Chapter 33: Offline Match (2)

[When is this f*cking thing starting?]

[Para is pretty again today…]

[Log really doesn’t live up to its price, with the double-clicks and bugs]

[If it doesn’t live up to its price, then why do more than half of pros use log? (I’m genuinely curious)]

[Shut up and watch]

[Is Para playing today?]

“First of all, I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“We’d like to inform you that there is currently a tech pause due to an equipment issue with AN’s Roku player.”

“Equipment settings are important, aren’t they?”

“That’s right. Even I, a Diamond player, reset my monitor angle at home when I play solo queue.”

[The casters are struggling…end the pause quickly]

[But…this season, Shin Ha-ram is Master vs. Han Byul-i is Grandmaster. Who’s struggling?]

[Are you dissing Shin Ha-ram, a former pro and 2nd-year official caster, who’s currently in Diamond?]

[Since she’s not duoing with Para, Han Byul-i is also just a Yeti this season]

“I think the players are probably the ones who suffer the most during these pauses.”

“I agree. I heard that the noise continues to come from the headsets during pauses, is that right?”

“That’s right. I experienced headset noise during my playing days, and it’s not something you can just ignore.”

“What does it sound like? I’ve never used one since I’m not a former pro.”

“It’s like, you don’t hear it when you’re focused on the game, but during pauses like this, there’s no game sound or calls, so it’s quite difficult to hear it directly in your ears.”

[When is it starting?]

[I’m going crazy I’m going crazy I’m going crazy I’m going crazy]

[We’re all going to die!!!]

[I’ve experienced this pause]

[But why are you watching CK LOL]

[It’s nice that there are no simps here]

[010]

[010]

“The pause time is getting longer than expected.”

“It’s still fortunate that the pause happened during the pick and ban phase, isn’t it?”

“That’s true. If it happened during the game, it could have caused more problems. Thinking about it that way, it might be a good thing that it happened now.”

[Just f*cking start]

[Just throw them any keyboard and start]

[Why are they dragging it out when they’re just going to get crushed anyway]

“By the way, looking at the audience seats, I can see that many people have come.”

“Even though it’s dinner time, I don’t know the last time the CK league audience seats were full on a weekday.”

“There are also many people wearing uniforms, unlike usual.”

[There are a lot of people]

[There are more guys than usual?]

[Ah LOL I need to go see Para]

[The camera focusing on the players is a good move]

“And we can also see the players. They all look a little tired from waiting.”

“Para is also resting with her head on the desk.”

“But…”

[Para]

[Is she a mochi?]

[Wow, look at those cheeks]

“Since she’s still a young player, she still has some baby fat on her cheeks.”

“She usually has a sharp impression, but when she’s leaning like that, you can see that she hasn’t lost all her baby fat yet.”

“That’s part of her charm, isn’t it?”

“That’s right, she’s good at the game and pretty. She’s an incredible player in many ways.”

[Wow]

[I want to pull her cheeks]

[You’ll get arrested if you touch her]

[MyMiddleSchoolChallengerVLLChampionDebutMatchYasuoNautilusCarryMachineDontDissHer]

[This guy keeps adding more to it every time I see him]

LOL Gallery

Title: Para’s legend continues

(A gif of Yoon Seo-ha resting her chin on the desk and spacing out)

There’s no way anyone missed this scene in real time, right?

She usually looks like she has no fat on her face, this is interesting

Well, it’s normal for a 16-year-old to have baby fat

Is that a cheek or a mochi

Wow, look at those cheeks

It really looks like they’ll stretch if you pull them

LOL Gallery

Title: Para’s close-up in real-time

(A close-up photo of Yoon Seo-ha’s face)

The camera was on a roll, capturing the mochi cheeks, and as soon as she lifted her head, it went straight for a close-up

But she’s still pretty even like this;;

(Worship emoticon)

The mochi disappeared as soon as she lifted her head

Is it because her eyes are sharp?

She’s really pretty;;

Why is her skin so good

There’s nothing there

The surprising thing is that this is her without makeup…

LOL Gallery

Title: Is being pretty meaningful now?

Even if they get promoted, she has to be pretty in the LCK to have fans

I know because I used to be a fan of female idols

Girls always go through a drastic change when they go from middle school to high school

It’s meaningless to be a fan now LOL Waste of time

Have you not seen Para’s mother?

If you don’t know Para’s mother, why are you even on the LOL Gallery LOL

She’ll be even prettier, don’t worry about things like that LOL

Do you think genes are a joke?

This hater LOL Just go die

LOL

LOL Gallery

Title: There’s no way you didn’t come to watch this live, right?

(A photo of the Ark vs. AN match ticket and a uniform with Para’s name on it)

Unlike the LCK, which charges 20,000 won, they charge 8,000 won and always have a fan meeting?

This is what a tournament should be like LOL I brought the uniform that arrived yesterday to get an autograph after it’s over, how is it?

Damn, I’m jealous

When’s the next match? I’m going too

Is it true that the uniforms are sold out?

The Para uniforms sold out right after her debut match LOL

Should I just buy one without a name?

Yeah, I didn’t buy a uniform because I’m going to buy one when they get promoted~ (It’s definitely not because I couldn’t buy one)

The match ended in an obvious 2:0 victory.

The skill gap between the teams was just too big from the start.

Still, if I were to give my thoughts.

‘I wonder if they’ll be relegated.’

AN, unlike BU whom we met in our debut match, showed a performance that was truly befitting of the 2nd division.

I had a feeling we might see them in the 3rd division next year.

“Then go home safely, and I’ll come pick you up on the weekend for scrims.”

“Yes, you did a great job too, Manager Seo.”

I came home today in the car that Manager Seo drove again.

‘It’s a hassle to go back and forth.’

Honestly, I wanted to live in the dorm too.

No more 1-hour commutes, and I can stream comfortably.

But Manager Seo also goes home in the evening, so it was awkward to live in a place with only men.

‘I think everyone would be uncomfortable too.’

If I recall the memories from my past life, they were all guys who risked their lives for the game, so I didn’t think they’d make a pass at me.

But still, if a girl suddenly joined a group of guys living together, they would be mindful and uncomfortable.

‘I guess it’s fortunate that the team provides transportation.’

While I was having these thoughts, I opened the front door.

“Honey, you’re home?”

My mother was waiting for me at the entrance.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t go to your match today.”

As soon as I took off my shoes, my mother hugged me and stroked my hair.

I knew she was busy, so I didn’t mind that she didn’t come to cheer me on, but she seemed to feel sorry.

“It’s okay. Come when I make it to the 1st division.”

CK was such a small-scale event that there weren’t even team seats, but the LCK arena had team distinctions and separate seats for invited guests.

‘LoL Park is worth inviting someone to.’

The CK arena was honestly a bit lacking for inviting someone.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right?”

“No.”

“Then, go wash up quickly.”

As she said that, my mother touched my cheeks as usual.

‘Do people like this?’

I remembered seeing a few posts about my cheeks when I was browsing the community after the match.

I guess it feels nice and soft to the touch, but wouldn’t people prefer sharp jawlines over chubby cheeks?

Well, everyone has different tastes, so I didn’t think much of it.

[Victory]

As I lifted my headset, the cheers of the audience erupted.

I looked to the side and saw the bot duo hugging each other in joy, while the top and jungle were staring blankly at the monitor.

12 wins and 0 losses, this was the record Ark achieved after their last match of the Summer season.

‘Maybe we should have just lost.’

In CK, the 1st place team in the regular season and the winner of the playoffs among the 2nd to 5th place teams advance to the promotion tournament.

The current 2nd place team had 11 wins and 1 loss. If we had lost today’s match, we might have had to play a tiebreaker due to having the same record.

If we lost there, we would have had to play a best-of series in the playoffs, a do-or-die match in a row.

‘That might have been better.’

Now that I think about it, wouldn’t it have been better to start from the playoffs to give the team members more experience?

I packed my equipment with a strange sense of regret.

“Congratulations on 1st place.”

When we returned to the waiting room, the coach spoke to the team members with a calm expression.

Unlike the LCK, the CK playoffs winner is recorded as 2nd place, so in a way, we did win.

But the reason for his calmness was.

“Everyone, you’re confident about the promotion tournament, right?”

All the team members showed confidence at the coach’s words.

It was natural. They had overwhelmingly defeated even the teams they had lost to in the Spring and accumulated a perfect record.

The team members probably felt invincible right now.

‘Something’s strange.’

At the beginning of the season, I wanted to bring them victories and build their confidence.

But now that I saw them full of confidence, I felt strangely upset.

Why…?