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KAP 5
His gaze shifted toward a brown-haired male student standing some distance away.
“See that guy over there?”
“.......”
“His name is Robert Whittaker. There’s a high probability he’ll be drafted in the top ten next year. Including the rookie signing bonus, his value will be around 2 million dollars a year. If his career goes well, he could become a top winger earning 8 million in five years.”
Kora frowned, looking bewildered. What on earth was he talking about all of a sudden?
However, Tristan remained nonchalant, this time gesturing with his chin toward the student next to him.
“Kevin Levinsky over there isn't bad either. Since he's a goalie, his pick might slide a bit, but he'll probably have a long run. Oh, and absolutely stay away from the prick who was running his mouth in front of you a moment ago. He's a guy who isn't even worth a 70,000-dollar minor league salary.”
“.......”
“He’s the type who’ll spend his old age drinking cheap Coors Beer in his room while watching hockey broadcasts. And he'll brag in front of his kids, saying that if it weren't for those damn injuries, that spot would have been his.”
He continued, making a clicking sound with his tongue.
“Losers who didn't make it pro always blame injuries, don't they?”
Listening to him, Kora felt dizzy, as if she had drunk strong liquor.
'What is happening right now? Why is he sharing his teammates' flaws with me? As if I'm some close lover or friend...'
Suddenly, the scent of fabric softener wafted from him, and she realized just how close he was standing.
'Wait, I probably smell like french fries and hollandaise sauce.'
Aware of her own scent, Kora stepped back slightly, but Tristan instead leaned his upper body even closer.
“Definitely avoid the one with the dyed hair. His skills aren't bad, but he's vulnerable to pleasure; he's the kind of guy who'll leave this world one day while tripping on cocaine.”
Kora, who had been listening to him out of sheer bewilderment, felt goosebumps rise on the back of her neck.
Even if he was the team captain, his evaluations of his teammates were excessively candid. Moreover, the audacity to spout this to Kora, whom he had met for the first time today...
'He really is a twisted bastard.'
Trying to fathom his inscrutable intentions, Kora launched a sharp provocation.
“And what about you? Since you've already been drafted, why are you staying in the college league instead of going straight to the pro league?”
“You picked me? I'm honored.”
“What are you talking about? Who knows if you'll end up like those pathetic guys you despise after wasting time in the college league?”
Despite Kora's provocation, Tristan spoke calmly.
“Maybe I came to Chessworth just to meet you.”
Kora shook her head.
Flirting at a time like this. He was a walking red flag.
“Anyway, what is your intention in telling me all this?”
“I'm saying you should strategize well if you want to get a fair price for your beauty.”
“What does that...”
“If I were you, I'd do this: snag one of these idiots and get a marriage certificate. It's a bit too late once they go pro. By then, women will swarm them, desperate to become a WAG, and it gets annoying.”
“...What?”
“The role of an athlete's partner isn't as easy as you think. It requires a lot of sacrifice. Instead, just hold on until they hit their thirties and retire, then file for divorce and take a huge payout. As for the grounds for divorce, they'll provide them for you. Womenizing, anger management issues, drug abuse, and so on.”
“.......”
“If you just split half of a pro hockey player's salary, wouldn't you be free from working part-time jobs and forcing smiles in a shabby pub like this for the rest of your life?”
Realizing that Tristan's ambiguous words were ultimately intended to insult her, Kora's eyes narrowed.
'Shabby pub? Forcing smiles?'
Suppressing the anger rising in her throat, she let out a cold smile.
“Oh, my...”
Raising her hand, Kora gently pushed his glass on the table, knocking it over.
In an instant, the plastic cup tipped, and the drink spilled along with the ice, soaking the bar counter before dripping down onto his thigh.
Anyone else would have jumped up in shock. Tristan didn't even flinch.
Even as the drink soaked his jeans, he remained seated, simply staring intently at Kora.
His lack of panic only made Kora more flustered.
“S-sorry. I made a mistake.”
Rather than getting angry at the obvious lie, Tristan burst into a hearty laugh.
“You're just like a biscuit.”
“What?”
“I mean, you're interesting.”
'...Crazy bastard.'
Having wiped the laughter from his face, Tristan pressed his upper body close. Then, looking back and forth between her eyes, he spoke.
“If you're sorry, why don't you wipe it for me?”
His blue-gray eyes had deepened, mixed with a strange excitement and amusement. Like a demon who had discovered a fun new toy after a long time.
'...I think I've messed with the wrong person. But I can't let him see me as an easy target.'
Swallowing hard, Kora gestured toward the tissues.
“What are your hands for, Captain? By the way, the NCAA would be so thrilled to find out the Chessworth hockey team was stripping off their shirts and making a scene in public. Wouldn't they?”
“Are you threatening me now?”
“I wonder?”
“People who threaten usually have a goal. Is there something you want from me?”
“.......”
“Tell me. I'll do whatever you want.”
“For you all to disappear from this pub immediately?”
“Touché.”
Kora turned away abruptly from the man who was still grinning with a cold gaze.
Throughout the time she spent hidden behind the bar, aggressively cleaning the sink, her whole body throbbed with anger and her hands trembled.
'Do you think I enjoy working in a pub filled with the smell of sweat and hormones?'
As a poor scholarship student, Kora didn't have many options. While her tuition was covered by financial aid, the cost of living in the expensive college town of Chessworth County was catastrophic.
A single textbook costing over 300 dollars was nothing short of highway robbery against a student.
Moreover, without connections, it wasn't easy to even find a tutoring position. Thus, as a last resort, she had started working at the pub.
It was close to campus, the tips were decent, and above all, the owner, Mr. Carlson, allowed her to adjust her schedule freely.
'What does a rich boy like you know? How obnoxious.'
Kora tapped the POS machine and tidied the counter with irritable movements.
After some time had passed, the hockey players left the pub like a receding tide, as if they had agreed upon it.
Just as she was feeling relieved by the subsided commotion, Tristan approached the counter, casting a shadow over her.
“The unwelcome guest is leaving now, so could you settle the bill?”
“.......”
Glancing sideways, she saw that his thigh was still damp.
Now that the steam had left her head, she felt that spilling the drink might have been a bit too much.
A mix of discomfort and guilt made it impossible for her to meet his eyes. Without looking away from the POS screen, Kora murmured.
“The total is 528 dollars.”
“Add a 30% tip to the total.”
Trying her best to ignore his gaze lingering on her face, she took his card from the holder.
And as she hurriedly tapped the card on the reader, an unexpected red message appeared on the screen.
[Declined]
Kora's brow furrowed.
The authorization had gone through when she did a 1-dollar pre-authorization to check if the card was valid. Could it be over the limit?
But there was no way an American Express Black Card would hit its limit after spending a few measly cents. Nor was the machine likely to be broken.
She tried again, but the reader continued to display the declined message. Eventually, Kora spoke to him while dangling the card in her hand.
“Did you fight with your dad?”
It was a sarcastic remark, implying that the person paying for the credit card was his father, not him.
Of course, since he was already a college sports star receiving astronomical endorsement deals, he had likely accumulated quite a bit of wealth on his own.
Despite Kora's sharp attack, Tristan nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders.
“What a shame. That card is all I have on me.”
“...Then what are you going to do?”
Usually, customers would be flustered or embarrassed if their payment was declined.
He, however, was confident, as if he had foreseen that the situation would turn out this way.
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