Closer with you (ongoing)

CHAPTER 11

"At some point, you're going to have to hit open shots, Moonbyul. If you can't shoot, tell me you can't shoot and we'll adjust the game plan accordingly. If you're getting too comfortable with your position, if you need a challenge, let me know. We can arrange that."

Coach Ok had been riding her all practice. Granted, Moonbyul was having an off day, but this was something else entirely. It had been a little over three weeks since official practices started. Everyone else had been making mistakes here and there, but their indiscretions barely got focused on. The one day that she wasn't at her best, though, Coach decided to call her out nonstop. In front of everyone.

Attempting to make the most out of their one-minute break, Moonbyul languidly headed to the scorer's table and grabbed her labeled Gatorade water bottle. She used her already drenched undershirt to wipe off the beads of sweat that were currently trickling down her face. The shirt was saturated and was barely effective in clearing her face, but any little bit helped, she guessed. As she squirted some water into her mouth, she incidentally made eye contact with their graduate manager, Ji Yooin, who was at the table. She helped keep time and score during practices, in addition to assisting the coaches in facilitating drills. Yooin was a former basketball player, and was now in her second year of the Global Sport Management master's program and second year as the team's graduate manager. She and Moonbyul had grown relatively close, close enough for her to now be carefully watching the junior, trying to gauge how she was doing with all of Coach's criticism.

"You good?" she asked, the care and concern evident in her voice. Moonbyul reluctantly nodded her head in response as she swallowed more water before speaking out loud.

"It's whatever. I'm fine," she added tersely.

"I'll take that as a 'no,'" Yooin laughed. Moonbyul had to laugh, too. Her tone of voice was so completely opposite of the words she had actually uttered.

"I'm mad you made me laugh."

"That's my job, isn't it?"

"Oh yeah? I thought your job involved bigger responsibilities than that. I was today years old when I learned that you're just a glorified clown."

"We glorified clowns prefer the term 'jester.' Please respect that. Besides," Yooin continued as she stopped the game clock before it hit zero, "keeping the star's spirits up is a major responsibility. They pay me the big bucks for this." Byulyi aggressively rolled her eyes.

"I'm not the star."

"Mmm," Yooin distractedly replied. She was setting the clock for the next set of drills—15 minutes. "You claim you're not the star, yet Coach is treating you like the star."

"She's been calling me out the entire practice." Moonbyul's tone was a bit sharp. She had no idea what Yooin was on, but getting embarrassed in front of the entire team and staff was not usually how stars got treated.

"Stop bitching. She expects more from you. The first game of the season is a little over one week away, and her starting point guard is missing wide-open layups. I can see why she'd be a bit frustrated."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Everyone's gathering. Water break is over. Better join the group before she calls you out again."

"Will do."

*

"We're going to split up and do some position-specific drills, then we'll end on a scrimmage. The 1s, 2s, and 3s, go with Coach Do. Coach Kim will take 4s and 5s. Heeyeon, you'll bounce between both; start with Coach Kim. Byulyi, come with me."