Love for Love’s Sake - Chapter 63

Chapter 63

“That much better? There’s a big difference compared to the next runner.”

“He’s too good. It’s like he’s running by himself. His start and posture hasn’t changed much, but why is he performing so well? I’ve seen a lot of his races, but today, his condition is unbelievable. Is he going to break his own record?”

“Didn’t Cha Yeowoon break the high school personal record?”

Choi Jinseo sitting next to me casually joined the conversation. Being associated with a sports brand and personally wanting to recruit Cha Yeowoon, she seemed to know quite a bit about him.

“After finishing top in the middle school division, he immediately set a new record in the high school division after entering high school. The record wasn’t far off from the general division timing either.”

Ahn Sia, a self-proclaimed fan of Cha Yeowoon, said almost nonstop. Last time, I thought she was just excited to talk about track and field, but it seemed she was more passionate about it than the casual fans who come and watch the competitions.

“He performed even better in the semi-finals than in the qualifiers. If he continues like this, won’t he set a new national record?”

“Then won’t that mean Yeowoon is the fastest in the country?”

“If I remember correctly, Cha Yeowoon’s 100m record is 10.17 seconds? Before he broke it, the high school record was in the 10.50 seconds range. And now, the current men’s general division record is 10.07 seconds. Even if he competes in the general division now, there’s hardly anyone who can run faster than him.”

As we delved into the explanation of track and field, Ahn Sia, who was already speaking rapidly, quickened her pace even further.

“Cha Yeowoon was originally a genius recognized since middle school. He stumbled a bit in the latter half of last year. I know he hasn’t been performing well recently, but it seems his slump is completely over now.”

Genius, the end of a slump. I couldn’t help but to feel proud. The person running was Cha Yeowoon, but I was anxious and excited.

“The finals is about to begin.”

Choi Jinseo muttered in the background as the announcement and entry of the athletes began.

It was Cha Yeowoon’s long-awaited 100m finals. I stood up, afraid to miss even a moment.

“Myeongha, here. Do you r-remember what I said this morning?”

Ahn Gyeonghun held out the camera he had put down next to him. It was a camera that looked expensive at first glance, so I accepted it carefully.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to take the photos…?”

“Yes. Thanks for teaching me. I’ll do it myself.”

Although Ahn Gyeonghun had willingly offered to take photos of Cha Yeowoon during the competition, for now, I wanted to do it.

I also wanted to learn because I couldn’t keep asking a paid photographer to do it. Well, if it didn’t work out, I could ask Ahn Gyeonghun to take photos of tomorrow’s competition.

When you draw a sword, you must be prepared to use it. Now that I held the camera, I had to take at least one photo.

My resolve strengthened as I held the camera.

“I have to take photos, so I’ll watch from the front.”

With the excuse of taking photos, I walked to the very front of the stands.

[ 1m to Love Supremacy Zone. ]

One step.

[ 30m to Love Supremacy Zone. ]

Another step.

[ Entering Love Supremacy Zone. ]

At the starting point, Cha Yeowoon took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment as if thinking about something. His side profile, seen through the lens of the camera, was incredibly dignified. Without realizing it, I pressed the shutter.

[ Buff triggered due to positive favorability. ]​

The wind blew and rainbow-colored ripples spread out from where Cha Yeowoon stood.

It was a breathtaking sight that only I could see in this world.

I wanted to keep watching it. Forever.

The starting signal echoed.

Athletes in their lanes simultaneously sprinted out.

Cha Yeowoon surpassed everyone and took the lead.

It appeared as if he would keep running like that forever. I became anxious. His back was getting farther away.

There was only about ten seconds.

A very, very short time.

But it felt like an eternity to me.

My camera followed Cha Yeowoon, capturing consecutive images. That was how he looked to me.

One shot, another shot, countless clear moments.

Cheers from the surroundings could be heard. I also heard Ahn Sia shouting Cha Yeowoon’s name from behind me.

But I couldn’t make any sound. For some reason, my throat wouldn’t let me.

Cha Yeowoon, who had crossed the finish line, turned his head. His gaze wandered through the stands.

He was looking for me.

From far away, he reached out his arm.

Because he seemed to be repeating something, I zoomed in with the camera again. Observing the movements of his mouth, I was able to decipher what he was saying.

“Promise, I kept it.”

In the zoomed lens, Cha Yeowoon’s smile filled the frame. Even if the camera couldn’t capture the lights around him, I kept pressing the shutter as if enchanted. As if doing so would allow me to seize this moment.

On that day, Cha Yeowoon’s 100m record was 10.09 seconds.

The next day, his 200m record was 20.56 seconds.

Both days were personal bests and new high school records.

* * *

“He killed it.”

Ahn Sia trembled while clenching her fists.

“Ahn Sia, your forehead is red.”

“Don’t stop me. I’m so pumped up right now that I want to run into a wall.”

That was enough for me to stop Ahn Sia.

Long-time fans would be deeply moved, so I naturally understood her feelings.

The moment Cha Yeowoon crossed the finish line, everyone became so excited that they rushed to the front of the stands. Ahn Sia hugged me, causing me to almost drop the camera.

Nevertheless, a considerable amount of time had passed since the competition ended. It was already evening. Although things should be settling down, Ahn Sia was still pacing around the room.

“Honestly, this autumn competition is legendary. Legendary.”

“Sia, that’s the tenth time you’ve said that.”

“How can he break both the 100m and 200m high school records?! He almost broke the general division record for the 100m. Is this a high school student’s record? Isn’t this insane? Isn’t it really crazy?!”

Ahn Sia had been shouting since the end of the competition.

This was happening at the lodging where Ahn Gyeonghun and I were staying. Choi Jinseo seemed to be dealing with work-related contacts even after coming here, so as soon as Ahn Sia had interrupted her, she smiled and ushered her out.

[Tae Myeongha] : Has everyone from the track and field congratulated you?

I was waiting for Cha Yeowoon.

The excitement over Cha Yeowoon breaking records wasn’t just limited to us. There was also a commotion within the track and field team. I had heard that he had been held by his coach ever since the competition ended.

[Cha Yeowoon] : Not yet

[Cha Yeowoon] : I think I can leave soon

[Cha Yeowoon] : I’ll wait behind your lodging

An answer that seemed like it would take some time to receive appeared continuously. Thinking I should get going, I grabbed my bag.

“I’m going to see Yeowoon.”

“Really?! Me too…wait no.”

“What is it?”

“I was so excited that I almost crossed the line. At least I’m not tactless enough to ask to join your meeting.”

“So what? You haven’t congratulated him in person.”

“I don’t want Cha Yeowoon to blame me for not being able to distinguish between what I should and shouldn’t do. He would probably stare at me and ask why I came. Have a nice trip.”

The scene where Cha Yeowoon just glared coldly at Ahn Sia was drawn so well that I couldn’t deny it.

Ahn Sia, who had suddenly become calm, saw me off in front of the dorm, saying that she also needed some fresh air.

“Big brother.”

“What? Changed your mind? Want to come with me?”

“No. I feel like I have to thank big brother.”

“What?”

“Cha Yeowoon’s record.”

“I wondered what you were going to say. I wasn’t the one running. It’s all the result of Cha Yeowoon’s effort.”

Ahn Sia, with her back to the sky, which was just beginning to turn a mix of blue and purple, shook her head.

“There are too many cases in sports where your performance doesn’t recover even if you originally performed well. People were saying that Cha Yeowoon should probably quit. Even though I’ve been cheering for him for years, it was the first time I saw him running like that, so I couldn’t help but to be moved.”

“…Is that so?”

“Cha Yeowoon…he looked really happy during this competition.”

It seemed that way to me too.

When I couldn’t answer easily, Ahn Sia, who had become calm again, quickly changed her playful expression and, with her elbow pressed together, bent her fingertips to create a ridiculous heart shape.

“Wish you everlasting love.”

“Don’t do that.”

“Cheering for your love.”

“I’m leaving.”

Thankfully, it was getting dark. The back of my neck felt hot while I was walking across the lodging. It was surely red.

The back of Cha Yeowoon’s lodging was surrounded by a low wall. I tried to wait quietly, but someone was already there. A bright light was coming from a phone.

Cheon Sangwon was near the wall and looking intently at his phone screen.

Despite me approaching from the side, he didn’t notice.

He was watching a CCTV that showed the interior of a house. A familiar white furball lay on the cushion, yawned, and then walked away to get a drink of water.

A pet CCTV. Cheon Sangwon was watching intently as the white Pomeranian drank water.

“Are you watching Seulgi?”

“Ah, fuck.”

Cheon Sangwon quickly stepped aside.

“I’ve been next to you since earlier, and you’re surprised now?”

“Alert me in advance.”

“I did, but you didn’t notice. How’s Seulgi?”

Cheon Sangwon would shed the arrogant image and become much softer whenever the topic of Seulgi came up.

“They the crisis has passed, but he’s old”

Cheon Sangwon gently stroked Seulgi who had returned to the soft cushion and was lying lazily, even though it was just a reflection on the screen.

“Still, you’re both doing your best every day. So that there’s no regrets even if you can’t see each other later.”

So that there was no regret even if they couldn’t see each other later.

Was that possible?

Would knowing the departure in advance be a relief? I thought of my dwindling ‘remaining time.’

“Hey, brother. Thanks back then. You didn’t tell anyone I was crying over my dog.”

Cheon Sangwon said in short spurts while turning off his phone. He was rather cute for his age.

“Congratulations on advancing to the 200m semifinals.”

When I tried to pat Cheon Sangwon on the back, he dodged to the side.

“Why do people keep bringing up the fact that I lost to Cha Yeowoon? I’m already embarrassed.”

“I’m not saying that to embarrass you.”

“Really?”

“You did well.”

“…”

“You did well enough to make it to the semifinals of a national competition just a few months after starting.”

Cheon Sangwon’s eyebrows rose strangely and his lips bent. It was my first time seeing him make such an incongruent expression.

“Excuse me, brother.”

“What?”

“Don’t flirt with me unless you’re going to date me.”

“Don’t blame me for your own problems.”

“Brother is really driving me crazy. Fuck.”

Cheon Sangwon hit the back of his head against the wall and cursed.

“Sangwon, don’t hate Yeowoon too much. You’re the same age. Same track and field team. Please treat him well. I’m asking you.”