In order to enforce a promise, it’s better to have as many witnesses as possible.
Although I didn’t think Revan was the type to break a promise and slip away…people are unpredictable. In fact, I hadn’t even imagined that he would undergo a dark evolution.
So, it seemed necessary to make things an established fact.
Still, yes.
I was in a rarely refreshing mood. While it hadn’t been confirmed that Revan would cosplay—there was still room for him to vehemently reject the idea…and thus, a need to cancel if necessary.
After all…we still didn’t know exactly what was talked about that day. If he resisted so much that even I, despite being drunk, ended up agreeing to do it myself—thinking about it, it felt wrong to force it too much.
… Regardless, the fans would love it. Should I just go ahead and confirm it?
I glanced around briefly at the rather bustling audience. I heard the capacity was a few hundred people, but having them all gathered made it seem like so many.
The ten thousand, twenty thousand viewers who would come when the broadcast was on—realizing how truly unrealistic those numbers were. If so many were coming to see me and would continue to come, it felt a bit overwhelming.
… I wondered how many would come if I started a broadcast right now.
People shouting various slogans. As I listened to the loud hum, a new kind of greed seemed to sprout. While I was briefly pondering—
“Ah…haha. Retirement, you say! Our GetDevoured, who possesses humor comparable to her skill in KoK. Now then—next, with today’s victory, you’ve earned the right to represent the Korean server. Please say a few words to your supporting fans!”
The voice of the commentator handling the interview was heard. Hmm… Ah, fans. Fans, indeed.
“Yes… thank you for watching over me. I always want to give something back, but it’s always difficult. And—”
I wanted to say something about the competition—but hesitation held my tongue. I didn’t know how much I could say. Even though I had a lot I wanted to say.
The sense of obligation had waned.
Just as I had arrived here one day, I might suddenly leave one day—this fear led me to urgently find various obligations and goals to wrap myself in ties. When something faded, I connected the next link—and continued searching for something else.
But—
“GetDevoured! GetDevoured! GetDevoured!”
“I love you!”
“Noonaaa!”
“Please look here just once!”
“Throw that cam away!”
Now, even without such things — standing on solid ground, it felt like I could stay put without floating away.
“Oh, it seems our GetDevoured is getting emotional thinking about all the fans who supported her. She’s a warrior who dominates the battlefield, but in front of her fans, she’s a tender hero. Everyone, please give her a big round of applause!”
I had entered the tournament with the thought of doing something for the fans. Luckily, I had never actually said that out loud.
By now, I was just enjoying myself. Who was supporting whom, really?
Once again, I scanned the audience. Among the shouting crowd, Revan looked somewhat anxious in the front row. And Ahri, who was shouting so loudly that it seemed to make the person next to her uncomfortable… She should probably tone it down a bit.
Jinhee… hmm. She seemed to be mouthing something, but from this distance, I couldn’t see what it was.
It looked like “calm down”, but it couldn’t be.
Slowly, from the back to the front, I quickly scanned each member of the audience. While it would be impossible to remember every face, I wanted to take in each one.
About halfway through, my gaze abruptly stopped at a familiar silhouette. Most of her face was hidden by a placard, but I was certain.
Lee Yeri…
No, it was my sister.
The phrase on the placard seemed to be something from elementary school days.
“Milky White” … Now that’s something people used to say 20 years ago. At least, I hadn’t heard it in the past 10 years. Unless Ahri used it in a protest or something.
Either way, it probably meant she had been living diligently without attending such events since elementary school.
Yet, somehow — that felt even better. Without any prior notice or contact, the fact that she just came made me happier. Being able to show her and all these people chanting my nickname…
Why was that?
I felt relieved.
Was it the excitement of the tournament that made me feel this way? Or perhaps the strong adrenaline rush I hadn’t felt in a long time?
No, the reason probably didn’t matter.
“Oh. Earlier, you mentioned promoting the broadcast… Is it alright if I do that for a moment?”
“Of course! Go ahead, please!”
“Tomorrow evening, there will be an important… well, it might not be major, but an announcement is scheduled. I’ll notify you of the time separately, so if you’re curious, I would appreciate it if you could join.”
“Yes, our GetDevoured player’s significant announcement! Fans, you absolutely cannot miss this. Viewers, please look forward to GetDevoured’s personal broadcast as well. Ah, what a radiant smile! Now, moving on—”
As my heart lightened, a thought crept in—perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to be a bit ambitious.
For myself.
For my fans.
For my friends.
* * * *
-Clink!
The sound of a toast echoed at the afterparty.
“Now that we’ve settled in, once again! Congratulations on winning! Seriously, seriously! I was so nervous, it was hard to watch. Truly, congratulations! How did you get so good? Did you suddenly awaken?”
Kim Jinhee, sitting across from the star of the moment, Lee Yena, offered yet another round of congratulations, the number of which was already uncountable.
Her unusually excessive enthusiasm was due to a strange sense of competition with Yoon Ahri, who ceaselessly praised Yena as if reciting a hymn.
The bonus was the slightly embarrassed look on Yena’s face, which was a rare sight to enjoy.
“…It was by a hair’s breadth. I even lost a set. In the end, it’s thanks to the experience that I won… If we face off again, who knows what will happen.”
“It was 3-0… Oh, you’re talking about the semifinals. But, but, why don’t you speak informally to me? You speak informally to Shihoon oppa now, don’t you? I might just cry out of disappointment. When did you two start speaking informally?”
“… I will. Here. Don’t cry, have some melon. It’s delicious.”
Yena, hurriedly shoving the fruit into Jinhee’s mouth, seemed to be hiding something, but it was clearly something good.
Judging by Shihoon’s wry smile, it seemed there wasn’t any particularly sweet event that had taken place.
“By the way, I’d like to hear a bit about that important announcement tomorrow.”
“…It’s not that major.”
“That’s for me to judge, so just tell me. Do you know how many posts your fans have written in the cafe, wondering what it is?”
Jinhee glanced at Shihoon briefly. She pretended to be angry, but—she was bad at acting.
Could Lee Yena also sense that Jinhee was not genuinely upset?
“… It’s nice, isn’t it, being bustling like this. Here, 16, have some melon. You’re only irritated because you’re low on sugar.”
She subtly avoided eye contact while offering the melon on a fork. She wasn’t feeding him directly, though. Jinhee managed to calm the corners of her mouth that were about to rise despite herself. She wasn’t sure if this distance was a good thing or a bad thing.
Still, she decided to enjoy what she could at the moment.
When she offered a grape to Yena’s mouth, Yena hesitated for a moment before opening her lips slowly. Then she turned her head away, lowering her gaze. Was she embarrassed?
Jinhee once again tried to suppress the smile creeping up and put on a calm expression. She couldn’t let it show. If Yena knew how cute she thought she was, she would probably never accept food again. The grape she just accepted was likely just because she had already fed Jinhee earlier. It would have been difficult for her to refuse after that.
Thus, as she engaged in a strategic battle over fruit,
“By the way, there’s a petition for a tax audit on Shihoon oppa. Look. Wow, look at how fast the support count is going up. They must have shared this. Can I agree too?”
Ahri showed the phone screen with a bright smile.
“… It would be easier to laugh it off if it was a petition for his execution. Your fans are really something…. Anyway, when I write the announcement later, I’ll say it was just a cosplay collaboration bet. Please don’t fuel the fire.”
“That, I can’t promise.”
“I swear, I’ll make sure you do cosplay too by any means necessary.”
“Here, calm down and have some more melon-”
As the chaotic drinking party continued, with glasses being filled and emptied multiple times,
Taking advantage of the confusion, Jinhee succeeded in placing another grape in Yena’s mouth. She recalled the first drinking party they had together.
Back then, Yena looked so precarious, talking about incomprehensible dreams, as if she might just sink and disappear. That image of Yena was deeply embedded in Jinhee’s mind.
But for some reason, the Yena now, chewing on the grape with some difficulty, looked somewhat steadier. It wasn’t long ago that she seemed like she would blow away with the wind, needing to be held onto tightly.
No, thinking about it, the change hadn’t happened overnight. Gradually. Bit by bit, she had changed. Even though Jinhee had watched these changes unfold, she couldn’t quite understand what had spurred them—
But, in reality, understanding Yena had always been rare for her.
She could only hope that it was a good change.
“I… I’m full.”
“Casual speech.”
“… Your eyes are scary.”
TL’s Corner:
This chapter made me feel emotional for some reason.