Season 3: Chapter 146: Like Real (1)
The Korean team won the Best Dressed award.
— Awesome
— Wow
— Amazing
— Whoa
— Incredible
— Really???
At that moment, the Korean team’s table stood up and cheered loudly.
“Wooooohooooo!”
“We did it!”
For the Korean team that used surprise tactics, there was no better advantage than the right to select a map. Getting to choose a map in advance would, of course, make the opposing team wary. However, certain maps definitely suited the Korean team’s strategies better, allowing them to prepare much more thoroughly.
“That’s really beautiful! Is that a hanbok?”
The host approached Sa-Rang and handed her the microphone. She nodded and confirmed it.
“It looks a bit different from the hanboks I usually see. Can you tell us how it was prepared?”
A discussion about the outfit ensued. As a result, the camera naturally focused on her for a long time and some viewers grew curious about her.
— Who is that person??
— Wow, our team had someone like that?
— That hanbok looks amazing
— Must have cost a lot
Due to her unique presence and extravagant hanbok, she left a lasting impression on the audience.
‘Is this okay?’
Sang-Hyeon was certain it was Sa-Rang, so he worried about how she would feel being exposed on the broadcast.
— One of the members?
— With so many people, I didn’t know we had such talent
— Isn’t she on the Fake National Team?
Viewers believed she was undoubtedly one of the Civil Empire members. Civil Empire had so many players and some think tank members didn’t appear on the broadcasts. 𝐫𝙖ℕỔＢĚ𐌔
Only a few acquaintances would know after seeing her face that she was JeonJaPa.
‘She looks quite different from usual…’
Moreover, her appearance today looked completely different from her usual style, so even acquaintances probably wouldn’t recognize her on camera.
Despite this, Sang-Hyeon told the cameraman to turn the camera toward himself and ended the stream.
“The dinner party ends here. See you next time.”
— Noooo
— Oh no
— Show us the acceptance speech!
— Why?!
— Bye
— Goodbye
Thanks to Choi Sa-Rang, the Korean team obtained the right to select a map. This allowed them to face the Vikings under very favorable conditions.
Until the quarter-finals, the rounds of thirty-two and sixteen followed the best-of-three rule. Winning just one game could exert tremendous pressure on the opponent. Therefore, the significance of being able to select a map was immense.
“Hmm. It’s already worth it just bringing her as a candidate.”
Cookie grinned with satisfaction.
There had been a lot of talk when he brought in Great Commander Yi Sun-Shin, but this victory alone made her worth more than many other commanders.
He felt proud of his choice.
***
As the night deepened, intoxicated men and women emerged from the banquet hall. The dinner party had come to an end. They bid farewell to each other and boarded the buses that transported the players.
“Ah, I need to use the restroom. You go ahead.”
“Oh…? Really? Didn’t you go earlier? I’ll go first then.”
Sang-Hyeon headed toward the restroom, but waited by the door for someone.
After many people passed by, a woman in a voluminous black skirt finally appeared.
“Choi Sa-Rang,” Sang-Hyeon called her name again to confirm.
She turned around.
“Ah, were you waiting for me?”
She smiled, but Sang-Hyeon’s gaze was fixed much lower on her legs.
“I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“I can walk once a month,” she answered immediately and understood why he almost couldn’t recognize her.
“Once a month?”
“Yes. It’s a stimulant. I can take it once a month and walk temporarily.”
This nerve-stimulating injection temporarily revived the nerves.
‘Wasn’t it prohibited because someone used it too often and retired due to side effects?’
The doctor had mentioned that someone suffered from side effects after frequent use, leading to its ban.
“Is it safe to use that? Wasn’t it banned…?”
“The original was banned.”
“The original…?”
“If the original was a virus, what I’m taking now is a vaccine. It’s used for rehabilitation to prevent muscles from completely deteriorating.”
“Ah.”
“So I can’t walk much. Especially not in…”
She showed the heels hidden under her hanbok.
“Uncomfortable shoes.”
Wearing heels would be incredibly uncomfortable for someone who usually couldn’t walk. As Sang-Hyeon thought this, she suddenly lost balance.
“Oh—”
Sang-Hyeon caught her by the shoulders and supported her.
Thud.
“Thank you. Just for a moment…”
She leaned on him.
“Can we go like this?”
She couldn’t walk properly already since it was a weaker version of the nerve stimulant.
“Yes, of course.”
Sang-Hyeon held her arm and she leaned half her weight on him. Her shoulder, which felt as light as a feather, weighed much less than the achievements she had accomplished.
“Ha. I shouldn’t have worn heels,” she murmured and felt embarrassed about leaning on him.
The weather felt cold outside and their white breaths puffed out.
“You didn’t need to wear heels with such a score difference.”
Sa-Rang smiled slightly, pleased with the compliment.
“But aren’t you curious why I came here?”
Perhaps because of this, she spoke to him in a slightly lighter tone than usual.
“I already heard you came as a backup player.”
“Oh, so that’s why you weren’t as surprised. Too bad. Who told you?”
Had she asked others where Almond was to surprise him? Even though Sang-Hyeon didn’t fall for it, he felt somewhat deceived.
“If you’re a backup player, you should ride the bus with us.”
Sang-Hyeon tried to lead her toward the bus, but she shook her head.
“I’m staying at a different hotel. The players’ hotel lacks the facilities for disabled guests.”
Facilities for the disabled? At that moment, he felt the reality sink in again. Right. By tomorrow, she’d be back in a wheelchair. She’d want to stay in a more comfortable hotel.
“Shall I get you a taxi?”
“Yes, that would be great. We can chat a bit while we wait.”
She pointed toward a bench near the taxi stand. They sat there side by side, hands tucked into their coats because of the cold weather.
“Why don’t you come to the hospital anymore?”
She seemed to want to talk about this. It had been a while since Sang-Hyeon last visited the hospital.
The doctor had contacted him a few times, but he kept putting it off.
‘What should I say?’
No one had brought up this topic before. In fact, no one else would bring it up except this woman.
After exhaling a white breath, Sang-Hyeon decided to speak honestly.
“Well… it didn’t seem like there was much hope. It’s more stressful when it feels like something might work.”
“Ah…”
Sa-Rang nodded understandingly.
“You’re hurt by hope.”
Sang-Hyeon was surprised. It felt like she had read his mind perfectly.
‘Hurt by hope…’
Encouraging himself to think he could get better and pushing himself to try harder… only to be met with the same end each time. The thought that he could shoot arrows again, that his arm could heal— such thoughts were better off not having.
He wanted to accept it as impossible and focus completely on his current life. His work as a streamer, his role in the national competition team, being someone’s friend…
The moment he thought that he could shoot arrows again or that his arm could heal, everything else would become secondary. Even his closest friends, Ju-Hyeok and Ji-Ah, would be sidelined.
Such a life… would be painful.
“I felt the same.”
As if she had read his thoughts, Sa-Rang continued to speak.
“I always hoped I could do it again. I would get my hopes up, only to be disappointed again. And then, the next day, I’d forget and hope again…”
She chuckled bitterly while recalling her past.
“Still, if the person has some skill, it’s better to keep up with rehabilitation. Just think of it as not letting it get worse.”
Without sharing her story in detail, she finished with typical advice that a doctor would give.
Sang-Hyeon just nodded with nothing more to add. After a brief silence, he asked something that suddenly piqued his curiosity.
“Why did you decide to do it?”
“What?”
“This game. It’s dangerous.”
“Hmm.”
Sa-Rang thought for a moment before answering.
“Cookie said he wanted the team to keep going even after he was gone.”
It was a touching sentiment, but had that really moved her? Sang-Hyeon couldn’t understand. Why? What did that mean to her?
Sa-Rang continued and answered his unspoken question.
“When I suddenly retired, my team disbanded. Not in a good way.”
Hearing her story, he could somewhat understand. The story of those who lead a team.
“I don’t think I ever wished for the team to keep going without me. I never really thought about it, but… Sigh.”
She looked up at her white breath dispersing in the air.
“Seeing it all collapse so easily, I realized I did something terribly wrong. I hadn’t prepared anything. I wasn’t a leader. I let down the people who believed in me and followed me. I didn’t do anything for them.”
Sang-Hyeon recalled what someone once said to him.
“Don’t you know there are people who joined because of you!? Hyeon-Ju?! Jong-Hyun?!”
When he decided to quit archery, she had mentioned the people who looked up to him.
‘They’re similar.’
He always thought they were alike. With makeup, Sa-Rang’s eyes looked just like how So-Yeon’s did back then. That alone was enough to convince him.
He nodded.
“I think I understand now.”
Just then, the taxi arrived.
Sa-Rang stood up and bid him farewell.
“Thank you for seeing me off. I think I’ll manage to get to the hotel now that my legs have some strength again.”
She got into the taxi and disappeared. It still didn’t feel real. Seeing Choi Sa-Rang stand up, get into a taxi, and disappear by herself.
That was most likely her true self.
The thought felt somewhat bittersweet to Sang-Hyeon.
***
After that day, Sang-Hyeon didn’t see Sa-Rang again. He and all the members focused intensely on their practice. Their entire schedule revolved around the upcoming match.
All the drinking and partying ended with the dinner party. They avoided alcohol and any food that could hinder their conditions to maintain their peak physical forms.
For the first match of the round of thirty-two, they would get to select the map. Winning this match decisively would give them significant momentum.
Everyone felt determined to win and the Vikings were no different. Jessie had not contacted Sang-Hyeon either ever since the dinner party.
And so, the day of the match arrived.
[15:00] [Joseon vs Vikings]
The players arrived early at the arena to acclimate to the environment.
OrangeKing visited the players and encouraged them before heading to the commentary booth.
As the start of the match approached, the merchandise stands outside the arena displayed various cheering items. The Korean cheering items featured red goblins and Haetae on a white background. The Viking cheering items looked like double-headed axes.
Almond shaped merchandise and other items related to various famous players could also be seen.
Diligent fans gathered and browsed through the items.
Then—
[Fake National Team ep.5 Almost Real]
[Premiering in 1 hour!]
The fifth episode of the Fake National Team appeared on YouTube.