How long have I been silently screaming?
I grabbed my dizzy head and lifted my thoroughly collapsed body.
“Ugh….”
By the time I regained my senses, Brutal’s interview was already over.
The horrifying “goroshi time,” where you praise someone right in front of them, had passed—one of the most terrifying modern-day scenarios.
If it were just a slightly embarrassing moment, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. I could have simply scratched my head and thought, “Well, that’s a bit awkward.”
However, the problem was that I was a relatively well-known public figure, and a streamer running my own broadcast.
– “What’s your connection to Brutal?”
– “Clarify! Clarify! Clarify! Clarify! Clarify!”
– “I believed in you… I believed in you…!”
– “This time it was sincere!”
I could almost see the chat messages that would flood in as soon as I turned on the broadcast.
At least I was in the U.S., attending a North American league match, so that was a relief.
There was no one in this foreign crowd who recognized me. If it were in Korea, just imagining how it would have been is terrifying.
‘I’m feeling dizzy.’
That Brutal, repaying grace with betrayal.
I thought he was a rare, passionate, and decent young man, but it turned out he was an assassin waiting patiently for a chance to stab me in the back.
Didn’t they say a gentleman’s revenge takes ten years? Was Brutal so frustrated about his Solo Rank loss that he hit me hard from behind?
Now, it’s time to settle the score fairly in the Abyss, not this public scheming. I had no idea he could be so manly in this way.
Calling me here was clearly a cunning trick; it was definitely teabagging. It might just be a special strategy to blow up a bomb right in front of someone.
What a scary guy, Brutal! I acknowledge it. You’re the best rival I’ve ever met.
As I continued this inner monologue filled with jokes and banter, I heard some voices from behind.
“$%^# so scary….”
“Son, !#%#@^….”
A blonde-haired boy and a blonde-haired woman who seemed to be his mother. The boy, not wanting to meet my gaze, grabbed onto his mother’s skirt and barely peeked out.
Based on his attitude and the English words I caught, it seemed the boy was quite scared of me. Wasn’t he saying something like, “Mom, that lady is scary”? His mother likely comforted him after hearing those words.
The boy looked like he was quite scared. Wasn’t what he just said something like, “Mom, that older sister is scary”? When Mother heard that, she must have comforted her son.
“Does she think I’m a complete psycho?”
What a drag, to come all the way to America and be treated like a crazy woman.
This was just as heartbreaking as being brutalized by Brutal, but it was also understandable.
I mean, if a woman was walking down the corridor giggling to herself and mumbling in some weird language I didn’t recognize, it would be fair to call her a crazy woman from an objective point of view. I probably would’ve thought the same if I saw such a woman, even if I didn’t say a word.
Currently, I was moving along with the crowd. That blonde hat I had just encountered was also among the crowd.
And what kind of crowd was it, you ask?
“Those who want autographs and pictures, please come this way!”
The throng of fans wanting to get MG’s autograph and take pictures. In simpler terms, it was a bunch of people wanting a fan meeting.
Is this really the renowned North American team MG? A prestigious team indeed, as the number of people wanting a fan meeting was countless. Even if there were no staff to guide, you could easily follow the person in front of you.
I too, was blending in with the crowd, shuffling along like a zombie.
Typically, I would never participate in something like this fan meeting. I absolutely detest crowded places, and waiting in line for something just to achieve a goal is even worse.
That’s why I love amusement rides but not so much amusement parks. The waiting time is just so tedious and bothersome.
If I ever go to an amusement park, I’d rather pay extra for something like a special pass. A universal ticket would be ideal, allowing me to skip the line and enjoy the attractions right away.
Even though I say this, I’ve been to amusement parks only a handful of times in both my past and current lives. Speaking of which, it seems Si Hyun has recently taken an interest in amusement parks. Should I take her with Kim Jae-jun someday?
As I was lost in such random thoughts, I suddenly noticed that the people in front of me had clearly thinned out.
“Next person, please come in.”
Hmph.
At the employee’s words, I huffed and moved forward.
Let’s see that guy’s face at last.
“When is Brutal’s girlfriend coming?”
“Right? Did she just leave?”
“I saw her sticking around until the interview earlier.”
“Maybe she doesn’t even know there’s an event?”
“Hey, Brutal, contact her or something!”
Even during the fan meeting, the team members kept sneering over here.
How many times has it taken to explain that they’re not that close? Yet, they still didn’t seem to believe it.
“I’ve said it’s not a girlfriend so many times.”
“Ah, so it’s not quite there yet?”
“Sounds like you haven’t reached that level yet. Don’t worry, Brutal. Just trust us!”
“We’ll be your love cupids!”
“Please, for the love of everything, just shut up, you idiots.”
Or maybe they just thought it was funny to tease him by bringing up Kayak.
It was uncertain whether Kayak would even show up, but Brutal thought it might be better if she didn’t come.
The guys next to him were that rowdy. They were like a random box and a ticking time bomb. If she showed up, who knows what they’d blurt out?
‘Maybe it’s better to contact her after everything’s done…’
What if it was just the two of them?
Brutal seriously nodded, thinking it would be quieter and nicer that way.
‘But what would I even talk about when we meet?’
Just then, a voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
“Hey, hey, she’s here.”
“Looks like she came late because of the crowd.”
“She looks prettier up close.”
“Damn, Brutal, you lucky bastard…”
With her sparkling silver hair and blue eyes, the person he had imagined finally appeared in reality.
Amidst the team members whispering about girlfriends and whatnot, Brutal swallowed hard, unable to take his eyes off Kayak.
‘She actually came…’
Though the team members were yapping about her being a girlfriend, it was also a first-time encounter for Brutal. He had seen her in a video message during the Solo Rank climbing days, and he had caught a glimpse earlier, but he hadn’t really seen her due to the distance between the audience and the stage.
The sight of Kayak up close was truly like an angel descending upon the world.
Brutal just sat there with a stupid, vacant look on his face. That is, until she approached and grabbed him by the collar.
“What the hell?”
“Suddenly grabbing my collar?”
“Uh, well. You’re bolder than you look.”
As Kayak yanked on Brutal’s collar and shook him, surprised reactions erupted among the players, but that was the end of it. No one stepped forward to stop it.
“Aren’t we supposed to intervene?”
“Couples naturally have their moments, you know.”
“Looks like Brutal’s really in for it.”
It was only natural. Even if Kayak had strength surpassing a gorilla, how could anyone else possibly know that?
To the outside world, she appeared to be just a delicate woman. Even as Brutal’s head bobbed up and down from the grip, the surrounding players could only chuckle.
It was a universally accepted fact that men were stronger than women. No one noticed that Brutal couldn’t free himself from Kayak’s grasp. Only the guard waiting nearby jumped in surprise and rushed over.
Later, as Kayak was restrained by the guard, Brutal regained his freedom of movement.
After a brief detour to the other side of the Jordan River, he shook off the confusion and muttered with a bewildered expression.
“Wh-what the hell…?”
The actual encounter with Kayak was nothing like the ideal first meeting Brutal had imagined. It was aggressive, everything flipped upside down in an instant, and it was dizzying.
His body, shocked by the sudden change, began to voice its complaints. His mouth felt parched, tension pulled at the back of his neck, and his heart was racing like mad.
Was it a sudden shock that caused his mental fog, or was that what he wanted to believe? Brutal began to interpret this situation in a way that suited him.
Actually, he had never had a single romantic experience, despite his outstanding looks. Having never even properly held a woman’s hand, Kayak’s earlier actions were an overwhelming stimulus for him.
“Ah, so this is love!”
He concluded his current state like that.
Finally realizing his true feelings, Brutal placed a hand over his heart and gazed at Kayak.
It was summer.
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