Chapter 7: Winning Shot

While his eyes seemed ready to rush onto the basketball court at any moment, Lee Rayun looked back and thoughtfully sought my consent.

“Uh? Oh, that’s….”

‘What do I do? I’m not confident in basketball. Not just basketball, I was terrible at all sports, and every PE class I’d get teased by friends.’

I desperately wanted to get closer to Lee Rayun, but the image of myself floundering in front of the hoop with a stiff body flashed through my mind.

As I hesitated, a notification flashed before me.

[System – Sudden Quest: “Take the winning shot”] [Help target character Lee Rayun lead your team to victory in the basketball mini game match!] [(Success reward: affinity increases proportional to successful shots, up to 10 [1/10])]

A system window appeared in front of my eyes.

Huh, what’s this?

Before I could read it closely, I saw the reward and my eyes rolled back.

Lee Rayun’s affinity was only 4%.

But one basketball game could raise it by 10%?

“If you don’t want to, you don’t have to force yourself, sunbae.”

I gulped, thinking this was an opportunity I absolutely couldn’t miss.

Lee Rayun added carefully while I blinked blankly.

No, that’s not it.

Startled, I waved my hands frantically.

“No, no! I love basketball!”

“Really?”

“Of course! Then let’s have a real match.”

When I affirmed with enough energy to jump right then, Lee Rayun let out a small laugh.

Looking at the opposing team, who were a head taller than me with broad shoulders, I was a little—well, a lot—worried…

But Rayun was just as well-built, so I’d have to try anyway.

Thump, thump.

The basketball bounced on the green urethane floor.

Before the game start signal had even finished, opponent #1 snatched the ball.

He came charging toward the center with a smooth dribble.

“Oh, ahhh!”

I dropped low and tried to block him with a clumsy defense.

But there was a basic difference in physique, and his powerful dribbling was so skilled that it wasn’t easy to stop him.

While I fumbled, opponent #1 slipped past me and headed straight for the hoop.

By the time Lee Rayun caught up to him, the net was already swaying.

The other team took the first 3 points.

Lee Rayun, biting his lower lip, quickly snatched the ball as it slid through the net.

Bouncing the ball on the floor, he moved swiftly toward the opponent’s hoop.

Both opponent #1 and #2 stuck close to him.

With a well-timed fake, Rayun got past opponent #2, then dodged opponent #1 at an angle and shot.

“Wow! Rayun!”

The shot was from a distance that seemed uncertain, but Rayun pulled it off easily.

While they were distracted covering him, I dove toward the hoop and scooped up the ball rolling on the floor.

I was trying to link up a score somehow.

I swallowed, tense.

I rose on my toes and stretched my arms as long as I could.

But my uncertain shot bounced off the backboard.

“It’s okay, you’re doing well!”

I wanted to contribute to the team even a little…

As I felt deflated, Lee Rayun strode up and patted my shoulder lightly.

Startled by the sudden touch, I lifted my head, and he winked with his faintly double-lidded eyes, encouraging me.

“Ah…”

That snapped me back to reality.

Right, this wasn’t the time to worry about whether I was good at basketball.

Points meant victory, and victory meant affinity.

Returning safely to reality depended on this, so I had to cling on desperately.

Meanwhile, opponent #2 jumped high and shot, but luckily it missed.

Lee Rayun deftly grabbed the rebound and broke through aggressively.

He sliced through the opposing defense alone like it was nothing and passed me the ball.

Standing in front of the hoop, I took the ball on reflex.

Rayun nodded slightly as if to tell me to go for it.

The stiff leather felt unfamiliar against my palm.

I took a short breath and set my stance.

While Rayun blocked the opponents with his body, I released a long shot.

“Nice shot, Wooju sunbae!”

The vivid basketball slid through the swaying net.

It was pretty much handed to me by Rayun, but I was overjoyed at my first score.

When Rayun, equally excited, gave me a big high-five, my confidence soared.

After that, the score seesawed for a while.

I played hard, but with poor fundamentals I made awkward mistakes here and there.

Fortunately Rayun was so good that we got through each crisis.

I supported him as best I could, determined at least not to be a burden.

Thanks to Rayun’s performance, the lead stretched to 10 points.

By the time I could start to relax, my body was soaked in sweat.

Maybe because it was my first intense exercise in months, my ribs ached and I was gasping for breath.

The game was mostly decided, but I couldn’t back down for one big reason.

The shot count floating in the system window blinked at me as if urging me on: [8/10].

“Huu…”

My limbs were already tingling with exhaustion, but I squeezed out every last drop of strength and shot.

[9/10]

I grabbed my knees and panted.

I was reaching my physical limit.

But I was so close to 10, I couldn’t give up now.

I chased after the opponent who had picked up the ball again.

Two more points and the 50-point game would be ours.

Lee Rayun snatched a ball that opponent #2 had fumbled.

If he just made this shot, we could end the game beautifully.

“Rayun! Rayun!”

I stood in front of the hoop and waved my hand to Rayun, who was at the three-point line.

Would it be too shameless? I thought, but my body moved before my brain.

Rayun grinned and gladly passed the ball.

I opened my eyes wide and slammed it through the net.

[System – Sudden Quest “Take the winning shot” completed successfully.] [System – Quest reward: Lee Rayun’s affinity increases by 10% proportional to 10/10 successful shots.]

“Wah!!!”

The system window that appeared with the victory was deeply moving.

As I hopped around with joy on the spot, Rayun came over and gave me a light hug.

The heart above his head vibrated violently, and his affinity shot up to 14%.

After the basketball game, I sprawled out on the bleachers.

As if my body had melted onto the concrete surface, I didn’t want to move a single finger.

I must have worked myself too hard after months without exercise.

Ugh, I’m so tired.

My sides and thighs are already aching, and I’m going to be in terrible muscle pain tomorrow morning.

Even life in a game wasn’t easy.

“Wooju sunbae!”

I barely lifted my heavy eyelids at the cheerful voice.

Lee Rayun came running from a distance with two 500ml water bottles in his hands.

His silky bangs ruffled softly in the cool breeze.

His handsome face drew closer and closer until it filled my view.

Even knowing that, I had no energy to sit up, so I just blinked while lying there.

“Ah, cold!”

A playful spark flashed in his clear, dark brown eyes, and Rayun pressed the water bottle against my forehead.

The ice-cold chill jolted me awake.

I shrank back at the sensation, and Rayun laughed.

“Hey, you surprised me.”

“Haha, I was afraid you’d fallen asleep.”

Maybe it was because of the increased affinity, or maybe he felt we’d gotten close during the game, but Rayun was freely teasing me.

I didn’t mind it, so I smiled.

People always say a smiling face is welcoming, and when that face was Rayun’s, it was even more true.

Rayun sat down next to me, and I straightened up too.

The lazy afternoon sun poured warmly over us as we sat side by side.

When I shaded my eyes with my palm and squinted, Rayun’s long eyelashes caught the light and sparkled.

In that moment, when everything felt frozen, Rayun tilted his firm neck back and gulped down his ice water.

The line of his throat bobbed gently as the cold water went down.

One thick bead of sweat gathered on his chin and ran along his taut neck muscle.

I’d been so exhausted that I’d forgotten how thirsty I was, but suddenly I was parched.

When I poured the ice water into my parted lips, a cold chill spread through my stomach.

In my haste I didn’t swallow it all, and a trickle of water ran down my chin.

I wiped my wet lower lip with the back of my hand.

“Hey, Rayun, why?”

I only noticed then that Rayun was staring at me.

His gaze lingered on my face a little too intensely.

I wiped the remaining moisture from my chin and asked, and his expression subtly hardened.

“Wooju sunbae, you don’t actually like basketball, right?”

His calm dark brown eyes locked onto me.

‘How did he know? I thought I was acting like I was into it…’

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