The Running Game

Chapter 13

Winter 2009

It was almost 9 pm when she heard a clack sound hitting her bedroom window. And it was getting creepier as the sound of pebbles was getting more frequent. Then she carefully walked to the window, the sight of a familiar figure waved his hand at her. She wanted to scream out of excitement.

What is he doing here?

She immediately walked downstairs, being very careful to not wake her grandma up. Then ran off to open the gate.

"Are you crazy?! What if my grandma wakes up?!" She whispered fretfully at him.

"I've always wanted to try that. Going to my friend's house and throwing pebbles to call them." He laughed as he dodge her hand from playfully slapped his shoulders.

"You're a creep." She scoffed and she rolled her eyes at him. And he just chuckled slightly.

Then she saw it. The smile that didn't reach his eyes. And one of his hands was wrapped in a bandage. She didn't need to ask him. She understood what that look meant. He needed her. He needed his friend.

"Wanna take a stroll down the park?" She asked softly.

"Yes please." He smiled.

With the company of warm hotteoks, they sit side by side at the park bench. The dim lights that were lining at the edge of the park, giving the warm ambience at night. They didn't talk for a while. Just munching on the hotteoks that they bought. She didn't force him to. She waits whenever he is ready. All of the sudden, he surprised her by placing his coat around her shoulders.

"You could catch a cold."

"Says the one who lent me his jacket." Her eyes went to see him in a black turtleneck that fit his body.

"At least I'm not the one who wears thin pajamas and a cardigan." He continued to munch his hotteok.

He took a sip of hot latte. And when he finally relaxed, his sorrowful eyes stared into the distance. She watched how his demeanour changed. From being a silly high school boy who threw pebbles at her window to his quiet, stolid, yet vulnerable man who just needed comfort.

Then, she took his hand and covered it with hers. And he turned to face her.

"It's alright, I'm here. You don't need to hide it."

He closed his eyes then took three deep breaths. His hand grasped hers tightly and his thumb stroked her hand softly. Finding comfort and affection that he never got at home.

"I stood up for myself against them." Then he let his breath out, opened his eyes. And turned his head on her.

By them, it meant his parents. She knew.

"I chose to pursue basketball. Whether they like it or not."

her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped. "That's amazing!"

"And I got scouted by the national team." His lips curved into a genuine smile. However, she could see the hint of sadness in his eyes.

Then she put her hands to his shoulders and shook them excitedly. "Ya! Lim Soo Ho! I'm so proud of you! You finally live up to your dream! I couldn't be more happy for you!"

"That is the reaction I expect them to say the first time I broke the news for them. But, thank you. You're the first one who is genuinely happy about it." He grinned. "When I broke this news to them, there were a lot of exchanges of arguments, followed by a bunch of swearings." He sneered.

Then he noticed how her eyes couldn't stop staring at his bandaged hand. To answer the question in her curious mind, Then he put his injured hand in front of her. "Oh this? I got pissed so I hit my bedroom wall so hard that one spot on the wall was a bit crumbled."