Chapter 25: An Unnecessary Reason

“Go stretch over there by yourself.

If you get stepped on, I’m not responsible.”

Woojoo quickly got up and joined the line.

Spacing out while thinking about Won Ji-tae had been his mistake.

After stretching ended, they moved into full training.

The first session focused on defense, practicing receives and digs.

Coach Kim Hyun of Baekyeong Construction passionately corrected each player’s posture, raising his voice as he went.

Woojoo trained diligently in response.

The best way to clear lingering thoughts was to move his body.

The attached cameras busily captured footage, careful not to interfere with the players’ training.

Taking advantage of a short break while preparing for the next drill, Woojoo approached the coach.

“Coach.”

“Yeah. What is it?”

Coach Kim Hyun smiled as he greeted Woojoo.

“Is filming going well?”

“Yes. Thank you for cooperating with the shoot.”

Kim Hyun laughed heartily, saying it was good publicity for the club anyway.

In many ways, Kim Hyun was almost like a benefactor to Woojoo.

Back when Woojoo was playing in an overseas league, his contract had nearly been extended, but it fell through due to negotiation issues.

As a result, he had no choice but to return to Korea at an awkward time, left without a team.

Rumors even spread that Kang Woojoo had clashed with foreign players and failed to adapt.

Baseless rumors about friction with his team circulated all the way back home.

Because he had left Korea carrying everyone’s expectations, the damage to his image was even greater.

When domestic teams were hesitant to recruit him, Kim Hyun was the one who reached out.

“Don’t feel pressured.

You don’t have to think you’re inconveniencing the team because of filming.

Do you think I don’t know you?”

And Kim Hyun’s choice had not been wrong.

As soon as Woojoo joined Baekyeong Construction, they secured first place in the league.

This season as well, Woojoo’s stellar performance kept them at the top.

“Yes. Thank you.

Coach, there’s something I wanted to ask.”

Kim Hyun nodded, telling him to go ahead.

“Do you remember player Won Ji-tae… from when I was active as a high school athlete?”

“Won Ji-tae… You mean the actor you’re filming with right now?”

“That’s right.”

Kim Hyun clapped his hands as if successfully matching the high school athlete Won Ji-tae with the present-day one.

“Of course I remember.

Back then, people said a real talent had appeared among Korean players.

No one expected him to quit as soon as he became an adult.”

He added that since Ji-tae quit before even becoming a professional, calling it retirement was a bit awkward.

Woojoo bit his lip slightly.

He didn’t regret asking Won Ji-tae why he quit volleyball.

Of course, things had become strange between them for a while because of it, but what he had learned was that Ji-tae was hiding something.

He would never believe that Ji-tae quit simply because volleyball wasn’t fun.

There had to be a reason behind that expression and that lie.

“You don’t know why he quit?”

“Hmm….”

Kim Hyun fell into thought, tracing his memory.

He had been in the volleyball world for a very long time, once an active player himself before becoming a coach.

“Well.

Back then, countless teams, both domestic and overseas, were eyeing him.

But all I know is that his side rejected every single offer outright.”

It seemed this side didn’t know much either.

After all, it had been seven years ago.

The volleyball world had been shaken by the sudden decision of a genius player, but with so much time passed, it wasn’t strange that memories had faded.

“Thank you for telling me.”

After that, Woojoo returned to the resumed training.

When the day’s schedule ended, he exchanged brief greetings with his teammates, showered, and left the club.

As he walked while staring at his phone, a voice called out beside him.

“Kang Woojoo.”

Out of nowhere, Choi Seokhyun appeared and slung an arm around Woojoo’s shoulders.

“It’s hot. Get off.”

“Hey, hey. At least behave in front of the camera?

What if your image gets exposed?”

Choi Seokhyun laughed loudly and struck all sorts of cool poses for the camera.

“You drove today, right?”

“Huh?”

“Give me a ride.

Oh, should we stop by a café on the way and grab something?”

Normally, when teammates suggested going to a café, he would complain about why a bunch of grown men needed to go there.

This guy clearly just wanted to get more screen time thanks to him.

“Later.”

“Why?”

“Well….”

In the parking lot, Woojoo hesitated, choosing his words.

Then he noticed loose thread stuck on Seokhyun’s face, probably from changing clothes.

“Hey, wait.”

Woojoo reached out to touch Seokhyun’s face.

Smack—.

A hand flew in from somewhere and grabbed Woojoo’s wrist.

It was a few hours before Woojoo had gone to the gym.

“You have training?”

Ji-tae, still half-asleep, watched Woojoo busily getting ready to leave.

His messy hair stuck out in all directions.

“Yeah.

I made soup, so heat it up and eat.”

“……”

Ji-tae sat on the sofa, staring blankly as Woojoo moved around.

As if to prove he was faithfully following the rules, Woojoo had told him today’s schedule the moment he woke up.

“Kang Woojoo. I’ll drive you.”

“Huh? What?”

“I said I’ll drive you.”

Ji-tae took his car keys from the living room drawer.

Watching this, Woojoo abruptly stopped moving and tilted his head.

“Why?

I have a car.

All my limbs work fine.”

Woojoo waved both arms in front of him as if to demonstrate he could drive perfectly well.

The corner of Ji-tae’s mouth twitched faintly.

“Just.

I’ll drive you.

Sleep in the car or something.”

As if to hide his expression, Ji-tae looked away and ran a hand through his hair.

“I mean… there’s no need to go that far….”

It wouldn’t be bad for Woojoo either.

Even though the house was relatively close to the gym, driving for nearly an hour straight still took stamina.

But that created another problem.

“Then how am I supposed to get home?”

“…….”

Seeing Woojoo fall into serious thought, Ji-tae let out a heavy sigh.

Then he walked over and flicked Woojoo lightly on the forehead.

“Ah!”

“Are you an idiot?

I can pick you up when you’re done.”

Oh.

Woojoo made a foolish expression as if realizing that option just now.

Ji-tae left first, and Woojoo hurried after him.

Even though he had ridden it once before when they went grocery shopping, Ji-tae’s sports car was still hard to get used to.

“But Won Ji-tae.”

“What.”

After confirming Woojoo had fastened his seatbelt, Ji-tae pressed the accelerator.

With a loud engine roar, the car exited the parking lot.

“Is there really a reason to go this far?”

Ji-tae’s hands on the steering wheel paused slightly.

“Thinking about it, it’s kind of a hassle.

I could just drive myself.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Woojoo would naturally see this as inefficient.

But not every action needed a proper reason.

Sometimes you just did something because you wanted to.

“I didn’t want to stay home anyway.

Thought I’d get some fresh air.”

Woojoo looked at him curiously.

“You must like driving?”

“…Sure.

Let’s go with that.”

Once Ji-tae agreed, Woojoo began chatting excitedly about how he hadn’t known he had that kind of hobby.

Every time, it amazed Ji-tae how someone so oblivious could play volleyball so well.

After safely dropping Woojoo off, Ji-tae returned home.

He had roughly heard what time training would end, so he had to kill time alone until then.

He ate the meal prepared by the person in charge of cooking and, since the sunlight wasn’t too strong, made coffee and stepped outside.

He exchanged casual conversation with the camera directors as if he were used to it.

Just as he was about to go back inside when the sun grew stronger, the small garden they had set up a few days ago caught his eye.

After some hesitation, Ji-tae picked up the watering can.

Having caused trouble once before, he focused carefully on filling it without spilling.

After evenly watering the seedlings, he went back inside and watched a movie.

Even so, time passed slowly, and he ended up flipping through channels aimlessly.

“Then the match begins!”

His hand froze on a famous sports channel.

A volleyball game had just started.

The sound of shoes squeaking across the court and players striking the ball with force echoed in steady rhythm by his ears.