episode_0025

Chorul was seen leaning against the wall with her head bowed.

Approaching her, he felt uneasy seeing her, usually healthy and lively, in such a state, so he straightened his clothes.

“Are you resting because it’s tough? Can I join you for a moment?”

“…”

Before Chorul could hear the answer, she blankly stared at me sitting next to her. It was an empty gaze devoid of any common reactions like annoyance or joy.

“She seems lost in thought, huh… Well, it’s fine if she just stays quiet.”

Sensing something amiss, I deliberately acted more casually. Sometimes, people find greater comfort in watching those who enjoy life with bright smiles rather than those who console them.

“I learned a lot about stretching today, and thanks to taking advanced physical education classes, my future is looking brighter! Hah.”

I placed my hand on Chorul’s thick thigh. It wasn’t a lewd gesture like before but a warm touch filled with sincerity. I could feel Chorul’s body heat on my palm.

“Your legs seem twice as big as mine. I can’t even imagine how much training it took to build such legs.”

Her thigh temperature seemed seriously low, likely from being exposed to the wind for quite some time. My hand naturally warmed up her cold and taut flesh.

“You know what? I’ve lived without any preparation for the future, just seeking enjoyment. I have no desired profession or special talents.”

For the first time, Chorul lifted her head.

“Surprisingly, every day is joyful for me. Even last night, I couldn’t sleep because I was excited about tomorrow.”

“…Really?”

“Is that so? Still, I bet I’m less lacking than you just sitting here all hunched over.”

I didn’t know why she seemed crestfallen, but this was an opportunity. I had no intention of missing the chance presented by the beauty.

“Oh God, though I’m a despicable person preying on a weakened woman, please send me to heaven. …I want to have sex with an angel too!”

While I approached Chorul to conquer her, my words were always sincere, without a single lie.

“Lies beget lies. If a slip of the tongue occurs after becoming close, everything will fall apart.”

“…You know, if you ever need a shoulder to lean on, it’s okay to rely on me. I’m confident in providing emotional support!”

This was genuine.

Once, a friend I had known for 7 years suddenly thanked me.

“I’m really grateful to have you…”

“Did you take some drugs, punk?”

“…”

It turned out that my friend had suffered from depression two years ago, but seeing me living cheerfully without a plan gradually uplifted them, claiming it was a form of natural therapy.

“I’ve always lived a planned life… I’ve been plagued by all sorts of negative thoughts!”

After that, among friends, they started being called the crazy healing factor. …Thinking back now, it seemed like everyone around me was eccentric except for me. Everyone else was just nuts.

“Is this the plight of a sane minority…”

“If you want, I’ll be an oasis just for you.”

“…Are you kidding? Even middle schoolers don’t make such cheesy remarks.”

Though I made a meaningless protest, the atmosphere shifted towards me the moment she responded.

“Stop laughing and speak up, girl.”

“?!!”

Chorul’s once vacant expression was now tinged with faint amusement.

“T-this, this, this is ridiculous enough to burst into laughter!!”

People who fell for me in the past all unanimously denied it. It hurts the ego to be rejected, especially by moms.

“Being able to laugh freely… That could be a sanctuary in its own way!”

“T-this… What the hell are you saying!”

This time it’s for real. I showed my palm and took a step back.

“Hey, calm down. I just suggested a possibility. I also like you.”

“…Are you messing with me?”

“…Messing? What do you mean by that?”

Choyul suddenly stood up and glared at me. Her gaze was menacing.

“Um… it’s a bit scary over there…”

It felt like she was about to hit me for real.

She lowered her hand and lightly touched my lips as I sat there.

…

Tap.

” ?!! ”

“…Now, turn it off!”

With those words, Choyul ran away.

“No, if you told me to turn it off, why are you running away?”

Perhaps due to her track training, she vanished in the blink of an eye.

“I never knew you knew how to kiss… Why are you so cute.”

—

Athletes suffer from various illnesses and aftereffects due to high-intensity training. After retiring, they often become less sharp than the average person, mainly because their knee cartilage, which could have lasted until their 70s, wears out prematurely in their youth.

Despite being healthier than office workers who sit all day, overtraining can lead to a shorter lifespan compared to the general population.

Ironically, even with such rigorous training, the chances of success as an athlete are slim. The probability of a baseball player making it to the pro league is only 4%, while for a soccer player, it’s a mere 3%.

Of course, it is a lucrative profession if successful. However, the environment is excessively harsh and grim to harbor fantasies.

The worst part is the substantial risks for the future. Entering a sports club at a young age leads to a natural drift away from academics. If one fails as an athlete in such a state, their career prospects are severely compromised.

…Choyul never really thought about becoming a track athlete.

She simply enjoyed running endlessly around the fields with her friends during her childhood.

Unfortunately, her talent for running was exceptionally outstanding. She caught the eye of a retired marathon runner in the village, marking her first misfortune.

He instilled expectations in her parents, ultimately leading her to move to the city alone at a young age to live in a dormitory.

The retired marathoner in the village wasn’t exaggerating; from a young age, Choyul surpassed existing youth running records with overwhelming skill.

Now, not only in her hometown but across the country, people who read articles or watched videos began to notice her and cheer for her.

Under the weight of high expectations, she was always anxious about making a mistake and feared ruining her life if she got injured and had to retire.

Once, her parents subtly suggested elite education, but she vehemently opposed it.

The problem with elite sports education is that it neglects all other subjects besides sports. Failing as an athlete after receiving elite education would be a complete downfall.

She always kept in mind the possibility of failure. Even now, she continues to run joylessly, driven by anxiety about the future.

The turning point in her life was enrolling as a sports specialist at the prestigious Queen Bartz Academy.

Receiving the admission letter from Queen Bartz, she couldn’t contain her joy for an entire week. She believed that the anxiety clinging to her spine would now disappear.

…After enrolling at Queen Bartz Academy, she never imagined that the expectations from her parents and others would grow even larger.

Although she had set impressive records before, the number of articles praising her increased significantly after entering Queen Bartz. Previously considered just a promising talent, she was now treated no differently than any other professional athlete.

On the first day of her major in Advanced Physical Education, she attracted the envy and admiration of her fellow sports specialists wherever she went.

People are social animals. Therefore, what makes people happy or sad all comes from their relationships with others.

Hell isn’t really that different. When people become afraid, that place becomes hell. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t escape this hell.

“…I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

I wanted to run away. I wanted to live where no one’s gaze could reach me. Not even the empty dorm room bed was ever comfortable.

The only time I recently smiled was when I first talked to a troublemaker named Lee Ji-yoon. She started off by harassing me, and at first, I thought she was just another crazy woman. …Thinking back, she really is a crazy woman.

The problem is, she’s an otherworldly beauty who could outshine most celebrities. Instead of feeling bad when she harassed me, I felt strangely excited, which left me flustered.

Exchanging sticky glances with a girl… It was a first for me in my life.

“…I’m a lesbian.”

I shook my head to get rid of such thoughts.

Avoiding people, I leaned against the shady wall between buildings.

Today was particularly tough. If things continued like this, I’d soon be treated like trash, waiting for all sorts of malicious articles to pour out.

There was no meaning in living. Even the family I was once close to had turned distant, obsessed with success.

As time passed, common ground disappeared, and conversations didn’t last more than a minute. Changing schools often meant having few friends to keep in touch with. Even those relationships were more about admiration than genuine friendship, making it hard to endure.

Breathing became difficult.

The only place I could breathe was in the shadowy places without people.

My mind grew foggy.

…

…

“Are you taking a break because it’s tough? Can I join you for a moment?”

An unnecessarily cheerful voice rang in my ears.

I ignored it. No, I tried to ignore it.

“…Anyway, thanks to taking advanced physical education, my future life is going to be prosperous! Hah.”

After babbling to myself, she suddenly placed her hand on my thigh.

“This jerk is harassing me again!”

…I tried to curse, but something felt off. Instead of the usual lewdness, I felt a warm touch as if she was trying to calm me down.

In the world of sports, physical contact was common due to the exposure to violence and the tradition of establishing camaraderie through physical interactions, but this was new to me.

“…If you ever need a shoulder to lean on, you can rely on me.”

I looked at her. Despite trying to hide it, my desire, not entirely concealed, was visible. Strangely, her desire didn’t make me uncomfortable. Rather, it stirred a gentle wave in my heart, like throwing a stone into a calm lake.

Chor-yul felt embarrassed by this unfamiliar sensation and acted contrary to her true feelings.

…Above all, Lee Ji-yoon was subtly unfortunate. It seemed like she was playing with me.

“Are you interested in me too.”

“……”

With just one word, my body heated up. It was hard to control the rising emotions.

Perhaps… just perhaps… Could Lee Ji-yoon become a sanctuary where I could find refuge?

My nipples stiffened. Thankfully, I was wearing a sports bra, so I could hide my excitement.

“Um… I’m a bit scared…”

She always seemed confident, so I thought she had no fears, but she was more fearful than I had imagined. …Her trembling in fear was fatally cute.

She clung to me so persistently, yet when I approached her, she seemed taken aback, which amused me.

I touched her lips. They were as soft as touching a duck feather jacket.

Peck.

…When I came to my senses, I had already kissed Lee Ji-yoon.

“…Stop it now!”

Chor-yul ran away after saying that. She couldn’t bear to look at Lee Ji-yoon’s face any longer.

Thud-.

“What was that just now? A motorcycle?”

In the past, there was a debate in the children’s area about whether it was speeding when Bolt, a successor from the past, ran there. The conclusion was that although it wasn’t a vehicle, there couldn’t be legal consequences. What mattered was the fact that the sprint of a track athlete was much faster than expected.

“…I feel like I’m being watched.”

That day, a false rumor spread through the village that a wild boar had come down.