OLP 5

A large skate made from the Olympic rings caught the eye. Inside the five colored rings were silhouettes of each Winter Olympic sport. Speed skating, figure skating, skiing… I could see volunteers in red hats taking pictures in front of the mascot. Square AD cards hung on their chests. I followed suit and fumbled at the area below my neck. An igloo-shaped fast-food restaurant, a corporate promotional hall that looked like something from the future, and a huge stadium behind them. The rainbow-colored letters made my heart pound. Ice Arena.

It was the place where my future would be decided.

For four years, I had endured harsh training with my eyes fixed on a single point, and the result would be determined here, in just one competition.

Though in my case, it wasn’t exactly four years…

This season, preparing for the Olympics, was the most diligently I had ever lived in my life. The pride of being a national athlete would wake my body when I got up, and the burden of that same weight would press on my shoulders, putting me to sleep when it was time to rest. Couldn’t I have done better? Did I just waste today? This was the athletes’ village I had dreamed of entering, but did I become complacent and neglect my training? If it were not for sunbae’s words of “good work” every night before I lay in bed, I might have fallen behind under the pressure.

It was a stroke of luck that I ended up sharing a room with sunbae. If I just ate what sunbae told me to eat and did what sunbae told me to do, I felt confident that I was doing my best, and time passed quickly. When he told me to get up, I got up; when he told me to sleep, I slept… Even with the tremendous amount of training, it was not difficult because it was what the person I liked was telling me to do. Rather, I was grateful that he looked after me and cared for me every day. In the same room as a medalist. Putting aside personal feelings, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

With personal feelings included, I liked it when we would lie facing each other and talk before falling asleep. When he would lie on his stomach, reach out his arm, and touch my cheek, it felt like my depleted energy was recharging. I also liked seeing his messy, sticking-up hair in the morning. When my friends in university would get excited about being in the same group for a team project with a girl they liked, I would boast to myself. I’m not in the same group, I’m in the same room!

“We’re here. Lee Yeojun, aren’t you getting off?”

“I am.”

I quickly pulled my hood over my head and got out of the bus.

The cold winter air and a heated tension enveloped my face. The athletes’ village, just before the official opening, was bustling. It was natural, since some events start their competitions before the opening ceremony. Trucks carrying food supplies and Westerners on bicycles filled the area in front of the plaza, and the arriving national teams from various countries expressed their impressions in different languages. Some athletes were comparing the Olympic accommodations to those from four or eight years ago.

I also looked up at the accommodations. I did not know what the previous Olympic accommodations were like, but this one looked good. The newly built apartment, constructed not long ago, was cleaner than my own house. I heard that they had already been sold to the public. When I make a lot of money later, I should buy a place here as a memento. To think I was in the Olympic athletes’ village. As I glanced around, Seonho linked his arm with mine. Seonho was also quite excited.

“You know what? They say the athletes’ village is a real animal kingdom. Apparently, when Western athletes see an athlete from another country they’re interested in, they just give them their room key. Isn’t that crazy?”

“Why?”

“Why do you think?”

A lewd laugh followed. Just from his glance, I understood the omitted words. They’re so open…

“It’s not for nothing that they hand out this many condoms. Damn, I wish someone would take a liking to me.”

“Good luck.”

I just nodded my head. All the way to the welcome center to get our room assignments, Seonho only talked about that. The animal kingdom this and that. The way Seonho was talking, he seemed like the biggest animal. It was a relief that the only people around who spoke Korean were us and the North Korean athletes.

“But about roommates. Aren’t there four people using one room?”

Just looking at the room we were assigned to, there were two people in one big room, and one person each in two smaller rooms, for a total of four people in one unit. I heard that larger accommodations could house up to six people. How do you do that in a room where three, or even five, roommates are staying put?

“Well… I guess there are ways.”

“What ways?”

“For example, doing it together…”

“There’s a way to send a signal.”

A voice suddenly cut in. Startled, I turned to see it was sunbae. Sunbae, who had approached us, naturally slipped his arm between Seonho’s and mine. Feeling sheepish for showing interest in such trivial matters as soon as we arrived, I made an excuse, “It’s not that I’m going to do it.” But for some reason, sunbae smiled and kindly explained. He seemed to be in a good mood.

Seonho asked.

“A signal?”

“If you bring someone over, you hang a sock on the doorknob. To show the room is currently in use.”

“Ah…”

So that’s how it’s done. Humans are truly animals of signs and symbols.

As I marveled, sunbae chuckled again. His warm hand, which was holding a hot pack, unzipped my long padded coat a little. He lowered it just enough to reveal my buried face and rubbed my lips with his thumb.

“Lee Yeojun, do you like dirty things?”

“Pardon?”

Without answering, sunbae placed the hot pack against my neck and turned away. He disappeared as swiftly as he had appeared. “The clothes look good on you.” Leaving behind those words.

In fact, the clothes sunbae was wearing were the same national team uniform as mine. Even though he was wearing a padded coat that made him look like a polar bear, his frame was so well-built that only sunbae looked like a model. While watching his handsome back, Seonho whispered.

“Hyung supposedly received twenty keys last time.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. And that was with the entire coaching staff watching him like hawks. They said everyone was in a frenzy, worried that a rising star who had just appeared would get a medal and his performance would drop because of all the temptations coming from every direction.”

“Wow…”

“And get this, hyung was a minor back then! Isn’t that amazing?”

“Yeah… it’s amazing.”

“I’m jealous. I want to be chosen too.”

Unlike the fervent Seonho, my mood sank. I rubbed the hot pack, lost in thought. I had always thought he would be handsome no matter what era he was born in, but I did not know he would be popular with foreigners too. Well, he is tall. Look at him over there, standing among all those people, he alone towers over them. He’s handsome, too. His shoulder bones are broad and square, his legs are strong and straight, and there is not a single flaw in his jawline or the bridge of his nose. Truly, a perfectly sculpted frame. There is no way the standards for a beautiful frame would be different in a foreign country.

It was like that when he was a minor, so it will be even worse this time. I glanced at sunbae, who was showing interest in the information robot over there. I could see people looking at sunbae from here and there, just like me. And the main competitions had not even started yet.

If he wins another medal this time and has that halo on his back, how much more love will that person receive?

I asked Seonho.

“Then if sunbae receives a key… do I have to leave?”

Here, too, we were in the same room. Sunbae and I used the largest room in the 4-person suite, while Seonho and another person each used the remaining two rooms. My embarrassment about getting excited over sunbae’s hand had lessened a lot, and after getting decent results at the World Cup, my confidence had grown a bit, so I could sleep comfortably even with sunbae next to me. I had gotten used to his big bare feet, his messy hair, his husky voice, and his long shins. But if I had to leave my spot now, I thought I would be sad. No, seeing as I was already sad, I would definitely be sad.

Complex emotions I did not even know I had rose to the surface. If sunbae hangs out with girls… where do I go to give them space? I think I would be sad if I have to leave often. Should I stay in Seonho’s room? Ah, Seonho is not in my room. We’ll have to leave together… Seonho cut off my endless train of thought.

“What are you talking about? We can’t.”

“Why?”

“Were you listening to me… If we have fun like that and our performance drops, do you think the coaches will let it slide? Forget the coaches, we’d become national traitors.”

“I see.”

That is actually a little nice… Amidst the nervousness and excitement that was making my stomach ache, that was the only comforting thing I heard.

Since it was the first day, we were told to look around a bit, so I unpacked and went outside with sunbae. We checked the fitness center and the cafeteria once, then headed to the plaza. The athletes’ village, divided into three zones, had many fascinating things. In addition to a hair salon, there were massage shops and traditional culture experience centers. A knee-high robot told us the weather, and a giant robot fish swam around in a tank.

It’s so high-tech. I took pictures in admiration. I furtively shot a selfie video and bragged to my friends. Although my friends were more interested in Jihoon sunbae, who was in the video with me, than in me. It was even more exciting because the people I bumped into were world-famous sports stars. Everything that came into view was a spectacle. While I was doing all that, sunbae had his hands in his pockets with a sleepy look on his face.

Even when passing athletes greeted him and gave him hugs, sunbae just nodded his head. A convenience store and a cafe came into view just then, so I suggested we secretly eat one chicken nugget each, but he refused.

“If you want to eat, I’ll buy it for you.”

“No, it’s okay…”

It seemed sunbae just wanted to go back to the dorm quickly and do some stretching. Seeing his completely indifferent expression, I was about to suggest we head back.

“Long time no see!”

A small man abruptly squeezed between us. The language he spoke registered faster than his appearance. A foreigner?! Surprised, I stepped back. I was about to take a few more steps back when sunbae stopped me by grabbing my wrist. I ended up hiding behind sunbae, peeking over his shoulder. The strong scent of cologne tickled my nose. Brown hair mixed with gold, pale skin with freckles. A maple-leaf red uniform and a hat with a pom-pom. He was a real foreigner. And a famous one at that. The Canadian athlete who won the bronze medal in the 1,000-meter short track at the last Olympics. Sunbae had shown me a video of him when we were training in Jincheon.

‘His technique is really good. It’s just that his play style is dirty.’

Sunbae had commented on him lightly, but he was in fact one of the top stars in the Canadian skating world.

“You look even sexier now that I see you again, Jihoon!”

Like a cat excited by a toy, the foreigner spun around beside sunbae. He kissed his cheek, shook his hand, making a fuss and jumping up and down on the spot. He bounced lightly, and his body was incredibly light. I pulled my wrist free from sunbae’s grasp and took a step forward. It felt strange to see a world-class athlete up close. If the most world-class athlete had not been standing right next to me, I might have even asked for an autograph.

I knew he had gotten flak on social media for attempting a reckless overtake on sunbae in the 1,000-meter race four years ago, but he himself did not seem to care as he greeted him cheerfully. Yak yak yak, English English English. Whether sunbae ignored him or not, he kept chattering on and on and on.

Even though they were both short track skaters, the difference in their builds was stark when they stood next to each other. The way he shook his golden-brown hair back and forth reminded me of the floppy-eared retriever I had as a child. So he knew sunbae. He’s smaller and thinner in person. But his thighs are thick… I’m jealous. While I was thinking that, the retriever-like foreigner’s gaze turned to me. I gave an awkward smile to the brown eyes staring intently at me.

“Hi.”

I had a habit of looking up everything from my favorite athletes’ interviews to the television programs they appeared on. As a result, when it came to English, I could understand most of what was being said in fast-paced conversations, but I could not speak a single word. My heart shrank in fear that this foreigner might try to speak to me.

As if in some sort of power struggle, the retriever, who had been scrutinizing me intently, so, so intently, suddenly burst into laughter.

“Cute! Jihoon, is he your younger brother?”

The foreigner’s arm reached out and pulled me toward him. For his size, his muscular strength was good; he easily pulled my body, which was similar in build to his, along.

“Oh, thighs.”

Just as I had admired his thighs a moment ago, he looked at my thighs and made some kind of evaluation. Besides that, he commented on this and that, touching various parts of my body. I wanted to push him away, but I could not, wondering if this was his own way of assessing an opposing athlete. Unable to even resist, I fidgeted, and only when his hand reached a rather uncomfortable place did I finally twist my body away. Sunbae, who had been standing with his arms crossed, pulled the retriever’s hand off. His face was scrunched up as much as possible.

“What are you doing?”

“Wow, Jihoon’s defense is no joke! What a shame! I’ll have to get him drunk and take him away.”

Where to?

“Well then, bye! See you at the race!”

Before we could say anything more, the retriever ran off. What the… what just happened. I was dumbfounded by the presence that had come and gone like a sudden shower. Does he know me? Why did he just say what he wanted to say and leave? As I stared blankly, sunbae turned his head to look at me. The look of disgust on his face was palpable. He looked clearly displeased.

“Be careful of him.”

“Pardon?”

Why? I asked, but sunbae did not answer that question.