NOVEL NEXT Chapter 44
“……”
I almost died of embarrassment during lunch break.
Well, it’s more accurate to say that I almost died because my heart was racing excessively, rather than just being embarrassed.
I mean, come on, there’s a cute girl on both sides feeding me! What guy in the world would hate that?
Of course, if this had happened in my past life, I would have felt more fear and panic than happiness. After all, the combination of an adult and a teenager is just asking for trouble. And if rumors started spreading that we were “dating,” wouldn’t my life be over?
The chances of that happening in my past life were less than a speck of dust.
Anyway, after being thoroughly shaken by those two for the entire lunch, I decided to tone it down a bit for the afternoon classes.
Thinking back, there was no reason for Ha Neul to sit on my lap in the first period, or for me to sit on hers. Sure, if I pushed Ha Neul’s desk to my seat, the teacher might say something, but pushing my desk to hers? That’s another story. It’s not like I’m going to move my chair while sitting.
Of course, if I had acted like this from the beginning, the kids’ interest might have been much less than it is now, but thanks to showing such an intense display in the first period, the fact that we were just sitting close together got students stealing glances at us.
…And then, during the next break, I accepted Lee Soo-ah’s suggestion that it would be more effective if I sat next to her, so I ended up visiting Soo-ah’s classroom for the next period.
Naturally, there were no extra desks, so I just dragged a chair over. If someone helped, the teacher would probably come over and tell me to stop, so I had no choice but to move it myself.
As I struggled into Class 6 and sat next to Lee Soo-ah, she immediately pulled my left arm and tucked it into her right side.
And I stayed like that for the entire class.
Though not as bad as when Ha Neul was sitting on my lap, it was still incredibly embarrassing.
Of course, it was effective in gathering the kids’ attention.
*
“……Why do you look so miserable before even trying to jump?”
By the time class was ending and I was a total wreck from overstimulation, Nam Da-un asked me that.
“Something happened.”
I replied, sprawled out on the floor in my gym clothes.
Until now, when changing in the locker room, I’d focused on changing clothes quickly in front of my locker while avoiding looking around as much as possible. In fact, I could adapt to it faster than I thought since no one around was particularly conscious of me. Just like how I treated others, I simply acted as if I was ignoring them.
But when I was changing into my gym clothes after school, it was just the three of us in the locker room: Ha Neul, Soo-ah, and me. The soccer team had already changed before we got there, and most importantly, there weren’t many girls. There were enough guys to form a team, but not many female students who wanted to play soccer, so it was more about including them during training.
…Following the gaze of those female students, it seemed like Nam Da-un wasn’t the real reason for their interest, though.
Anyway, since there were really only the three of us changing clothes here, before, I didn’t have the luxury of looking around while changing since I was busy trying to survive the day. All I could think was how to escape from the chairwoman. I used that quiet time to think about how to get away from her.
So, I didn’t really pay much attention to how Ha Neul or Soo-ah were changing—
Swish, swish.
All day long, we were sharing skin in various awkward ways… It’s weird to put it that way, I know, but honestly, there wasn’t another way to express how we were so close together that I couldn’t help but notice the sounds of their clothes rubbing against their skin.
Both of them were warm. I couldn’t tell if it was because Ye Sara’s body temperature was lower, or if they were blushing slightly from being so close to me. What was clear was that the places where we touched, mainly the arms I had wrapped around them, were slightly damp from their warmth.
And, being so close, I could decipher their figures through their clothes. Knowing something through sight is completely different from knowing it through touch. I couldn’t help but feel just how well-built they were, regardless of what I was wearing today.
So, before I let myself get too distracted, I quickly changed my clothes and laid flat outside on the track.
Ah, I just want to take a quick nap like this. The ground is hard, but still.
“Just… something happened.”
“Right, it seems something did happen.”
As Nam Da-un plopped down a few steps away from me, that was his response. He then slightly furrowed his brows and asked,
“You know rumors are spreading, right?”
“Rumors? They’re spreading?”
Ah, of course, rumors are spreading. Soo-ah told me directly. Apparently, there were kids in her class talking about me and Ha Neul.
“How did it spread?”
When I abruptly sat up and asked, Nam Da-un put his hands on the ground, leaned back slightly, thought for a moment, and then answered.
“Well, you know, inside the classroom, clutching each other in an incredibly inappropriate position like you two are dating or something.”
That was pretty accurate.
“And then, someone threw water on that famous bald teacher.”
That was a very objective description of the situation.
“And also it kind of looks like you’re trying to get another girlfriend… What’s with that expression?”
While listening to Nam Da-un, I was smiling to myself, but he looked a bit annoyed and said that.
“No, it’s just… I’m impressed someone told the rumors so accurately.”
“Really?”
Nam Da-un momentarily widened his eyes in surprise.
“Yep. It’s true. All of it happened in a single day.”
I felt really proud. If I had known the results would be this good, I should have started earlier. I mean, I could have thrown water on the teacher instead of getting too close with other girls, right?
“What were you thinking doing stuff like that?”
Nam Da-un asked me with a genuinely baffled expression.
“Honestly, it’s annoying when people ignore you.”
I said while turning my gaze towards where a few soccer team members were clustered. Those who were sitting a bit farther away were looking over with expressions of immense curiosity, but when our eyes met, they hastily turned their heads away.
“So you just wanted attention?”
“It’s not just wanting attention; honestly, there’s a little bit of frustration in there too.”
Especially the anger toward the adults who ignore Ye Sara, even though they are in an authoritative position.
“Hmph.”
Nam Da-un made a noise. What kind of emotion was that? Surprise? Disappointment?
Having said that, I rose to my feet. Following suit, Nam Da-un stood up while dusting off his backside and stretched his arms with a wide yawn as he said,
“So then, should we start running now?”
“No.”
“Huh?”
When I flat out rejected his suggestion, Nam Da-un said that.
“More importantly, when does soccer training begin? You’re not just camping out here like this, right?”
“Hmm.”
Nam Da-un lowered the hand he had raised and gazed pensively at the soccer team gathering in the distance.
“Lately, we tend to train after you guys leave. It’s just for show, but I’m technically still on the soccer team. I need to participate in training.”
“Looks like you don’t put much effort into club activities.”
“Well, yeah.”
Nam Da-un shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m only here because the president begged me to.”
“How serious is that president about soccer?”
At my question, Nam Da-un narrowed his eyes and stared at me.
“…Still, don’t mess with their training. That guy may look innocent, but he gets really scary when he’s angry.”
Well, unless I’m seriously breaking someone’s leg, I doubt he’d consistently ignore me.
Of course, I plan to end that today.
“I’m not planning to make him angry.”
I said, smiling back at Nam Da-un.
“By the way, where’s the soccer ball?”
*
“Is that it already?”
As Nam Da-un trudged back over with his hands in his school uniform pockets, the president asked.
“He said he didn’t feel like running today. Just thought he’d do some exercises over there… well.”
Nam Da-un shrugged slightly.
“He’ll probably figure it out.”
“Is that so…?”
After saying that, the president glanced over where Ye Sara had been standing. She was lingering near the storage area. That sight was a bit unsettling, but for now, she didn’t seem like she was going to cause any trouble.
“Hey, but did you ask about that rumor? You know, the girls were talking about it during class…”
“……”
Nam Da-un looked up at the president with a dumbfounded expression, prompting the president to quickly straighten up and clear his throat loudly.
“Alright, everyone’s here, so let’s start today’s training!”
“Hmph…”
With that sudden change in attitude, Nam Da-un could only make a short exclamation of disbelief.
*
Thus, soccer training officially began.
The primary reason for allowing a small number of female students on the boys’ team was located right there. Even if they were accepted, they wouldn’t actually be used as a full member. It was just a way to help with their hobbies and practice together.
Even the president himself planned to follow in his father’s footsteps, so it’s not like anyone here genuinely aspired to a professional position within the soccer club. The president was begging Nam Da-un to stay on the team, but… well, it seemed Nam Da-un didn’t particularly want to keep playing soccer considering his talent.
Regardless, the soccer team was still a soccer team. The president was determined to keep playing soccer until graduation, and thus, he was earnest in training.
…Yes, he was nothing but earnest.
Even during dribbling exercises, he diligently coached each girl. Perhaps the female students who came to see Nam Da-un improved their skills under the president’s meticulous guidance, as they gradually became more adept. While some left quickly, surprisingly there were also girls who found interest in this and kept working on their training, making the president genuinely enjoy teaching someone.
…Yeah, he felt that way.
Today, that was until I saw three kids messing with a ball near the female students practicing dribbling.
Out of those three, two of them at least had some ‘athletic sense.’ Of course, they weren’t on the level of being actual players, but they could play at the level of other female students who had come by so far.
And then, there was just one.
One kid was continuously losing a battle with the ball.
“Ugh!”
She tried to kick the ball but ended up slipping and falling flat on the artificial turf. The other two girls nearby gasped and hurried over to help her.
The one who fell was Ye Sara.
She was the kind of person I absolutely had to ignore due to a whirlwind of tangled events.
“……”
Of all things, the ball that she tripped over rolled right next to the president’s foot.
The president shifted aside, as if he hadn’t seen the ball at all.
Then, the fallen girl got back up and eagerly rushed back to kick the ball again, glancing at the other active female students every now and then.
But she was completely off the mark.
It’s not that kicking the ball itself was the problem; her running posture was just awkward. Everything from moving her feet to keeping her balance while moving was strange.
“……”
The president clenched his fists tightly.
He wanted to point it out.
He wanted to point it out desperately.
After being the soccer club president for a year, teaching other girls, it felt like his feelings toward soccer were being directly disrespected by her movements that resembled a flailing squid.
“Ugh!”
This time she tried to kick the ball again, but her foot didn’t even touch it, and she plopped down sideways again.
“……”
When Ye Sara stood up again, she tried to do some foot dribbling but just lightly tapped the ball, which rolled off to a completely unexpected direction.
“……”
Chasing after the ball again, Ye Sara picked it up and threw it in the air as if trying to head it, but the ball was thrown way too high and soared over her head.
…And she repeated that action three times.
Three whole times.
The exact same way.
And again, she picked up the ball—
“That’s not how you do it!”
—Seeing that scene, the president shouted before he knew it.
“……Ah.”
He regretted it right after.
His shout had clearly aimed at Ye Sara.
“……”
Holding the ball, Ye Sara was now looking directly at the president.
Then, with a slight smile, she came running toward him.
“Is this not how you do it?”
“Um, well, that’s…”
The sounds that had been moving around gradually died down. Everyone was looking in their direction, staring at the president, as if they couldn’t believe his actions, with their mouths agape.
“Then, how should I do it?”
Disaster.
Sweat began to bead down the president’s forehead.
“Could you teach me?”
‘Walking calamity’ looked up at the president and smiled brightly.
Ironically enough, there was no malice in that smile.