『Ark is live broadcasting!』
『Watch the Throne of Frost Finals with us – Lee Yena Fan Room』
《Ah – Lee Yena! She has finally lifted the championship cup! Defying everyone’s expectations! Korea’s Lee Yena has defeated all challengers on the world stage and now proudly sits on the throne!》
《This is truly an emotional moment. This year, this very year, it appears Korea is finally reclaiming its place at the center of esports. After Worlds, now it’s the Throne of Frost; there’s no end to these surprises. Ah – I can hear the cheers from the crowd from here! Even fans in America have long been captivated by Lee Yena!》
《Yes – amidst all the cheers, the curtain is lifting, revealing the Throne of Frost! The moment the queen is born, with Lee Yena confidently heading toward the throne…huh, isn’t she walking the wrong way? Lee Yena, that’s not the right direction!》
『LOLOLOL, sitting there is a bit much』
『How many steps are there』
『It’s well-made, though』
『LOLOLOL, considering GetDevoured’s personality, that’s a bit much LOL』
『Pushing the limits to the end is art』
『The throne size shows the creator’s hidden malice』
-User ㅇㅇ has donated 1,000 won!-
【That temple runner looks like they just attempted to escape】
On the day of the finals, viewers who normally watched GetDevoured’s streams flocked to broadcasts by various broadcasters including Revan and Ark, who were friends with the player.
Among them, Revan provided the most professional commentary, but Ark received the most donations.
It was because Ark’s sincere support was palpable.
“Huuh…sniff. You did great, Yena…really, really well…”
It was a bit excessive, though.
-User 시참전문가아따먹 has donated 10,000 won!-
【How long is she going to cry?】
『Dunno』
『We’ve never seen her cry this much』
『You’re looking uglier the more you cry, Ark, stop it』
Thus, from the moment Yena clinched the victory till the end of the event for the champion, Jinhee couldn’t stop crying. She was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions she couldn’t define. She was happy for her friend’s success, and regretful that she couldn’t be there by her side.
And now, even jealousy toward those currently with Yena.
“Aha, finally, Lee Yena has taken her seat on the throne. Next up, the president of Faraday Games, J. Dox, is stepping onto the stage to present the award. Lee Yena and President Dox have previously had shared screen time, haven’t they?”
“Yes, that’s right. Oh wow! Kneeling in front of the throne as if in worship, J. Dox is lifting the winner’s trophy! This isn’t just an award ceremony—it’s a spectacle! How dare he think he could bestow an award upon the queen!”
“Lee Yena, covering her face with both hands. Overwhelmed with emotion… no, she’s simply feeling shy. Who would imagine that such a shy figure is the same person as the frenzied rogue?”
『LOLOLOL LOLOLOL LOLOLOL LOL』
『Bowing his head deeply』
『So embarrassed LOLOLOL LOLOLOL』
『Embrace your karma』
『Dox is dying of happiness LOLOLOL LOLOLOL』
『At this rate, didn’t Dox make that throne expecting GetDevoured to win?』
『LOLOLOL LOL This is going to blow up on the cafe』
Amidst the laughter and joy of the festival, Jinhee could not solely feel happiness.
She was happy but…
Truly happy, truly content but…
“I miss you…”
Because she could not feel only joy and contentment.
.
.
.
It had been quite a long time.
After that day, following the drinking party that extended to Yena’s house, Jinhee had contemplated alone multiple times each day, making a resolve and then helplessly relapsing into indecision over and over.
No matter how much she pondered, it always ended with the resolution to remain a good friend and a reliable older sister by Yena’s side.
It was because Yena and the relationship with her were too precious to risk on a reckless hope, and Jinhee didn’t want to burden her with the weight of rejection.
Yena had always seemed precarious, someone who needed a place to lean on. Although she had improved lately, Jinhee did not want to induce any changes in her life.
Hence, she had resolved never to reveal her feelings, come what may. She made firm efforts in the contest cheering seat and in gatherings, desperately trying not to show her true feelings.
However, the resolute determination crumbled miserably just about a week after Yena left for the U. S. alone for the competition.
The time difference prevented them from seeing each other, and Jinhee feared disturbing Yena’s condition, making it hard to reach out. Searching the internet fervently for updates on Yena’s condition became her daily routine, waiting hopefully for a broadcast to go live or for some post on the cafe.
The moment she accepted the situation for what it was—just watching from a distance— she realized something anew.
She could never bear simply becoming an observer in Yena’s life.
Staying just her friend? That was nothing but a comforting lie to deceive myself.
Could she really smile and congratulate her when she introduced another man as her boyfriend? Could she genuinely compliment her, dressed in a wedding gown, sitting in the bridal waiting room?
They say old friends drift apart once they get married. Could she really cheer her on, finding her happiness with someone else, watching updates on social media occasionally? Could she ever feel good about the decision to remain just friends?
No, that would never happen.
Watching from afar as Yena hoisted the championship cup with a shy face that only occasionally showed her true feelings, Jinhee made a decision.
She had no choice but to give it her all.
At the very least, to become someone through whom she could convey her feelings.
* * * *
I longed to stuff my mouth full of chewy ramen cooked with intense heat and tuna kimbap drenched in sesame oil.
This thought came most frequently about a week into my time in America. Despite seeking out a Korean restaurant in desperation, the prices were three times higher, and the taste was nowhere near right.
If my return date weren’t so close, I might not have endured. If it had gone on longer, it would have been unbearable.
Therefore, the moment my feet touched the ground at the airport, my mind had already reached the snack shop near my house. I even refused the final in-flight meal. Going to a restaurant in the airport was not an option. No matter how hungry I was, I had to have the best meal—
“Yena!”
Oh.
“You shouldn’t have bothered to come.”
In front of the arrival gate, Jinhee, hugging what seemed like an armful of flowers, was waving her raised hand vigorously. In her hand, was that a banner…? No, it couldn’t be.
“Congratulations on your win!”
… Oh, it was. I wished she would at least cover up the words ‘GetDevoured.’
“… Thank… Thank you, but could you keep it down? People might think I won something big.”
“But it is a big deal! How is it not? You’re world number one! I almost brought a huge banner if not for Ahri stopping me.”
“Please…”
What was up with her energy level? It had only been, what, two…three weeks at most?
Overwhelmed by Jinhee’s excited sprint towards me, I couldn’t complain about the banner. I wasn’t even sure how to react… and I didn’t want to draw any more attention.
“Have you eaten? Are you tired? Is this all your luggage? Oh, here are the flowers! Congratulations!”
But then again, was it even possible to get any more attention than this? Somehow, everyone around had forgotten about reuniting with family or friends and was now staring in this direction, some holding up their phones at awkward angles.
Well, Jinhee’s beauty would stand out even if she was quiet. And jumping around like this made it even harder not to notice. Maybe, because of my recent comments, they might have misunderstood me as some sort of player.
Holding the bouquet I had awkwardly received under my arm, I lightly hugged Jinhee, who had her arms raised, and patted her on the back, hoping she’d calm down.
Luckily, it seemed to have an effect.
Jinhee, who had been acting like a dog reunited with its owner after deployment, quickly calmed down. Not knowing when she might burst into excitement again, I continued patting her back a few more times-
“Have you calmed down?”
“… Do you think I can calm down?”
Saying that, Jinhee drew me in for a strong hug, making it slightly hard to breathe.
There seemed to be a slight, awkward distance between us after not seeing each other for a while. Even in the U. S., women didn’t hug this tightly as a greeting. Did she misunderstand something?
-Click!
Was it because of the excessive attention we were getting, or because Jinhee’s overly enthusiastic reaction was so impressive? Some people among the crowd began to point their cameras at us.
I needed to get out of here fast.
I tried to detach myself from her embrace a few times.
“… Jinhee?”
But for some reason, Jinhee seemed in no mood to let go.
“Unnie.”
… Ah.
“… Next time, okay?”
“You always say ‘next time’. You only drop the honorifics for a moment and then say ‘next time’ and keep postponing. This time, you can’t. Either use casual speech or call me unnie.”
“The bus will leave soon.”
“I drove here. I’ll take you, so don’t worry.”
Had she evolved from a puppy to a bear in the meantime? Her strength was no joke. VR must have really worked as exercise.
I made one final attempt to wriggle free, but unless one of us got hurt, there was no way I’d succeed in breaking free.
Most likely, Jinhee would get hurt.
-Haah.
“… Unnie. Please let go.”
… No, this was really suffocating. I needed some space, space…