The second round started, and his opponent had clearly learned his lesson.
He did not open with a low attack this time.
Instead, he immediately created distance with a few backdashes.
Jin-ho saw it instantly.
This time, Jin’s wave dash pressure came out.
He quickly closed the gap, moving forward with familiar rhythm despite his rust.
The moment his opponent pressed a button, Jin-ho reacted.
Electric.
His opponent was launched into the air.
Jin’s Electric Wind Hook Fist launched even on normal hit, and Jin-ho had timed it perfectly to avoid trading with each other.
The crowd reacted immediately.
Without hesitation, Jin-ho followed with a combo.
Jin’s excellent wall carry pushed Lidia all the way toward the wall.
Jin-ho wavedashed forward again, staying close and maintaining pressure.
On the ground, his opponent attempted a spring kick to stop Jin-ho’s offense.
Unfortunately, Jin-ho had already anticipated it.
He canceled his wave dash just in time and blocked.
Punish.
Jin-ho immediately answered with a Can Can, launching Lidia into the air once again.
The crowd cheered as he followed up with another clean combo.
Now his opponent’s health was dangerously low and Rage became available.
Back in another okizeme situation, the opponent guessed correctly again, tech rolling to the right before standing up.
The moment he recovered, he immediately activated Lidia’s Rage Drive.
To everyone’s surprise, Jin-ho perfectly parried it.
The arcade went silent for a moment.
Then exploded.
Jin-ho punished with another Can Can, launching Lidia once again.
Now his opponent was beginning to sweat.
He had not expected Jin-ho to adapt this quickly.
Jin-ho secured the second round.
Now the score 2-0 in the favor of Jin-ho.
The third round began.
As soon as it started, Jin-ho opened aggressively with a launching hellsweep.
His opponent was caught completely off guard.
But Jin-ho made a mistake.
He dropped the combo after using the wrong Screw move.
A few people in the crowd groaned.
Still, the momentum remained in his favor.
Jin-ho crouch dashed forward and used an uppercut, launching his opponent once again.
Because of the awkward wake-up angle and wall positioning, his opponent stood up facing a terrible situation.
This time, Jin-ho completed the combo correctly.
He then continued wavedashing forward, closing the distance once more.
But unlike before, his opponent no longer dared to press buttons.
The threat of another Electric had planted fear.
Now his opponent was forced onto the defensive.
Jin-ho did not overextend.
No risky launchers.
No unnecessary reads.
Only simple pokes.
Down Forward 1.
Down 4.
2,1.
Again.
And again.
Slowly chipping away at the remaining health.
Then suddenly, in desperation, his opponent activated Rage Art.
But it was too late.
Before the attack could even connect, Lidia’s health bar hit zero.
Defeat.
The Rage Art animation never even reached Jin-ho.
A clean sweep.
3–0.
Something his opponent clearly did not expect.
Jin-ho only smiled.
He did not taunt or celebrate.
He simply sat there and waited for his opponent’s next choice.
On the other side, his opponent scratched his head in frustration.
“Do I stay with Lidia…
or switch characters?”
He looked genuinely conflicted.
A few friends behind him immediately started giving advice, telling him to change characters and force Jin-ho to adapt to a different matchup.
After hesitating for a moment, he nodded and returned to the character select screen.
Without much thought, he locked in Bryan.
Jin-ho raised an eyebrow.
“Bryan, huh…”
Then he smiled.
“It seems he forgot I play this character too.”
Bryan had always been his secondary main.
The two locked in their characters.
Jin-ho stayed with Jin.
As they moved to stage select, Jin-ho glanced at his opponent and noticed him still receiving coaching from behind.
He nearly laughed but held it in.
The round began.
His opponent opened with Down 4, a simple low poke.
Jin-ho took the hit.
Bryan dashed forward.
Jab.
Then another Down 4.
As the low connected, Bryan followed with Back 1.
Blocked.
Bryan had frame advantage and immediately continued with Down Forward 1, trying to catch movement or a sidestep attempt.
Jin-ho stayed still.
No movement.
No panic.
He blocked the first hit.
Then the second.
And the moment the string ended, Jin punished with 2,4, knocking Bryan away.
Jin-ho immediately wavedashed forward again, maintaining pressure.
On the ground, his opponent used a toe kick, expecting it to stop Jin-ho’s approach.
Instead…
Low parry.
The crowd reacted.
Jin-ho converted into a combo.
The damage itself was not massive, but because they were close to the wall, Bryan splatted against it.
Normally Jin-ho would go for a standard wall combo.
Instead, he changed things up.
Jab.
Then Down Forward 4.
He preferred a setup over immediate okizeme.
Bryan’s options became limited.
Either stay down and take the hit…
Or stand and guard.
His opponent chose to stand.
Instantly, Jin grabbed him with a 1+4 throw.
But the throw got broken.
Out of habit, his opponent immediately pressed jab afterward.
Jin-ho had already predicted it.
He manually entered Zen stance.
Zen 1+2.
Launch.
The crowd erupted again.
The angle was awkward, preventing an optimal combo route, but Jin-ho still squeezed out decent damage.
Now Bryan entered Rage.
As Bryan stood up, Jin-ho expected a Rage Drive.
He prepared a parry.
But nothing came.
Instead…
Snake Edge.
A launching low.
A few people gasped.
Luckily, Jin-ho recovered in time.
Block.
Hopkick punish.
Launch.
He dropped part of the combo midway, but it did not matter.
Jin-ho secured the round.
And from that point onward, the momentum never shifted back.
To speed things up…
Jin-ho won the entire set.
3–0.
Though he nearly lost one round after eating Bryan’s Rage Drive while wavedashing forward carelessly.
Even then, the outcome remained the same.
Victory.
“I still got it,” Jin-ho said to himself as he stood up, a smile appearing on his face.
He was genuinely happy with the win.
He reached out for a fist bump toward his opponent, and the other guy returned it.
“Tsk.
I thought I could win, but who knew you’d download me that fast?” his opponent complained.
“At least now I can tell people I beat you 3–0 in one set.
Hahaha.”
Jin-ho rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah.
Congrats on that,” he said triumphantly.
“But don’t forget it was also 3–0 in two other sets.”
His opponent instantly looked defeated.
Still, he quickly moved on.
Beating Jin-ho 3–0 once was already an achievement.
After all, Jin-ho had always been considered one of the strongest players in this arcade.
The shopkeeper walked over and patted Jin-ho on the shoulder.
“Still got it, huh?” he said as he wrapped an arm around him.
Then he suddenly turned toward the crowd.
“Listen up!
If anyone beats this guy, I’ll give you 15,000 won!”
The crowd immediately erupted.
Several people looked eager to challenge Jin-ho.
But Jin-ho quickly poured cold water on their excitement.
“I’ll pass.
I only came to hang out for a bit.
I still have things to do.”
The crowd instantly complained.
“Aww…”
“What?
Come on!”
The shopkeeper laughed awkwardly and raised his hands.
“I’m joking, I’m joking.
Don’t take it seriously.”
Slowly, the crowd dispersed.
Soon, only Jin-ho and the shopkeeper remained.
Jin-ho looked around the arcade before asking,
“Do you still organize tournaments?”
The shopkeeper shook his head.
“Not anymore.”
Then he looked at Jin-ho curiously.
“But why are you asking?
You never cared about that stuff before.”
Jin-ho looked at him directly.
“Well, I’m planning to join one.
Do you know any nearby Tekken 7 tournaments?”
The shopkeeper blinked in surprise.
Before, whenever the arcade hosted tournaments, Jin-ho always refused to participate.
He would still show up anyway.
Watch matches.
Play casuals.
Hang around.
There was even a time he beat the eventual tournament winner in casual matches.
Despite never entering, everyone considered him a favorite whenever tournaments happened.
So hearing this now was unexpected.
“What changed?” the shopkeeper wondered.
Still, he answered.
“There’s a tournament at a newly opened arcade building.
It only opened a few months ago.”
He paused before continuing.
“I heard this is going to be their first tournament.
Apparently, the prize pool is pretty big too.
Almost national-level.”
Jin-ho raised an eyebrow.
“It’ll be held on August 7.
Registration is still open, so you can still enter.”
“August 7…”
Jin-ho thought for a moment.
“Isn’t that the day of EVO 2022 Top 8?”
He did not expect the date to overlap.
“Well, from what I heard, it’s both a tournament and a watch party.”
“I see…”
Jin-ho nodded.
“Thanks for the information.”
The shopkeeper looked at him again.
“Jin-ho, seriously.
Why are you suddenly interested in tournaments?
I thought you never cared about going competitive.”
Jin-ho paused.
Then after a moment, he answered honestly.
“Well…
I’m planning to go pro.”
Silence.
The shopkeeper stared at him.
“…Really?”
His eyes widened.
Then a huge smile appeared on his face.
Because unlike others, he had always believed Jin-ho had the talent.
The potential to stand alongside players like Knee and JDCR.
And now…
Jin-ho had finally decided to climb that mountain.
“Then I wish you good luck.
Hahaha,” the shopkeeper said, genuinely wishing him well.
“Thanks.
I’ll do my best,” Jin-ho replied with a smile.
“Don’t forget to mention us when you win EVO someday,” someone from the crowd called out after overhearing them.
“I’ll try to remember, but I still need to win the whole tournament first,” Jin-ho answered lightly.
After that, he said his goodbyes to the shopkeeper and his old arcade friends, then stepped out of the arcade.
This time, he moved with firm resolve.
But first, he still had things to buy.
No more distractions.
He headed straight to the supermarket, since it was the closest.
Inside, he grabbed a cart and pulled out his phone, checking the list he had written earlier.
One by one, he picked up what he needed: daily necessities, food, and condiments.
His cart quickly filled with instant noodles as well.
Not because he planned to eat them every day, but because they were easy to prepare and convenient for storage.
Once he finished, he paid through his phone and headed out.
He left the supermarket with plastic bags in hand, then placed them at the customer service counter before moving on to the mall.
Next was what he really came for.
“I need a fully built PC.
I’m too lazy to build it myself,” he muttered as he walked.
“First, where do they sell arcade sticks here?”
After a short search, he entered a store that sells computer first instead.
He looked through the PC specifications first.
He wanted something powerful with large storage.
The options were expensive, but manageable.
Between his savings and the money his mother gave him, it was within reach.
Without hesitation, he paid in full.
The clerk looked both surprised and pleased at the sudden big purchase.
“Do you also know what I need for livestreaming?” Jin-ho asked, slightly unsure.
The clerk immediately began recommending popular equipment used by streamers.
Jin-ho listened briefly, then bought what was suggested without hesitation, which made the clerk even more satisfied.
“Can you deliver everything to my apartment?” Jin-ho asked.
“Today, if possible.”
The clerk checked with another staff member.
After a short discussion, they confirmed it was possible and asked for his address, which he provided.
After thanking him for the purchase, the clerk saw him off.
Only two things remained on his list now: the arcade stick, and pork cutlets for Ji-min.
Jin-ho checked his remaining money.
It was still enough, though he would need to be more careful with spending afterward.
He continued through the mall.
Soon, he spotted a store displaying arcade sticks.
A sales clerk greeted him as he approached.
Without wasting time, Jin-ho asked what models they had.
Razer Panthera, Qanba Obsidian, Etokki Omni, and Hori Fighting Stick Alpha were available.
He leaned toward the Razer Panthera.
It offered better customization compared to the others.
However, he preferred a Korean lever setup, and bat tops over ball tops.
“Do you have a bat top available?” he asked.
They did.
He tested the lever in his hand, feeling its response.
Satisfied, he added it to the purchase.
Razer Panthera and the bat top.
“Now only one thing left,” Jin-ho thought as he carried his bags.
He no longer needed to search for it.
He walked slowly through the mall, taking his time.
As he passed by, he noticed a poster of Ji-min.
She was featured as a model in an advertisement.
He stopped for a moment, looking at it quietly.
Then he continued walking, a small, soft smile forming on his face.
Happy for her success.
He hurried his pace, wanting to finish quickly and head home.
There was a short line at the stall for pork cutlet, so he waited for a while before ordering.
Eventually, he ordered two servings—one for Ji-min and one for himself.
After receiving the food, he left the shop and went back to retrieve his groceries.
He looked for a taxi nearby and quickly found one.
He loaded all his bags into the trunk, made sure everything was secure, then got in.
The taxi drove off.
As it moved through the streets, Jin-ho returned to watching Tekken videos on his phone.
But this time, his thoughts drifted toward streaming.
He searched for how to set one up.
At first, he was unsure which platform to choose: AfreecaTV, Twitch, or YouTube.
He took it seriously.
This decision could affect his future in the long run.
His first instinct leaned toward AfreecaTV.
It felt natural, familiar, and easier to start with.
But in his mind, Twitch was clearly better for international reach.
The problem was language.
His English was not fluent, and his accent would be noticeable.
He exhaled slowly.
“There are too many things to consider.
Not just the game itself,” he muttered.
He even thought, briefly, that maybe he could get some kind of system reward or trait that would make things easier for him, like something out of a manhwa where the protagonist gains an overpowered ability in an instant.
He smiled at the thought and shook it off.
That kind of thing was only wishful thinking.
He would have to do it step by step.
In the end, he decided toward AfreecaTV.
No language barrier, and easier access to a local audience.
At least that was the safest start.
As the taxi continued moving, he returned to watching high-level Jin gameplay on his phone.
Book—flashy, explosive, unpredictable.
CBM—technical, precise, controlled.
He studied their matches carefully, absorbing every detail he could, trying to shape his own version of Jin from what he saw.
He could not wait to play the game.
Watching it only gave him insight, but actually playing was the only way to apply it.
Jin-ho also planned to study frame data for his character to deepen his understanding.
He was taking going pro seriously, almost too seriously for someone who had just been discharged from the military.
But there was no time to waste.
He had to use every moment wisely.
The taxi arrived at his apartment building while he was still on his phone.
He only snapped out of focus when the driver announced their arrival.
Jin-ho paid the fare, then stepped out carrying all his bags.
The driver offered to help, but he declined.
“It’s fine.
I can manage.”
It was heavy, but not enough to slow him down.
He pressed the elevator button and waited.
When it arrived, he stepped inside.
A yawn escaped him.
He was more tired than expected.
“Who knew I’d be doing all this right after getting discharged?” he chuckled to himself.
The elevator reached his floor.
He stepped out and walked to his unit.
He shifted the groceries to one hand and entered his passcode.
A soft beep confirmed it was unlocked.
He opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him with his elbow.
Home at last.
But it was not silent.
The sound of the television filled the living room.
He carried the bags inside, only to find Ji-min asleep on the sofa, looking peaceful.
For a moment, he just stared.
She looked so calm that he found himself watching her a little too long.
He quickly shook off and set the box that contains the controller down near where he planned to open it to get his new arcade stick later.
Then he grabbed a blanket from the side and gently tossed it over her.
After that, he took out his phone and snapped a photo of her.
He did not even check the result.
He simply placed the phone on the coffee table.
It was not unusual.
They had done this to each other before.
Ji-min had once taken pictures of him sleeping during class, and he only found out much later when someone told him.
So it had become a strange thing between them.
In the kitchen, Jin-ho unpacked the groceries and arranged them neatly.
Instant noodles went into the cabinet, along with other supplies.
It did not take long.
After finishing, he carried the remaining items to the bathroom and placed them in order.
He returned to the living room, glanced briefly at Ji-min, then headed to his bedroom.
Inside, he placed items like soap and shampoo in the bathroom and organized everything properly.
When he returned to the living room, he sat on the sofa and picked up the box he had set aside.
He opened it.
Inside was his new arcade stick, still in stock.
He would customize it later.
He placed it on his lap and examined it, turning it slightly in his hands.
He avoided pressing the buttons too much, careful not to wake Ji-min with the sound.
His phone suddenly rang.
IVE – “Love Dive” played from the speaker.
The sound caused Ji-min to stir slightly.
Her eyes slowly opened as she looked around, surprised to see Jin-ho nearby.
But she did not react much.
“Answer the phone.
It’s too loud,” she said softly, then lay back down.
Jin-ho glanced at his screen.
His father was calling.
He hesitated for a moment, thinking about whether he should finally tell him about his plan to become a professional Tekken player.
“Yah!
Just answer it already,” Ji-min said again, annoyed by the constant ringing.
Jin-ho finally gave in.
He placed the arcade stick from his lap onto the sofa, then stood up, answered the call, and walked toward his room.
Ji-min turned her head slightly, watching his back as he left.
Then she closed her eyes and rested again.