Four days had passed.
At Jin-ho’s place, he was preparing for the upcoming tournament.
He sat in front of his setup, playing Jin in ranked matches.
He chose ranked on purpose.
The players there were more aggressive, more unpredictable, the kind that forced real improvement.
For a many hours, he played continuously.
Winning some, losing some.
Each match felt like a small adjustment, a slow refinement of his skills.
Surprisingly, he didn’t feel nervous about tomorrow.
Instead, there was a quiet confidence in him, as if he had already accepted the result would come from effort alone.
Still, confidence didn’t guarantee anything.
He knew that.
Right now, he was just focusing on the match in front of him.
Trying to sharpen his fundamentals even further.
That was what he lacked compared to more experienced players, not just mechanics, but tournament experience itself.
They had been playing for years longer than him.
Tomorrow would be different.
A real test.
After a final match, he leaned back slightly and exhaled.
He had been playing long enough for the day.
Eventually, he closed the game and exited to the desktop.
His eyes shifted toward his arcade stick sitting beside the monitor.
“I think it’s time to customize this,” he said quietly to himself.
He picked it up and examined it for a moment, then opened the browser and started searching for modification guides.
After watching a few videos, he got a clearer idea of what he needed.
He didn’t need to change the buttons, they felt fine as they were.
What he wanted was a new artwork for the stick itself.
A design that felt like his.
He searched online for custom arcade stick art and sellers who made them.
There were plenty available.
Some featured fighting game characters from Tekken, Street Fighter, Guilty Gear, even Dragon Ball FighterZ.
But none of them felt right.
He didn’t want something generic or pre-made.
He wanted something personal.
Something he chose himself.
After some time, he still couldn’t find anything that suited what he had in mind.
Eventually, he decided to stop searching for now and revisit it later.
As he was about to stood up up, his phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at the caller ID.
It was his father.
Unusual.
His father rarely called without a reason.
Jin-ho answered immediately.
“What is it, Dad?”
No greeting, no small talk.
Straight to the point.
That was how both of them usually communicated, no time wasted.
“We’re going to have a meal with your mother,” his father said.
Jin-ho raised a brow slightly.
He paused for a moment, thinking it over.
Then shrugged internally.
Free meal was free meal.
“Sure.
Where are we eating?”
He accepted and asked directly.
His father gave him the location.
Jin-ho blinked slightly at the name.
It was a high-end restaurant, one he had been to a few times before.
“You can go ahead first.
Just use my name when you arrive,” his father added.
Then, after a brief pause, he continued.
“Dress properly.
I’ll see you later.”
The call ended.
Jin-ho didn’t think too much about it.
After all, it had been a while since he and his parents had spent time together like this.
They were always busy with work.
Walking over to his cabinet, he searched through his clothes and pulled out a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of pants that suited a more formal setting.
He placed them neatly on the bed before stopping for a moment.
Then he took off his shirt.
A few years of consistent training had already changed his physique noticeably. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Mostly for health.
Appearance had only been a bonus.
Without thinking much of it, he headed straight for the bathroom and started getting ready.
He shaved, brushed his teeth, and took a shower.
Nothing complicated.
Just his usual routine.
Once finished, he returned to his room and put on the long-sleeved shirt.
As he adjusted it, he noticed the fit was slightly tighter than before.
Not uncomfortable.
Just enough that the fabric outlined the shape of his build more than he preferred.
After staring at himself for a second, he reached for a jacket and put it on over the shirt.
Better.
Once he finished getting dressed, his eyes drifted toward a drawer nearby.
Inside was a watch his father had given him years ago.
Jin-ho stared at it for a moment.
Then, without much hesitation, he picked it up and fastened it around his wrist.
A small finishing touch.
But somehow, it completed the outfit perfectly.
Jin-ho left the apartment and hailed a taxi to his destination.
As soon as he got in, he gave the driver the address.
The taxi pulled away and merged into the evening traffic.
During the ride, Jin-ho sat quietly by the window, watching the city pass by outside.
Buildings, streetlights, and crowds drifted in and out of view as the taxi moved through the roads.
After a while, he glanced down at the watch on his wrist.
There was still some time left before dinner.
Earlier than expected.
When he finally arrived, he realized he had gotten there with plenty of time to spare.
Rather than head inside immediately, he decided to walk around the area first.
The neighborhood surrounding the restaurant was filled with luxury stores and high-end establishments.
Designer brands lined the streets, their storefronts glowing under the evening lights.
It was the kind of place where everything looked expensive, even at a glance.
Jin-ho slipped his hands into his pockets and continued walking, taking his time.
As Jin-ho walked through the area, his eyes briefly passed over the rows of luxury stores lining the street.
Gucci.
Prada.
Louis Vuitton.
Chanel.
Each storefront was polished and bright, designed to stand out even in a district full of expensive brands.
Near one of the entrances, a large promotional display caught his attention.
It featured a well-known idol group member posing as a brand ambassador, the kind of advertisement meant to draw attention from passing crowds.
A few people nearby slowed down to take photos, some recognizing the face instantly.
Jin-ho only glanced at it for a moment.
Then he moved on.
He wasn’t particularly interested in lingering.
After walking around for a bit longer, he felt he had seen enough of the area.
The streets, the stores, the atmosphere, it all blended into the same familiar image of high-end luxury.
With that, he turned his attention back to the purpose of his visit.
The restaurant.
He adjusted his pace and made his way there, leaving the shopping district behind.
Jin-ho arrived at the restaurant and stepped inside.
The interior was quiet, refined, and dimly lit, with a calm atmosphere that matched the upscale exterior.
He walked toward the reception desk and spoke to the staff.
“My father made a reservation,” he said, then gave his father’s name.
The staff member checked the reservation list, scanned for a moment, then nodded once.
“Yes, it’s here.”
After confirming, another staff member stepped forward and politely guided him toward his table.
They walked through the dining area, passing several occupied tables.
Inside, other guests were already enjoying their meals, their conversations kept low and reserved in the elegant space.
Jin-ho didn’t pay much attention to them.
His focus wasn’t on the surroundings or the people around him.
He simply followed the staff member quietly.
All he wanted was to see his parents again.
And have dinner with them.
The staff member led him to a four-seat table in a private dining area.
Jin-ho nodded in thanks before taking a seat.
He waited quietly for his parents to arrive.
After a moment, he took out his phone and sent a message asking where they were.
His father replied that they were almost there.
Jin-ho read the message, then placed his phone back on the table.
A few minutes later, the staff member returned, this time guiding his parents to the table.
But when he turned, he froze.
His parents weren’t alone.
Standing beside them were two additional people.
People he recognized immediately.
Ji-min’s parents.
He didn’t ask anything right away.
Instead, he stood up and politely greeted both his parents and Ji-min’s parents.
Ji-min’s mother immediately brightened the moment she saw him, greeting him with clear enthusiasm as if it had been a long time since they last met.
Her tone was warm and familiar, filling the space with an easy friendliness.
Ji-min’s father, on the other hand, gave a brief nod of approval as his eyes scanned Jin-ho’s appearance.
“You’re dressed well,” he said simply, his tone calm but acknowledging.
Jin-ho gave a small nod in return, though his attention quickly shifted.
He glanced subtly toward his own parents, giving them a slight side-eye as if to question the situation.
He had expected only a quiet dinner with the three of them.
Now there were five people standing around a table clearly meant for four.
His gaze lingered on the setup for a moment.
It didn’t add up.
But he didn’t say anything yet.
As Jin-ho was still trying to process the situation, another person arrived shortly after.
It was Ji-min.
She wore a neatly styled dress, her face partially covered by a mask, clearly dressed for a formal setting.
Like Jin-ho, her reaction paused for a moment when she saw the gathering.
Her gaze moved between Jin-ho’s parents and her own parents, quickly piecing things together.
She stepped forward and greeted them politely.
Jin-ho’s mother smiled warmly and congratulated her on her recent comeback, speaking with clear pride and encouragement.
Ji-min bowed slightly and thanked her for the kind words.
Then her eyes shifted toward Jin-ho.
A silent question lingered in her expression.
Did you know about this?
At the same time, Jin-ho’s glance toward her carried the same question in return.
Neither of them had expected this.
Jin-ho’s father and Ji-min’s father quickly noticed the brief exchange between the two of them.
The subtle eye contact, the silent confusion, and the unspoken questions did not go unnoticed.
After a moment, Jin-ho’s father spoke calmly.
“Since this table only accommodates four people,” he said, gesturing lightly toward the setup, “the four of us will sit together and catch up.”
He then looked toward the younger two.
“As for you two, you’ll be seated separately.”
A staff member stepped forward as if already prepared for the arrangement.
“There’s a private VIP room available,” Jin-ho’s father added, his tone casual.
“It’s just next door.
You won’t be disturbed.”
He glanced at Ji-min briefly.
“So there’s no issue for you.”
Ji-min gave a small nod, acknowledging the arrangement.
Jin-ho and Ji-min exchanged another look.
This time, it lingered a little longer.
Neither of them had expected the dinner to turn into this.
For a brief moment, both of them remained standing as the staff prepared the private room.
Before they left, Jin-ho’s father spoke again.
“Order whatever you want,” he said casually.
“We’ll be covering everything anyway.”
His tone was light, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Ji-min’s father gave a small nod in agreement, while Ji-min and Jin-ho exchanged another brief glance.
Soon after, a staff member approached and politely guided them toward the VIP room next door.
They followed without protest.
Once they were gone, the remaining parents settled into their seats at the main table.
A brief silence lingered before the atmosphere naturally shifted.
Jin-ho’s father and Ji-min’s father turned toward each other and began talking, their conversation easing into a familiar rhythm as they caught up after a long time.
Neither of them mentioned how the situation had come to include their children.
There was no explanation, no acknowledgment that the arrangement had been loosely planned in advance.
They had already agreed to have a dinner together as parents.
That part was straightforward enough.
Bringing their children along, however, had never been formally decided.
It had been more of a casual remark between them, something along the lines of it being amusing if they joined.
And, without much follow-up, that idea had simply become reality.
Still, neither side brought it up.
They let it pass without comment and settled into the evening as it was.
The conversation between the two fathers continued easily, shifting between work and recent updates, the atmosphere gradually growing more relaxed.
For them, it was simply a dinner between old acquaintances catching up.
At least, that was how they chose to treat it.