Memoirs of a Young Love (Completed)

Chapter 7 - Exhibition Game

There was a scheduled exhibition game between our school and another school, Shuhoku. Their school is very popular because of their basketball team. They got a mythical five, so it's fair that they really are superstars. But if basketball is their turf, soccer was ours. And during this game, I am determined to get us to the winning side.

Playing midfield against Shuhoku, it was my role to defend and break attacks, and oftentimes I was taked to create goals and plays. Somehow, it has gotten me into a lot of brawls, but I kept my cool. After all, it's just a game and we all wanted to be sport towards each other.

As the game went on, I was up against someone I have seen already. Kim Hae-il. I was conflicted between playing the game and what he did the day before during the show. It was something I had to brush off right away. I did not want to get into a fight, not when Yejin was watching me play. The ball was in our court, and as I was dribbling it, I was tackled from behind by Hae-il which led me to lose the ball. Fortunately, Insung got the ball and put it to play. The tackling between me and Hae-il became more intense that there was a time I kicked him and then I earned a yellow card. The other guy smirked at me and it really made my blood boil up. I asked the coach to have me substituted, as I didn't want to earn the red card and lose my cool all in all.

Yejin saw me from the bleachers and she flashed her smile at me. I immediately smiled at the sight of her, and I was amazed that in the middle of the crowd and in the striking heat of the sun, I saw her. I really was in love with her. The game went on and I didn't realize that our team scored a goal, thru Insung. It was when her friends stood up and shouted that I knew what happened. The time remaining was ten minutes and I decide to get back into the game. Hae-il be damned, let him smirk at me for all I care, because I am back into shape.

The ball came into me and I was putting it into play and as I got near the goal, the man in question came up to me and tried to tackle me, but not before I scored the goal. I fell on the ground and smacked my head, then I felt dizzy. I stayed on the ground for a few moments till the referee asked me if I was okay. I said yes, and as I stood up, I felt my surroundings getting darker, the voices I heard fading into my senses until everything went black.

The next thing I knew, I woke up in the clinic with my coach, Mr. So. He was talking to the nurse and told her what happened. She advised that I stay in the clinic and rest first, before I go. I called him and he relayed to me what happened. Hae-il got a red card after that tackle and the team won. I felt happy that my team won, but I really was angry at the guy. I wanted to punch him but it's no use now. It's a game and I don't really want to dwell on the hurt so much. As a sportsman, the first thing I learned was to let go of things that are not really important anymore. I thanked Mr. So for bringing me over and asked if I could go out now. The nurse shook her head and told me to stay for at least thirty minutes and rest some more, before she allows me to go out. I followed suit.

Insung came in and asked permission if they could see me. The nurse allowed only one. He took a glance at me and nooded knowingly. I understood what he wanted to say and true enough, Yejin came into the clinic. She looked at me with worried eyes, but I just smiled at her.

'It's nothing new to me, Yej. I'm okay,' I told her.

'Are you sure?' she asked. I nodded and asked her to come near me. She kept a safe distance, after all, this was still school where discipline should be exercised. There was only one instance when I did something illegally, two to be exact and I did it at a place where I knew no one was watching. It's amazing for me that I was able to do those things with her, otherwise, my high school life would be as normal like the other kids.

'Stay with me, please. I'll be out in thirty,' I whispered. She smiled and we continued talking. About how nervous she was when she saw me faint, how happy she was when I scored the goal, and how she wanted to shout at Hae-il for doing this to me. Wow. I have a very strong girlfriend ready to cheer on and defend me. Thirty minutes came by so easily, and I was discharged from the clinic. We went while I swung my duffle bag on my shoulder, and my free hand held hers. We walked slowly, as I was still a bit wozzy, but as the walk went on I regained strength and was back to my old self. When we passed by the hallway, there were a few students who cheered on me and congratulated me for the nice play. I smiled at them, and there were girls also who went giggling at the sight of me. When I saw them, I smiled but then I held Yejin's hand tight as we walked around. We then went over to where her friends were and stayed with them.

Kim Hae-il was looking at us and I saw him coming our way. My mind went off and I was thinking a lot of things, and when he arrived he smiled at Yejin and then he shook my hand. I took it and he said sorry for what happened. I almost spat at him, not by what happened, but by the way he looked at her in front of me. Yejin must have sensed that I was uncomfortable so she held my hand in front of the other man and did not actually mind him and talked to her friends instead. Hae-il then went his way, while I smiled to myself for her gesture.

'Are you sure you're okay walking me home after what happened to you?' she asked.

I looked at her and told her, 'Why not? As long as I am here, I will walk you home every afternoon.' She smiled at me, and together we walked home.

As we arrived at her house, her mom was outside, tending her garden. I was allowed to come in, it was my first time. Her mom had been very accommodating and offered me a drink. Yejin asked me if I could wait for her dad to arrive so she could introduce me to him. I nodded.

When her dad arrived, he looked at me as if he recognized someone through me. Yejin went up to him and brought him over to where I was. I stood up and bowed to him.

'Good afternoon, Mr. Son. I'm Hyun Bin,' I introduced myself.

He looked at me asked me. 'You remind me of someone I know. If I may ask, who are your parents?'

'I don't have a father, sir. My mother is Kim Young Hee,' I replied. And I swear the color drained from his face.

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The retreat house has changed a lot. I remembered there was a plant box in one of these places, but it was nowhere to be found now. It was where I took a peony and gave it to Yejin on our first month together. I sighed at the thought that it was all a memory. A memory that I always wanted to go back, but it's just I don't know how to start with.

I took pictures of the place and was amazed at how much had changed. How much time had gone by that I did not bother to think again about this place. How much time had passed since I gave Yejin my first gift for her, a sole white peony along with a promise that I would give her bouquets of it when I have my own money.

As I went deeper into the house, I saw her. It has been years, but then I still found myself mesmerized by her mere presence. How much time has changed her perhaps? Will she be able to talk to me again after what happened?

Will I be able to hold up my end of the bargain when I never forgot about her, ever?

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A/N:
I just used Shuhoku in ode to SlamDunk, one of my favorite animès. It sounds Japanese, but after all, this is a fanfic 😁😁😁

See you on the next fic.