The Real Final | winrina

The Rising Star

"What a good return from Kim Min Jeong seonsu*. What you say, Lee seonsu?"

"I agreed, Park-sshi. She was far in the back yet she's able to return the drop shot from the opponent. No doubt she's our rising player."

*Seonsu is the standard word for 'athlete' in Korean

The commentators, commentate on whatever happened in the court for the live game broadcast. There are two girls moving around the green floor while each one of them gripping tight a handle. A long yet slim shaft meets the end of the handle and an oval frame with a tightly interlaced network of strings completes the implement called racket. On the right side is a short-haired girl with headband while on the other side, separated by a 5 feet net, is a blonde girl with ponytail. The nimble-footed girl seems energetic while her opponent moves a little bit slower, giving her chance to gain another point easily.

"Oh, what a beautiful shot." The commentary continues.

"Yes, Park-sshi. Kim seonsu noticed her opponent was on the right side at the end of court. She saw it and drop the shuttle on the left side. She uses her brain wisely."

"I've heard that Lee seonsu hardly compliment anyone. It's rare to receive it from the former world number one. Does Kim seonsu catch your eyes now, Lee seonsu?"

"Hahaha. What a wild rumours you got there, Park-shhi. I only compliment the one who deserves it. Kim seonsu's is the living proof."

"Oh! Another wonderful shot. Now Kim seonsu is on the match point with 5 points lead."

The short-haired girl takes a deep breath while the blonde girl on the other side is ready to receive her service. She is one point away from winning the game and if she did, it will be her first BWF Super Series title. Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super Series is a series of 23 badminton tournaments held each year. It's one of the highest tournament before the Badminton World Championship and the Badminton Olympics event. Winning a super series can increase players' ranking and only top eight players are qualified to participate in the BWF Super Series Finals at the end of the season. She loses to the same opponent in the last month tournament and this time, she will not let the blonde girl grab her second title.

"20, match point 15, play."

The girl hears the judge and exhales calmly. She stands sideways, her left arm bent for about 45 degrees while holding the head of the shuttlecock as high as her chest. She then swings her right arm upwards. The shuttle fly high to the opponent's side and she stands in the middle of the court while waiting for her opponent to return the shuttle. The blonde girl returns it back to her left side and she quickly sends it backward as she saw the blonde's position is closer to the net. As she expected, the blonde can't return it nicely. It is a half-court return, which is always anticipated by every badminton's player. Didn't waste the chance, she pushes her body up into the air and gently bend her legs to the back. She extends her chest to the widest, stretching out her non-racket arm to have the full body balance in the air. While her eyes fixed on the upcoming shuttle, she stretches out her racket arm as far back as possible and hits the shuttle by swinging the racket forward. The blonde throws herself to the direction of the shuttle but unable to return the smash.

"Game ended. Match won by Min Jeong Kim 19-21, 21-19, 21-15."

"ASSAAAAAA!" Minjeong sat on her knees, shouting wholeheartedly.

As South Korea hosts the BWF Super Series this month, almost the whole badminton arena is filled with Korean fans and of course, they cheers for Minjeong loudly. She shakes hand with her opponent and the judges before happily runs to her coach. She also doesn't forget to thank the fans who supported her during the game. She wants to go straight home right after the medal ceremony but as the new rising badminton star, a lot of reporters waiting to interview her.

"How does it feels to be the first Korean female player to win a super series title at the age of 21?" A reporter asks her in English.

"Em, well.... It feels good?" Her short answers plus her confused face, make others laughed.

"Seriously, I feel good. It's mean I'm improving and I like it. But, of course, I couldn't be here if it was not because of my coach and seniors who helped me a lot." Minjeong continued.

"Did you know that you're the hot topic in the women's single right now?"

"Oh.. Really? I didn't watch news. I was busy training." She again makes people laugh seconds later after the translator translates her answer in English.

"I see that your English is good. You didn't wait for the translator to translate it for you. You immediately answered my questions."

"Em... Thank you? I suppose." And then the other reporters laughed again.

"Then why just don't you answer in English?"

"Because I'm helping her doing her job." She pointed at a girl who's holding a mic not too far from the stage. At her neck is a lanyard written as "translator." She smiles at the translator.

"You seems to be wearing that same headband since your debut. Is there any specific reason why?"

"Well— ," she looks at the camera "— because it's special to me." And then she winks.

*************************************************

Jimin trudges her way to the door. She just finished her 24hours on-call and right now all she thinks is her comfy bed.

"I'm hom—"

"ASSAAA!!! ASSA ASSA ASSAAAA!!!"

"And..... SHE DID IT! Kim seonsu just beat the current world number one in the rubber set!"

Jimin let out a big sigh. She crosses her arms, watching the back of a girl from the television. The girl is sitting on her knees in the middle of the court, throwing her fists in the air. Jimin reads out loud the girl's name showed on her back as a way to announce her appearance.

"Kim M J."

"Oh. Ttal?* You're home already?" Her mom turned her head to greet her.

"Ttal!! Look, Kim Min Jeong seonsu won the game!! Jimin-ah!!!" She let her father hugged her.

"Just how much you like her, appa?* Should I be jealous?" She couldn't help but to smile at her father. She finds him cute every time he gets excited.

"Oh, don't be. Our Jiminie will still be my favourite." Her father reassured her.

"Go and take a rest, ttal. You must be tired after your long shift."

"I'll see you tomorrow, omma*, appa. Love you."

*Ttal means 'daughter' in Korean

*Appa means 'dad' in Korean

*Omma means 'mom' in Korean

Jimin is in her first year of training after medical school. At the age of 24, she's considered young to already doing an internship. She comes from a middle class family. Her mother was a clerk and her father was a physical education teacher and part of the school badminton coaches, which explains why he really loves badminton. Now that both of them have retired, it's her job now to support their family. Her love life? Failed. When she was in high school, her parents forbid her to be in relationship as she's still a minor. When she entered medical school, her parents didn't allow her to have a boyfriend as they afraid it might affect her studies and results. But, have you heard about medical school curse? It is said that if you didn't get a boyfriend during 6 years of studies, there's high probability for you to stay single forever. Why? Because once you graduated and become a doctor, all doctors at your workplace either married, engaged, already in relationship or there might be a single doctor but his age is old enough to be your father. There is no between. Actually, there are few guys trying to flirt her but they're all someone's husband which she finds it disgusting. Plus with zero love life experience, she thinks that she is cursed

"Will I ever be free from the curse?" She sighed before sinking into the bed.