The gymnasium was filled with the buzzing murmur of students.
The heat built up as they waited for the basketball game that would soon begin.
“Selling roasted squid~!”
“Only five thousand won for one cheering stick!”
Seeing the opportunity, related clubs made and sold goods.
Most clubs weren’t satisfied with just the activity funds allocated by the school.
“Ah, they’re selling Haneul High cheering sticks over there too.”
Na Yuna, sitting next to me, pointed at a student.
The cheering stick she was selling had the names of Haneul High’s main members engraved on it.
“Shall I buy the Kim Noeul one?”
“Buying three should be enough.”
Han Doa paid for three at my suggestion.
The student vendor, after handing the card back to Han Doa, recognized us and showed a pleased expression.
“OMG, you’re those people, right?”
“Kim Maru, Na Yuna, Han Doa…?”
“Yes.”
“I’m a real fan!”
“Actually, among the cheering sticks made today, I especially put effort into Senior Kim Noeul’s!”
She only passed by after shaking hands with all three of us.
“The engraving is certainly very intricate.”
“If it’s handmade, five thousand won is too cheap.”
Han Doa admired the name Kim Noeul engraved on the cheering stick.
While she was admiring, the players appeared on the court.
Haneul High and Choyeon High students lined up in the center of the court following the referee’s guidance.
They looked up at the national flag hanging above the gymnasium.
[Ah, ah. After the salute to the national flag, we will begin the game after singing each school’s anthem. Everyone, salute the flag.]
Even the noisy students quieted down as the salute began.
After the salute, Haneul High’s school anthem flowed from the speakers.
The Haneul High players sang the school anthem in unison.
At the front of the players, Kim Noeul’s figure could be seen, singing with a serious face.
“High sky~!”
“Like the eagle of the heavens~!”
Some passionate Haneul High students sang the school anthem at the top of their lungs from the audience seats.
“Kim Noeul, fighting!”
The male students who usually lingered around Kim Noeul cheered her on fervently.
After Haneul High’s school anthem ended, Choyeon High’s school anthem began.
Since this was Choyeon High’s gymnasium, the response was greater than when Haneul High’s anthem played.
“Victory belongs to Choyeon!”
“Seo Yoon’s dunk is invincible!”
After the school anthem singing ended, the players faced each other.
Seo Yoon’s and Kim Noeul’s gazes met in mid-air.
[Each player, greet.]
The players extended their hands and shook hands with each other.
Kim Noeul and Seo Yoon also shook hands, but much longer than the other players.
The two women glared at each other, hands clasped.
The other players stared intently at them.
[Players still shaking hands over there?]
[I know you have strong competitive spirit, but let’s stop now and start the game?]
The audience also murmured, noticing the nerve war between the two women.
“Wow, intense.”
“Did you see Kim Noeul’s eyes?”
“Seo Yoon’s definitely got the size, her downward gaze is scary.”
Hearing the students mutter, Na Yuna wore a worried expression.
“They shouldn’t play too roughly…”
As Na Yuna trailed off, fiddling with her fingers, two players came forward and stood before the referee.
The referee prepared to toss the basketball.
The two players contending for the initial possession were a tall player from Haneul High’s side and Seo Yoon.
Kim Noeul stood behind the tall teammate, staring intently at the ball.
[Tweet~.]
Simultaneously with the whistle’s blast, the basketball soared into the air.
The two players jumped high and reached out their hands.
[Player Seo Yoon takes it!]
Seo Yoon stretched out her long arm and threw the ball to her teammate.
The Choyeon High player who received the ball dodged the Haneul High player rushing towards her.
[Choyeon High charges with a dribble!]
The charging Choyeon High student, blocked again by Haneul High, threw the ball backwards.
Seo Yoon, behind her, caught it and began to step.
“Mine!”
A Haneul High player stood in front to block Seo Yoon, but Seo Yoon pushed forward with her large back, shaking off the Haneul High player.
[Will player Seo Yoon attempt a shot?]
Seo Yoon strode towards the basket as if attempting a layup, but Kim Noeul blocked Seo Yoon’s view.
At that moment, Seo Yoon threw the ball towards the side of Kim Noeul’s foot.
The ball bounced off the floor into the hands of a Choyeon High student, who jumped lightly and threw a shot.
The ball went cleanly into the net.
[Tweet!]
Choyeon High scored the first points.
Now the Choyeon High students began to retreat, and the Haneul High students started their counterattack.
“Mine!”
Kim Noeul, having lost the first score, shouted as if frustrated.
The Haneul High player with the ball threw it to Kim Noeul.
[Player Kim Noeul has the ball!]
Receiving the ball, Kim Noeul gritted her teeth and stopped at the 3-point line.
The Choyeon High player stopped her retreating body due to Kim Noeul’s sudden stop.
“Keuk!”
But she wasted time regaining balance due to inertia, and during that time, Kim Noeul calmly took her stance and threw the ball.
The basketball, flying beautifully in a parabola, bounced slightly off the rim.
[Ah!]
Disappointed gasps flowed from the commentary booth, but the bounced ball sucked right into the basket.
3 points acquired.
[Tweet!]
“Yeah~!”
“She made that.”
The audience cheered for Kim Noeul’s performance.
While the basketball was airborne, the catharsis of the watching audience was also satisfied, so 3-point shots received good response.
“How can she make it from that distance…”
Han Doa muttered, clapping.
“By that logic, what about you hitting the target from even farther?”
Na Yuna said, chewing on squid legs.
[A fierce offense and defense unfolds.]
[One side scores, then the other side scores in return….]
[Each team’s score has already exceeded 10 points.]
[Actually, such a fast pace is hard to find in typical high school games.]
[As expected, I think Hakdo gathers students who excel in various fields.]
As soon as the commentators finished speaking, the whistle blew again.
The first of three sets had ended.
“Maru?”
“Can you see the score by any chance?”
Na Yuna squinted, looking at the electronic scoreboard.
“Haneul High has 24 points, Choyeon High has 22 points.”
“If it continues like this, we win, right?”
Na Yuna looked at Kim Noeul with a relieved expression.
She was wiping her nape with a towel and talking with the players.
After 5 minutes, the match resumed.
It would have been nice if it flowed according to Na Yuna’s wishes, but in the second set, Haneul High was overtaken thanks to Seo Yoon’s outstanding performance.
[Player Seo Yoon is truly overwhelming.]
[It’s hard to find players her age who can even attempt dunks…]
[Once she catches the ball, she definitely makes the shot.]
[That’s also an advantage of dunks.]
[On the other hand, player Kim Noeul’s specialty, the long-range shot, loses accuracy as stamina decreases over time.]
[Because it’s a shot that requires high accuracy in exchange for high points.]
Kim Noeul didn’t acquire as many points in the second set as in the first.
It was due to the decreased success rate of her 3-point shots compared to the beginning.
After the second set ended, I stared at the back of Kim Noeul’s head, resting on the bench.
“Phew, why are they working so hard.”
A sweating Choyeon High player sighed.
That sigh reached even the Haneul High players.
The Haneul High students glared with unfavorable eyes.
“Well, they’re screwed from the moment they fell out of favor with Ojakgyo.”
“Even if they do well in this competition, they’re kids who will eventually walk downhill.”
Another Choyeon High player agreed with those words.
Finally unable to bear it, a Haneul High female student opened her mouth.
“The game isn’t even over yet, you seem to have energy to flap your gums?”
“What?”
“What did you say just now?”
“Focus on the game instead of worrying about us.”
“What right do you b*tches who tried to bribe the referee have to talk.”
The Choyeon High student laughed as if finding it absurd.
“Is that our fault?”
“Some crazy b*tch acted recklessly, we can’t worry about that too.”
“You’re Choyeon High students.”
“Figures.”
“No, shibal…”
As the Choyeon High student stood up, blushing, Kim Noeul also stood up from her seat.
Seeing Kim Noeul stand up, the Choyeon High student stepped back.
“Wh-what.”
“Are you going to hit me during the game?”
“…Don’t get heated, prepare for the next set.”
“Clashing with each other is just a loss, right?”
“They insulted our school?”
“Because you guys provoked first.”
“Unbelievable.”
As the argument between Kim Noeul and the female student seemed likely to drag on, Seo Yoon also stood up from her seat.
As the person with a large physique moved, everyone’s attention focused on Seo Yoon.
“Stop it.”
“You picked the fight first.”
Seo Yoon reprimanded her own school’s student.
The reprimanded student looked like she had many things she wanted to say, but eventually shut her mouth.
“…It’s funny for me, who oppressed you, to say this, but.”
Seo Yoon continued speaking with a calm demeanor.
“For this competition at least, I wanted to compete against you without any external interference.”
“That’s why I replaced the referee too.”
“…”
“It’s the last set, I want to focus only on the sport without us getting angry at each other.”
The Haneul High students were flustered by Seo Yoon’s attitude of yielding first.
She was the woman called Ojakgyo’s second-in-command, with scary rumors circulating about her.
But the Seo Yoon they actually faced was extremely calm and rational.
[1 minute before the start of the 3rd set. Players, please prepare.]
Seo Yoon turned her body without another word and went to the court.
The Choyeon High students hesitated, then followed behind Seo Yoon.
“…Somehow different from what I heard.”
“Right.”
The Haneul High students also headed towards the court.
Kim Noeul entered the court and gazed at Seo Yoon.
Seo Yoon only looked at the basketball held by the referee.
It was an action meaning she wanted to focus solely on the basketball game itself.
[Tweet!]
The final set began.
Even though all the players must have been tired, the ball’s movement was still fast.
Kim Noeul forcibly dragged her tired, heavy legs and shot the ball.
If Kim Noeul’s shot succeeded and narrowed the score gap, Seo Yoon succeeded with another shot and widened the gap again.
A sluggish game unfolded.
Even while getting tired, Kim Noeul gritted her teeth and kept Seo Yoon in check.
Seo Yoon’s face was also full of exhaustion, but her eyes were full of heat.
Seeing that heat reminded her of her own feelings towards Seo Yoon.
‘When Senior Jeong Soyeon told me about Seo Yoon, I felt a sense of kinship.’
A close acquaintance severely injured, living with the guilt of failing to protect them when nearby.
Seo Yoon’s life was no different from Kim Noeul’s life.
Because Kim Noeul also lost her brother.
[Player Seo Yoon dunks again!]
[Leading Haneul High by 3 points!]
But Kim Noeul and Seo Yoon were currently living different lives.
She resisted Ojakgyo’s injustice, and Seo Yoon bowed her head to Ojakgyo.
She hated that she, who shared the same pain, belonged to Ojakgyo.
So she wanted to change Seo Yoon.
[Player Noeul’s clean shot goes in!]
[With this, it’s a tie!]
There wasn’t much time left in the game.
Kim Noeul felt that fact viscerally.
All players’ movements became urgent.
[5 seconds left until the end!]
Seo Yoon runs towards her.
Just before the game time ends, Seo Yoon will reach her.
She had experienced this situation before.
‘When I attempted the buzzer-beater in the qualifiers…’
Back then too, the game time was short, and she was facing off against Seo Yoon.
Then, a Choyeon High student fell and caused the shot to fail, but now there were no obstructors.
Only Seo Yoon entered her radius.
It was an undeniable one-on-one situation.
‘I have to throw the ball…’
She bent her knees and tried to jump, but her exhausted body didn’t listen well.
She moved slower than usual.
Seo Yoon’s large hand reached towards Kim Noeul’s face.
Kim Noeul bit her lip, seeing the shadow cast by that hand.
‘Am I going to fail this time too?’
Then, a familiar voice from the audience seats struck her ear.
“You can do it!”
It was a voice that calmed her heart yet filled it with energy whenever she heard it.
Kim Noeul always liked that voice.
He wasn’t usually the type of guy to shout loudly like that….
‘Hearing it gives me strength.’
Kim Noeul straightened her knees and jumped.
Seo Yoon jumped together.
Seo Yoon panicked, seeing her outstretched hand couldn’t reach the ball.
“What the…!”
Kim Noeul’s hang time surpassed imagination.
The ball shot out from Kim Noeul’s hand.
Seo Yoon’s block couldn’t reach the ball.
The two women landed on the ground.
At that moment, the whistle blew.
The game was over.
But no one in the gymnasium made a sound.
Because the ball was still traversing the air.
Kim Noeul’s and Seo Yoon’s gazes were fixed on the basketball.
The ball hit the rim and bounced upwards.
“Ah…”
Seo Yoon groaned seeing it.
It wasn’t a sigh of relief.
Seo Yoon already knew.
Swish!
The ball passed cleanly through the net.
It was a 3-point beater.
[Haneul High gains 3 points!]
[The winner of the sports festival basketball final is Haneul High!]
Cheers erupted from the audience seats.
Teammates ran to Kim Noeul and embraced her.
Even while being pushed by her teammates, Kim Noeul looked at Seo Yoon’s retreating back.
Seo Yoon was still looking at the hoop.
Seo Yoon, catching her breath, turned her gaze towards Kim Noeul.
Her expression looked relieved.
Even though she definitely lost, her expression showed no sign of defeat.
“S-Seo Yoon…”
The Choyeon High students lowered their heads as if ashamed.
Seo Yoon gazed intently at them.
“Everyone did well.”
The players blinked their eyes at Seo Yoon’s dry words.
They soon smiled awkwardly.
“Sorry, Seo Yoon.”
“If I had passed well then…”
“I should have built more stamina.”
“It was a game with many regrets for each of us.”
“That’s the same for me too.”
“We just need to do better next time.”
Finishing her words, Seo Yoon left with the students.
“I was surprised.”
Na Yuna said, looking at me.
“About what?”
“I’ve never seen you shout like that, Maru…”
“I agree.”
“I thought you were the type to cheer quietly.”
I shut my mouth at the two seniors’ words.
What did I shout?
‘Was it, you can do it?’
I didn’t intend to shout.
But it slipped out of my mouth unconsciously.
Meaning, I was that focused on Kim Noeul’s play.
My eyes met Kim Noeul’s, who was looking this way from the court.
Kim Noeul swept her bangs back and raised her hand towards me.
The downcast appearance she had before the sports festival could no longer be found.
‘That’s a relief.’
Though it wasn’t usually my personality, I raised my hand too in response.
Seeing my response, Kim Noeul smiled brightly.