When I went to the meeting spot on time, just like we had agreed to meet by 2 o'clock, I saw Chaeyu-jeong waiting for me across the crosswalk.
'Seriously, why is he dressed like that again?'
Wearing a white t-shirt with a light beige cardigan over it, Chaeyu-jeong looked pale and pretty enough to stand out even from a distance.
Compared to him, who looked so polished, I looked like I just grabbed the first thing I saw and threw it on.
Is he planning to meet a girl after hanging out with me for a bit or something? If that's the case, I can understand why he put so much effort into his outfit.
'Should've at least worn a lighter top.'
Wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans, walking next to that snow-white guy was already making me tired. If I had pulled my cap all the way down too, I'd probably look like a total criminal.
I stood waiting for the crosswalk light to turn green while watching Chaeyu-jeong, who stood quietly beside the building. Then two women approached him.
For a second, I thought he might be getting hit on, but instead of a phone, the women held out a sketchbook and pen. Chaeyu-jeong took the sketchbook and started writing something quickly. Looked like he was giving them an autograph.
The signal changed right then, but I figured barging in now would just make things awkward. So I waited until the girls walked away before heading over to him.
"You're pretty popular, huh?"
"Hyung…!"
Chaeyu-jeong, who had been glancing at his watch with a slightly excited expression, jumped in surprise at my voice and spun around. The moment he met my eyes, his ears turned red.
"Uh, how long have you… been watching?"
"I was over there across the street. Didn't notice?"
"Oh… I see."
I scanned him up and down, standing there shyly with a tilted posture, then jerked my chin.
"Let's go talk. Doesn't matter which café, right?"
"Huh? Ah, no. Hyung…"
Chaeyu-jeong grabbed my arm and hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Let's go watch a movie."
"..."
He's seriously insane. Either that or there's no way he could be this shameless.
The moment he saw my face cooling off in real time, his expression fell just as fast.
"I even bought the tickets already…"
"Who told you to?"
"We said we'd go see a movie…"
When did I say that?
I was so dumbfounded that it gave me a headache. I sighed and pulled my arm free while rubbing my forehead.
"Ugh, this is so annoying… Forget it. I'm done."
"Huh? Hyung, wait…"
"Let's just drop this. I don't even know why I bothered to come. I'm deleting your number, so don't contact me."
I turned around without hesitation, and Chaeyu-jeong, who was blinking in shock, hurriedly grabbed my wrist again.
"No, wait, I'm sorry! I'll talk! Please don't go!"
His face, as he rushed to block my path, was flushed with a mix of panic and embarrassment.
"I don't want to get tangled up in your games anymore."
"I-it's not a game. I'm sorry. I mean it. Let's go to a café and talk, please?"
Afraid I might shake him off again, Chaeyu-jeong clung to both my hands and begged.
"…You're not gonna start spouting nonsense like last time, right?"
"No, I won't."
I glared at him with suspicion, and his lips clamped shut as his eyes drooped. His eyes, just under those long lashes, were already turning red. It looked like he might really start crying if I left him like this, so I sighed and nodded.
"There's a café on the second floor of that building. Let's go there."
＊＊＊
"It's not a lie that I admire you, hyung."
We took a seat at the most tucked-away corner of the café. Sitting across from me with our drinks on the table, Chaeyu-jeong spoke carefully while watching my reaction.
"Honestly… I started Hiore because of you."
"What? When did you start?"
"When I was eighteen…"
"I thought you only turned pro at twenty. So you did Hiore for two years and then debuted as a pro?"
"Yes…"
"…Huh."
He only played Hiore for two years and managed to debut professionally?
Even I, who was good at most games, had a hard time adjusting to Hiore. I probably barely hit Master tier after about two years. So I reached Master in two years… but this guy hit Challenger and debuted as a pro?
"That's impressive."
This must be the difference that comes from natural talent. In other words, you have to be at that level to even think about going pro. There was no comparison between someone like me—just a skilled casual—and him.
"You participated in an offline tournament when you were nineteen, right? You even won."
"Yeah, I did."
"I went to see it too. Well, more like… I happened to be at the game show where the tournament was being held and saw it by chance."
The Hiore offline tournament I joined when I was nineteen took place at BEXCO in Busan, a venue known for hosting game expos every year.
It was a huge game show where multiple offline tournaments like Hiore were held, and new games were often showcased.
"My friend asked me to come along, and the Hiore tournament was a big deal. I got curious and started watching…"
As he spoke with a faint smile, Chaeyu-jeong slowly closed and opened his eyes before looking me straight in the eye.
"I saw you entering the booth. After that, I kept watching."
"..."
"The matches lasted for three days, right? I went to every single one and watched all of yours. When you won, I was the first one to stand up and clap."
"..."
"I've liked you ever since then."
As I listened absentmindedly, I began to feel heat rising up the back of my neck at his increasingly embarrassing confession.
Isn't he even a little embarrassed? How can he say this kind of stuff to another guy with a straight face?
"You're telling me you admired someone you saw for the first time just playing a game?"
"I've always played games. Not Hiore, but FPS games… Still, I know enough to tell who's good the moment I see them."
Chaeyu-jeong, casually complimenting my skills, blushed a little.
"You were seriously cool back then. Even though it was the finals, you completely dominated their jungler."
"Well, that's because…"
Yeah, that happened. The opponent must've been nervous because it was the finals—he made a lot of mistakes, which made it easier for me.
"After that tournament, I kept up with everything you did. Your interviews, your streams, even when you showed up on Inbang15."
"Hm…"
"I chose jungle as my main role because of you. When I first started playing Hiore, I used to watch your matches on stat sites every day and studied them."
"…So that's why you kept overlapping with my jungle routes?"
I'd noticed for a while that his playstyle felt similar to mine, but since he wasn't some random user but a fellow pro, I just dismissed it as me being too self-conscious. So it was true?
Hearing my question, Chaeyu-jeong scratched his head awkwardly and replied.
"I didn't mean to… but since I was learning by watching you, I guess I ended up copying you without realizing it. Sorry."
"It's fine."
It's not really something to apologize for.
So basically, I unintentionally raised my own future rival? I never would've guessed Chaeyu-jeong had been at that tournament. It really was unexpected.
"But still…"
Something still felt off.
There was nothing wrong with what he told me. I really did compete and win that tournament. And it was totally possible that he just happened to be at the game show and saw me.
But… is that really all there is to it? Even if an amateur saw someone cool at a tournament, could they still be hung up on that five years later?
"Chaeyu-jeong."
"Yes?"
In the end, unable to fully understand Chaeyu-jeong, I decided to just ask honestly.
"That's really it? No other reason?"
"..."
He looked at me with an unreadable expression for a moment before breaking into a soft smile.
"Of course. What more could there be?"
"You should've said something sooner. I'm sure you heard about me from Taeyoung hyung."
"…Well."
Unlike before, Chaeyu-jeong now spoke in a subdued tone, his voice soft and calm.
"It's not easy to just randomly send a friend request and start talking like that out of nowhere. Just running into you now and then in ranked games was enough for me."
"Hm…"
If that's how he feels, then I can't really press the issue. No point doubting further in this situation.
'If Chaeyu-jeong really is Yuchaera… then he's known me for five years already.'
While I had stepped away from Hiore and gone off to live a normal college life, Chaeyu-jeong must have kept playing occasionally, and eventually started Xenoris. He probably didn't have time for other games while pursuing his pro career before that.
Piecing his story together while racking my brain, I was interrupted by Chaeyu-jeong glancing at me nervously and calling out.
"Hyung, I've said everything I wanted to…"
"Ah. Yeah. I heard you."
"So… you're not gonna delete my number now, right?"
"Right."
I replied indifferently, and Chaeyu-jeong let out a small sigh of relief.
Seeing that made me feel like I had just bullied a small animal. I was the one who got dragged into this, so why was I feeling guilty?
"Then… is that it? Nothing more to do?"
"Yeah."
"…Are we just going home?"
"You don't have any other plans?"
"No…"
Really? He was dressed so nicely I figured he had somewhere else to be.
I sipped on the iced Americano I'd ordered and glanced over at him. His shoulders were slumped, and he kept sneaking glances at me like he had something more to say.
It was so obvious what was going on in his head. I wanted to ignore him, but the things he'd said kept circling in my mind.
He said he liked me enough to not only start Hiore because of me, but even picked the jungle role because I played it. After all that, staying cold wasn't easy.
"Get up."
"Huh?"
I set down my cup and stood up.
"Let's go see that movie."
"…What?"
"Let's go. You said you didn't have any other plans."
Eyes wide with shock, Chaeyu-jeong stared up at me, stunned.
Only after a long pause did he realize what I meant—and then he smiled. It was the brightest, most radiant smile I'd ever seen from him, blooming like a flower. It was almost blinding.
"You're the best, hyung!"
Blushing brightly, Chaeyu-jeong suddenly hugged my waist while still seated.
"What the—!"
A chill ran down my spine. What the hell is wrong with this guy?!
"Let go. Now."
"Can't I just hold on a little longer?"
"You think that's gonna happen?"
Even with my sharp glare, Chaeyu-jeong just grinned like an idiot.
"Hyung, I seriously like you so much…"
I feel like I've heard that before. Where was it?
"Quit spouting nonsense and get up if you're coming."
"Yes, sir!"
He jumped up immediately and stuck close behind me as I walked out of the café.
And just like that, I found myself feeling like I was taking a younger sibling out to the movies.
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