Chapter 13

### Chapter 13: Outing

* * *

I then achieved a three-game winning streak.

As expected of a game in the heavenly realm, none of the games were easy, but I still managed to win.

[50 Friend Requests]

Perhaps because I carried all the games with hard carries, the number of friend requests suddenly increased.

[qq7785dd55's Friend Request]

[Accept/Decline]

[BangyaBangyaBangya's Friend Request]

[Accept/Decline]

[Jungler'sSlave's Friend Request]

[Accept/Decline]

...

[GRS JjangGa's Friend Request]

[Accept/Decline]

Among them were not only current pros but also some former pros who are now coaches.

'Hmm.'

In the past, I would have happily accepted them, but now... I'm not so sure.

It felt as if I had become somewhat detached from that aspect, like a terminally ill patient facing death.

'I don't really need to accept them, do I?'

On the other hand, completely rejecting them would seem disrespectful, so I'll just pretend I didn't see them.

After all, the prisoner will soon disappear.

+

[Prisoner]

Rank 2

Solo Queue

- Challenger

- 1,684 LP / 245 Wins 172 Losses

- Win Rate 59%

+

Lying on the bed to take a break, I habitually checked the match history site and saw that my ranking had improved.

The point difference with the first place was now just about 20 points.

If I won a couple more games, I could catch up.

'Should I play two more games?'

Actually, I had already exceeded my daily quota.

In the past, I would have taken a break without hesitation, but since my body had changed, I could play for hours without tiring, which made me hesitate.

'Hmm, what should I do?'

If my tier were lower, I would have immediately queued up without any hesitation.

However, the games in the upper echelons of Challenger were extremely draining, and the fatigue would inevitably show in my decision-making, even if it wasn't immediately apparent.

As I lay on the bed, wavering about whether to get up or not, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

"Are you busy?"

It was my mother.

"Not really."

"Good. Let's go somewhere."

"Where?"

Is it related to my identity?

If so, this isn't the time to be playing games.

No matter how important ranking first place is, it's not more important than my future.

"Shopping."

But the word that came out of my mother's mouth was unexpected.

"...What?"

"Let's go shopping. We can buy you some clothes."

"All of a sudden?"

I'm not short of clothes.

Actually, I have quite a few.

"We can order them online."

Since becoming a woman, I've bought various clothes online.

It wasn't that I suddenly developed a hobby for grooming my appearance, but rather that my sister and mother kept nagging me, so I picked a few.

Besides, I hadn't thrown away the clothes I used to wear as a man.

Since my body was already quite frail, my new body was similar in size, and the old clothes were more comfortable.

"Clothes are meant to be tried on in person. What's the point of buying them online?"

"Modern shopping malls have clothes tailored to body measurements, which is scientific and systematic..."

"Shut up."

"Anyway, you look good in anything."

I said it offhandedly, but my mother couldn't find a counterargument and just stood there with her mouth open.

It worked.

"..."

My mother then shook her head in disbelief and declared,

"Get dressed and come out."

"...I haven't showered yet."

"Then just wash your hair and come out."

I had never seen my mother so insistent, so I had no choice but to raise my hands and feet in surrender.

"Um... Okay."

The reason I avoid going out is simple.

Although I once dreamed of going outside, I've spent over twenty years in my room.

For a shut-in, going outside is like entering a new, unknown territory.

"..."

Sighing deeply, I slowly prepared for the outing.

For some reason, my silver hair, which reached my shoulders, felt uncomfortable today.

'Should I just cut it all off?'

But I shook my head.

It would be a shame to cut it, even a little.

'Let's just get ready.'

I shuffled to the bathroom.

* * *

I don't know how long it's been since I last opened the blinds, but when I did, a world covered in white greeted me.

I hadn't paid much attention to the changing seasons for a while.

I had no need to go outside, and I didn't particularly want to.

I had also dismissed my mother's advice to dress warmly in the same context.

"Why is it so cold?"

As soon as I stepped out the front door, I was met with a world covered in white and a sharp, biting cold.

"Ugh. Go back inside and put on a coat."

"Okay."

I hurried back inside.

I had no idea such a cold front was hitting outside...

'Now that I think about it, I rarely felt the seasons inside the house.'

Whether there was a heatwave, cold front, heavy rain, or snow, I had never felt any discomfort inside.

'Probably because of me.'

Reflecting on it, I finally realized how meticulously my parents had maintained the house temperature.

"Ugh."

Wearing a long down jacket, a scarf wrapped around my face, and a fur hat, I finally came out.

"...Are you going to the North Pole?"

"To me, this is the North Pole. Let's go. I'm cold."

"Mom will bring the car. Wait here."

"Okay."

Fortunately, we were traveling by car.

While waiting, I felt a bit bored, so I slowly stepped on the snow, which I hadn't seen in years.

Crunch, crunch.

The sensation of stepping on snow for the first time was... not as soft as I had imagined.

When I saw actors in dramas step on white snow, I always thought it would be nice to roll around in it, but it seemed to be just a visual effect.

As I walked on the snow, a familiar car approached and the window rolled down.

Judging by the look, it had been waiting for a while, watching me.

"If you're here, say something."

"You look good."

"What?"

"Anyway, get in."

"Okay."

If I had been able to walk at a younger age, my reaction would have been different.

Stepping on the white snow for the first time, I would have moved diligently to etch this intense experience into my memory.

But now, I feel... old, I guess. That's it.

Instead of romance, I was more concerned about the immediate cold.

"Cold, cold."

"The heater is on, so it will warm up soon. Just bear with it."

In the past, my mother would have been very worried about my cold, but now she seemed quite calm.

That said, it wasn't entirely unfamiliar.

'Hmm.'

Thinking about it, I realized that this was how my mother usually treated my sister.

It meant that my mother was gradually adapting to my new self, just as I was.

'That's not bad.'

Change is scary, but it can't be avoided.

I have changed and will continue to change.

So, all I can do is accept these changes as calmly as possible.

Little by little.

I am becoming someone else.

*

The window, fogged up by moisture, showed the cityscape passing by.

It was already January.

Despite the much-touted White Christmas, the world remained white.

As I stared out the window, we soon arrived at the department store.

"Be careful when opening the door. If you scratch a car, you'll have to pay for it."

"Okay."

Having never opened a car door myself, I almost left a mark on the adjacent car's door.

"Ouch."

Struggling to open the car door and get out, the bustling scene of the department store parking lot came into view.

People everywhere.

People, people, people, people, people.

'...I might throw up.'

It was going to be a difficult shopping trip.

* * *