Chapter 96 – Episode 96

The moment I felt negative emotions weighing down on my shoulders for the first time in a long time, I reached out, lifted a bottle of beer, and took a shot.

“Hyeonwoo?”

“Let’s go. To win!”

“… Yes!”

Han Ae-bom, who was momentarily embarrassed, soon smiled brightly. She thought as she faced that smile.
I was still a pathetic bastard. Although there was a big change in my daily life, I still didn’t achieve anything substantial.

At last year’s year-end party, he was feeling like a loser and forced himself to drink, and was just like Kim Hyun-woo back then, a free-wheeler… Jobseeker.

However, if you ask me if I was the same person then and now, it is not true.

Even though there was nothing I could point to as proof, I was building up things that would make me more confident than last year.

Inferiority complex, anxiety about the future… I was no longer weighed down by these feelings and stopped.

Rather, I wanted to learn.

“I’m a beginner too. Let’s not feel pressured and play confidently.”

“Yes. Of course.”

It may not be possible to change right away. At first, you can change by pretending to do so. Fortunately, I had great teachers next to me.

“Hyunwoo, how do you catch a bowling ball?”

… When it comes to bowling, I guess I am the teacher. One girl learned how to hold a bowling ball from me and put her fingers through several bowling balls, and soon she was lifting an 8-pound fluorescent pink ball.
Maybe it’s because it’s a rock bowling alley, but all the balls shine in various colors.

“Choose just one? “I usually pick two at a time.”

“Ah. I’m only going to do one. I think that way, my fingers will get used to it, and it will be easier to correct errors.”

Error correction… Bowling is not a sport played with numbers.

As I nodded, I began to carefully choose the bowling ball I would use. Referring to Han Ae-bom’s words, I should write just one today.

‘I think I used a 10-pound ball before.’

It seems like kids with good strength used levels 11 and 12. Personally, I think 10 pounds was perfect to use without any strain on the arms.

“Oh, this hole will fit my finger perfectly?”

The moment I put my finger on a 10-pound ball that felt familiar, I couldn’t help but tilt my head.

“Huh?”

“Hyeonwoo, what’s going on?”

“Uh… No. “Just a moment.”

What? Is the ball a bit light?

I even lifted an 8-pound ball just in case, and then I belatedly remembered the +2 strength I received as a quest reward. Since I live with this naturally, I often forget it.

As if it was originally mine.

‘If this is the case, can I lift a little higher than 10 pounds?’

But that doesn’t mean you can just use a 14- or 15-pound ball. I could use it if I wanted to, but it wasn’t the grip I wanted.

(13)

“This is exactly how I felt when I used a 10-pound ball in the past.”

I smiled in satisfaction as I lifted the 13-pound ball. To be honest, there isn’t a big difference in kilograms, but no matter what, it was satisfying as a man to be stronger than before.

“Oh, 13 pounds.”

“Hyeonwoo, you have great strength. But, to hit it with just one ball?”

“Uh.”

He nodded and also checked the ball that Jo Ki-hang couple brought with him. They were both 9-pound and 10-pound balls.

Hanaebom is 8 pounds, so at least there won’t be any confusion due to overlapping balls.

“The game is best of 3. No complaints, right? For your information, even if we win or lose, we will play at least 3 games.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

As I nodded, steaming snacks were set on the table.

“Have a good time.”

“Thank you.”

As you can see, crispy chicken and French fries sprinkled with a lot of salt.

And even frozen dumplings.

This can’t be delicious.

“Because snacks came too. Before we hit it, everyone toasts. Uh? “Who’s already drank one bottle?”

“I drank it. “I felt a little thirsty.”

“Hehe, drink as much as you want. As much as you want. “They’re going to pay today anyway.”

“You don’t know that, do you?”

“Oh, you’re confident? Sounds fun. Right, Gihang?”

“Yes.”

As the game was about to start, Jogi Port stopped paying attention to me.

Since he had already started, he knew that even if he showed some consideration, it would actually be a nuisance to me.

“Ta-da!”

「Jjaeang!」

I thought to myself as I gulped down the refreshing beer.

This isn’t a bad thing either. It was quite delicious to have a drink with someone I met suddenly and by chance. Should I say there is romance?

Looking back, I think I didn’t just hate drinking with awkward people even when I was a college student. I don’t know when I became a coward and only drink with people I see every time.

“Then who shall we attack first? “You decide the order.”

Han Ae-bom immediately spoke in response to Lee Seon-hwa’s consideration.

“Then…”

The order was made in an instant.

The order was Ki-hang Jo, me, Seon-hwa Lee, and Ae-bom Han.

“Whoa! “It starts with me?”

“Ki-hang! Fighting, honey!”

Taking a deep breath, I asked Han Ae-bom as I watched Jo Gihang carefully climb onto the rails. I wonder if there is a reason for all of this.

“I think Mr. Kihang has a somewhat introverted personality. Those types are particularly likely to be nervous or exert a lot of energy on their first turn. On the other hand, Seonhwa Lee has an extroverted personality. If you give them the first turn, there is a surprisingly high chance that they will do well.”

After hearing it, it sounds plausible.

And.

“Boom!”

“Ahh! Not really…”

In reality, Jo Gi-hang was taking some hard steps and dropped the bowling ball into the gutter. And then, without even looking at the ball until the end, he rushes here and falls into Lee Seon-hwa’s arms.

“Huh… “I’m so embarrassed, sister.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. There is still a chance to dispose of spares. Our port call went well. Otherwise, my sister will solve it. “Don’t worry!”

Are you really embarrassed?

‘Is he secretly paying attention to the next rail?’

I think I’m the type of person who cares about other people’s opinions, but I don’t think it’s as much as he does. He is also a really passive guy.

“After that… “Is it me?”

“Yes.”

I put my finger in the 13-pound ball and looked at the side rail.

The only etiquette I learned at the bowling alley was to wait and not climb when the side rail is being hit.

“Cow!”

I stare blankly at the ball, which stretches out in a cool manner with a stylish stance, and makes a strike.

Wow, isn’t that a professional?

“Nice… ! Lady, it’s a house ball, so it’s a bit tough.”

What is a house ball?

However, not only is the guy I just saw good at it, but there are so many good bowlers here and there. It feels a bit like Helene went to the gym.

“Whoo!”

After saying something to Jo Gi-hang just now, I was also taking a deep breath and secretly paying attention to the left and right looks. I was actually watching it too. Because I’m using rails.

Hey, I don’t know.

「Thump, rattle!」

“Ugh… Ah…”

I threw the ball into the gutter even more clumsily than Ki-hang Jo and sat down in my seat, covering my mouth with one hand.

Crazy. I’m so fucking embarrassed!

I understand why that bastard fell into his girlfriend’s arms as soon as he missed the ball. It must be hard to expect something like that from Han Ae-bom.

“Eww…”

He comes back, wiping down his red face with one hand. What is this?

“Hold me, Hyunwoo.”

“… ?”

A baby was waiting with her arms outstretched to comfort me. At first, she didn’t notice that look. Why?

“There is no need to be conscious of other people’s opinions and act quickly. Let’s take the steps that suit Hyunwoo slowly and roll the ball slowly. For the first game, the priority is to get used to bowling.”

This is a bit far from the comfort I expected.

“Yes… “I will.”

Next, Jo Ki-hang fortunately knocked down 9 pins, and unfortunately I only knocked down 4.

But Han Ae-bom didn’t seem to care at all. As she said, it seemed like her first game was to get used to bowling.

“Then it’s my turn!”

Lee Seon-hwa went up confidently, and with a more sloppy stance than expected, she confidently struck.

[Strike!]

“Wow!”

“Good job, sister!”

That’s amazing in a different way. Her posture is more sloppy than Jo Ki-hang’s, but the score is a strike. I think this is why confidence is important for people.

“Hmm.”

It was Han Ae Bom’s turn. Before she got on her rail, she checked the position of the dots drawn on her rail and placed her foot exactly there.
What did they call that thing? Did you say it was a standing spot?

Han Ae-bom’s left foot rises with its left foot exactly touching the third point from the left of the standing spot. She walked on her own steps very slowly, without any wavering despite the gazes of many people in the bowling alley.
If we look at it closely, she was a more sloppy staff member than Lee Seon-hwa.
She walked slowly, as if she were practicing step by step, and then she lightly rolled the ball in front of the rail.

「Stomp, stomp.」

She catches a slow-rolling ball, and it naturally spins and falls into the gutter. After confirming that, Aebom came back with a serious expression, and she said,

“I’m the striker, so you have to strike one more time just to get the order right.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Strikes are all struck at once. Then you get double the points.”

“I see.”

Han Aebom nodded her head and returned with her bowling ball. She rolled her ball in the same spot as before and on the same steps as before.
If there is something a little different.

「Toururururuk!」

The ball that went into the gutter earlier hit her right end and knocked down three pins?

“Hmm.”

This time, Aebom looked at the scene seriously, and she came back again.
Until then, everyone at the bowling alley thought little of her skill. In fact, today was her first time bowling.
I did.

[0/3] [4/3] [6/2] [7/-] [8/-]

… That’s right.

Exactly after the first gutter, Han Ae-bom’s first ball rolled only toward the center. It’s so accurate that I wonder if that’s even possible.

So she knocked down a few pins and still didn’t handle the remaining ones very well. I thought it would only be a matter of time.

“Huh.”

Hanaebom’s sixth turn.

Same standing spot location, same staff, same posture.

「Tuk, stomp, stomp」

An 8-pound pink bowling ball rolling helplessly.

“Turrrr… 」

A bowling ball that went exactly between the center and the pin to its right created a strike.

“…”

Even though it’s so absurd.

Since it was a strike, I raised my palm and shouted ‘Nice’. Then, Han Ae-bom smiled pleasantly and slapped my palms together.

The palms of our hands touched each other.

“Daebak, Daebak…” …”

“Great! How did you do it? “You went bowling for the first time today.”

Everyone looked at Han Ae-bom in response to Jo Ki-hang’s question. Because I’m curious!

“It’s just not that big of a deal. After fixing the values ​​that could be fixed, only the values ​​that could be changed were changed slightly. If I aimed for the center and rolled the ball, it kept falling to the right. Because I don’t have the skills to pinpoint the cause right now. So I rolled the ball, thinking I would intentionally throw it to the left. So, it just gets stuck in the center.”

“… “What do you mean?”

Jo Ki-hang and Lee Seon-hwa tilted their heads as if they did not understand. To be honest, even to me, it sounds like a bit of a strange sophistry.

What? Why do I understand that?

I thought carefully about what Han Ae-bom said and kept my throwing of the bowling ball as consistent as possible.

And when I realized that my ball kept slipping to the left, I started rolling the ball, thinking I was going to hit it to the right on purpose. Then the ball hit the center.

[Strike!]

‘Holy Sheep.’

To be honest, it was more of a trick than a standard method. If you look at bowling pros, you might wonder what kind of thinking they have.

However, my goal is not to become a bowling pro. The important thing now was to win.

“To… “It doesn’t make sense.”

[Jogihang 109 points]

[Lee Seon-hwa 121 points]

It is said that these two are almost high scores in their own way.

[Han Ae Bom 130 points]

[Hyunwoo Kim 151 points]

We won the bet.

“Heh.”

Han Ae-bom smiled happily and the smile of a winner. But, what makes it so natural and fitting?