Y13 [EN]: Chapter 227

Y13-227 2011-12 All-Star Weekend

Despite Bovoa’s departure, the Dallas Mavericks had to continue their season. Leading up to the All-Star break, Dallas faced a demanding schedule from the 19th to the 22nd, including a road trip with games against the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. With Bovoa gone from the five-man guard rotation, Brewer would likely see increased playing time as a guard.

“Alright, everyone. Let’s pull ourselves together and play for Bovoa’s share, too,” Coach Carlisle said.

The players nodded and moved, but Bovoa’s departure and the shocking news still weighed heavily on their faces.

Youngjae gazed at the Amway Center in Orlando, the venue for the 2012 All-Star event, before starting the SUV and heading towards Orlando International Airport.

“…The Dallas Mavericks’ momentum is quite impressive.”

Youngjae turned on the radio absentmindedly, but when he heard a report about Dallas, he subtly increased the volume.

“They finished the pre-All-Star break schedule with 3 wins and 1 loss, starting with a win against Philadelphia. The loss against the Lakers was a bit of a setback, but overall, they finished strong.”

“This season, Youngjae Yoon has emerged as the true ace of the Dallas Mavericks, surpassing even Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk’s performance has been surprisingly subpar, arguably his worst since his third year in the league.”

“Whether Nowitzki can regain his form in the second half of the season, or whether Yoon can maintain his momentum from the first half, will be crucial for Dallas’s success.”

As Youngjae drove, he reflected on Dallas’s strong performance and his own contributions, a faint smile gracing his lips. He cherished the memories and felt a significant improvement compared to the previous season.

However, the occasional slumps were a source of frustration for Youngjae. In the recent game against the Lakers, his shots weren’t falling as usual, and he struggled against Kobe Bryant, finishing with 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists in 33 minutes, with a shooting percentage of just over 33%, including 1/4 from 3-point range and 4/12 overall.

In their previous encounter, Youngjae had secured a victory against Kobe with a buzzer-beater, but in the rematch, Kobe seemed to reassert his dominance.

‘There’s a reason he’s been on the Defensive First-Team 9 times. He’s still one of the best defenders when he’s locked in. And as his nickname “Mr. 81” [referring to Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game] suggests, when his shot is on, defense is almost irrelevant. He may be getting older, but Kobe is still one of the best shooting guards in the league.’

He knew such games were inevitable and constantly sought ways to minimize these fluctuations. Shooting touch and intangible aspects of the game varied, and minimizing that gap depended on the individual player’s ability. Youngjae was generally good at managing his mindset, but he sometimes succumbed to unnecessary anxiety, wondering what would happen if he experienced a prolonged slump.

“It’s a long-awaited break. Let’s not dwell on that.”

The All-Star break was only four days, but he believed that resting and enjoying the festivities would rejuvenate him and improve his performance. With that thought, Youngjae arrived at Orlando International Airport. Checking the time, he realized Emily’s flight was due to arrive soon. He stood in front of the designated gate and fiddled with his phone, waiting. Soon, passengers began to emerge, and Youngjae craned his neck, searching for Emily.

“Yoon!”

“Huh? Oh! Emily!”

Youngjae was startled by the voice from behind, and a cold sensation on his cheek made him groan playfully. Emily, amused by his reaction, giggled and snuggled into his arms.

“Aren’t you just arriving now?”

“I ended up catching an earlier flight. I didn’t want to make you come too early, so I looked around a bit and then came here.”

It had been months since he had felt Emily’s warm and soft touch, and her familiar scent was comforting. She looked tired from traveling, but her energy still had the remarkable ability to uplift those around her.

Hugging Emily tightly and holding her hand, Youngjae slowly walked to the car, sipping the Americano she had given him.

“Are you very tired?”

“Um… I’m okay. If I were the only one tired, I might be annoyed at you, but you’re just as tired as I am. Physically, you’re even more tired than I am. So, even though I’m tired, I’m happy to be with you.”

Emily smiled as she caressed their clasped hands. Watching her, Youngjae unconsciously released her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“How can I resist when you’re like this?”

“It’s… daytime.”

Youngjae chuckled at her comment. He opened the car door and said, “Does something change when it’s night?”

“…”

Squeeze!

“Ouch!!”

Youngjae, realizing he had said the wrong thing, was pinched in the side by Emily. He smiled awkwardly and rubbed his side as Emily’s face turned red. “Wolf,” she muttered.

They arrived at Thornton Park, a quiet and charming area in Orlando, perfect for those who preferred to avoid crowds. They strolled around the serene Lake Eola, admiring the city skyline across the water. The tree-lined path beside the lake was beautiful, even in the February winter.

“…”

They walked in comfortable silence. Youngjae walked towards the lake, and Emily walked on his right, holding his hand. When she felt her hand getting cold, Youngjae put it in his pocket. Emily smiled slightly as she looked at him.

“Shall we rest at a cafe?”

“Uh-uh. I’m okay for now. I just want to walk a little more.”

Emily moved closer to Youngjae, and he put her hand in his pocket and walked slowly with his arm around her shoulder.

“Were you… very upset?”

After a while, Emily spoke first. Youngjae looked down at her, questioning her meaning. Emily lowered her gaze and said in a soft voice, “It’s just that, compared to the first season, the second season is supposed to be more challenging for you [referring to the ‘sophomore slump’]. But I’ve been busy and haven’t been able to contact you properly or see you often…”

Instead of scolding her or dismissing her concerns, Youngjae squeezed her shoulder and stroked it gently.

“Yoon.”

“It’s a difficult time for both of us. I’m sure we’re both in a good mood today, and we’re having a good time like this because things are going well, and I’m really grateful for that.”

“…”

“But, I’m sure there will be days like that. If my game doesn’t go well, or if your work is stressful, we won’t always have days like this.”

Emily nodded slightly. Youngjae smiled, hugged her tightly, and then released her.

“You must have been as worried as I was. Thinking about it that way, I’m not so upset.”

“Yeah.”

Emily sighed in relief and smiled. Youngjae went to a nearby cafe and ordered a warm Americano and a cafe latte.

“Ah~ that’s good.”

Feeling the warmth spread through them, they smiled as they sipped their coffee. Youngjae slowly drank his Americano, looked outside, and then looked at Emily again, a smile forming on his face.

“Huh?”

Youngjae, noticing milk foam on Emily’s lips, unconsciously leaned over and licked it off, lightly kissing her before stepping back.

“Ah…”

Emily was surprised by the sudden kiss, but Youngjae was smiling as if nothing had happened. She touched her lips with her finger and then smiled shyly.

“It’s not that something happened, but after listening to your story, I got a little worried.”

“What are you worried about?”

“It’s been almost a year since we met. But we haven’t even fought yet, or had any disagreements.”

Emily nodded, agreeing. She was also content with their relationship, wondering if she had ever had someone she got along with so well without fighting. She wondered why it was a concern.

“So, I’m worried about how we should handle it when we fight for the first time.”

Unlike usual, Emily took her hand off the cup and held Youngjae’s hand, seeing his genuinely worried expression.

“Surely, there will be days when things aren’t so good. And there will be times when we have to meet on those days. When my game doesn’t go well, or when you’re not satisfied with your singing or acting. I wonder if I can treat you the way you thought of me as an older brother. I think you’ll be disappointed.”

“Tch- Isn’t that the fun of dating a younger man?”

“…”

“Sometimes you don’t have that cute side. You’re 6 years younger than me… but you always act like an older brother. You’re not an old man~”

Youngjae smiled awkwardly and tilted his head, wondering if that was true. Emily smiled happily and drank her cafe latte.

“Still, you seem younger now. Cute! As an older sister, let me tell you something.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t think it’s good not to fight. We’re definitely doing well, but there are definitely things we’re holding back inside, and things we’re upset about. I think fighting is a good opportunity to find out what we don’t agree on. But… honestly, it’s scary and sad. I wonder what will happen if we fight. I think about that too.”

Youngjae felt that he had been worrying for nothing, looking at Emily, who was honestly sharing her thoughts. As she said, everyone fights eventually. But fighting has its own meaning and good points.

“You’re like an older sister.”

“I’m older than you, but? Still, don’t we look like we’re the same age when we stand together?”

Emily skillfully diffused the slightly tense atmosphere while acting cute. Youngjae made an exaggerated expression of disgust, telling her not to make such jokes.

“If you only count the meals, that’s more than 2000 meals more in 6 years, and I was 20 when I was 14, and uh…”

“S, stop! Don’t say my age so blatantly!”

Emily hurriedly stopped Youngjae and dragged him out of the cafe. While being dragged, Youngjae continued to tease her, counting how many more meals he had eaten and that if you only counted his age when he entered college, he had lived for 2 years after graduating.

“Whoa~”

Youngjae and Emily, who had enjoyed their time at Thornton Park until sunset, returned to the hotel, took turns showering, and naturally sat side by side on the bed in their pajamas. Leaning back against the headboard, Youngjae wrapped his arms around Emily’s waist, and Emily leaned against him as they watched talk shows like the Conan Show and NBA-related broadcasts.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

★Thank you to those who gave advance reservations, recommendations, comments, and coupons!!

★Thank you for the sponsorship coupon, Mr. Jamma!! I hope you take care of your health during the change of seasons^^.

＠Now we have passed the halfway point of the season. The start of the All-Star break.

Mr. Yabesu/// I thought Nash or Allen were good enough to be the best 3-point shooters, but this is a bit of a balance issue. Of course, the current success rate won’t last all season;;;

Mr. Dirtbear12/// He will grow more next year than this season. He is already capable of hard carrying to some extent. If this were a soccer novel, whether he moves teams would be a spoiler, but since it’s an American professional sports novel, I can tell you that it’s not a spoiler. At least until next season, Youngjae will not move teams. Due to the nature of the league, MLB and NBA players who are the best in the league under 3 years old do not move teams. That’s why there are many baseball novels set in the major leagues, and most of the protagonists don’t move teams until the end. Thank you for watching the story as it progresses for more details.

Mr. Goimosp/// I think even ordinary people would have a mental breakdown for a while if that happened.

Mr. Rtg98/// Linesdorf is famous for being stingy. He’s a team owner who trades players because he doesn’t want to pay luxury tax…

Mr. H0h, Mr. Ultra10, Mr. Get Out of the Way/// lol The Shark team’s balance is a bit;;; Bovoa is a disappointing prospect. He’s a case where his growth stopped due to a major injury and mental shock.

Mr. -DarkANGEL-, Mr. Financia, Mr. Dongseok Lee, Mr. Omarion/// Thank you for your comments!! Have a good day tomorrow^^.

Ms. Goddess Yuri Praise, Ms. Misscherry/// Most people can’t concentrate on the game when their family is sick, so their performance becomes crap. That’s why the club often sends them to take care of them. If you suffer a loss, you won’t be able to work for a while, so it would be strange if you were in good condition…

Kobe’s performance was also terrible before and after the affair, and if you get a mental shock, your body will be messed up until you recover.

Mr. Disappearing Soul/// Haha. I will continue to keep up with regular updates. Please enjoy it^^.