The students of Class 5 were generally bright and lively. Honestly, they weren’t the type to study hard, but no matter which teacher came in, they enjoyed class and accepted everything cheerfully. The atmosphere was such that no matter what happened, they’d gather together noisily to laugh and play. I liked that the most. And I secretly envied them. I thought it would be difficult to fit in among them even after a hundred days. But even from one step back, just with the faint sense of belonging of being in the same class, it seemed okay for now.
But in just one day, everything was turned upside down.
Students wearing winter gym uniforms gathered in the gymnasium. It was the place where the entrance ceremony had been held. Outside it was still chilly, but inside the gymnasium it was relatively okay. Like the fresh and green seventeen-year-old high school students they were, the students would get excited whenever it was gym class. The students who had been playing while sneakily touching the equipment placed in the gymnasium gathered at the front of the gym when the bell rang. Normally, after the well-built gym teacher rumored to be a former special forces member arrived, we would have to run three laps around the gymnasium and do warm-up exercises, but Na Junsu, who had been chosen as athletic captain in the first class, came forward in front of the students.
“Guys, the gym teacher can’t come today. Today’s free time.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. He said we should all just warm up together. Starting stretches.”
The students smiled broadly as they warmed up to the cadence called by Na Junsu. It’s not that gym class wasn’t fun, but still, just hearing about free time was good. Students who didn’t particularly like moving their bodies sat in corners and chatted as soon as they finished stretching, and other students stood there wondering what to do and play. I also wanted to exercise rather than rest, but since I had nowhere to join, I was loosening up my body to go toward the wall when suddenly Na Junsu spoke loudly.
“Hey, let’s play betting basketball.”
“Basketball?”
“We’ll buy steamed buns at the school store.”
At Haebam High, if you went around behind the inner courtyard, there was a school store, and although it would soon be April, these days when it was still chilly, the sweet steamed buns heated up warm in the microwave were the most popular. Several students’ eyes lit up as they approached Na Junsu. Whether it was because of the steamed buns, members were being selected in an instant.
Basketball… I was rarely this hesitant. I liked basketball. It was probably almost the only sport I liked. But among the orphanage children, there wasn’t a child who would try to play basketball with me. Even the eldest younger sibling after me had a three-year age difference, so most of my younger siblings were too young to play basketball together, and the children who seemed somewhat grown still preferred soccer to basketball. So I always bounced the ball alone in the small vacant lot behind the orphanage and played while imagining having friends to run with. I could count on my fingers the times I’d played basketball with peers.
To be honest, I also wanted to join in with them. Playing alone was fun too, but what would it be like to run together? But I also didn’t feel like tactlessly joining in where close friends were playing together. I worried about what if I received looks wondering why is he here?
It was when I, who had been hesitating, finally turned my back. I had just taken one step toward the wall when suddenly someone grabbed my wrist firmly. When I, startled, turned my head, surprisingly it was Kim Eorin there. The scent of vanilla suddenly rushed in.
“Not playing?”
“Huh?”
“Aren’t you going to play?”
Kim Eorin’s voice seemed to resonate along my wrist. Kim Eorin looked into my eyes with an indifferent face and asked that. Looking at his face this close, no, having a conversation itself was the first time to begin with. As I just blinked with a surprised face, Kim Eorin approached Na Junsu while holding my wrist.
“Junsu-ya, let me and Chiwon join too.”
“Okay. We just need one more person.”
What is happening?
Na Junsu didn’t show much reaction even when I said I’d join. That was more surprising, so I only realized much later that Kim Eorin had called my name for the first time then. Not only Na Junsu but other kids also just nodded at the news that I would play basketball together, not glancing at me furtively or showing reluctance. Everyone must know I’m from an orphanage, but it was very different from middle school. There was no kid trying to look after me, nor any kid avoiding me. Just… they just seemed like ‘classmates.’ I suddenly realized that. To the kids, I wasn’t a special person.
When we firmly filled ten people by even grabbing Jung Wujin, who was slowly going to lie down in a corner and sleep because he was tall, Na Junsu brought a basketball from somewhere.
“Heads or tails.”
When Na Junsu hummed and held out his hand to divide teams, suddenly Kang Yeongjin, who was next to him, interjected, “Isn’t it daedaenchiseu?” Then another kid came forward saying, “Isn’t it ura ura sseiyo?” and next to that, someone raised their hand saying, “For me it was ppaendeo ppaendeo deo ppaendeo?” When the conversation suddenly shifted to which team-dividing song was correct, Kim Eorin mediated saying let’s do any of them. “Ura ura sseiyo” was chosen because it was the most exciting to sing, and we held out our palms to the chant. After doing it several more times, we finally divided into teams of 5 versus 5. I was on the same team as Kim Eorin.
“Wow shit, Kim Eorin is on the other team.”
Na Junsu grumbled. From what he said, it seemed Kim Eorin was good at basketball.
“How should we bet?”
“Timing is difficult. First to 20 points?”
“Sounds good.”
“Kim Eorin, get ready to get crushed.”
“That’s my line, you bastard.”
Kim Eorin said with a giggle. Since it was the first time I heard Kim Eorin curse, I blinked with a somewhat unfamiliar feeling. Actually, I was still dazed by this whole situation itself.
Both sides stood on the court. I also fumblingly found my position. Since it was quite rare to stand on the court with other people except during gym class or when bored younger siblings occasionally played along, I couldn’t even tell well where I should stand. Looking at Kim Eorin unconsciously with the feeling of grasping at straws, unexpectedly our gazes locked. Kim Eorin continued looking even after making eye contact with me without avoiding it, and somehow I got the feeling that Kim Eorin wanted to say something.
“Start!”
Since we won rock-paper-scissors, the first offense was our team. As soon as the kid acting as referee shouted, Kim Eorin, who received a pass from Jung Wujin, dribbled and rushed out in an instant. When Kim Eorin passed three people, cheers were heard. Kids who had gone to do other things or were going to rest were now absorbed in watching the basketball game. Some even went up to the second-floor spectator seats and cheered. I couldn’t believe the fact that I was included in a position like the center of the class. I ran to the opposing court with a dreamlike feeling.
It was when I stood in the middle of the court. I thought our eyes met. At that moment, Kim Eorin passed the ball to me. There was another kid next to me, so why to me? I had that thought for a moment while looking at the flying ball. And when I caught the ball and took a few steps while dribbling to go forward, I was blocked by the opposing team’s sudden block and had the ball stolen.
It was the first time being marked by someone. I had always only imagined it, so when I actually experienced it, I couldn’t think of what I should do. Having just stood still and had the ball stolen, I ran while deliberately ignoring my face that was heating up from embarrassment.
Kim Eorin was really fast at running. When I had the ball stolen, he was clearly under this side’s goalpost, but when the opposing team had gone about half of that side’s court, he was already catching up. But the ball went to Kang Yeongjin, who was waiting ahead, and Kang Yeongjin, who had showmanship tendencies, scored with a fully styled layup.
“Yeaaah!”
The opposing team kids high-fived and returned to their court. Because it seemed the point loss was my fault, I lowered my head feeling guilty for no reason, when white gym indoor shoes appeared before my eyes. When I raised my head, Kim Eorin was looking at me. The moment Kim Eorin’s face, which met my eyes, tilted toward my ear, my back stiffened with unavoidable tension. I clenched my fists tightly to avoid being caught scared. But Kim Eorin did something different from what I thought. Kim Eorin tapped my shoulder and whispered.
“Go ahead early.”
Saying only that, Kim Eorin returned to his position. Go ahead early? I scratched the nape of my neck, which somehow felt ticklish, with a bewildered feeling.
“Start!”
The referee shouted, and Kang Yeongjin passed the ball to Na Junsu and ran. But without looking that way, I immediately penetrated the opposing court. It was because of the words to go ahead early. I wasn’t sure, but this seemed like what Kim Eorin wanted. When I, who had stopped near the 3-point line, turned my head, Kim Eorin, who had somehow stolen the ball, was running this way. I gathered my hands thinking he would pass, but Kim Eorin unexpectedly ran toward me as is. And when the distance between us was about three steps remaining, Kim Eorin passed to me and immediately turned back to block the kid rushing toward me.
I thought the ball was being sucked into my hands. I had been in a daze since earlier, but neither my standing position nor the feel of the ball was unfamiliar. It was that spot I always practiced. Without thinking deeply, I moved my body unconsciously. The moment I felt my toes leave the ground, the ball had already left my hands.
Clang, the ball that went in properly met the rim and made a pleasant sound. I unconsciously clenched my fist, then as soon as I realized that fact I became embarrassed and lowered my hand again.
But the surroundings were quiet. When I turned my head thinking “huh?”, I met the gazes of 9 people staring intently at me.
“…?”
When I pressed my lips together in confusion, Jung Wujin, who was standing nearby, shouted.
“Wow, that’s amazing!”
Starting with that, sounds of “what what” were heard from here and there. Na Junsu hit Kim Eorin’s back with an expression that said he was annoyed to death.
“You knew and brought him, right!”
“What would I know?”
“Shit. You just wait. I’m going to do this properly.”
“Go ahead and try.”
“Ah, so damn annoying!”
Na Junsu walked away laughing, and I also picked up the fallen ball and returned to the court. When passing nearby, Kim Eorin tapped my back. When I looked startled, Kim Eorin grinned. Did I smile back in response? I didn’t know what expression I made.
[To be continued in the next episode…]
