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Peyz, or Kim Suhwan, had been a professional player for several years.
He had competed in the LCK, and even in the LPL.
Changing teams was nothing new to him.
Wasn’t that the norm in esports?(With the exception of Faker.)
Still, moving to T1 required far more adjustment than he expected.
Even though he had never imagined himself becoming part of such a prestigious team,
he knew he had to adapt , quickly.
Doran had helped him a lot, and Peyz was grateful to have a familiar face by his side.
Oner was friendly, easy to talk to, and even Faker seemed to like him.
But on the other hand
Keria
The support who would stand beside him for the years to come.
Someone who wasn’t unfamiliar, yet somehow still felt strangely distant in Peyz’s heart.Despite his gentle features and smaller frame,
Keria was one of the most aggressive supports in the league.
Peyz believed they would grow closer with time,
and that one day, they would become an unbeatable bot lane duo.
Still, something felt off.
And Peyz didn’t know what it was.
.........
After his first stream, Keria took Peyz out for dinner with the new team. After making sure he looked presentable, Peyz remembered he was supposed to meet Keria and Doran, who had been waiting for him earlier.
But when he opened the door, only a small figure in a black jacket stood there,none other than Keria. Doran, who was supposed to come by as well, was nowhere to be seen.
Keria stood in front of Peyz’s door with a sweet smile.
“Ready? Let’s go have dinner. Hyunjoon hyung and Hyeonjoon are already waiting at the cafe. Sanghyeok hyung is on his way too.”
Their eyes met for a brief moment. Peyz, slightly surprised, quickly shifted his expression.
“okay.”
Keria nodded and stepped ahead of him. Peyz followed and stood beside him.Inside the elevator, silence hung between them. No one started the conversation.Keria slipped his hands into the pockets of his jacket, while Peyz’s hands rested at his sides.
The situation felt awkward, but neither tried to break the silence.
Peyz glanced at Keria out of the corner of his eye.The small man had a mole beneath his left eye. Peyz’s gaze lingered longer than usual.
Noticing this, Keria turned and raised an eyebrow.“Something in my eye?”
His long lashes fluttered, brushing the skin below his eye.
Peyz met Keria’s eyes for a moment before shaking his head.
“uh..Nothing.”
For some reason, Peyz felt a flush of warmth creeping over him. Was the elevator really this warm?
.
.
.
The clock already showed 10 PM.
The practice, which had started at 6 in the evening, was nearing its end.
Oner and Doran’s voices echoed the loudest in the practice room. Their playful banter dominated the space. Meanwhile, Faker and Kkoma were seen discussing something, their faces serious.
Peyz hadn’t moved from his chair. His eyes remained fixed on the screen in front of him displaying his game statistics.
His fingers danced lightly over the keyboard, though he wasn’t actually pressing any keys. He was exhausted , they had just returned from overseas a few days ago, and now they were competing in the Kespa Cup.
Since this was his first game as a new member of T1, he wanted to prove his skills to everyone.
He hadn’t even noticed Keria glancing at him several times from across the room.
“Alright, I’m heading out. We still have a match the day after tomorrow. Go home and get some rest. Thanks for everyone’s effort,” Kkoma said.
“Suhwan-ah, don’t push yourself too hard, alright? Just relax it’s only Kespa Cup, after all” Oner approached Peyz and offered some encouragement.
Peyz just nodded with a thin smile.
But deep down he knows he till wants to prove something.
“Can I stay a bit longer? I’ll leave in about an hour,” Peyz asked Kkoma.
Kkoma was slightly surprised by Peyz’s request. He looked back at Faker behind him. Faker smiled, understanding Suhwan’s situation as the newcomer.
“Okay, Suhwan-ah, but make sure you rest well,” Kkoma replied.
Peyz smiled gratefully at Kkoma and Faker before returning to his gaming chair.
Keria, who had been watching, slowly walked over to Kkoma and said something that went unnoticed by Peyz.
After everyone else left, only Keria and Peyz remained in the practice room.
Keria sat back down at his station beside Peyz, putting his headphones back on.
The 21-year-old only then realized Keria was beside him. He turned to look at Keria, who was focused on the screen in front of him.
Peyz didn’t notice the slight upward curve at the corner of his lips.
.
.
.
They played together until late into the night.
Then Keria pulled off his headphones and turned off his PC screen , only to realize Peyz was still busy moving his fingers over his mouse and keyboard.
His new ADC was clearly absorbed in his game.
But Keria didn’t notice that Peyz’s headphones were slightly crooked. That might have made them uncomfortable, but Suhwan himself didn’t realize it.
Keria walked over slowly and adjusted the position of the headphones. His fingers brushed the soft strands of Suhwan’s hair and his forehead.
As Minseok’s fingers touched Peyz’s skin, Peyz froze. His Kalista instantly stopped moving.
“Your headphones are crooked,” Keria said with a smile
Peyz stayed silent, moving his lips to thank Keria softly. Whether Keria heard it or not, he didn’t know.
“You okay?” Keria asked. Noticing the sudden expression
Peyz nodded in reply, although he wasn’t sure in what way he actually was okay.
But one thing was certain Peyz’s gameplay soon worsened, and Keria was still there, quietly keeping him company.
.
The T1 practice room was quiet at this hour.
Only the low hum of the air conditioner filled the space, steady and constant.
Keria stood behind Peyz, who was still focused on his game. Peyz’s gameplay had begun to drift from how it was earlier,small mistakes creeping in, movements less precise. Keria didn’t comment. He simply stayed where he was, watching.
Even so, his attention wasn’t on the screen in front of Peyz.
Instead, his gaze lingered on the younger man’s face..
Peyz’s eyes looked tired, yet there was something about them that caught Keria’s attention. His nose was straight, his skin smooth and clear,almost untouched by exhaustion, despite how long he’d been sitting there.
Keria’s eyes shifted upward, taking in the faintly furrowed brows and slightly narrowed eyes. Too much screen time. That had to hurt. Keria understood.
Moving carefully, he pulled Peyz’s chair back just a little, increasing the distance between him and the monitor.
“If you’re tired, you can stop for a bit.”
The words came out easily, as if he’d been meaning to say them for a while now.
Peyz’s shoulders lifted slightly in surprise at the sudden movement. He turned his head, meeting Keria’s gaze,those round eyes calm, observant, not demanding anything.
Peyz’s grip on the mouse tightened.
He turned back to the screen and gave a small nod.His head felt faintly dizzy.And he wasn’t quite sure why.
.
.
.
Today, the entire team was gathered in the studio inside the T1 building for the photoshoot of their new jerseys and jackets for the season.
It was Peyz’s turn to stand in front of the camera.
“Suhwan-ah, that jersey really suits you.”
The voice caught him off guard.
Peyz had just stepped off the set when his eyes met Keria’s—hair neatly styled by the staff, features sharp under the studio lights.
Keria’s round eyes were bright as they lingered on him, unhesitant.
The way he looked made it hard for Peyz to look away.
“Uh… thanks,” Peyz replied quietly. “You look… good too.”Warmth crept up his face.
Keria’s smile widened at that.
Before he could respond, another voice cut in.
“Wah, Suhwannieee! So this is what being T1’s ADC does to a person,you’re insanely handsome!”
Oner appeared between them, laughing.Peyz startled, immediately lowering his head as he mumbled his thanks.He still wasn’t used to this kind of attention.
“That jacket looks like it was made just for you,” Doran added.
Peyz let out a small laugh, unsure of where to look..
And that was when Keria stepped forward.
He stopped a little too close—close enough that Oner went quiet.
Keria’s hand reached out and gently smoothed a small crease on Peyz’s jersey shoulder.
“Alright,” he said, voice steady but soft.
Peyz’s heart skipped a beat.
That simple touch made everything else fade away.
Keria’s eyes met his again, this time with a quieter tone. “It really suits you.”
Peyz swallowed hard, trying not to get lost in the way Keria was looking at him. “You all look good too,” he said at last, but his eyes stayed on Keria.
Keria smiled again, smaller this time.Gentler.
And in that moment, he knew.This wasn’t just about the game.
Not just about bot lane.
And somehow, he found himself hoping,that this journey would turn into something more than just a single season.