NOVEL NEXT Chapter 76
“Test? What test?”
“Professional entry.”
“…Huh?”
Mother coughed lightly a few times, as if she momentarily choked, and then spoke with a trembling voice.
“Really? A professional gamer?”
“Yep.”
In the past, which now seemed like a distant memory, I had once faced despair in my dream of being a professional gamer.
Mother, who had cheered for me more than anyone else, was well aware of this fact, so her somewhat sullen reaction was inevitable.
“W-When?”
Still, Mother didn’t seem intent on stopping me, and she responded with another question.
“I haven’t set a date yet… Probably sometime next week?”
I hadn’t contacted YSG yet, but it didn’t matter if it was faster or slower;
‘First, I’ll take the test, and then I’ll think about the rest after passing.’
Once I pass, I can do whatever I want until I sign the contract, right?
…Or maybe not? But either way, what does it matter?
“Really?”
Mother set her tea cup down and paused, deep in thought.
“…What do you need? Do you have everything?”
“Well, I’m not sure yet. I haven’t contacted anyone.”
“Then let’s go buy some clothes first.”
“Why clothes all of a sudden?”
I thought we had just gone shopping recently… hadn’t we?
“An entry test must be an important occasion, right? You can’t go looking like that! No way.”
“Am I really going like this? I have pretty clothes.”
Now that I think about it, I’ve gotten so used to the term “pretty” that it doesn’t even faze me anymore; it seems I’m getting a bit too excited.
“That’s winter wear.”
“It’s winter right now.”
“Spring is coming soon.”
But it’s still pretty cold outside…
Looking out the window, I could still see patches of white, or no, black snow covering the ground.
Despite how the weather is, Mother still firmly believes that our country has all four distinct seasons.
Well… it’s not entirely wrong. Even if it’s not like it used to be, we still do have four seasons.
“Well, I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Uh, um…”
“Why? Do you have something to say?”
“…No, I don’t.”
I felt it was pointless to try to persuade Mother whatever I said.
She used to indulge my stubbornness without question, but now it had completely flipped.
‘…How did it get to this?’
Of course, I didn’t dislike it… but I sometimes miss the days when Mother unconditionally cared for me.
‘But still, this is for me, so…’
With all these pointless thoughts swirling in my head, I realized I was getting a bit too pumped about the test offer.
‘Who knows.’
I’m sure things will work out somehow.
*
“How’s it going?”
They say humans are creatures of adaptation.
I don’t want to agree, but my body is honestly nodding along, so maybe it’s true.
“Yeah, yeah.”
“And this?”
“Everything’s fine.”
Mother had led me to a different department store than the one we visited last time.
It wasn’t the usual luxury clothing store but rather a more ordinary one… maybe a bit younger in vibe? Anyway, something like that.
“Stop just saying it.”
“Everything’s fine, I tell you.”
“Then I guess we’re buying this long skirt too. Please ring up this one here as well.”
“Uh, what?”
I was nodding absentmindedly as a reflex, when I suddenly noticed the wrapped clothing and gaped.
“Why?”
“…Did you already buy it?”
“You said it was fine, right?”
“That… well, no.”
I bought it, but I can always not wear it. Yeah, that should be fine.
“You’re not a bother, so I won’t force you here, but you have to try it on at least once when you get home. Got it?”
“……”
I hesitated to respond.
I felt like if I gave a half-hearted answer, something unmanageable might happen.
“Mom!”
Maybe it was because it was her first outing in a while, but my younger sibling, who had been in the library, rushed straight to the department store upon hearing the news from Mother.
She must have been all excited to try and dress me up again.
“…Did you call her too?”
“I told her we were going out for the first time in ages. Why, don’t you like her coming?”
“Not that… It’s just…”
I felt like the fatigue would double.
Of course, I kept that last part to myself.
They say when women hold grudges, frost can form in midsummer; I didn’t want to say anything unnecessary.
“…I don’t mind if I buy clothes.”
“Well, then you won’t buy anything.”
“What do you mean? I have so many clothes these days.”
Shopping online, where you don’t need to go out, is one of my pretty decent hobbies.
Of course, among those were a few useless items I impulsively bought due to viral ads, but there were also clothes.
“They’re all the same. Why do you like hoodies so much? Do you really enjoy wrapping yourself up like that?”
My sister was throwing me some light shade, and I countered.
“What do you mean? The colors and designs are slightly different.”
“Ugh.”
I understand why they want to dress me in those strange clothes, but shouldn’t they show a little consideration if the person doesn’t like them?
“Hey, sis!”
“Uh, what?!”
Even as I thought that, my body reacted to my sister’s call like Pavlov’s dog.
“Try this on. I saw it last time we came, and it’ll suit you perfectly.”
“…Can’t I just try it on when I get home?”
“No way! You need to try it on before buying.”
My sister can be even more determined than Mother in some cases.
“…Fine.”
I’m tired.
*
Clump, clump.
Back home, I obviously didn’t try on the new clothes but instead stood in front of the computer.
While shopping, I had opted to focus my energy on the offer rather than the shopping itself.
Soon, I reached a conclusion.
“Whew…”
I’m so nervous.
According to a survey by a major organization, around 40% of the baby boomer generation and 76% of millennials report experiencing call phobia.
Maybe because of that, Coach YSG Park Tae-Hyung left a contact that also included his ID for the national messaging app.
There’s no need to contemplate dialing with a phone number right in front of me.
‘If worse comes to worst, I can always text… but typing on a keyboard is a lot more comfortable.’
Instead of mulling over it while holding my smartphone, I opened the PC version of the messaging app.
Of course, I could text from the PC, but isn’t that process kind of a hassle?
[Hi, this is Outlaw, who suggested the test the other day.]
With my pounding heart in check, I carefully typed out the message letter by letter.
Contrary to my expectations, the response didn’t come right away.
Five minutes passed.
“Hmm.”
As I stared blankly at the message app, waiting for the ‘1’ to disappear, another ten minutes passed.
Fifteen minutes.
Twenty minutes.
Thirty minutes.
And then… one hour.
[Oh, hi. I’m sorry for the late reply. Have you thought about our suggestion?]
The response came precisely one hour and fourteen minutes after I sent my text.
I was quite surprised that I had never experienced such a long wait before when receiving various proposals as a prisoner, but… well, they must have been busy.
[Yes. Can I take the test?]
[Good decision. When would you be available?]
[Any time is good for me.]
[Oh, then how about next Monday?]
[Yes.]
[Alright. If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask where you live…?]
[I’m in Jongno.]
[Ah, fortunately, that’s close to our dormitory. You can come straight to the dorm. I think around 2 PM should be good; do you have a preferred time?]
[I’m fine with any time.]
[Great. I’ll see you that day at 2 PM. I’ll send you the address shortly.]
[Yes, thank you.]
[You’re welcome.]
It wasn’t a long conversation.
Yet, throughout the exchange, I couldn’t calm my racing heart.
‘Finally… it’s happening.’
I recall a distant memory.
When I tried out as a prisoner, I remember the expressions on the faces of the team staff.
Confusion, absurdity, annoyance, anger, pity.
Facing all those emotions, I ultimately faced despair in front of the wall of professionals.
But now, it’s different.
The professional I longed for is now so close I can almost touch it.
“Hehe, heh.”
A snort slipped out.
If either Mother or my sister had seen me, they would have looked at me oddly, but for now, I was alone in my room.
‘So, then…’
I looked at the calendar.
Today is Thursday, so there are still a few days left until next Monday.
‘Still, I should at least try to raise my tier before then.’
Certainly, not every professional works hard on raising their solo rank tier.
But that’s only for players who have already proven their worth and established themselves.
I am an amateur.
The only way to prove myself is through my solo rank score, and I know that well.
‘So, before then, I’ll reach Master tier.’
That’s my immediate goal.
With that determination, I logged into the Legends of League client, ready to start a game when I suddenly realized something important.
‘By the way, did I mention my gender?’
…Well, I’ll figure it out when the time comes.
They say a healthy body nurtures a healthy mind, but I actually feel myself turning into an optimist from once being a pessimist.
“I guess it’ll work out somehow.”
I repeated that in my head.