LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 42
Chapter 42: Sports Day (1)
After the drawing story broadcast, I occasionally hosted more live streams to pass the time.
March 31st came, and I officially submitted 허무설(Snow of Emptiness) as my entry.
Time continued to flow. I observed the anniversary of my older sister’s passing and carried on with life, until eventually, the fateful day arrived.
“Alright then! Let’s decide who will participate in the sports day events!”
Though school had ended, any plans of heading home were dashed by Ms. Lee A-reum.
Still, most of the students seemed to look forward to the sports day, so there wasn’t much grumbling—except from introverts like me.
As Ms. Lee mentioned earlier, our school’s sports day was quickly approaching, scheduled for April 15th.
The funny (or not-so-funny) thing? The very next week was midterms.
In other words, the students would finish the sports day only to dive straight into exams.
“Not that exams matter to me, but for others, it’s a big deal.”
Up until middle school, my sharp mind had secured me the top spot in my grade without fail.
I wasn’t sure how midterms worked in this art-focused high school, but I doubted they’d pose any major challenges.
What worried me more was the looming sports day.
Today was April 8th, leaving just a week until the event. Wasn’t it a bit late to be selecting participants now?
Ms. Lee’s follow-up explanation quickly erased my concerns.
“The main events—relay, soccer, basketball, and foot volleyball—already have participants. What’s left are group jump rope, flag flipping, and…”
She trailed off, and my eyes caught sight of an odd event on the list: Lucky OX Golden Bell.
It seemed like one of those games where you just had to stand still and make slight movements occasionally.
“Oh, by the way! Golden Bell is mandatory for all students, so you’re out of luck, Ha-eun!”
She grinned mischievously, deliberately singling me out. I nodded with a mildly annoyed expression.
As Ms. Lee continued coaxing the students to volunteer, I pondered quietly to myself.
“Skip jump rope—I can’t run, so that’s a no-go. Flag flipping? That’s physical too…”
What was the point of a sports day, anyway? It was essentially a collection of games designed to showcase physical ability.
“What could I possibly contribute here—”
Wait. There was one thing.
Marble Game. It reminded me of the one from that popular show, “Square Game.” Simple yet brutal: take your opponent’s marbles by any means allowed.
Of course, this wasn’t a TV drama. In reality, the game would probably involve additional rules to make it more palatable.
“Whether by coincidence or intention…”
Perhaps this was why Ms. Lee had included me.
Then again, maybe it wasn’t just for me—it might have been designed for other marginalized students as well.
“We don’t need something like that!”
Introverts prefer solitude. Forcing group activities on us is counterproductive, if not outright harmful.
In the end, I was automatically assigned to the Marble Game, the only event I could feasibly participate in.
Oh, and our school’s sports day? It’s… unique.
First off, we have a dedicated Physical Education Department. Without measures in place, this would create imbalances too large to ignore, rendering the competitions pointless.
The solution? Divide the PE students among the other departments.
Each department got a portion of these PE specialists to level the playing field.
Our art department was no exception.
“…Move, will you?”
“Mm… comfy here.”
This was why Ha Soyeol had become glued to my back.
Of course, she wasn’t the only one who’d transferred from the PE department. Four other students from PE had joined our class.
Our school was divided into four departments, with each receiving five PE students.
Though not exact, this roughly totaled twenty transfers, spread across the classes of each department.
Still, of all the classes, why did Ha Soyeol end up in mine?
Naturally, her presence drew a lot of stares, especially since the seat beside me belonged to Hong Yehwa after a recent reshuffle.
“What event are you in?”
I turned my head to see Ha Soyeol resting her chin on my shoulder, her eyes half-closed.
“Mm. Relay, group jump rope, and… tug-of-war?”
“Why are you in three events by yourself?”
“PE students are exceptions.”
Typically, students could only participate in up to two events, but it seemed the rules didn’t apply to PE students.
“You should hang out with your PE friends.”
I mean, wouldn’t they have strategy meetings? They should at least coordinate with the art department.
“Doesn’t matter. We’ll win anyway.”
“Wow. That’s so cool. Real smooth.”
“Good.”
Ha Soyeol yawned again, her head still comfortably perched on my shoulder. I turned to see Ms. Lee watching us with a curious expression.
“Why are you staring at us, Ms. Lee?”
“Oh, no reason.”
Yeah, sure. The glint in her eye said otherwise.
Meanwhile, students gradually volunteered for events, and the remaining spots were automatically filled.
The less confident students looked visibly uneasy about the upcoming sports day. Unfortunately, it wasn’t something I could help them with.
“Alright then, I’ll print out the participant lists and post them on the bulletin board tomorrow. Sorry for keeping you so long—get home safe, everyone!”
Ms. Lee twirled her hands dramatically before leaving.
I stood up, gathering my things, and prepared to walk home with Ha Soyeol. Since we lived in the same apartment complex, we usually went home together. But with this stray-cat-like girl, you could never predict where she’d wander off to.
“See you tomorrow.”
“Bye~.”
After parting ways, ready to call it a day, my phone buzzed with a message.
> [This is a reminder that your follow-up appointment is scheduled for April 8th at 6:00 PM. Please note there may be a wait even with a reservation.]
“Oh, right. I have a doctor’s appointment today.”
With a sigh, I turned my steps toward the hospital.
A week later…
April 15th, the opening ceremony of Private Comprehensive Arts High School’s Sports Day.
While the faces of students and staff brimmed with excitement, my own expression wasn’t so great.
It wasn’t that I thought the sports day would be boring. If anything, it was bound to be fun. This was one of the important episodes from the original storyline.
Thanks to Lee Doyoon, my dopamine levels have been on the rise lately.
Though there were a few odd details I’d brushed off, I was genuinely curious about the pure romance arc with Baek Yuseol.
Still, my sour mood stemmed not from the event, but from last week’s hospital visit.
“So… has my medication increased again? At this rate, I’ll become a walking pharmacy.”
“I know how you feel. I wish I could reduce it too, but that’s easier said than done.”
The day I spoke with my specialist, they’d added yet another medication to my regimen.
“Haha. Don’t worry too much. It’s just replacing your Xolair injections with pills, that’s all.”
“Is there much difference?”
“…Honestly, it’s not great news. These pills are a stronger, condensed version of Xolair.”
“I see.”
“You’re surprisingly calm.”
“What’s the point of freaking out? Nothing changes. I just have to adapt and live with it.”
I didn’t want to “just live with it,” but what could I do?
I wasn’t a doctor, nor did I have any expertise in medicine.
Still, it didn’t feel good. Nobody would feel good knowing their body was on the brink.
“Ugh… maybe ginseng would help.”
My asthma, already an issue, seemed to have worsened, though I barely noticed. My specialist clearly knew better.
If ginseng could magically cure my asthma and anemia, I’d take it. Heck, I’d settle for a miracle cure for anything.
“If I found one, I’d give it to Mom first.”
That’d be enough to fulfill my filial duty.
“Ugh…”
I sighed audibly. Clinging to my back, Ha Soyeol tilted her head quizzically.
Could she please stop latching onto me? Her proximity was making me cough.
“Shouldn’t you be with the PE department for the opening ceremony?”
“I got permission. Don’t worry.”
Ha Soyeol’s knack for getting her way was impressive. Hopefully, she’d channel that energy into winning for our class.
I turned to Choi Yeseo next.
“What about you?”
“Of course! The Performing Arts Department’s probably already at the field!”
Every department had its celebrities, and these two were prime examples.
They seemed to be riding on their popularity privileges. Not that I cared—it wasn’t my problem.
“By the way! Soyeol, back off a little!”
Choi Yeseo grabbed Ha Soyeol’s waist, attempting to pull her off me. Of course, this was the Ha Soyeol we were talking about.
Even Hong Yehwa, who’d been quiet until now, tugged at Soyeol’s sleeve.
This was turning into a sitcom.
“What about the Performing Arts and Music Departments? Don’t they have something planned?”
“Oh, right! We have a performance!”
“…Shouldn’t you get going, then?”
“We’ve still got time.”
There were less than ten minutes left until the opening ceremony. If they kept dawdling, they’d be late.
The only reason we could chat like this was because everyone else had already left for the field. I planned to delay as much as possible to avoid the heat.
Unfortunately, that plan was foiled by Choi Yeseo’s antics.
Still, they had a performance to do, so I followed her out of the building, grumbling.
“See? If you’d been any later, you’d have been late.”
“Ahhh! Sorry! I’ll head there now! Watch our performance later, okay?”
I waved her off as she hurried away, checking the time on her phone.
Meanwhile, Ha Soyeol yawned dramatically, still glued to my back, while Hong Yehwa continued tugging at her sleeve.
“What a life…”
And so, the chaotic sports day began.