Chapter 45

**Chapter 45 of "The Genius Archer's Streaming Season 1"**

**16. Turning Adversity into Advantage (3)**

"How can a young kid be so composed?"

This was what Coach Yang Da-in said when I first met him.

"Really, does our child have a talent for it?"

I can also hear my grandmother's voice.

My grandmother never easily believed what others said.

It wasn't that her character was twisted or that she was particularly stubborn. It was because of the things she had experienced.

"Yes."

The coach nodded with his characteristic stern smile. At that time, I didn't know that he rarely smiled.

"Even though his hands are weak, archery is more a battle of the mind than of physical strength. He is indeed a special kid."

He pointed to Sang-hyun, who was struggling to maintain the holding position.

But it didn't help much with my grandmother.

"Ugh... I really can't believe it."

"Who said you had to believe it? I'm just telling you what I see."

At first, the coach didn't intend to strongly encourage it.

"Talent doesn't just pop up out of nowhere. It's about how it can be honed. If you ignore it and let it rot, it's fine. Even if you use this mental strength for other things, it's not a problem."

While he was saying this, young Sang-hyun inadvertently relaxed his grip.

"Uh... Uh...?"

It was probably a coincidence. Definitely.

Thud!

The practice arrow hit the bullseye and, since it wasn't sharp, quickly fell out.

'!'

In that short moment, the coach definitely saw it.

The same thing Sang-hyun saw.

"Wow..."

He couldn't hide his surprised expression.

"Pretty good. Even when you lost all your strength, you didn't lose your focus. Otherwise, you wouldn't have hit the bullseye."

"..."

Sang-hyun looked up, not understanding.

"Whatever you do, live like this. Even if you lose all your strength and can't do anything more, don't lose your focus. With the attitude that you can always do it again. If you do, the arrow will hit the bullseye before you know it."

"Yes! I understand!"

Sang-hyun's enthusiastic response.

Coach Yang looked down at him with a hint of regret.

"If only you would do archery..."

* * *

Looking up at the sky torn by the tall buildings, Sang-hyun was lost in old memories.

'Calm. Composed. Good concentration...'

He smiled bitterly, recalling the words he had heard back then.

The qualities that made him a genius archer had now become a mediocre specification, barely worth a line in a resume.

Life is truly unpredictable.

"Ah, you're here!"

It was Oh Manager's voice.

He stumbled and ran over, pushing through the cold wind.

His belly protruded, and his face was always puffy from drinking, but he always exuded a passionate energy.

"Hello."

"You must be... "

He glanced at his wristwatch.

"You'll be here in about 10 minutes. Shall we go in early?"

"Sure."

They walked a bit down the cold street. An awkward silence fell, but Sang-hyun didn't mind. He preferred silence anyway.

Often, listening rather than talking led to a more advantageous situation.

"Mr. Sang-hyun, you don't seem to be the type to get nervous?"

"..."

"No, usually people get nervous when they have dinner with the CEO. Even successful streamers. Of course, it's a good thing."

"Ah..."

Sang-hyun recalled the past scene he had just reminisced about.

"I'm just... a bit slow by nature."

"Is that so? But you're incredibly sharp when you play games."

"?"

"Why the surprised look? Of course, I watch too. Hahaha. Who wouldn't?"

"Ah... thank you."

"The editor who personally chose you also..."

──Irasaimase!!!

A loud cheer greeted them as they entered.

"Hehe. This is so 00s. Japan never changes. Let's go in."

Oh Manager chuckled and headed to the room where a staff member in a yukata was waiting.

Sang-hyun looked around the room and thought.

'Extremely luxurious.'

It looked like it would cost at least 400,000 won per person.

He hadn't earned that much from the punk yet, so he felt a bit uneasy.

"Don't worry. Compared to what you've accomplished, this is a poor reception."

Oh Manager seemed to read his expression and added.

"Accomplished?"

"That will be revealed when the CEO arrives."

Oh Manager winked.

A short while later, Oh Manager checked his phone and rushed out.

Right on time, the CEO appeared with him.

"Hello, I'm Yu Sang-hyun."

Sang-hyun instinctively stood up and bowed.

The CEO's eyes showed a hint of interest.

'Not like other streamers...'

Although he wasn't as conservative as other CEOs, given his work in the gaming industry, he had seen many streamers who were truly out of the ordinary.

So he always prepared himself for the worst.

'First impression is clean.'

At a glance, he could tell that Sang-hyun wasn't just a game-playing streamer.

After a moment, he extended his hand.

"It's you. Nice to meet you."

The handshake felt quite heavy.

This was another characteristic not often seen in other streamers. His arm was well-muscled.

'Hmm?'

His hand was trembling. Was it from nervousness? Or...

"Sit down."

"Yes."

All three of them sat down at the table.

The chef appeared as if on cue.

The first dish was served.

The chef added explanations like, "This is a scallop. It's best to dip it in salt and wasabi," or "This is a pike conger. Wrap the pike conger liver in soy sauce and eat it together," before leaving.

"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself."

The CEO took out his business card.

'CEO, Han Tae-ho.'

A name that left a strong impression.

"I... don't have a business card, I'm sorry."

"I know. Don't worry. I've met more streamers than Oh Manager, even though I'm older."

Hahaha.

A bit of laughter passed, and they savored the appetizers.

"Hmm. The pike conger is delicious. The sushi here is good, but I especially like the appetizers. Even more so when I pay with a corporate card."

Hahaha.

Another wave of laughter followed Han's joke.

Sang-hyun smiled and ate the served food with practiced ease.

"Have you been here often? I was really surprised the first time I came."

"Ah... I had to come a few times unintentionally."

At that moment, Oh Manager whispered something from the side.

"Ah, really? At Aseong?"

Hearing that he had worked at Aseong Group, Han's expression brightened even more.

"Ah, you're a talent. I thought you were different from other streamers."

Sang-hyun wasn't so clueless as to say, "Actually, I was a parachutist..."

He just kept eating the delicious food.

'It is delicious.'

Although it was unclear whether it was entering through his nose or ears, the rich and savory taste and the crunchy texture of the pike conger were overwhelming.

To the point where he almost forgot this wasn't just a meal.

"The head chef here, Toji, makes my favorite nigiri. Speaking of Aseong... Wasn't there a vice president who is a regular here? He's in the same department. That person..."

"Yes, you mean Vice President Lee. I heard that too."

"Ah, right. Lee Chil-seong. He's my high school classmate."

Sang-hyun showed a surprised expression.

Actually, he wasn't that surprised.

In the pyramid structure, there are only a few people at the top. It's more unusual for them not to know each other.

Unless it was the CEO, the CEO line is a conservative elite group, and the probability of growing up in the same environment from a young age is high.

"Your atmosphere is similar."

Such a comment could be very rude. If the other person didn't like you, it would be like an insult.

But it seemed that Han Tae-ho and Lee Chil-seong still had a good relationship. More than good, Han seemed proud to call Lee his friend.

"Really?"

Hahaha.

Han Tae-ho laughed heartily. His reaction was indeed positive.

"Still, that guy is better. I just clean up after the foreigners. Everyone knows Aseong, right?"

It sounded like a self-deprecating joke, but it was a signal for praise.

"That's not true. You're active on the world stage. My former colleagues all thought so, and many hoped to transfer."

"Your eloquence is surprisingly good. Well, it's a basic requirement for a streamer."

Han Tae-ho accepted it calmly, but his expression couldn't be hidden.

He was increasingly impressed with Sang-hyun, far more than with other young streamers.

Around the fourth dish.

Just as they were about to see the nigiri that Han Tae-ho liked, an unavoidable question came.

"But... it's quite a story. Even though streamers are doing well these days, the risk is considerable. Did you leave Aseong for a reason? Is there some story behind it?"

If Sang-hyun hadn't impressed him, he wouldn't have asked this question. It was a question with a high probability of being rude.

But Han Tae-ho had become interested in Sang-hyun. He wanted to get closer.

So he was trying to understand the fundamental aspects.

Without such basic scrutiny, he couldn't get closer. They had too much to lose.

'A good sign.'

Sang-hyun took it positively. Although being filtered could be unpleasant, it also meant he had passed the first written test and was now at the second and third interviews.

In other words, he was at the final interview.

'He could get closer to Han Tae-ho.'

First, he needed to impress Han Tae-ho to solve the Battle Royale problem neatly.

The production team and staff couldn't ignore the powerful platform, Punk.

Not only that, but getting close to such a powerful person had many other advantages.

Just a brief conversation could change one's life.

So Sang-hyun felt this was the time to tell 'it.'

'This is it...'

He was going to explain why he started playing virtual reality games, something he had never told anyone before.

"I was originally an archer. And I was quite good at it."

"Archery...?"

At that moment, Han Tae-ho's eyes became the most interested they had been so far.