The Final Point and the Silent Promise

pDr. Dimitri quickly turned his head and looked at the umpire. The umpire, of course, judged it to be in, and gave no signal. Hunter's score board number rose by one point, making it 6-5.

pThen Dr. Dimitri suddenly walked up to the umpire, raised his index finger to the sky, and strongly appealed for out. He turned his head as if seeking help and looked toward the family in the stands.

pHis parents also stood up and raised their voices in objection. This too was a serious violation of game etiquette.

pJiyu didn't miss the flash of anger crossing Hunter's face. Fortunately, he seemed to be controlling his emotions well, taking a deep breath. His jaw twitched and veins stood out on his neck, but without adding anything to the controversy, he glared at Dimitri and kept a close watch on the situation.

pThe umpire, with a blank expression, looked at the two of them without changing his judgment and declared it as is.

p[The ball is in!]

pReturning to the baseline with an annoyed expression, Dimitri's mouth moved as he muttered curses under his breath. It was clear that his intention was not to change the umpire's call but to provoke the magnificent point just scored by Hunter and halt his rising momentum.

pIf he took just one more point here, Hunter would be the champion of the tournament. And it was his turn to serve. However, if Dimitri counterattacked and took the point here, it would revert to deuce.

pHunter took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Habitually, he spun the racket handle in his palm a few times to adjust it. But this time, just before bouncing the ball on the floor, he did something he had never done before.

pHe placed two fingers on his lips and then brought them down to the edge of the strings at the end of the racket. His expression was as serious and fervent as a praying person.

pJiyu shuddered and touched her lips with her fingers. The pink dampener with a red lip print. She alone knew the fact that he had done a hand kiss just like she had done for the victory jinx she gave him.

pEven though he hadn't kissed her lips, it was strangely embarrassing, making her ears hot.

pTang, tang, tang.

pHunter tossed the three times bounced ball vertically high. Then he jumped up, arched his shoulders, and opened his body. He slammed down with full power from his entire body. The sound of the ball hitting the strings echoed loudly.

pDr. Dimitri barely returned the serve that was like a bullet down the backhand side. But just like at the start of the match, the ball became a high lob and landed far out of the sideline.

p7-5.

pA serve ace and a match point.

pJiyu shot up. Hunter won!

p[Huff...]

pA hot sensation surged in her throat. She covered her mouth in surprise. Her vision suddenly blurred. At that moment, someone lifted her up with a whoosh.

p[Kyaa!]

pStartled, she let out a scream. Hunter's face, who had lifted her up by wrapping his arms around her waist, was right in front of her. He was breathing heavily with a smile like an angel.

p[I won! Jiyu, I'm the champion!]

p[...]

pJiyu couldn't say anything and blinked her eyes. Thump, thump, her heart was pounding in her ears. Hunter's smile faded, and he blinked with a puzzled face.

p[...Are you crying?]

p[No, I'm just, yawned from being tired.]

pQuickly wiping the corners of her eyes, Jiyu patted his shoulder with her palm.

p[Put me down, Hunter.]

pThen Hunter's eyes widened. Only now did he realize that he had rushed over right after the match and hugged her tightly.

pHe immediately loosened his arms and let her down. As she wobbled on the ground, he quickly reached out and grabbed her shoulder. The moment she steadied herself and stood straight, he pulled away his hand as if burned.

pTheir eyes met, and both turned their gazes in opposite directions at the same time.

p[C-congrats. U-um, that was really a good match. You worked hard.]

p[E-... Yeah. Thank you.]

pJake, watching the two with narrowed eyes from the side, bit his lip and smiled secretly.

pInside the car heading back to the Upper East Side.

pThe moment she boarded the car, Hunter, who had started dozing off, struggled to open his sleepy eyes, and just as he entered the Long Island Expressway, his head tilted. Then, leaning his head on Jiyu's shoulder, he fell asleep.

pJiyu froze without moving a muscle. Hunter's regular breathing tickled her hair. She rolled her eyes and secretly glanced at him.

pThick, long eyelashes, straight nose, and slightly parted lips.

pHer heart was racing as if it would burst through her ribcage. The feeling was suffocatingly painful. A sense of crisis enveloped her again. An urge to jump out of the moving car and run away arose.

pHe had called her 'Jiyu' for the first time today. Pretending not to know, the moment the name 'Jiyu' came out of his lips instead of 'Choo Park', her heart dropped.

pShe had wished he would call her by her own name before, but now that he did, the feeling was too... too strange.

p'Pull yourself together, Jiyu Parker. There's a real big problem here. Other people don't matter, but Hunter Hamilton must never, never like you!'

pSwallowing dry saliva, she barely tore her gaze away and firmly closed her lips, making a resolute vow.

pThat night. Hunter dreamed of hugging someone and sharing a passionate kiss. And the next morning, after checking under the blanket due to an odd feeling, he couldn't leave the bed for a while due to shock and embarrassment.

pThus came the dreams that came a little late compared to others, followed by a massive explosion of hormones.

pHunter Hamilton's teenage super nova began.

p***

p"Recently, your beauty is really shining. Our daughter, I'm looking forward to dressing you up. It suits you since you're like your dad, your figure is so... amazing."

pAffection, standing in front of the mirror, turned Jiyu this way and that, satisfied with the taste of her lips.

pJiyu had grown quite a bit in height last year. Not as tall as a model, but she had reached 5 feet 6 inches.

pShe was still skinny, but now her training bra couldn't contain her breasts. The waistline, once flat, had a narrow waist leading to a soft curve down to the hips, stretching smoothly to her long straight legs.

p[Doesn't the skirt seem too short?]

pJiyu pulled down the hem of the dress that rose more than 8 inches above her knees and asked. The shiny black dress made of lurex material with thin shoulder straps clung to her body like a fitted glove.

p[Hey! Why are you talking like a nerd when your mom doesn't even say anything?]

p[...What is a nerd?]

p[What do you mean? You're just like a nerd like your dad!]

pAffection grumbled.

p[Anyway, you're lucky because mom understands 'pulling.' Other strict moms wouldn't buy you clothes even if you said you were going to a party.]

pIn fact, last summer, when she went on a trip to Paris, Jiyu had thought of wearing a simple one-piece dress. A short cap-sleeved one-piece dress that hugged the waist and flared slightly at the bottom wasn't too short or plain, and it was good because it didn't stand out.

pBut somehow, Affection had bought a party dress and brought out a dress design suitable for going to a club. Surprised, Jiyu said she had never worn such bold clothes and was at a loss, but she couldn't beat Affection.

pBut she didn't get nothing from wearing the dress. She also had one thing she couldn't give up.

p[Ah, why not wear high heels! Doesn't that shoe match that outfit?]

pAffection shouted.

p[I can't give up on this. Since mom made me wear the dress, I'll do what I want.]

pJiyu insisted with a firm face and quickly put on her Converse sneakers.

pNot the 90s, and high heels hard to walk in with this short dress. It was just... boring.

p[Alright, fine. Come here and let me do your face.]

pWith a blank face, Affection gave her a simple makeup with professional skill, and her hair was done with soft waves. Finally, she hung a diamond-quilted chain bag on her shoulder. The logo of interlocking inverted letters C shone in silver.

p[This is enough to not be killed by the rich kids in the party.]

p[What is 'yako'?]

pJiyu understood the context without knowing the word, but sometimes she deliberately pretended not to know and asked for the meaning. It was a bit of mischief on her part.

p[What do you mean? In English... wait, what does yako say in English. Ah, I don't know, I don't know!]

pAffection waved her hand as if annoyed.

pJiyu smiled bitterly and looked at her unfamiliar figure in the mirror. Going to a party wasn't easy. Then, a text appeared on the phone she was holding.

p[Mom, Chloe just arrived in the lobby. Now I really have to go.]