Chapter 13
“Huh?”
Han Taekyung was standing at the bottom of the stairs.
“Are you done?”
“Yeah.”
Judging by his face, he won. But somehow it’s frustrating. I didn’t expect it to end so early.
“Now it’s your turn and mine.”
Han Taekyung’s face looked excited. And the same was true for Seo Igeon.
“Wait, I’ll just rest for 5 minutes and be back.”
“Sure.”
Igeon and Taekyung bumped fists and went to the waiting room that had been prepared, each taking a rest.
“You two seem to be getting along well?”
Instructor Jin handed Igeon some water as he spoke. Igeon didn’t particularly want to refute that statement. Honestly, their relationship had improved rapidly. Igeon had remained in the same place, but Han Taekyung had approached him with frighteningly determined steps. So how could he ignore him?
“I was so surprised when Han Taekyung came to the funeral.”
“Me too.”
“I thought he might be a bit rude, but he seems like a good guy. Try to get along well. You’ll be attending the same university anyway.”
“Yes, I don’t think I’ll end up getting into fistfights with him at least.”
“I hope you two can be good stimulation for each other.”
Igeon hoped for that too. After resting for about 5 minutes, they heard a voice telling them to prepare for the final match. Another 5 minutes passed, and finally the two faced each other in the arena. Reporters who had been waiting for the two to meet brought out their cameras and started taking pictures. And from somewhere, cheers supporting Han Taekyung and Seo Igeon could be heard. But strangely, from the moment they stood side by side looking into each other’s eyes, they couldn’t hear any sound. It was as if all the disturbing noise of the world had disappeared. They stared at each other without blinking, waiting only for the signal to start. And when a slight smile appeared on Han Taekyung’s face, the signal to start the match rang out.
Han Taekyung was clean and decisive. His kicks reflected his personality. And Han Taekyung also thought that Seo Igeon’s kicks were very much like him. They had only seen each other’s matches through videos. Despite thinking they clearly lacked certain information, they knew each other too well. It was almost scary. Evasion techniques, foot direction, and attack stances. The two were engaged in such an intense fight that not even a momentary gap could be seen, and the intensity was so palpable that everyone in the gym could feel it. Even the reporters who had been taking pictures put down their cameras to focus on the match… Instructors Kim Tae-woon and Jin Cheol-woon, who were watching, gulped.
It was literally a battle between spear and shield. A fight where no one could lose and no one could win continued until the 4th round. In the end, it was a round where whoever scored first would win. That made it even more intense. Igeon and Taekyung wiped the sweat flowing below their chins with the backs of their hands and caught their breath.
It wasn’t difficult at all. It was too much fun. So much so that they thought it would be nice to continue sparring like this. They didn’t know how long it had been since they had felt such joy. For the past year, they hadn’t competed while thinking it was enjoyable. They had just run non-stop, waiting only for today.
But now, Seo Igeon was having so much fun that nothing else mattered, and the same was true for Han Taekyung. However, no matter how enjoyable it was, with the 4th round coming to an end, the two had to determine a winner.
“Han Taekyung, sorry, but I’m going to win.”
At Seo Igeon’s confident words, Han Taekyung nodded as if to say “come on then.” He wasn’t even angry. He was just curious about the university life they would spend together. And Igeon powerfully launched his specialty kick toward Han Taekyung.
â—†
“Congratulations.”
“Congratulations.”
After the match ended, Han Taekyung, Seo Igeon, Instructor Jin, and Instructor Kim sat together at a pork belly restaurant. The two young men, with slightly tired faces, thanked their instructors who were congratulating them.
“Thanks to you, Instructor.”
“I think so too.”
Seo Igeon’s greeting was a bit strange, but Instructor Jin said he would let it slide since today was a good day, and poured each of them a glass of cola.
“You can drink today. Chug it down.”
Despite always nagging every time they drank carbonated drinks, it seemed like such a joyous day that Igeon downed the cola without hesitation, and Han Taekyung did the same beside him.
“Today’s match will probably be talked about for a long time. It ended in a tie after all.”
They couldn’t determine a winner even by the end of the 4th round. The decision ultimately went to the judges, and after a long 10 minutes of deliberation, the conclusion was a joint first place. Both of them would enter National Sports University as scholarship students.
“In that case, the only way to determine a winner will be the senior national team selection match.”
As Instructor Jin spoke while putting pork belly in his mouth, Instructor Kim nodded.
“It might be more intense than the Olympics.”
That’s how it should be. There was no intention to settle for this level of skill. That would surely be the case for Han Taekyung as well.
“My next goal is to be on the national team and win an Olympic gold medal. You too, Han Taekyung?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
Hmm, I like that answer. Igeon poured cola into Taekyung’s empty glass, and Taekyung also poured cola into Igeon’s empty glass, then they toasted and chugged it down. Pleased to see their young disciples growing up so well, the instructors also clinked their soju glasses and drank, fully enjoying the moment.
That night, Instructor Kim took the drunk Instructor Jin home, and Igeon came home in Taekyung’s car. After saying goodbye with a promise to see each other at university, Igeon went straight to his parents’ photos as soon as he got home.
“Dad, Father… I passed. I’m going to National Sports University. And I’m a scholarship student. Are you proud? I’ll do well. I’ll definitely win a gold medal. I’ll make your dreams come true. So you have to cheer for me from up there. Okay?… I miss you. I miss you so much. I miss you even more today. How nice would it have been to celebrate together? How great would it be to eat pork belly together? Why did you leave so early? Both of you. You should have stayed to see your son do well… Then you wouldn’t have to worry so much up there. Right? Father. Dad…”
He didn’t want to cry. He didn’t want to show weakness… but if not to his parents, then to whom? He really missed them both so much. He wanted to hear them say congratulations. Igeon firmly held the frame with both hands and lowered his head. Tears fell to the floor, drop by drop.
“I’m sorry. After saying I would live strong and well… here I am making a fuss. Haha, huh?”
As he was wiping his tears, trying to show a bright face to his dads, the doorbell rang. There was no one who would come to his home at this hour. It certainly wouldn’t be the landlord who lived elsewhere. And he hadn’t ordered any food delivery, so he stayed still, wondering if he had misheard the bell. But a few seconds later, the bell rang again. Since it was definitely his doorbell, Igeon got up and stood in front of the entrance. Of course, he didn’t forget to clench his fist. Thinking that if it was a thief, he’d send them flying with one kick, he calmly cleared his throat.
“Who is it?”
“Han Taekyung…”
Huh? Han Taekyung? Did he hear correctly? Han Taekyung had dropped him off and gone back, hadn’t he? But the voice was too much like Han Taekyung’s to deny it was him. Igeon tilted his head and opened the door anyway.
“Hi.”
And behind the door, Han Taekyung was indeed standing there.
“What do you mean ‘hi,’ we just said goodbye. What’s going on? Didn’t you leave in your car?”
“I left and came back.”
“Why? Did your car break down?”
“No, just… I just came back. But it seemed awkward to come empty-handed, so I brought some food.”
Han Taekyung waved pizza and chicken.
“Can I come in?”
How could he stop someone who came with delicious-smelling food, especially when he was starting to feel lonely being by himself?
“Lock the door and come in.”
“Thanks.”
Igeon quickly took the pizza and chicken that Taekyung had brought, and he smiled, locked the door, and came in. After putting the food down on the living room table, Igeon brought two cups.
“Aren’t they worried at your home?”
“It’s okay. I told them.”
“That’s good then…”
Sitting down, Igeon poured cola for Taekyung first, then filled his own and raised his glass.
“Let’s toast. Cheers.”
Igeon didn’t know why Han Taekyung had returned at this late hour. Actually, he thought it didn’t really matter. After his father’s death, for the first time, he really didn’t want to be alone in this house. So he was grateful that Han Taekyung had come back.
After clinking their glasses with a “cheers,” Igeon emptied his glass while Han Taekyung took just one sip and put his cup down on the table.
“Even though I’m still full from the meat earlier, I have a separate stomach for pizza…”
Han Taekyung’s hand touched Igeon’s face as he was opening the pizza box, then pulled away.
“Huh? Why? Is there something on my face?”
“No, your eyes are red. Were you crying?”
“Ah… does it show?”
“Yes.”
“I tried not to cry, but as I was reporting to my fathers…”
Igeon glanced at the photos. Taekyung also looked in that direction, then got up from his seat and bowed politely in front of the photos.
“Why are you bowing?”
“Well, it’s my first time meeting them, so I should greet them properly.”
If his fathers had seen Han Taekyung, they would have really liked him. Dad would have been pleased with how handsome he was, and Father would have been happy that he had made a good friend. They would have asked him to come often, to be good friends with their Igeon… And he would have scolded his father to stop. Imagining a day that would never come, Igeon smiled bitterly.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
