Vacation (4)
There was no way I could just leave Ha-young alone after seeing her stumble out to the balcony, drunk out of her mind and talking about jumping off.
I laid her down on the sofa in the practice room, fetched a blanket and pillow from my room to cover her, then spread out the spare bedding on the floor and crashed there for the night.
The next morning, I woke to the sound of Ha-young's footsteps.
"Urk... bleeech!"
The moment she came to, Ha-young bolted for the bathroom and started hurling violently. It was her first time drinking, and she'd gone way overboard, so a brutal hangover was inevitable.
When the retching didn't stop, I opened the bathroom door and patted her back. Our eyes met, but she was too busy emptying her guts to say a word.
After about five minutes, the ordeal finally ended. I stepped aside, and only after rinsing her mouth and brushing her teeth did Ha-young stagger back out.
"Ugh... Coach, why are you here..."
"That's exactly what I want to ask you. Sure, coming back early from vacation—fine, whatever. But sneaking in without a word, drinking alone like some high school kid? What the hell are you doing?"
"......"
Ha-young just fidgeted with her fingers, avoiding my eyes and gauging my mood instead of answering.
"Tell me what happened."
"W-well, it's just... kind of personal..."
"Personal enough to get wasted and try jumping off the balcony? I usually don't pry into private stuff, but seeing you like this, I need to know as your coach—for player management reasons. Spill it."
"D-do I really have to...?"
"You think I'd tell you to fake it?"
"Ughhh..."
Ha-young hemmed and hawed like I'd ordered her to strip naked, but she eventually caved to my insistence and poured it all out.
How poor they'd been since her dad died, how her mom had worked tirelessly to support them, how she'd jumped into short-term gigs the second vacation started, and even how she'd broken up with her boyfriend—whom she'd been dating even before going pro—right in the middle of the break.
The team had a strict no-dating rule during contracts, but I let that slide without comment. It was already over anyway, and she was crying so pitifully that I couldn't bring myself to lecture her about violations or penalties.
"Hic... So my boyfriend... Jin-wook says he hates me now. Waaah! Because our family's poor... Because of me, he can't buy what he wants... He's tired of always adjusting for me... Hic..."
I wanted to beat that Jin-wook bastard I didn't even know into a pulp.
Knowing his girlfriend's tough situation and not even offering empty words of comfort? Telling her not to date if she's poor? And then cheating with some other girl while she was grinding away at practice?
Ha-young sent every penny of her 3 million won monthly salary to her mom without spending a dime on herself, but this guy—who got pocket money from his parents anyway—couldn't stand "adjusting" for her over a few bucks and dumped her?
I could guess how she felt. A sensitive teenage girl in the throes of puberty, no less.
I pulled out a few tissues and handed them to her. She took them, wiping her tears and blowing her nose.
"Sniff... S-sorry. We had a no-dating rule during the contract, and I broke it... D-do I have to pay a penalty now?"
Even in this state, Ha-young worried about the contract before her own situation. You could throw a tantrum demanding sympathy at a time like this, but she still put herself last. Whether it was her naturally selfless personality or years of poverty forcing her to suppress her own desires, I couldn't say.
"Forget it. I'll keep this from the team, so don't worry. Just don't blab to the others and stir up nonsense."
"Thank you..."
"Don't sweat it. But Ha-young, aren't you pissed?"
"Huh?"
"At that guy. Who the hell is he to lecture you—a girl who's already self-sufficient—about not dating if you're poor, when he's just a student living off his parents' allowance? You've probably got way more cash than him now. Doesn't that make you want revenge?"
Ha-young wiped her eyes and nose as she replied.
"Revenge...? I don't think like that. He was still my... sniff... boyfriend..."
"Doesn't that piss you off, though? It's not like you're ugly or a bitch. Being poor was in the past—you're already earning more than most fresh grads at your age. You deserve better than that crap. You should be flaunting how ridiculously happy you are just to shove it in his face."
"It's okay... Our family is poor, that's just how it is..."
People scarred by long-term poverty end up broken, their self-esteem shattered. They take even minor things to heart.
Ha-young was just too kind to lash out or blame others—she internalized it all. Anyone else in her shoes might've turned bitter and impossible to be around.
That made me pity her even more. She was earning decent money now; she could've splurged a little on herself. But no, she only thought of her mom, the last family she had left, and never voiced her own wants.
I couldn't just leave her like this.
"Ha-young, have you ever given up on something you wanted to do, buy, or visit because of money?"
"Huh? Why bring that up...?"
"Yes or no."
"Of course there are things. But why...?"
"You've got 30 minutes. Brainstorm and write them all down for me."
"Coach...? What are you planning?"
"Just write."
Under my firm gaze, Ha-young hesitated, then tore a page from a notebook, grabbed a pen, and tapped her head thoughtfully.
I sat there silently, watching her.
After scribbling nonstop for about 15 minutes, she shyly handed me the paper, head bowed low.
"I don't know what you're using this for... but d-don't laugh..."
I took the paper and scanned the list.
1. Birthday party with friends
2. Eating cake on my birthday
3. Going to an amusement park
4. Visiting a zoo or aquarium
5. Buying a gaming capsule
6. Shopping for clothes at a department store
7. Domestic trip
8. Enrolling in math tutoring
...
...
Things Ha-young had to give up for lack of money.
Most were everyday stuff any normal family would do without thinking. A birthday cake on her own birthday—on the list of sacrifices?
As I read on, my nose stung. I couldn't even imagine the life she'd led.
Our family wasn't filthy rich, but solidly middle-class. After I went pro, my salary alone raked in tens of billions a year, plus prize money—I lived very comfortably in Korea.
So all this was alien to me, and the fact that someone right in front of me had endured it was unbelievable.
"Must've been... really tough."
"No. I never really thought it was that bad."
Lies. If it hadn't hurt, she wouldn't have exploded like this over her boyfriend dumping her for being poor, drowning her sorrows in booze. She just never showed it.
"This won't do."
"Huh? What did I...?"
"You've still got three days of vacation left. You're coming out with me today."
"Huh? Where to?"
"Aquarium."
"...Aquarium?"
Ha-young stared blankly at my out-of-left-field suggestion, her face screaming What?
"Everything on that list—you can do it all now. No need to beat yourself up over being poor or obsess over part-time gigs. You need some mental breathing room. After sending money to your mom, you can still spend on yourself. You have to learn to reward yourself first. Go back to the dorm, shower, change, and get ready to head out."
"Y-you're serious?"
"Yeah."
Unable to win against my stubbornness, Ha-young grumbled and headed for the dorm, opening the practice room door. Right away, she locked eyes with Seona, who was standing outside, arms full of stuff.
"Huh? Ha-young?"
"Huh? Seona?"
"Seona, what are you doing here?"
"What? Is there a law against coming back early? What about you two? Wait... oh, no, never mind."
Me, Ha-young, and Seona—the same combo from that old misunderstanding when Seona barged in suspecting something between me and Ha-young. I'd scared her off a bit, and now the memory made her shiver.
"Why are you here? Vacation's got three days left."
"That's my line. I got bored at home, so I bought gifts for you and the team and came early. Figured I'd game a bit solo. Here, Coach—chocolate for you. And Ha-young, yours."
Seona pulled large chocolates from her paper bags and handed them out. Fancy brand, wrapped in gold foil—pricey stuff.
She went for the expensive ones.
I worried about her spending habits sometimes, but it wasn't like I'd asked her to buy anything. Her money, her choice—no reason to refuse. I stashed mine in the fridge. At the entrance, Seona and Ha-young were chatting.
"Didn't know you were back early either—perfect timing. Ha-young, game with me."
"Ah... not right now..."
"Why?"
"I'm taking Ha-young to the aquarium."
"Now?"
"After she showers and changes."
"Which aquarium?"
"One by Samseong Station."
"Oh! I know that one! Sounds fun! Can I come? I've never been!"
Seona grinned mischievously, hamming it up. An unexpected third wheel, but no reason to say no—more the merrier. Ha-young would probably enjoy it more with her close friend along.
"Ah... You've never been either, Seona? Me neither—great! Let's go together. Coach, that okay?"
"Sure, why not. It's vacation—do what you want."
"Yesss! Then I need to shower too! Ha-young, come with me! Coach is covering tickets, right? Thanks!"
"Seeing you act like that makes me not want to."
"Hmph! The one who brings it up pays! Anyway, looking forward to today!"
And so, me, Ha-young, and Seona—three of us—set off on our impromptu aquarium trip.