Ball-Boy Tactics

Byun Seungjin and Yang Eunoh would always chat in the group chat even though they could’ve just exchanged private messages. Well, it was my first time participating in a group chat like this, and I did find it amusing at times, so it was fun to watch. It wasn’t like it was interfering with my daily life.But the end of their lighthearted conversations always left me feeling a bit drained.Do these two know that Kwon Jungwoo got slapped by his girlfriend today?They’re close, so they probably know more about his love life than I do, but I was worried they might play a harsh prank on him without realizing it. They usually didn’t joke around with him as harshly as they did with each other, but still, just in case….“……”It seemed that over 90% of my insomnia could be attributed to these basketball players.They were so different from me that their actions were always unpredictable, which made me tired. There were so many events happening every day; it felt like they were living a denser version of the same 24 hours. The longer I spent with them, the more I understood why Korean college basketball players were rumored to be rowdy and chaotic.I closed my laptop and lay down on my bed.The distance from the table to the bed was five steps, but I dove onto it in just three. From now on, I decided not to care about Kwon Jungwoo or anything else. Once our group project was over, the group chat would quiet down. I also had other class assignments and needed to prepare for midterms soon.These basketball players managed to handle their training, games, and everything else just fine, yet I was the only one getting swept up in it all. The most absurd part was that the reason I was being tossed around like this was because of Kwon Jungwoo’s love life, someone I barely even knew.Burying my face in the bed sheets made me feel a little more at ease. I started counting while taking long, deep breaths. If I was lucky, I might be able to fall asleep like this… maybe I should just stay like this.I slowly closed and opened my eyes. My phone was within arm’s reach. The sharp yet rounded corners of the phone were beginning to blur as I stared at it. Suddenly, three or four message notifications popped up and then disappeared in quick succession.It must be Byun Seungjin or Yang Eunoh.I knew it without even looking, so I didn’t move a muscle. Even when more notifications trickled in, I remained resolute. I just needed to fall asleep. And tomorrow morning, I would reply with a message wishing them a good day and subtly indicating that I wouldn’t be joining the conversation anymore today.But in the end, my hands betrayed me, and I reached for my phone, bringing it close to my face. Somehow, I felt like this time, Kwon Jungwoo might really have appeared.But as expected, it was just Byun Seungjin and Yang Eunoh in the group chat. I wasn’t even sure why I felt disappointed. I would’ve turned the phone upside down immediately if I hadn’t sensed something off in their conversation.[Byun Seungjin]: I’m at the laundromat.[Byun Seungjin]: 8 minutes left for drying. I’ll be home in about 15 minutes after that.[Byun Seungjin]: Get ready to head out by then.Yang Eunoh: Did you pack everything?[Byun Seungjin]: Yep, I’ll just drop off my clothes at home and head out right after.It seemed like they were going somewhere, probably having discussed it earlier. There hadn’t been any hint of this atmosphere just a while ago. Were they going together?I was staring blankly at the frozen messenger screen when suddenly the screen switched, showing that Yang Eunoh was calling.“Hello?”— You picked up really fast. What are you doing?“Oh, I-.”— Anyway, come down to the first floor in 30 minutes. I’ll pick you up.Yang Eunoh cut me off as if it didn’t matter what I was saying, and his directness caught me off guard.“Suddenly? Why?”— We have to work on our group project. Did you forget again?“Eunoh, it’s nine o’clock….”— What does nine o’clock have to do with anything? You need to care about your grades, Han Jiwon. Anyway, be down in 30 minutes!With that stern advice, Yang Eunoh hung up.Was it a joke…? If it was, where did the joke start and end? I furrowed my brow and tried to think it over, but I concluded that Yang Eunoh probably wasn’t free enough to joke with me at 9 PM.It was probably because they were athletes that they could only do their assignments at this hour. They must be busy with training and classes during the day.It was sudden, but I didn’t have anything else going on. I felt sorry for being so sure I’d forgotten about the assignment, so I changed my clothes and packed my bag. It had been a while since I’d carried my laptop bag.The pavement where I waited for Yang Eunoh 30 minutes later was cool. The night air was still chilly, but thanks to the coat I had on, I wasn’t cold. My cheeks felt pleasantly cool. I felt so refreshed that it was hard to remember just how lazily I had been lying in bed earlier.— Where are you?“Um… in front of the officetel entrance.”— Oh, I see you. You see that black SUV stopped at the light? That’s us, get in.“Okay.”Soon, the black SUV with its hazard lights on approached. I noticed a light from the passenger side, which turned out to be Byun Seungjin’s beaming smile as I got closer.The spacious back seat was all mine. Kwon Jungwoo wasn’t there. Was he staying at the dorm alone? Or was he somewhere else…?“Jungwoo’s still at school. He just finished his personal training, so we’re going to pick him up,” Byun Seungjin said, turning around to look at me. His well-defined features stood out in the dim car light, his freckles hidden in the darkness. I was startled by how accurately he seemed to have read my mind, but then I realized he was just mentioning it because Kwon Jungwoo was also part of our group.“I see. So, are we going to do the project at school?”“No. There’s a place nearby that I’ve been eyeing for us to work at.”“…Is Kwon Jungwoo okay with that? He must be tired after all that training.”“Jungwoo’s the one who suggested it.”It was unexpected. I thought he wouldn’t be in the mood to do anything else right now. Maybe he wanted to keep himself busy to escape reality. I wouldn’t know since I’ve never been in a relationship. Or maybe he and his girlfriend have already made up by now, just like that day when I saw them kiss…“He broke up.”“…….”“That’s why we’re going at this hour… Oh, there he is!”I was so startled by the way it felt like he had read my mind that the news about Kwon Jungwoo breaking up with his girlfriend only sank in after my eyes spotted him.Kwon Jungwoo, who was unmistakably a basketball player due to his large build, even from a distance, was standing there with his oversized hoodie pulled over his head and both hands deep in his pockets. As we got closer, the part of his face visible under the car lights became clearer. His clear skin tone was so pale it almost seemed transparent.Kwon Jungwoo abruptly opened the backseat door. The moment our eyes met, he hesitated, as if surprised to see me there. He furrowed his brows as if he hadn’t expected to run into me here.The moment passed quickly. Kwon Jungwoo casually sat down in the seat and removed his hoodie. The scent of a familiar body wash filled the car, and his freshly showered hair, still damp, came into view. Although the fragrance filled the car with a sense of familiarity, it strangely made me feel uneasy. Just as I began to question why, Kwon Jungwoo turned his body toward me, resting his hand on the passenger seat.“You blend in well.”His dark eyes were fixed on me. If Byeon Seungjin’s mind-reading was a mere suspicion, Kwon Jungwoo’s wasn’t. His voice, which was as subdued as his hair, made it clear that he had seen through every thought in my head. I was so overwhelmed by his mood that I couldn’t even move my lips. Kwon Jungwoo continued speaking slowly.“If you’re going to keep hanging around, why don’t you just become a ball boy, Jiwon? It’d be easier for both of us, don’t you think?”His tone was sharp, contrasting with his calm demeanor.It must have been because of what I witnessed behind the basketball court earlier today. I had hoped he wouldn’t recognize me because I was wearing a cap, but it seems he noticed anyway.Leaving aside what happened earlier, this time, I was dragged out for the project… I felt wronged, but for some reason, I couldn’t say anything confidently. Maybe I should just go home.Unaware of the situation, Yang Eunoh interjected.“I was the one who asked her to come with us. It’s convenient since she lives nearby.”Then Byeon Seungjin chimed in, saying that if you see someone often, you should be grateful! I quickly turned my head toward the window, pretending to be interested in something outside, hoping Kwon Jungwoo wouldn’t notice me glancing at him.“Enough. Did you guys bring everything you need?”“Yeah. Except for the beer. We can buy it there if we want to drink it cold.”I found it strange that Byeon Seungjin mentioned beer in response to Kwon Jungwoo’s question. Why would we need beer to work on a project? I was still trying to figure out the reason when I momentarily forgot about watching Kwon Jungwoo and asked.“Beer?”“Yeah. There are plenty of convenience stores along the Han River. We can buy it at one of the nearby stores.”“The Han River…? I thought we were going to work on the group project?”At my question, Kwon Jungwoo leaned back against the seat, as if he had finally realized why I was in the car. Then Yang Eunoh shamelessly nodded.“We are going for the group project. Bonding is a must when working in a group.”“That’s right. It can’t be helped. Oh, right, Jiwon, you’re a freshman, so you might not know this yet?”Byeon Seungjin shrugged and added, “That’s just how group projects work.”I was completely confused. Our project presentation was due next week, and all we had done so far was divide up the roles. But since these third-year students seemed so confident, I wondered if this was just how things were done. I hadn’t attended school regularly because of my involvement in sports, and this was my first group project since entering university, so I was clueless. Come to think of it, these basketball players were the first group members I’d ever had.“But if we do this now, won’t we be too busy the next time we meet? We’ll have a lot to do….”“Don’t worry, we can get everything done in one day. If we have to stay up all night to finish, it’s better if we get along first. Okay?”“…Okay.”We were bound to meet again soon anyway, given the presentation was next week. I figured I might as well enjoy the river breeze while I was at it. Honestly, I was also a little excited since it had been a long time since I last visited the Han River.My mood quickly adapted to the laid-back attitude of the basketball players. The night streets we passed by were quiet, likely because it was late on a weekday. Despite the somewhat chaotic music blaring from the speakers, it felt like a serene country song was playing outside the window.Before it got too hot, I thought I should take a night walk. It had been a long time since I had taken a walk just for the sake of it, not for a photoshoot. I used to enjoy night walks a lot.As I indulged in these thoughts, I stole a glance at Kwon Jungwoo sitting beside me. He, too, was staring out the opposite window. I suddenly remembered that this man beside me had broken up with someone today.It was a bit jarring to realize that the scene I had witnessed earlier wasn’t just a fight but the end of a relationship. I lowered my head even further. Earlier at the barbecue restaurant, I had joked about how I was the only one who seemed to think we were close, but just now, I was secretly hurt when he scolded me for tagging along. Now, I thought I understood why he was so on edge.It was even Kwon Jungwoo’s idea to come here. I wondered what kind of time he was hoping to have by looking at the Han River late at night.Before long, we arrived at the Han River, which was also quiet. It was even more deserted because we had parked in a lot instead of on the lawn.As soon as we arrived, the players opened the trunk and started unloading the things they had brought. There were camping pots, a portable stove, a folding table, chairs, lights, an electric mosquito swatter, and so on. When I saw the packs of ramen and kimchi laid out on the table, I realized they were planning to cook ramen. I left my heavy, useless laptop bag in the back seat and looked for something to help with.“Jiwon, come here for a sec.”Yang Eunoh, who was doing something in the trunk, called out to me. He was struggling alone to do something with the back seat. I had no idea what he was up to, but I followed his instructions, holding what he told me to hold and pulling what he told me to pull. I ended up with a small cut on my finger from getting it caught in a metal gap, but luckily, it was nothing a tissue couldn’t fix, so I was fine soon after.The back seat was soon flattened out enough to lie down on. After laying out the topper they had brought and turning on the lights, with music playing in the background, it felt no different from a campsite.“Now all we need is to go buy the beer. How about two of us head to the convenience store while the other two enjoy some well-earned rest?”“Whoever loses gets to pick someone to go with.”As Byeon Seungjin extended his fist to the center, four fists quickly joined in.I’m terrible at rock-paper-scissors…I’ve always had bad luck with these kinds of things, so I was usually the first one to be chosen. As a result, I would throw my handkerchief down, certain I’d lose no matter what I chose. And then…“Okay, Han Jiwon, you’re out.”“Jiwon, I knew you were good at gymnastics, but you’re good at this too, huh?”I won. The feeling of winning for the first time in a game was indescribably joyful. My heart raced, much like it did when I stuck the landing in a vault competition. But the game of rock-paper-scissors wasn’t over yet, so I calmly watched their hands, as if I were spectating the remaining players.After a few ties, the person who lost was Kwon Jungwoo. When Kwon Jungwoo lost and the other two cheered, I started to feel uneasy. I thought they should cut him some slack, especially since he probably wasn’t in a great mood today.However, when Kwon Jungwoo pointed his finger at me, all my joy, goodwill, and sympathy vanished.“Come with me to the convenience store.”“…With me?”“Yeah. With you.”Kwon Jungwoo shrugged his shoulders as if it were no big deal. He didn’t hesitate, as if he had planned to pick me from the start if he got chosen. I just stood there with my mouth hanging open, unsure of how to react.I wondered why he chose me, the same person he always scolded for being too clingy. Was it simply because he didn’t like me and couldn’t stand to see me rest? The joy I felt from winning quickly faded, leaving me feeling pitiful.“Jiwon, I’d go for you if I could, but you know we have to follow the rules as players.”“Oh, Kwon Jungwoo, you really suck at rock-paper-scissors. It’s hilarious. Bring back a squid too.”Byun Seungjin and Yang Eunoh, who were standing nearby, laughed loudly, showing an unprofessional and unsportsmanlike attitude. But Kwon Jungwoo just chuckled lightly, a stark contrast to the rough atmosphere he usually led on the court.“Make sure to time the ramen so it’s ready when we arrive.”“Okay.”As Kwon Jungwoo passed by me, he urged, “Let’s go.” Hearing his deep voice, my lingering resentment mixed with a new sense of anxiety. I felt like he was finally going to talk about what happened earlier today.What if Kwon Jungwoo gets embarrassed about his secret being exposed? What if he gets angry at me for spying on him? Earlier, when we were behind the basketball court, I could at least run away, but now there was nowhere to go.I was also conscious of the fact that I wasn’t wearing a hat. It was a relief that the area was deserted within a 50-meter radius, but at the same time, it made our situation feel more private, which made me uncomfortable.We headed toward the convenience store, leaving the Han River behind. Walking side by side felt awkward, so I pretended to search my pockets and walked a step behind Kwon Jungwoo. But as soon as he turned to match my stride, it was all for nothing.“It’s confusing. Coming out at nine at night to work on an assignment makes it seem like you’re serious about your grades, but here you are, hanging out so casually.”His voice was relaxed as he spoke, and there was a faint smile on his fox-like eyes. As I tried to read his mood, Kwon Jungwoo continued speaking.“Did you really get tricked into coming out? Or did you pretend to fall for it?”“Was I… tricked?”“Well, judging by the fact that you brought your laptop, I can tell.”Kwon Jungwoo turned to face forward again. His smooth hair swayed gently in the breeze. I wanted to ask why he had chosen me, but I couldn’t get the words out before we reached the convenience store. Kwon Jungwoo had a knack for making me feel self-conscious, even when he seemed to be in a good mood.While Kwon Jungwoo picked out some beer, I grabbed a few snacks and a squid. The convenience store clerk recognized us and made a fuss, which attracted a crowd of customers, but Kwon Jungwoo quickly handled it, and we were able to leave the store soon after.It had been a long time since I’d been able to go out without a hat and just take care of things comfortably. It was also the first time I’d declined a request to take a picture with someone, although Kwon Jungwoo was the one who refused on my behalf.“Here’s my card. …But could you take a picture with me?”“No, I’m not really into that. Take care.”When Kwon Jungwoo firmly declined and headed for the exit, I quickly followed him. The fresh air that hit me when I opened the glass door brought a slight thrill.I moved closer to him, the crinkling sound of the snack bag in my hand accompanying me.“Thanks. I’ve never been this unbothered in front of people before.”“Do you like Pororo?”“Pororo?”Surprised by the random question, I asked again, but Kwon Jungwoo gestured toward the streetlight ahead as if he wanted to talk there. During the few steps it took to reach the light, I tried to figure out the connection between Pororo and myself, but I couldn’t guess what Kwon Jungwoo was going to say.As soon as we reached the streetlight, Kwon Jungwoo didn’t hesitate and pulled something out of his pocket, handing it to me.“I couldn’t find a plain bandage. Even if you don’t like it, put it on.”In his large hand, which usually held a basketball, was a Pororo bandage. The character’s face, awkwardly smiling as if it didn’t know why it was there, bobbed up and down. At least, that’s how it looked to me.“This… why?”“Your hand.”Kwon Jungwoo pushed the bandage closer to me, urging me to take it.“You got hurt.”“Oh.”I had guessed, but I was still surprised that he had bought it because of my injury. My face must have looked even more stupid now. My index finger, which I hurt while adjusting the back seat of a car with Yang Eunoh, had been throbbing whenever I grabbed something. The bleeding had stopped quickly, so I thought I’d be fine as long as I was careful.Earlier, I was too focused on hiding my face to notice, but he must have bought this while we were paying for our things.“If you leave it like that, it’ll keep bothering you. Hurry up and put it on.”“Thanks.”As I took the bandage from him, I felt a strange mix of emotions. I was grateful, but I also felt burdened, and my head was filled with questions about why he was being so kind to me. It seemed like Kwon Jungwoo wasn’t thinking about our encounter earlier in the day. The first thing he said in the car was the only mention of it. At this point, it felt like I had been worrying over nothing.As I put the bandage on my wound, Kwon Jungwoo watched the whole process. He didn’t say anything, just observed, but his gaze made my fingertips tremble.Did he ask me to come with him just to buy this for me? It might have been something he picked up spontaneously at the convenience store, but knowing how thoughtful Kwon Jungwoo was, it was possible. He was the kind of guy who naturally took care of others, as if it were second nature. I figured Kwon Jungwoo would have been popular even if he didn’t play basketball. And then…“I bet you get misunderstood by girls a lot.”I was lost in thought for only a moment. I couldn’t believe I said out loud what should have stayed in my head. It wasn’t something you said to someone who was being kind to you, especially not to someone who had just gone through a breakup today.Kwon Jungwoo furrowed his brows slightly, as if he found my comment out of place. I quickly tried to add more words, worried that he might misunderstand my remark.“What I mean is…”“I don’t do this for girls. I’m only doing it because it’s you.”But my words were cut off by Kwon Jungwoo’s firm response.The phrase “because it’s you” was hard to interpret. I couldn’t understand why I was being treated differently. I wanted to ask why, just that, but for some reason, my lips felt heavy. My chest tightened as I realized I had no idea what his answer might be.“…Why?”“What do you mean, why?”Kwon Jungwoo opened my hand and took the crumpled bandage wrapper from my palm. His fingers brushed against my palm, almost like a scratch. The sensation was stronger than when my wound had touched the fabric of my clothes. It was the kind of moment where even breathing felt fragile, as if something delicate might shatter if I took a deep breath. Then Kwon Jungwoo smiled gently.“You’re not going to misunderstand me, are you?”