Kang Jin-Ho gave Park Yu-Min a ride to the Seongsim Orphanage. However, his bicycle didn't travel at its usual lightning-fast speed up the hill. In fact, it was weakly wobbling around so much that seeing it going up the steep hill was like watching a miracle unfold.

Clunk, clunk...

Kang Jin-Ho resembled a mouse drenched in a passing shower while slumped over the bicycle's handles as he slowly pedaled forward.

“Mmm...” Park Yu-Min behind him wiped the cold sweat and sheepishly spoke up, “R-right, you said you only started gaming two weeks ago, didn't you?”

“...I did.”

“In that case, you're playing really well. You really shocked me, you know.”

“Really?”

“Yes, for real!”

Kang Jin-Ho smiled brightly and looked behind at Park Yu-Min. “Even though I couldn't win once out of ten matches?”

“W-well, that's, I mean...”

Kang Jin-Ho's voice grew sharper. "And even though I played my main race and you chose randomly?"

“No, uh, well...”

“Even though I spotted you getting distracted by other things now and then?!”

“...I'm sorry.” Park Yu-Min earnestly apologized, but all Kang Jin-Ho could do was helplessly stare at the heavens above.

Defeat...

His defeat in his first-ever battle in the PC Room could be chalked down to the fact that Kang Jin-Ho was still trying to fully acclimatize to the modern era back then. But he had really given his all this time only to taste a crushing defeat.

"It's just a computer game, though..." Park Yu-Min quietly muttered, unknowingly shredding the final vestiges of Kang Jin-Ho's pride.

Kang Jin-Ho was about to say something but he gave up and dejectedly lowered his head instead.

The vanquished had no right...