only focused on the Noksu card. After the trade, he entered the theater, finding the woman who had just traded him the card sitting on the same row.

Even though there were two empty seats between them, it was close enough to easily see each other’s faces.

Still, Victory avoided glancing at her, considering it impolite and remembering that even he conceals his identity due to his fame.

During the movie:

“Hiccup.”

A sobbing sound came from the side, making Victory instinctively turn his head to see the woman had taken off her sunglasses to focus on the movie.

‘Mask beauty, right?’

She was crying and looked even prettier than the animated characters on screen, captivating Victory’s gaze so strongly that he momentarily forgot to breathe.

“Shouldn’t this character be on the screen, not sitting right beside me?”

Even under the mask, her appearance ranked among all the most beautiful women Victory had ever seen.

This naturally made him curious about what lay beneath the mask.

Only after over a minute did Victory regain his composure.

Fortunately, the woman, absorbed in the screen, remained unaware of his staring. Despite having watched it three times already, she appeared deeply engrossed. Victory guessed she truly loved the anime if she didn’t just sell the ticket for the prize. Her shared enthusiasm gave him a sense of camaraderie, though they’d likely never meet again.

---