Ball-Boy Tactics

Before entering the lecture hall, I pulled my hat down low. With half of my face hidden under the cap, it felt like half of my existence had been erased as well. Of course, I knew it was a useless act.Clunk.As soon as I opened the door and stepped inside, the noisy atmosphere in the lecture hall went dead silent. I didn’t need to check to know that my classmates, who had been chatting in low voices, had stopped their conversations and were now watching me with curious eyes. Even though I hadn’t attended the orientation or the entrance ceremony, everyone must have known by now that I had enrolled in the photography department at Korea University.“Whoa, Han Jiwon…!”“He’s even cuter in person. Looks better than on screen.”“Hey, be quiet, he can hear you.”“Should we try talking to him during the break? I was a huge fan back in the day.”“Who wasn’t a fan of Han Jiwon? If you didn’t like him, you weren’t even a real Korean.”Unfortunately, the entrance was at the front of the lecture hall, so to reach the back seats, I had to walk past all the other students. There were plenty of seats up front, but I didn’t want to sit there and expose the back of my head to dozens of people throughout the entire class.People had cherished and loved me ever since I was on the national team.I’m not entirely sure what “cherishing someone” truly means, but everyone said they cherished me. So when something unjust happened, like biased judging, they united to protest, and the internet was flooded with posts cheering me on.I was grateful for it. In a world where it’s hard to be loved by even one person, having the entire nation’s unwavering support while I performed gymnastics was a rare blessing. Whatever good deeds I might have done in a past life, receiving such boundless love was no easy feat. The title of “National Grandchild” didn’t come from nowhere.However, I didn’t like the public attention. It was overwhelming. Despite being a national athlete, I hated being exposed to the public and was afraid of interacting with them. Even if you disregard the rude people who would approach me on the street without warning to shake hands, hug, or even, smiling, grab my butt, the public’s attention was still daunting.My naturally introverted personality, which had been timid since childhood, became fully ingrained after a series of incidents, and ironically, people cited this personality as the main reason they liked me. They said they found it endearing that even after winning a gold medal, I could barely speak in interviews. To me, it was a completely baffling mindset.If I so much as smiled during an interview, there would be articles about it, and if I forced a polite smile, there’d be articles saying my awkward eyes made me look cute. So, I decided never to smile again, but then photos of my tightly pressed lips would circulate with comments about how adorable they were. From that day on, I stopped caring about the public’s reaction. No matter what I did, they wouldn’t stop paying attention to me.Even so, I had a great debt of gratitude to the people of our country, and I would carry that feeling with me for the rest of my life…Anyway, those were all things of the past now.I found a seat in an area with relatively few people around. Some students were openly turning to stare at me, hoping to make eye contact, but I pretended not to notice. I desperately wished the professor would come in soon and divert the attention away from me.But when the professor finally arrived, they quickly dashed my hopes.“I’ll give you a fun first assignment. How about ‘defining yourself in one photograph’? It could be taken with a digital camera, a film camera, or even a phone camera. The type of camera doesn’t matter; the point is to express yourself in a single image. For example—”I could sense trouble when the professor’s eyes, filled with amusement, met mine. But the only thing I could do was sit quietly and listen.“Han Jiwon, you could take a photo related to gymnastics, right? There’s a gymnastics room in the building next door, so you might want to drop by when you have some time.”At the professor’s words, nearly everyone in the class turned to look at me. Embarrassed by the unexpected mention, I lowered my head, my face flushed, and this seemed to make people think I was smiling, as a wave of laughter rippled through the lecture hall. I didn’t find it funny at all.The class ran for a full two hours without a break. Though the professor had come across as somewhat rough at first, they were passionate about teaching and left the lecture hall just as coolly as they had entered. I guessed she was the type of person who didn’t care about what others thought, someone I admired.I, too, left the lecture hall immediately after class, but only because I had a trivial reason: I was worried someone might try to talk to me in the commotion.As soon as I exited the photography department building, almost as if fleeing, I headed straight to the gymnasium next door. I wasn’t planning to take any photos in the gymnastics room as the professor had suggested; rather, a coach I had known since my national team days had asked to see me briefly.I sat down in a chair in the gym lobby, pulling my hoodie over the cap I was already wearing. The loose-fitting clothes were enough to hide my face. The coach said they had left earlier, but even though our meeting time had passed by ten minutes, they still hadn’t shown up.I pulled out my phone to check the time and was about to put it back in my pocket when the gym’s glass door swung open with a gust of wind. The cold March air rushed in through the gap. It took a few seconds for the fresh air, cutting through the gym’s usual smell, to brush against my cheek.“Hey, stop getting in my way. Your shoes keep getting stepped on!”“Are you an idiot? Just walk with your legs wider apart.”“Well, stomping on your heels as we walk wouldn’t be bad either.”“Damn it! That hurts!”The loud voices filling the gym made me turn to look. The source of the noise was our school’s basketball players. Judging by their sweat-soaked bangs, it seemed like they had just finished a game.I wondered if they never got tired.This was Korea University, known for its top athletes, so I figured they must have exceptional stamina, and I turned my back to them. The six or seven basketball players quickly crossed the gym lobby.I was relieved that the noise was moving away from me when suddenly—“Damn it, why’d you step on me! My shoe came off.”“Who told you to walk like a little kid?”“Ah, just shut up and let’s go.”“Hey, pass it over here!”“Kick it far away—no, not that way!!”I couldn’t even tell how many voices there were. The commotion escalated rapidly, and then suddenly, a sneaker flew right toward me, landing just in front of where I was sitting, as if I had pulled it there myself.“…!”Startled, I jumped in my seat, my shoulders lifting, as the sneaker unexpectedly appeared in my narrow field of vision, restricted by my hat. The basketball players seemed just as surprised, their voices suddenly apologetic.“Whoa! That was close. We’re really sorry!!”“Sorry about that!”“Sorry!”Their voices were so loud. As they all poured out their apologies in unison, I awkwardly nodded in their direction. I pulled my hat down even further, not wanting my face to be seen.Soon, I heard someone quickly approaching to retrieve the shoe. As he picked it up, saying “Sorry” again, I could feel the warmth radiating from him.In my limited view, I saw his feet clad in white sneakers. Was this the guy who had thrown the shoe? Or had he just come over to clean up because he happened to be nearby? It was probably the latter. His muttered complaint about someone needing to shut up barely reached my ears.I stayed on guard, not wanting him to see my face, and waited for the guy beside me to leave.But instead of leaving, the white sneakers moved a little closer to me.“Hey, I think you dropped this.”Then, he picked something up next to me and handed it over.Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, I looked up before realizing that what he was holding was the wristband that had fallen out of my pocket—and we made eye contact.“…Huh?”“……!”He widened his eyes in surprise at seeing me, and I, too, found myself catching my breath.I never expected to run into a familiar face. I think we both had the same shocked expression.Kwon Jungwoo had been a rising star in basketball for the past few years. His incredible skill and equally striking looks had made him an overnight sensation. He was one of the players who had helped bring college basketball’s popularity back up to the level of pro leagues. Among our peers, there probably wasn’t anyone who didn’t know who he was.And now, Kwon Jungwoo was standing in front of me, holding out my wristband, with a look that suggested he recognized me.All that came out of my open mouth were shallow breaths instead of the thanks I wanted to say. The awkward silence was broken by a question from someone in his group of players.“Kwon Jungwoo, what are you doing? Who is that?”The other players’ voices were full of curiosity. Soon, I heard the sound of their footsteps approaching. At the same time, I felt an overwhelming urge to run away.It wasn’t just my shyness; being around such a noisy group always left me feeling drained. The people who’d made rude comments and brushed off their actions as jokes were usually part of groups like that.So, whether Kwon Jungwoo kept staring at me or not, I bit my lip. I wanted to get up and leave right away, but it would look silly to do that now that Kwon Jungwoo had already noticed me. I didn’t want any attention at all. I just wanted to be alone in peace. I wanted to disappear. It was driving me crazy.“Who is it?” came a voice, now almost right beside me.Kwon Jungwoo straightened up, finally taking his eyes off me.“Do you think you know everyone who uses the gym?”At the same time, there was a light smacking sound, like someone had been playfully hit. The footsteps that had come so close suddenly stopped.“Geez, why’d you hit me? Are they someone you don’t know?”“Just put your shoe back on.”“Hey, why’d you throw it again if you wanted me to put it on?”“Go put it on over there.”With a somewhat curt reply, Kwon Jungwoo turned back to the other players, tossing the wristband onto the seat next to me.Thanks to him, the noisy chatter quickly moved away from me.The players seemed to still be kicking around the shoe from earlier. Even as they rounded a corner and their laughter grew faint, I could hear one of them still yelling to get the shoe back. They were so rowdy that even passing students couldn’t help but comment on them.“Those guys are still so full of energy, even after getting chewed out by the coach.”“I know, right? The coach was so pissed, but they’re still laughing?”“Wow, look at all the fans waiting outside for Kwon Jungwoo. He’s like a celebrity.”The amused whispers passed by without noticing me.I quickly grabbed the wristband from the seat next to me and shoved it back into my pocket. The soft fabric felt oddly out of place next to the digital camera in the other pocket.I’d packed the wristband this morning because my wrist was feeling stiff, but now I was worried that Kwon Jungwoo might think I still had lingering feelings about gymnastics after seeing it. Even though I knew it was probably an overreaction, I couldn’t help but worry. Why hadn’t Kwon Jungwoo acknowledged that he knew I was Han Jiwon? It was almost as if he’d sensed how uncomfortable I felt.I was still lost in thought when I spotted Coach walking slowly toward me from a distance. Wanting to let the coach know I’d been waiting, I turned my attention to him, letting go of my thoughts. I was just relieved that, for whatever reason, I’d managed to avoid a stressful situation.***At eighteen years old, as a member of the national gymnastics youth team, I was the center of the nation’s hopes and expectations when I ruptured my Achilles tendon. The mistake I made during a sprint and jump not only severed my Achilles tendon but also ended my athletic career.Though Coach tried to convince me that I could return as an athlete if I focused on rehab, I knew it was impossible to expect good results, so I gave up. I didn’t want to face the despair of trying my hardest and still failing. Afraid of breaking down, I chose to give up my athletic career early.When I announced my retirement, the media hounded me relentlessly. They showed up at my house every day, demanding interviews, and even tracked down my parents’ rural home. For a while, my parents avoided even going to the local grocery store, fearing they might be followed by reporters.By the time the attention faded, I was in a very unstable state of mind. It was during that time that I turned to photography. I began traveling around, using it as an excuse to escape.As someone who’d always been shy and had no friends, the world through the lens became my comfort. That’s why, even though I didn’t have a deep passion for photography, I was grateful for it. It was this gratitude that led me to choose photography as my second major after gymnastics.“Huff, huff…”I slowed down the treadmill, gradually reducing my running speed.Whenever memories from the past resurfaced during a workout, I tended to overexert myself. My ankle, the one I’d injured, ached, and I took a moment to catch my breath.I stopped by the training center in front of my apartment every morning. Since opening at the start of the semester, it had become quite popular, with good facilities that attracted a lot of students by 10 a.m. To avoid the crowds and unwanted attention, I made it a habit to work out early in the morning.Even though rehabilitation therapy was no longer necessary, spending time on the treadmill in the quiet training center was one of the few moments I found happiness.But that peace was broken when someone took the treadmill next to mine.“……”I realized it was Kwon Jungwoo when I noticed his elbow was higher than usual. Startled by the height of his elbow, which was at chest level, I looked over to confirm, and there he was, walking slowly and rotating his shoulders as if trying to shake off stiffness.Surprised, I instinctively turned my head the other way to hide my face.What was Kwon Jungwoo doing here? This place was about a 10-minute drive from campus. Although many students from Korea University lived here due to the numerous apartment complexes, I assumed athletes like him would be staying in dorms.It was odd to see Kwon Jungwoo at a private training center on a weekday morning.I couldn’t help but be curious, even as I tried to hide my face.I first learned about Kwon Jungwoo when I was twenty years old. I still vividly remember that moment.I had been wandering around in the scorching sun and, exhausted from the heat, stepped into a restaurant. I was catching my breath, absentmindedly staring at the TV the owner had turned on. It was a sports channel, just wrapping up a basketball game.A neatly dressed reporter introduced the MVP player, and soon, a cheerful smile filled the screen. As the words “MVP Kwon Jungwoo” appeared boldly at the bottom of the screen, my focus sharpened.Kwon Jungwoo spoke well, unlike me, who had always struggled with brief answers. He smiled and responded wittily, seemingly unshaken in front of the camera. The reporter’s question at the time was this:‘The college basketball stands were unusually packed with fans because of you, Kwon Jungwoo. How do you feel about this? Does the popularity and attention make you uncomfortable?’Why do reporters always ask such embarrassing questions? I was recalling how I had stumbled over similar questions in the past, always ending interviews with a simple apology.Looking at the reporter, Kwon Jungwoo smiled and answered, “I guess I must be pretty good. If people want to like me, they can go ahead.”He shrugged his shoulders, causing the blue uniform to tighten and then loosen with the movement.I don’t remember much of the interview after that, but I do recall being impressed by him. It was a response I could never have given. He had a special charm that made anything he said seem likable.“Haa….”After walking a bit, I couldn’t help but be distracted, so I turned off the treadmill and got off. It had only been a short while since Kwon Jungwoo took the treadmill next to mine, but I was already thinking about finishing my workout at home with some stretching.I slumped down on a chair beside the locker and placed my running shoes on the floor. What should I have for lunch today? I had stir-fried pork yesterday, so maybe something like stew today? Or a burger could be good too. One perk of quitting sports was not having to tightly control my diet.As I slowly loosened the tightly bound laces of my running shoes, someone suddenly approached me, bringing a warm scent with them.“You left this behind.”The man spoke casually, holding out a water bottle in front of my face. It was the same bottle I had been drinking from earlier.My eyes traveled from the large hand, which made the bottle look tiny, up his forearm, and finally, to the face of Kwon Jungwoo, who was looking down at me. Despite his simple outfit—a white sweatshirt and black shorts—his athletic build made him unmistakably a basketball player.“Oh….”Just like our encounter a few days ago, Kwon Jungwoo first widened his eyes before narrowing his brows.I, too, couldn’t help but feel flustered. Not only was it awkward that he kept helping me, but I was also embarrassed because it felt like he had somehow noticed I was conscious of him earlier. In my panic, I quickly grabbed the water bottle from him, practically snatching it, thinking only of getting out of there as soon as possible.I forgot that my shoelaces were still untied and abruptly stood up. That’s when Kwon Jungwoo grabbed my wrist.“You should say thank you.”“…Sorry?”“I get that you’re shy—everyone in the country knows that—but…”He released my wrist without me realizing it and stepped in front of me, towering over me as he looked down with a cold gaze.“Isn’t skipping a thank you more of a character issue?”Then he smiled faintly and added in a low voice, “Even my personality, which gets smashed by basketballs every day, isn’t that bad.”I quickly bowed my head. My cheeks were burning.“I-I’m sorry. I was just so flustered… I really didn’t mean to… I mean, I was so sorry, so… thank you, I mean….”“……”“…Thank you.”My apology mixed with gratitude was a mess. And how could it not be, when all I could think about was the image of Kwon Jungwoo in the middle of a game, engaging in physical confrontations replaying in my mind?When things didn’t go his way or when he got angry, Kwon Jungwoo often started fights, even in the middle of a game. He’d been disciplined several times but didn’t seem to care. He was so strong that even bigger players would fall back when he pushed them. Lacking confidence in my ability to fight, I could only stare down at his wide stance, hoping he would move out of my way.How far would I fly if Kwon Jungwoo pushed me? This training center has good facilities, so the CCTV coverage should be solid, right…?Contrary to my worries, Kwon Jungwoo stepped back.“It seems like you have a habit of dropping things, so maybe you should start labeling them with your name.”Even though he had only stepped back a few steps, the sense of relief was immense. The irritation in his voice seemed to soften a bit, and the wrinkles on his handsome face gradually smoothed out.“…I’m really sorry, and….”My repeated apologies were drowned out by the ringtone from Kwon Jungwoo’s phone, which began to ring from his pocket.He checked the caller casually, then glanced at me. I closed my mouth tightly, unable to finish my sentence. Kwon Jungwoo stared at me for a moment as if waiting for me to continue, then answered the call.“Yeah, what is it so early? …I’m at the training center near home. Just get to the point.”He spoke somewhat curtly and was about to turn away when he paused for a moment. Then he deliberately made eye contact with me and gestured downward with his eyes.It seemed like he was acknowledging me.Feeling awkward, I bowed my head in response. In a voice barely above a whisper, I murmured, “Goodbye.” It was my way of showing some manners.However, Kwon Jungwoo frowned, then glanced down at the floor before locking eyes with me again. This time, he even nodded slightly. Only then did I follow his gaze downward and notice that my shoelaces were messily untied. Ah, he was trying to point that out…“Oh…”My mouth, always so loose, betrayed me once again, and a foolish sound slipped out. Kwon Jungwoo watched me for a moment longer before finally turning back toward the treadmills.Left alone, staring at Kwon Jungwoo’s broad back, I felt as if I had shrunk to less than a meter tall.Even before the third-year class representative, who was acting as the MC, could introduce me, the pub erupted into cheers. Overwhelmed, I lowered my head and buried my face in my hands, which only made the laughter around me louder. People always seemed to enjoy watching me shrink back.“Our new freshman is the pride and joy of the Photography Department. Go ahead and introduce yourself!”Before the MC had even finished speaking, my legs began to tremble. My classmates on either side clapped in encouragement, but it didn’t help much.“H-hello… I’m Han Jiwon. …Please take care of me.”“Can’t hear you—what did you say?”“Do a somersault!!”“You’re handsome!!!!”Overwhelmed by the noise, I lowered my head again. Then, the MC’s voice rang out, trying to calm the heated atmosphere.“Everyone, please be quiet. You all know how shy our Han Jiwon is. Don’t pressure him, and just cheer quietly. Meanwhile, Han Jiwon, you can choose what you want to do. You can either perform a talent or—”The MC pointed to a bowl in front of me. It was a punch bowl-sized vessel that had been passed down the line of freshmen and ended up in front of me. The bowl was filled with a strange mix of various drinks and snacks, boasting a rather grotesque appearance.“—or you can chug the concoction our fellow students have made.”The MC smirked, as if he already knew my choice. It wasn’t just him. Every student in the Photography Department at this freshman welcoming party likely predicted that I would choose to drink the concoction. It was obvious what someone as timid and introverted as me would do.“Ah, no hesitation—going for the concoction, huh? Looks like our freshman can handle his drink!”Amid the disappointed sighs of those hoping for a talent performance, I picked up the heavy bowl. The taste was surprisingly sweet, likely due to the various sodas mixed in. I could even feel the grains of grape or coconut in my mouth, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Despite the mix of all sorts of alcohol, the taste was somewhat offset by these sweet elements.But as sweet as it was, it still clouded my mind.“Han Jiwon!!! Snap out of it!! Can you stand?”“…Ah… …Yes.”“Get your bag! No, that’s my bag, you need to grab yours! Should I call a cab?”“No… I, what’s it called, I brought my car. My dad lent it to me…. …Did I mess up?”“This is crazy. If you can’t handle your alcohol, you should’ve said so.”“Oh… I’m sorry.”I heard a voice expressing exasperation and several others laughing nearby.Before I knew it, I was outside the pub, staring at the concrete ground. Even in my drunken stupor, I stubbornly insisted that I needed to go home. I kept repeating it like a mantra: I have to go home. I can go home on my own. I’ll go home by myself… It was a kind of stubbornness I would never have shown if I were sober.Someone eventually called a driver for me, and after much insistence, I headed alone toward the parking lot. The pub was near the university, so the campus parking lot wasn’t far.Was the road always this winding?I tried to walk without swaying, but the trees kept appearing in front of me. I almost collided head-on with several trees as I walked through the dimly lit campus, where the night sky was pitch black.On the way to the parking lot, I noticed the entrance to the indoor basketball court was wide open. The inside of the court glowed orange against the dark campus, possibly from a recent game or practice. I could faintly see a couple of people mopping the court with long mops.I wondered what it would be like to play a team sport.If gymnastics were a team sport rather than an individual one, I probably wouldn’t have had gymnastics in my life at all.“Ah!”Suddenly, I collided with something in front of me. Because I had both a baseball cap and a hoodie on, trying to keep my face hidden, my vision was narrowed.What I bumped into moved back. I had hoped it was a tree, but it seemed to be a person. I quickly lowered my head. Though my legs wobbled, I managed to regain my balance like the former national gymnastics representative I was.“Sorry about that. Did you get hurt…”“It’s fine.”“…Sorry.”After a short, dismissive reply, I hesitated and apologized again. The man responded with a disinterested “Yeah, yeah,” then stepped aside a couple of steps. It didn’t seem like he was hurt, so it was probably nothing to worry about.I walked a few more steps, still staring at the concrete ground, before suddenly realizing that I had arrived at the Physical Education Department parking lot.I guess I should wait here.After some time had passed since I called the driver service, I figured the driver should be arriving soon. Now that I thought about it, the man over there seemed to be waiting for someone too. What was he doing in the campus parking lot at this hour? It wasn’t like taxis came through here.Then it hit me—he must be waiting for me! Who else would be lingering around here at this time? The only person it could be was the driver.He seemed a bit bored, lightly tapping his toes on the ground.I hurried over to him, saying, “Excuse me, that’s me.” Since he was standing under a streetlight and wearing a cap, his face was mostly in shadows. As we got close enough to see each other’s faces, I made an effort to avoid being recognized. I didn’t want to be identified as Han Jiwon and end up in an awkward conversation on the way home.Standing near him, I noticed he had large feet.“Uh… it’s me.”“Pardon?”Not wanting to drag the conversation out, I kept my eyes on the ground and pulled my car key from my pocket, handing it to him. Maybe I extended my arm too far because my fingers brushed against his clothes when he took the key. As he accepted it, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was forcing this on him.“It’s the black sedan over there by the truck. Could you bring it over here? The space between the cars is pretty tight… I want to get in here.”“…Here?”“Yes.”It wasn’t an unusual request, but his puzzled voice caught me off guard. Did he already recognize who I was?Thankfully, the man headed toward my car without further questions. It didn’t even take a minute for him to pull it up to where I was standing.I quickly opened the back door and got in.“Green Park Hill near the lake intersection.”“…So, you want me to drive you there?”Was my breath reeking of alcohol? The tone in his voice was slightly incredulous. Was it because I hadn’t apologized properly when we bumped into each other earlier? Suddenly, I recalled Kwon Jungwoo at the training center a few days ago, accusing me of having poor manners. To prevent a repeat of that unpleasant incident, I decided it was best to make sure I apologized properly this time.“Sorry for bumping into you earlier. And I probably smell like alcohol, right? I’ll just keep my mouth shut until we get there.”“…”“Please start driving.”My head was already spinning, and I felt a headache coming on. I leaned back against the seat, trying to convey that I had no intention of talking until we arrived. Though my words were probably a bit muddled from the alcohol, the young driver seemed to get the message and started the car without further comment.Had he just showered?The car was filled with a fresh scent of body wash. I breathed in the warm, comforting fragrance and closed my eyes. The smooth ride began to lull me to sleep.I don’t know how much time had passed when I heard a slightly irritated voice, pulling me back to consciousness.“Why is the driver’s seat so cramped?”The grumbling tone barely reached my ears as I slowly opened my eyes. Through my blurred vision, I saw red and yellow car lights flashing by.Did I do anything wrong tonight? I only went to the freshman welcome party because the class rep insisted we had to attend. Now, I was starting to regret it.Why was it necessary to have forced interactions between seniors and juniors in photography? And what was the point of talent shows and drinking contests for bonding?I suddenly recalled one of my classmates doing impressions earlier. Even in my tipsy state, I was impressed by his skills. Do people practice their party tricks at home? I’d never considered imitating anyone before, so it was a new experience for me.What kind of talents do I have?I mentally listed my mundane skills like washing dishes thoroughly, folding towels neatly, and blinking rapidly. Somewhere in between, I thought I heard someone mutter, “That’s so funny,” but I couldn’t tell if it was real or part of a dream.It wasn’t until the driver’s phone rang that I fully returned to reality.“Hello?”— Hey, where are you? We’re all waiting at the parking lot. Why aren’t you here yet?As soon as the driver answered the call, the person on the other end yelled loud enough for me to hear clearly in the otherwise quiet car. The driver turned the wheel, and as we rounded a corner, my head tilted to the right. When my body settled back, I glanced at the driver’s profile.And I experienced something stronger than any hangover remedy.“Kw- Kwon Jung…!”I was so shocked that I couldn’t even get his name out properly when I saw Kwon Jungwoo sitting in the driver’s seat. At the sound of my subdued voice, Kwon Jungwoo glanced at me through the rearview mirror. The loud phone call abruptly ended.“You seem to know me well,” Kwon Jungwoo remarked casually as he switched lanes. The car smoothly passed through the gate with “Green Park Hill” prominently displayed and headed down to the underground parking lot. I was still in a state of utter confusion.Why was Kwon Jungwoo sitting in the driver’s seat?Had he stolen my car while I was asleep? Or was Kwon Jungwoo moonlighting as a driver?Neither explanation made sense. So had the student who called the driver service dialed the wrong number?That didn’t seem right either. I’d seen them hand over my phone number to the service.I quickly pulled out my phone to check. There were several missed calls and text messages from an unknown number.“We were unable to reach you, so we’re leaving.”“Your reservation has been canceled. -Safety Driving Service-”