Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Date After Victory
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Choi Seung-taek turned on his phone.
Ga-young: How did it go? Did you win??
A message from Park Ga-young had arrived.
Seung-taek: Of course we won.
Choi Seung-taek replied briefly.
A moment later, a response came from Ga-young.
Ga-young: So, you free tomorrow?
Seung-taek: Tomorrow?
There was another game on Wednesday, which made dating on Sunday tricky.
Seung-taek: But I've got a game on Wednesday...
Ga-young: Isn't the game more important?
'Huh? What's that supposed to mean? Of course the game is important.'
"Seung-taek, what're you doing?"
Kim Min-jae walked into the dorm.
It had been a tough game, but since they'd won their round of 16 match in the President's Cup, everyone was buzzing with excitement as they moved around.
"Me? Just texting someone."
"Hmm?"
Kim Min-jae found Choi Seung-taek's behavior suspicious and snatched his phone.
"Hey, what the hell?"
"..."
Kim Min-jae's face hardened.
"You dumbass! Tell her you're going out."
Once a devil himself, Kim Min-jae was now frustrated by Choi Seung-taek's idiotic moves and stepped in to help.
Kim Min-jae handed the phone back.
"What am I supposed to do?"
"Not gonna lend her your phone?"
"Can't I just check it out tomorrow at a PC bang or something?"
"Jesus, this guy's a real moron."
Kim Min-jae started coughing up blood from frustration at Choi Seung-taek's infuriating behavior.
With Kim Min-jae flipping out right in front of him, Choi Seung-taek had no choice but to change his response.
Seung-taek: Nah, just kidding! Gotta see you tomorrow!
Ga-young: Really? Thought so! When should we meet?
"Min-jae, when should I say to meet?"
"You heading home today?"
"Nah, staying in the dorm."
"So where you meeting?"
"Somewhere near school, maybe?"
Kim Min-jae thought for a moment.
'Hmm... There are decent spots near school.'
"Tell her morning. Meet up, grab lunch, hang out, dinner, then split."
"Yeah, that works?"
Seung-taek: As soon as possible.
Thump!
Park Ga-young felt a rush from Choi Seung-taek's casual line, even if it seemed offhand.
But she couldn't show it. Deciding to probe a bit more, Park Ga-young typed back.
Ga-young: That eager to see me?
"She says 'that eager to see me?'"
"Shit. Should've killed you for real."
Kim Min-jae, who had been so helpful, looked ready to turn demonic again.
"She's definitely into you! Just quit screwing around and meet up."
"R-Really?"
For some reason, Choi Seung-taek always shrank when it came to girls.
He'd lived his life staring only at baseball, past life and now, leaving him weak in this area.
"Gimme."
Kim Min-jae motioned for the phone.
'Should I hand it over?'
For some odd reason, Choi Seung-taek decided to follow Kim Min-jae's advice.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
The sound of typing filled the air.
Kim Min-jae flicked through the phone a few times and spoke up.
"What do you wanna eat?"
"Huh?"
"What're you having for lunch tomorrow?"
"Uh... meat?"
"You moron. Who eats meat for lunch?"
"Sigh... But meat's the best."
"Fine. Hold on."
Seung-taek: Obviously! I miss you already.
Ga-young: Eww, creepy all of a sudden~ Kidding. So, anything you wanna eat?
Seung-taek: Hmm... Meat?
Ga-young: Ugh. Meat for lunch? No way. Pasta it is. I'll pay, just come along.
Seung-taek: Got it.
"Strike one."
"What now?"
Ga-young: Sounds like you hate it.
Seung-taek: Nah, I like pasta too. Just never get to eat it.
"Just eat what she picks, damn it."
Luckily, Choi Seung-taek had tried pasta before. Maybe during some pro scout event? He vaguely remembered cream pasta being pretty good.
"You know pasta?"
"Yeah."
"Good thing."
Ga-young: Ooh, really? Lucky! Okay, pasta for lunch, then movie, meat for dinner.
Seung-taek: You're the best.
Ga-young: See you tomorrow.
Seung-taek: Yeah, tomorrow~.
The conversation wrapped up nicely, thankfully.
"How do you type stuff that cheesy without cringing?"
Kim Min-jae gave Choi Seung-taek a pitiful look.
"I felt like chopping my fingers off typing that crap. And you're impressed? You're seriously hopeless."
Choi Seung-taek had nothing to say back.
Lacking anything date-appropriate, Choi Seung-taek headed out in casual athletic wear.
But Park Ga-young, unlike him, had dressed up thoughtfully, and her refined look left Choi Seung-taek frozen.
"Lunch first?"
"Uh... yeah."
"What's wrong, Seung-taek?"
Seeing him spaced out, Park Ga-young waved her hand in front of his face.
His broken expression made her feel great.
"Just... you look so pretty today."
The words slipped out without thinking.
"Huh? What'd you say?"
'Oh crap!'
Choi Seung-taek clamped his mouth shut after blurting it out.
"Whatever. Let's go~. Even pasta you follow along nicely?"
Park Ga-young grinned widely and led Choi Seung-taek to a familiar restaurant.
It was near school, but luckily a decent place existed.
An Italian spot, but not overly fancy.
Not the vibe for student dates, but Choi Seung-taek went in obediently.
He noticed other customers—mostly couples or groups of girls.
Glancing at their outfits made his own casual clothes feel embarrassing.
'Screw it. Just eat and go without overthinking.'
"Welcome. How many?"
"Two."
Choi Seung-taek and Park Ga-young followed the usher to a nice window seat—early arrival paid off.
"What'll you have?"
"Hmm..."
"I'm getting cream pasta."
"Pick a type."
Choi Seung-taek checked the menu. Bacon, shrimp options. But thinking health, he went for mushroom pasta.
His slightly dad-like tastes made mushrooms no issue.
"Mushroom pasta."
"Mushroom?"
Park Ga-young looked surprised.
"Drink?"
"Water's fine."
"Oh?"
Park Ga-young wore a deeply puzzled expression at his choices.
"I'm an athlete. Gotta watch my body."
"Pfft."
Park Ga-young burst out laughing.
"Why laugh?"
"Nothing. You're not the athlete type I pictured. But glad you're pro-minded."
"Obviously."
After ordering and waiting, the food arrived: one salad, two pastas.
Park Ga-young and Choi Seung-taek chatted over the meal.
"Think you'll do well in this tournament?"
"Yeah. Smooth sailing so far. Play right, we could win it all."
"Makes sense. Even the baseball-loving teachers are talking it up this time. Lots about you too."
"Really?"
Hearing the school buzzed with high expectations gave Choi Seung-taek a twinge of pressure.
"But... got a question."
"Shoot."
"Think you can go pro right away?"
"Hm?"
'Maybe tell Ga-young?'
As Choi Seung-taek's eyes turned serious, Park Ga-young's widened slightly.
"I'm going pro. I can do it."
For some reason, he wanted to tell her everything.
"Scouts from interested teams say I've done well."
"For real? Awesome!"
Choi Seung-taek scratched his cheek, embarrassed by the self-praise—he wasn't good at it.
Park Ga-young knew going pro was great news, so she clasped her hands in joy.
"But going pro isn't the end..."
Slurp?
Park Ga-young, mid-pasta, gave him a weird look.
"Isn't going pro an achievement?"
"Sure, but... gotta keep grinding there. Endless competition. Qualified, but just starting."
"Got it."
Choi Seung-taek had a whirlwind of thoughts but skimmed over it—too hard to explain.
"What's your dream?"
"Me?"
Suddenly realizing how little he knew about Park Ga-young, Choi Seung-taek asked.
"Dunno. Announcer, maybe?"
'Announcer suits her.'
Overlapping her poised look with an announcer image, it fit perfectly.
Just then, a server came to clear plates.
"How many to clear?"
"Yes, thank you."
They took the salad plate.
"Suits you. Crazy."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah! Announcers are pretty."
"So?"
"So you are too."
"Ahem."
A server's stifled laugh echoed from afar, clearing plates.
Choi Seung-taek and Park Ga-young sat frozen, quietly poking at their food.
Their faces burned red; nothing else to do but nibble silently.
"Kinda slipped out."
"..."
"So awkward..."
Choi Seung-taek and Park Ga-young walked awkwardly outside.
"Anything you wanna do?"
'Wanna do...'
Choi Seung-taek looked at Park Ga-young. He couldn't quite grasp why such a pretty girl was spending time with him.
But somehow, he felt himself drawn to her more and more.
"Uh... over there. Wanna go?"
Choi Seung-taek pointed to the school.
"School? What there?"
"Building right next door. Training hall."
He meant the indoor training facility.
"Why there?"
"You're good at studying."
"Yeah, I am."
"Just... wanna show you what I'm good at."
Park Ga-young found that side of Choi Seung-taek a bit cute.
"Hehe. Okay then, let's go!"
Park Ga-young took the lead, and Choi Seung-taek hurried after her.