“Please return my phone. You took on the role of a rogue in the competition, and now you’re actually stealing. Fans will be disappointed.”
“… Is that something you can say? Why are you texting right in front of me?”
“… There is a story behind it.”
In her quiet, murmuring response, accompanied by a slight turn of her head, a subtle embarrassment could be sensed.
I had thought she was someone who had forgotten about shame. The last vivid moment she had been that embarrassed was likely the dinner where her broadcasting history was exposed in front of a person she called “unni.”
“Before the competition, you drank an incredible amount, didn’t you?”
“… That too, has a story behind it.”
“How many stories are you collecting by yourself?”
“… It’s unfair.”
Her reaction was noticeably different from usual. Instead of energetically retorting or counterattacking, she seemed somewhat dispirited.
Shihoon suddenly considered the possibility that Yena might not remember their conversation from last night at all. Judging by her tone, she had definitely drunk quite a bit. It wouldn’t be surprising if she had blacked out.
And whenever there was an opening, it was wise to prod lightly, a lesson learned from the girl standing before him.
“So, what are you going to cosplay as?”
“… What?”
“Cosplay. You’ve given me so many content participation rights, co-broadcasting rights… It’s hard to even count. In between, you asked me to cosplay as a logger, and we agreed to do a joint cosplay broadcast together. That was yesterday.”
His hunch proved correct. Yena stood frozen, unable to even mount a rebuttal, as if paralyzed.
“You’re not planning to come up with some clichéd excuse like, ‘I don’t remember’, are you?”
As she stood there blankly, Shihoon blocked any escape route with a single remark, using the silence to slip in the words. Usually, a follow-up move after a successful first strike was always effective.
“… You said to go for makeup. Where was it again? Do you know?”
Despite her blatant attempt to change the subject, it wasn’t annoying at all, probably because he finally had the upper hand. Shihoon barely suppressed a smirk as he shrugged his shoulders slightly.
“Well, I’ve already been eliminated, so I’m not participating.”
“… Is the competition venue a DMZ? There are so many mines.”
The mention of the DMZ seemed to calm her down.
“Ah! Yena! The participants’ waiting room is over there! We should wait there to get our makeup done, so let’s go ahead and be early!”
Yoon Ahri’s voice came calling, as she appeared, jogging from a distance. Yena’s head snapped in that direction.
“That’s what she says.”
Then, when she turned her gaze back to Shihoon, the relief on her face was so apparent that it unintentionally sparked a bit of disappointment in him.
But now was not the time for such thoughts.
“Anyway, I’ll be rooting for you, so do your best.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Please take revenge if possible. Then, I might consider forgetting about the cosplay business.”
Shihoon struggled to swallow his disappointment as he offered a reward mixed with encouragement. Seeing the immediate change in expression, he wondered if he had given her an unnecessary way out. But after all, it was just a trivial joke.
Insisting too forcefully would have been unkind. Most importantly, just witnessing that shift in her expression was more than enough reward for him. Regarding yesterday’s conversation and the fact that she had to remember it all by herself.
“……Yes. I promise, I’ll get revenge tenfold.”
“……Don’t overdo it. Winning is good, but there’s no need to take revenge with a ceremony.”
“No way. It’s a set menu.”
Yena, who had regained her usual pace as if nothing happened, put on a determined expression. Listening to her deliberate words, Shihoon couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of anticipation bubbling up inside him.
…… Normally, he would have been worried about what kind of trouble she might cause.
‘You’ve changed a lot.’
They do say that those who stay close to ink inevitably get stained by it. He didn’t want to admit it, so he would never say it out loud—but it was undeniable that Yena’s influence had rubbed off on him over time.
In many different ways.
* * * *
『Author: ㅇㅇ』
『Title: Forum Master’s Real Life Visuals are Crazy』
『I just saw Forum Master in front of the eSports Center.
Her real-life visuals are insane.
She was talking to some guy, and I was so jealous, damn it……』
– Who was the guy next to her?
– ㄴ I saw too, it was Revan.
– ㄴㄴ What’s a guy who got eliminated doing there?
– ㄴㄴ He’s friends with Orthodox.
– ㄴㄴ Nah~ anyone can tell he went to hang out with GetDevoured. Comforting GetDevoured who was crushed by a pro, soothing her, and starting the GetDevoured Devoured gathering three hours later with a suggestion to grab a drink if they’re feeling down.
– She really is stunning. LOLOLOL She looks like a rare, beautiful cat that’s not extinct.
– ㄴ For real, she was just in casual clothes but still shone. LOLOLOL The normie next to her was StarPork.
– ㄴㄴ No facial comparisons, pls.
– ㄴㄴ, it’s just that Forum Master is overpowered like that.
– She looks even prettier than on broadcast, no joke. The camera doesn’t do her justice.
– ㄴ That bad?
– ㄴㄴ Yeah, it’s really insane. LOLOLOL They said there’s no filter, no edits, no special lighting, and it’s true.
– Nah, the real skin tone looks even whiter than what the webcam shows at home.
『Author: Anonymous』
『Title: Here’s the Favorite Pick for Today’s Clash Victory』
『Only noobs or idiots babble about GetDevoured and Orthodox—it’s undeniable that the victory belongs to Pagol.
Unless some special variable occurs, GetDevoured will most likely face an unremarkable exit in the semi-finals.
It’s impressive that Orthodox made it this far even after retiring, but I don’t think he’s at the level to beat Pagol in a one-on-one.
Even when he was active, it wouldn’t have been easy.
Pagol will meet Orthodox and win about 3:1.
Mark my words and leave a comment for future reference.』
– Isn’t GetDevoured the mentor of Orthodox?
– Nah, that’s just for show.
– Did you forget that GetDevoured made it to the semi-finals undefeated?
– Right, but Pagol had zero losses too, except for that one bug LOL.
– That was a skill issue, not a bug.
– If it was a bug, it would’ve been a default loss.
– Considering the finals are right after the semi-finals, stamina could be an issue, making it tough for GetDevoured.
– Dude, she’s crazy enough to do solo rank for six straight hours.
– She mixes keyboard and mouse, but competitions are different.
『Author: Anonymous』
『Title: (Breaking News) GP Team Members Show Up to Support Orthodox』
『(Photo)
Suspiciously, only one of them is holding a sign with GetDevoured’s name on it. What a nutcase.』
– It’s Clearly Bio…
– Professionals shouldn’t flaunt their closeness with female broadcasters; it won’t do any good.
– Female? Streamer
– These guys think they can do anything just because they won Worlds. If they mess up next season’s results, they’ll be roasted so hard.
– I think Bio’s already lost it.
– He’s literally GetDevoured’s fanboy, no joke.
– He’s probably just teasing by holding a sign supporting the opponent. Bio and Orthodox always bicker—they have that love-hate vibe.
– What nonsense is that?
– If you watch G-Tube’s self-content, they bicker all the time.
“No, no, damn it.”
* * * *
Around this same time last year, I had spent quite a bit of time watching FanTube tutorials to study and practice makeup. I thought it would be odd if someone who used to wear makeup suddenly stopped completely. Even if I wasn’t great at it, it might signal that something was wrong.
Nevertheless, makeup was still a very foreign task to me. It was partly because I rarely went out. I barely turned on the camera during my broadcasts.
From the beginning, I didn’t want to be in a formal relationship with my viewers. Even after I started using the camera, I never felt the need to paint my face in various ways.
Yet here I was, sitting for nearly an hour. It seemed like the touch of an expert was indeed different, but I couldn’t help thinking it lacked speed stats.
“It’s done! I used waterproof products, so you don’t have to worry about sweating. Just dab with tissue when you need to wipe.”
“…Thank you.”
“Wow, wow—no matter how you take the picture, it just looks like art—look at this! Can I post this on Instagram and tag Yena? Seriously, you look just like an idol here for an opening event. If it weren’t for the VR competition, I would’ve done your hair too!”
Yoon Ahri spoke non-stop to the point of making my face heat up, giving me no chance of escape.
I had only mentioned it as a way to avoid the situation. How did it end up like this?
“…Aren’t you tired from driving?”
“Nope! Just looking at Yena’s face lifts my fatigue. It feels like my lifespan is extending. Can you look here and smile a bit? No, a bit more naturally. Wait, let your eyes smile too. Forget it, just look here expressionlessly, but slightly look down.”
Extending lifespan? If anything, mine felt like it was shortening… But I couldn’t say that. It was rude to someone who not only came to support me but also drove all the way here.
However, it was true that playing the role of an impromptu photo model was too much for someone like me.
“… Jinhee.”
I turned my head to Jinhee, who had joined us in the waiting room a short while ago, seeking rescue. However, she seemed to be just as exhausted from the long makeup session as I was and looked on absentmindedly.
A few minutes ago, she had been the only ally telling others to let me rest as the match was approaching.
I wished the match would start soon, but there was still quite some time before my match. I was scheduled to compete in the second semi-final round, after the first one.
Once the first match began, I could use the excuse of a site tour to leave.
…This torture might not end until someone loses their head.
* * * *
“Ah—like this, Pagol advances to the finals!”
“It’s exhilarating. Truly exhilarating! What’s that now? Ah—it’s a mocking gesture with a ceremonial motion! Haha, he certainly knows how to put on a show.”
“Wow, and the chat is on fire right now.”
…
“Now, who will face Pagol in the finals? Let’s introduce the two players for the second semifinal match. First, we have Orthodox!”
“Yes, he’s the most famous coach recently. Fans are still disappointed and questioning why he retired when he’s so skilled. Orthodox led the GP team’s Underground to win the World Series with his remarkable career and skillset! His main hero is the Warrior, with Holy Knight and Rogue as subs. Orthodox’s use of the Rogue in the World Series was a genuine surprise!”
“Indeed. Still, when you think of Rogues now, it’s none other than GetDevoured, whom even Orthodox himself acknowledged! She finished first in Season 1’s rank games and remains undefeated in this first Clash Tournament! We’ll see if she can continue her winning streak in the semifinals as we begin the first set of the second semifinal match!”