Missing Child

Yoo Joonghyuk's day begins like this.

After brewing strong coffee and slicing the rye bread he bought yesterday, he grills the chicken breast marinated in soda. In a small frying pan, fried eggs are being cooked. The key is to keep the original shape of the fry while saving the yolk.

Yoo Joonghyuk, who grilled only the white part in an instant, lightly stirred the frying pan to plate the egg and properly cooked chicken breast. Add the lettuce and red beetroot that he washed beforehand, and finally pour the tomato juice for Yoo Mia into a cup.

"yap."

When he looked behind himself while holding the plate, Yoo Joonghyuk saw Yoo Mia, who jumped up on a chair at the table as if she was jumping on a vault, her eyes shining.

Yoo Joonghyuk placed two plates and two cups in the designated place with his familiar hand movements.

After checking the contents of the plate, Yoo Mia stuck out her sullen lips.

"Grass."

"Yes,it is grass."

"It's blue."

“This is delicious grass.”

"But it was same yesterday."

“There are also eggs.”

"egg."

“Chicken breast too.”

“I’m bored.”

“Eat.”

Yoo Joonghyuk wriggled his thick eyebrows and said to Yoo Mia.

“What you eat becomes you.”

Yoo Mia looked at her small fist and egg alternately with a blunt expression. "I'm not Puri," she seemed to mutter. Yoo Joonghyuk looked at Yoo Mia for a while, chewed and swallowed a piece of her fried egg, and opened the cell phone.

-Continuous sluggishness. Is the reputation of Team ‘Ash’ up to this point?

―‘The fall of the Ash Kingdom is approaching.’

―Team Ash faces a playoff elimination due to consecutive losses.

―Ash, who lost 3:2 to Team Viking, was eliminated from the playoffs

―It was mentioned as a discord within Ash’s team… … .

Watching the articles popping up on the main portal, a subtle shadow appeared in Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes..

Team Ash

It is the first team to win with him, and is now one of the leading esports teams in Korea.

However, his team has been suffering from a recent slump.

Yoo Joonghyuk checked the article's comments.

―Ash, did you lose again?

―The bubbles are all gone.

―It was empty, but honestly, isn’t it because of Yoo Joonghyuk that we lost this game?

―(This comment has been censored)

Yoo Joonghyuk looked at the last comment for a long time. He couldn't see the contents, but he was able to guess what kind of comment it was from the comments right below.

―But Yoo Joonghyuk is really an orphan, so I don’t think there will be any damage?

Orphanage

Yoo Joonghyuk read the words with indifferent eyes. Words like that couldn't really hit him. Rather, it was the words that were not here that bothered him.

―(This comment has been censored)

How long has he been staring at the screen? His face was reflected on the blacked-out screen. Suddenly, the muscles in his right arm twitched. It's been a frequent occurrence lately. He did the same while eating, holding the keyboard, and moving the mouse. Perhaps there is a nutrient deficiency.

“Obabunny.”(note: in case of confusion,here Yoo Mia tries to say word but does it incorrectly)

A child who can't even say the words "oppa" or "brother" properly. Come to think of it, he had never taught her the word brother, but Yoo Joonghyuk suddenly wondered where she had learned such a word.

Yoo Mia's fork pointed to the plate in front of Yoo Joonghyuk.

“Here”

"...?"

"You're the one who's far away."

Yoo Joonghyuk pondered the meaning of the words for a while, then took the egg left by Yoo Mia and ate it.

"Woo woo! Mia's Dalgal!"

Yumia inflated her cheeks.

Looking at the eyes of a child who looked just like him, Yoo Joonghyuk realized that another day had begun.

“Joonghyuk. Are you eating well?”

A vehicle heading to the team practice room.

Kang Woohyun, the manager, glanced at Yoo Joonghyuk as if he was worried.

“Your face is very dry. If you eat well, you will do well in the game.”

“I am eating well.”

“Aren’t you just eating salad and chicken breast again? what model is it? Eat rice, rice. Eat beef, beef.”

Yoo Joonghyuk did not respond in particular. But he felt a little strange. Why do people ask what he ate, without being curious at all?

"It's good if you're eating really well."

Yoo Joonghyuk didn't know if Kang Woohyeon was really lucky or if he was just saying that on the surface. At some point, he found it difficult to read people's minds.

―Yoo Joonghyuk, how is your condition today?

Reporters at the stadium always asked him the same thing.

How is your condition today? What do you think about your opponent, what strategy did you come up with, what score do you think you will win, and what do you think about the recent controversy?

Sometimes Yoo Joonghyuk answered honestly, and sometimes he didn't say anything. But no matter what he said, the article always made a point that had nothing to do with his intentions as headlines.

If that's the way it is anyway, why the hell are you asking questions? Yoo Joonghyuk couldn't figure out the answer, but at least he understood one thing.

that's their job

"Are you reading the comments these days?"

When he looked up, he saw Kang Woohyun's worried eyes in the room mirror.

“I told you to stop watching. They all do it because they envy you. There is no need to look for such words and be offended.”

It seemed that he had his own thoughts when he saw Yoo Joonghyuk looking at his cell phone. Actually, it was not a misunderstanding. In fact, someone's comment was floating on the screen of his cell phone.

―Yoo Joonghyuk In reality, I heard that you are completely human garbage.

Yoo Joonghyuk looked down at the comment.

Contrary to Kang Woo-hyun's words, Yoo Joonghyuk wasn't too offended.

―Isn’t it Yoo Joonghyuk who changed the atmosphere in the team? Everyone in the industry already knows.

If someone has animosity toward him, he only needs to be prepared to face that animosity. Then everything is in his control.

—"How do you guys know?"

By the way

-You say that you know what. How do you guys know if Yoo Joonghyuk is that kind of person or not?

Usually, people who always write comments write comments again. However, the nickname he saw this time was the first time he had seen it.

Demon King's Daughter

Yoo Joonghyuk looked at the comment for a long time, as if he was trying to figure out an enemy he had encountered for the first time in his life.

“Joonghyuk, we have arrived.”

In the distance, the dazzling exterior of the building where the team's practice room is located could be seen.

Yoo Joonghyuk, who had been absent-minded, moved his gaze back to his cell phone. He tried to find the comment he just saw, but he couldn't find it.

did it disappear or did he see it wrong?

“Looking at the schedule, it seemed like it would be tough until night. Can I take care of Mia?”

"Is Mia still speechless?" Shouldn't you go see a doctor? It's like parents...….”

Kang Woohyun, who had been talking all the way to that point, seemed to think that he had made a mistake, and he stopped talking awkwardly and laughed.

“Go see. Don't worry about Mia.”

"thank you."

“Oh, new managers came in this time. Say hello when you meet him. It should sound like you're a fan."

Yoo Joonghyuk nodded lightly and looked at Kang Woohyun for a moment before getting off.

"What? Do you need anything?”

Yoo Joonghyuk pondered for a moment whether he should ask Kang Woohyeon if he had breakfast, then shook his head and went up to the practice room as usual.

Yoo Joonghyuk went upstairs and immediately crossed the hallway and went straight into the private practice room.

This room was made exclusively for Yoo Joonghyuk. A state-of-the-art computer, gaming desk, and gaming chair were placed in a space measuring five or six pyeong, and various sports drinks and nutritional supplements were provided by type. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary gamer's room.

Except for the fact that all four sides of the room are made of glass.

―Please look out for others.

This room was a kind of punishment given by the director to Yoo Joonghyuk, who seldom followed his advice.

Everyone passing by the room could see Yoo Joonghyuk in the practice room to their heart's content, as if they were observing monkeys in a zoo. And Yoo Joonghyuk could also see them.

―Yoo Joonghyuk has excellent performance, but he has little cooperation. He needs training to internalize the gaze of others.

―From the moment they get on the air, pro gamers are exposed to the media’s gaze. It will help him to practice not missing the tension every moment through this room.

It was an impersonal argument that made no sense at first glance, but the sponsors accepted the director's proposal. They even came to the practice room often to see Yoo Joonghyuk practicing alone through the glass.

Yoo Joonghyuk didn't care. He was already used to being a spectacle. Most of all, he liked the fact that there were no unnecessary fights with his teammates. This was because the only person who could talk to Yoo Joonghyuk, who had entered the practice room, was coach Park Jinsang, except for coach and manager Kang Woohyun.

“Joonghyuk. Let's do it."

Park Jinsang knocked on the glass door and sent a signal, and Yoo Joonghyuk nodded. He relaxed his hands and shoulders with a simple stretch, took a light deep breath, and put earphones in his ears. The sound pushed through the earphones, and the logo of the game appeared on the monitor.

Real-time Strategy

A game that reads the opponent's strategy in real time, understands the build, collects resources, and produces units to wage war. Attacking with the right combination of units at the right timing, and sometimes outwitting the opponent with a surprise attack, was the beauty of this game.

- Doo doo doo doo.

The sound of gunfire coming through the earphones. A screen that changes so fast that the average person's eyes cannot keep up with it.

Yoo Joonghyuk was the commander of the battlefield. Each unit was under his control, and the profit and loss of this battle, the next battle, and the battle after it were being calculated in real time in his head.

Throw away what you want to throw away boldly, and you must win the points necessary for victory.

The units he produced died, and someone let out a bitter cry. The monsters on the enemy side howled. The sound of the ground collapsing and the sound of structures exploding. The sound of things exploding.

When the fire finally ended, Yoo Joonghyuk was looking at the sky from the center of the ruined battlefield.

Even when he saw the victory sign that appeared as if it was natural, he did not feel any emotion.

To him, this battlefield was just a repetitive routine. There is no sadness, no joy, no anger. Just kill, die, break, lose.

Win.

Soon the practice opponent was replaced. The condition was not bad. There were no forearm cramps. Yoo Joonghyuk sensed the opponent's agitation and took the initiative of the match. He didn't miss a chance. Without any mercy, he settled the fight cleanly.

After one game is over, a short break of less than 5 minutes is given. Continue with the next game immediately. Remind yourself of the mistakes you made in the game earlier, and make up for your weaknesses.

Winning like that, winning again.

As if baking bread and making fried eggs, Yoo Joonghyuk continued the game. It was then that he heard someone's voice in his ears that he would never have heard normally.

“… … does that make sense? How could you be in a room like that... … .”

He glanced around and saw a very dimly opened door. Two people were fighting through a crack in the door. One is coach Park Jinsang.

And the other... … Who is it?

―Koo-gu-gu-gu-gu!

Yoo Joonghyuk hurriedly looked at the situation.

It was a mistake. The commando unit, which had been operating closely, was destroyed in a moment of carelessness, and the advantageous charter passed to the other party in an instant.

-???

The practice opponent hit the chat as if mocking.

A coach's warning voice.

Yoo Joonghyuk calmly tried to make up for his mistakes, but the losses suffered in the previous battle were too great. It was impossible even if he raised his physical strength to the limit. Yoo Joonghyuk, who simulated the local battles that would occur several times, eventually decided that there was no chance of winning and ended the game.

Looking at the defeat screen, Yoo Joonghyuk let out a light sigh. When he took his earphones off, the noise from outside got louder.

“As a director, can you do whatever you want? Anyway, you can't leave people like this.”

When he stood from his seat and went outside, he saw a troubled Park Jinsang and a bobbed-haired girl chattering in front of him.

“Oh, hello!”

As he turned his head he saw lightly disheveled brown hair. Then he saw her face.

Yoo Joonghyuk nodded lightly and checked her name tag.

New manager Y.S.

It seemed that this girl was the newcomer Kang Woohyun mentioned.

"That… … Are you okay?"

Seeing the rookie ask such a question out of the blue without context, Yoo Joonghyuk didn't know what to answer.

“Hey, I’m sorry Joonghyuk. She's a new friend, but she doesn't know the system here yet-"

Park Jinsang, who hurriedly intervened, muttered.

Yoo Joonghyuk listened to the words and looked at the newcomer's face once again. At first glance, the face looks like a late teens. She was a girl with clear eyes and clear skin.

Usually, people's reactions when they met Yoo Joonghyuk were fixed. Either open your eyes wide in surprise, or avert your gaze.

However, the newcomer neither averted her eyes nor was shaken. Her presence was rather a calm face, as if it was only natural that she was here.

"Oh right. Are you hungry?”

The newcomer handed out a small paper bag to Yoo Jung-hyeok. Yoo Joonghyuk quietly lowered her eyes and looked down at the paper bag. Despite the cool expression, the newcomer continued.

“It’s dumplings. Do you like it?”

"Dumplings?"

Yoo Joonghyuk twitched his eyebrows.

“I don’t like it.”

“I can’t do that… … .”

The newcomer twitched her lips and invited him again.

"Hey, it'll be delicious if you try it though—"

"Hey. Joonghyuk rarely eats anything other than salad and chicken breast. He says that he only eats what he makes. Joonghyuk-ah, let's go eat after practice is over. Newcomer, don’t be silly, go over there and take care of the other kids!”

Park Jinsang pressed Yoo Joonghyuk on the back. Yoo Joonghyuk glanced at the newcomer's sullen face before heading to the employee cafeteria.

Lunch time is fifty minutes. It was a tight time to recover the body and brain after consuming the necessary calories, and even doing simple gymnastics.

When he arrived at the restaurant, he took out the lunch he had brought in the morning instead of standing in line to receive food distribution.

Park Jinsang smiled bitterly at Yu Joonghyuk and added.

“Brother, I will bring you some rice.”

While Park Jinsang waited in line with a tray, several players passed Yoo Joonghyuk's table. Looking at his face, it was the players who had practiced with him earlier. Some of them glared at Yoo Joonghyuk and whispered among themselves. It was a familiar thing, so Yoo Joonghyuk ate the lunch box without any particular concern.

In fact, there was a story behind Yoo Joonghyuk's insistence on bringing a lunchbox.

During the last game of last season, Yoo Joonghyuk got food poisoning after eating a meal prepared by the management. The agency pointed out that only Yoo Joonghyuk was sick and insisted that they were not responsible, but no matter how much he thought about it, Yoo Joonghyuk had no memory of eating anything other than that meal that day.

Yoo Joonghyuk brought a lunch box from that day.

"Bon appetit."

When he suddenly looked up, the new girl from before was sitting across from him. She is new. Earlier she was eating the dumplings she was going to give him. Yoo Joonghyuk replied bluntly.

“Meals are eaten to live, not to taste.”

“Eating delicious food makes life better.”

After saying that, the rookie said, “Wow,” and bit off the king dumplings. He didn't notice it when he saw it earlier, but the moderately elastic dumpling skin and the well-filled filling stood out. The shape was also not an ordinary skill.

“Did you make it yourself?”

" … Shall I share?”

“No, I don’t like it.”

“If you take a bite, you might feel better.”

“You don’t have to try it to know.”

“But, mister.”

Yoo Joonghyuk paused for a moment before answering.

“I am not an uncle.”

“Then what shall we call it?”

Yoo Joonghyuk had never been asked such a question before. Naming was a matter for the person who gave it to worry about. Depending on what one called him, Yoo Joonghyuk could also determine his attitude toward his opponent.

However, the newcomer in front of him was telling Yoo Joonghyuk to decide the title himself.

“Call me Yoo Joonghyuk.”

“Yoo Joonghyuk… … .”

The newcomer muttered in a subtle tone, then suddenly took out a notebook and started writing something down.

“What is that?”

"it's nothing."

“What are you using?”

“I just thought there would be a lot of people who would like it… … . If I forget, I can't tell you.”

The newcomer made a crunching sound as she filled up her notebook. Watching the hard-to-see letters fill the white paper, Yoo Joonghyuk thought about remembering something.

If he had kept a diary, would he have been able to remember the past?

A spasm came to his forearm, and a faint tinnitus filled the brain. A feeling of choking, as if water had entered the ear.

Soon, he saw a pure white wall filling his surroundings. A solid, high wall that he could neither break nor overcome with his own strength. The sound of a pen tip coming from beyond the wall.

Skkkrrr

Someone was writing something on the wall. But he couldn't read the sentences. Words there are like censored comments that he will never be able to read.

“Yoo Joonghyuk?”

When he suddenly came to his senses, the newcomer was looking at him worriedly.

"it's okay?"

"I'm okay."

“Are you feeling well?”

Yoo Joonghyuk looked at the new recruit's notebook once and saw the face full of pensiveness. To Yoo Joonghyuk, the inside of a person was as difficult as the writing on the other side of the wall. However, it was an expression that even Yoo Joonghyuk could read.

The rookie is worried about him.

Yoo Jung-hyeok answered honestly.

"never mind."

Yoo Joonghyuk felt a little regret after answering that. What he just said was clearly a favor. At least it wasn't a story to be answered in this way.

But the newcomer had a calm face. Yoo Joonghyuk's answer seemed so natural or, as if it was too familiar.

At that time, someone patted Yoo Joonghyuk on the shoulder and sat down next to him.

“What, were you talking to the rookie?”

It was Park Jinsang. Seeing that the rice on the tray was half gone, it must have come over here after talking with the other players.

Park Jinsang, who was looking at Yoo Joonghyuk and the rookie alternately as if it was a big deal, smirked.

“Isn’t Joonghyuk harassing you from day one? Shall we cut it out?”

Pretending not to hear, the newcomer opened her mouth wide and bit off the dumplings. Seeing such a rookie, Park Jinsang clicked his tongue.

“Anyway, kids these days. Joonghyuk-ah, the coach left a comment after watching the practice in the morning.”

Thinking about it, He remembered that he wasn't given feedback in the morning. Today, the coach said he was away early because of his schedule.

Yoo Joonghyuk nodded, and Park Jinsang started talking.

“I didn’t see the last game because I didn’t have time. The feedback itself is the same as usual. Control was perfect. The build-up and custom strategies were good, and the feedback from the last time seems to have been well reflected. but-"

The director was a pretty precise person, except for his picky personality. Yoo Joonghyuk also admitted it. Strictly speaking, he was a director recognized by the world without needing to be acknowledged. For every anniversary, the legendary esports stars he raised send gifts.

“Play tends to be a bit predictable. It uses too much textbook build, and the individuality is weak. And above all... … .”

It was feedback I always heard. The speed is fast and the response is sure. However, it is said that flexibility is poor, or that it does not deviate greatly from the set play trajectory. The last point of feedback was always similar.

“The play has no soul.”

Have no soul. Whenever Yoo Joonghyuk heard that feedback, he would ask himself if it was really a problem that could be solved.

Yoo Joonghyuk does not believe in the soul.

It's a soul he had never seen before. The human being he thought of was a being that eats when he is hungry and sleeps when he is sleepy. As much as he eats, he produces energy to move, think, and live. That was all the human beings Yoo Joonghyuk knew.

To him, the director's words, "There is no soul," felt more like an incomprehensible self-composed poem than advice.

“Has no soul in play? What does that mean?”

It was a newcomer who asked. Park Jinsang answered without hesitation.

"Well, it's just a literal idiomatic expression. Means " I don't feel enthusiasm, or I don't have persistence". If this guy can't see the reversal angle, he'll end the game right away.”

In fact, it wasn't just the director who made that comment. Yoo Joonghyuk was always quick to judge whether he won or lost, to the extent that some fans called him ‘AI’.

However, the expression on the face of the newcomer who heard the explanation was strange. Park Jinsang asked with his lips twitching.

“Why are you laughing? Are my words funny?”

"A little bit."

"What?"

"No, nothing."

Park Jinsang, who glared at the rookie for a while, looked at Yoo Joonghyuk again.

“Anyway, don’t listen too much. How much would the director know about your game if he knew you? It's all just to annoy you.”

Park Jinsang started swearing at the coach for a long time. Why do foreigners have to supervise esports in Korea? To be honest, it's not all coaches who carry out practical work.

As the backbiting continued until the plate was empty, the newcomer shook her head as if she was fed up and got up from seat. As the players around left their seats one by one, the coach spoke in a lower voice than before.

“Kids these days have no fear.”

Park Jinsang was looking at the back of the newcomer's head, who was blinded by cold eyes. Her voice was dull as if she had put on another mask in an instant.

"I'd be horrified to find out what you two went through here."

Looking at Park Jinsang’s shadowy eyes, Yoo Jung-hyeok realized that this was his main topic.

“See you in the director’s office for a second.”

After the afternoon schedule, Yoo Joonghyuk went to the supervisor's office. Park Jinsang leaned back on the executive chair and proudly put his feet on the table.

“You know? This was my original seat.”

Team Ash's coaching was a last-minute parachute that one sponsor put in. In fact, Park Jinsang had a big part in gathering the main members of Team Ash and putting the team in the major leagues.

“Can you believe it? What we've done in the past three years.”

Park Jinsang chuckled and pointed at the team trophies placed in the exhibition hall.

Looking back on the trophy road, Yoo Joonghyuk also recalled the short past. Proof of the path Team Ash has walked from the time the team was created until now. What was placed at the end of the road was Yoo Joonghyuk's own name.

Total record of 64 wins, 5 losses and 1 draw.

MVP OVERLORD

Two years ago, the plaque he received at the same time as the team's championship.

In that year, Yoo Joonghyuk became an instant star in the esports world.

“Joonghyuk. I don’t talk outside because the kids will notice.”

Park Jinsang sighed lightly and took out a cigarette from his pocket and placed it in his mouth. As the acrid smoke filled the room, the fan installed in the ceiling turned furiously.

“Let’s do it well."

Park Jinsang, who exhaled smoke with a hook, was a completely different person from the one Joonghyuk saw at lunchtime. The eyes that used to smile softly and cheerfully disappeared, and a face with a cold and dark shadow deeply cast on it.

“You know what’s going on these days, right? I… … how did we get here? Have you already forgotten everything?”

He has the habit of squeezing someone else's shoulder on occasion. In fact, that appearance was the true face of Park Jinsang that Yoo Jung-hyeok remembered.

Coach Park Jin-sang.

He was not originally a figure in the esports industry. He worked in private gambling houses and illegal sites. The so-called ‘big hand in the workplace’ has been mass-producing game money by exploiting illegally hired foreign workers in illegally expanded buildings. Among the dark gamers who once said to spend some money, there was no one who did not know about Park Jinsang's workplace.

“Do you want to go back to those days? Also, do you want to earn game money while eating cup noodles in the basement?”

As Joonghyuk was thinking about Park Jinsang's career, memories of his late teens that he had completely forgotten about came to mind one by one. From that time on, Yoo Joonghyuk''s life was with this man.

“Who discovered you? it's me. Who recommended you, whl brought you here? It was all me. But if you are acting like that, what will happen to both of us?”

Park Jinsang was a bad person. But he was the first to recognize Yoo Joonghyuk's game talent and it was he who brought him out of the prison-like workplace.

“I will try.”

"Effort? I know, I know that our Joonghyuk is always working hard. But try it in a few different ways. Unfold your face a bit. A bit of talk... … can't you? Even with that face, you can’t shoot a single ad that comes in.”

Park Jinsang let out a deep sigh and rubbed the cigarette off.

“Anyway, that’s it, and the reason I called you today is something else. Tomorrow is the last game before the playoffs, right?”

Park Jinsang, instead of continuing his speech immediately, tapped the table with one of his eyebrows furrowed.

Yoo Joonghyuk remembered Park Jinsang's habit. One day he first saw him at President Kim's workshop, Park Jin-sang was looking at Yoo Joonghyuk and furrowing his eyebrows for a long time. The very next day, he brought Yoo Joonghyuk from President Kim.

The first day he brought Yoo Joonghyuk, Park Jin-sang said this.

―From now on, you must never lose.

And now, Park Jinsang was saying this with exactly the same expression.

“You have to lose just one game.”

Lose.

“I’m not asking you to just lose, you know what? I tried my best, but unfortunately, I feel this is the case right now, understand?"

Yoo Joonghyuk answered instinctively, trying not to think about the meaning of the words.

“I remember rejecting that offer last time.”

“Then how troubled am I right now? No more, no less, just one game. Did you see the entry for tomorrow? I have an agreement with the other kids.”

"I've never had a losing contract."

"Contract? I was asked to do a favor, but I signed a contract... … .”

Yoo Joonghyuk took a quick glance at the director's office door and looked at Park Ji-sang. The atmosphere was becoming more and more unusual. In fact, Yoo Joonghyuk was well aware of what Park Jinsang was talking about.

The reason why Team Ashe's performance has been especially sluggish recently.

It wasn't just because of Yoo Joonghyuk's deteriorating condition or the coach's incompetence. It was because of Park Jinsang right in front of his eyes.

Park Jinsang took out a new cigarette. It was a different cigarette than the one he had smoked before. As soon as the cigarette was lit, Park Jinsang continued her words.

“Don’t make a mistake, Joonghyuk."

Park Jinsang

Team Ash's coach

And the match-fixing brokers behind the scenes of the esports industry.

Park Jinsang did not bring Yoo Joonghyuk here to recognize his talent and win the championship.

“I told you 700 million won. Do you know how much money that is?”

He knows. 700 million is his 2-year salary... … To be exact, it was more than the amount that went into Park Jinsang's back pocket for the past two years.

“Think carefully. The market isn't very good these days. Everyone is moving to AOS, so the league is slowly talking about the end. You and me can't end like this. I have my own family to be responsible for, and you should also think about Mia.”

If 700 million won comes in from him alone, the actual amount of capital that comes and goes will be much larger.

The commission that Park Jinsang will receive is probably at least 2 billion won. Considering that the board would grow overseas, it could have been a case of tens of billions of dollars going back and forth.

Looking at Jin-sang Park's wrinkles, Yoo Joonghyuk thought about numbers for a while.

What you can do with 700 million.

Instead of the old accommodation provided by the agency, he may be able to find a private house on the outskirts of Seoul. He could send his little sister to a daycare center a little closer and buy her new clothes. He will be able to take her to the hospital more often.

And maybe, he doesn’t know how much the agency’s request costs—

Maybe he can find his parents.

But.

“I got food poisoning during the ace match last season.”

A cold, subdued voice. Park Jinsang, who knows what state Yoo Joonghyuk is in when he speaks in this tone, nods his head instead of pointing out Yoo Joonghyuk's tone.

“Was it your fault then?”

Even then, the day before the game, Yoo Joonghyuk was offered match fixing by Park Jinsang. Yoo Joonghyuk refused, and the next day he had a stomach ache, so he couldn't play properly. He lost the ace match, and the team also lost.

Park Jinsang smoked a cigarette without saying a word.

“You should have said no.”

Park Jinsang sighed lightly and said.

“Can’t you just think like you normally do? It's a game that's hard to win, and it's a game with no chance of winning, so it's a situation where you're retiring. You quit the game easily, don't you?"

“I never quit easily. I always do my best.”

Park Jinsang glared at Yoo Joonghyuk as if he really didn't understand. Look at his face, look at the old coat, look at the lunchbox in his hand. Then he said, nervously shaking off her cigarette ash.

“Joonghyuk, does a dog become a human just because it stops eating dog food and then starts to eat human food?”

Yoo Joonghyuk recalled the scene of a black semi-basement workshop.

There, he played games under someone else's ID, earned money, and raised the rankings by proxy. In return for raising someone's number, Park Jinsang earned money, and Yoo Joonghyuk ate with the money.

But he couldn't live like that anymore. He was no longer alone, and he was a man who could confidently earn even a small amount of money.

However, Park Jinsang did not seem to think so.

“ Losing the trust of people like this? That's why you're swearing at me inside and out.”

Park Jinsang, who lit a cigarette, stood up with a grim look. Then Yoo Joonghyuk's cold eyes looked at Park Jinsang.

Like beasts trying not to step back from their territory, the two stared into each other's eyes for a long time. And how much time has passed? It was Park Jinsang who first broke the tension that seemed to explode at any moment.

“I get it, I get it.”

Park Jinsang's face, laughing lightly, had changed to that of the coach before he knew it. He waved his hand as if he was annoyed.

“Okay, you can leave now.”

Yoo Joonghyuk looked at Park Jinsang for a while, then turned around and left the room.

Even after Yoo Junghyuk disappeared, Park Jinsang continued to smoke. Just as one of ashtrays turned into a hedgehog, it stood up with Park Jinsang letting out an eerie laugh.

Park Jinsang immediately opened his cell phone and called somewhere.

“Hey, the students are really handsome.”

The taxi driver kept talking all the way home. This is often the case when taking a taxi.

“Me too in the past—”

Even though Yoo Joonghyuk did not respond, the taxi driver continued to chatter. Yoo Joonghyuk let the knight talk freely.

“People don't know. It’s hard to be good looking.”

Yoo Joonghyuk looked at his face reflected in the window.

Perhaps the only legacy left by his parents. His good looks helped him somehow make ends meet.

Yoo Joonghyuk did not quite understand that he could like or dislike someone just by looking at theirs appearance. So, Yoo Joonghyuk couldn't quite understand that he should express gratitude when someone complimented his appearance.

"Thank you."

After answering briefly, he got out of the taxi, and the rain was leaking from the gloomy sky.

Entered the password and entered the house. The living room light was off. Yoo Joonghyuk paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

"Yoo Mia."

But there was no answer coming back. Yoo Joonghyuk picked up his pole umbrella like a weapon under the dim light of sensors.

“Kang Woohyun.”

Still no answer. It meant that no one was in the house, or pretended not to be. Has he ever been like that before? In an instant, several possibilities passed by. Yoo Joonghyuk decided to check it out for himself.

He hid in the darkness of the living room without making a sound as much as possible. His ears were pricked up, but all he could hear was the regular noise of the refrigerator. There was no sign of being alive at all.

Yoo Joonghyuk was not vigilant and looked around the house, lighting up the darkness. In the first place, there were not many places to search because it was a two-room apartment that was not spacious. In the bathroom, on the veranda, in the closet. Yoo Mia was nowhere to be found.

He immediately called Kang. Kang Woo-hyun did not answer the phone. It was the same whether he left a message or texted.

Yoo Joonghyuk calmly settled the situation.

Kang Woohyeon decided to take care of Yoo Mia for a while.

Yoo Mia is gone.

Kang Woohyun can't be contacted.

Yoo Joonghyuk examined the traces left inside the house. There was no sign of the meal on the table. However, the remaining water and stained dishes in the sink indicated that someone had cleaned the dishes after washing them.

In the living room, there were board games and storybooks that Yoo Mia was supposed to play with.

The slightly turned off sofa and Yoo Mia's shoes disappeared.

Yoo Joonghyuk gauged the remaining warmth on the sofa, and then ran out of the house with a pole umbrella in his hand.

He could see a straight alley through the light of the blue street lamp. Even though there was definitely a road there, Yoo Mia was still far away like the darkness of the beginning that had never been revealed.

After slowly looking around the alleys on both sides, Yoo Joonghyuk recalled in his head the place Yoo Mia must have headed. Yoo Mia likes large marts. He knows Yoo Mia and she likes convenience stores. She loves fast food, Yoo Mia. She loves the playground, Yoo Mia.

Yoo Mia... … his younger sister.

The surrounding topography was entered into Yoo Joonghyuk's head. He decided to explore the best route for Yoo Mia to go to.

"Yoo Mia!"

She wouldn't have gone far.

The child had never been out alone before. Compared to their peers, her language development is delayed, so she lacks a lot of pronunciation and doesn't know many words. She wouldn't have gone far.

Yoo Joonghyuk walked at a brisk pace toward the hypermarket and searched the entrance of the surrounding alley.

“Answer me if you hear me! Yoo Mia!”

It was late and the road at night was sparsely populated. The students who were secretly smoking at the corner of the alley avoided Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze. He saw men drinking at the sparsely lined outdoor stalls. Yoo Joonghyuk grabbed a middle-aged man who was drunk and asked.

"Have you not seen?"

Since he wasn't used to having a conversation like this with a stranger, Yoo Joonghyuk took a deep breath and sorted out what he was going to say.

"Girl. She is about sixty eight centimeters tall. Her hair is tied back in two pigtails, and she often wears light blue clothes. My features are very similar.”

The drunkard, perhaps unaware of Yoo Joonghyuk''s strange way of speaking, rolled his eyes and fell face down on the table. Yoo Joonghyuk looked down at the drunk for a while, then he grabbed the people around him again and asked.

“Uh, girl? I didn't see her.”

No one had seen Yoo Mia anywhere. Yoo Joonghyuk saw a reed growing beside the road. There is a park with low grasses outside the reed road, and if you went there, someone would have found it. Yoo Joonghyuk saw the end of the road where the reeds had grown. The exterior of a hypermarket dimly visible in the distant darkness. Anyway, did that little child walk all the way there?

Could she have walked?

Yoo Joonghyuk started running.

“Yoo Mia… … Yoo Mia!”

How long did he run? Yoo Joonghyuk arrived in front of a large mart before he knew it. The mart was a regular holiday. There was no place he hadn't checked on his way. Convenience stores, fast food stores, stationery stores, playgrounds, and alleys behind them were all looked at. It felt like a fog was rolling over his head.

No one has ever told him about this situation.

In order to raise a child alone, Yoo Joonghyuk also studied various things. He searched the internet and read books. He bought supplies for childcare.

Attitude to raising children. How not to form a bad habit. A method of education that instills the right values ​​in children.

Some books he did not understand even after reading them, and some books wrote down methods that he could not do even if he understood them. Some books made him know what he was not given by his parents, and some books let him know that he would never be able to replace his parents.

But no book ever told him how to deal with this kind of situation.

Still, he did what he could and got here.

Think of it as a game.

Yoo Joonghyuk muttered to himself.

This is a game. The only thing he's good at. The goal is to find Yoo Mia. Keep it simple. Don't panic, what you can do now... …

Think.

But the more he thought about it, the more his thoughts got messed up.

The game could be abandoned at any time if there was no chance of winning. Even if you lose one game, the next game remains.

But if he loses this game, what will remain?

His heart started beating fast. Yoo Joonghyuk ran like crazy and shouted Yoo Mia's name. A chill slowly ran through his forearm. He felt the odds of winning decrease in real time. It felt like playing a game against an unknown opponent who was not expected to lose.

It was a game that should not be given up.

He suddenly felt that he couldn't be alone. He had to ask someone for help. As he thought about it, he felt guilty for not reporting it right away. However, the moment he picked up the phone, Yoo Joonghyuk realized why he had not reported it.

―If possible, it would be better not to inform the outside world.

One day, Woohyun Kang once said something like that.

―If they find out that you are raising your little sister alone, many troubles will arise.

—What troubles?

―There is also a problem with Jinsang hyung. Anyway, when you picked it up, there was only one letter left, and there was no genetic test?

―Looking at her appearance, she is my younger sister.

-That's the case, but you don't know. If it's not really your sister, or if you have a complicated family situation... … .

—.....

―If that happens, where will this poor kid go after all? I will help you as much as possible, so let's not inform the outside world.

Yoo Joonghyuk called the police. Why? The police did not answer the call. The second time he walked, it was the same. When he made the third call, the police managed to answer.

Yoo Joonghyuk said that his sister was missing.

He gave his name, his sister's name, and his age. and… … .

―What are your parents' names? The child's date of birth is... … .

“Her date of birth is… … .”

Why? He couldn't remember. Yoo Joonghyuk tried to remember Yoo Mi-ah's date of birth several times.

―What is the address of the reporter? where… … .

“The address is… … .”

It felt like someone had cleverly erased his memory.

Yoo Joonghyuk slowly looked back. The road he ran was buried in darkness. He has always been down that road. On the way back after shopping while holding Yoo Mia's hand. But why?

The road to home suddenly felt strange.

The police asked if they could come riight away. They said they needed to know more about his sister's s personal information and how she disappeared.

However, the moment he heard the story, Yoo Joonghyuk thought that they would not be able to find his younger sister.

It was his sister who disappeared.

A child who looks just like him. A child whose face and name were abandoned in front of her house by her parents, who was born as if she were falling from the sky.

“I’ll call again.”

Yoo Joonghyuk hung up the phone and ran back the way he had walked.

Maybe he doesn't know There may be a child standing in a nearby alley that he passed by without finding it. He may be wandering around the neighborhood alone and wandering in front of the house alone.

"Yoo Mia!"

He needed help from other people around him, not the police.

Who knows him.

Instead of wondering who he is and where he came from, someone who will find his little sister with him may be wandering around here right now.

The name of someone he knew popped into his head at random. Woohyun Kang, Jinsang Park. The face of the still unfamiliar manager and the names of the players he had never met flashed through his mind. For a moment, he also remembered the face of the new manager he met this morning.

He swayed in his rising breath.

Yoo Joonghyuk groped for darkness and urged his steps.

Was it here or not… … was it this way?

After staring into the black darkness for a long time, the sense of reality gradually disappeared.

The scenery of the semi-basement workshop was similar. Hundreds of chairs were lined up without numbers in the large, square workshop. President Kim told him that he could sit 'anywhere', and from that day on, Yoo Joonghyuk sat 'anywhere' and played games.

‘Anywhere’ was his seat.

"Yoo Mia!"

The faint smell of urine from stray cats.

Looking at the pitch-black abyss spreading deep inside the alley, Yoo Joonghyuk felt as if he had returned to the semi-basement workshop.

Park Jinsang was right. He didn't have the guts to become someone else just because he ate something else.

He held his breath against the wall for a while. It wasn't just that he was dizzy because he had exhausted a lot of stamina. His vision was confused as if he had been drugged, and his body felt heavy as if he had become a child.

Is it because of fatigue from the recent overworked schedule? Like Mia said, is it because she ate too much grass? Or did Park Jinsang secretly put something in the food?

But it couldn't be. Because he had no memory of eating what Park Jinsang gave him. If so, when... … Suddenly, he remembered Park Jinsang blowing cigarette smoke at him in the director's office.

Cigarette smoke.

Cigarette smoke covered his vision as he coughed.

When he blinked again, he was in a familiar landscape. The smell of rotten food and unwashed sweat. Mouse and keyboard sounds from everywhere.

It was a semi-basement workshop run by President Kim.

Only then did he feel it. This was still his reality.

He still hasn't taken a single step out of this ring.

Yoo Mia is gone.

He will never see the child again.

Yoo Joonghyuk sat down on a chair in the workshop, as if it was all a dream. Then the chair next to him swung around, and someone grabbed him by the shoulder.

"mister."

He looked around blankly and saw a boy in his late teens with a tattoo on his arm sitting there. Looking closely at his face, he was one of the guys who had been smoking in the alley earlier.

"mister. we are calling . I can not hear you?"

"what? Is he good-looking?”

“Don’t you think you saw him somewhere? Aren't you a celebrity?"

“Climb up. It’s dark, and you look handsome.”

The children whispered among themselves and surrounded Yoo Joonghyuk. Among them, a boy who seemed to be the leader spoke to Yoo Joonghyuk. Even at first glance, he was a boy as tall as Yoo Joonghyuk.

"mister. Please go to the convenience store in front of me and buy me a pack of the same ones. Keep the money you have left.”

The child proudly held out a red cigarette pack and ten thousand won together. Yoo Joonghyuk looked down at it from a distance. When he didn't take the money, the boy tapped Yoo Joonghyuk on the shoulder.

“Hey, uncle. Are you deaf?”

Yoo Joonghyuk laughed lightly.

"Smile?"

The face of the boy who raised his fist was distorted. Either that or not, Yoo Joonghyuk laughed. All his sense of reality was shattering.

“(This comment is censored by reporting.)”

The boy muttered something and swung his fist. But his voice was not heard.

“(This comment is censored by reporting.)”

However, Yoo Joonghyuk was no longer curious about those words.

Yoo Joonghyuk slowly closed his eyes. It occurred to him that there was nothing in this life that could surprise him. He will not be surprised if the world ends tomorrow.

Right now, no matter what happens right in front of your eyes—

It was at that time that a silver needle protruded from the boy's neck with the sound of clams.

The boy looked at his neck with eyes full of disbelief, then curled forward.

Yoo Joonghyuk blinked blankly.

“(This comment is censored by reporting.)”

The children watching the situation from behind screamed.

A few who came to their senses belatedly looked around and shouted ferociously.

“(Comment blinded by report!)”

“(Comment blinded by report!)”

Once again, the sound of nettle was heard, and a silver long needle was stuck in the children's throats.

hooked And snug again.

“(Comment blinded by report!)”

“(Comment blinded by report!)”

All the children collapsed at the last long needle, and the cigarette smoke that surrounded Yoo Joonghyuk disappeared.

Surrounding was slowly changing, and when he blinked again, Yoo Joonghyuk was standing at the beginning of a dead end alley. He gave a slight gag and looked up to see two shadows walking under the streetlights at the crossing. Surprisingly, their words came through very clearly.

“Dwell.”

“Oh, no. He fainted. Do you know what fainting is?”

familiar voice.

The light from the street lamp was dazzling. When he narrowed my eyes, he saw two large and small dumplings standing across the crossing. Perhaps because of the cold, warm steam was swirling over the dumplings.

The little dumpling said

“Shin Odeung businessmen. It's dignified.”

"are you okay.?Pedestrians first... … I don't know what you say. Just hold my hand and walk.”

The woman took Wang Mandu's hand and approached Yoo Joonghyuk. Little Wang Mandu, who finally found Yoo Joonghyuk, pointed at him and said,

“Obabunny.”

Yoo Joonghyuk closed his eyes.

Yoo Joonghyuk does not believe in miracles. Everything is the result of hard work, and he is the result of the life he has lived.

However, there was no way to explain what happened to Yoo Joonghyuk that day, other than saying it was a miracle.

When he woke up with a rough spirit, Yoo Joonghyuk found Yoo Mia sleeping peacefully next to him.

was it a dream?

If it was a dream, it was a very strange dream. The only thing that comes to mind is the thick cigarette smoke and the attractive images of king dumplings.

Yoo Joonghyuk opened his cell phone, rubbing his temples from the oncoming headache.

―54 missed calls

There were a lot of calls looking for him.

“Obabunny. Come on.”

Yoo Mia opened her eyes at the sound of rustling.

Yoo Joonghyuk slowly looked around the messy house. Things from yesterday came to mind one by one.

Yoo Joonghyuk asked Yoo Mia about what happened yesterday.

It was difficult to understand, but the summary was as follows.

“When you woke up, you were on a bench in an unfamiliar park, and a woman with gray hair was taking care of you.”

"Luck"

"And?"

"B-ja."

"B-ja?"

"You ate Bi-Ja, the stretched cheese!"

It seemed like she was talking about pizza.

“Onni Ipo.”

Yoo Joonghyuk remembered the woman with dumplings he had seen in his dream last night.

A woman poking her long needle at a group of smoking teenagers.

Why was that woman there? Why did she save him?

Why does she carry such a needle?

What is certain is that she brought him back to this house with Yoo Mia, and left after leaving a message for Yumia.

He didn't even know her name, but judging from various circumstances, it didn't seem like the woman had kidnapped or harassed Yoo Mia.

Yoo Joonghyuk sighed and said.

“She is not a good person for giving you pizza. Never before-"

“No. She is Onni.”

“Why did you go to the park?”

"Woke up and was there."

“What is your last memory before going to sleep?”

“Maniza Azassi.”

Before meeting the woman, Yoo Mia's last memory was of falling asleep on the sofa after having dinner given to her by Woohyun Kang.

Yoo Joonghyuk opened his cell phone again. Among the messages from the angry coaches, he saw a familiar name. It was Kang Woo-hyun.

-Joonghyuk. I am so sorry.

He called right away, but Kang Woohyun did not answer the phone.

What are you sorry about? What about not taking good care of Mia?

Or, that he suddenly disappeared and lost contact?

If that's not the case... … .

How the hell did that woman find Mia?

With a bad feeling, Park Jinsang's words passed through his head.

―You have to lose just one game.

Yoo Joonghyuk made a simple salad for breakfast and organized his thoughts.

Last night, Woohyun Kang disappeared with Yoo Mia.

Today is the last game before the playoffs.

Park Jinsang wants him to lose today's game.

“Yoo Mia. Come with me today.”

“Oh dear! I’m going to dance hokey-pokey at Younginijibe.”

“Not today.”

He won't be able to take Yoo Mia to the match, but if he goes there, he'll find a way.

Yoo Joonghyuk recalled the face of the rookie he saw yesterday.

“Full again.”

While feeding the grouchy Yoo Mia grass and fried eggs, Yoo Joonghyuk checked the time. Even if he hurries from now on, it will be too late. Will he be able to arrive on time?

It was then that the cell phone rang.

-Where are you now?

The caller was neither Park Jinsang nor Kang Woohyun, but another team coach. He didn't even remember the name, so Yoo Joonghyuk replied casually.

"I'm at home."

The coach gave a tantrum.

-Why are you not answering the phone like this? Are you protesting that you quit your manager? What if we haven't even started yet?

“Did Kang Woohyun quit?”

-what? Didn't I tell you anything?

Yoo Joonghyuk thought for a moment and replied that he did not know. Then the coach sighed and added.

―First of all, I sent another child in a hurry, so come as soon as possible. Hurry up because there is no time!

The coach hung up the phone before Yoo Joonghyuk could answer.

It was right after he hung up the phone that he heard the doorbell ring. A familiar figure was waving over the intercom.

“Oh, were you eating? excuse me."

The newcomer who broke into the house took a close look at the salad made by Yoo Joonghyuk.

"hmm… … Do you eat only like this? Still, wouldn’t it be better to feed the child more meals?”

"Bi-ja."

"pizza? Do you want some pizza?”

The newcomer stroked Yoo Mia's head as if she was cute.

Yoo Joonghyuk narrowed his eyes and said.

“There is no time to procrastinate.”

“I parked the car outside. You can start right away.”

The newcomer smiled softly and gestured toward the two. After preparing, Yoo Joonghyuk hugged Yoo Mia and rode in the back seat together. The newcomer started. It was a somewhat awkward gesture.

“Hmm, let’s go.”

Yoo Joonghyuk quickly checked the entry for today's game. It was already time for the first game to begin. In terms of entry, his order of play is fifth. Which means that the game could have ended before it was his turn.

No.That's not going to happen.

In a match like this, Park Jinsang would have set the table so that the win or loss would be decided by the last game with a tie score of 2:2 as usual. There is also a possibility that he has already bought even the opposing team's players.

Yoo Joonghyuk glared at the back of the newcomer's head as she was driving hard.

“What is your name?”

"Me? hmm… … Would you like to take a look at the jacket?”

The newcomer pointed to the jacket hanging on the passenger seat. A name tag hung from the pocket of the jacket.

Manager Y.S.

Yoo Joonghyuk replied.

“These are your initials.”

"haha. yes… … Can you guess my name until we arrive?”

Y.S... … YS.

Yoo Joonghyuk thought for a while and said.

"Yeosung."

The newcomer was silent for a moment, then replied.

“It’s a name similar to that.”

Yoo Joonghyuk shook his head.

“Do you hate giving out your name?”

"yes. I hate giving out names.”

The car pulled out of the alley and went straight into the boulevard. But it didn't speed up very often. In particular, after falling toward the bridge, the state of almost stopping continued.

“The car is too clogged. It would be faster to swim across it.”

“Then why don’t you do that?”

"Heh, shall we?"

Yoo Joonghyuk did not know what the newcomer was talking about. Before he questioned whether or not he was Park Jinsang's helper, he was suspicious due to basic common sense.

Messages from the coach continued to fly on his cell phone.

–Where are you?

Yoo Jung-hyeok looked down at Yoo Mia, who was sleeping on his thigh, and calculated the remaining time and route until her arrival. Even if it was a bit late, he seemed to be able to arrive before his game time. The traffic congestion tended to ease as it approached the end of the boulevard. As expected, after that section—

With a squealing sound, a black sedan cut in on either side of the car.

The newcomer muttered

“Eh… … what a bother."

Cars jammed in front and behind strangely obstructed the passage, prolonging the time. Thanks to that, they got caught in the last congestion section where they could have passed faster.

It's just a coincidence that it feels awkward to pass up.

Newcomer asked

“Does anyone has a grudge against you ?”

….what?

Yoo Joonghyuk thought for a while before answering.

“I don’t know.”

“I think you earned a grudge.”

Tuk tuk

Someone was touching the glass window.

“It’s none of your business.”

“You earned a grudge.”

Men in black suits surrounded the sedan on both sides.

They spoke as they surrounded the exit from the back seat of the car.

Get off.

It was clear from the look of his mouth that he said so. Yoo Joonghyuk doesn't know why they asked him to get off, but he didn't have the jaw to get off and look good.

At this point, it was clear who had done it.

But no matter how good he knew Park Jinsang, he didn't know that it would come out like this.

That must mean that this gambling board is big.

The moment Yoo Joonghyuk, whose complexion hardened, was about to open his mouth.

The newcomer said

“Hold tight.”

The car accelerated rapidly along with the newcomer's words. Embarrassed men in suits shouted something from behind. The newcomer, who opened the distance in an instant, quickly turned the curve into the alley and changed into a new lane.

“Shall we go to the police station? I don’t think it’s time to play.”

Yoo Joonghyuk looked at the newcomer without a word. The newcomer continued, she said.

“Or like this… … Shall we continue?”

He couldn't read the newcomer's expression reflected in the rear mirror. He still had doubts about the her. Still, his heart was shaken by the words of the newcomer.

“Do you want to go to the Han River? The pizza you eat at the Han River is so delicious.”

"Bi-za."

Yoo Joonghyuk held Yoo Mia's hand as she was talking in her sleep. If it had been Park Jinsang who sent the new recruit, he would have just opened the door when the men in the suit surrounded him earlier.

“Have you heard anything?”

“I see and hear a lot all the time. Anyway, right now it's good to go as far as you can from here, right? Anywhere is better than here.”

Yoo Joonghyuk looked down at Yoo Mia, who was mumbling in her sleep.

The rookie was right. It was a situation where a person with common sense would have to run away somewhere. It would have been better for him to go to the police station and ask for protection, or at least hide in a place where he could be safe.

At least, if all of this was Park Jinsang's work, his purpose was clear.

To prevent Yoo Joonghyuk from participating in today's game.

Then, as long as he doesn't go to the stadium alone, he will be safe.

“I’m going to the stadium.”

"why?"

Yoo Joonghyuk does not know what he is good at. If there was a god who made this world, there would be a list on which the god wrote down his specialties.

But the list won't be long.

He often hears that he has a smooth face, but he has no talent to be a singer, actor, or entertainer. He can't sing, he can't act, he doesn't know how to suit people's mood or character. Even reporters have a habit of frowning every time they take a picture, so it's hard to find a good one.

However, there was at least one thing that Yoo Joonghyuk was definitely good at.

“My older brother hurts himself by playing games. When he's playing games, he's the best."

When she woke up, Yoo Mia raised her little finger and said.

The newcomer was speechless. Yoo Joonghyuk also kept his silence. All you can hear is engine noise and exhaust noise. And a klaxon that can be heard from the back from time to time.

Normally, you wouldn't make that choice in a situation like this.

However, he was not born as a normal human being.

He has little memory of his childhood and does not even know his parents' faces. He can't remember when he was abandoned. But he was alone, and he grew up alone and came all the way here.

Yoo Joonghyuk stroked Yoo Mia's head and continued.

“I have to be there. At least for now.”

When a player runs away from a game, it means that he has betrayed trust. In a situation where the past gossip piles up and is hated by the association and the team, if you run away now, your life as a player is no different from the end.

If that happens, he won't be able to take care of Mia.

Even if he run away and becomes safe for a while, what will he do next? Park Jinsang may recommend match-fixing to him again. As he is now, he will not hesitate to do harm to him.

He couldn't hide like this every time.

Perhaps he could have explained the situation to the new manager. He could ask for understanding and talk calmly. He had only known her for two days, but there was a chance that the new manager would understand him because she was a much sweeter and nicer person than he thought.

However, Yoo Joonghyuk was not a person who wished for such a miracle twice. so that,

“I’m going to the stadium.”

That was all Yoo Joonghyuk could say. Then the newcomer said.

"That's how you protect the world."

way to protect the world.

He'd never seen anyone talk that way. It was a phrase that would appear in any story.

The newcomer continued.

'By the way, ahjussi."

"...?"

“You, too, may one day stop playing games.”

He was about to ask what she was talking about, but the newcomer continued.

“If so, what would you like to do then?”

"Have never thought about it."

“You have to think ahead. Is there anything you want to do after you retire?”

“Retirement is a long way off.”

“The world could end suddenly tomorrow.”

For some reason, Yoo Joonghyuk found it difficult to keep up with the pace of the newcomer’s conversation.

Either that or not, the newcomer continued.

“A bunch of monsters could suddenly appear and mess up Seoul.”

“There must be something like a game then.”

The newcomer looked at Yoo Joonghyuk with absurd eyes and said.

“It could be, but… … In that situation, wouldn't there be many other things besides games? Things that must be done.”

Yoo Joonghyuk thought for a moment about the newcomer's words.

He imagined a world in which the world was truly destroyed, no one was playing games, and games were no longer games. A world infested with monsters.

It felt somehow unfamiliar.

Yoo Joonghyuk recalled the black darkness of the semi-basement workshop. No one was playing games there either. By killing monsters in the dark, killing people, and raising the rankings, Yoo Joonghyuk survived.

“I will survive somehow.”

“And how?”

Yoo Joonghyuk looked down at his cell phone, which was turned off, and muttered involuntarily.

“I might find the human who made me.”

Yoo Joonghyuk couldn't understand why he said it all of a sudden, even after he said it.

"Okay."

"...."

“Can I ask again?”

"No."

“When did you start liking dumplings?”

“… … What do you mean?”

He could see the black sedans following him in the rearview mirror. The newcomer stepped on the accelerator again. For a newcomer, her driving skills were quite exciting for the young age. The scene of overtaking the cars in front while changing lanes felt like watching a movie.

“What did you do before?”

“I just went to work.”

“What company?”

"just… … company.”

“Why did you quit?”

“Because the CEO kept dying.”

Yoo Joonghyuk couldn't tell if the newcomer's words were a joke or not.

“When did you get your license?”

“I haven’t gotten it yet.”

"What?

"I don't have anyone to give me a license...… Oh, I think I got used to the feeling while riding a dragon."

"Dragon?"

The moment the newcomer opened her mouth again, time seemed to stop with an explosive roar. Everyone's bodies floated into the air, and the window in front of them shattered with sharp fragments. A powerful shock then shook his whole body.

Yoo Joonghyuk instinctively hugged Yoo Mia. He shook violently with the feeling that something soft was wrapped around his body.

When he gasped and barely came to his senses, Yoo Joonghyuk realized that a collision had occurred.

Was it a rookie driving mistake? Or, is it what those guys did earlier?

Fortunately, Yoo Mia in his arms was safe. However, the muscles in his right arm were slightly sore. He must have been slightly injured.

Newcomer

Yoo Joonghyuk stood up staggering and looked around. A dented front seat and a shattered bonnet beyond recognition. It was a much bigger accident than he thought.

At this point, the game was no longer important.

"Hey!"

He should take her to the hospital. There was no way the driver was safe in an accident that destroyed the front of the car in half.

However, the newcomer was nowhere to be seen.

He heard a knocking sound and looked around to see a newcomer knocking on the door from outside. Yoo Joonghyuk barely got out of the car with Yoo Mia in his arms.

Yoo Joonghyuk wanted to ask. What happened, where did she get injured–

"Are you okay?"

"you-"

"I'm fine. Rather, it's a stadium over there. Run now! It's not too late to go now!"

it was an accident

It was such a big accident that it was strange that he didn't die.

but how

“Yoo Joonghyuk.”

The men in suits that followed were dismounting one by one.

“Here, I will do something. Come on, do what you have to do now.”

It couldn't be. There were many men, and the newcomer was a little girl. It was an unwinnable fight even if he joined.

“Don’t resist, just follow me and no one will get hurt—”

The man who had been walking along and saying obvious things suddenly slumped forward. Surprised, the men widened their eyes.

Before he knew it, he could see the newcomer stepping forward and slowly retracting her feet.

kicking posture.

Yoo Joonghyuk could not realize whether what he had just seen was real or not. Has he still not awakened from yesterday's illusion? Is he still dreaming of not being able to come out of the semi-basement workshop?

"Relax!"

Seeing the face of the newcomer looking back, Yoo Joonghyuk blinked angrily.

The newcomer was talking.

"Do not worry too much. By now, my sister should have sorted out the situation. and… … Nothing will happen in the future that makes you worry. At least until the end of the world.”

Yoo Joonghyuk did not know what the newcomer was talking about. The newcomer's words were like comments from beyond the blinds. Words from a world he didn't know that he wanted to know so much.

So he tried to understand, but the words that he ended up giving up on.

Some words you just have to accept before you can understand them. Yoo Joonghyuk felt that fact at this moment.

“I’ll report it to the police, so seize the opportunity and run away.”

There were only two things Yoo Joonghyuk could know now.

That rookie who used to work for a company where the CEO kept dying was much stronger than the men in suits.

And that he has to go to the stadium right now.

The newcomer smiled at Yoo Joonghyuk, who left with Yoo Mia on her back. A different kind of smile from the kind smiles you've had so far. It was a smile with something inexplicably old. For example, the belief in oneself that one finally had after going through so many years.

The newcomer, who had put down a couple of other men in the meantime, waved her hand and said.

“Don't give up until the end! It's what you do best!”

Yoo Joonghyuk could not forget the expression of the newcomer who looked back at the last moment for quite a long time.

Yoo Joonghyuk was not late for the game. He listened to the nagging of the coaches and received glare from the coach, but he played in the game anyway.

The team score was 2 to 2 as expected.

It was the moment when the team's advance to the playoffs was decided through the final game, the ace match. The opponent was, of course, a player who was considered his rival.

Is it because of a different condition than usual? From the start of the game, the situation went against Yoo Joonghyuk. Intermittent right arm pain. His mind was complicated.

Yoo Joonghyuk thought of Yoo Mia, who was waiting in the waiting room. Park Jinsang, who was not seen in the coach seat. He thought of the directors and executives who were busy exchanging opinions.

―Ah, Yoo Junghyeuk’s physical appearance is very different from usual. From the beginning, the game was very unfavorable. It's time for GG to come out soon.

―Yoo Joonghyuk is famous for his fast GG timing.

Yoo Joonghyuk did not give up. Normally, it would have already been the timing to end the game, but Yoo Joonghyuk somehow continued the game. He wins a point, he wins another point. Taking advantage of his opponent's carelessness, he won several small skirmishes.

―It's a really amazing performance.

―Isn’t that the usual style of Yoo Joonghyuk?

From the second half of the game, it was felt that the opponent was also very nervous.

It was still an unfavorable fight, but Yoo Joonghyuk fought hard. From building to unit, everything was under his control.

A game that could barely start.

Yoo Joonghyuk thought of the newcomer who fought with the men in suits to send him here, and the white-haired woman who found Yoo Mia who had disappeared.

And he thought of his parents who might be watching this match somewhere.

Important units fell one by one, and the direction of the match was decided. Yoo Joonghyuk did not give up until the last fight was over.

fight and fight again By the time there were no more moving units, Yoo Joonghyuk's hand finally stopped.

-ah! The match is decided!

He took a slow breath and blinked his eyes to see a ruined battlefield.

A landscape where everything in the world was destroyed.

Yoo Joonghyuk looked at the scenery for a long time. The shield of the game booth was unlocked, and crowds of spectators watching him appeared beyond the world of the destroyed monitors.

At the end of the landscape of destruction, there were familiar faces.

Blonde newcomer. And the white-haired woman who saved Yoo Mia.

Yoo Joonghyuk stood up from his seat without realizing it and came out of the booth. But when Yoo Joonghyuk came out of the booth, they were no longer visible.

After the game, Yoo Joonghyuk grabbed the coach and asked him about the rookie who helped him.

-What are you talking about. Didn't you come by taxi?

The coach didn't remember the rookie.

Yoo Joonghyuk asked if he didn't send a new recruit.

-I? I don't know. There should be one or two newcomers this year. Anyway, I had a hard time today. Even though we lost, the game was good.

Yoo Joonghyuk did not respond.

In the end, he lost, and the team did not advance to the playoffs.

However, the coach's reaction was not bad.

―The playoffs are not the problem right now. The association and the team were all turned upside down. The competition is raging that this game will be invalidated.

―What is that... … .

―Have you not heard the truth?

Park Jinsang surrendered himself to the police station right before the game started.

Yoo Joonghyuk doesn't know why he made that choice.

What is certain is that Park Jinsang, whose face was covered in blood, went to the police station, revealed that he was a match-fixing broker, and blew up a list of all players and sponsors involved in the incident.

―Ha, because of that bastard, all of our players were torn apart. But Joonghyuk, you... … I knew it, but I watched it again. You are not on the list.

All the way back home, Yoo Joonghyuk felt somehow floating.

“Obabunny, did you lose?"

Yoo Joonghyuk thought for a moment about the player who played against him today.

“I didn’t lose because I was ahead in the overall record.”

“Aren't you a loser?”

“If you look at the whole thing, in the end I won.”

“Oh—Barbanie.”

Yoo Joonghyuk thought for a moment that the word ‘overborn’ might actually have a different meaning.

When he turned on his phone, new articles appeared on the main portal.

―We lost, but it was a really great match. Wouldn't this be called a great game? It was a play that was not like Yoo Joonghyuk. It is said that he rang the soul.

Starting with an article excerpted from Caster's lines, comments followed.

―Did you see Yoo Joonghyuk's game today? It was a really great match.

-admit. King's performance improved. the game was fun

―But does it make sense that only Yoo Joonghyuk wasn’t on the list? Didn't he give money away?

― Judging from how he usually went out of his way, it seems that the broker ordered that one too.

―But now it seems that this board is ruined. There are very few top players who have not been involved in match fixing.

For some reason, Yoo Joonghyuk didn't see censored comments at all.

Yoo Joonghyuk continued to read the headlines of the articles.

―The association’s official announcement, today’s official game is completely nullified.

―The match-fixing incident that brought about a shocking change in the esports industry… … .

―The list of players involved in the match fixing was revealed… … .

“Obabunny. hand."

Yoo Joonghyuk put his cell phone in and held Yoo Mia's hand tightly.

Under the fast-approaching night of Seoul, the street lights lit up one by one. Yoo Joonghyuk, who had been staring at the light of the street lamp, looked around without realizing it.

A white steam billowed across the crossing.

A smiling couple was eating hot Taiyaki together. With the anticipation slowly sinking, Yoo Joonghyuk crossed the crosswalk holding Yoo Mia's hand.

Did that really happen?

He could see the faint stars in the night sky that came quickly.

Yoo Joonghyuk looked up at the stars. He walked with Yoo Mia in the darkness illuminated by the stars. He started to see the mart he went to in the distance yesterday. Yoo Mia held his hand tightly.

“Is it dinner?”

A person's body is made up of what he eats.

Yoo Joonghyuk still thought so. And at home, there was a salad left over from washing in the morning. It was an incomprehensible waste to Yoo Joonghyuk to dare to eat other dishes without eating the salad.

But strangely, at that moment, something came to Yoo Joonghyuk's ear.

―The world could suddenly end tomorrow, right?

Like the starlight that came from a distant universe, it was a distant word to Yoo Joonghyuk today. Why? Maybe it's because today was such an absurd day for him.

Yoo Joonghyuk pondered for a while, then looked up at the distant sky and said the following.

"Piza."

Author's words

I knew it. I thought I would see it again from the latter.

You said it on the Island of the Reincarnated. Because you knew it would be like this.

what? Did you read it from the beginning this time? It may be a lie, but if it's true, I'll be a little happy.

If you're reading this review, it probably means that a book has been published.

This monograph manuscript was not actually meant to be uploaded to the cloud. According to our plan, one serialized manuscript is enough.

I don't know if you'll remember, but some of the content in this manuscript is another version, or missing version, of our time. Maybe it's because the contents of the tale "Kim Dok-Ja's Company" that everyone has is a little different, but sometimes there were conflicts of opinion while writing the manuscript.

what… … It should be natural. Because memory is always like that.

Someone's memory is right, wrong, this is missing... … As we talked like that, we were persuaded, and we voted on the memories we had different opinions on. But just because you decided on one through voting, you can't throw away the other story, can you?

In this book, some of the 'Folklore' that received less votes among the party are also included.

■ Which of the serialized version or the book version is the true story? I don't even know anymore We talked so much. Come now, what does it matter? Just because some memories are true, must the other memories be false? Whether this story is true or not, it must be the story you and I or the others shared, the story we lived and talked about.

So I just want you to read this story kindly.

You are the best reader I know.

■

I feel strange after writing up to ■■. I leave the manuscript just in case, but in fact, my review will never reach you. In other words, this is a letter that will never reach you.

■, I don't know if you can even read it [from a full ■ viewpoint].

Regardless, if this ■gi is delivered to you, it's probably ■■■ ■ ■■ Serious ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■. ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■… … ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■… … ■■■■■■■■■■■■■… … ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ Kim ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ … … ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■… …

Help ■​

Completed 『Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint』

THANK YOU SPENDING THIS TIME TOGETHER AND READING THE EXTRA STORIES!!!!