Strategic Mating Partner Chapter 27

Calling friends who weren’t athletes wasn’t an option. He couldn’t go out for a good meal since he couldn’t move around much, nor could he go sightseeing. So, as he searched for something to do at home, this was the only thing he could find. Taehyun, who had been so focused on training that he had distanced himself from mass media except for occasionally managing his personal SNS, found it hard to keep his senses amidst the flood of stimulating videos.

So this is why people are crazy about dramas. He’d sometimes seen other athletes running on treadmills with variety shows or dramas playing on the screens, and he’d always thought it was distracting. Now, he understood them. Taehyun was engrossed in killing time, amazed by the endless stream of dramatic scenes.

How long had he been binge-watching the latest season of the drama? He started feeling drowsy during the scene where the husband, having discovered his wife’s true intentions, began plotting his revenge. He drifted off to sleep, caught in the endless loop of autoplay. Taehyun woke up to the sudden buzzing of his phone.

“Uh…?”

Who is it now? Probably one of his friends trying to tease him after hearing about his confinement. Taehyun sat up groggily and checked the screen. The caller was, unexpectedly, his manager. He knew he wasn’t someone who inspired trust in his ability to stay put, but did he really need to check up on him like this? Taehyun pouted internally, paused the video, and answered the call. What he heard from the other end was unexpected.

“Yes, hyung, what’s up?”

Hey, Taehyun. How are you feeling? Is your ankle alright?

At the manager’s question, Taehyun glanced down at his ankle. The cast, designed to interlock with a shoe-shaped cover, was still firmly in place, holding his ankle securely. It never hurt when he wasn’t using it anyway. At the moment, there was no pain, just discomfort, so he had nothing specific to report.

“It’s the same. I don’t feel anything since I’m not using it and it’s immobilized.”

It was a time of anxiety, like a coin just before being tossed, unable to predict the outcome. That was partly why he had immersed himself in the drama, seeking some stimulation in his daily life. He kept his words short, knowing that rambling would only sound pathetic.

I see. For now, there’s nothing we can do but wait and see, as the doctor said. Are you managing okay at home?

Is he trying to trick me into confessing that I’m not properly resting? Taehyun felt a moment of tension and ran through possible answers in his head. Walking is uncomfortable, but all I do at home is watch TV and heat up meal prep containers, so it’s not a big inconvenience, that would be better. Taehyun carefully gauged his manager’s tone and replied,

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m not going anywhere, just watching TV all day at home, so there’s no inconvenience. You don’t have to worry.”

He was already feeling guilty for causing his manager concern at such a crucial time, so he tried to reassure him that he wasn’t being a burden. Just then, his manager said something that made him tilt his head again.

Well, you said you can walk around the house. It must be stifling for you to be cooped up at home all the time. Go out to the supermarket or convenience store once in a while. You need some fresh air.

Taehyun had a question mark floating above his head. Is he doing this on purpose? Is he trying to provoke him into agreeing so he can scold him for not resting properly? As his suspicion grew, unable to discern his manager’s intentions, the manager carefully broached the main topic.

So, about that. You must be bored these days, right? You, who used to be always out and about, must be going crazy staying at home, right? Could you do me a favor and help out a younger acquaintance of mine, like looking after a younger brother?

“What?”

What is he talking about? Taehyun couldn’t believe his ears. Help out? He could barely take care of himself with his leg in this condition, how could he help someone else? He had to hear him out to understand what he was getting at. Taehyun furrowed his brow and listened intently.

Well, you know CEO Song Ingyung, right? The former badminton player, the CEO’s junior from school.

Why is he suddenly bringing her up? Taehyun nodded, remembering the former manager who had left We Sports a few years ago to become the CEO of a subsidiary.

“Yes, what about her?”

He couldn’t be trying to send me there, could he? Young Breathe, the small sports management company run by CEO Song Ingyung, was a subsidiary of We Sports that primarily supported athletes in new sports like skateboarding and breakdancing.

A former badminton player suddenly managing street sports? It sounded a bit odd, but he knew that she enjoyed dancing as a hobby and had enrolled in a dance academy. She had then become acquainted with an instructor who later joined the national team.

She was in her late thirties, but with her youthful looks and flashy fashion sense, she didn’t look like a CEO at all. That was the only impression Taehyun had of her. He was a little confused as to why her name had suddenly come up.

She went on a business trip to Europe last year and had meetings with some companies there. There’s a young Korean athlete who’s active in France, and they asked her if she could connect him with an agency in Korea.

I see. Taehyun nodded to himself. Not all Korean athletes competed under the Korean flag. It wasn’t uncommon for them to be active overseas depending on their circumstances. Except for competitions that required national team selection, like the Olympics or Asian Games, there were competitions they could participate in without separate national approval procedures. Especially if they were young and not participating in events like the Youth Olympics, where national quotas were allocated, there could be athletes competing without much public awareness.

“And?”

He still didn’t see how this was related to him. Taehyun shrugged and asked. His manager continued with a more urgent tone,

At first, CEO Song was going to take him under her wing. Young Breathe is basically specialized in fashion brand collaborations, but it wouldn’t hurt to expand their pool of athletes, and since she’s a former athlete herself from a different sport, she probably thought it wouldn’t be a problem….

The way his manager’s voice trailed off suggested this was the main point. Taehyun nodded slightly and waited for him to continue.

The kid is completely out of control. He’s already caused a huge incident, and she asked the CEO for help.

Taehyun had a bad feeling about this. What kind of person was Song Ingyung? Judging from her career alone, she was more than qualified to work as a coach with a hefty salary, but the fact that she had switched to being an agent showed her strong business acumen. On top of that, considering she had even established a separate subsidiary with investments, aiming to expand into fashion brands, she was no ordinary person. She had a bold personality and clear preferences, so the fact that she, who usually persuaded people to join her side with overwhelming support, creating irresistible offers, was asking the CEO of We Sports for help meant that something serious must have happened.

“What, what happened? Did he beat someone up?”

What kind of trouble could a young athlete cause that would be beyond the capabilities of Song Ingyung, unless it was a serious assault, habitual drinking, smoking, or some other kind of delinquency? He asked half out of curiosity, half out of concern. His manager asked back in surprise,

What, did you know?

“What? No, I don’t know anything. I was just asking, just in case.”

What? He had just thrown out the most absurd assumption he could think of, and it turned out to be correct. Taehyun couldn’t believe his ears.

“Seriously?”

Yes, seriously. That’s why CEO Song contacted us for help.

At this point, Taehyun could guess why his manager had called him.