Chapter 167

< The Last Festival (5) >

*

What Park Sang-ki loves isn’t just his girlfriend, Park Jeong-hwa.

Shim In-hee from Cheongju Girls’ Middle School is pretty, and Kim Eun-jin from Taeyang Girls’ Middle School is—oh, never mind.

Park Sang-ki, who has been into all kinds of sports since childhood for rehabilitation after heart surgery, loved soccer the most.

His memories related to sports are diverse.

From swimming to track and field, soccer… and even ballet, which he’d rather forget.

‘······Ughhh-! Rise, power of Graceful Kick!’

There was a time when he considered soccer the best sport. He still thinks so, but he’s starting to feel that track and field could replace it. It’s not like he’s been at it for that long.

Soccer, which drains your stamina over a long time, and track and field, where you pour out all your strength in a short burst. Both had their unique charm. Above all, track and field was great because he didn’t have to clash with other players. It felt like a gift of freedom to Park Sang-ki, who dislikes physical confrontations.

The only downside was that it ended too quickly.

“Go! Jo Seol-chan!”

Thud-!

After passing the baton, Park Sang-ki caught his breath and glanced at the runners in the other lanes.

Thanks to the gap Son Jin-hyeok had created, they were still in first place.

But.

‘Ah, they’ve caught up a lot.’

Those country boys are disgustingly fast.

Do the kids from sports schools just eat and run…?

Should I push Jo Seol-chan, who’s running like crazy, from behind? Hoo- He let out a long, heavy breath.

‘······Science is on your side, Jo Seol-chan.’

Park Sang-ki is indeed a weird guy.

*

Hehehek-.

Now is the moment for Jo Seol-chan’s spell to work.

It’s a shame that being in lane 6 doesn’t give him an advantage on the curve, but whatever.

His posture, corrected through training, is no different from any other track athlete, and his speed has improved quite a bit.

‘Damn, damn, damn-.’

The spell he’s been muttering since his junior high school days sticks to his lips today.

If it was hunger before, today it’s the desperation of it being the last time that makes it come out naturally. Or maybe it’s just a habit.

As he exits the curve, two competitors catch up to Jo Seol-chan’s shoulder.

“Damn it-!”

Yeom Byeong-taek will finish it off.

Thud-.

As he hands the white baton to Yeom Byeong-taek, a wave of relief washes over him.

“Huff-!”

Yeom Byeong-taek, fully warmed up, takes a deep breath and closes his lungs.

After closely observing Jin-hyuk running the 100 meters, he noticed that the first 20 meters were run like this.

All or nothing.

It’s impulsive, but if he mimics it, maybe he can run as fast as Jin-hyuk.

Weird.

He still has energy left.

His face is red as if it’s about to burst, but he feels a sense of breathing room.

He never fixed his pigeon-toed running. But the sensation of running on his toes and the new routine of lifting his ankles has stuck to him like glue.

Yet, the limits of his ability are obvious.

‘Damn.’

As always, I realize that sports schools aren’t for just anyone.

That guy came in second in both the 100 and 200 meters.

Slower than Jin-hyuk, faster than me, that annoying guy.

Before he knows it, the leader who has already passed Yeom Byeong-taek is right in front of the finish line.

Another school is between the leader and Yeom Byeong-taek, and yet another school is right beside him.

– “If we stay in 5th place, it’s maintaining the status quo, and 4th place is already good.”

Statistically, that’s true.

The variable Jin-hyuk was hoping for doesn’t seem to have happened. He’s sprinting in 3rd place, so maybe that variable has already been reflected.

Hoooop-!

He holds his breath again.

‘Please, just one…’

His heavy head feels lighter, and it’s as if a big hole has been punched in his stomach. The air resistance is gone. He feels the runner who was beside him fall behind, and the guy whose back he was watching gets closer.

Yeah, there’s nothing more familiar than running while gritting your teeth at someone’s back. Just running while watching the back of the leader’s head.

‘Rather than regretting it for life…’

It’s better to die running.

Die!

Hoooop-. He inflates his lungs like a balloon, squeezing in more air where there seems to be no room left.

[Bang-.]

With the signal announcing the leader’s finish.

Yeom Byeong-taek, who squeezed out a few more steps, thrusts his chest forward.

With the thought of throwing his body forward, with the determination to hit the finish line with his chin.

Huff, huff-.

“Ah, I’m gonna die-!”

This is the first time the 100-meter stretch he’s run so many times has been this exhausting. From the 50-meter mark, he was ready to burn through the rest of his life, pulling out even the strength he used to suckle.

Finally, the dreaded track and field is over, and his eyes well up with tears.

Murmur, murmur-.

“Two people in second place?”

“It’s ambiguous. They came in at the same time-.”

Neither Yeom Byeong-taek nor the runner who came in with him is sure of the result.

When the one minute it takes for the referee to review the video feels like an eternity.

The announcer’s voice echoes through the speakers.

[In the men’s 400-meter relay, according to the rules, Taeyang Middle School, whose chest crossed the finish line first-.]

Hehehehehe-.

Yeom Byeong-taek, lying flat on his back, lets out a crazy laugh as the corners of his mouth rise.

Is he laughing or crying?

“Ahaha… Huff-, I… Huff- am Yeom Byeong-taek, who ate duck eggs and grew up to be like this-.”

Yeom Byeong-taek finally covers his eyes with his forearm.

Still clutching the baton tightly.

***

“Damn….”

Lee Byeong-se, watching the runners piled on top of Yeom Byeong-taek, finally curses.

Min Yong-rak, who was about to go to the athletes, glanced at Lee Byeong-se’s expression.

At first, he thought it was because they didn’t get first place. Those immature kids were acting more excited than the first-place team, so as a leader, he might have cursed.

But then he burst out laughing.

Sniff-.

Lee Byeong-se wiped away an unknown liquid—whether tears or snot—with the towel around his neck.

“Aren’t you going, teacher?”

“Ah, leave them be-. Let the kids play around a bit after the last big event-.”

With a smile, Min Yong-rak quietly sat back down.

With his rough appearance and frequent swearing, he thought he was a scary person.

But turns out, he’s just a warm-hearted swearer, huh?

***

Lee Byeong-se got busy after returning from the competition.

‘Sigh-, why is the national competition application separate?’

Even if you qualify, you don’t automatically get the right to participate.

You have to fax the student’s personal information, parental consent form, and the principal’s stamped application.

‘Thank goodness I asked Jeong Tae-hun first.’

How lucky is it to get advice from someone with experience?

There’s a guide from the competition committee, but reading it and hearing it explained are completely different in terms of delivery.

At least it’s a relief that it hasn’t changed from three years ago.

Lee Byeong-se paused as he was about to send the fax.

‘Wait.’

The image of Yeom Byeong-taek and Jo Seol-chan crying their eyes out after the relay flashed through his mind.

*

Lee Byeong-se requested a meeting with the vice principal.

He wasn’t confident. Every time Lee Byeong-se planned something, the stingy vice principal would drag him down with financial issues, saying that if he just spent sponsorship money recklessly, it wouldn’t work.

It’s the same now.

What vice principal would like a teacher asking for money so that graduating students, who won’t even represent the school anymore, can attend the national competition? Even if Lee Byeong-se were the vice principal, he’d probably dislike it too.

But even a lousy teacher like him wants to do something nice for the kids.

“······Even if it’s just one team-. They’ve been through so much together-.”

The vice principal, half-closing his eyes, just tapped the paper on the table with his index finger.

Lee Byeong-se sighed inwardly.

Sigh, maybe this won’t work either. They’re third-years, so parents won’t like them missing classes, right?

“If it’s not possible, then there’s nothing we can do-.”

“Go ahead.”

“-Ju. Huh?”

The vice principal’s finger, which had been tapping like Morse code, stopped.

“Go ahead and have a good time. Just make sure to get the parental consent forms first.”

Before Lee Byeong-se came, the vice principal had already received a call from CEO Son Kwang-yeon.

His son wants to take his friends sightseeing in Seoul. He phrased it indirectly, but who wouldn’t understand that he wants to go with them?

“So- it’s okay?”

“You said it’s a team. A team should move together.”

The vice principal, with a relaxed expression, smiled and pulled out a yellow envelope from his pocket.

“You should get some fresh air too-.”

Whether Lee Byeong-se, holding the thick envelope, looked bewildered or not.

The vice principal, who stood up first, patted his shoulder and left the principal’s office.

Lee Byeong-se, glaring at the envelope, opened it and his eyes nearly popped out.

‘That guy is supposed to take over as principal next year, has his influence grown?’

***

Contrary to some expectations that the competition might be postponed due to the heatwave, the national competition in September proceeded as scheduled. Even if there were difficulties in rescheduling the venue, it’s a national event after all—how could it be easily changed? Regardless of the low interest, it’s called the Hope Association, but there was never a plan to postpone, just some people’s wishful thinking.

But it’s September, so it should be cooler, right?

“Ugh-! Did I really live in a place like this?”

Min Yong-rak fanned himself with his shirt collar, making a fuss.

August and September only differ in numbers.

But it’s the north, so it should be less hot, right?

“Ughhh-. It’s hotter here than in our town-.”

Even without Jo Seol-chan’s groaning, it was unbearably hot.

The fact that Yeom Byeong-taek lost his words is proof enough.

“It’s a good thing Sang-ki didn’t come. Hey, Yeom Byeong-taek, isn’t that right? The teacher said he’d take us sightseeing in Seoul, but it feels like he’s trying to kill us with the heat-.”

Park Sang-ki had to attend a family gathering in Cheongju over the weekend and regretted not being able to come.

Yeom Byeong-taek just nodded with wide eyes and a slack jaw.

He didn’t want to say anything.

Unlike the regional competition, they don’t even provide tents.

The athletes have a waiting room, but for the spectators, it feels like they’re being told to steam to death in a sauna.

The same goes for the coaches.

“Fresh air is a myth… I’m going to die of heatstroke-.”

Lee Byeong-se muttered to himself with a look of despair.

Then, a savior appeared.

A person wearing a bear mask, or maybe a bear wearing a person mask—it’s confusing.

“It’s hot, and you’re all working hard. Here, take one each-.”

“Huh? Team Leader Yang, what brings you here…?”

Min Yong-rak, drenched in sweat and on the verge of fainting, smiled broadly as he accepted the parasol from Yang Gang-wook. Seeing a colleague from the rural estate in faraway Seoul was incredibly heartwarming.

“Ah, Manager Min, you’ve been through a lot. I came to report something and stopped by.”

“Report? What? To whom? Team Leader Yang himself? When?”

Yang Gang-wook nodded his thick, short neck toward the VIP seats.

There, Yoo Se-ra, wearing sunglasses, waved like a mischievous kid.

Yong-rak, yum yum-.

“Ah…, the chairman is here. You should’ve told me earlier.”

But something’s strange.

“Team Leader Yang, do you have something to report to the chairman?”

“No. I’m on my way to see the vice chairman.”

Yang Gang-wook answered Min Yong-rak’s question honestly and handed a parasol to Lee Byeong-se as well.

“Teacher, you’ve been through a lot. Jin-hyuk’s father asked me to convey his special thanks.”

“Oh my-, why all this….”

Is it okay to use this?

After a quick glance, Lee Byeong-se opened the parasol without hesitation. Others were wearing weird-looking hats sold at the stadium entrance.

A sports coach from the Land of Morning Calm wearing a geisha hat and holding a parasol. It’s the end of the world, the end.

“When’s the final?”

“The 100 meters is tomorrow, and the 200 meters is the day after.”

The 100-meter race is a day before the 200-meter race.

“Then-.”

“Yes-. Take care-.”

Yang Gang-wook nodded and quickly left.

***

“You’ve all been through a lot. I’m sorry for being an employer who doesn’t take care of you.”

Despite his gentle words, Hong Ki-jun’s expression was stern.

With real power in his hands and operational tasks distributed to experts, he resembles a dark boss focused on schemes.

The changed demeanor of Hong Ki-jun made both Yang Gang-wook and Moon Seok-il swallow dryly. His gaze was as cold as a sharp razor pressed against the back of their necks.

“Who’s handling your tasks?”

“I’ve left them to Myeong Hyun-woo and Yoo Tae-hwa.”

As Yang Gang-wook answered, Hong Ki-jun, who had been silent, turned his gaze to Moon Seok-il.

“Kim In-rang has a separate mission. Only Jeong Sang-tae and Kang Heon-chang came.”

“Good. You handled it well. You alone would’ve been enough. You’re the one to lead the agents.”

Moon Seok-il, who had bowed silently, asked.

“If the situation gets too big, it might affect the vice chairman’s movements. That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“There’s no such thing as a shrinking incident.”

Moon Seok-il’s eyebrows twitched. It’s a reaction when he can’t immediately understand the other person’s words.

“An incident is like a balloon. It inflates until it bursts. If it shrinks on its own, it’s just a simple happening, not a balloon or an incident.”

“Should we burst it then?”

“Burst it and tear it to shreds. So it can never pretend to be a balloon again.”

Strict and decisive.

As expected of someone who became a powerful figure in a large group at a young age.

Moon Seok-il straightened his posture.

“Should we go today?”

“Rest today and go tomorrow. Since you’re here, take a break, and let those guys… enjoy the last festival tonight.”

“Yes.”

“Team Leader Yang, make sure nothing goes wrong from behind.”

“Leave it to me.”

After Yang Gang-wook and Moon Seok-il left the office, Hong Ki-jun loosened his tie and let out a sigh. Hoo-.

‘Definitely a different vibe from the other employees.’

It’s intense. Can’t help but shiver and shake your head.

Facing them feels like being a mouse in front of a cat, their presence is so overwhelming. On the other hand, their faces looked excited, without a trace of tension. They must be warriors ready for a thrilling mission.

How does Son Kwang-yeon hang out with guys like that?

‘Ah, I need to pee.’

Hong Ki-jun, who had been sitting, hurriedly got up.

Even the vice chairman of a group that commands the world is just like a dog in need of a bathroom when nature calls.