Chapter 67
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Mini Team Games
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After finals wrapped up, there was some leisure time left before vacation.
Cheongyeom Arts High felt relaxed, as if the tension that had built up over the past few months had finally eased.
It was also the time when teachers were tying up loose ends for the semester and catching their breath.
“This is the perfect time to build up your stamina.”
The PE teacher was the only one who saw this period as his personal season.
With the comprehensive evaluations right around the corner, PE classes had mostly turned into practice sessions.
Maybe that was why the PE teacher looked especially excited, standing in front of the kids gathered on the field after such a long time.
“Doesn’t it feel great to be out here together like this? Looks like a lot of you didn’t bother with gym clothes… Whatever! I’m treating this like playtime today, not class.”
The kids lined up in front of him stared back with dull, listless eyes.
No one responded to the PE teacher’s booming voice.
“As announced beforehand, today we’re doing the mini team games you’ve all been waiting for!”
Grumbles erupted immediately.
The gym was under repairs, so even under the blazing sun, everyone had to be out on the field for games.
It was pretty hot, even for early summer.
Every single kid’s face screamed that they didn’t want to do it.
Amid all that, one person’s eyes were sparkling.
“Sounds fun.”
‘Mini athletics meet,’ huh.
It had been years since he’d done any team sports.
Since regressing, he’d been working out every day anyway, so sweating it out didn’t feel like a chore—in fact, it seemed enjoyable.
“What? Fun?”
“Yeah. Isn’t it? Basketball, soccer—should be fun with a team.”
“Way more fun chilling in the classroom with the AC blasting and reading comics.”
“I guess. But at our age, isn’t running around outside better?”
“At our age… There it is again, that uncle talk.”
Woo-sik shook his head at my unusual reaction, as always.
Did I hate this back then too?
He racked his brain, but nothing specific came to mind.
Looking around, he could see all the kids hating it.
But these moments turn into memories—they’d probably end up enjoying it once they got into it. Definitely.
Just then, he felt a piercing gaze.
Moon Woo-hyuk… why was that guy’s eyes so alive even here?
Among the kids with their dead-fish stares, only Moon Woo-hyuk’s eyes burned like they did during the musical.
And when their eyes met as Moon Woo-hyuk turned toward him, that gaze turned even more menacing.
A chill ran down his spine.
“We’ll split you into exactly two teams. Team sports need captains, right? Anyone want to volunteer as captain…?”
At that moment, Woo-sik shot his hand up and shouted loudly.
“Teacher!”
The PE teacher’s face lit up at Woo-sik’s eager eyes, full of hope.
“Alright! You want to be captain?”
“No, sir! I’d like to nominate Lee Do-hyun!”
Woo-sik’s words made me jump in surprise right next to him.
Captain?
That’s not for big-headed people.
I hated hassle, so I shook my head furiously no.
Woo-sik grinned at me.
…That guy’s giving me bad vibes.
“This guy’s been hyped about how fun this PE time’s gonna be!”
Ah. So that’s how he was using my one comment.
Gotta remember this.
Woo-sik’s crime right now.
“Oh, really?”
The PE teacher beamed at me, clearly delighted.
No, it’s burdensome, Teacher.
You don’t have to…
“Do-hyun’s perfect for captain. Of course he is.”
Did I show off too much at the fitness test?
The PE teacher’s look toward me—the top scorer in our class—was anything but normal.
In my three years at Cheongyeom Arts High, I’d never seen him that satisfied.
“Anyone against Do-hyun being captain?”
His version of democracy, I guess.
I scanned the quiet kids with a sliver of hope.
“I think Do-hyun would make a great captain, Teacher.”
Why was she doing this?
Kim Sun-woo was smiling brightly, nominating me too.
Not to be outdone, Lee Cheong-ha raised her hand.
Hold up, Lee Cheong-ha?
Why you…!
“Me too.”
I couldn’t help but pinch my forehead.
I’d had a bad feeling the moment she raised her hand.
As if that wasn’t enough, Song Ha-na glanced at Lee Cheong-ha and said primly.
“Let’s just decide already. It’s not a big deal. Make it Lee Do-hyun.”
Why did they all sync up only at times like this?
No point protesting now—they wouldn’t listen.
“Well, well. So much interest in being captain! These are Cheongyeom Arts High’s rising stars, huh? Finally getting the importance of PE?”
The PE teacher grinned nonstop, thrilled by the kids’ sudden enthusiasm.
This is driving me crazy.
“Then Team One’s captain is Lee Do-hyun!”
The PE teacher declared it dramatically.
Watching quietly, Moon Woo-hyuk tilted his head, seeming dissatisfied, then muttered softly.
“If you’re doing it, then I will too.”
The PE teacher’s face lit up as Moon Woo-hyuk shot his hand up.
In his time at Cheongyeom Arts High, students volunteering as captains without him pointing anyone out? Unheard of.
“Great! Who are you nominating?”
“I’ll do it myself.”
Moon Woo-hyuk stood tall at 186 cm and declared he’d be captain.
The PE teacher loved that confident posture.
Come to think of it, Moon Woo-hyuk had scored really well at the fitness test too.
“Okay! Captains are Lee Do-hyun and Moon Woo-hyuk! Now that captains are set, let’s get this started for real.”
With captains decided, the PE teacher randomly assigned teams.
“We’ll start with basketball. Five players per team.”
First game: basketball.
It was an outdoor field, but true to Cheongyeom Arts High, the court was top-notch.
Anyone would think we had a basketball team.
They even had basketball jerseys sized for every kid’s build.
The bleachers were perfectly set up for cool, comfy viewing.
Were PE facilities always this good?
I’d never cared, so nothing came to mind.
“Players, grab a jersey each.”
The basketball players went out, grabbed jerseys, and put them on.
When Kim Sun-woo took off his uniform shirt, a white cotton tee appeared underneath, then the jersey over that.
Girl after girl swarmed him.
“Sun-woo, give me your shirt!”
“Sun-woo! I’ll hold your watch!”
“Anything else? Your phone?”
The girls were like his fan club.
They lined up eagerly to hold even one of his belongings.
Kim Sun-woo handed out his stuff to them one by one.
Evenly, to all of them.
The girls squealed, blushing and thrilled.
“What a showoff. Total showoff.”
Moon Woo-hyuk glared at Kim Sun-woo disapprovingly.
Good times. I used to envy that back in the day, I think.
He smiled warmly at this rare, truly teenage side of Cheongyeom Arts High kids.
That’s more like seventeen.
Come to think of it, Kim Sun-woo was born for this.
I’d heard his fan signings and fan service were insane later on.
Glancing at Kim Sun-woo, he headed to the bleachers to drop his shirt.
As captain, he’d have to play in pretty much every game.
When he reached the bleachers, Song Ha-na casually held out her hand in front of him.
Huh?
Not intentional, but he’d ended up near her side.
“What?”
“I’ll take it, so hand it over quick. Always such a hassle.”
Ah… She’d misunderstood because I was looking at Kim Sun-woo.
No need to ask someone who looks that annoyed.
As he opened his mouth to say he was fine,
“Be right back.”
Thud.
Moon Woo-hyuk’s shirt and stuff landed in Song Ha-na’s prim hand.
“Thanks.”
Song Ha-na glared daggers at Moon Woo-hyuk as he walked off.
He just shrugged off the killer stare like he was used to it and headed to the court.
Feeling awkwardly sidelined, he quietly set his clothes on the bleachers and turned to leave.
“Here, give it. It’ll get dirty if you just leave it.”
Perfect timing—Lee Cheong-ha came over and took his clothes.
“Thanks.”
Maybe because she was a year older, Lee Cheong-ha was considerate.
He smiled gratefully at her and hurried to prepare for the game.
Just then, a thud in Lee Cheong-ha’s hands.
What? She looked up to see Woo-sik grinning.
“As expected of Lee Cheong-ha. Angel, total angel. Take mine too!”
Woo-sik winked to himself and ran off.
Lee Cheong-ha trembled with rage at his back.
“Ugh.”
But she soon dusted off Woo-sik’s stuff too and sat on the bench.
Song Ha-na shot her a sharp look.
“Hmph!”
Song Ha-na turned her back on Lee Cheong-ha and walked off to the other side.
Meanwhile, she didn’t forget to grumble while brushing dust off Moon Woo-hyuk’s clothes.
“Why’s this shirt so ridiculously big! Ugh.”
Pat pat. Song Ha-na brushed it loudly and sat on the bench.
The ten students for basketball donned their team jerseys and took the court.
“Get ready.”
The whistle blew, and the game started.
Moon Woo-hyuk figured his 186 cm height gave him the edge.
He hadn’t played much, but his overwhelming physique made him stand out among the kids.
He’d played decent basketball with other tall guys and took some pride in it.
Sure enough, right after tip-off, he used his height to dominate early.
“Hey, isn’t Moon Woo-hyuk kinda cool today…?”
“What? You betraying our Sun-woo?”
“He’s handsome, facts.”
Song Ha-na overheard the girls chatting while watching the boys play and glanced at Moon Woo-hyuk.
He was darting around the court like a fish in water.
His height stood out among high schoolers—like a giraffe running around.
‘He’s easy on the eyes, sure.’
A totally objective, rational assessment, no feelings involved.
“If his personality wasn’t such a problem.”
“Yeah… his personality is…”
Moon Woo-hyuk charged with fierce eyes, but someone blocked him.
Moon Woo-hyuk. Towering over 180 cm.
He was probably playing at a solid level right now.
High school basketball’s played with height, not heart.
In a flash, he stole the ball from Moon Woo-hyuk into his own hands.
But this alone wouldn’t cut it in the army.
Swearing on his veteran honor, he dashed to the basket.
They might as well have no guard at this level.
Sighs and cheers mixed from the bench.
Amid the noise, he casually sank the shot.
He was none other than Cheolwon LeBron, who’d played basketball so hard as a private his front tooth broke.