25: Opportunity
Boys vs Girls. Battle of the Century.
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Narrator's POV
"-Kari, we heard about your mom" Aeji said as Kari walked into the gym. Kari turned her head towards them and forced a small smile. It turned out she didn't attend school until the next week.
"come here" Miyeon pouted opening her arms as she gave Kari a hug
"na gwenchana?" Jinae asked "you were gone for a while. You're not hurt?"
"I'm fine, unnie" Kari said
"what have you been doing by yourself the last week?" Mei asked "Suzy's in Paris and JJ started training"
"I was with Mark when he wasn't training or I was at home with Noya" Kari said
"oh and no worries with coach" Byul said "she understands that you had family problems the past few weeks"
"uh unnie.." Kari said to Jinae "you major in business right?"
"mm" she nodded "wae?"
"do you know any job suited for me that will get a lot of money?" Kari asked
"but you're already well-off" Jinae said
"I want to help my appa rebuild in Japan" Kari said
"are you going to work then?" Jinae asked
"hopefully" she nodded
"what about us?" Sojin frowned "are you going to leave the team??"
"if it conflicts with my possible work? maybe..." Kari said
"but Kari" Sumin said "y-you can't"
"Sumin-ah, I need to help my family" Kari sighed "I'm still on the team right now, I didn't leave yet"
"yet" Boram repeated quietly
"so unnie" Kari said "anything?"
"Kari-ah, knowing you. You could be like a coach at a club, like for younger kids" Jinae said "but I don't know if it pays much"
"I'll look into it, unnie" Kari smiled "komawo"
"are you staying for practice?" Kyungji asked
"of course, why else would I be here?" the Japanese girl said
***
"Ai" Mark panted "what are you doing here?"
"um, being a good girlfriend and bringing you starving children food?" Kari scoffed holding up the several lunch boxes
"wah, noona jjang!" Bambam cried running over to take one of them
"why is there one pink one?" Jackson asked
"it's for Jiyeon unnie" Kari said "I was gonna go give it-"
"I'll do it" he smiled taking the pink box and exiting the room
"bwoyah" she said
"that boy will look for any excuse to go talk to JJ" JB rolled his eyes
"Jaebum, you look salty just because you don't have a girlfriend" Kari said placing a light kiss on Mark's cheek as she opened his lunch box.
"nah, he's salty because the girl he likes is already taken" Mark said putting an arm around her waist
"aw I'm sorry Jaebum-ah" Kari said patting the boy's shoulder "hwaiting"
"how's the job hunt going?" Mark asked
"okay, I applied to be a girl's coach for little junior teams at the volleyball club like 20 minutes away" she said "I haven't heard back from them yet, so I'm a little nervous"
"yah, they'd be stupid if they don't accept you" Mark said comfortingly rubbing her side
"komawo" Kari smiled up at him
"do you know how it is at Japan?" Jr asked
"ani" she shook her head "nothing heard still. I'm checking the news like every day"
"we're hoping for noona to have good news" Youngjae said
"nado" Kari nodded her head
***
"I got accepted!" Kari screamed as she leapt into Mark's embrace
"I knew you would" he smiled "work hard, uri Ai. When's your first day of working?"
"next week. Then the tryouts are the week after" Kari said
"yah, summer's next month you know" Mark said
"I know! omo, things are flying by so fast now, right?" Kari asked
"oh" he nodded and held her hand "eotteokhae? I'm sad"
"wae?" she asked
"we'll be training basically 24/7" Mark said "we won't be able to see each other a lot"
"ah that's right" she muttered "Jiyeon unnie said that too"
"what do we do?" he pouted
"we'll work it out" Kari smiled pecking him "just promise me one thing?"
"what?" Mark asked
"when you get famous, don't forget me" she said snaking her arms around his neck
"then promise me something else" he said and she nodded "when you become the savior of Japan, remember that I was your hot boyfriend"
"what do you mean was? are you going to break up with me?" she scoffed
"like I would ever" he smirked pecking her cheek "I just mean hopefully by that time, I would have proposed to you by then"
"ew! get a room!" Bambam protested as he walked past them in the hall. She chuckled and pulled away
"I'll see you after last period, meet me at my locker?" Kari asked
"I'll be there" Mark smiled, but then frowned "wait , I have practice right after school"
"a-ah" Kari said, her smile disappearing
"mian Ai, how about tomorrow? I'm free" Mark said
"arasso" she said "come over to my house then, we can play with Noya"
"it's a call" he grinned waving his hand before walking away to last period.
***
"-okay, get into ready position, then move to the side starting with your right leg" Kari said demonstrating "and then you do something like a somersault. But be careful with your neck oh? you don't want it to break"
The girls - around the ages of 13-14 (Daiki and Aki's age) - nodded and followed her demonstration
"good" Kari said and looked at them before placing them in two different teams.
"you're good at coaching" a man said walking up to her
"annyeonghaseyo" Kari bowed her head. That man, was her boss.
"are you sure this is your first time?" he asked
"Deh" she nodded
"you're also a volleyball player yourself?" he asked
"deh, I play for KAU. Libero" Kari said "well used to"
"what do you mean, used to?" he asked
"I quit the team to focus more on coaching, it's been a few days now" she said
"do you miss playing?" the man asked
"deh sir, more than anything" Kari nodded her head
"well...I can pull a few strings for you, Akari" he said crossing his arms
"d-deh?" she asked
"It just so happens that I know someone that can get you a tryout for professional volleyball, team Korea." he said "I've seen you play before and...'Asia's best libero' am I right?"
"a-ah.." Kari nodded
"after practice, come to my office Akari" he said and patted her shoulder "keep working hard"
"deh" Kari bowed watching him walk away before turning her attention back to the juniors' team "okay, practice serving. Start!"
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