Snow and Ice || 태국

New Year's Eve

Every year, at the Seoul stage of the championship, it was virtually a competition among those on the national team. This was the real fight while everything that came before was simply filler. It was almost the same this year as well. The television commentator was familiar with the national team. When the athletes entered the rink, the commentator would introduce the person's past results and current condition if he or she was from the national team. If the person was not, unless they used to be in the national team, the commentator would only give a brief one-sentence introduction.

When Taehyung entered the quarterfinals, there were two athletes from the national team in the same heat as him. While introducing everyone, the commentator noticed his age and emphasized, "He's still young. Today would be an excellent learning opportunity."

What he meant was that Taehyung should simply learn from the more experienced athletes in this competition and not be overly mindful of the result.

The result was that Taehyung managed to charge into the semi-finals by coming in second.

There was a total of eight contestants in the semi-final, out of which seven were from the national team. Among them, Taehyung was like a spy that had infiltrated them.

At the start of the semi-finals, the commentator re-stressed how impressive it was for Taehyung to have made it so far... In the end, the national team spy once again made his way into the finals.

Having been made to eat his words twice, the commentator felt that Taehyung indeed had some skills. Thus, during the finals, he expressed his confidence in this outstanding newbie. The outcome was that Taehyung gave a stable performance and came in fourth.

After all, none of the top athletes in the country were here to play.

The commentator was made to eat his words thrice in a row and felt that Taehyung was simply here to jinx him.

Meanwhile, the audience watching the broadcast had long erupted into laughter.

Taehyung did not manage to win a medal but had no regrets. After all, with everyone's caliber, it was already not bad that he managed to fight his way into the finals.

After the competition was over, he went to look for his father and Jungkook. The scene of them standing together outside the stadium as they waited for him seemed quite harmonious?

He walked over in front of them and Jungkook passed him a bottle of beverage.

Hyoseop said, "Let's have dinner together. What do you two want to eat?"

"Anything," Taehyung replied. He twisted the cap open and gulped a mouthful.

Hyoseop turned to look at Jungkook. "Green Ice, what about you?"

Pfffffttt—

Taehyung was like a watering can as he sprayed out the beverage he had just drunk.

He held the bottle and peeked at Jungkook out of the corner of his eyes. Though he looked slightly sullen and aggrieved, he showed no signs of protest and even the feelings on his face were muted and hidden.

Just how afraid was he...

Taehyung wiped his mouth. "Dad, just call him by his name. Jungkook, do not speak of ice with a summer bug— doesn't it sound poetic? It suits your identity and is a familiar form of address."

Hyoseop nodded. "I think 'Jungkook' sounds better than 'Green Ice' as well."

Jungkook exhaled in relief. So Hyoseop did not do it intentionally.

Principal Kim took the train back to Lake City after dinner. Taehyung and Jungkook sent him off to the station. On the way back, Jungkook was puzzled. He asked Taehyung, "Does uncle knows what 'green' insinuates?"