The next morning.
“…I’m so sleepy.”
Although I had woken up, my eyes were already closing again.
After barely making it to the bathroom to wash my face, I started to feel a bit more awake.
While eating the breakfast my always-early-rising parents had prepared, I turned on my mobile phone.
“What’s with all the notifications?”
I saw dozens of notifications from the SNS app logo.
Curious, I checked them.
“20,000?”
Clearly, the SNS account I had made the previous night had just surpassed 20,000 followers.
What was frightening was that the number wasn’t stopping, and followers were still increasing in real-time.
I checked the post I had made yesterday and noticed something unusual.
“Wait, I uploaded as a video?”
I must have used the SNS app’s built-in camera instead of my phone’s camera due to my half-sleepy state, and unknowingly I had pressed the recording button, uploading a video clip.
Fortunately, nothing strange or problematic seemed to have been captured; it was just a video where my face showed slightly longer than intended.
“But even so, 20,000 followers is excessive.”
Typically, LCK Players have 10,000 to 50,000 followers, and among the World Championship-winning Players, only a select few who are true stars can boast around 100,000 followers.
Even if my visibility increased due to broadcasting, surpassing 20,000 in less than a day was an odd figure.
A bit later, I figured out why.
[This is a video by Pro Gamer @para123!]
Someone had taken my video, added a currently popular song, and turned it into a reels video that went viral via algorithms.
Checking the view count, the video uploaded 7 hours ago had already surpassed 800,000 views.
“Is this a good thing?”
The person who reuploaded my video had at least the minimal decency to tag my account.
The influx of followers seemed to be coming from there.
While pondering what to do next, I finished my meal.
When my bowl was almost empty, my mobile phone buzzed with an incoming call.
“Hello?”
[Did you happen to create an SNS account?]
The caller was Manager.
“Yes, I did create it, but…”
I explained the whole situation.
After hearing me out, Manager sighed, seemingly exasperated.
“It wasn’t maliciously created, and it might even be good for team promotion…”
“I agree with that.”
“Then, shall we leave the video as it is? Or should I contact them to ask for removal?”
There’s no way those unauthorized re-uploads would be taken down, even if we ask.
Ultimately, since there was no harm to be done, I decided to leave it as it is.
“Still, it’s fortunate that there hasn’t been any issue. I thought something might’ve happened upon starting work.”
They must’ve assumed it was a fake account impersonating me.
After saying they’d continue working, Manager ended the call.
“…Work?”
It was 8:00 AM on a Saturday morning.
And yet, they mentioned work?
Do they have to go that far to be the highest-paid in the team?
“Let’s kite them while pulling this!”
“I can use my ultimate spell.”
“If Lena dies, the teamfight is over.”
“Can you push forward with Yune?”
In a tense teamfight situation, my Team Members’ calls echoed across the battlefield.
While it’s important to listen to and respond to team members’ calls in such moments…
“It’s right now.”
To reach the zenith, I had to aim for the angle only I could see.
“I’ll draw them with Aphelios’ ultimate!”
A square pattern stretched in a straight line toward the enemy marksman Aphelios, while Yune’s ultimate was activated.
From Aphelios’ perspective, it would naturally seem like the enemy Arin should be targeted, but since both the marksman and I had magic defense items, the priority was taking down the marksman.
With the marksman gone, the opponent’s team was swept away and had no choice but to concede the Nexus.
“Nice job.”
“You did well, everyone.”
“It would be great if the meta next season favors marksmen.”
“That champion meta you want? That doesn’t exist, Garak.”
With only about two weeks left until the promotion tournaments,
We secured a victory in our scrim against rg, preparing for the Qualifiers.
“If we can just sync, we’re strong.”
From observing my teammates during the summer season, it was clear that we were a team with good synergy when synchronized.
It may sound strange, but even with the so-called patchwork ban-picking, our top lane could hold strong.
The jungler liked to drive the game with impressive physical power.
The marksman favored carry-type champions.
And the support executed utility supports to their extreme limits.
We were a team very well-suited for this season.
“The problem is…”
On the other hand, we had a top lane that couldn’t carry,
A rookie jungler who could fail endlessly if overmanaged.
And a bottom lane duo that struggled with laning phase.
This was a team that was catastrophically inconsistent at one point.
“Fortunately, I’m here.”
Still, it was a team that, with me stabilizing in the mid lane, could do their part without causing a total crash.
Considering the level of the 2nd division league, this was enough to be grateful for…
Is everything about mindset? As I thought that, my teammates started to seem decent.
“Alright, everyone, enjoy your free time. Seo Ha, you can go home if you’d like.”
Satisfied with our scrim’s results, Coach spoke in a pleasant tone.
Capturing a mid-tier LCK team in the qualifiers was quite a feat for a CK team.
“In that case, I’ll head out. Everyone, thank you for your hard work.”
I said my farewells and left the practice room, heading toward the garage.
“Where did they go?”
The manager usually waited after my schedule ended, so I decided to head to their office.
And what greeted me there…
“Long time no see, sister. Why haven’t you contacted me?”
Was Hanbyeori dressed in ark’s uniform.
“Is that so?”
If my memory served correctly, Hanbyeori started streaming for ark after their promotion to the first division.
It seemed a little early for this.
Curious about the situation, I entered the office.
“Sister, what’s the matter?”
Hanbyeori stood up, hugged me briefly, then pulled my cheek.
“Wouldn’t it be nice for ark to have a support channel?”
In other words, what she was saying was that she wanted to be the team streamer.
“Still, sister, aren’t you a big streamer? Wouldn’t a CK support channel be a bit…”
“Is it? After all, we did make it through the promotion tournament, right?”
“But we could lose.”
At my comment, both Manager and Hanbyeori, who had been in the office, looked at me incredulously.
“Lose? You?”
“But still…”
“Going to Worlds finals might not be in the cards, but it’s unimaginable talk.”
During this, Hanbyeori continued to hold my cheek, so I managed to break free.
“So, sister, are you going to be our team streamer?”
“Yeah, anyway, I’ve been keeping up with ark games and everything.”
“Our games?”
“Of course! It’s the team our Seo Ha plays for, right? I’m sure all the teammates who went through VLL together with you are also watching!”
Talking about teammates must refer to those with specialized arts and physical education backgrounds.
For some reason, it feels like ancient history, even though it’s been less than a year.
“But who am I? Honestly, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I unearthed Para, wouldn’t it? Right, Manager?”
Hanbyeori hugged me from behind, moving closer.
Even though I would have made my pro debut without this kind of special favor, she seemed happy, so I let it slide.
“Indeed. Our original team wasn’t that popular, but Seo Ha and Hanbyeori alone make us envy no other team.”
“I’ll handle it. I’ll take responsibility in making everyone know ark.”
Listening to the conversation, the term ‘team streamer’ may have been used, but it seemed Hanbyeori was willing to do this almost for free.
At this point, our team was a second division team lacking funds. In fact, Hanbyeori’s personal assets were greater than our team’s.
Given this, the reward she wanted was limited to my signed uniform.
It was astonishing that such a prominent corporate streamer would promote our team just for that.
“Why do you help us this much? Have you thought about that?”
Hanbyeori poked my cheek while talking.
“Though outsiders call me naïve, this is what romance and loyalty are about.”
Until now, I had thought of Hanbyeori as an amusing but somewhat quirky person.
But through this, I began to see her differently.
“Still, since I’m promoting the team, there’s something I’d like to personally ask for…”
“Speak up. If it’s something I can do, I’ll help.”
“There’s another VLL event at the end of the year, right? If you have some free time, could we do a duo once? …Haha.”
Hmm…
I don’t think I want to see her again that much.
“Wow, is this LoL Park?”
“You’ve never been here?”
“Yeah. Didn’t have anyone to go with, and no chance to.”
Upon arriving at LoL Park, where LCK games are held, Choi Eunseo’s eyes sparkled as usual.
“Surprising.”
Since meeting her, she loved LoL and professional teams to the extent that most men wouldn’t even get a chance to approach her.
I naturally assumed she had live game experience, but she mentioned it was her first time every time.
“Is it hard to get tickets?”
Even though it boasts worldwide popularity, the league’s competition is held in a relatively small 500-seat stadium.
At the fan meeting I attended in my previous life, fans often mentioned they barely managed to secure tickets, so that must be the reason.
“Isn’t this where you get the tickets?”
As we passed by the ticket booth visible right after climbing the stairs to the 3rd floor where the stadium was, Choi Eunseo asked curiously.
Of course, ordinary spectators would present their IDs here to retrieve tickets reserved online, but…
“Our tickets are invitations, so we have to collect them from the team booth.”
Having said that, I headed toward the inside, where the stadium entrance was located.
