Chapter 6
The Team“What the hell are you talking about?!” JoongKi shouted at Roo for being so reckless at making decision. “You are injured and you are telling me now that you’ve signed yourself up to be some coach in Richmond?! Are you out of your mind?!”
“It not that bad bro, think about it, I am still working on my passion without even having to involve myself in the team” She reasoned.
“I don’t know what to do with you anymore” He sighed exaggeratingly.
“Hey bro” She pulled onto her brother’s wrist to prevent him from walking away, “You mad?”
“No, I just need to think of another way to get my sister out of trouble”
“I am not in trouble!” she defended, “hey, I know you are worried about me, it’s just that I really want to play basketball again. I know I am in no condition to, but I don’t want to stop completely. This is the only way I can associate myself with basketball”
“You got to know we care about you. this is an exception, but if anything happens, I have to be the first one to know, got it? and without any argument from you, I will pull you out of it.”
“Yes dad” she joked.
The next day, Roo woke up early to prepare herself for the long day ahead, she was excited to meet the basketballers in Richmond. She had been thinking all night, whether they were as bad as they were perceived to be, she wants to see it for herself.
She reached school pretty early that day with the help of Joongki sending her to school. It hurts him to see his baby sister injured her leg.
“Park Bo Gum, I am glad to have you with us, that’s new huh” the teacher commented after noticing the park BoGum guy who happened to be sitting beside Roo. Of course, she wasn’t even interested, until she realised that he looks familiar. She thought back at the court when she saw Richmond’s players who fought with the other team, he remembers him vaguely.
“It’s your honour to have me, ssem” He said arrogantly.
It was finally break time, the boring classes was getting on Roo’s nerves. Partly because she had learned all those in Whimoon, and partly because Bo Gum was snoring loudly beside her which irritates her. She woke him up several time to shut him up but he ignored her, and continue to be inconsiderate.
“Park Bo Gum!” A familiar voice rang through the corridor to Roo’s class. “oh Roo! You’re here too”
“Yeah”
“Not going for lunch?”
“save the trouble” She raised up her lunch box she’s holding, showing it to joohyuk.
“enjoy your lunch, while I drag this giant kid away” He pointed to Bo Gum who was snoring away.
“He’s from the basketball team also?” She asked
“Yeah. Our shooting guard.”
He’s in the basketball team also. Roo recognised the tall guy with a pair of big dandy ears whom is currently sleeping at the bench at the outdoor basketball court. She could see him from her seat at the classroom while enjoying her lunch. She recalled seeing him that day on court and he was one of them who was involved in the fight.
Lying flat on his back with his arms acting as a pillow under his head, his eyes are closed but could clearly see how big his eyes is.
Roo kept her lunch boxes upon hearing the shrieking sound ringing, signalling the end of the lunch break. When all the students came strolling in slowly. Some had even rushed in after their teacher had started her lesson.
Lesson was like the first few, boring and uninteresting to Roo. She unconsciously drifted to the basketball court. She took a double take when she spotted the same guy on the same bench with the same pose. Didn’t the bell ring? So why didn’t he go back to class? She then realised the familiar figure playing basketball at the court. She squinted her eyes, raised her eyebrows, turning to the empty seat beside her.
She had another goal set in mind now.
Results
Training time was finally here. Roo was ready to meet them, but seems like they were not. Mr Park had brought Roo to the sport hall but all she had to witness was an empty sports hall with basketballs lying around.
“Wasn’t training supposed to start at 17 00?” Roo questioned Mr Park.
“Supposedly, but they were never on time” He shrugged nonchalantly.
“and you let them be?”
“Yeah, am I supposed to do anything?”
Roo ignored his stupidity and sat at the nearest bench, patiently tapping her feet and glancing at her watch from time to time. Mr Park was just walking to and fro the door to see if they have arrived. Truthfully, Roo’s attitude did scares him a little.
“They are here” He announced. One by one, the Richmond basketballers began to trudge in with their mouth full, and attire in a mess. Taking their own sweet time putting their belongings down. Roo stood up with the help of her crutches.
“I am giving all of you 45seconds to get your down in front of me” She ordered, as expected, no one cares about her. There were about 18 males in total but none of them except for Joohyuk who seemed shock to see her, rushed in front.
“Roo?! What are you doing here?”
Mr Park coughed to clear his throat. “Well, may I speak! Karls Roo here will be your new coach for this season! Even if she’s young, respect her! That’s all im going to say. Train well boys” Roo can’t believe him, he wasn’t even doing his in charge job well.
The players started protesting after he left.
“What the hell? This is a basketball club, we don’t listen to little girls” a lean guy with light brown hair spoke up.
“And your name sir?”
“Lee Chi Hoon, and I ain’t no sir, man.”
“Well, then are you a mam then?” Her comeback gained a few chuckles from the others. “If I might ask, are you blind? Who you calling man when a lady is standing in front of you? Man is not a way to address people, so I hope you can remove that in your sentence from now” ChiHoon’s face immediately darkened. No one had ever told him off. “How can you guys be a basketballer when you don’t even have the basic respect for the trainings and for your coach?”
“Hey , you ain’t no level to talk to us this way, you are a nobody”
“Oh yeah? Take a look behind you.” instantly, most of their heads turned to the board behind them on the wall, “I have topped most of your results as of 2015, and I am in no position to talk to you like that? Prove to me what you have before you speak to me.”, she raised her voice, “as of now! I am your coach! You can call me Roo. I don’t care if you like me or not, because that’s not my purpose of being here. My purpose is to pull Richmond up to top 10 in the next national competition. Before that, I have a few rules you have to follow. Firstly, be a team player, meaning, no fight among teammates, secondly, no street basketball until you get permission from me, if I caught you doing that, you will get your punishment. Thirdly, be punctual for all trainings, every minute you are late, you will do suicides, and every rude remarks coming out of your mouth, you will do push ups. Fourthly, you have to attend all your classes. Lastly, you need to maintain a CGPA of 3.0. if you can’t do any of the above, I suggest you to leave the team now, because things will not go your way from now on. If you agree, sign on this paper, and we will get started right away” She left the piece of paper on the bench with the above rules written on it, waiting for the players to sign, but nobody moved.
“Woman, look here. I am the captain of the team and the rules you’ve set are ridiculous. Moreover, those are last year. Look at yourself now. You can’t even outrun me and you want to be my coach?” he was referring to Roo’s leg.
“so? Your point is?”
“Well, you aint going to rule and order us around.”
“you think so? Well you thought wrong then. What is your name sir?”
“Seo Kang Joon” The tall male towered over Roo, giving her his intense glare which doesn’t scare her off any bit. The truth is that they all know who she is, but they didn’t believe that a good player can be a good coach. What more a girl.
“Well Seo Kang Joon ssi, like I said, I am your coach, whether you like it or not. I am not ordering you around, I am trying to salvage the team that is at the bottom of the sea right now”
“I don’t work with woman who thinks she knows basketball”
“Then you may leave” She smiled sarcastically at him. He was taken aback by what she said and gave her a wide eye stare. He was furious. He turned to go without any turning back.
“Hey that’s the captain that just left” someone said.
“Then we will find a new captain for this season, any problem with that?” receiving no response, she continued, “Anyone else who doesn’t agree with me and wants to leave?”
“Call me back when you need a real basketball player” a skinny tall boy said before he walks out of the hall.
“Yah Ahn JaeHyun! Where are you going!” The ahn Jaehyun guy did not turn back and walk off. After he walked off, 6 more people left simultaneously, leaving only 10 on the court.
“Aww there goes the top 3 scorers of Richmond”
“Again, we will find new scorers for this season” she said confidently.
“Anyone else wants to leave? If not I don’t wish to waste any more time, sign on this paper and we can start right now”
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