Is This a Green Light? (5)

The car was heading towards Gocheok Sky Dome, where the team joining ceremony was to be held.

It was a late start.

Of course, because of me.

Jang Bonggyu’s foot pressed harder on the accelerator, as if chased by the tight schedule.

The heater was blowing hot air, but the atmosphere in the car was chilly.

“Do you have any sense at all? They say the bigger the expectation, the bigger the disappointment, and Wise Jang is very disappointed. Han Yujin-ssi’s behavior last night was the very embodiment of an unwise attitude!”

How long has it been since I was scolded like this?

The nagging I hadn’t heard in a while felt secretly welcome.

“What did I tell you? I told you that political statements, diss remarks, and exposure are absolutely forbidden!”

Still, my ears are ringing.

Jang Bonggyu’s loud voice made my mind fuzzy. With the hangover still lingering, I felt twice as dizzy.

So right now, I was.

Letting Jang Bonggyu’s words go in one ear and out the other. Just like when I was young and my mom would nag me, I’d lower my head and focus on analyzing the floor tile patterns.

With dead fish eyes, I stared out the car window, lost in thought.

Where is that person going?

What should I eat for lunch?

Did the kids eat?

I’m hungry.

The passenger seat is too soft.

…I’m sleepy.

“Are you listening to me?”

“Huh?”

Jang Bonggyu’s question came abruptly.

“Yes, yes…”

“What did I just say?”

Jang Bonggyu’s voice was laced with suspicion. I thought for a moment and answered.

“…That I’m a stupid idiot poop dog.”

“Oh ho, so you were listening properly.”

I turned my head and stared blankly at Jang Bonggyu’s face.

His flushed face looked cute, like a seasoned octopus bread. His remaining hair seemed to be thinning day by day. Because of me.

…I feel really sorry.

The car stopped at a white line.

“Why isn’t this damn traffic light cooperating today of all days? Yesterday it was all green lights, but today all I see are red lights!”

Jang Bonggyu tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, seemingly anxious about being late.

His anger shifted from the traffic light back to me again.

“Listen carefully, Han Yujin-ssi. Fortunately, public opinion isn’t bad, so it’s fine, but it could have turned into a really big issue…!”

“Agent-nim.”

I cut him off.

“Sigh, what is it?”

“Um…”

After weighing whether to put on a sad or happy expression for a while.

I smiled faintly and spoke softly.

“…I’m sorry.”

Jang Bonggyu glanced at my face and let out a sigh.

“Oh my, really.”

A warm, fatherly smile gently spread across Jang Bonggyu’s stern face.

“Really… I can’t bring myself to dislike Han Yujin-ssi even if I wanted to.”

The light turned green. The car moved smoothly.

---

[Game Korea]

[Title: Today’s Han Yujin update..jpg]

[MS Photo] Han Yujin, ‘Whew, almost late!’

[MS Photo] Han Yujin, ‘Falling flat on the ground!’

[MS Photo] Han Yujin, ‘So embarrassed…’

She fell while running in a hurry, worried about being late ㅠㅠ Kawaiiii

Recommended: 682

[Comments discuss Han Yujin’s cute fall and express concern for her]

[Title: Great HaYoo deflecting feminist question]

(Interview video)

─There’s a lot of conflict in the sports industry due to gender wage gap. What’s your view on this…

─I think how much money a person receives depends on how much money they bring in. The reason I receive a high salary as a rookie is because my skills and marketability are worth that much. So I think salaries should be determined based on the amount of money one earns with their abilities.

Recommended: 1254

[Comments praise Han Yujin’s response to the feminist question]

[Title: Brief summary of Han Yujin’s team joining press conference.txt]

(Han Yujin wearing ELF uniform.jpg)

Q&A Summary:

Q. How do you feel about joining?

A. Feeling very good.

Q. Why ELF?

A. Motivation. It’s more fun to turn a lesser dragon into a true dragon than to be the head of dragons.

Q. How would you rate your current skill level?

A. Conservatively speaking, I think I’m in the top five.

Q. We heard your sister might go pro too? Same team?

A. Don’t know. Whichever team she plays for is her freedom.

Q. The association relaxed regulations so you can play in two months?

A. That’s correct. It was an unreasonable system to begin with, preventing amateurs who gained pro qualifications from competing for over three months. For both players and teams.

Q. Any promises if you win the Pro League?

A. Shouldn’t ELF be making promises to me if we win? Hurry up and make victory promises for me.

Recommended: 1553

[Comments discuss Han Yujin’s interview skills and confident attitude]

[Title: Sold out, sold out, sold out.jpg]

1. 1. Han Yujin season’s greetings goods released by Ingame.net

 

1. 1. Han Yujin uniform

 

1. 1. Han Yujin press conference look

 

1. 1. ELF membership new sign-ups increased 30 times

      All sold out.

      Achievements made in just a few hours..

      Not just 1 billion, she should get 3 billion

      The queen of sellouts, Great HaYoo, please adopt me

Recommended: 793

[Comments discuss Han Yujin’s popularity and marketing power]

---

4:30 PM.

Waiting room for performers at Ingame.net studio in Sangam-dong.

The waiting room was packed with pro gamers gathered for the group selection ceremony.

Jung Suhyuk was watching a YouTube video with his gaze slightly lowered.

It was the GSL main tournament opening video.

The GSL opening videos were known for their high production quality, to the point where even public broadcasters were accused of plagiarism by fans.

Unique concept, storytelling, mise-en-scène, seasonal feel.

The Ingame.net OAP team was famous for putting their heart and soul into various video and production techniques.

“Oh? You haven’t seen this yet?”

Moon Jaehyun, who had come after getting his broadcast makeup done, bent down and asked.

“No.”

“The insert song is good and the production is amazing. They portrayed the 16 players as animals. Especially you and Yohan hyung appear like dual protagonists.”

Jung Suhyuk shifted his gaze back to the opening video.

A stadium full of blood-red petals. A chair sits alone in the center. A lion walks majestically to the chair and takes its seat.

Moon Jaehyun, who was watching the video together, suddenly spoke.

“By the way, the lion is you. Because you’re the king of beasts.”

“Pfft, that’s funny.”

“But somehow you seem like the villain. Like a final boss feeling.”

“…”

After that, it moved on to individual cuts of the 16 advancing players.

And finally.

The video ended with a scene of a pure white and elegant swan looking down at the lion.

Jung Suhyuk wrinkled his nose bridge and asked.

“Who’s the swan?”

“Fans interpret the swan as Yohan hyung.”

Hearing that, Jung Suhyuk snickered.

“What… Singing the final swan song and doing the last dance, so they expressed it as a swan?”

“Yes. The graceful wing movements are just like an emperor too.”

Moon Jaehyun, who stole a glance at Jung Suhyuk’s expression, asked.

“Why? You don’t like it?”

“It’s all good. It’s all good, but.”

Jung Suhyuk turned off his phone with a displeased expression.

“Kang Yohan sunbae is decorating the ending.”

“Ah, that’s…”

Moon Jaehyun opened and closed his mouth, pondering how to start speaking.

“Yohan hyung is living history itself. His popularity power is overwhelming and he made it to the GSL main tournament after 1500 days. Above all, it’s his last tournament.”

Just then.

The GSL PD wearing a wireless intercom around his neck opened the waiting room door and entered.

“Hey, Suhyuk!”

“Yes, PD-nim.”

“Who are you going to pick today? Have you decided? Give me a hint.”

Jung Suhyuk was the winner of the last GSL. As the top seed holder for this tournament, he had the right to pick one player to bring into his Group A.

“Well. I haven’t thought about it yet.”

The PD clapped his hands as if that was good news.

“Then can you avoid Yohan?”

“…What’s the reason?”

The PD clasped his hands together and said.

“Please save me. From the tournament organizer’s perspective, I’d like you two to meet in the finals or semifinals. You know the last season’s GSL was a huge flop and lost viewers to GGP.”

Jung Suhyuk raised his eyebrows at hearing the tournament he won was a failure.

“…I’ll think about it positively.”

“Okay. Please do. You know I’m saying all this for your own good, right?”

The PD patted Jung Suhyuk’s back lightly and left.

And then.

Kang Yohan entered the waiting room with a friendly smile.

Moon Jaehyun stood up and bowed his head.

“Hello, sunbae-nim!”

“Moon Jaehyun! Why did you trash talk me!”

Kang Yohan playfully pretended to grab his collar.

“Ah, that… I didn’t have any ill feelings, sunbae-nim.”

Hearing that, Kang Yohan laughed and waved his hand.

“It’s fine, man. Those things make it interesting by creating storytelling. But our Yujin-ssi was so upset because of you, I had a hard time calming her down.”

“O-Our Yujin-ssi?”

Kang Yohan moved to greet the other players.

Watching his back, Jung Suhyuk snorted softly and said.

“I’ve decided who to pick.”

“Huh? Who?”

Jung Suhyuk gestured with his chin towards his senior.

“Kang Yohan.”

“What?! Why?”

“Everyone wants me to be the villain. So I’m going to grant their wish.”

Moon Jaehyun, whose face had turned pale, scratched his nose bridge.

“Hyung… You know, right? The moment you pick Yohan hyung, you’ll get a flood of insults starting from DC Inside.”

“Let them bark all they want.”

“Well, even if he enters your group, it doesn’t mean he’ll be eliminated right away. But starting with one loss, it’ll be a march of tribulation for Yohan hyung. If he gets eliminated in the Round of 16 by any chance, the PD will drink soju again.”

Jung Suhyuk took a bite of the homemade cookie he received from a fan. The crown-shaped cookie split in half.

“Dreams are meant to be broken anyway.”

“But that woman won’t stay quiet…”

“That woman?”

Jung Suhyuk tilted his head. Moon Jaehyun scratched his head and answered.

“Han Yujin.”

“Ah.”

“That woman is completely crazy. You should have seen how she got so angry and cursed when I trash talked Yohan hyung once at the offline preliminaries.”

Moon Jaehyun shook his head with a horrified expression.

“That’s interesting. I actually had something I wanted to make that woman do.”

“…What is it?”

Jung Suhyuk swallowed the remaining cookie and said.

“Crying, screaming, and begging to me.”