Chapter 7.1: Compet.i.tion Preparation

Translator: Pineapple

Editor: Isalee

May.

People say spring arrives in March.

People say spring actually arrives in April.

The weather didn’t start getting warmer until May. You could hear the sound of players playing on the court, the sound of feet hitting the ground, and b.a.l.l.s getting hit.

*Piik! Piik! Piiiik!*

“Why aren’t you running faster!?! Lee Hyun Woo, Han Woo Jin! If you two don’t pick up your pace I’m going to add ten more laps!”

“Yes, Coach!”

The players were running ahead as fast as they could. They were being forced to exhaust their stamina and they couldn’t cheat their way out of it in front of Coach Jeon.

The tennis court was actually really big and you could go from one end to the other with four or five large strides.

Also, Han Woo Jin who started weight training couldn’t help but drag his feet along with Lee Hyun Woo and was yelled at by the coach.

“Hoo…! Hoo…!”

‘Physical strength is closely related to mental strength. I’m not talking about endurance. I’m talking about how much pain you can endure, which becomes your physical strength.’

Han Woo Jin gasped for air, but he didn’t stop running. He kept forcing his legs to move.

At that moment, Lee Hyun Woo tripped.

“Ugh!”

Lee Hyun Woo lost his balance and fell down shoulder first onto the court and as Han Woo Jin saw that, he put out his hand.

“Hyun Woo hyung, are you alright?”

“Mm… my ankle kind of hurts.”

Lee Hyun Woo got up with Han Woo Jin’s help and started limping on his right leg. Due to his lack of balance, it looked like all of his weight was pressing down on his right ankle. Coach Jeon hurried over after he saw that two of his players had stopped running.

“Lee Hyun Woo, Han Woo Jin! What’s wrong?!”

“Coach, it looks like Hyun Woo hyung hurt his ankle.”

“What? Take off your shoe and sock.”

Listening to Coach Jeon, Lee Hyun Woo took off his shoe and frowned. It seemed like it was painful for him to just take off his shoe. Followed by taking off his sock, they saw a bright, swollen red ankle. It didn’t look like something simple to take care of as it looked like a serious injury.

“Han Woo Jin, take him to the infirmary room. After that, just keep on following your schedule as usual.”

“Yes, sir.”

Coach Jeon Sang s.h.i.+k concisely instructed him on what to do and went back to observing the players as Han Woo Jin put Lee Hyun Woo’s arm over his shoulder. They slowly walked to the infirmary.

“I’m sorry Woo Jin. I’m making you waste your time like this.”

“Don’t worry about it. I have to go back to weight training now anyways…”

Now Han Woo Jin had a more painful expression on his face than Lee Hyun Woo. After Han Woo Jin returned from his break to recover from his injury, Coach Jeon immediately handed him a new schedule to follow. The schedules were beginning to leave a profound mental trauma on him. He felt like he was getting a better understanding of the responsibility of a pro.

“Haha, that’s because the coach has high expectations of you. His face is a lot better than it was the past. Just do your best.”

“Yes hyung, take care of your body also.”

The two parted ways as they reached the infirmary. Han Woo Jin took out his daily schedule that he always kept in his pocket.

2006.5.12

17:00 Weight training

18:30 Fourth meal (Meal plan)

20:30 Practice

22:00 Fifth meal (Meal plan)

23:30 Bedtime

“It’s so packed.”

He sighed as he looked at his schedule. As the day progressed, Han Woo Jin felt like there was always something more to do and the things he previously did were negligible.

This kind of schedule was probably only given to high school or middle school students during summer break. Study for six to eight hours a day, a thirty-minute break, one hour of exercise… This plan was only possible in theory. The person who made this schedule should have known that it was impossible to consistently do it every single day.

The schedule was ridiculous as it was planned on a minute by minute basis. It dictated his training time, resting time, eating time, and even when he goes to sleep.

Even the team dietician that thoroughly managed an athlete’s diet by the gram was a part of the training process and worked together with the personal trainer. All famous athletes received this kind of treatment, but for Han Woo Jin who was experiencing this for the first time, this was h.e.l.l.

“I-I’m gonna die…”

In the mornings, squats – leg raises – lunges, and in the afternoon, there was cable training which made Han Woo Jin exhausted.

With his trembling hands, Han Woo Jin took out the piece of paper from his pocket.

“Next on the schedule… I’m eating again?!… I am kind of hungry.”

How much energy did he use that his stomach which was full four hours earlier was now empty? He didn’t eat that much food but his body needed more food because of the physical exhaustion. Han Woo Jin didn’t know too much, but the intervals during his meal times were very effective.

His meal times were split up every three to four hours and he had five to six meals a day. His meals had the perfect amount for him to consume. And if he ate too frequently, his metabolism wouldn’t be able to keep up. There were also no cases of him consuming a surplus of calories. And because he ate frequent meals, his body was able to absorb the food better.

Han Woo Jin dragged his legs to the cafeteria like a zombie.

He tried to move his legs as best he could and showed his meal plan to the chef. The chef looked at him with pity.

“Thank you…”

“Watch your body. You just got released from the hospital. Why are you pus.h.i.+ng yourself so hard?”

“Ha ha…”

He couldn’t think of anything to say back to him. Han Woo Jin just smiled, received the food tray, and went to his seat. It was also time for the other players’ meals so the cafeteria was full of people. Han Woo Jin, who only wanted to eat his meal, walked over to the window.

However, somebody called his name.

“Woo Jin!”

“… Hyun Woo hyung, is your leg okay?”

Lee Hyun Woo had bandages on his leg as he waved at him. Han Woo Jin stopped walking towards the window and walked over to him.

“I was told that my ligaments were torn. I need to let it rest for one month. I don’t think I can play in a tournament this year.”

“Hyung…”

“It’s okay, I’ll just play and take it easy. I’m just telling you this because you probably won’t see me for a while.”

Lee Hyun Woo said it casually, but he was actually frustrated on the inside. A player who rests for a long period of time can seriously impact their career, especially in tennis.

Players usually needed workout three times longer than their resting periods to get back into shape. For example, if they rested for one month, they needed to practice every day for three months to return to their best condition. Han Woo Jin also had a three-week break and he was currently training.

“Woo Jin, when is your first tournament? I can go watch it.”

“Mm… I don’t think it’ll be the Daegu Open for me because my training schedule keeps on going past that date.”

As soon as Han Woo Jin recovered from his injury and returned to the team, he received a thick stack of doc.u.ments from Coach Jeon.

Han Woo Jin had roughly read through the papers and felt sweat on his back. This wasn’t a training plan for a tennis player. It looked like it was for a new company startup.

His schedule went from the beginning of May to the end of June. That meant that Han Woo Jin didn’t have any time to play in the Daegu Open on June 16th.

“Mm… are you going to play in the Andong Futures? I remember that it starts on July 11 and lasts till the 26th.”

“I think so…. but I don’t know. I play in whatever Coach Jeon decides on.”

Han Woo Jin and Choi Yeon Hyuk were receiving special treatment. Every NK company player knew that. In the beginning, people really hated them and there were a lot of complaints. However, as soon as the people saw Han Woo Jin’s clothes and exhausted face every day, they soon became quiet.

Also, the tournaments that the two players were going to compete in were completely decided by Coach Jeon. Since all the expenses for the tournaments were paid for by NK company, it was obvious for him to plan everything out for them. Yet on the other hand, this plan made it so that the two players didn’t have any freedom.

“I heard Yeon Hyuk will be competing in the Daegu Open this time. They probably don’t want you two to go against each other.”

“…Yeah, I guess so.”

It was possible that if they both entered the same tournament, neither of them would be able to get second place. That’s why they put those two players in different tournaments at the same time.

Han Woo Jin chewed the chicken breast and closed his eyes. Choi Yeon Hyuk. They never met each other since that day. Their schedules were so busy that only sometimes pa.s.sed by each other. Since the number of times they met was so little, they got fired up every time they saw each other.

‘Is that what that punk is feeling also?’

The perfect weight training and meal plan gradually changed Han Woo Jin’s body. His current stats improved by over 20 points. He never imagined this kind of improvement on his body stats would only take two months.

He had been waiting. If they go against each other again, he had the confidence that he wouldn’t be so miserable like last time.

His molars chewed down the chicken breast. Han Woo Jin’s status appeared on the screen. Ever since his match with Choi Yeon Hyuk, he found out that he didn’t need his racket to see his stats.

[Han Woo Jin]

Strength 56 / Stamina 58 / Agility 48

HP 1305/2320 SP 530/530

Forehand: 9/20

Backhand: 7/20

Serve: 12/20

Volley: 7/20

Smash: 9/20

Drop shot: 5/20

Lob: 4/20

Special skill: Sparrow (serve)

Han Woo Jin tightly gripped his spoon as he looked at his status.

Gulp.

He placed his spoon on the table. The spoon that Han Woo Jin was gripping before was slightly bent in the areas where he had placed his thumb and index finger. Sports that require swinging a racket also require a strong grip strength. It was one of the basics and held huge importance for the sport.

‘My body is ready.’

It was time to prepare for the tournament.