Sports Festival (5): Broken Flags and Lingering Regrets
Pulkkot High School. Seonwoo's class gym period. With the sports festival approaching, the students were practicing hard. Seonwoo and Gahee were no exceptions. Just like the events in the Love Chain game, Seonwoo and Gahee ended up practicing group rope jumping together in the gymnasium. Gahee and one other girl were swinging the rope, while Seonwoo and three other guys jumped.
"Alright, let's start."
But it wasn't long before Seonwoo kept tripping over the rope.
"Sorry, guys."
"No worries, we'll try again."
The rope kept starting and stopping repeatedly. But Gahee couldn't have cared less whether Seonwoo kept tripping or not. She was utterly exhausted. When not just Seonwoo but Gahee looked worn out too, a worried girl asked,
"Gahee, did you not sleep last night?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I just had a restless night."
"What happened?"
"Nothing much."
In truth, she'd stayed up all night looping videos of her friend’s little brother doing cheerleading and printing out photos, so she'd gone to bed late and was dead tired. In the end, they decided to put off group rope jumping practice for now. Everyone had to practice not just that, but other events too.
Even while Seonwoo practiced alone, Gahee was lost in thoughts of Taeyang or dozing off, paying him no attention. And just like that, Gahee's flag was shattered once more.
"Hey, you're good at soccer—why do you turn into a klutz the second rope jumping comes up?"
Finally, the one who approached Seonwoo with a jab was his childhood friend, Seong Juyeon.
"What, Juyeon?"
"Want some help?"
"How?"
"I could hold the rope next to them."
"That'd make it one short, though."
"True. Guess we'd need to ask someone else..."
Juyeon glanced around. Should she ask Gahee or Hayan? Gahee looked beat, and Hayan was deep in cheerleading practice. Fine, then—the idlest one here, Iri. Juyeon, spotting a chance to hang with Seonwoo, started heading toward Iri.
"Seonwoo, you done practicing?"
A girl's voice came from somewhere. A classmate approached Seonwoo.
"I'm done with my other stuff, so let's do the three-legged race."
"Sure. Catch you later, Juyeon."
"Huh?..."
"Something you wanna say?"
Juyeon shook her head vigorously, afraid her feelings would show.
"Nah, go on. I was getting bored anyway."
"What..."
Seonwoo left the gym with the other girl. If I hadn't been so stubborn... Every time she saw Seonwoo with that other girl on the track—their hands on each other's shoulders, ankles tied, syncing their steps, sweating, laughing, chatting... All Juyeon could do was watch from afar. Jealousy bubbled up in her heart, but it was pointless.
If she'd just bent her pride a little during partner selection for the three-legged race and raised her hand, maybe Seonwoo's partner would've been different. But regrets like that were all useless now.
Pullyip Middle School after classes. Relay practice continued today as well.
"Honestly, don't we just need to trust Taeyang and coast?"
"What kinda dumbass talk is that? Just focus on not screwing up his run."
"Huff—"
I let the relay teammates' chatter wash over me as I caught my breath lightly. My time... well, same as always. Figures—scores don't skyrocket overnight.
"Okay."
As I checked my time and waited, a water bottle suddenly appeared in front of me.
"Good work, Taeyang."
"......"
Eunju had snuck up, waving the bottle and urging me to drink.
"Didn't you say you're the baseball team manager?"
"Taking care of the players is manager 101. Giving water and towels to sweaty athletes like this is part of it..."
"No, I mean, aren't you going to club?"
"Well, it'd be a waste to spend all my school memories cooped up in club activities, right? Plus, we're third-years now, so making memories like this seemed fine. That's why I..."
In short, same excuse as Yuyeong—skipping club to tag along. I tuned her out and wiped the sweat from my forehead with my prepared towel.
"Not curious what event I'm doing?"
"Nope."
"Tch—"
Eunju pouted like she was offended, then giggled soon after.
"Just finished dodgeball prelims."
Dodgeball—Yuyeong's event. Our class wasn't in prelims today, so she must've played against another.
"Who won?"
I asked indifferently, and Eunju beamed, yelling,
"Our class, obviously!!"
"Nice."
"That's all?"
"What do you want from the competition?"
As I said that, my eyes met Yuyeong's from afar. Clubs were on hold during sports prep, so maybe she came to help friends practice? Sure enough, some friends practicing nearby headed her way.
"Hmm... here, drink up! No weird stuff in it!"
Eunju drew my attention back with her bright tone.
"Saying that just makes it more suspicious."
"Heehee! Here!"
She even unscrewed the cap and handed it over. My throat was parched from running anyway, so I took it gratefully. Looked like no funny business in the water, thankfully.
"You really didn't put anything in it."
"Ahaha!! Taeyang, oh man~"
"Hey, don't hit me!"
Eunju cracked up and smacked my arm playfully. By the time I glanced at Yuyeong again, she'd vanished. Guess the "something to say" vibe was my imagination? Or she'd tell me tomorrow.
"Can I watch more practice?"
"From the rival team?"
"So what."
In the end, Eunju plopped on the stair railing and watched till my relay practice wrapped.
"Taeyang, walk home together!"
"Why?"
"Hmm... why? Well, I decided to get close to you, and nothing bonds people like walking home. That's how I've always done it, and it works—I'm tight with everyone now. Wait, do you always go home solo like you eat lunch alone?"
"......"
No unnecessary questions around this girl from now on. Her rambling answer made me zip it. I was beat from running, we'd eaten together, no real reason to say no, and I didn't hate the idea of getting friendly. So we walked.
"Makes sense. You're super close with your sister, huh."
"Yeah, something like that."
"Hmm... I fight with my bro nonstop. You two are weirdly close. Good sibling vibes aren't that common."
"Really?"
"Yeah, usually it's constant bickering. Wanna hear about this one time?"
"What happened?"
"I went to the next town over for this special ice cream I saved up for, and bro just scarfs it down. I get mad, and he's like 'this make up for it?' with some cheap convenience store one. Peanut butter flavor—the one I splurged on—and he thinks a 700-won knockoff evens it out? Too much!"
Peanut butter ice cream again. Getting old. Oblivious to my trauma, Eunju kept yapping.
"And at home, he's always in his underwear—blinding!"
"Yeah, wish he'd shower and get dressed."
"You too?"
Our sibling talk flowed, and before I knew it, I was chiming in on the relatable bits.
"My sister's pranks are next level."
"Like what?"
"Subtle digs at my height, treating me like a kid and ruffling my hair."
"Pfft~ That's just affection. Me? She calls me over for some 'emergency,' then just tells me to turn off the light!"
We kept chatting till we neared my place.
"Oh, I passed mine. Happens every time, haha."
"See ya."
"Wait, gimme your phone real quick."
Next thing I knew, we'd swapped numbers.
"Tomorrow~!"
She waved cheerily, assuming we'd meet again, and headed off the other way.
"...Not a bad kid."
At first, her motormouth and baseball recruiting bugged me, but up close? Seemed cool to hang with. Dragging my tired self home, I crashed quick. Had to help sis practice later—better rest before she got back.
By the time Yuyeong snapped out of it, Taeyang had already made it home.
"Ah..."
The sunset dyed everything red. The two walking amiably together, Yuyeong trailing unconsciously—they'd all gotten lost in the glow for a moment.
"What am I even doing?"
Yuyeong shook her head. This was how she ended up obsessing over Taeyang without thinking. She had to stop.
"Hayan unnie said I shouldn't do this."
She knew she should stop... but she couldn't. Yuyeong didn't like this girl who'd suddenly appeared by Taeyang's side. That stray cat 'Ha Eunju' strutted around like she was the school's idol, acting entitled like everyone had to like her—it grated, and Yuyeong kept noticing.
Every time Eunju approached Taeyang, it bugged her so much she pretended not to care, but all her focus was there. From after-school relay practice on, she'd hated that cat sticking around and watched secretly. Then she'd followed without realizing.
"What's Taeyang see in a girl like that to chat so excitedly?"
Yuyeong felt unfairly wronged. When she approached, Taeyang always pulled away; she always misread it, they fought, things went sideways, and even trying again was tough. Where'd it go wrong? What'd she do?
Or... has he just not liked me from the start?
Thinking back, yeah. Taeyang had avoided her since transfer day one. Maybe that 'you're too pretty, it's overwhelming' line, or dodging awkwardness, wasn't real? If she'd misread and he still couldn't let go of that...
"If so, just say you hate me outright."
Like the sunset fading, if only people's hearts could fade too... But it wasn't easy. Yuyeong turned back. No point if Taeyang noticed and got creeped out. If she'd handled talks better from the start, hadn't acted obsessed, or toned down her otaku rants when excited—would his attitude have changed? But regrets like that were all useless now.