Love for Love's Sake - Chapter 26
Chapter 26
After disembarking at the bus stop in front of Hwaseong’s sports complex, I saw a sight filled with old commercial buildings and apartments beyond the wide lanes. Behind the bridge was a stretch of undeveloped greenery.
I had been to Hwaseong before.
At that time, it was a much more crowded tourist destination than this place. I looked around and crossed the street. My injured foot was sore with every step.
As I entered the supplementary stadium, a grassy field and an athletics track surrounded by the stands came into view.
Banners hanging between the stands were fluttering in the wind. In addition to the hosts in blue caps, there were already a few people in the stands. Most of them seemed to be officials of the event or family members of the participants. Occasionally there were locals who seemed to have come to watch.
My priority now was to find a seat that was a reasonable distance from Cha Yeowoon.
There was some distance between the stands and the track, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. And just in case he would recognize me, I had come prepared with a mask and a baseball cap.
[ 100m to Love Supremacy Zone. ]
Furthermore, I had a great early warning detector. If I ever felt like I was too close to danger, I could quickly leave the stadium.
It wasn’t easy to cheer. I wondered what I was doing here without letting Cha Yeowoon know.
Maybe later, would he appreciate it a little? Maybe? I thought he would.
If someone had come to support me on the day I had reapplied for the college entrance exam, I would have been happy. Even if I wasn’t aware of it, it would have been comforting to believe that someone was cheering for me. But back then, there was no one for me.
It was my first time watching a track and field event in person. Numbers cones were assigned to the eight lanes.
The high schools and athletes’ names were announced through the speakers. In the 200m final, Cha Yeowoon was in lane 7.
Feeling anxious, I clenched my cap tighter. As the athletes took their positions in the lanes, I became increasingly anxious.
I was already like this, so I couldn’t imagine how Cha Chawoon must be feeling.
[Ahn Sia] : Big brother
[Ahn Sia] : Are you watching the competition?
I became momentarily distracted as I checked the consecutive messages. Ahn Sia’s name filled my recent messages, with requests for photos and updates.
The problem was that Cha Yeowoon hadn’t replied for several days.
I stopped replying to Ahn Sia and looked ahead again. There was still no signal announcing the start of the competition.
Cha Yeowoon seemed strange.
While the other athletes had already positioned their feet on the starting blocks and were ready to run, he still hadn’t acted.
Could he be disqualified for this? Although I didn’t know much about track and field, I at least knew that much when it came to rules.
And sure enough, the host whistled and gave a warning.
It seemed like a disqualification was imminent.
Despite the danger, I was already rushing forward.
[ 20m to Love Supremacy Zone. ]
As I leaped down, the ankle that was supposed to be stabilized throbbed with a sharp, stabbing pain. My cap kept falling backward, so I took it off completely.
“Cha Yeowoon!”
[ 10m to Love Supremacy Zone. ]
The closer I got, the cloudier and darker Cha Yeowoon’s surroundings seemed. Blinking didn’t change a thing.
What was clear were his bright blue shoes.
He was wearing the track and field shoes I had given him.
“Run!”
I clung to the iron railing as if I was about to leap and shouted at the top of my lungs.
Our eyes met.
Just like the moment when we first met.
His distant gaze anchored onto me.
[ Calculating Cha Yeowoon’s favorability. ]
It was like golden sand swirling underwater.
The moment when the world turned upside down like an hourglass…
Cha Yeowoon lowered his body, touched the ground with his hands, and stepped on the starting block.
[ Entering Love Supremacy Zone. ]
I hadn’t moved a single step. Yet, the message claimed I was getting closer to Cha Yeowoon.
A small explosion resounded.
Once the starting signal was given, Cha Yeowoon sprinted.
I saw a multicolored band spreading from his feet. The circle that surrounded him shimmered in a brilliant rainbow.
The ripples spread like waves towards me.
[ Favorability: -99 ]
[ Calculating Cha Yeowoon’s favorability. ]
The messages and the colorful waves didn’t stop.
[ Favorability: -79 ]
The numbers changed in real-time.
[ Favorability: -52 ]
[ Favorability: -30 ]
With each stride Cha Yeowoon took, the numbers rebounded.
The deep negative score was rising. Cha Yeowoon seemed to be running as if he could shake off his own shadow.
It was truly, sincerely, impressive.
My hands that were clinging to the railing heated. Before I knew it, I was shaking.
The 200m came to an end in no time. Cha Yeowoon seemed to fly towards the finish line. In my vision there was only Cha Yeowoon. It was also the brightest spot.
[ Favorability: 0 ]
And the moment he stood in the sun and looked at me.
[ Favorability: 1 ]
A simple but definite number gripped my heart that was beating wildly.
Cha Yeowoon, who was gasping and heaving his shoulders, stepped off the ground again. He wasn’t looking anywhere else.
He was coming towards me.
* * *
[ Calculating favorability. ]
Cha Yeowoon was standing still.
“Cha Yeowoon! Run!”
Until that shout reached him.
Love this ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
LITERALLY IN TEARS ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN OMG!!