Chapter 28 (1/2)

“Song Min Ho” Roo called out.

“Yes?” he ran over with a ball in this arm. They were having their training while Roo was watching at the sideline, frowning.

“dribble” she ordered.

“Huh?”

“I said D-“

“Dribble, yes I heard you. but why?”

“I have been watching you. It seems like you are too full of yourself nowadays huh. Just because you won a few matches” She questioned, gaining a raised eyebrow from him.

“what do you mean?”

“What’s with those leg shovel passes and spinning passes huh? You’ve been watching too much NBA games and playing too much street games uh. Your dribbling isn’t solid at all, it’s getting too messy to watch.”

“What’s wrong with that?” Mino still doesn’t get it. He was legit confused.

“Are you asking me that? Seriously?” She raised her eyebrows this time round, “I know how much vocabs you know but I need you to get your basic right. I don’t need to see those fanciful moves on court, you can show it to your little fangirls after the league. But now, get your dribbling right.” She rolled her eyes dramatically on purpose to irk him.

“I am dribbling well. You see”” He dribbles in front of her only to get cut from Roo by surprise. “Hey-“

“Hey what?” she had her arms on her waist, “if I can steal your ball, then your dribbling is nono. If you think you’re dribbling well, come with me then.” she walked nearer to the court and called out for the attention of the remaining 9. “I am going to bring Minho out for training purposes, continue what you are doing, we will be back before training ends, that is, if this guy over here completes it. Woobin, Jonghyun, take over the training.”

The two said person nodded their head to acknowledge the coach’s words. They all had the curious look plastered on their faces, but no one questioned her.

“Keep dribbling, don’t stop” Roo ordered Mino while making him walk behind her. She purposely walked in a S-line path, increasing the difficulties. Being Mino, his frustration was shown in less than 10sec.

“What the hell! Can you walk properly?” He stopped on track but his hand didn’t. Roo just shrugged giving no dam to him.

“Are you out of your mind?!” Mino exclaimed when he saw what’s standing infront of them while Roo just smirked. She had a great idea on how to train Mino. “Why are we standing infront of this overhead bridge?!”

“You know it”

“No I don’t” Mino knew what Roo was going to make him do, but he just wanted to deny his fate.

“Let me tell you then. You don’t get to go home until you conquer this bridge by dribbling from here, to the other side of the bridge.” She pointed across. This was the longest bridge around their neighbourhood which was twice as high and twice as long compared to an ordinary bridge.

“You mean…Dribble” “Yes” “From here?” “From here.” “To there?” “To there.”

“You must be crazy” he exhaled.

“You said you dribble well, then show me” She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Minho pointed an index finger at Roo and then dramatically bumped his chest twice with his fist. “I will show you” he said confidently. Roo wasn’t even amused.

Mino took a deep breath infront of the bridge before he started. He got himself ready by dribbling before the steps.

He carefully drag his feet nearer to the steps, annnnnnd ……….he successfully went up the first step, he let out a satisfactory smirk. “This is going to be easy” he mumbled.

He was biting his lips and licking his bottom lips out of concentration on his 12th steps, while Roo was standing at the bottom of the bridge observing him.

“AHHHHH! URGGG DAMMIT” Roo heard Minho shouted from below, as expected the ball flew out of his control as it came into contact with the edge of the step. “Dammit coach!” He shouted to no one particular but just out of frustration making Roo laugh.

After a few tries and umpteen failed dribbles, Mino sat at the steps sulking.

“Come on Mino, is this what you want to show me? You giving up?” Roo came over to him, watching his dejected silhouette.

“This is impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible Minho, you just lack of self-focus. For the 43 times you tried just now, you were about to finish the first flight of stairs for 21 times. You need to believe that you can do it in order to be able to do it.” She held out a bottle of water, “Here, take a rest and try again”

“You actually counted it” He was taken aback by her attentiveness to this small training, and he was slightly touched by her effort. He accepted the water and chucked it down.

“You actually thought I would be standing here sun bathing?”

He laughed. “I thought you would be here counting cars.”

She held out her hand for Mino to grab and she pulled him up. “You can do this. Remember my words; focus. I am going back to the court to dismiss them, it’s about time”

“I just got touched, and you’re leaving just like that?”

“I am going back for a little while. I will be coming back” she reassured and left without waiting for his reply. —————————She clapped to get all of their attention. “You all can be dismissed. Sorry to have left y’all under the captains today but moving on to the 8th finals, I am going to change your bad habits as much as I can so that we won’t regret the small mistakes that we make. You all are free to go now.”

“Thank you coach” the echoed after each other.

“Woobin” the said man turned his attention to her, “Do you have time to spare?”

“Yes I do” He responded.