The car moved through the night as Ji-min and Jin-ho slowly returned to their usual rhythm, speaking as if nothing had happened earlier.
Jin-ho glanced at her.
“How do you know this place?”
Ji-min leaned back slightly, recalling it.
One of her teammates had gone there once, and she had joined briefly.
It was a short visit, but it left a good impression on her.
She remembered it fondly.
Even as a beginner, she had found the game enjoyable.
Jin-ho, on the other hand, had played pool before.
It was one of the reasons he used to skip classes back in the day, spending time at places like this in the neighborhood.
Still, it had been a long time since he last played.
Soon, they arrived near the area Ji-min had mentioned.
Jin-ho scanned for a parking space and found an empty spot after a moment.
He pulled the car in and parked.
After that, they stepped out.
Ji-min put her mask back on, covering her face again.
They walked toward the building, with Ji-min leading the way.
Inside, the place was crowded with young people.
Loud K-pop music filled the space, ITZY’s “DALLA DALLA” playing over the speakers.
Ji-min lowered her head slightly as she entered, trying not to draw attention.
Behind her, Jin-ho observed the place calmly, taking in the layout like he was analyzing it.
Ji-min glanced back at him.
“Can you get us a private room?” she asked.
“It’s more crowded than I expected.”
Jin-ho nodded slightly.
“Stay close to me.”
He then walked toward the counter to make the request.
Ji-min followed closely, still careful not to be recognized.
“This was a mistake…” she thought to herself, glancing around at the crowd.
Jin-ho approached the counter and asked for a private room.
The clerk nodded and checked the computer for availability.
After a moment, she confirmed there was an available room.
She handed Jin-ho the key and pointed toward the direction of the room.
Jin-ho followed her gesture, gave a small nod of thanks, and turned back to Ji-min.
The two then walked through the venue, passing by several occupied tables.
Soon, they reached the assigned room.
Jin-ho unlocked the door, and they stepped inside.
The room had a pool table in the center, with a cue rack placed on the side.
There were also movable chairs positioned near the table.
Once the door closed, Ji-min immediately removed her mask.
Both of them briefly looked around, taking in the space.
After looking around the room, the two of them began setting up the pool game together, talking lightly as they arranged the balls on the table.
Ji-min carefully placed them into a tight triangle at the foot of the table, while Jin-ho stood nearby, watching her and occasionally giving small comments about the setup.
The atmosphere between them felt more relaxed than before.
Once everything was ready, Ji-min stepped back and picked up her cue stick.
“First shot is mine,” she said, trying to sound confident.
“Go ahead,” Jin-ho replied, folding his arms as he watched her.
Ji-min leaned forward, lined up her shot, and took a steady breath.
Then she struck the cue ball.
A sharp crack echoed as the balls scattered across the table in different directions.
She straightened up, following the movement of the balls with her eyes.
Jin-ho stayed where he was, arms crossed, calmly observing her shot with a quiet, focused gaze.
Ji-min crossed her arms as she stared at the table, carefully thinking about her next shot.
After deciding, she walked toward the side where Jin-ho was standing.
Jin-ho remained there with his arms crossed, quietly watching her.
Ji-min leaned forward and lined up her shot.
She moved the cue stick back and forth slowly, adjusting her aim before finally committing.
Clack.
The cue ball rolled forward and struck the target.
A solid ball dropped cleanly into the pocket.
“Yes!”
Ji-min immediately pumped her fist in celebration, a bright smile appearing on her face.
Jin-ho looked at her and smiled slightly.
“You look like you already won the game,” he said.
Ji-min glanced at him.
Then ignored him.
Instead, she focused on the table again.
She walked around slowly, searching for her next shot.
After choosing her position, she moved into place and leaned forward once more.
She took a slow breath in.
Then out.
Carefully aiming before striking the cue ball again.
This time, the shot worked perfectly.
The ball rolled across the table and dropped into the pocket.
But a second later—
The black 8-ball slowly followed behind it.
Clack.
Silence.
Ji-min froze.
Jin-ho covered his mouth and coughed lightly, trying to hide his laughter.
His shoulders trembled slightly.
Ji-min slowly turned her head toward him.
She had somehow managed to lose before Jin-ho even got a turn.
“I didn’t know you were this skilled.”
Jin-ho said it while trying to suppress his smile.
Ji-min immediately pouted.
She already knew he was teasing her.
After that, the two set up another game.
This time, Jin-ho would go first.
Jin-ho stepped toward the table and lowered himself slightly, aiming at the cue ball.
Ji-min stood nearby, watching him quietly.
Her expression gradually became serious.
As she looked at him focusing on the shot, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.
“He looks good when he’s serious…”
The thought appeared so naturally that even Ji-min blinked for a moment.
Jin-ho remained focused.
He lined up the shot.
Then struck.
Clack!
The balls scattered across the table in different directions.
A solid ball rolled neatly into a pocket.
Jin-ho calmly moved to his next shot.
Then the next.
And the next. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Shot after shot, the balls continued disappearing into the pockets.
It had been a long time since he last played, but his skills clearly had not disappeared.
Ji-min stared at him.
Then at the table.
Then back at him.
Gradually, she started feeling nervous.
She still had not gotten a turn.
Not even once.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Then, as if coming to a decision, she quietly walked over and stood beside him.
“Jin-ho.”
No reaction.
“Jin-ho.”
Still nothing.
Ji-min frowned slightly.
Then she started talking beside him on purpose, making random comments and speaking louder than usual.
Trying her best to distract him while he played.
Seeing that Jin-ho was not reacting at all, Ji-min frowned slightly.
No matter how much she talked beside him, his attention stayed on the table.
His eyes remained focused on the next shot as if he had completely blocked her out.
Ji-min narrowed her eyes.
Then slowly stepped closer.
Closer.
Until she was standing right beside him.
A mischievous look flashed across her face.
She leaned toward him and lowered her head slightly.
Then softly whispered near his ear.
“Jin-ho…”
The effect was immediate.
Jin-ho’s hand stopped.
The cue stick, which had been lined up moments ago, froze in place.
For the first time since the game started, his concentration broke.
He slowly turned his head and looked at her.
Their eyes met.
Ji-min blinked.
Jin-ho blinked.
Silence.
Then a small smile slowly appeared on Ji-min’s face.
Jin-ho rolled his eyes slightly and returned his focus to the pool table.
Ji-min straightened up, watching him closely, thinking her distraction had worked.
Jin-ho leaned over the table again, but Ji-min’s presence beside him lingered in his mind.
The earlier whisper still echoed faintly, making it harder for him to fully concentrate.
He took a slow breath.
Then, after a brief pause, he made his shot.
Clack.
The ball dropped into the pocket.
Jin-ho glanced at Ji-min, then at the pocketed ball.
A small smile appeared on his face.
“Thanks for that,” he said.
Ji-min let out a soft exhale, realizing what he meant.
After that, Jin-ho continued his turn, calmly pocketing several more balls in sequence.
But eventually, he missed.
The cue ball rolled off target, ending his run and giving Ji-min her turn.
Ji-min tightened her grip on the cue stick as she stepped forward, glancing at the missed shot.
Now it was her chance.
She walked around the table, studying the remaining balls carefully.
There was still a lot she needed to pocket if she wanted to catch up to him.
Her eyes scanned the layout as she silently planned her next move.
When she found her first shot, she moved into position.
Without hesitation, she lined up her cue stick and prepared to take it.
Clack.
The ball rolled smoothly and dropped into the pocket.
Jin-ho raised his eyebrows slightly, watching her.
Ji-min moved to the next position.
Another breath in.
Another shot.
Clack.
Another ball disappeared into the pocket.
One by one, she continued, maintaining a steady rhythm as she moved around the table.
Her focus had completely shifted now, and her earlier hesitation was gone.
Jin-ho quietly observed her from the side.
He didn’t expect her to be this accurate.
A small expression of surprise passed through his eyes as she continued pocketing the balls with surprising consistency.
As she moved into position for her next shot, Ji-min stood along the side of the table opposite Jin-ho.
She leaned forward, focusing on lining up her aim.
From Jin-ho’s perspective, as Ji-min leaned forward, she seemed to have forgotten to be mindful of her posture.
Because of the angle, he briefly caught sight of her skin, so he quickly looked away and focused back on the table while she lined up her shot.
Ji-min struck the cue ball.
It rolled forward and made contact with the target cleanly.
She straightened up afterward and noticed Jin-ho wasn’t looking directly at her.
She tilted her head slightly, confused.
Then it suddenly clicked.
Realization hit her, and her face turned red almost instantly.
She quickly averted her gaze, feeling embarrassed, and adjusted her posture more carefully for her next move, making sure to be more mindful this time.
The two of them didn’t mention what had just happened, acting as if nothing had occurred at all.
Ji-min, now more careful, became conscious of her posture and movements.
She lined up her shot, took her time, and struck the cue ball.
However, she missed, giving Jin-ho his turn.
Jin-ho stepped forward and looked over the table.
Ji-min watched him closely, muttering under her breath.
“Please miss… please miss…”
Jin-ho heard her and smiled slightly.
“You really want to win that badly?” he said, still not looking at her.
Ji-min pressed her lips together and said nothing in response.
Jin-ho continued his turn with calm precision, finishing the remaining shots one by one.
The final ball dropped cleanly into the pocket.
The game was over.
He straightened up and gave a small, satisfied smile, acknowledging the win without saying much.
Ji-min let out a quiet breath and shook her head in disbelief, accepting the result.
“Again,” she said shortly.
She quickly reset the table for another round, this time insisting on playing alone for practice.
Jin-ho stepped aside and watched her from a short distance.
As she struggled with her form, he eventually walked closer.
“Your angle is off,” he said.
Before she could respond, he reached out and gently adjusted her cue alignment, guiding her stance.
Ji-min froze slightly at the sudden closeness but stayed still. Get faster updates on g.com.
His hand overlapped hers on the cue stick as he demonstrated the motion slowly, correcting her aim step by step.
“Like this,” Jin-ho said calmly.
Ji-min nodded quietly, focusing on his guidance as she tried to follow his movements.
Jin-ho stayed beside her, keeping his attention on the table.
“Your grip is too stiff,” he said calmly.
“Relax a little.”
Ji-min looked down at the cue stick in her hands.
“Like this?”
“Not exactly.”
Jin-ho reached over and adjusted the position slightly, careful and precise with his movements.
He was noticeably mindful, keeping a bit of distance and avoiding unnecessary contact as much as possible while still showing her the correct form.
“Your arm should move naturally,” he explained.
“If you force it, the shot becomes unstable.”
Ji-min listened seriously.
The playful attitude from earlier had completely disappeared.
Now she was focused.
Very focused.
She adjusted her stance again.
Lowered herself slightly.
Lined up the shot.
“Don’t look at the ball you’re hitting first,” Jin-ho said.
“Look at where you want the cue ball to go after.”
Ji-min blinked.
Then looked at him.
Then back at the table.
“…That’s complicated.”
“It becomes natural after practice.”
Ji-min narrowed her eyes slightly before trying again.
This time, she took a slower breath.
Carefully followed his instructions.
Then struck.
Clack.
The ball rolled across the table.
A second later, it dropped neatly into the pocket.
Ji-min’s eyes widened.
Then she immediately turned toward Jin-ho.
“It went in!”
The excitement in her voice was obvious.
Jin-ho looked at the table, then at her.
A small smile appeared on his face.
“Not bad.”
Ji-min stared at him.
“…That’s it?”
“You made one.”
“Jin-ho.”
He looked away slightly, hiding the small smile on his face.
Meanwhile, Ji-min just stared at him before puffing her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
Still, despite her reaction, she quietly moved toward the next shot.
Because this time…
She felt like she was actually getting better.
Time passed more quickly than either of them realized.
Shot after shot, Jin-ho continued teaching while Ji-min practiced.
At first, she missed often.
Then she started landing simple shots.
After that came cleaner angles.
Better control.
Better positioning.
Each time she made a difficult shot, Ji-min would immediately turn toward Jin-ho with a bright expression, waiting for a reaction.
And every time, Jin-ho would give the same calm response.
“Not bad.”
“Better.”
“Getting there.”
Simple words.
But somehow, Ji-min still looked satisfied hearing them.
The atmosphere gradually became lighter as the game continued.
Occasionally, Ji-min would complain whenever she missed.
Sometimes Jin-ho would quietly point out what went wrong.
Other times he would just watch and let her figure it out herself.
Without realizing it, the clock on the wall continued moving.
Eventually, Jin-ho glanced up.
10:27 p.m.
He looked at the time for a moment.
Then toward Ji-min, who was still preparing another shot.
“Ji-min.”
“Hm?”
“It’s getting late.”
Ji-min blinked and looked up.
Only then did she glance toward the clock.
Her eyes widened slightly.
“Already?”
Jin-ho nodded.
Only then did Ji-min finally lower the cue stick.
The two returned the equipment and stepped out of the room.
As soon as they entered the main area again, Ji-min immediately put her mask back on.
Compared to earlier, the crowd had thinned out, but there were still enough people around to make her careful.
The two walked toward the counter.
Jin-ho quietly took out his wallet.
Before Ji-min could react, he had already paid.
Ji-min stared.
Then stared at him again.
Her eyes widened.
“Wait.”
Jin-ho put his wallet away as if nothing happened.
Ji-min puffed her cheeks slightly.
“I was going to pay.”
“You can next time.”
“That’s not the point.”
Jin-ho looked at her.
Ji-min looked back.
Still pouting.
Jin-ho stared for a second.
Then looked away.
Because for some reason.
That expression is strangely amusing to him.