“Jihoon, can you pull back a bit? You’re too far ahead on your own.”
“Ah, sure.”
“Minhyuk, let’s switch with you, and I’ll do some ping-pong with Jongwook. Jongwook, call out the timing, okay?”
“Got it.”
The one-on-one test has just concluded, and after a brief break, they’re now in a group scrim.
Director Kim Gwang-cheol is shining with excitement, jotting something in his notebook in real-time.
“They can even call out… and it doesn’t drop their performance; in fact, it’s helping the team overall.”
Does he have some prior experience with group matches?
No matter how high tier you are, it’s not easy to talk while playing the game.
But hey, it’s a good thing. Director Kim noted “capable of calling out, skilled in team play” in his notebook.
“Truly, my eyes do not deceive me.”
Despite everyone’s objections and worries, Director Kim Gwang-cheol pushed through with signing Mollru.
She gave off some strong vibes from the first glance, and she ended up showing such potential.
He nodded in satisfaction.
“Alright, that will be all. Good job, Mollru. Well done, everyone.”
As the game came to an end, the director clapped, signaling the end of the test.
The players exhaled, getting up from their seats.
The score was 3-2, with the team Mollru was in winning.
They played a total of two matches. The first match had balanced teams set up to some extent, while the second match was intentionally designed with some of Mollru’s teammates being a bit weaker.
“The first match ended too simply, so I went with that…”
But the result was the same for both matches: The team with Mollru won.
Looking at the game footage, it was undeniable that Mollru contributed significantly to that victory.
A rosy future began forming in director Kim Gwang-cheol’s mind.
With this player, it wouldn’t be impossible to return to the first division.
He had expected as much.
*
“We’ll write up the contract and have it ready shortly.”
“Please take care of it.”
“Of course. It was a very beneficial time.”
Having just shaken hands with Mollru, he sent her off.
From behind, someone approached Director Kim Gwang-cheol and spoke.
“Nice match, Director Kim.”
“…Club Owner?”
“Isn’t it odd to see me today, the one who usually doesn’t even show my face?”
When Director Kim turned around to confirm the person, his face subtly stiffened.
Club Owner Park Kyung-tae. He’s someone Director Kim finds difficult to deal with.
Not just because he’s the club owner, but because of his overall disposition.
“The person who just left, they did the entrance test for our team, right?”
“Yes, that’s right, but…”
“Haha! It seems like a fortuitous blessing has just rolled into our laps!”
Club Owner Park Kyung-tae laughed heartily. But Director Kim could not share in the laughter.
Typically, Park Kyung-tae shows little interest in the players forming the team.
He had delegated all authority to Director Kim, so if he was showing such interest now, it meant that,
“If someone like that joins our team… it’ll be quite profitable.”
He was already smelling money.
This man, often labeled as the “money ghost,” considered Titan Underlock just one of his business ventures.
Though Director Kim recognized and respected his business skills… a love for gaming and being a former pro-gamer were in complete opposition to him.
“I need to speak to the front office. Have that contract ready fast.”
“…Did you watch the match?”
“No, I didn’t catch the game. I just got here.”
It was clear their mindsets were vastly different.
Pro gamers speak through their skills. If Park Kyung-tae truly cared about the team or the club, he should have inquired about Mollru’s abilities right after the test.
Instead of this casual face-to-face chit-chat.
“…Aren’t you curious about her skills?”
“Oh, right. How good is she?”
“She’s impressive. You could use her as a starter immediately.”
“That’s a relief.”
Park Kyung-tae responded as if it didn’t matter at all how good she actually was.
He didn’t consider how remarkable it was for a woman like Mollru to hold her own among the male players.
“If her skills were lacking, she’d still need to be used immediately, but she’s good? Ha! Once she debuts, she’ll have fans flocking to her.”
“…”
Director Kim Gwang-cheol could vaguely hear Park Kyung-tae’s following words.
And players with a strong fan base… are worth money. That’s what he wanted to say, right?
“We absolutely must keep her.”
It was obvious why Park Kyung-tae was so smitten with Mollru.
The esports scene is predominantly male. Though female fans have been increasing, the balance still tips towards men.
However, women’s leagues aren’t exactly ignored, either.
In this setup, if someone like Mollru, an irregular, came onto the scene?
It wouldn’t be too much to say she could absorb most of the esports fanbase.
In fact, up to this point, Director Kim Gwang-cheol had no complaints to voice.
He wasn’t told how to change the lineup or to favor specific players because it’s common for club owners to have preferences.
Yet, Director Kim couldn’t shake the sense of unease rising within him.
“There was a similar incident last time.”
Back when Titan Underlock was in the first division, there was a player who built a solid fan base with decent skills and great fan service.
Even back then, the normally disinterested Park Kyung-tae suddenly requested that player to partake in a commercial shoot, somewhere he’d heard about it.
Claiming it would be mutually beneficial.
The problem was, during a time when the team was struggling, and they needed practice more than outside activities, he forced them into external commitments.
“Perhaps that was why he left.”
The player who had aspired to rise higher ultimately left the team.
While the team’s struggles contributed to this, Director Kim Gwang-cheol suspected that Park Kyung-tae’s meddling played a part.
“This time, I hope…”
That such a thing doesn’t happen again.
Director Kim could only wish for it.
*
“Do you think it will go well?”
In the car on the way back, I asked Si-young beside me casually.
I wasn’t even certain if this was the right decision, hoping someone could at least give me an answer.
Si-young, focused on driving, spoke up.
“The players and the director seem fine. On the game side… Mollru will see it better than I do.”
Si-young spoke in a plain tone.
“But you never know. Something could come up. Other teams might make offers. It might suddenly seem like becoming a pro isn’t worth it. That could happen.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, you know, usually when you dip your toes in something, your perspective tends to shift.”
Si-young had a habit of being rather unempathetic in these situations.
Instead of sympathy, she preferred to analyze and lay out various options for me to choose from.
“You’ve got plenty of time, so think about it slowly.”
“I guess that makes sense.”
Typically, when signing a contract to be a professional gamer, there’s an expectation to commit for several years.
Those years are not a small amount of time, so it requires careful consideration.
There was no need to rush. Let’s take our time and think things through.
For now, I’ll look at the contract presented by Titan Underlock and then decide.
*
“Who is this person?”
“Oh, this person is—.”
I’d just arrived at the location where Titan Underlock had contacted me saying the contract was ready, only to find someone I had never met sitting there.
“Sorry for the late introduction. This is Park Kyung-tae, Club Owner of Titan Underlock.”
The man interrupted Director Kim’s words, handing over his business card.
So he really is the club owner.
I examined the card closely.
Do club owners usually show up for player signings?
“I’ve made sure to arrange the contract terms as favorably as possible; the salary is quite an exceptional amount for a newbie. First, let’s show her the contract, Director Kim.”
“…Yes.”
In that brief moment, as Director Kim handed over the contract, he showed a strangely displeased expression.
A sense of unease washed over me as I examined the contract.
Today, I came to the club alone without Si-young. She had insisted on accompanying me, but I felt bad dragging along someone who looked so tired.
There was something Si-young had advised me: when looking over the contract, read each clause carefully.
She even said to postpone signing if needed because it’s them who needed me, after all.
Si-young’s words, coming from her status as a rookie in society, had a definite impact.
“…What’s this? ‘The player must shoot at least once a quarter for ads and other video content at the request of the club owner or representative.’”
“Haha, it’s nothing to worry about. It’s mutually beneficial for both us and the player. You’ll be promoting the team while also gaining some appearance fees. I assure you, there’s no pressure, but—”
“Hmm…”
It just didn’t feel right.
If they truly respected the player’s opinion, it wouldn’t be explicitly stated in the contract like this.
On top of that, it specified once per quarter. What pro gamer does that much advertising?
To be honest, money wasn’t a big deal for me; I could earn plenty from my personal streams, and I had no real reason to spend much, so my savings were stacking up nicely.
The desire to venture into pro gaming stemmed purely from interest…
Yet, that didn’t matter; the club owner kept talking.
“I firmly believe that Ji-eun will become the face of our team. This opportunity could even lead to the entertainment industry; it’s all the rage nowadays.”
“I’m not really interested in that.”
“Hmm, I see. But your mind may change in the future.”
Park Kyung-tae’s eyes gleamed, hinting he didn’t believe my words.
That look that says, “Girls your age always say that.” He thought I was lying.
As if no one could ever be as serious about gaming as I was.
With someone like this as the club owner, I could easily picture my future in the team.
This didn’t feel right at all. I didn’t see the need to put myself through unnecessary stress.
I wrapped my thoughts up in my head.
“I won’t be signing. I’ve changed my mind.”
I declared firmly in front of the surprised stare aimed at me.
