Chapter 15
Chapter 15
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Na-young Han
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the cramped and filthy bathroom, I uncomfortably changed into my gym clothes and headed to the gymnasium.
The moment I stepped out, Na-young, who had been anxiously waiting for me, spotted me and came over with a beaming smile, immediately throwing herself into my arms.
"Heh, hehehe."
She giggled like an idiot, rubbing her face against my chest.
"Looks like we're doing basketball today."
I noticed some boys getting the key from the PE teacher and fetching basketballs from the equipment room.
"Basketball...?"
"You don't know basketball?"
"Yeah..."
Having lived a life cut off from the world, I didn't even know basketball, one of the world's famous sports.
"Basketball is like this."
I was about to grab a basketball and give her a rough demonstration when...
"Everyone, gather up!"
The PE teacher showed up at the worst possible moment.
"I'll explain later."
"Okay!"
But even if I hadn't planned to explain...
"Today's activity is basketball. I doubt anyone doesn't know it, but let's go over it from the start anyway."
He sat us down on the floor and continued explaining the sport of basketball.
After the basic theory, he covered simple dribbling and shooting.
"Alright. Now for practice. First, everyone grab a basketball and just stand still, bouncing it like I showed you."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the kids swarmed the basketballs like starving hyenas spotting prey right in front of them.
"H-Hurry, or there won't be any left!"
"There'll be some. Just no clean ones."
"Eek... I wanna use a clean one."
"They're all dirty anyway."
There were two main types: beat-up old basketballs and ones bought recently that still looked new.
Old or new, they were all filthy the same.
The difference was just how faded the color was from use—they'd both be equally grimy, and no issue for practice at all.
More than anything, I didn't want to jostle among kids like puppies begging for food, craving the relatively clean-looking ones.
"I'll get them. Wait here."
"Okay."
By the time most kids had grabbed a ball each, were dribbling every which way, and running after ones that escaped, I finally headed over.
As expected, not a single clean-looking basketball remained.
Only the faded ones.
"Not bad."
I pulled one out at random and gave it a bounce.
It sprang up high with a clear, crisp sound—no problems.
"Here, Na-young."
"Thanks."
I still brought the cleanest one I could find and handed it to her.
"You heard the explanation, right?"
"Yeah!"
"Then give it a bounce."
"Got it!"
For something so simple, she looked tense, took a deep breath, and bounced the ball.
You have to gently push down on it as it hits the ground and springs back up from the bounce, but Na-young just smacked it flat, like it didn't even hurt.
Because of that, the rebound weakened, and soon the ball wasn't reaching the height she wanted.
As the bounce height gradually decreased, she bent lower to match.
"Ah, aah...!"
It barely held on for a precarious moment before hitting her indoor shoes and rolling far away.
Na-young dashed right after it, snatched the fleeing ball, and hurried back.
"L-Let me try again."
"Nah, it's fine."
"Ugh."
Unable to do it like the PE teacher demonstrated, she deflated completely.
"More importantly, Na-young. Doesn't your palm hurt?"
"My palm...? Now that you mention it, it hurts a little!"
She answered brightly that it hurt.
Pure, or just foolish?
"Jeez..."
And basketballs are so hard. Probably hurts more than just a little.
"Let me see it."
"Uh, o-okay."
I checked her palm.
Fortunately, it was just slightly red on the surface—no other problems.
"Na-young, watch closely. Not smacking it like this, but pushing like this."
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"Wow...!"
Unlike with Na-young, the ball settled nicely into my hand before gravity pulled it back down.
Na-young's eyes sparkled as she couldn't stop marveling.
Pulling such an exaggerated reaction from something so trivial was embarrassing, yet strangely satisfying.
"Look at this!"
One boy nearby, feeling jealous and desperate to draw Na-young's attention, wildly dribbled like a maniac.
It was fast, but pure pointless nonsense.
Na-young's gaze showed no sign of leaving me, so no matter how much he drummed and fiddled alone to make noise, her interest was fixed solely on me.
"Got the feel?"
"Yeah! I get it!"
She nodded vigorously.
"Then give it a go."
"Okay!"
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"Ooh, you're doing great."
"Heh, hehehehe."
It was easy enough, and thanks to Na-young's smarts, she nailed it right away.
Dribbling was no longer an issue.
"Now, pair up in twos and practice bouncing passes."
"Yessir~!"
Perfect timing. At the PE teacher's words, the kids scattered around the gym dribbling balls started pairing off.
"Na-young, let's pair up!"
"Pair with me! I'm good at basketball! I'll teach you everything!"
Seeing their chance, not just the girls but boys too swarmed her, desperately trying to pair up.
But...
"Sorry. I have to pair with Ji-hoon."
The pair was already set.
"Tch..."
Seeing no room to wedge in, the boys clicked their tongues and shot me hostile glares.
Normally at this age, boys tease you for playing with girls, right?
Maybe because Na-young's so pretty, that doesn't happen anymore.
"Okay? Then next time!"
"Me too!"
"Yeah! Let's do it!"
The girls were only mildly disappointed, showing nothing more toward me.
With that, the kids who'd crowded Na-young paired off among themselves and scattered.
"Na-young, let's use yours."
"This one?"
"It seems better. Come on, bounce it."
"Got it!"
Na-young gripped the basketball—which was bigger than her face—with her adorable little hands and slammed it down toward the floor.
Thump! Thump. Thump thump thump...
"You seem short on power. Try slamming it a bit harder."
"Okay!"
The distance was too far; the ball practically rolled to settle at my feet.
I bounced it back to her as gently as possible.
"Hup!"
She caught the returning ball against her chest, then immediately hugged it with both arms.
"Hehe! Got it!"
"Good job, Na-young."
"Hehe."
Not the proper way to catch it, but her ample chest acted as a cushion, so Na-young felt no pain.
"Ei!"
She bounced it with more force than before.
"Good."
Still underpowered, forcing me to take two steps forward to catch it, but I praised her anyway.
"Really!"
Oblivious, Na-young grinned ear to ear with a bright smile.
"Na-young, this time no chest—catch it just with your hands, like this."
"Got it!"
I showed her the proper catch and passed the ball back.
After a few failures, Na-young managed to catch it right.
Is this the master's pride in watching a disciple grow? Felt better than expected.
"Enough of that—wanna try shooting?"
Next up: shooting practice.
The boys grouped by boys, girls by girls, lining up in rows.
They charged different hoops, hurling the ball with everything they had.
"Less about scoring, more like aiming for the square backboard."
Tips were given, but most kids still missed.
All the girls, Na-young included, whiffed completely; only the athletic boys scored smoothly.
"Ei! Ei! Eiii!"
After sinking three in a row, I quickly lost interest and watched Na-young.
With her cute little grunts, she hurled it full force but couldn't even reach the hoop.
Compared to the boys, the girls were a total mess; the PE teacher over by them was openly eyeing Na-young.
Might just be my imagination, but to me right now, he looked like he had ulterior motives.
Paranoia?
"Na-young, don't throw it like that."
He seemed to be trying to teach her how to throw.
But most girls were way worse than her.
Why teach her first? He could just explain step-by-step verbally to her pointless hopping throws, but no—he's approaching her side?
For all these reasons, I had zero reason to sit idle.
"Disgusting. Freaking pervert."
Not my place to talk, but still—with my current young body. A full-grown adult harboring lust for a kid was dirtier than anything.
Being too pretty is a sin. Sigh.
"Na-young."
"Yeah!"
I called her, and ignoring the PE teacher, Na-young brightly answered and trotted right over.
Snubbed or not, the PE teacher looked displeased at the kids already dating and moved on, correcting other kids' form.
Guess it was my imagination after all.
"Not tired?"
"Hehe. I'm good!"
Exercising with me had boosted her stamina so much that, sweating profusely, she was still bursting with energy.
"Still, let's rest a bit."
"If Ji-hoon says so, then rest it is!"
She sure listened well.
I leaned back against the wall to sit, and she sat right beside me, resting her head on my shoulder.
"Hehe."
Her smiles hadn't stopped from morning till now.
"Na-young."
"Yeah!"
"Skip exercise just for today?"
"Exercise? But you said not to skip even a single day if possible. Is it okay to skip?"
Come to think of it, I had said that last time.
"Of course, skipping for no reason is out. But there are times you have no choice—like if you're sick or exhausted, or have something crucial to do with no time."
"Ji-hoon, you sick? Tired?"
"No."
"Then am I sick or tired?"
"Not you either."
"Huh...?"
Na-young tilted her head.
"Today, I have stuff to do—no time."
"What stuff?"
"I'll tell you after school."
"Ugh! Can't you tell me now?"
"Later."
"Ugh!"
"Teacher's calling. Let's get up."
He yelled at us and the other kids alike for slacking off forever.
Reluctantly, I stood from my spot, and Na-young followed suit.
"Tch... Fine."
Not telling her why seemed to upset her a little.
"I'll tell you soon, and you're pouting."
"Hmph! Okay!"
"Sheesh, why you gotta be like that."
"...!"
Not even really mad anyway. And doing this...
"J-Ji-hoon... Haaah...!"
Hugging her from behind, she'll blush and cheer right up.
"You can look forward to it."
I whispered in her ear and pulled away.
Because today would become the most unforgettable moment of her life.
All the preparations and resolves were already complete.
Now, just to carry it out.