Chapter ten (10)
715 Words
Chapter 10
Hyun-woo pushed open the door to his room and stepped inside.
His bag hung loosely from his shoulder, and the ticket Coach Ha-rin had given him was still clutched in his hand.
The room was quiet for a moment.
Then, from one of the beds, a familiar voice broke the silence.
“Hyun-woo?”
He looked up.
“You’re back”
“Yes”
His roommate and best friend, Min-Seo,sat up immediately. The moment he saw Hyun-woo’s expression, his eyebrows furrowed.
“Hey. What happened?”
Hyun-woo dropped his bag beside his bed.
“Nothing.”
Min-jae stared at him.
“You always say ‘nothing’ when something is wrong.”
Another roommate, who had been lying on the other bed scrolling through his phone, looked up.
“Bro! What happened?? Min-Seo came back and told us what happened..hope you’re okay???” Seug-min said as he jumped down from his bed “is your hand still hurting?”
Hyun-woo glanced at his injured hand.
“A little.”
Min-jae immediately got off the bed.
“Let me see.”
“I’m fine.”
“Hyun-woo.”
He reluctantly held out his hand.
Min-jae examined it carefully before looking back at him.
“It still looks bad.”
“The doctor said it will heal.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
Hyun-woo gave him a tired smile.
“I’m okay.”
Min-Seo wasn’t convinced, but he let it go.
“So, what did Coach say?”
Hyun-woo went silent.
His eyes dropped to the ticket in his hand.
“She wants me to leave.”
Min-seo blinked.
“Leave where?”
“Home.”
“For how long?”
“I don’t know.”
“When?”
Hyun-woo looked at the clock.
“Five.”
“Five?”
“I’m leaving at five this evening.”
The room immediately went quiet.
His other roommate sat up.
“Wait. Today?”
Hyun-woo nodded.
“Coach already called my parents.”
Min-seo stared at him in disbelief.
“You’re seriously leaving today?”
“I don’t have a choice.”
Min-seo walked over and sat beside him.
“What about the competition?.”
Hyun-woo’s jaw tightened.
“I don’t know.”
“And your training?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’ve been working toward that game for months.”
“I know, Min-seo.”
His voice cracked slightly.
The room fell silent again.
Hyun-woo looked down at his hands.
“That game could have changed everything for me.”
Min-jae’s expression softened.
“It haven’t been decided that you won’t be part of the game, and even if you miss it you’ll still get another chance.”
“You don’t know that, and I won’t be practicing for the time being”
“Yes, I do,and you will still conquer it even without practicing.”
“How”
Min-seo laced a hand on his shoulder.
“Because you’re Hyun-woo. You’re stubborn, annoying, and impossible to deal with.”
A small smile appeared on Hyun-woo’s face.
“But you’re also the best player I’ve ever seen.”
Hyun-woo looked at him.
“And when you come back, you’re going to play again, so you better just focus on recovery.”
Hyun-woo swallowed.
“I hope so.”
Min-jae smiled.
“You better.”
⸻
4:37 P.M.
Hyun-woo stood at the entrance of the school with his bag hanging over his shoulder.
Min-seo stood beside him.
“You have everything?”
“Yeah.”
“Your medication?”
“Yes.”
“Your phone charger?”
“Yes.”
“Your—”
“Min-seo.”
“What?”
“You’re acting like my mother.”
Min-seo laughed.
“Someone has to.”
Hyun-woo shook his head.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Min-seo pulled him into a tight hug.
“Take care of yourself, idiot.”
Hyun-woo laughed quietly.
“You too.”
“And don’t try to play basketball the moment you get home.”
“No promises.”
“Hyun-woo!”
He smiled.
“Fine. I promise.”
The sound of the approaching train announcement interrupted them.
Hyun-woo adjusted his bag.
“I should go.”
Min-seo nodded.
“Call me when you arrive.”
“I will.”
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