God of Tennis

“I'd like two Eel grills, please. ”

“Yes ~ I'll be right out! ”

When the mistress of the restaurant who received the order entered the store, Hanwoojin's father, who was sitting in a round chair and just looking at the menu plate, opened his mouth.

“How's your wrist? ”

It was a hard voice when I heard it without much thought, but I only heard it warmly to Han Woo-jin who lived as a family and knew his father's appearance in expressions. He smiles and shakes his right wrist a few times.

“It's just a little tennis break, it doesn't hurt that much. Don't worry about it. ”

In fact, I still had a bit of a tingling sensation, but I was not patient enough to show the pain on my face. There was no way to pierce the face of Han Woo-jin's father, Han Dong-hoon. He squeezed his head together, poured water into the cup.

I inhaled it lightly.

In front of the rich man who was waiting quietly, several pieces of eel were placed on a large tray. It seemed quite overwhelming, whether it was a service or scallops.

“You can't drink yet, can you? ”

“Yes, I want you to stay away for a while. ”

Drinking and smoking when all injuries are not well should be avoided. When Han Woo-jin struck his hand, Han Dong-hoon couldn't share a glass with his son, so he was a little sad and only had a bottle of soju. The fathers of the world are always the grown-ups and the booze.

I wait for the day to share a drink.

It was not that he didn't know his father's heart because he was Han Woo-jin. When my hands were completely healed, and I had another good performance and went out for dinner, I was going to take the cup several times.

Profit.

The eel that rises on the fire begins to grill with a loud roar. Han Dong-hoon, who had dried up Han Woo-jin trying to grill the eel, lays the eel and scallops on a slab with a skillful grip.

“Don't let the wrist clench. Eat what I bake, thinking you're happy today. ”

“Yes.”

It was a protest when I heard the voice, but I was worried about my child's body. Han Woo-jin looked at the eel, holding the chopsticks instead of the tweezers, gradually changing its color.

After all the eels had been baked, the rich man emptied the fire, making fun of the chopsticks without saying a word. When the eel halfway over the fire disappeared, Han Dong-hoon, who drank about half a bottle of soju, took out the horse with a slightly stunned voice.

“Woojin, this father says, I regretted making you play tennis. ”

“Yes?”

Hanwoojin's eyes widened. The snow wasn't the only thing I wanted to hear. Even the mouth of the eel was open in front of his son, Han Dong-hoon said.

“Your mother and I were so obsessed with tennis that we went on our honeymoon. When you have a child, you must think about raising him as a tennis player. ”

So far, Han Woo-jin knew about it. As long as I went to the tennis club and played tennis every weekend, and only broadcast the broadcast of the four major matches, I didn't know that the passion of the two of you watching the tennis game was the same. Someone sees the World Cup.

I thought you were doing it.

However, I have never heard of Han Woojin as a tennis player in my life.

“Since middle school. You went to Chungwoo Middle School, famous for Junior Tennis, right? ”

“Yes.”

I couldn't remember, but Han Woo-jin nodded. I didn't remember how I lived in middle school. On the contrary, it meant ‘nothing happened’ in his tennis life.

“Do you remember joining the tennis department? ”

“… a little. ”

Until then, Han Woo-jin was able to open the pages of his past memories a little.

Chungwoo Jung School.

It was a school famous for Gangho, which has produced a lot of junior tennis players. The parents who wanted to raise their son in a better environment got him into Chungwoo Jung School. And as soon as I entered, I applied to the tennis department.

“But the teacher who was in charge of that wealth didn't put you in the competition. Eventually, I went to talk to him myself. ”

“ …. ”

It was an unknown story. Han Woo-jin thought it was natural to just pick up the ball from the wealth and practice swinging the racket. The competition was thought that if the teacher didn't let him go, he wouldn't be able to leave.

“I have no talent. Easy for you to say. Don't you think? Because it's so easy to spit it out and hurt people. ”

“Father.”

I wanted you to stop.

Looking into the heart of the father who was hurt worse than himself, Han Woo-jin called his father and tried to stop him, but Han Dong-hoon put out his hands and said. He was more emotional than usual because he was a little drunk.

“So that day, I took your hand and left the tennis department. I didn't want to leave you by the teacher's side with discrimination because you're a talent that hasn't grown up yet. ”

As Han Dong-hoon's beautiful voice continued, Han Woo-jin's heart faded as well. Stories of the distant past were alive and well in his brain.

The tennis court of a small middle school where my father's palm was firmly gripped, and he left behind. Middle school friends I've never talked to before.

“I've been dragging around clubs at the institute. If you had said no, I might have stopped there. ”

Unfortunately, Han Woo-jin liked tennis. Not because my parents were such people, but because of me. Hearing that their child was not talented, even among the dead parents, he did not give up and grabbed the racket. 그런

I wonder if parents couldn't give up on their children.

There were many ups and downs in life that I couldn't remember myself. Han Woo-jin couldn't lift his chopsticks while giving them an edible breast. Han Dong-hoon put the eel on his son's plate, no matter how much he picked up the half-burned eel.

“But look, my son came in second among the fighters. You've beaten everyone who's ever denied you. ”

“Father, I...”

I was strangled for some time. As the horse comes out, it climbs down the back throat. Han Woo-jin took only the loving cup of water to hide the darkened eyes.

I didn't know if my parents had been hiding their burns in a place they didn't know.

Now I remembered my parents who would have suffered even in the time that they had disappeared. Han Woo-jin didn't even feel the stinging taste of the eel chewing in his mouth.

My father's words were heavy, so there was too much he didn't know.

I couldn't concentrate on the taste of the food.

“A parent couldn't trust a child properly. What are you going to use this for, haha. ”

“… don't say that. ”

Han Woo-jin stopped his father from blaming himself with an appetizing voice. Parents don't remember for 10 years. After all those short years, he never heard a loud sound. I would rather be praised than condemned to a son who can't even earn good money.

They were the ones who wanted to.

Seeing his son holding his hand without saying anything, Han Dong-hoon no longer opened his mouth. When I saw Hanwoojin covered by one sand, I felt uneasy and satisfied. The father and son stretched out their stopped hands and ate the remaining eel.

I don't know what it tasted like, and the eel was deeper in my memory than Han Woo-jin had ever been.

* * *

“I'm going in circles. ”

After finishing a solid dinner, Han Woo-jin thought of turning the neighborhood around while digesting it. Han Dong-hoon glanced at his son a few times with a worried look and replied.

“Don't let the bad guy get too far back. Call me if you're gonna be late, okay? ”

“Yes, don't worry. ”

Hanwoojin smiled lightly at the father who had no concern for his children until the end, and began walking with his right hand in his pocket. Even after the end of March, it was still cold at night, even though it was almost April.

It was a day when I thought a lot. There was too much back in one racket. Han Woo-jin stretched his hands a few times, thinking of the racket that had gone missing. I asked my parents, and they didn't even remember getting Evan Rend's autograph. Maybe in this world.

It seemed to have disappeared forever.

“What the hell happened...”

His light exhales become white steam and disperse. Even the intermittent pain in his right hand felt like it was cooling off in the cold outside air.

As I kept walking, my phone was crying in Hanwoojin's pocket, sitting on the bench.

RRRRR…

“Who is it?”

I thought I'd called from home, but I hadn't left my father in less than 30 minutes. Even though Han Woo-jin is a little sick now, he's not overprotective enough to call me directly with this. He looked up at a strange phone number that came to his head.

I tilted.

Han Woo-jin put his finger on the currency icon.

“Hello."

Is it Woojin?

Familiar yet unfamiliar voice. I had never heard a voice beyond my mobile phone. After looking back at the memory for a while, Hanwoojin picked a name to say.

“Choi Yeon-hyeok?”

"Hey, it's me. I called you when I heard you were discharged today, but are you having a good time?

Time.

Hanwoojin pondered for a moment. It's 9: 38 p.m. In order to meet Choi Yeon-hyuk and have a little chat, I had to make minimum time to enter the house, but it was past midnight. I thought it would be okay to drink anyway.

“It doesn't matter. You're not calling me a drunk, are you? ”

"Do I look like I'm too drunk to drink to the guy I discharged today? Let's just eat a chicken and talk.

I had just eaten an eel, but it was hard to fill an athlete's stomach for about a minute. Han Woo-jin realized that there was still enough chicken to go in, and returned the answer.

“Where can I go? ”

"The shrine station. When you get there, I'll find you.

“Okay. I'll see you later. ”

Beep.

The shrine station. It can be reached in about an hour by subway from the oil station or two stations. Two stations closer to the Eel House. Han Woo-jin walked in the direction of the stations and rolled his head to see what Choi Yeon-Hyuk was trying to say.

I thought I would know once I went there.

End

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