Chapter 33: Bonds, Battles, and Beef

As soon as I saw the screen announcing the end of the game, I let out a deep sigh.

I loosened the taut string of tension I’d been holding onto, took off my headset,

and realized I was drenched in sweat without even noticing it.

“Phew….”

It had been so long since I’d concentrated this much.

Of course, I’d always focused on every match with the goal of winning,

but this level of exhilaration was something I hadn’t felt since returning to reality.

My teammates, sitting next to me, seemed to register the game’s conclusion a beat later than I did, taking off their headsets as if following my lead.

They kept opening and closing their mouths, seemingly unable to find the right words to say.

Finally, as their trembling eyes regained focus, they burst out with excitement.

“Player Jjamppong!”

“We… we got first place! We actually got first place!!”

“That last moment… It was… Be honest, you weren’t using hacks, were you?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

When they heard my response, they must have realized the win was real because their excitement exploded even more.

My ears weren’t even bothered by the noise anymore. Maybe I’d grown immune to it after hearing it so much.

Honestly, I didn’t mind. If I had even a bit more energy left, I might have joined in their celebration.

This victory felt more significant than any of the previous ones.

A sudden thought crossed my mind it would be a win I’d remember for a long time.

But I couldn’t just bask in the joy of winning. There was still one thing I needed to address.

I immediately turned to my teammates and told them, “You two should go collect the prize money.”

“What? You want us to take it without you?”

“You know I don’t like being in the spotlight.”

“But still…”

They both looked a bit flustered.

I understood why it must have been awkward to receive the spotlight without the player who carried the game.

But for me, that kind of attention had no benefits. In fact, it was more of a hassle than anything else.

When I held firm on my stance, my teammates eventually nodded in reluctant agreement.

“Of course, we’ll split the prize money evenly.”

“…Is that really fair, though?”

“I feel like Player Jjamppong should get a bigger share for carrying us!”

The prize money wasn’t given individually but awarded to the team as a whole, which made it a little tricky.

Still, it was better to settle these things clearly.

Even though I trusted them, it’s always best to be thorough when it comes to money.

If we split the prize money based on contributions to the win, would we really be able to find a ratio that satisfied everyone?

Even if they said they were fine with it, they might secretly hold grudges.

In the end, the simplest solution was to divide it evenly into three parts.

That had been my plan all along, and I’d already done the math beforehand.

I’d handled it the same way during the last online duo tournament.

“I’m only going to say this once. The prize money will be split evenly three ways, no exceptions.”

“Ugh…”

PingPong groaned dramatically, clearly frustrated but unwilling to argue further.

Then, HaneulBean hesitated for a moment before suggesting cautiously, “How about this, then? Instead of arguing over the money, why don’t we treat you to an after-party?”

“…An after-party?”

“Yes! We’ll split the prize money evenly, but let us cover the cost of celebrating.”

PingPong’s face immediately lit up at the idea, and she clapped her hands enthusiastically.

“That’s a great idea! Let’s go drink! Let’s gooo!”

“I haven’t even said yes yet.”

“Aw, come on! Pleeease?”

She clung to my arm and began pestering me with exaggerated cuteness.

I didn’t want to admit it, but with her good looks, the scene wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

In the end, I let out a resigned sigh and gave in.

“Fine, but first, go collect the prize money.”

“Really? You said yes! Woohoo!”

“Alright, Player Jjamppong. We’ll be right back!”

Their energy skyrocketed as they ran off in high spirits.

Watching them, I couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Regardless of their gaming skills, I couldn’t deny they were good people.

As they enthusiastically answered interview questions, I pulled out my phone.

Then, I called Suah.

“Hello? Unni?”

“How’s the shop doing?”

“Same as always. Did your tournament end?”

“Yeah. So, I might be having dinner with my teammates tonight.”

“Oh, wow. Unni, actually making dinner plans with someone? That’s a first!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

As I hung up the phone, I couldn’t help but sigh at Suah’s odd sense of humor.

‘Why is she so touched over the smallest things?’

Of course, she wasn’t wrong. Since returning to reality, all my old connections had been cut off.

Aside from Suah, I didn’t have anyone close anymore. Actually, there wasn’t “almost” no one there really was no one else.

Yeah, maybe it was understandable that she found it moving.

From her perspective, her introverted, reclusive older sister was actually socializing for once.

“Wait… is it with a guy?”

“One guy and one girl. It was a three-person team.”

“Is the guy good-looking?”

“Can we not go there? I’m not interested in dating.”

“Hehe, but you never know. You could meet your destined partner any day now.”

‘Destined partner, my foot.’ I didn’t even have my sexual identity figured out yet, let alone any thoughts about romance.

Was this what people meant when they talked about being part of a sexual minority?

Considering my TS circumstances, I guess it wasn’t surprising to feel this way.

“Anyway, make sure you eat dinner, okay?”

“You’re acting like you’re the one cooking dinner for me.”

“…Touché. Fine, eat with Hongseol or something.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m a high schooler, you know. I can handle dinner on my own. You just enjoy yourself tonight.”

Honestly, Suah was too mature for me to worry about. Sometimes, her grown-up demeanor caught me off guard.

Ending the call, I got up from my seat. Staying here too long would just attract attention.

I glanced over to where my teammates were standing.

They’d already collected the prize money and seemed to be chatting with members of another team.

I couldn’t hear the details, but the atmosphere looked tense definitely not friendly. Should I intervene?

After some hesitation, I decided to just observe.

No need to jump in without knowing what was going on.

Thankfully, the situation didn’t seem to escalate. Relieved, I found a spot nearby to wait for them.

Eventually, they spotted me and approached.

Their expressions weren’t exactly bright more like they’d stepped in something unpleasant.

“What happened?” I asked.

“Those people over there? They’re the team we faced in the final round,” Pinggok explained.

Ah, that made sense. They’d been good scarily good. At least two of them were probably Grand Master level.

Honestly, we were lucky to have won. If not for some well-timed opportunities, things could’ve gone very differently.

“And?”

“They kept insisting they wanted to talk to you,” Hanuelkong added.

I tilted my head. That wasn’t too unusual, was it?

Considering my current reputation as Jjambbong Enthusiast, it wasn’t surprising that they might want to meet me.

Especially since they’d narrowly missed out on winning, they probably wanted to exchange a few words.

“I explained politely that it wouldn’t be possible. I told them you don’t like being in the spotlight,” Hanuelkong continued.

“And then they started throwing a tantrum. At one point, they even said they knew you were a former pro and that you should be careful. It was basically a threat!” Pinggok fumed.

Now I understood why they looked so upset.

If I’d been in their shoes, I’d be just as indignant. Playing with me and seeing my skills firsthand must’ve made it even more frustrating for them.

“Let’s talk more outside. Did you get the prize money?”

“Oh, right! Here, we’ll give it to you now!”

I accepted it without hesitation.

Not that I didn’t trust them, of course it’s just better to settle these things immediately. Otherwise, someone might forget after a round or two of drinks.

With the money secured, the three of us left the PC café together.

The weather was clear and sunny, the perfect backdrop for our celebratory mood.

Even though it wasn’t quite dinner time yet, I was already feeling a bit hungry after playing so intensely.

“What should we eat?” I asked.

“We’ve got cash let’s go all out!” Pinggok said enthusiastically.

“How about we start with dinner at a nice restaurant and then hit a bar for round two?” Hanuelkong suggested.

“I’m in! How about you, Jjambbong Enthusiast?”

Backing out now would be awkward, especially since I didn’t really mind the idea.

“Let’s figure out the restaurant first.”

“Hmm… Korean beef? Or sushi?”

Pinggok’s suggestions earned a disapproving look from Hanuelkong, who shook his head.

“Pinggok, where’s your sense of occasion?”

Even I was caught off guard by his serious tone.

“What’s wrong with Korean beef or sushi?” I asked, genuinely puzzled.

Hanuelkong’s eyes sparkled as if he’d uncovered the ultimate truth.

“With Jjambbong Enthusiast here, it’s obvious we should go to a Chinese restaurant!”

“No thanks.”

I shut him down immediately.

The look of devastation on his face was almost comical, but I didn’t feel guilty.

‘Sorry, but unless it’s Suah’s jjambbong, I’m not interested.’

“Korean beef it is,” I said decisively.

“See? Great minds think alike!” Pinggok exclaimed triumphantly.

“Are you sure? Korean beef is expensive, even with the prize money,” I cautioned.

“Come on, if it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t even have this money. Let’s splurge a little!”

I couldn’t argue with that logic.

Before I realized it, Hanuelkong had looped his arm through mine, grinning ear to ear.

‘When did he even…?’

His movements had been so natural, I hadn’t noticed until it was too late.