Ball-Boy Tactics

“That’s why you should go rest too. You’ll have to train again soon, so you don’t need to worry about me.”“Again.”“Huh?”“Is that the only reason? If you have another reason to stay here, tell me. Stop giving me excuses I can easily dismiss.”“……”“Is there no bigger reason?”Whether he was genuinely curious or just expecting it, a slight smile played on Kwon Jungwoo’s face as he tilted his head and asked. His smile made his words about dismissing my reasons seem more thoughtful than they were.“Uh, well… so….”“I was fine earlier.”As I hastily searched for another reason, Kwon Jungwoo interrupted in his smooth voice. He glanced around. Even though the sports day was in full swing, people from quite a distance away were focused on us.“Why do I dislike seeing you here so much?”Kwon Jungwoo said abruptly after sweeping his gaze across the crowd as if he might meet the eyes of every single person. The bewildered expression he had earlier after the tumbling was gone, replaced by the sharp, single-lidded eyes now intense again.“…You dislike it?”“I do.”So let’s go.Kwon Jungwoo urged me once more.In that moment, I nodded my head almost reflexively. I didn’t know the exact reason, but if Kwon Jungwoo didn’t like it, I didn’t want to insist on staying. Right now, I was so out of my mind for Kwon Jungwoo that I’d be willing to do another round of tumbling if he asked. Any sense of modesty I had left just evaporated.Kwon Jungwoo seemed slightly surprised that I agreed so easily, but he soon stood up.“Can you walk to the parking lot? If not, I can carry you.”“It’s not that bad. I’m actually in better shape than you think… I could probably carry you instead!”“Could you really carry me?”The way he looked back at me, it seemed like if I said yes, he’d actually ask me to do it. So, I quickly shook my head, and Kwon Jungwoo laughed out loud, saying it was just a joke.Unlike my cautious steps out of the cheering section, Kwon Jungwoo walked with ease. As we left, more eyes were drawn to us, but he didn’t seem to care, focusing entirely on me.Following his broad back, I glanced back at where we had been sitting. I felt a twinge of regret leaving behind the tennis ball, thinking it might still carry the scent of Kwon Jungwoo’s hand.Kwon Jungwoo guided me through a shortcut to the parking lot—a narrow path through green grass and flowers. I tried to fall back and walk behind him to walk in single file, but Kwon Jungwoo kept adjusting his pace to match mine, so we ended up walking side by side for quite a while.“Maybe I should make it a hobby to follow you around.”His voice was clear despite the suddenness of his statement.“Why?”“Because I can’t ask you to follow me around.”“……”“You look good without your hat.”After that, Kwon Jungwoo fell silent again. The path was so narrow that his hand kept brushing against the back of mine. I considered bringing my hands together in front of me, but I liked those accidental touches, so I didn’t move. My heart wouldn’t settle down, thinking Kwon Jungwoo might grab my hand at any moment.“Han Jiwon!! Jiwon-ah!!!”“……!!”Startled by the shout, I turned around. Even though I hadn’t done anything, I suddenly felt like I’d been caught doing something secret, and I instinctively stepped away from Kwon Jungwoo. I saw the class president running toward us from afar.“Jiwon-ah, whew, I heard you suddenly left, so I rushed after you, whew, I’m so out of breath.”The class president bent over, hands on knees, catching his breath. After a moment, he stood up straight again and smiled warmly at Kwon Jungwoo.“Hello. I’m in the same photography department as Jiwon. I’ve been watching the games, and I’m a big fan of yours, Jungwoo! It’s such a pride to be at the same Korea University as you!”“Yeah. You two talk.”Even though his confession was a bit excited, Kwon Jungwoo seemed indifferent. His gaze remained focused on me, as if he was watching my reaction.Perhaps feeling awkward, the class president let out a small, embarrassed laugh, muttering, “I’m really a fan…” before quickly getting to the point, as if to avoid further discomfort.“Hey, Jiwon. The professor might come by later, so why don’t you stay a bit longer? Do you have something urgent?”“It’s not exactly urgent, but I think my ankle got strained from running earlier, so I thought I should rest….”“Huh? But you don’t have any events to participate in. You can just rest in the cheering section, right?”“That’s true, but… the seating isn’t comfortable, so it’s putting pressure on my ankle. And it’s hot without a tent.”“Ah, I see. I’ll tell the first-year reps to bring you some water. I’ll make sure it’s cold, so drink it all. Or you can come sit with us in the third-year section. We have shade under the trees.”“Ah….”“Think about it. It’d be a bit awkward if the professor shows up and you’re not here.”“The professor is looking for me?”“Not specifically, but it’d be good if you were here. You get what I mean, right?”“…Yes.”It wasn’t hard to understand, so I agreed without thinking. Since it was the professor’s idea for me to do the tumbling in the first place, it felt like I should at least greet him. Even though it wasn’t something I wanted to do….Just as I was about to explain that my ankle really was too uncomfortable to return right away, Kwon Jungwoo’s voice suddenly cut in.“Is he the class representative?”Kwon Jungwoo asked, looking only at me, but loud enough for the class rep to hear as well. He didn’t seem to care if we were caught off guard by the mention of the class rep as “he.”“Yes, he’s the class rep of our department.”“Wow, did Jiwon talk about me?”The class rep asked brightly, as if he couldn’t imagine it was anything negative. But Kwon Jungwoo didn’t answer, and I only managed an awkward smile, remembering what I had told Kwon Jungwoo about him. That memory also brought back the promise I had made with the class rep.“Then I’ll just rest a little and come back soon. And… you haven’t forgotten what you promised, right?”“Promise? What promise?”“That I wouldn’t have to attend the MT if I did the tumbling today. You promised over the phone.”“Oh, that? Of course, I remember! Do you think I’m stupid?”The class rep laughed as if I had insulted his intelligence, giving me a couple of hard pats on the shoulder. The way he hit me carried a bit more weight, as if he was trying to assert his seniority.“Jiwon, but don’t you think it’s a bit much to call that a promise? It was more like a one-sided request, wasn’t it? You put me in a difficult position in front of the assistant instructor.”“I don’t think it was one-sided….”“Well, yeah, it’s not exactly one-sided since I asked you to participate in the sports event. But the fact remains, you’re asking for special treatment, aren’t you? A lot of students started participating in our department’s events because of you, so do you really have to skip the MT?”“Even before I enrolled—”“Yeah, yeah, the magazine cover shoot, I remember. And I thanked you for that, didn’t I? But honestly, you’re famous, so it’s only natural that people wanted you. I wasn’t going to bring it up, but you should appreciate that I’m the one making sure you’re not overwhelmed with requests. No other senior would care as much as I do. I have a lot more to say, but I’m holding back. Anyway, I’ll see what I can do, but don’t expect too much.”“…….”“And you’ll be doing the tumbling at the MT as well.”The class rep brushed off my shirt as if something was stuck on it, then smiled warmly as if he were doing me a favor. His yellow department shirt, the same as mine, suddenly felt suffocating.So he never intended to keep the promise. I must’ve seemed really easy to him.My fingers trembled with anger and resentment. But what hurt the most was that Kwon Jungwoo was witnessing me being treated this way. Even though I didn’t have much pride to begin with, being humiliated in front of someone I liked was crushing.Yet, I didn’t have the courage to stand up to him. I was too cowardly to agree or disagree, simply dragging out a vague syllable while lowering my gaze.A low voice cut through the silence.“You said you were a fan.”Kwon Jungwoo stepped closer to the class rep. The class rep, who was about the same height as me, looked up at Kwon Jungwoo in surprise. But Kwon Jungwoo didn’t stop moving forward, even as the class rep backed away in confusion. He only stopped when they were so close their toes almost touched.“But why are you provoking me? I was going to stay quiet, but now I can’t.”Although he sounded playful, his gaze was sharp enough to cut through the class rep.“If you’re a fan, you should know that I have a reputation for stirring things up.”The class rep’s already bland features seemed even more blurred in contrast.“What are you talking about….”“I’m saying I’m going to get involved in Han Jiwon’s matters.”Even though we were in a quiet corner of the campus, it wouldn’t be long before people gathered if a commotion broke out. But Kwon Jungwoo didn’t seem to care. He squared his shoulders as if he was about to do something to the class rep, glaring down at him disdainfully.“Don’t go around trying to pull rank on people. Han Jiwon isn’t leaving today, and there’s no way he’ll go to the MT just to save face for you.”“Oh… haha, hey! Jiwon, I think I came off wrong because of you. I’m not a bad guy who bullies people! Clear this up for me! I’m getting misunderstood here.”“You’re talking to me right now.”Kwon Jungwoo blocked the class rep, who was trying to approach me. The forced smile vanished from the class rep’s face.“I don’t know why you’re acting like this, but this is a matter for our department, so could you back off? And I think you’re mistaken because we’re both third-year students, but I’m actually two years older than you since I returned after my military service. So, Kwon Jungwoo, since you’re an athlete, I assume you didn’t know, but please be more careful with your words. You’ve been speaking a bit too informally.”“I don’t care how old you are, and don’t make it an issue just because you can’t control Han Jiwon like you want. Otherwise—”Kwon Jungwoo casually cut him off, lowering his voice to a level where even I couldn’t hear the rest. The soft rhythm of his words made it sound like he was whispering something sweet.Maybe that’s why. For a moment, I felt a sharp pang of jealousy toward the class rep. I wanted to pull Kwon Jungwoo away from him immediately. And moments later, seeing the class rep’s face twist in discomfort, I felt a sense of relief mixed with deep self-loathing.“Are you… threatening me?”The class rep’s trembling voice sounded more like fear than defiance. Kwon Jungwoo laughed lightly at the question. The sudden innocence in his expression was almost provocative.Letting out a long sigh, Kwon Jungwoo wiped away his smile, looking at the class rep as if he were some delusional fool. His next words had a teacherly tone.“My job is to fight on the court. Inviting someone to play basketball with me—how is that a threat? Haven’t you ever played basketball in the military?”“…Han Jiwon isn’t part of the sports department anymore; he’s a photography student now. He said he was fine, so why are you getting involved?”“Why do you think?”Suddenly, Kwon Jungwoo moved closer to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. The warmth of his scent instantly enveloped me, gripping my heart like a tennis ball.“Because I’m his fan.”“…….”“Do I need to wear a sign on my forehead? I thought you’d know by now.”Kwon Jungwoo asked with a grin, his face too close for comfort. Even in his basketball uniform, he smelled nice. I had to resist the urge to grab the hand hovering near my chest and inhale his scent until my brain was soaked with it.“Hey, Jiwon, say something, will you? Are you just going to stand there? I’m your senior.”The class rep’s face had turned red, as if he still wanted to blame me. It was obvious he was pushing for an apology. But with Kwon Jungwoo acting as my shield, I didn’t want to spoil the moment he had set up for me.“I just… I just hope you understood what Jungwoo was saying.”“You know, if you act like this in the military, you’ll be in big trouble. I’m letting this go because it’s me. In the army, social popularity means nothing. I’m saying this for your own good, so take it to heart.”“I’m not going to the military.”I don’t even know why I’m saying this.“I won a gold medal at the Olympics, so I’m exempt.”“Wow.” Kwon Jungwoo let out a short exclamation, giving my shoulder a congratulatory pat. The real damage wasn’t done to the class rep—it was to me.“Anyway… I’m sorry I couldn’t stay today. Take care.”The class rep, his face flushed with shame, nodded reluctantly as if trying to find solace in my final apology.“Huh, you got exempt? Well, it’s not a bad thing for a South Korean to serve in the military, but… Anyway, since you apologized, I’ll let it go. I didn’t realize you were so unwell you needed a break. I’ll explain it to the professor. Take care…”The class rep cleared his throat a few more times, glanced nervously at Kwon Jungwoo, and then turned around and ran off, much faster than when he had approached us.As I watched him disappear, Kwon Jungwoo suddenly apologized.“Sorry for butting in. And for this too.”He lowered his hand from my shoulder and added another apology. Sorry.The first part I could understand, but there was no need to apologize for putting his arm around my shoulder. A shoulder hug between guys wasn’t anything special, even today, I’d done the same with that guy in the gym, whether his name was Wonsuk or Woosuk.But because it was Kwon Jungwoo, and because it felt special only to me, his apology left me puzzled.“Try to calm it down. You were running pretty fast.”“Calm what down?”“Your heart.”“…….”“At this rate, it’s going to explode.”His playful smile was more mischievous than ever.For a moment, my brain froze, like I had been struck by lightning. As if I were buffering, I struggled to make sense of what he was saying, only to belatedly reassure myself that Kwon Jungwoo was just joking.Even if he had noticed my strange heartbeat, I needed to emphasize that it was merely the result of the tension from the confrontation with the class rep. So, as I hurried to catch up with him, who had started walking again, I babbled beside him.“Oh, I see. You must have been surprised because my heart was beating so fast. I’m naturally an excitable person. Ah! Not that kind of ‘excitable,’ you know? I’m talking about the ordinary kind, the kind that everyone experiences…”I wanted to sew my lips shut right then and there. Unable to finish my sentence, I coughed awkwardly, trailing off, and Kwon Jungwoo snickered.“It wasn’t that kind of excitement? That’s too bad.”“…What?”“I’m just kidding. Hang in there a little longer. We’re almost there.”Seeing him smile so brightly in the sunlight, it was hard to believe he had just been staring down the class rep with such a cold expression. Without realizing it, I lowered my head, not wanting to let him see the smile that was creeping up on my face.“I thought you were the type to put your arm around just anyone.”So I didn’t see Kwon Jungwoo’s expression when he muttered that, as if to himself.Kwon Jungwoo’s car was a large SUV, even among SUVs. Its sleek yet sporty design suited him perfectly. Since it was my first time getting into his car, I hesitated for a moment. He had already helped me more than enough by just offering to drive me home….So I only hesitated in front of the passenger seat for a brief moment.“Oh, right.”As he headed toward the driver’s seat, he suddenly turned back as if something was wrong. He walked briskly over to me, standing close beside me before pulling the door open.“Our star athlete shouldn’t be carrying anything heavy.”“Oh, no, that’s not why I was…”“Sorry. The car’s too high, right? I should have drilled a hole in the tire for you. Or should I kneel so you can step on my knee?”“No! I can get in just fine; it’s not that high!”I hurriedly climbed in and closed the door myself, proud to do so. The reason I burst out laughing was that Kwon Jungwoo, standing outside the window, was also laughing. But then he said something that made me uneasy again.“If Byun Seungjin were here, he would have prepped the passenger seat with a warm stew to keep you cozy. I’m sorry I’m this kind of fan.”In the hot weather, he turned on the air conditioner and shamelessly said it. It seemed he was having fun teasing me, his eyes full of affectionate mischief. He was only asking if the air conditioning was too strong, yet I wanted to misinterpret it.The interior of Kwon Jungwoo’s car was spacious, and there wasn’t even the slightest hint of that typical rubber smell. I’ve always known, but he’s very tidy. After seeing athletes in less-than-clean surroundings, Kwon Jungwoo seemed surprisingly neat. Maybe it’s because my heart was already set on him, but everything about Kwon Jungwoo seemed perfect.“You were good.”As the car smoothly exited the school gate, Kwon Jungwoo spoke out of nowhere. I wasn’t sure if he was talking about me, so I just looked at him silently. Without turning his gaze from the road, he added,“Your tumbling.”“Ah, well, you were a national representative after all.”“Do you know that you did well?”“Yeah, well… I think I did well, though not as well as when I was active.”Suddenly, Kwon Jungwoo burst into laughter. His sudden laughter was puzzling.He glanced at me with his beautifully curved eyes before turning his gaze back to the front. Even after his laughter stopped, the plumpness of his eye bags remained, showing no signs of retreat.“I just find it funny how you act so timid usually, but are so confident in your skills. Sometimes, I got a similar feeling when you talked about photos.”“I wasn’t trying to be arrogant, but I’m sorry if I came across that way.”“I meant it in a good way. Don’t apologize.”His light words were kind. Kwon Jungwoo, who is always so spirited and powerful on the field, probably has no idea how much it drives me crazy when he speaks so gently like this.“Thanks for your help earlier. I was almost caught up by the senior again… it’s all thanks to you.”“You should just join the basketball team, Jiwon.”I’ll take care of you.He said that while keeping his gaze forward, and his profile was so sincere that I couldn’t help but laugh.“How could I play basketball? I’d probably have to be reborn to get into our school’s basketball team.”“Why not? You could outpace all the players with just five tumbles.”“I can’t even shoot.”“It doesn’t matter. I’ll rebound for you.”When I laughed so hard that my shoulders shook at his brazenness, Kwon Jungwoo laughed along with me. It felt like a dream, sitting in this small space, leisurely laughing with him.The road was particularly empty today, so there was no traffic. As we got closer to home, I grew anxious, not wanting the time to end. I wanted to memorize the way Kwon Jungwoo looked while driving.Every time his foot moved between the brake and accelerator, his uniform caught my attention. More specifically, it was his knee, which was exposed beneath his uniform shorts. Although it was covered by a black leg sleeve, perhaps because of my wicked thoughts, I could almost see the muscles connecting his knee to his thigh.So I stared at his legs for a long time, not realizing that Kwon Jungwoo had noticed.“What are you staring at? Did my thigh do something wrong?”“Huh? No, it’s not that. It’s just that, being a basketball player, your legs are definitely long and firm.”In my flustered state, I almost said I wanted to touch them. Despite my confession disguised as a compliment, Kwon Jungwoo kept driving without much of a reaction. Embarrassed to look at his legs again, I stared endlessly at the scenery outside as if I had always intended to. The silence in the car, which wasn’t playing any music, lingered for a while.It was when the car stopped at a red light. Kwon Jungwoo suddenly engaged the parking brake.“I’ve mentioned this before, but you seem to have less muscle mass for a gymnast.”I looked at him at the low tone of his voice. His gaze was fixed on my upper body.“You don’t really give off the athlete vibe….”Trailing off, Kwon Jungwoo stared at me intently. Was he annoyed by the yellow oversized T-shirt we all wore together? His unreadable gaze hovered around the exposed skin beneath my short sleeves and my upper body. Though he was simply looking, I felt a strange sensation, as if the parts of me his eyes touched were shrinking.I unconsciously flinched when his gaze traveled down my waist to my wrist. Only then did Kwon Jungwoo turn his head back to the front.“I don’t know what I’m saying right now.”He muttered to himself, and soon after, looked back at me.“Han Jiwon. Just curious, but-.”“…….”“Do people act like they’ve lost their minds when they’re around you?”“…I’m not sure what you mean….”“I’ll just ask straight. Have you ever heard from close friends, acquaintances, or even relatives… including same-sex ones since I’m not being biased.”Kwon Jungwoo twisted his upper body towards me and rested his hand on the top of the steering wheel. His eyes were sharper than usual, but his long fingers were gently drumming on the wheel.“Have you ever been told that it feels like they’re enchanted by you?”