Almost a Crybaby
‘Tough luck, but it’s not like it couldn’t have happened.’
Hunter had practically howled that he was almost fifteen, yet he was the youngest player in the entire L2 tournament for players under eighteen.
No matter how superior his build was compared to his peers, he was still growing. And his semifinal opponent was seventeen—already bordering on adulthood.
So even if he lost, it wasn’t something to be ashamed of.
‘Just getting this far is pretty amazing…’
Jiyu hesitated, struggling for the right words to offer comfort, and stole a glance at him.
Hunter rummaged through his bag, pulled out a fresh towel, and wiped the sweat from his face. He then peeled off his drenched headband and wristband, shoved them into the bag, and took out a new T-shirt, setting it on the table.
Right after the match, his breathing was ragged, sweat pouring down his forehead and temples.
Her heart grew even heavier.
He trained until he dropped dead every day, gave it his all, yet he still lost in the match. She could almost imagine him wanting to smash his racket.
She probably needed to say something comforting.
‘O-Over here… Hunter, heh!’
Hunter, who had been pulling up his shirt to his chest, suddenly froze with his eyes wide when he caught Jiyu staring at him. She quickly turned her head. Hot steam rose from her neck and crept all the way to her cheeks.
A brief silence settled before the rustling of clothes being changed resumed.
Jiyu deliberately avoided looking at him and cleared her throat.
‘Ahem. Good work. Try harder next time. So, we’re heading home now?’
‘What? Why home?’
His tone was blunt.
When the rustling stopped, Jiyu subtly lifted her head.
Hunter frowned slightly, ran his long fingers through his damp hair, and then put on the new headband and wristband one after another.
Jiyu blinked and scanned him in his new athletic wear.
‘Consolation match left?’
‘Consolation? What nonsense is that.’
Hunter grumbled irritably and grabbed something from the ice box, then tossed it lightly in front of Jiyu. It was a homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwich from Chef Hamilton. Next to it, he placed a bottle of apple juice. Both were things she had loved as a kid.
Jiyu couldn’t hide her surprise and asked,
‘You… won the semifinal?’
Hunter opened the lid of the match-day lunch box prepared by Chef and the nutritionist, and let out a snort.
‘Obviously.’
‘Oh… So congratulations, Hunter.’
He shrugged as if it were nothing.
‘I told you I would win.’
At that moment, Jake approached the table holding a burger lunch set from the vending machine and patted Hunter on the shoulder.
‘Great job, Hunter. Especially that Ad-side serve. The wide slice training must have paid off, right?’
Hunter nodded, but his face tightened.
‘But the Deuce-side serve was a mess. I held back my power so I’d have energy for the final, and every single one was returned. Damn…’
He shot Jiyu a sidelong glance and swallowed the curse.
‘It’s fine, it’s fine. That was just a strategic choice. We’ll go with Battering Ram for the final too. Since the opponent’s backhand is weaker, even with the power gap, we can take advantage of the left-handed advantage. But on hard court, no sliding—your ankle will regret it if you twist it.’
Following Jake’s advice, the two of them stood and began discussing final-match strategy, drawing and erasing lines on the whiteboard with the tennis-court pattern.
Jiyu watched them while nibbling on her peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She had played tennis long enough to follow most of it, though the too-technical parts went in one ear and out the other.
Hunter chewed his insipid grilled chicken breast slowly, then chugged the protein shake with granola stirred in.
His bright blue eyes shone with a passionate intensity as he debated seriously.
He wasn’t usually talkative. She had watched him for so long, yet this was the first time she saw him arguing so aggressively and putting his whole heart into his opinions.
Jiyu felt her stomach churn strangely and set the sandwich down, taking a sip of apple juice instead. She knew better than anyone how seriously Hunter threw himself into tennis.
She envied how he poured his entire body and soul into something he loved, burning brightly. At the same time, she felt uneasy.
Whenever she was asked what her dream was or what she wanted to do when she grew up, she always struggled to answer, mumbling something vague.
She had been pushed to become a Wall Street banker, to earn massive money and become rich. But instinctively, she knew that wasn’t her path.
Nor did she have any particular passion. She was born practical and dry, even while surrounded by dreams and hopes.
‘What should I do with my life from now on?’
Jiyu stared longingly at Hunter.
As if sensing her gaze, he turned his head and looked at her.
‘What? You want to swap?’
Startled, Jiyu shook her head vigorously and bit into the sweet-salty sandwich with a big bite.
A bitter smile on her lips, Hunter speared his salad with a fork and stuffed it in. As a kid, he would finish four or five peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in one sitting, eyes closed.
Jiyu folded her envy like a sheet of paper. Becoming an athlete really wasn’t easy.
Thirty minutes before the final, Hunter and Jake stood up, saying they needed to stretch and warm up. Jake went to the bathroom first, and Hunter packed his bag.
‘Number one court. Front row at the bleachers.’
He emphasized it again.
‘Got it. You say the same thing over and over. Just once is enough to remember.’
Jiyu grumbled as she stood and picked up the book from the table. A tissue fell out between the pages and landed next to Hunter’s shoes.
‘Oh!’
As she leaned forward, Hunter was faster. He picked up the tissue in its plastic packaging and waved it playfully, grinning.
‘Jiyu. Still a baby?’
Jiyu felt her pride stung by the mocking tone and fired back,
‘And you’re not?’
‘What kind of nonsense. I’d never—’
‘Jinx.’
She cut him off.
‘…What?’
‘That was bought because of your Jinx.’
Frowning, Hunter lowered his gaze to the tissue. Pink background with red lips. …Kiss.
Only then did his expression soften in belated realization.
‘Not a palm, not a wrist—a new spot. You remember? That’s why I was just going to attach it to my racket this time.’
Finally lifting his head, he opened his mouth, then closed it again without a word. He stared at the tissue with a troubled face before stealing a glance at her.
That awkward look nearly made Jiyu burst out laughing.
She pressed her lips together and snatched the tissue from his hand.
‘If you don’t want it, fine. I’ll just attach it to my own racket.’
Hunter squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them, his conflicted expression clear. He bit his lower lip hard, and his nails turned white as he gripped the edge of the plastic packaging with two fingers.
Jiyu waited silently for his decision.
‘…Just give it to me.’
He snatched the tissue from her hand and shoved it into his tennis bag.
Jiyu lowered her head, cheeks flushing as she tried to hide her smile and swallowed her laughter. She then let out a strange cough, covering her mouth with her arm.
‘For emergency preparedness.’
Hunter added gravely, then turned and walked out of the lounge like a gust of wind.
Only then did Jiyu let out the laugh she had been holding back.
‘Emergency? What kind of—’
She slung her bag over her shoulder and chuckled again.