Sports Festival (3)
As soon as I got to school, the class president passed on the news. The committee had replied that since I wasn't currently part of any school sports club, I could participate.
"Actually, I heard other classes have been sneaking in kids who work out a lot, even if they're not officially in clubs."
"Yeah?"
"Yep. No problem, so let's prep hard."
Guess that meant no early dismissals for a while. Regardless of my skills, relay races were all about teamwork, so even if I was good, I'd have to help out whoever was practicing next to me.
"Nice."
"Not sure if it's nice."
"Why? You didn't wanna do it?"
"Just bummed I can't head home early."
Less time to practice with Hayan unnie.
"But can you juggle manager duties and sports fest prep?"
"Told 'em already. It's my last middle school memories, so I wanna dip out for a bit."
"They cool with that?"
"Gotta hand off to the underclassman manager soon anyway."
"You said they recruited new ones after midterms?"
"Yeah. Handed over most of the work, so she can handle it solo now."
Lee Yuyeong mentioned it offhand, like it just popped into her head.
"Oh, speaking of soccer club stuff—Taeyang, word's already out about you."
She probably meant the rumors about me being in a sports club—soccer, before transferring. Apparently, it even reached the soccer team through the grapevine.
I brushed it off and glanced at Yuyeong.
"Eh, whatever. Nobody seems that interested."
"Yeah?"
Yuyeong didn't look like she was angling to recruit me at all. Since Pullyip Middle School and Pulkkot High School were linked, even late-joining third-years could snag spots on the high school teams if they joined clubs. Most Pulkkot sports club members were middle school athletes, carrying over their records and all.
Since Yuyeong had given up on it, no annoying club recruitment headaches in high school either.
Yeah, I had zero doubts about that.
At least, not until right before second-period break.
"Um..."
I was dozing with my head down, wiped out, when someone tapped my desk. I shook off the sleep and looked up.
"What?... Huh?"
Once I saw who woke me, I couldn't help tilting my head. There stood a girl with wavy red bobbed hair, sparkling red eyes, and a smile so bright it practically had a halo—looking like a flashy cat-girl straight out of an anime.
"You wouldn't happen to be Taeyang, right?"
"...Who're you?"
I didn't recognize her face, and since she was asking my name, she definitely wasn't from our class. Her name tag color said same grade, though.
The girl extended her hand with a perky, cutesy voice.
"Saw your name tag—bingo! Nice to meet ya! I'm Ha Eunju from Class 3."
I scanned the room to gauge the situation. Everyone was staring, buzzing with curiosity. Whispers here and there. Even Yuyeong, chatting with other girls in the distance, was eyeing us.
"Ugh... not thrilled about all these eyes on me."
"Haha, you're fun!"
What was with that scripted line? Since I ignored her hand, Eunju awkwardly scratched her head instead.
"Anyway, I'm Taeyang. What's up?"
"Hey, got a sec?"
Eunju's voice was as clear and lively as ever, loud enough for everyone around to hear. No intention of whispering.
"This important?"
"Yeah. You don't wanna chat with all these stares, right?"
Felt like she was dragging me along her pace, but I stood up and headed out with her anyway. Our eyes met Yuyeong's on the way—she looked puzzled. Guess I'd fill her in later.
We stepped into a quiet hallway. Break wasn't long, so we'd have to make it quick.
"Bet that caught you off guard."
"Kinda."
"I almost bolted right after morning practice, but I was too nervous. Took over two hours! I'm actually shy around strangers, y'know? But nobody believes me."
"Yeah?"
Chatty one. Time was short—better cut to the chase.
"Worried I'd bug you by showing up outta nowhere. Thanks for coming out anyway!"
"So why'd you call me out?"
"Oh, I mentioned morning training earlier, right?"
"Yeah, just now."
"Well, I'm actually the baseball team's manager!"
Skip the personal intro—get to why you dragged me here. The longer this dragged, the more misunderstandings back in class... Nah, screw what they think.
Eunju had this overbearing popular-girl vibe that was exhausting to deal with for long.
"It's super rewarding! Managing the players, seeing good results—it makes me proud. When people come to me for help, I feel useful. And during games, we all share that hot summer youth vibe."
"Hold up!"
"Huh? What?"
She tilted her head like she had no clue.
"Our break's almost over?"
"Oh!!"
Finally clued in? She clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide.
"Oops, sorry. I talk too much. Friends always nag me, but I can't fix it."
One thing was clear: never talk to this girl again.
"I've got stuff to do—get to the point?"
"Right, so—Taeyang. Heard you transferred recently and were in a sports club before?"
"Yeah, soccer."
"Cool. Soccer's great—running across that wide grassy field..."
"The point!"
"Ah, haha! Sorry, sorry."
As I raised my voice, she grinned sheepishly and finally got to it.
"If you're not rejoining soccer... wanna try baseball instead?"
All that buildup for this? Or maybe she was just a motor-mouth. Either way, my answer was set.
"Pass."
"Knew it!... What?!"
She nodded like she'd expected it, then jolted in shock.
"I'm passing. Heading back now."
Tired of this dragging on, I turned to class. Eunju followed.
"Wait! Can't you rethink it?"
"You ate up all my thinking time with your yapping."
The bell rang right on cue. No choice—Eunju headed to her class too.
Of course it wouldn't end there. This was the Love Chain world—people here were relentlessly persistent.
"Drink this and study."
Next break, in the middle of math problems, cold hit my cheek. I flinched and looked up—Eunju smirked as she set a canned coffee on my desk.
Ignore.
"Rethink it?"
"Pass."
"Hmm..."
What? She didn't pry for reasons. Instead, she asked the guy in the front row if she could borrow his chair, spun it backward, and sat facing me. The guy looked thrilled despite losing his seat.
'Ha Eunju sat in my chair!'
That's when I got why eyes had been on us. Not me—her. The school idol, super popular.
"Look, I'm never joining a club. Can you bounce?"
Handle annoyances fast.
"Hear my offer and you might change your mind~"
"Not hearing any offers."
She seemed confident. Knew my weakness or something?
"It's weird asking a third-year to join baseball out of the blue."
She nodded.
"Know Elmae High?"
Elmae High School—private school a few subway stops away.
"What about it?"
"They're going all-in on baseball next year. Aiming for powerhouse status. Scouting from linked middles."
Familiar pitch.
"Just put your name on our roster now, and you can play there for real. I'm heading to their baseball team too—that's why I'm asking you."
"Pass."
"C'mon~"
Her cutesy whine drew glares from nearby guys. Like I'd go there? To mess with Hayan unnie and Seonwoo's relationship, I had to go to Pulkkot High. Baseball? In two years, my yandere sis would full-swing a bat at my gut.
As Eunju's nagging grated, a voice cut in from the side.
"Taeyang said no. Drop it."
"Huh?"
Eunju turned to Yuyeong next to her.
"He doesn't wanna do sports clubs."
"Hmm..."
Eunju sized up Yuyeong, then grinned.
"Got it. Sorry for bugging you!"
She nodded and stood cleanly. Why listen to her but not me?
"Tell me if you change your mind."
She waved and headed to her class.
"Thanks, Yuyeong."
"No biggie. Was getting noisy for me too."
Maybe feeling bad for bugging me with soccer recruitment earlier—she scratched her cheek and looked away.
"Just ignore girls like that."
She left those short words and got back to her stuff.
Whew~ Yeah, ignore her.
Lunchtime. Yuyeong headed off with friends; I was gonna grab food with the usual crowd.
"Taeya~ng~"
But my lunch buddies shot me dirty looks. Probably 'cause of that grating voice today.
The school idol had shown up personally again.
"Lunch together~?"
"Not doing baseball."
"I know."
"What?"
Eunju wagged her fingers alternately, like she was organizing her thoughts. Probably thought it was cute.
"Taeyang. Won't. Do. Baseball. Ever. Right?"
"You get it."
"Just wanna get close to you. Hehe!"
Can't spit on a smiling face—but I could refuse.
"Eating with other people."
"Oh? Where?"
"Over there."
I pointed—into empty air.
"Nobody's there? Wait, you eat alone?"
"Not what I—"
These guys—ditching me outta jealousy just 'cause I'm talking to your idol?! No loyalty!
"Tears blurring my vision. Let's eat together, Taeyang!"
She grabbed my arm and dragged me off.
"Haa~ But no baseball talk."
"Okay!"
Why eat with her if she's annoying? I hate eating alone. Plus, rejecting her publicly now would stir bad rumors. No choice.
Still, she's no yandere. Not a heroine—nothing dangerous. That's what I figured.
I regretted it soon enough, listening to her nonstop chatter over lunch.
Lunchtime.
"Yuyeong, what's up?"
Yuyeong snapped out of staring blankly at the classroom door, watching the two disappear.
"Huh? Nothing, nothing."
"Worried about Taeyang?"
"What? No, not really. Just... she's being too pushy, right?"
"Yeah, hard not to get territorial when the school idol's glued to your crush."
"Wha—! Who's my crush?! I'm not territorial!"
Yuyeong flushed and yelled. The friends who'd caught on looked thrilled. Romance gossip was always welcome.
"Really? Not jealous at all?"
"Nope..."
"Hmm... not your crush, huh?"
"No... not yet."
"Wait! She said 'not yet'!"
"What now?! Kyaa!!"
"Shh~! What if someone hears?!"
Teased to her limit, beet-red Yuyeong shoved food in her mouth, pretending nonchalance.
But she couldn't taste a thing.