“Kangin, would you mind explaining what I did wrong and why you keep on throwing stress balls on my face since grade school?” Coach Siwon said which made Kangin turn around.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir” he casually said.

Coach Siwon held out my little white ball and waved it.

“That’s not mine.” Kangin said then turned his head back.

As I looked at him, I remembered those times when we were in 6^th grade and I always made a mess in the gym. I tried out for basketball back then and at first I was doing great. But then I got hyper active, I wasn’t able to aim well anymore and the ball flew everywhere and I almost killed those who got hit. Kangin was the one who pulled me out of the team right away.

“You have to quit basketball,” he said one day.

“But whyyyy?” I whined “I was having so much fun there!”

“You’re having fun,” he pointed out “but the parents of that kid, and that, and the other one I saw yesterday… well, they’re not celebrating.”

He then suggested that we try out for swimming team. It didn’t work too because whenever I felt like I was going to drown, I carelessly pulled anyone or anything near me. I pulled off the swimming trunks of our instructor and all the kids saw it. We were kicked out the next day. And then I tried out for table tennis because it seemed like an easy sport where no one could get hurt or embarrassed.

“What did you this time?” Kangin ran to me one day after practice.

“I didn’t do it on purpose…” I pulled off a puppy-face “I almost won the match but I got excited… the ball bounced hard and it flew right in the mouth of that kid who was yawning that time…”

Those were the times I wanted to quit on sports, but my active energy needed to go somewhere! After trying and trying, Kangin told me to try out for the declamation contest. He said that I couldn’t keep my mouth shut so I had a chance there. He came over to my house every day after school to see me practice and afterwards I would help him with his other assignments. Surprisingly, I won the contest! The instant I came down the stage, Kangin ran towards me, took the huge trophy from my hands, placed it gently on the ground and then he hugged me tight. My talents in hosting and in making speeches were discovered that day and it was all thanks to that chubby kid who always pushed me to try out things and who always defended that he wasn’t chubby.

“I got big bones.” He would always say.

I stared at Kangin for a while and I felt my heart break because it seemed like none of those things we did back then mattered to him anymore. We always had each other’s’ backs and I still couldn’t absorb the fact that he changed.

He wasn’t my best friend anymore and I couldn’t understand why. I tried to remember what I did wrong. I recalled useless things. I recalled how Coach Siwon became a burly Head Coach in a High School from being a scrawny trainee in an Elementary School. I recalled birthdays and parties and even some funerals. I always seemed to remember things and memories… but I couldn’t pull out a memory that could explain why we ended up this way.

“I didn’t expect you to be here” Coach Siwon said to Kangin.

“I joined the Judo Team, coach” he said.

“The Soccer Team, is it already complete?” the coach asked.

“Yes sir,” Kangin nodded “Hyukjae and Donghae signed up there.”

“I see… so my remaining problem now is regarding the Kitchen Team.”

“Kitchen Team, sir?” I asked.

“Yes,” he nodded “we’re short on people helping out in kitchen duties for the next two weeks. And since you’re the curious one with the ball, you’ll be the latest addition!”

“But sir!” I instantly replied “I need to focus on studying for my upcoming speeches and I’m assigned to host the activities here at camp!”

“That’s not my problem anymore,” the coach said “I’m presented with solutions to my dilemma and I have to pick only one from the both of you. And the best choice is the one who threw this ball at my face.”

Kangin then stood up from his seat, pulled a small black ball from his pocket and showed it to Coach Siwon.

“Here’s mine.” Kangin said and then walked away.