Chapter 99: A Life-or-Death Push and Pull-2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99: A Life-or-Death Push and Pull-2
I stand on the lane, ball in hand.
The bowling ball, weighing about as much as my heavy heart, fits snugly in my grip.
"Go for it, President! You can do it!"
Her voice rang out so loudly it echoed through the entire bowling alley, and I could feel eyes from all directions locking onto us.
Please, just be quiet.
Since I couldn't exactly fault her for her pure-hearted support, I simply stared straight ahead and began my approach in silence.
One step, two steps, three steps.
I lowered my left hand, which had been supporting the ball, and swung my right arm back.
Then, stepping my right leg behind my left, I swung my arm forward.
— Thump.
With the heavy sound of the ball meeting the floor, it began to rumble down the lane.
Oh, it’s actually going in a straight line?
The moment the thought crossed my mind, it veered off to the side.
— Clang.
As if to save me from total embarrassment, two pins on the far left tumbled over.
"Haha..."
"You still have one more shot."
I returned to my seat, feeling sheepish compared to Garam’s performance. She slid over and sat right next to me as she spoke.
The machinery descended to reset the pins, clearing away the fallen ones. Meanwhile, my ball returned through the ball return.
"Whew..."
I stood on the lane once more.
I took the same steps as before and threw the ball.
This time was different. It was different because the ball went straight into the gutter.
Tsk...
I smacked my lips in disappointment.
"You'll get a strike next time, I know it."
Watching her care more about my score than I did, I could only manage a strained, awkward expression.
Contrary to her words, the reality of the game became clearer as it progressed. While she sent the ball flying like a shot put to rack up strike after strike, I was lucky to knock down two to four pins at a time.
The score gap widened.
Honestly, there was nothing at stake, but losing still stung.
"......"
After a mechanical high-five with her following another one of her strikes, Garam noticed my sulking and pressed closer to my side.
"President. Um... would you like me to help you?"
"Help me? How?"
"Stand up for a moment."
When I picked up the ball and stepped onto the approach, she followed right behind me.
"Garam?"
Wondering what she was up to, I tried to turn my head, but her hand—placed firmly on the crown of my head—forced my gaze back forward.
"You have to look ahead."
I felt her press right up against my back.
Then, her hand overlapped mine.
Her firm hand guided my body, adjusting my posture.
"President, your steps are fine. But when you bring the ball down, it’s swinging behind your waist."
Pressed against me in what felt like a back-hug, she whispered softly into my ear.
Garam tapped my waist with her right hand.
"If it goes like this, the ball won't drop straight. Don't worry about dropping it; just pull it straight back."
Her hand gripped my right hand, guiding it through the proper path.
It certainly felt different from what I had been doing.
She guided me back into a ready stance and then placed her hands on both of my shoulders.
"Perfect. Now try it exactly like that."
— Tap, tap.
She patted my shoulders and returned to her seat.
Why am I so nervous over something like this?
I chuckled to myself, thinking that rolling a single ball shouldn't require this much mental energy.
Following the path she had shown me, I pulled my hand back and swung it forward in a straight line, releasing the ball.
— Thump.
The sound of it rumbling down the lane was different this time; the ball stayed perfectly centered.
Crash!
With a crisp, clear sound, the solid wall of pins collapsed all at once.
An 'X' flashed onto the screen.
"Kyaaaah! President, that was so cool!"
I was about to give her a somewhat excited high-five, but Garam let out a high-pitched scream and lunged into my arms.
I let out a dry cough at her sudden, forceful tackle.
"Ga-Garam. This is a bit much."
I grabbed her shoulders and tried to push her off, but she was so strong I actually had to put some real effort into it.
I started practicing the motion in the air to burn the sensation into my muscle memory for the next turn, when a burly middle-aged man came stomping over from the next lane.
"Hey, can't you people bowl a bit more quietly? You're making a damn racket. Did you rent the whole place out? A grown man of your age should know better!"
His voice, laced with a metallic rasp, boomed through the air.
The man’s face was bright red, clearly agitated. From the look of it, he was one of the bowling club members.
"There are other people here, you know. No manners at all. None."
The man snorted, huffing through his nose as he pointed a finger at us.
To be fair, we had been a bit loud.
I immediately bowed my head.
"I'm sorry. We'll be more careful."
"Hmph. Fine. Just show some consideration for others."
Seeing my humble attitude, the man seemed to lose his steam. He didn't yell anymore and stomped back to his seat.
"Garam, I think we need to be quiet."
I turned back to Garam, taking my eyes off the retreating man.
"...Yes."
Garam replied, turning her gaze toward me as if she had been looking elsewhere until just a moment ago.
It was a bit of a pity to see her looking so deflated after being so excited, but what could we do? Etiquette in public spaces comes first.
We bowled the rest of our turns in silence, and as soon as the game ended, we hurried out of the bowling alley.
As I walked away, the sound of the club members clicking their tongues followed at my back.
*
In-ho and Garam headed down to the underground parking lot.
In-ho’s ears were still red, likely because the public shaming was still weighing on his mind.
He got into his car and waited for Garam to get in, but she remained standing still.
"Garam, aren't you coming?"
In-ho rolled down the window and spoke to her.
"Ah, I actually have something to take care of near here. You go on ahead."
Garam replied, pulling the corners of her mouth up into a wide smile.
"So suddenly?"
"Ah! I just remembered something. There's some business I need to handle regarding the remodeling."
"I'm just so forgetful," she added.
"Uh... but it's a long way from here to your house. If it won't take long, I can wait..."
"Oh, no! It'll take a long time. A ve~ry long time. Please, go ahead, President."
"Right... well, then... let me know when the remodeling stuff is ready."
In-ho rolled up the window and drove out of the parking lot.
"......"
Once she was certain In-ho’s car was completely out of sight, Garam turned around and walked back into the building.
*
Go Seung-deok, a fixture of the bowling club, stretched his shoulders as he stepped out of the rice soup restaurant.
His body felt stiff after bowling all day.
After bowling and gathering with the members for rice soup and a few shots of soju, he was staggering his way home.
Seeing the lights on in his house in the distance, he glanced at the bag of rotisserie chicken he’d bought for his kids and walked down the alleyway with a grin.
— Step.
Sensing a presence, he started to turn around.
— Thud.
A sudden, sharp pain exploded in his abdomen, and Seung-deok collapsed forward.
"Gah!"
He opened his mouth to gasp for air, but he couldn't breathe.
He tried to lift his head to see his attacker, but he could only make out a silhouette against the glare of the streetlight.
A sharp sting pricked the back of his head, and then his body was partially lifted and dragged deep into the dark alley.
Just as he began to feel the sting of his knees scraping against the ground, something blunt kicked him hard in the jaw, and his consciousness flickered out.
In the darkness, he felt someone slapping his cheek and opened his eyes.
"Wh-who are..."
"Be quiet."
A woman’s low, chilling voice crawled up his spine.
His body froze like a herbivore hearing the growl of a predator.
"P-please, spare me."
What was she going to do? Terror squeezed his heart, making his entire body tremble.
"The President... was troubled because of you."
The attacker’s hand reached toward his face. He instinctively closed his eyes.
A finger forced its way past his clenched lips.
A thumb hooked over his lower teeth.
Immense pressure clamped down on his jaw.
"Ugh... guh-guh..."
Seung-deok thrashed against the diagonal pressure, but his pinned body wouldn't budge an inch.
Creeeak. Crunch.
Ominous sounds echoed inside his mouth. He felt a dull, sickening ache spread through his body, much like the sensation of having a wisdom tooth pulled.
Creeeak. Snap.
The sound of something breaking and tearing grew louder and louder...
CRACK.
"Aaaaaaaagh!!!"
The moment the pressure vanished, an agonizing wave of pain flooded his entire being.