“Come to Jegyeong and take lessons on how to be a son-in-law.”
What on earth was he talking about?
The man who had barged into the shabby rooftop apartment early in the morning, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, never once crossed the threshold.
He was the one who had intruded without permission first. And yet, his fastidious nature, instinctively trying to avoid soiling himself with the surroundings, was thoroughly aristocratic. A man who had spent his entire life steeped in privilege was bound to be both captivating and unpleasantly intimidating.
On top of that, there was a dangerous air about him.
“It may be unofficial, but I’ll teach you with the utmost sincerity.”
“…What, what, excuse me?”
She could only ask again in bewilderment.
She had heard of lessons on how to be a bride, but what on earth were son-in-law lessons?
“Given the conservative atmosphere of society, Jegyeong won’t deliberately take on the image of a pioneer. But if you intend to keep staying by Mina’s side—”
His gaze, which had been casually checking his wristwatch, suddenly locked onto her like a magnet.
“Then you’ll have to marry me first, brother-in-law.”
His eyes curved gently, making him look incredibly kind, yet for some reason, it sent a shiver down her spine.
『Athena’s spike tears through the opposing team’s net!』
The volleyball shot down like a hummingbird, and the commentator became ecstatic.
『For the first time in the history of the World Championship, Korean women’s volleyball is just one step away from a gold medal! It would not be an exaggeration to say that the future of Korean volleyball for the next ten years rests on this player!』
Eungil was bent over with her hands on her knees, gasping for breath.
She didn’t even have enough energy left to high-five her teammates. She had to maintain her focus, which had reached its peak, and carry it straight into the next play.
“Gong Eungil! Gong Eungil!”
“Dèa! Gong Eun-gil! Dèa! Dèa!”
The roar of the Italians calling out for the goddess (dèa) gradually faded into the distance, leaving only one thing in focus.
The ball.
Her eyes, chasing the ball, had become as fierce as those of a wild hawk.
A tall 177-centimeter frame, long, well-proportioned limbs, and long hair tied high and flying behind her. Tremendous power that contrasted with her light jumps. An instinctive sense for scoring whenever the ball came her way.
Spotlights poured down from the high ceiling.
The youngest national team player to wear jersey number 1.
Gong Eungil.
The goddess Athena of the court.
As though she had been waiting for this moment, she kicked off the ground.
Her body rose as lightly as a feather.
Her waist bent tautly like a drawn bowstring.
The final fifth set.
The score was 14–15.
Only one point.
Just one point remained.
Beep-beep— Beep-beep—
At that crucial moment, an analog alarm clock rang.
It was a square, old-fashioned tabletop clock with each number painted in fluorescent colors.
“Ugh…”
The woman had just woken up, her face puffy from sleep.
Even with her eyes barely open, she accurately stretched out her long arm and turned off the alarm. Her movements carried the characteristic laziness of someone who had spent far too long in one place.
The youthful face, the sparkle she had once possessed—both had faded as faintly as a dream, disappearing without a trace.
Now, she had become an ordinary, shabby athlete who was struggling just to keep up with the demands of everyday life.
Eventually, she rose from the old, musty bedding that had grown as worn as she had.
Even if it was only a dream, what a waste… I was only one point away!
“Wow, you’ve got exactly ten million won left now. You’re one tough woman.”
A middle-aged man snickered.
When his lips split into an uncultured grin, a black cavity eating away at his front tooth became visible.
“Is this what it feels like to raise a kid and send them off on their own? If so, parents really are amazing. How do they manage to resist the urge to break their kid’s ankles and force them to stay home because they’re both proud and empty inside?”
“……”
“Anyway, you’re something else. You’ve never smiled at me even once.”
“I repay you in other ways. I’m an excellent customer who pays back the principal on time and pays the interest even more reliably.”
Eungil answered while yawning repeatedly.
Despite what she was saying, her attitude was utterly half-hearted. Her monotonous voice in particular made her sound bored and indifferent.
“What an attitude.”
“I’m leaving now. I have to warm up.”
Eungil, who had remained expressionless the entire time, stood up and slung her sports bag over her shoulder.
The office was damp and gloomy because not a ray of sunlight entered. The blinds were pulled tightly shut, making the air feel even more stuffy and dark.
A black leather sofa that smelled cheap, an interior resembling an old-fashioned infirmary.
These days, loan sharks were apparently running businesses almost as respectable as ordinary companies, but this place was old-fashioned in every sense.
The man, who lived by the motto “Classics are eternal,” stubbornly clung to analog methods and the ways of the underworld.
As a result, his employees were equally predictable.
Men with little education, short hair, and sometimes even fingers that were suspiciously short, who worked outside the law while carrying knives, bats, and handfuls of hair.
This lawless place had been Eungil’s boarding house for the past nine years.
“You’re playing Black Fury today, right?”
“Yes.”
“That should be worth watching. The only time watching your lousy team isn’t too embarrassing is when you play Black Fury.”
“I just hope it’s profitable. One million won.”
“What?”
“The incentive for getting a Triple Crown. I’m getting it today.”
Eungil murmured while staring into empty space.
Yet her unusually striking eyes had a chilling intensity.
“Are we talking about a match right now? And what, is Triple Crown the name of somebody’s dog? You seriously think you’re going to get one?”
“It’s even more pathetic than that. There’s a dog in every other household, but the Triple Crown has no intention of leaving my room.”
“……”
“If I can’t crush the opposition with something as trivial as serves, blocks, and back attacks, I shouldn’t even call myself a volleyball player. It’s not like I’m just playing around with a ball for fun.”
Uh… isn’t that exactly what volleyball is?
If nothing else, I now understand perfectly why you’re unpopular. I see you every day, and you’re still unbelievably unpleasant…
Gu Cheolyong, the owner of Sunshine Money, sighed.
“Take care of yourself first. You’re an old-timer now. At twenty-nine, with your prime already behind you, you’re getting to the age where you should start worrying about what people think.”
“That’s why I have to work even harder. At least until I’ve saved enough for retirement.”
“I’m talking about volleyball, aren’t I? Not money. Come to think of it, you’ve absorbed this whole atmosphere way too deeply.”
“I’m a survival-oriented athlete. Of course I’m constantly calculating everything.”
Eungil’s expression remained completely calm.
“Fine! It was my mistake expecting an intellectual answer from a third-rate athlete! Just get out of here!”
“I’m going.”
“But can you actually win?”
“……”
She stopped.
Such a simple question had caught her by the ankle.
Eungil unconsciously looked down at her own hands.
Her fingers had become rough and clumsy, the bones more prominent than before. Her palms had hardened with years of calluses. Her hands bore the marks of labor.
They were truly unimpressive hands.
“No. It’ll be difficult.”
“……”
“But I’ll score the most points. Even if we don’t win, my pocket money will be much thicker. Isn’t that enough?”
“Good grief, you filthy thing. You’ve been hardened by the world! That’s why you only play for yourself and still don’t have a single friend at your age!”
“I do.”
“……Don’t tell me you’re still meeting that lunatic?!”
Cheolyong jumped to his feet.
Eungil thought he looked like an old frog and remembered Black Fury’s libero.
His reflexes had been outstanding.
At the thought, her blood suddenly ran hot.
“I’m leaving.”
She could hear Cheolyong grumbling behind her, but as always, she ignored him.
It wasn’t as if she ever had anything nice to say to him either.
She would never, for the rest of her life, tell him to go see a dentist.
8:00 a.m.
“Hoo… hoo…”
People’s eyes were drawn toward the woman jogging down the street.
They were inevitably caught by the sleek, athletic lines of her legs, emphasized by her black leggings.
But Eungil paid no attention to them.
She simply ran, feeling the satisfying pull of her thighs as she moved.
The match started at eleven.
She still had plenty of time.
Black Fury, whom she would face today, was an unprecedented team with the most V-League championships in history.
For the past five years in particular, they had never once failed to win either the regular-season championship or the championship finals.
A monster of a team.
Her heart began pounding.
To control her surging excitement, Eungil deliberately imagined a moment that would require an extreme level of concentration.
A 24–24 deuce.
Sweat dampening her eyelashes.
Her pulse pounding at her temples.
She had no strength left to jump, yet at that very moment, the merciless setter sent the ball flying toward her.
Bzzzzing—
Her phone vibrated in her pocket.
Her excitement deflated for a moment, but her eyes softened like a spring breeze as she checked the screen.
『Stalker』
“Hello?”
—M-My, my player, wh-where are you right now?
“I’m running to the stadium. Are you coming?”
—O-Of course!
“Just time your arrival properly. Don’t wait from dawn like last time and end up sick. Got it?”
—O-Of course! I-I’m absolutely not wearing a n-neon cheering outfit, carrying b-bags and bags of herbal medicine, and s-sitting on the stairs! I’m at home. I-I’m about to brush my teeth.
“Who are you trying to fool? You’re already there, aren’t you?”
—He, hehe…
Eungil’s brow furrowed with concern.
“It’s not first-come, first-served. Why are you getting so worked up?”
Nine years ago, the rookie known as “Athena of the Court” had taken the volleyball world by storm, only to plummet after the World Championship.
The fall from being a dazzling goddess to earning the reputation of a third-rate thug had happened in an instant.
A talentless piece of trash who arrogantly relied on her natural ability.
An ungrateful human being who didn’t appreciate everything people had done for her.
A thug whose pretty face was wasted.
A traitor to the entire nation.
Every imaginable insult had been hurled at jersey number 1.
When the entire country turned its back on her.
When her player eligibility was suspended and she was kicked off the court.
When she was forcibly shoved into a team on the verge of disbanding despite everyone saying she had no shame for returning.
When all of that happened, Eungil was left with only one fan.
No—
A stalker.
—I-I’m trembling, and I-I can’t stand it because I miss you so much…
“……I’ll be there soon. Let’s have some warm tea.”
—N-No! Just focus on the match, player! I-It’s Black Fury today! Y-You have to knock that rich team down a peg!
Her stalker, Seo Mina, huffed indignantly.
When Eungil pictured the stalker’s round, adorably cute face, she felt better.
She had always been hopelessly fond of round things.
Balls.
More balls.
Volleyballs.
And even more volleyballs…
—M-My player. Then please give us another t-tough, rough performance like a thug today!
“That’s something the haters always say. ‘Thug.’”
—T-They’re just jealous. M-My player is the coolest on the court.
Eungil grinned.
She wanted to send a spike flying as soon as possible—for the sake of her one and only spectator.
