* * *
Since I couldn’t invite non-athlete friends out because I could barely move, it’s not like I could go eat something delicious or stroll around sightseeing.
Left with nothing to do at home, I ended up resorting to this.
Having spent so much time focused on training, I had only occasionally touched on social media, and wasn’t used to consuming media like this.
The barrage of intense videos was overwhelming.
So, this is why people are addicted to dramas.
I used to see athletes playing dramas or variety shows on screens while doing cardio, and wondered how they could stand the distraction.
Now, I understood them.
Taehyun spent his time marveling at the never-ending flood of provocative scenes, completely absorbed in killing time.
Who knows how long it had been since he binge-watched the latest season of the drama.
Just as the husband, who had discovered his wife’s true intentions, started preparing for revenge, Taehyun felt drowsy.
Without even realizing it, he slipped into sleep, caught in the endless loop of autoplaying episodes.
He was abruptly awakened by the buzzing of his phone.
“Ugh…?”
Who is it this time?
Probably one of those friends trying to tease me after hearing I’m stuck on probation.
Taehyun groggily checked his phone, and to his surprise, it was his manager.
While he knew his manager wasn’t exactly the most trusting person, it still didn’t feel like an emergency check-in was necessary.
Pouting slightly, Taehyun paused the video and answered the call.
What he heard, however, was unexpected.
“Yeah, what’s up, hyung?”
“Hey, Taehyun. How’s your ankle? Feeling okay?”
Taehyun glanced down at his ankle.
The sturdy cast, designed to lock his ankle securely in place like the shape of a shoe, was still firmly set.
Well, it didn’t hurt when he wasn’t using it anyway.
At this point, there wasn’t much to report—just that it felt heavy and annoying.
“Same as always. I don’t feel anything since it’s all locked up.”
Feeling anxious, as if waiting for a coin toss result, Taehyun refrained from saying too much.
There was no point in going on about how he’d been immersing himself in trashy dramas to distract himself from his nerves.
It would only sound pathetic, so he kept his words short.
“I see. For now, all you can do is rest as the doctors advised. You managing okay at home?”
Wait, is he trying to subtly check if I’m actually following the rules?
Taehyun felt a bit nervous and ran through possible responses in his head.
It was true that walking was uncomfortable, but since all he did at home was lie around watching TV and heating up meal-prep boxes, it wasn’t a big deal.
Trying to sound reassuring, he cautiously replied.
“Yeah, everything’s fine. I’m just watching TV at home all day, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
Feeling guilty for making them worry during such an important time, Taehyun hoped to ease the burden.
But then, his manager said something even more puzzling.
“They said you can manage basic walking, right? Staying cooped up at home all the time must be suffocating. You should try going to the convenience store or something once in a while to get some air.”
A big question mark appeared in Taehyun’s mind.
Is he doing this on purpose?
If I agree, is he going to yell at me for going out at a time like this?
Just as Taehyun was on guard, trying to figure out his manager’s real intentions, his manager cautiously revealed the true reason for the call.
“So, here’s the thing. You’ve been bored lately, right? I mean, a guy who’s always out and about like you must be restless stuck at home. Could you do me a favor, like helping out a friend?”
“What?”
What the heck?
Taehyun was stunned.
Help out?
How can I help anyone when I can’t even get around properly?
Still, curious about what his manager was getting at, he frowned and listened carefully.
“Well, it’s about… you know CEO Song In-kyung, right? The former badminton player who’s a junior from the representative’s school?”
“Why are we suddenly talking about him?”
Taehyun nodded, recalling the former director who used to work at WIA Sports until a few years ago before leaving to head a subsidiary company.
“Yeah, why do you ask about him?”
Could it be they’re planning to send me over there?
‘Young Breed,’ the small sports management company run by President Song Inkyung, was a subsidiary of WIA Sports, supporting athletes in new fields like skateboarding and breakdancing.
A former badminton player suddenly switching to street sports?
It might sound odd, but Taehyun knew that Song had developed a personal interest in dance as a hobby.
He had even registered at a private academy, where one of his instructors, who later joined the national team, had helped make the connection.
Though he was in his late thirties now, with his youthful looks and flashy fashion, it was hard to imagine him as a company president.
He left an impression as someone who stood out, but Taehyun was still puzzled about why his name suddenly came up.
“Last year, he had to travel to Europe for business, and while he was there, he met with some companies. He mentioned there was a young athlete, a Korean national, who’s been active in France. Apparently, he was asked if he could connect the athlete with a Korean agency.”
“I see,” Taehyun nodded to himself. Just because an athlete is Korean doesn’t mean they all compete under the Korean flag.
It wasn’t uncommon for some to train and compete abroad, especially in competitions that didn’t require national selection like the Olympics or Asian Games.
If they were young, they might even compete in events that didn’t draw much attention, like the Youth Olympics.
“So, what’s the issue?”
He still didn’t understand how this was related to him, so he shrugged and asked.
The manager’s voice grew more urgent as he continued explaining.
“At first, President Song wanted to personally take charge of him. Young Breed is primarily focused on fashion brand collaborations, but adding to their athlete pool wouldn’t hurt, and given that Song himself used to be an athlete from another field, it seemed manageable. But…”
The manager’s tone stretched as if he was getting to the main point.
Taehyun tilted his head slightly, waiting for him to continue.
“He says the kid’s completely out of control. He already caused a major incident, and President Song asked the CEO for help on what to do.”
Taehyun felt a bad feeling creep in. Who was Song Inkyung, after all?
Despite having a solid career that could have comfortably supported him as a coach, he had chosen to pivot into becoming an agent.
His ambition was clear, from expanding into fashion brands to establishing a subsidiary with investment capital.
He wasn’t your average person.
With his bold personality and clear-cut likes and dislikes, if Song Inkyung was asking WIA Sports for help, things must be seriously out of hand.
“What happened? Did he hit someone or something?”
What could be so difficult about managing a youth athlete, unless it was something extreme like violence or habitual drinking and smoking?
Half curious, half worried, Taehyun asked. The manager was startled by his guess.
“What? You already knew?”
“Huh? No, I didn’t know anything. It was just a wild guess.”
What the heck?
Taehyun had just thrown out the most outrageous assumption he could think of, and it turned out to be true.
He couldn’t believe his ears.
“Wait, are you serious? For real?”
‘Yeah, man. That’s why President Song couldn’t handle it and called for help.’
At this point, Taehyun started to have a good idea why the manager was calling him.
* * *
……
Hum