On The Rise As A Catcher [EN]: Chapter 147

“Haven’t you heard? It’s true. Sanghyun, you know, Lee Sanghyun? He went to the Health Science College. Haven’t you seen his SNS [Social Networking Service]? His girlfriend is like a goddess.”

“Lee Sanghyun? That gorilla?”

“Yeah, look at this.”

Kim Youngseok showed Lee Sanghyun’s SNS on his phone, and Jung Minam’s hands trembled.

“Wow, seriously? That’s really his girlfriend?”

“Yeah. I asked Sanghyun myself. He said everyone in his major has a girlfriend.”

“…Ha, I’ve lived like a fool. If I had studied hard, I could have gotten into Health Science College. Wow, I’m so jealous.”

“If it’s Health Science College, I think I could enjoy campus life too. I’m good enough, right?”

“Should I go to Health Science College too? I’m a former athlete, so I think I’d be good at physical therapy or something.”

“Let’s study together. I’ll help you. Shouldn’t we experience proper college life?”

Song Seokhyun watched the two of them alternately, arms crossed, without a word.

“Ha, what am I going to do with these fools? They just want to go to Health Science College to meet girls, you crazy bastard.”

“Hey, I’m serious. How many chances like this will I get in my life? Study hard, and, uh? Get a girlfriend, and, uh? I can do it all.”

“…Ha, I don’t know. Can you even tell your parents about that? With your personality?”

“Well, I’ll cause trouble first and then clean it up.”

“You? You cause trouble? By any chance.”

“Anyway! I’m going to do it. I will.”

“Hoo, go ahead. It’s your life anyway, so if you get your ass kicked, it’s your own fault.”

Kim Youngseok shook his head.

“I guess I can’t be a toughie like Nayoung. I don’t know how she studies so hard.”

“Well, she’s… originally a diligent type.”

“That’s true.”

Song Seokhyun and Jung Minam were at a loss for words.

“She doesn’t even come out to watch movies. She must be really focused.”

“I guess so.”

The conversation stopped when Nayoung was mentioned.

The three of them moved on to talking about games and chatted for a long time before parting ways.

On the way home.

Song Seokhyun sat on a park bench.

It was getting late, so there was no one in the park.

He leaned against a pillar and looked around the park.

When he was young, he roamed every corner of the park with Jung Minam, Kim Youngseok, and Kim Nayoung.

Back then, Jung Minam, Kim Youngseok, and Song Seokhyun all liked Kim Nayoung.

A smart and pretty girl who was famous in the neighborhood.

When he was young, his dream was to grow up and marry Kim Nayoung…

How did things get so twisted that it’s hard for the four of them to even see each other?

He felt heavy-hearted, wondering if Kim Nayoung didn’t come to the movies today because of him.

Will there ever be a day when the four of them can laugh and chat boisterously again?

Thoughts lead to more thoughts.

If there were a train wandering without a destination, its name would be ‘thought’.

Kim Nayoung confessed to him.

It was something he had dreamed of since he was young, so why did it turn out like this?

Why.

The sunset pours over the trees.

The sunset descends one step at a time, riding the pillars of the pavilion.

The horizon of the sunset trembles in the distance.

A person’s head soars like the sun.

The shaking shoulders are familiar.

Only the bobbed hair feels awkward.

“Kim Na…young?”

The person who emerged through the sunset was Kim Nayoung.

“You…”

“Hey…”

The two stopped when they found each other.

Kim Nayoung was holding a black plastic bag.

* * *

*Clink.*

“Cheers.”

“Cheers.”

Song Seokhyun and Kim Nayoung sat on the bench and clinked cans of beer.

“I felt like buying two today.”

Kim Nayoung wiped the foam from her lips.

“But why beer?”

“I just sometimes change my mood with beer like this.”

“Here? Not at home?”

“It’s quiet here, and it’s safe because it’s right behind the residential area. It’s a bit much to drink at home; I feel like I’m being watched.”

“I see…”

Song Seokhyun sipped his beer.

“I thought you didn’t drink for your health?”

“One can of beer is nothing. There are exceptions.”

“No snacks.”

“What’s the point of snacks with one can of beer?”

The sunset had already come down to above Kim Nayoung’s head.

Her black hair is dyed golden.

Song Seokhyun silently stared at Kim Nayoung’s profile.

“Good. This is why I drink beer. Summer is for beer.”

“Was today hard?”

“That’s what studying is like. Is there ever a time when it’s not hard? But we still do it.”

“Amazing. You’re cool.”

“Cool, my foot. I’m sorry I couldn’t go to the movies with you today. I had a lot to study.”

“You don’t have to be sorry.”

Song Seokhyun empties his beer in one gulp.

Kim Nayoung glances at the beer can.

“Why? Are you getting up already?”

“No, I just drank it.”

“Okay.”

The conversation between the two stopped.

His face turns red as if he’s already feeling the alcohol from one can of beer.

Or is it because of the sunset?

Kim Nayoung’s face is also dyed golden.

Song Seokhyun crushed the beer can with his foot.

“Nayoung.”

“Yeah.”

“Why do you study so hard? Because of your parents’ expectations?”

“That too. Because studying is what I’m best at.”

“You’ve never gone against your parents’ expectations, have you? Because you’re a model student.”

“Not yet. Never.”

“I see… I guess it will be like that in the future too.”

Is it because the sunset is dazzling? Song Seokhyun frowned.

Kim Nayoung looks at the ground and examines Song Seokhyun.

She can’t figure out why he’s looking at the ground with a gloomy face.

As the silence grows longer, Kim Nayoung empties her beer and gets up.

“Shall we go now?”

Song Seokhyun grabbed Kim Nayoung’s wrist.

“You’ve never been resented or hated by anyone, have you? Especially not by your parents.”

Kim Nayoung turned around.

“Why not? Do you think only one or two people have hated me? Everyone lives being hated. It’s just a matter of whether you’re aware of it or not.”

“Your parents wouldn’t have been like that, would they?”

“They haven’t been so far, but I don’t know about the future. It’s not like I’ve lived being mindful of my parents. It just so happened that I lived as a good daughter.”

“…”

“I’m an adult now too. I’m not at an age where I should be mindful of my parents.”

“…Okay.”

Song Seokhyun got up.

Kim Nayoung momentarily closed her eyes because the light was so bright.

Song Seokhyun’s voice was heard in the pouring sunset.

“You’re already having a hard time studying; can you endure being stressed by other things?”

“Other things?”

“For example, if you have a falling out with your parents.”

“I don’t know. Why suddenly that?”

Song Seokhyun bit his dry lips.

His breathing became rough.

“I think I’m fickle.”

“You?”

“Yeah.”

“What fickleness are you talking about?”

Kim Nayoung held her breath.

Song Seokhyun pulled Kim Nayoung’s waist.

Slowly, Song Seokhyun went closer to Kim Nayoung’s face.

Kim Nayoung felt like her heart was going to explode.

Song Seokhyun kissed her silently.

The sunset had already set.

The streetlights turned on.

Kim Nayoung was nestled in Song Seokhyun’s chest.

“But I won’t be fickle about liking you.”

“…Okay.”

“Your parents might not like me dating you. Because of that, you might get stressed and it might interfere with your studies.”

“Okay.”

“Even if that’s okay, let’s date.”

“…Why are you being so formal and serious about just dating?”

“If I was just thinking about dating, I wouldn’t say these things.”

Kim Nayoung looked up at Song Seokhyun.

“Then?”

“Um…”

Song Seokhyun’s lips trembled.

“Later, let’s talk about it later.”

It’s been a long time since the sunset, but Kim Nayoung’s cheeks are flushed red.

“Okay.”

Song Seokhyun and Kim Nayoung held hands and headed to Kim Nayoung’s house.

“But why did you suddenly do that today?”

“I don’t know. Is it fickleness?”

“Just fickleness?”

“…I liked you too.”

“Then why did you keep avoiding me?”

“There’s our relationship, your situation, and above all, I didn’t have anything clear about my position or situation.”

“You thought a lot about dating.”

“…As I said before, I wasn’t just thinking about dating.”

“…”

Kim Nayoung tickled Song Seokhyun’s palm with her finger.

“Then are we starting from today?”

“Yeah.”

“Are we a couple now?”

“Yeah.”

“We’re dating, right?”

“Yeah.”

Kim Nayoung smiled brightly.

“Good. Oh, right.”

Kim Nayoung whispered something in Song Seokhyun’s ear.

Song Seokhyun laughed loudly and nodded.

“Okay. I got it.”

The two parted ways in front of Kim Nayoung’s house.

“Go in.”

“Okay, go in.”

Song Seokhyun left first.

Kim Nayoung stared at Song Seokhyun’s departing figure for a long time.

Song Seokhyun also turned around and waved.

Kim Nayoung also waved.

The two waved for a long time until Song Seokhyun turned the corner and disappeared.

Soaring as a Catcher

Irresistible Force (1)

The next morning.

Song Seokhyun had lunch with a man.

They now wear different uniforms, but they were once on the same team.

It was Park Shineon.