1. AUDITION(7)

*SMACK*

"God dang!"

Ever since Dennis started guarding me, I wasn't able to make any shots. I kept miscalculating because of our height difference.

However, I couldn't disregard Dennis.

In Korea, we usually don't even worry when your guard is a head-length shorter than you. I wanted to just take the post up position, but my team didn't shift in that direction.

I wasn't used to this situation.

*SMACK*

"…"

Basketball is a strange sport.

Once I missed 3 shots in a row, Team Blue's attacks started to get really tight. This is not because I am in an important position. It's because of the court balance.

The play changed throughout the court.

If a player is left in the wing like I am and, they began to miss shots, the team is not in sync then the game becomes a 4:5.

Because of the numbers advantage, the defense becomes much easier for the opposing team. The only offensive play option was based on Clarence and Montrell's 2:2 pick and pops. It would be a good option for Denzel to play aggressively in an open court, but that was not possible at the moment.

There was not a single point guard who could compete against Denzel, who was an amazing defense player. That's all I can say about him.

"DAMN! So close!"

Even though he successfully pushed through the defensive line, Dennis barely misses his layup. He let out a disappointed shout. His team members ran toward him, giving him high-fives.

Teammates are much more responsive toward plays, whether it was good or bad.

I also noticed a few characteristics that stood out to me.

Both guys I played against on the street and Dennis alike, they have an incredibly fast first-step. They were much faster than the seniors we trained with when playing for the Korean team.

On the other hand, I noticed a lot of areas that still need improvement. Their decision to shoot or pass is quite slow and it wasn't unusual for a defense player to lose their momentum when making quick decisions.

That being said, their ability to encourage one another was beyond compare.

"Switch! Switch!"

Since most of the shots were successful, we were able to cover for our lack of defense.

But ever since I started missing shots, I had to show a better defensive side of me. Unfortunately, after the switch, Dennis decided to mark me as his 1:1 partner.

"Oh, this is so easy."

In a matter of days, I had to hear the same words from someone who was as taller but younger than me. Even before he began to dribble the ball, he had a look of confidence on his face.

If it was a few days ago, my self-esteem would've dropped to the floor, but I am more focused today.

I have to focus if I don't want to embarrass myself.

"(Where do you think I'll go? Left? Right?)"

"Shut your trap. You scared? What kind of guy talks so much?)"

I didn't fall for his trash talk this time.

Dennis continued to taunt me as he dribbled the ball. As the ball fell to the floor from his right hand, he swiftly dribbled the ball between his legs. How is he doing that so easily?

"Huh?"

Whoops! Focus!

While I was focusing on Dennis' dribbling, he moved his shoulder slightly to the left. As I quickly did a sidestep to stay in front of him, he moved his body back to his original position.

He confidently took a step back and lowered his stance while increasing speed.

As he crossed the ball to his right hand, he simultaneously put his left foot forward. As his left foot hit the ground and put weight on it, he once again shifted to the opposite direction with the ball following.

Although it had a few differences, his crossovers were much like the ones I saw when I played in high school. I was pretty confident that he was going to target my left side.

"Huh?"

*SQUEEK*

But he moved once again.

As he did the exact opposite movement as earlier, he placed his right foot diagonally and stepped forward. As I sadly saw his uniform getting further away from me, I tripped over myself.

"(OOOOOOOOH!)"

There was more commotion coming from the team than when an NBA player would dunk the ball.

That is called an Ankle Break, when a 1:1 offense player causes the defense to cross his ankles and trip. This is the worst thing a basketball player can experience on the court.

"(You are too slow and too simple. Try to use your head more.)"

Too slow. Too naïve.

As he mockingly walked towards me, he patted his own head with his finger.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

END OF GAME

Team Blue 59 : 56 Team White

"So, what's your impression?"

As the other ran to the locker room, I stayed alone in the gym to wipe my sweat away. David asked me how I felt about the game as I stood there.

How should I put it?

"I don't know how difficult this challenge is anymore."

Just so you know, these were high school players.

Even by age, they are 1 or 2 years younger than me. As a middle and high schooler, I learned each year is very important. Aging is one thing, but your view on physical advancement and basketball begins to change.

"What's more important is that these guys didn't even try their best."

"Well, it was just practice."

"What if it was a competition? I would just get beaten."

"…"

David's eyes were full of worry.

I also knew exactly what he was worrying about.

"Whew"

Why am I even putting up with this?

Yonsei University, University of Korea, Central University. Even Gwang Hee University. All these universities offered me a 4-year scholarship to play for their team.

I was popular in Korea, in fact, I had the chance to play comfortably until I was accepted into a professional team. When I get to college, I was told girls as pretty as celebrities would fall for me.

Even the seniors who got to college first had girlfriends like that.

I want to live comfortably too. I want to take my girlfriend up north, sleep in and travel on days I don't train. Shouldn't I go for the easy life?

I wanted that more than ever right now.

"Wheeeeeeew"

The reason I was sighing so much was because of an interview I had in Incheon Airport came to mind. I worked so hard to get here, I didn't want to go back without any success.

It was frustrating and I have tons of friends that will make fun of me.

They'd make fun of me, calling it Kim Minhyuk's bad history. I also thought of the Internet comments. The people that cheered me on will quickly turn against me.

It was complicated and intimating at the same time. I am very easily scared.

"Whatever, I don't care."

I ended up laying on the floor with my head full of thoughts.

I just began to notice, but this gym was really cool. They use this place for league competitions and can hold up to 3000 people. Another important fact.

"The gym will probably be full at that time too."

"…"

There are no more than 500 spectators for a national convention in Korea.

When professional basketball games give out free tickets, the number of spectators drop to half. Pre-basketball days, and the first 3 years of pro-ball. After the 2002 Asiana games.

These were the Korean basketball renaissance days when they had the chance to increase the infrastructures.

"Excuse me, David?"

"Huh?"

"Why are you always so good to me?"

Of course, I knew the answer to that question.

This was a give-and-take business relationship and wanted to be my agent when I play for the NBA. So, I was curious about another thing.

"Do you really think I'd make it to the NBA?"

"Of course. I still remember when you played against Turkey."

"Haha. That was just the game of my life."

Last year at the William Jones cup, I was the youngest player on our team.

And as we played the Turkey team, who was already going to be eliminated, I scored 17 points in 16 minutes. It still seems unbelievable how well that game went for me. Most of the passes became assists, blocked Turkey players from the back and made shots above their heads.

No jokes, that game was the game of my life.

"There is no such thing as coincidence, Minhyuk. You can play like that every day."

"Do you really think so?"

"…"

There's a reason it's called the game of my life. It was an extremely good game for me.

If I were to play like that every day, wouldn't I never feel the way I do now?

"I also played basketball up to high school."

"Really?"

"Mhmm. I wasn't really good. Maybe a mid-level player? Even then I was just a candidate. I just liked to play basketball."

David's parents always wanted him to become a lawyer someday.

But David never imagined him doing anything else but basketball. As he attended college, he moved out of home and is now living a tough life running around.

To be honest, David didn't belong to an official agency. In order to stay afloat, he had a business card representing C&B without any pay.

If the press got ahold of this fact, they would think I was being scammed.

I guess that's a possibility?

"Minhyuk. Someday I'm going to start my own agency."

"Is that your dream?"

"Yup. I'll gain about 30 customers, hire a bunch of agents, and ride around in a sports car with a beautiful lady."

"Hahaha."

He may seem to be joking, but I felt like I understood David a bit more.

He will never be able to trust his employees to care for his customers. In reality, he treats me as if he's my real older brother, giving his best and trying to do everything with my convenience in mind.

'Ah… my father did talk about this.'

If there's someone who tried hard to take care of me, I have to put in just as much effort to do the same.

Oh, father. Why have you trained me to have such a burdensome personality?

"Whew. Let's see how far we can go then. I don't feel like giving up this easily anyway."

As I stood there with confidence, I put my fist out and gently give David a push. I've seen something like this in the past. But David comfortably put his fist out and bumped mine.

As all this went down, I felt as if I was ready to sign a contract with him and gained a boost of motivation.

*SQEEEK*

"David! Kim!"

Maybe it was because practice was over, but Dwayne came over in normal clothes and invited us out for dinner.

"(I want to introduce you to some of my friends.)"

"Dwayne says he wants to introduce us to his friends? (Does it have anything to do with basketball?)"

"(Of course! You won't regret it.)"

As Dwayne walked toward the parking lot, he pointed with his fingers and told us we can use the shower rooms. He said no one should be in there now. But the cleaners will come in 30 minutes, so take care of business before then.

As David and I walked down the hallway, I was once again left in amazement.

The hallway that connects the gym to the shower rooms were extremely bright and clean.

The yellow paint on the walls was so clean it seemed to be painted yesterday and the floors were sparkling marble. Everything was reflective in the fluorescent light.

"Hey, bro?"

"Yeah?"

"About the NCAA Division 1."

"?"

"Do you think their facilities are better than this?"

"…"

David looked around, making it clear that nothing was special about this place and shrugged his shoulders.

"If this was a hostel, the NCAA should be a motel."

"That's it?"

"Well, the NBA would be the hotel."

"…"

You could call me nonreligious. But when I heard this, I began to feel motivation come to me.