First Group Activity: The Soccer Match
The soccer match held between classes before the sports festival was our first group activity. Even though the guys played soccer every single day during lunch, this time it carried a special weight. Unlike the usual casual games where offside calls were just loosely handled, this one had actual referees and was played with real structure. Kids who normally didn't care about winning or losing suddenly took it seriously.
But...
"Ah shit, we're fucked."
"Can anyone sub in?"
"The rest of them already said they suck at soccer and bailed. Guess we have to pull one of those guys in?"
"What's going on? What happened?"
A group of guys had gathered since morning with grave expressions, chattering away. Another kid who hadn't heard yet walked over and asked what the fuss was about. I sat in the corner of the classroom with Yuri, quietly listening to their conversation.
The reason for the commotion became clear soon enough. During morning arrival, one of them had shown up on crutches.
"Ha, fuck... sorry guys."
"What the hell happened to you?"
The guy on crutches muttered with a gloomy face while the ones still clueless asked in surprise.
"He was staring at his phone while getting off the bus, missed the step, and rolled his ankle."
"What an idiot..."
"If you're gonna roll, at least do it after the sports festival."
"Not a single one of these bastards even asked if he was okay."
Because the guy who was supposed to play had sprained his ankle for such a stupid reason, our class was now short a player. The other ten who were set to compete spent the time before lunch running around asking anyone not already on the roster. Gong Yeong-bae was among those they approached.
"Hey, Yeong-bae! Wanna play soccer against Class 6 at lunch?"
"Ah... my athletic skills are terrible. I'd just drag you guys down. Sorry. You'd be better off asking someone else."
"Damn, this guy won't do it either... We're seriously screwed. What now?"
Yuri, who'd been quietly watching the scene, whispered to me.
"Seong-jin, why don't you just play? You're good at sports, aren't you? You're strong too."
"I'm not that good at soccer though."
"Still, with a body like yours, you must have the basics down. They're clearly desperate for people. You already said you'd participate in the sports festival anyway, so why not try it this time?"
"You seem more excited about this than I am."
At my words, Yuri made a slightly pained expression and took my hand.
"It's because you're my boyfriend. I hate seeing you standing apart from the rest of the class like this. Maybe before it was different, but you've changed so much now, yet they still find you intimidating. I already feel bad that I can't do much for you while you're going through a hard time. This could be a good chance to get closer to everyone in class. I heard guys especially bond while playing soccer together. Isn't that true?"
"Well... yeah, it is..."
"Then go ask them. I'll wait here."
"Ha... I feel like a delinquent barging in will just kill the mood... I was only planning to do individual events for the sports festival anyway..."
"Come on, just try. Fighting, my boyfriend!"
Yuri smiled and gave my back a gentle push, making a little 'fighting!' gesture with her fist. I couldn't turn down a request from my cute girlfriend, so I stood up and walked over to the anxious group of guys.
"Hey."
"Eek... H-Han Seong-jin... Uh, what's up?"
The guys flinched the moment they saw me.
"You short a player for soccer?"
"Huh? Yeah..."
"Found anyone yet?"
"No, not yet..."
"Want me to play? I'm not great at soccer."
My offer made their eyes go wide as they exchanged glances. It was understandable. Some of them had been in the same class as me during first or second year, and even those who hadn't knew all the rumors. A hopeless delinquent who never gave a damn about class activities, always hanging around girls and causing trouble, was now volunteering for a class event.
The guys just looked at each other with uneasy faces, unable to give me a straight answer.
"Hey, you said you needed people. Do you or don't you? If not, just say so."
"We do. We need someone, but..."
"So you need a person, but I'm not a person?"
From a distance, Yuri facepalmed and let out a sigh.
"Ah, no! That's not what I meant! It was just unexpected, that's all. Okay, we'll put you in. Right after lunch then."
"Got it."
I returned to my seat and flashed Yuri a V-sign with my fingers.
"Success."
"You could've been a little nicer about it! Talk to them the way you talk to me!"
"They're not as pretty as you."
"Ugh... You really can't speak properly sometimes. Anyway, it's been a while since you've mixed with the other kids, so do your best. No fighting, okay? Promise me."
"Yeah, I got it. Promise."
I hooked pinkies with Yuri. She couldn't hide her smile, clearly excited to see me finally participating with the rest of the class for the first time.
After lunch ended, I joined the other guys from class for the soccer match. Choi Su-yeon, who had learned during our meal that I would be playing, sat with Yuri on the stone steps along the edge of the field to cheer us on.
"Senior, fighting! You have to win! Win no matter what!"
"It's not like we're in the national championships. It's just a casual match between classes."
"Still, I want to see you win rather than lose! Senior, fighting! I'll be cheering right here!"
When Choi Su-yeon hugged me, Yuri—who seemed slightly annoyed—came around to my other side and linked her arm with mine.
"This is your first group activity with the class guys as my boyfriend, so give it your all. It's good if you win, but even if you don't, don't fight with the others. Understood?"
Yuri cheered me on with words that sounded exactly like a mother's nagging. With both girls' encouragement, I headed onto the field, and we began our match against Class 6.
Since I wasn't confident in my shooting, I settled into a defensive midfielder role and focused on stopping their attacks. It was a simplified game—twenty minutes per half with a five-minute break. Nothing special, just regular high school students who weren't even on the soccer team. Still, both our class and Class 6 had boys and girls gathered on the stone steps, cheering enthusiastically. Even students from other grades and classes who were bored came over to watch.
......
Meanwhile, the spectators quickly noticed the unusually tall, well-built participant named Han Seong-jin and began murmuring among themselves.
"Wait, is that Han Seong-jin?"
"Why is he suddenly joining the guys' soccer game? I've never seen him do that before."
"I saw someone from Class 3 on crutches this morning. Must be a substitute."
"The guy who wouldn't play even if you begged him—why did he join now? Poor Class 3 kids. If they lose, they'll probably get cursed out and beaten for no reason."
But Han Seong-jin, who everyone expected to just jog around half-heartedly, played with surprising intensity.
"Hey, block him! Get back! Don't just chase the ball—someone cover that side!"
Using his significantly greater height, he dominated the air, heading away every high ball that came his way. His impressive build blocked the attacking players' vision, preventing Class 6 from pushing deep into our territory. Above all, his physical strength was overwhelming—anyone who collided with him got knocked flat. Even though he wasn't a flashy striker, his standout height and size drew everyone's eyes, and his performance was genuinely outstanding.
"Nice!"
"Yo, Han Seong-jin! That was fucking good!"
After he shut down another Class 6 attack with solid defense, the Class 3 guys offered him high-fives.
Slap! The sweaty smack of guys' palms meeting.
"Pass it!"
"Seong-jin! Over here! Lob it!"
"Block him!"
The same guys who had been so wary and avoided me right up until the match began quickly let their guard down, just as Yuri had predicted. Playing soccer together made us look like friends who'd always hung out. Like we'd been close for years.
"Seong-jin's good! Class 3, fighting!"
"Senior, keep it up! Pass! Pass it!"
Lee Yu-ri and Choi Su-yeon, seated on the stone steps, cheered at the top of their lungs. Jeong Eun-ji, who was running her usual laps on the track surrounding the field, couldn't take her eyes off the Class 3 versus Class 6 match the entire time.
Even when she'd first heard that Han Seong-jin would be participating, it had been hard to believe. But watching him now—running with real motivation and syncing up with the class—felt even more unbelievable. Given his usual personality, she had expected him to play as a lone striker and throw tantrums or curse at everyone if the ball didn't come his way.
Seeing him play so altruistically and sacrificially instead, Jeong Eun-ji found herself doubting everything she had believed.
'Really... Was it just that I refused to believe it? Has Han Seong-jin actually changed a long time ago? But the way he acts toward me... No, but when I compare him to how he was in middle school, he really does seem normal now... Why do I keep having these thoughts every time I look at that guy?'
2:0. Class 3 victory.
"Nice!"
"Everyone played great!"
"Damn, I'm out of breath. All that food I ate is coming back up."
"Yo, if it wasn't for Seong-jin we would've been completely fucked. You said you weren't good, but you were insane out there."
After the match, the Class 3 guys were now calling me "Seong-jin" with familiar ease as we bumped fists.
"What are you talking about? I just stood in the back chasing the ball."
"No, seriously—your defense was no joke. Hey, how about you keep playing defense until the sports festival?"
"Then what about me?"
The guy who'd sprained his ankle getting off the bus while looking at his phone walked over, only to immediately become the target of everyone's teasing.
"You're the cheerleader now, obviously. Put on some panties and dance in front, shake that ass for us."
"That leg-cripple won't be able to run properly until the sports festival anyway, even after his ankle heals. Better to bench him and keep Seong-jin in defense."
"Aren't we actually more likely to win now that the cripple's out?"
"You sons of bitches..."
Just like Yuri had said, one soccer game had brought us close in no time. With that, I successfully completed my first group activity with the class and gradually began blending in.
It felt somehow nostalgic, like it was filling a void I'd been craving deep down. It wasn't bad at all.