Seeds of Disaster
Thanks to watching TV, my mood had improved even more. In that state, I stepped out for a bit to get some fresh air. Walking aimlessly through the park cleared my mind, and my steps felt light.
But after a short walk, a familiar figure caught my eye. Even with the hat and mask, the platinum blonde hair and familiar silhouette gave her away immediately. It was Kim Se-rin, the cheerleader. My body froze for a moment, and I stood there awkwardly, unable to hide it, just staring at her. I considered going somewhere else, but it was already too late. Seeing her made me want to head her way after all.
Yet for some reason, Kim Se-rin didn't seem her usual self today. She looked a bit sadder than normal. There was no energy around her eyes, and her expression seemed downcast. Seeing her like that stirred something in me. I can't just walk past her, I thought. So I approached cautiously.
“Ah… sorry about that time. For… staring like that.”
“Huh? Oh, it's you.”
She startled a little when I suddenly approached and spoke, but once she recognized me, her voice relaxed with relief.
“For staring like that?”
“Back when I was with Senior Hwang Do-yoon… it might've looked like I was glaring at you.”
At that, Kim Se-rin let out a small chuckle for the first time, her eyes brightening a bit as she replied.
“Hahaha. No, I wasn't upset about it. I was just playing along with what your senior said. Well, what I said then wasn't a lie, but I was just matching the situation.”
Huh? What does that mean? So what she said was true, but she wasn't actually bothered by me glaring? I was caught off guard, my words stuck in my throat. I needed time to process it in my head.
“But you know… I don't think words are the only way to express intent.”
I looked into Kim Se-rin's eyes. She met my gaze and smiled. Those eyes were beautiful.
“The way you looked at me then… how should I put it? It felt like ‘Look at me~’ Not quite… it was a bit hotter than that?”
What? Huh…? I couldn't grasp what she meant by "hotter" and just stood there blankly. Kim Se-rin scrunched her face like she was trying to hide her expression, then covered her mouth and shook with laughter, shoulders heaving.
“Hey, I was seriously embarrassed back then, thought I'd die. When you look at someone with eyes burning like that… what am I supposed to do? It's embarrassing.”
…What?
Her words hit me, and my face flushed hot in an instant. My heart pounded suddenly, and not knowing what to say, I dropped my gaze to the ground. She burst out laughing again at the sight.
…Huh? Was it like that? No, it wasn't… that kind of feeling…
“Hahahaha! For real? You were really looking at me like that? So cute.”
I waved my hands frantically.
“Ah… no, it wasn't like that. It was just the situation…”
But my words wouldn't come out right, and Kim Se-rin just smiled as if she understood, looking at me. Strangely, her gaze felt much more comfortable than before. Something inside me eased up too. The awkward, stifling air between us faded bit by bit, like the misunderstanding had truly cleared. At the same time, a weight lifted from a corner of my heart.
Kim Se-rin twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
“Anyway, I'm fine. Don't worry about it. Actually, thanks for saying it like this.”
I nodded slightly. The embarrassment lingered, but my mood was oddly good. It felt like I could breathe freely for the first time in a while. In that moment, the subtle wall between us seemed to crumble a little.
I hesitated for a second before speaking up.
“But… is everything really okay? Your expression looked so dark earlier… I wasn't sure if I should even approach.”
At my words, Kim Se-rin's face changed. She narrowed her eyes slightly and shot me a glare.
“And who do you think that's because of?”
She crossed one arm.
“Mr. Kim Hu-seong, VIP member of the PinaSaeng Club?”
“No… what do you mean?”
She bent at the waist, peering into my eyes.
“You don't know? Pigeons + thank you = PinaSaeng, shortened. Turkeys + strong player + thank you = TurNaSaeng. Lots of slang like that. Fans use it too. That's what it is.”
I was baffled, unsure how to respond.
“…I was just doing my pro job, giving it my all.”
Suddenly, she jabbed my chest with her index finger. Harder than expected.
…It felt like she was scolding me. Like she had a grudge. But damn, it felt good.
“Mr. Kim Hu-seong. Do you really have to play that well only against the Pigeons? It kinda hurts my feelings.”
I was speechless for a while. Then… I muttered softly.
“…When I hear you cheering for their players… it just… makes me mad, so I play better.”
It was a timid rebellion. Oh crap! Wait, saying that…
But after the words were out, I realized what I'd said. Kim Se-rin's lips curved up slowly. Her eyes arched too. Like a fox spotting prey.
“Huh? What was that now?”
She leaned in closer, tilting her head.
“Don't tell me… you're jealous when I cheer for other players? Oh ho~ So you really are that type? Your senior wasn't wrong; it was real.”
Flustered, I stepped back and whipped my head away. I could feel my face burning.
But she took another step forward, following my turned gaze to lock eyes again. Like she was deliberately giving me no escape.
“So then.”
She smiled with her eyes and whispered.
“What if I became a Turkeys cheerleader… and cheered for you but also other players? Would that bother you too?”
I froze, deep in thought. If the conversation dragged on, it'd veer into weirder territory. But lying wasn't an option after what I'd already said. So I looked at Kim Se-rin and answered shortly.
“…Yeah. It would.”
The words were barely a whisper, but she heard them clearly. Kim Se-rin stared blankly at me, then flushed red herself.
“Hey… are you an idiot?”
Her voice was small. Then she averted her gaze and took a couple steps back.
“You can't let stuff like that shake you. It's unprofessional. And respect my job like it's your own. How can you get rattled by that?”
Her words sounded scolding, but her tone wavered oddly. Suddenly, silence fell between us. As the awkward quiet stretched, a nagging thought bubbled up.
“Ahem… can I ask one thing? Then… what was with the sulking over something trivial? It really felt like that in the video.”
Her eyes narrowed at my question. Completely different from her playful expression earlier. This was genuinely icy.
“And whose fault do you think that was?”
Her tone and look made me hold my breath. The warmth from our flushed faces moments ago felt like a distant memory—now it was stone cold.
“I… have no idea.”
She scowled and stepped closer.
“Shut up. You're showing playboy vibes right now. People like that are the worst. I really hate it.”
Her face twisted in disgust. I flinched. Something clicked in my head with a snap.
Ah… so that's the issue.
But I couldn't say it outright. Instead, I thought for a moment.
Then… who should I choose?
The dilemma swirled briefly. But I had words I could say now.
“I'm… not a playboy.”
My voice came out firmer than I expected.
“Once I start seeing someone, I stick with them. Dating multiple people at once—that's a playboy. I haven't started seeing anyone yet. So please, don't say that.”
Her icy glare softened. She looked thoughtful… then clapped once and grinned widely.
“Good point!”
I was baffled. Huh? What's this reaction?
“Come to think of it, I get a lot of contacts, you know?”
Huh…?
“I'm popular, young, and as a seemingly free-spirited Pigeons cheerleader, players from all sorts of teams hit me up. So I can just date around and pick one good one!”
Kim Se-rin beamed brightly.
…
“Mmm~ Perfect. Cleanly solved. Thanks! Ah~! But Turkeys seems strict. No contacts from your side?”
I froze solid.
“Huh? What's wrong? You stiffened up. Hahaha. Kinda cute when you're stiff like that. But it's your fault. No! I misspoke again. It's not your fault. Or mine. Right? Oh, time's getting late. Super busy starting tomorrow, so I gotta go. See ya.”
Kim Se-rin turned and walked off without looking back.
…