After the game, the Korean team decided to have a simple dinner to boost morale. Of course, I picked the place. I used to be the main chef of a certain restaurant, so it was easy for me to rent the whole thing. I just made a phone call.

“Yes. Hyeok, it is good to hear your voice after a long time. In any case, I'll be there in an hour. It is hard on you doing this late at night. Yes, yes. Thank you. Then~ work hard.”

I hung up the phone. The person I just called was my senior apprentice, Won Junghyeok. Now he was leading Wolunjeong on my behalf. Naturally, the place of the dinner was Wolunjeong. I made an appointment with him for dinner just now.

I turned around to go back to the players.

“......”

Mido and the young people were staring at me with eyes that were s.h.i.+ning like lanterns. “Grandfather, well?”

I just laughed but this was enough of an answer.

“Kyaaak!”

“Kyak!”

Mido and Lim Sara screamed at the same time. They clapped hands with each other and jumped around. Was it that good?

“Wow, we'll be able to go to that famous restaurant.”

“This is a place the president can only go to if he books a month in advance...”

“I didn't expect Grandfather to be Edward Won's teacher...”

There were the words of An Seunghyun, Kim Hyeonu, and Eun Jeonghyeok respectively. By the way, the 'Edward Won' that Eun Jeonghyeok mentioned was the very same Won Junghyeok who I just spoke to on the phone. Thus, the names were similar. Keke.

“Get on the bus. We have to go straight away. The time is tight.”

“Yes—!'

“What a windfall!”

“Dinner, gazua!”

We all got on the bus. Unfortunately, Park Muyeol had an urgent appointment so he couldn't partic.i.p.ate in the dinner party. Well, I was tired of seeing him after 40 years anyway. The bus drove and arrived at Wolunjeong, located on the outskirts of Seoul. Like its name, the atmosphere of the moon and clouds was very beautiful.  

I looked at the restaurant I hadn't seen for a long time, took the lead in a joyful manner, and was followed by the young people of the South Korean team. They were busy admiring the surrounding landscape.

“Wow, look at that. Is that real?”

“It is still winter, but cherry blossoms are blooming?”

“It is a fake, artificially made. Grandfather did it.”

“It is amazing...”

We pa.s.sed through the front door and a large courtyard was revealed. There were familiar faces standing in a line and preparing to meet us. I shook my head toward them and gave a hug to the man standing in front.

“The hospitality is too great. Why come all this way when you must be busy? Isn't it too much of a ha.s.sle?”

“Haha. It's okay for just a little bit, Teacher-nim. Now I am the top chef.”

“Huhu. However, you're in charge of this place. You've done well.”

I released my hug with him and then looked into his eyes. His eyes seemed to be filled with stars. I was reminded of the time when I met Won Junghyeok in the past.

“Yes, I am doing well. As you can see, it isn't just me.”

Won Junghyeok pointed to the side. There were many familiar faces. Some of them were children I had taught myself. Now everyone had grown up reliably and became the pillar of Wolunjeong.

“Teacher-nim, welcome.”

“I didn't know you could fight that well.”

“I don't know how lucky I am that I wasn't hit by Teacher-nim.”

Hahahaha.

Laughter broke out among the chefs. I spoke to them with a dissatisfied expression, “Tsk tsk. Come on, you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds! Go to work, these guys. Take the guests.”

The chefs smiled at the young people following me and raised their hands to salute me before leaving. In any case, they were funny guys now and back then.

“Haha. Please eat, Teacher-nim. You have good seats.”

“Yes. I'll have to kick their lazy a.s.ses sooner or later.”

“Hahaha. They have probably missed it.”

I went inside with Won Junghyeok's guidance.

* * *

The dinner went smoothly.

Everyone had a great time chatting and laughing. The delicious food was a bonus. I was served with the various delicacies created by Won Junghyeok, called Edward Won, who led the globalization of Korean food. I taught him very well. Hum hum.

By the way...

“Uncle~ here is another bottle.”

“Mido, stop...”

“Oh, add a bottle!”

“......”

I didn't expect my Mido's alcohol mania to be so serious. This was completely broken.

“Cough. Mido, Grandfather...”

“Hah! s.h.a.ggy dog!”

Mido looked at me with wide eyes and grabbed my beard and flowing hair. Then she started to caress me with a smile.

“Hehe. Very good and cute~”

“......”

“Now your name is Buksil. Buksil~”

All of a sudden, I became Buskil. M-Mido...

“Hehehe! Buksil, bring alcohol, alcohol! Now, beg!”

Mido threw a bottle of alcohol to the ground and yelled at me to beg. I watched such a Mido. She seemed more like an uncle in his 50s than my granddaughter. Ah, really.

“Buksil, go! Go, go! GO!"

“Haha.”

What could I do in this situation except laugh? Curiously enough, she was pretty even like this. This was why I was a granddaughter fanatic. A bean pod perfectly covered my eyes.

“Cough. I will take Mido back first.”

“Ah, you're going already?”

Lim Changyong stood up from where he was quietly drinking and smiled. I gestured for him to sit back down. “Everyone is having fun. What will they do if the captain leaves? You should look after these friends rather than seeing me off.”

“Ah.” Lim Changyong's head turned toward the players at the table. Many of them were already drunk.

I inquired, “Can I leave it to you?”

"Of course. Still, I should see you off...”

“It's okay.

In fact, no one was sober except for me and Lim Changyong. Mido had lasted for quite some time until, as you could see, she became like this. Of course, it went without saying that even this appearance was cute.

“The second round will be singiiiiing...”

Lim Changyong laughed when he heard it. “I think your granddaughter likes karaoke.”

“I agree. Next time, we'll go to karaoke.”

“Haha. Okay.”

“Then I'm going now.”

“Yes. Go carefully, Sunbae-nim.” 

“Yes. You should also be careful.”

I sat in the back seat of the taxi called by the staff with Mido next to me. The taxi departed the moment the door was closed. The street lights down the winding mountain road were pretty.

“Umm, Grandfather, mercy...”

“Haha.”

I pulled her head slightly toward my shoulder in case Mido's head b.u.mped against the window. Then I stroked her hair right away. We both fell asleep. It was a happy day.

* * *

The next day arrived.

“Wow. Grandfather, have you seen this?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

The Korean players boarded the bus, heading to Union Square as always. Everyone was sleeping like yesterday's dinner was more tiring than expected. Only Mido and I were energetic. Sure enough, alcohol tolerance was hereditary.

“Look here. This.”

Mido handed me her phone and the screen was covered in news stories.

[Choi Chuntaek shows the true face of a Weather Chef.]

[The true Grandfather Choi Chuntaek, he is a real chef.]

[Breaking news, a surge of elderly users in Arkstar!]

[Dark Wolf's fan cafe, 'Wolf's Temptation,' is now renamed to 'Grandpa over Flowers.']

[The amazingly beautiful old age, the emergence of Choi Chuntaek. Women in their 60s are attracted to the suit he is wearing that fits him as much as young people.]

[The love calls from the advertising world toward Choi Chuntaek.]

“No, this...”

“Grandfather, you are totally a celebrity now. Congratulations.”

“Umm...”

“Why?”

It was something to be celebrated. Definitely a celebration...

“It is too sudden.”

“Ah, so you are burdened?”

“No, it's not like that...”

“Then enjoy it. Teacher-nim... no, Grandfather Muyeol, is enjoying it. Grandfather, I want you to do the same. Then it will be cooler. Although you are still cool now.”

Our eyes met. She chose such beautiful words so how could I refuse? It was an insult to my granddaughter.

I smiled at Mido. “Yes, I won't be burdened anymore.”

“Huhut. As expect of Grandfather. Bbyong bbyong ♡”

“Hohoho. Bbyong bbyong ♡”

We mischievously played with each other and arrived at Union Square Stadium. We went straight to the waiting room to discuss the next event. The newly hired director pointed at the screen and started the explanation.

“As you heard yesterday, the next event is the Golem Siege...”

After yesterday's boss raid, the host unveiled a new event that would take place the next day. It was a Golem Siege, which had slightly different rules from the usual siege. The representative players took formations on each side. In other words, we had to come out of the castle and fight in the center to collect the discarded magic cores on the field. The more we collected with the time limit, the stronger the golem created that would rush to the enemy's castle. Of course, golems would be created as more cores were collected. So it would be advantageous to summon more golems.

“As you know, the end goal is to use the golem to bring down the enemy's castle or to annihilate all enemies. Then it is over.”

The short briefing and discussion of the new director continued. Then we gathered together and focused on the TV in the waiting room. The host was drawing the ball to decide the matchup.

-Now, let's draw the ball.

There was a series of drumming sounds that intertwined with my heart. The host gulped and spoke again.

-...Who will be the main characters of the first game of Golem Siege? The protagonist is...!

The moment the host pulled out the ball, sighs filled the waiting room.

“Ah, the United States.”

“Wow, they're coming out in the first game?”

“Crazy. It is over if we are drawn next.”

-It is the United States! So who will be their opponent? 

My ears were paying close attention. I was nervous. Everyone's gaze focused on the host. My eyes moved whenever his hand moved. Finally, the host's hand pulled up the next ball and revealed the opponent of the United States, as written on the ball. It was...

[South Korea]

It was us.

[1] Name means Moon and Clouds Peace