At night, Jungkook sat at the desk and read a book. Eunwoo was bored out of his mind and snapped a photo of Jungkook. He uploaded it onto his Weibo after selecting a filter. Posting Jungkook's photo was a quick and easy way of increasing followers; this was something that the entire ice hockey team knew.
Before posting Eunwoo asked Jungkook very democratically, "Jungkook Oppa, I'll posting your photo?"
"Whatever".
After posting the photo, Eunwoo looked at Jungkook's bald head and felt his fingers itch. Earlier, the reaction of his sister-in-law was seared onto his mind. Just how good does Jungkook's head feel?
The curiosity was killing him!
Eunwoo was good in all aspects expect for one he was way too curious. Presently, he paced back and forth the room with restless steps. At last, he summoned up the courage and made his way to stand behind Jungkook. He pressed his hand onto Jungkook's bald head and rubbed the spot gently.
Jungkook was shocked. After being stunned for a second, he turned his head and raised his eyes to stare Eunwoo in silence.
A phrase popped up Eunwoo's mind out nowhere. He uttered it without thinking through. "A monk can touch it, so why can't I?"
Wait, just where did this phrase come from? Jungkook's stare is terrifying?
Eunwoo wanted to run but it was too late. Jungkook caught his wrist and flung him onto the floor mercilessly. Eunwoo's entire body was tossed onto the carpet. Subsequently, Jungkook's foot, along with the disposable slipper he wore, landed on his chest.
"Bro, I was wrong, mercy...." Eunwoo begged for mercy while laying on the ground.
Jungkook continued reading with one foot on Eunwoo.
Eunwoo had discovered the two faces of Jungkook. In front of his brothers, he was aloof and tyrannical. In front of his wife, he was docile and well-behaved what a sham.
....
On the final day of world university winter games was an event that Yeonjun was participating in.
Yeonjun did not withdraw from RCU as the rumours said. Previously, he had gone to Seoul without official approval and had missed all his final examinations. Mrs. Choi decisively helped him to apply for a leave of absence. Therefore, he was still and RCU student.
As he was a student-athlete and doing well in his specialized major, the school took a lenient attitude towards him.
Lisa went to watch Yeonjun's competition. However, worried that Jungkook would overthink, Lisa called him along as well.
She did not expect to meet Yeonjun's mother.
Mrs. Choi appeared to be in an excellent mood and actually smiled at Lisa. It gave Lisa a shock.
"Thank you". Mrs. Choi said, "Yeonjun is so much better these days".
"You're welcome". Lisa's only thought was that Yeonjun's acting skills were getting better and better.
Mrs. Choi sighed, "Sometimes, I really don't know how to communicate with youngsters like you".
Lisa suddenly felt a trace of sympathy for her. She thought for a moment and said, "It is said that a mother's love is instinctive. It's also the same for a child's love of his or her mother. However, no matter how much love there is, you have no exclusive right over the other person. This is because beyond our love is an individual who needs his or her own freedom as well".
When Mrs. Choi heard this, she looked at Lisa quietly.
Being stared at like this, Lisa felt a little uncomfortable. "Well, am I wrong?"
"No". Mrs. Choi shook her head and smiled, "I suddenly thought that it's actually pretty good if I managed to have a daughter-in-law like you in the future".
Jungkook was originally like air beside Lisa. When he heard this, he was greatly dissatisfied. What's the meaning of this? Are you trying to help your son steal my wife? Don't you see me standing beside her, alive and kicking? Are you going to notice me only if I take off my cap?
Before he could dispute this, Lisa spoke first. She gave a half-embarrassed smile. "I don't think I want a mother-in-law like you".
Well done.
The edge of Jungkook's lips quirked. He grabbed Lisa's hand and stressed to Mrs. Choi, "She already has a mother-in-law".
....
In the afternoon, Yeonjun executed an impeccable performance and clinched the gold in the men's figure skating event.
That night, Lisa and Jungkook attended the closing ceremony of the world university winter games together before heading back and packing their luggage.
The next day, they did not fly back along with the rest of the team. Lisa was worried that if the plane turbulence was severe, it would affect Jungkook's head.
Jungkook did not know whether to laugh or cry. "How is it possible?"
Lisa's face was utterly serious. "How is it not possible? If you shaken an egg with enough force the egg yolk will also break".
"Is my head the same as an egg?"
"It's not? Oh, yes it's not. You have hair" Lisa rubbed his bald head and felt the newly-grown hair scrapped her palm gently. The sensation was way too satisfying. It was so comfortable that she slit eyes. "I hereby announce, You are now a kiwi".
Jungkook made another mark against her onto the little booklet in his heart.
In the end, Jungkook listened to Lisa onto the little bored and did not feel like using her phone. She leaned on Jungkook's shoulder and remarked. "Jungkook, tell me a story".
Jungkook raised his arm and put it over her shoulder. "What do you want to hear?"
"I don't know. Anything will do".
"I'll tell you the story of the stars then".
There are many legends on stars throughout history. Not wanting to disturb others, Jungkook kept his voice soft and was patient as he spoke in an unhurried pace. Lisa was utterly absorbed as she lay in Jungkook's arm. Halfway through, Jungkook suddenly paused. Lisa could not help urging him, "What happened next?"
Jungkook's hand was placed languidly over her shoulder. He raised his arms and touched her earlobe. Then, he pinched and massaged it gently with his thumb and index finger.
"I'll tell you if you express it" Jungkook replied.
Lisa looked at him. "How do I express it?"
Jungkook looked out of the window with curved lips. Under the expanse of the sky was the raised peaks of the mountain range.
He pointed to his face, his intent clear.
Lisa said, "Jungkook, I want to rub your head".
The curves on Jungkook's lips immediately fell. He tugged on his knitted cap and continued the story.
After that, Lisa gradually fell asleep as she listened to him. Jungkook stopped talking. He continued to hold her with one arm while occasionally smoothing her hair and rubbing her ear. He gazed at the view outside the window.
The winter sunlight shone through the glass window and landed on them. After a while, they were gently warmed by the sun. Lisa was unable to sleep well with sunlight on her eyes. Jungkook tousled her hair and brushed everything to the front to cover her eyes.
She looked like a lunatic.
He took a photo of her and continued to look at the scenery peacefully.
The train crossed with mountains and rivers. Like youth, everything hurtled past in a flash.
Lisa was woken by the ringing of her phone.
Coach Park was already back at RCU. She was calling to inform Lisa that Mentor Lim from the National Team was coming down two days later.
Lisa was jolted wide awake. She was unable to fully believe what she had just heard. She asked, "What, what does it mean?"
"What else can it mean? I'll send you an application form in a bit. There's a sample form so just fill it in according to that".
"Is it the application from for the National Team?"
"What do you think?" Coach Park felt that Lisa's reaction was adorable and laughed. "However, since you're still schooling, your entry into the National Team will only be nominal for now. You don't have to train there but they will still send you the allowance. You just have to head over for the team training during the semester breaks. The decision to suspend your studies can be made in the future depending on how everything goes".
"All right! Thank you, Coach Park!"
Lisa's feelings now was like a plastic bag caught in a gale. It sailed and sailed, all the way until it had flown up to the sky. She clenched her first in excitement. "I knew that the National Team has good taste". She patted Jungkook's shoulder solemnly. "My sincere apologies. Your bro, I will be heading to the National Team first. Ice Dog, you need to buck up".
Coach Park soon sent two documents to her. The first was a blank form while the second was a sample form. When Lisa clicked in, she was awed. It was the application form of the National short track speed skating team's current ace.
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Ace, I'm the future ace of the team". Lisa nodded with grave respect to her phone.
Jungkook recorded her silly behaviour for him to make fun of her in the future.
After greeting Ms. Ace, Lisa suddenly thought of something.
She asked Coach Park: "Coach, does Tzuyu have this application form as well?"
Coach Park: "Yes, only the two of you received it".
Lisa felt at ease knowing this.
Coach Park: "Still, I need to remind you. There are a lot of athletes in the National Team. Simply entering the National Team doesn't mean much. The National Team is split into first-tier and second-tier teams and the athletes are also split into those with focused training and those with normal training. Don't you dare to get too complacent.
Coach Park's words immediately yanked Lisa back to reality. She was right. Entering the National Team did not guarantee her a spot in the Olympics. The selection process for the Olympics would be way harsher than getting into the National Team.
After ruminating over it, Lisa was suddenly a little disheartened. "The suddenly a little disheartened. "The difference between Ms. Ace and me is still kind of big".
Jungkook rubbed her head. "What are you afraid of? Jeon Jungkook's woman will not lose".
Pffff
Lisa was greatly amused. She looked at him and smiled, somewhat touched.
Jungkook kept his phone and met her eyes. "Lisa Manoban's man will not, either".
____
Three months later.
Rain city, Bright Ice Hockey Stadium.
It was the day of the opening match of the Silk Road League finals and numerous people were gathered outside the ice hockey stadium. Most of them were there to try their luck and see if there were second-hand tickets for sale. A minority of them were ticket scalpers there to buy second-hand tickets as well.
No one was selling second-hand tickets.
The reporters captured all these and sent it to the live broadcast as an interesting titbit behind the scenes.
The competition had yet to start. The host of the live broadcast was currently introducing the line-up of the competition. When he got to Jungkook, he could not help elaborating a bit move.
This was the youth prodigy who started off with a bang in the regular season and ended up with a lacklustre performance in the latter half. He was impeded by an undiagnosed injury not nearky four months and fell severely ill at a point with the chances of his survival unknown. He was now back in the competition rink after his injury healed.
It was a battle to determine the final eight teams. Currently, the Dauntless Bright Korean team had already lost three matches. Under the competition format, they must win at least four out of the seven matches to proceed. Their survival hung by a thread and their fate in the quarterfinals was almost a foregone conclusion. Jungkook started playing from the fourth match. He went up four times and won all four rounds, narrowly changing the Bright's fate and successfully bringing them into the quarterfinals.
It was impossible for the bright team fans to forget how they felt following the match. Bit by bit, the stakes for the ream were raised. Bit by bit their hopes were also raised. Until the moment when a miracle did happen. When the 7th match ended, the fans in the stadium leapt to their feet with loud cheers. "If 'miracle' does have a name, it would be called Jeon Jungkook!" The joyous cheers were like a tsunami that reverberated and swept through the stadium, creating an impressive scene.
After appearing, the miracle did not simply stop there. Following the quarterfinals were the semi-finals. The night that the Bright fought their way into semi-finals, they made a mark in history the semi-finals were the furthest that a Korean team had ever been in the Silk Road League.
After reaching the semi-finals, with 'luck' they managed to climb even higher by entering the finals.
Jungkook was finally able to shut down all doubts against him with the ice hockey stick in his hand.
The once disappointing youth was now so bright that he dazzled everyone's eyes.
....
The host was Jungkook's fan. He rambled on and on until the broadcast director had to remind him hurriedly, "Introduce someone else!"
The host immediately introduced the rest of the team before chatting with the guest. After a while, he continued, "All right, the competition is about to begin. Let us bring the broadcast back to the rink".
Live at the scene, the stadium was bursting with people. Many raised flags, waved banners and light sticks. There were even some who had brought trumpets.
Lisa was seated in the VIP section. It had the best view of the entire stadium.
She held a banner as well. It was red and on it were bold words written in a fluorescent material: "Lisa Manoban's man will never lose".
Music sounded within the stadium and the cheerleading squad started their performance. The group of pale beauties with long legs immediately drew the entire stadium's attention.
After the cheerleading squad left, the competition finally began.
The first to appear was the visiting team. One by one, the ice hockey members entered the rink. The host announced their names and the audience applauded courteously.
When Jungkook appeared, the crowd's enthusiasm seemed to magnify a hundredfold. Numerous ice hockey fans blew their trumpets with gusto. When Jungkook waved to them, their agitation rose. Whoo, Ice God looked at me! Continue blowing!
Jungkook's eyes swept through the audience before landing on a certain figure in the VIP section.
He looked at her through his visor and the glass. Lisa was looking at him as well.
Both of them gazed at each other and, at almost the same time, smiled.
For you, I'm here.
For you, I'll fight
-Rock Sugar and Pear Stew-
Fin.