Shock and Horror List Announcement? (1)
“Uh, what the heck? Why is everyone reacting like this?”
As the reincarnation who had absorbed Lior’s memories, I already knew every tiny detail of Jung Tae-woo’s life—from his childhood to the most insignificant moments. So I decided to poke fun at him… no, at myself, using those memories.
“Hey, hey! Why the weird reaction? You don’t think I was talking about marriage back when—”
*Thud!*
“Ahh! Why did you suddenly hit me?!”
I curled up, clutching my stomach. Da-min’s fist was fast and powerful.
“Even if you want to become someone like Leo, you’re still a hundred years away.”
“Argh, seriously? You’re punching my stomach?”
I sat up from the bed and glanced around the room.
“The room looks exactly the same as it did back then. Wait… what’s that?”
My eyes landed on the drawing of the soccer player we had made together when we were kids, still hanging on the wall.
*What the…? You kept this and even framed it for the wall?*
“Hey, didn’t you say my drawing sucked when we were kids? And now you’re hanging it in the room like some kind of treasure?”
“Of course. If you ever become famous, I’ll sell it on the second-hand market as a memento. Sign it there for the souvenir.”
“Aigoo, I can’t just sign it like that. Pretend like you’re asking your big brother to autograph it.”
*Why is he staring at me so silently and creepily?*
“Hey, at least say something. Just staring without a word is creepy!”
“Jung Tae-woo, I’ll give you two choices.”
His smile wasn’t angry—it was just a smile, but somehow it felt even more terrifying.
“What’s the first one?”
“Sign it and leave. Second one, just leave.”
*This is… just telling me to leave?*
“Choice one. Sign it and go.”
Da-min listened to me and climbed onto the bed. She stretched her arm all the way toward the framed drawing on the wall, reaching for the picture frame.
*Pfft~ Ah, so cute.*
The framed drawing hung high on the wall. Little Da-min struggled on tiptoes to grab it, looking like a determined squirrel trying to reach a nut.
At that exact moment—
“Ahh!”
“Careful!”
Da-min’s foot slipped. I instinctively reached out to catch her.
My goalkeeper reflexes kicked in. I just barely managed to grab her waist, but I lost my own balance too, and we both tumbled onto the bed together.
“Hah~ Are you okay?”
I panted, catching my breath.
Da-min lifted her head and looked at me. In this position—me with my back against the bed, her in my arms—our breaths were so close I could feel every inhale and exhale.
*Up close she really is beautiful.*
The sight of her right now was breathtaking enough to make any man weak in the knees. Her skin was dazzlingly fair, and the red flush on her cheeks made it even more striking.
*And those lips… why are they so red?*
Her lips, like the petals of a deep red rose, trembled slightly.
“W-wait, move!”
“I don’t want to. You come first.”
I answered with a playful smile. I was embarrassed too, but Da-min’s flustered expression was too adorable, and I wanted to tease her more by not moving.
“Hey, Jung Tae-woo! Stop messing around.”
“Hmm. But how long are we going to stay like this? You don’t think…”
“W-what?”
I leaned in close to her ear and whispered.
“Isn’t it nice being like this with me?”
“Eek! You crazy pervert!”
Da-min yelped in surprise and twisted her body.
*She’s reacting so well—how am I supposed to stop teasing her?*
“Hey, okay, just stay still. I’ll—”
*Oof!*
Right then, something unexpected slammed into me hard.
Da-min’s knee struck my sensitive spot with full force.
“Hey, even if I’m teasing, this is too much!”
Sharp pain shot through my entire body.
“So who told you to tease? Go home already!”
I tried to speak, but Da-min had already stormed out of the room.
“Hey, don’t leave! Come back and pat my waist!”
But she was already gone.
*Da-min, just you wait. I’ll get my revenge.*
I lowered my head in pain and couldn’t see her face, but I could tell it was bright red like it might burst any second.
I was still lying there cursing my revenge when—
* * *
It was already 8 PM late evening. I walked out of Da-min’s house and headed toward our own house.
*Thinking about it… how would the reactions really be?*
Even though the Olympics were getting a lot of attention, of course it wasn’t easy for a high-school student to be picked for the Olympic football team. Not U-17 World Cup, not U-20 World Cup—just the senior national team. Honestly, it was almost impossible.
Thinking about how long it had taken for Da-min to believe me, I was dying to know what Mom and Mina would say.
*Would they think it’s too crazy like Da-min’s parents? But wait… Da-min believed it right away.*
Da-min had accepted my claim that the Olympic coach himself came to pick me up, even though anyone else would have laughed it off. I had to admit once again how special her trust was.
I reached home, calmed my racing heart for a moment, and entered the password to the front door.
“You’re back, Tae-woo?”
Mom was sitting on the living-room sofa watching TV. The show playing was one I hadn’t seen live but knew from my memories: Star Mission Big Operation, a popular variety show where celebrities, athletes, and politicians completed ridiculous missions.
Star Mission Big Operation was the program Mom loved most.
“I’m home, Mom.”
“How is Da-min? Is she doing well?”
“Yeah, she’s still obsessed with soccer and keeps making a fuss.”
“Haha, yeah. You guys are always noisy there.”
I noticed a flicker of sadness in Mom’s eyes as she spoke.
Of course. There was no one at our house to make it noisy.
My dad was a firefighter, but when I was five, he tried to save someone trapped on the seventh floor of a building and fell to his death.
Mom never had time to grieve. With me and Mina, she worked day and night, took side jobs, and even refused to rest on weekends.
Thanks to Mom’s hard work, Mina and I grew up without feeling poor, and our family finances improved. But sometimes I caught that longing look in her eyes for Dad.
*How can I fill the empty space Dad left?*
I was clueless. Back when I was Kim Chan-ki, there was no one who cared about me like this, so I had no idea how to fill the void.
At that moment, the cast of Star Mission Big Operation’s laughter and chatter spilled from the TV.
*[Guys, do you really think this is right? You called a rising star and now you’re making him do bungee jumping?]*
*[That’s correct.]*
*[No way, I’m not scared—phew, Iron-min, haha, you hate bungee jumping, don’t you? If you don’t want your senior actor to do it, I’ll—]*
*[I LOVE bungee jumping!!!]*
*[Whoa, kids these days love thrills.]*
*[HahahaHAHAHAHA]*
If I appeared on that show, would Mom like it?
*Yeah, better than doing nothing. Mom’s favorite program anyway. And once the Olympics end, the scouting offer will definitely come.*
To get scouted on Star Mission Big Operation, you had to at least advance through the preliminaries and show real talent there. But in my head, the option of “not doing well at the Olympics” had already been completely erased.
“Mom.”
“Hm? What is it, Tae-woo?”
I took a deep breath.
“…I’m joining the Olympic football national team this time.”
Mom, who had been watching TV, turned her head at my words. Her eyes widened as she stared at me, as if she had misheard.
“Say what?”
I repeated slowly and clearly so she could hear properly.
“This time the Olympic coach came himself and said he wants me to join the Olympics.”
But the reply came from beside me.
“Hey, what nonsense is this?”
I answered with a mix of frustration.
“Hey, I’m talking to Mom right now. Why don’t you go to your room?”
But Mina didn’t back down.
“No, I just heard something unbelievable. Is that even possible? A first-year high-schooler going to the Olympics?”
The moment I felt anger rising toward my sister, Mom’s voice cut in.
“Jang Ha-ne, our son.”
“No matter how I look at it, you seem to have gone completely crazy and started spouting nonsense…”
Mom answered in a gentle yet firm tone.
“Mina, you have to believe your family. And who told you to speak rudely to your brother?”
“N-no, that was…”
“Mina, apologize to your brother right now.”
Mina hesitated for a second, then sighed.
“Hah… sorry.”
“Good. You still don’t know how amazing your brother is, so watch the Olympics. And besides, why would I lie when the list is announced tomorrow? You idiot.”
I changed the mood with the most playful tone I could manage, and it worked—the atmosphere quickly lightened.
“So, how exactly are you going to the Olympics? Tell me in detail.”
I took another deep breath and began explaining everything that had happened that day to Mom and Mina. They listened with wide eyes.
“Wow, the coach came all the way here? Our son is really something.”
“Haha, yeah, our son is pretty amazing.”
Mina made a sour face when she saw me, but after what had just happened she kept quiet.
The conversation in the living room, now awkward from my words, finally ended at 10 PM. I went back to my room and lay on the bed.
Just then, someone burst through the door.
“Mom?”
“No, it’s me.”
The voice coming from the doorway was Mina’s.
“Sigh, what do you want?”
“…I’m sorry about earlier.”
“About what?”
*Suddenly?*
“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”
She had been stewing about it. I didn’t think much of it at first—honestly, it was believable.
“I’m sorry for not believing you and now you’re apologizing too.”
My playful tone made Mina’s face turn red.
“I already apologized, so I’m leaving.”
Mina spoke hurriedly and slammed the door shut.
“Hey, go slow or you’ll fall!”
“Shut up!!!!”
*Koom! Koom! Koom!*
The sound of Mina’s running footsteps made me chuckle.