Chapter 22: Quiet Desires and Unspoken Longings

[The Reason Parry Mask and Jjamppong Enthusiast Are the Same Person]

While browsing the forum, an intriguing post caught everyone’s attention.

It pointed out uncanny similarities between the current situation involving “Jjamppong Enthusiast” and the “Parry Mask” event from a few days ago.

Of course, the Parry Mask incident had gained widespread attention across multiple platforms,

with its impact so significant that even news outlets had reported on it.

Both incidents involved unconventional techniques that most players would never use, mastered to an extreme level.

However, when it came to sheer impact, the seven consecutive parries clearly took the crown.

Even so, Jjamppong Enthusiast’s unique and bizarre approach, demonstrated not in solo queue but in a major tournament,

was impressive enough to compare.

This led to some playful comments suggesting that Jjamppong Enthusiast and Parry Mask might actually be the same person.

Curious about this possibility, the poster conducted some research.

Eventually, they came to the conclusion that both were indeed the same individual.

The evidence? It started with one particular game record.

[Image]

The first screenshot showed Jjamppong Enthusiast’s solo queue history.

As you can see, their account hadn’t even completed the placement matches and remained unranked.

The account itself was less than a month old, strongly indicating it was a secondary account.

What stood out was a regular match played just a few days ago on the map “Ruined Ruins.”

The poster urged readers to remember the nicknames on the leaderboard.

[Image]

The second screenshot was from the game where Parry Mask had made their infamous appearance.

Searching through a different account, they found the match records.

The map and leaderboard names were identical.

In other words, Jjamppong Enthusiast had participated in the same game as Parry Mask.

Moreover, both were using the Bastard Sword as their primary weapon during the matches.

Parry Mask’s seven consecutive parries were performed with this sword,

and Jjamppong Enthusiast had been seen wielding the same weapon until the end.

Could this truly be a mere coincidence?

The poster didn’t think so.

This was just one of many circumstantial pieces of evidence connecting the two.

They speculated that a deeper investigation would undoubtedly uncover more.

However, this conclusion naturally raised a significant question:

Why didn’t Jjamppong Enthusiast utilize their unparalleled parrying skills during the tournament? Not even once did they perform a parry on screen.

The poster suggested a bold theory:

Jjamppong Enthusiast might be far more accomplished than anyone realizes possibly even a professional player.

They speculated that revealing their true abilities could draw unnecessary attention,

hence the reluctance to use advanced techniques like parrying.

[Comments]

Wow…

My head is spinning right now…

This is giving me chills.

Are they seriously the same person?

If this is true, what happens next? This is insane!

This single post threw the community into another uproar.

Previously, the discussions about Jjamppong Enthusiast had been confined to a niche audience.

But now, the situation flipped on its head, much like the Parry Mask incident a few days prior.

People began speculating wildly about Jjamppong Enthusiast’s true identity,

with amateur sleuths attempting to piece together any possible clues.

While most participants joined in casually, a few individuals began to recognize the seriousness of the situation.

[But if this is true, isn’t it a pretty big problem?]

It’s one thing for the two to be the same person, but the final part of that post can’t be ignored.

There’s a rule against professional players participating in amateur tournaments, right?

[Comments]

Exactly. The organizers are super strict about this kind of thing.

Wouldn’t they get banned if caught?

Probably just fined, but it’d definitely damage their reputation as a player.

Why can’t pros join amateur tournaments?

It’s mainly a rule from ELK. But I think they can participate if they get special permission?

The claim that Jjamppong Enthusiast is a pro is purely speculation.

True, but wouldn’t you agree their performance is on a professional level?

Maybe, but not many pros have such a peculiar style. Only a handful come to mind.

This identity speculation spiraled into endless discussions, with various pro players being put under the microscope.

However, as with many online mysteries, the case seemed destined to remain unsolved, buried under layers of theories and conjecture.

The theory that Parry Mask and Jjamppong Enthusiast were the same person continued to spread across every online community.

Of course, Ga-eul, who remained entirely uninterested in forums, had no idea that discussions about her were raging online.

“I’m hungry.”

“Really… Stop whining and wait. You’re not a baby.”

“Wahhh. Hungry.”

A baby?

Sure, if acting like a baby gets me food faster, I’ll gladly do it.

I’m not even kidding. That’s how famished I am right now.

Not only did I skip breakfast, but I also didn’t have lunch.

The only thing I consumed today was a drink that one of the part-timers handed me.

Even in such extreme hunger, I managed to secure first place and bring in some prize money.

Suah should truly be grateful to me for that. So, the least she can do is serve me some jjampong right now.

Sitting at the table, I watched Suah busily cooking in the kitchen.

Looking at her like this, she really does resemble a proper young bride. She’s sure to marry well someday.

Her only flaws? Maybe a slight airheadedness and a bit of rustic charm.

But then again, her visuals make those quirks kind of endearing.

“All done!”

Suah approached the table, carrying two steaming bowls of jjampong.

Ohhh, that heavenly aroma wafting over from a distance.

This, right here enjoying jjampong at the end of a long day is what heaven must feel like.

As we ate dinner, we chatted as usual.

“Did you have many customers today?”

“Same as always.”

In other words, hardly any.

Following our usual routine, I began offering her some unsolicited business advice.

“As I’ve told you countless times…”

“You mean making jjampong the main dish? Yes, yes, I hear you loud and clear.”

“…Hmph.”

She’s letting it go in one ear and out the other.

Honestly, if she just followed my solution, her business would have a great shot at success.

Slurping her jjampong, Suah mumbled, “My goal is to keep Grandpa’s restaurant running. ”

“We can think about growth after he comes back.”

“…”

She’s playing the emotional card, huh?

Bringing up her grandfather like that leaves me with nothing to argue.

Then, Suah smiled brightly and added, “Besides, there’s an easy way to succeed without going that far.”

“Hmm? There is? What is it?”

Could it be some secret recipe she’s been hiding?

If that’s the case, I’ll have to taste-test it and give my honest feedback.

I hope it’s jjampong-related.

Totally not because I’m biased, but jjampong would be ideal. Really.

Not biased at all.

“It’s simple. Just use your face for promotion.”

“…What?”

“Just putting your face on a flyer or better yet, standing in front of the restaurant to attract customers would have men lining up.”

Her absurd suggestion made my face twist into the most displeased expression possible.

Where does she come up with such ridiculous schemes?

This cannot go unpunished. Insolent children must be disciplined appropriately.

Flick!

“Ahh! That hurt!”

I delivered a solid flick to her forehead.

Surprisingly satisfying. This could get addictive.

“I’d rather have a knife to my throat than do something like that.”

“What a waste of a face. If I were you, I’d become a celebrity and make a fortune.”

“Quit the restaurant and become a celebrity? Really?”

“…Why not do both?”

An idol running a Chinese restaurant?

It would definitely make headlines. Beyond bold it’d be pure chaos.

“Celebrity this, celebrity that. I can’t stand all the unnecessary attention and the nuisance that comes with it. I just want to live quietly like this. That’s all I want.”

“…”

I don’t want to disrupt the life I’ve barely managed to carve out for myself.

I just want to keep living as the delivery person for Jja-wang, enjoying my gaming hobby on the side.

Suah seemed to be thinking deeply about my words.

After a moment, she cautiously opened her mouth to speak.

“…I don’t really know what kind of circumstances you’ve been through, but it’s okay if you stay here. I’d like us to stay like this, together.”

“Hmm.”

Her sudden confession caught me off guard, but I didn’t feel bad about it.

In fact, there was a soft, ticklish feeling that wasn’t unpleasant at all.

“Are you really okay with this?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.

“Hmm?”

“Don’t you miss your family or home?”

“…”

Suah’s question left me speechless for a moment.

Do I miss my family and home?

What can I even say?

Of course, I miss them. I’ve longed for them so intensely that I’ve cried myself to sleep on more than one occasion.

They are the only family I have left. The only home I’ll ever have.

I’ve never forgotten my brother, not for a single moment.