Chapter 1067: Overcooked (20)

At one point, Ri Hyuk had explained a theory about the origins of humanity to me.

"Africa?"

"Yes."

"The most widely accepted theory is that humanity originated in Africa. Then their descendants spread across the world and eventually became modern humans."

"And yet somehow you managed to bring up Africa without mentioning paprika. Ri Hyuk."

"It really does taste awful."

Remembering humanity's common origins, I said to my counterpart:

"In that sense, don't we all have the same blood flowing through us?"

"Oh-ho."

I'd been caught off guard and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

Yet the NBA legend burst into delighted laughter.

I had no idea which part he'd liked so much, but after laughing for quite some time, he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"There's a lot of truth in what you just said. I'll have to tell my friends about that later."

Stroking his long beard, Lenny Jones continued.

"But what I actually asked was whether you have any Black ancestors in your direct family line."

"Uh, give me a second..."

I closed my eyes and thought hard.

Had my grandmother ever sat me down and said, Well, actually... before revealing that one of our ancestors came from overseas?

"Probably not?"

"Really?"

"Why do you ask?"

The NBA legend pointed at me.

"The incredible flexibility. The elasticity in your movements. Even those strangely familiar, almost magical motions. I know it sounds ridiculous, but the thought crossed my mind."

"Thank you for the compliment."

"But really... none at all?"

The old man was looking at me with completely genuine curiosity rather than prejudice.

As Junghyun and I laughed awkwardly—

"Lenny! What are you doing over there?"

A familiar voice rang out.

Everyone turned.

Cold Brown, walking over while greeting people, spotted us behind the towering NBA legend.

"Oh? You guys are here too."

"It's been a while, Cold."

As I greeted him, Junghyun's eyes filled with pure happiness.

His favorite rapper.

And a sports legend.

The combination was simply too much for him.

I could practically hear his excited breathing beside me.

"Hyung... I think my heart's about to stop."

"Want me to press a calming pressure point?"

"Please."

"Hoooo..."

While I firmly pressed a pressure point on Junghyun's arm to calm him down, Cold Brown looked up at Lenny Jones.

"What were you talking about?"

"Oh, I was asking this kid whether he has any Black ancestors."

Cold Brown immediately burst out laughing.

Lenny Jones hurriedly waved his hands.

"No, no, there was a reason! You should've seen the way he moved. Then I asked him, and do you know what Wooju said?"

After hearing my earlier response, Cold Brown also looked thoroughly satisfied.

Then he pointed toward Junghyun.

"And actually, the athletic monster in NewBlack is over here."

"Junghyun?"

"You can call him Sweet Potato. That's his rap name."

"I see. Sweet Potato."

Being addressed directly by an NBA legend nearly brought Junghyun to tears.

Lenny Jones looked at him curiously.

"Do you have anything you'd like to show me?"

"Uhh..."

Junghyun looked around before spotting a basketball hoop.

"A dunk?"

"A dunk? With that skinny frame and that height...?"

Apparently when you were over two meters tall, someone around 180 centimeters looked positively tiny.

From what I'd heard, it varied somewhat by ethnicity, but for Asians, being around 185 centimeters usually made dunking much easier.

Something about explosiveness and vertical leap.

"Hyung, can I?"

"Go for it."

Holding a dodgeball lightly in one hand, Junghyun jogged toward the hoop.

Not sprinting.

Not straining.

Just casually running as though taking a stroll.

Then he jumped straight up from a standstill.

And casually dropped the ball through the basket.

Chop!

The ball brushed through the net.

Junghyun landed lightly.

So lightly that it almost gave the impression dunking was easy.

"Whoaaa!"

One of the American actors watching nearby widened his eyes.

A murmur spread through the arena.

"What?"

"That's NewBlack?"

"His athleticism... that's real?"

"Wow."

Someone gave Junghyun a thumbs-up.

Meanwhile, I turned around and found both the NBA legend and the king of hip-hop standing there with their mouths hanging open.

Cold Brown looked at Junghyun.

"Junghyun."

"Yes?"

"I know this sounds ridiculous, but..."

He hesitated.

"Do you happen to have any Black ancestors?"

"What?"

I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

After our brief practice session ended...

We gathered in the waiting room for lunch.

Jiho took a bite of a hot dog from the Madison Square Garden concession stand before asking curiously:

"So why did you do the dunk earlier?"

"Well..."

After brushing some crumbs from Jiho's lips and explaining what had happened, the underlings burst out laughing.

Biju shook his head in amazement.

"They really must've thought you two were extraordinary."

"Apparently."

When I mentioned how serious they had been while asking, Ri Hyuk offered an explanation.

"It's probably a cultural difference. America has such a diverse ethnic background."

"Ah. Is that why?"

"They probably just don't know much about Korea."

It made me realize there was a fundamental difference in perspective between people who lived in multicultural countries and Koreans.

We chatted casually over lunch to relax.

"Ah, I want kimchi."

"Me too."

"I keep eating greasy food. My stomach feels awful."

I could almost taste the perfect bite.

Rice.

A slice of kimchi.

Wrapped in seasoned seaweed.

Unfortunately, that was all it would remain.

A fantasy.

Strong-smelling foods weren't exactly ideal in places like this.

You could end up getting complaints.

While the rest of us suffered from kimchi and gochujang withdrawal, the youngest grinned brightly.

"That's because you guys are weak. Ri Hyuk Hyung and I are still perfectly fine."

He smirked.

Beside him, Ri Hyuk casually brushed back his hair.

"What?"

The rest of us exchanged looks.

"Those two are twenty-one and twenty-two, right?"

"Maybe because they only graduated high school recently. Give them another year or two."

"Not long now."

We warned them that they'd soon be crying for kimchi just like us.

Naturally, they didn't believe us.

After finishing lunch, we stepped out to buy drinks.

That's when we ran into the members of Moonlight heading toward the concession stand as well.

"Hi."

"Hey."

We exchanged friendly greetings while maintaining a careful distance.

One of the members, Hunter, offered the usual courtesy.

"Overcooked's really good."

"Thanks. I've been listening to All I Want too."

The atmosphere would have looked perfectly harmonious in a photograph.

In reality, however, our songs were currently battling over the #1 and #2 spots.

So while things weren't exactly tense, they weren't exactly warm either.

As we exchanged small talk—

"...?"

I suddenly made eye contact with Colin Evans, who had been lingering nearby.

Moonlight's most popular member.

A handsome man with fox-like features.

He narrowed his eyes.

Then, as though he'd made a decision, he stepped closer and whispered:

"Bom Gam Za."

His expression suggested he'd just delivered a devastating insult.

The look on his face clearly said, Well? What do you think of that?

I blinked.

Wait.

Does he think that's a swear word?

His expression was so serious that I decided to play along.

"...Gasp."

I put on a shocked expression.

How could you say something so terrible?!

Colin Evans immediately strutted away with a triumphant look.

The face of a man who had finally achieved revenge.

Meanwhile, I stood there covering my mouth, trying not to laugh.

"?"

After finishing their conversation with Moonlight, the others looked at me.

"Why are you smiling like that puppy hanging from a bamboo pole meme?"

"Well..."

After explaining what had just happened, I said:

"From now on he'll think bom gamza is a horrible insult. But no matter how many interpreters he asks, no matter how many dictionaries he searches, he'll never find the answer."

"!"

The underlings burst into laughter.

Ri Hyuk shook his head.

"I probably shouldn't be saying this, but you really do have a terrible personality."

"You're definitely the last person who should be saying that. Ow! Why'd you hit me?"

"Maybe it's because I have a terrible personality too."

As I stared at the evil triangle in front of me—

The arena announcement echoed through the building.

[The match will begin shortly. All participants should report to the locker room.]

The main event was about to begin.

Locker Room.

Normally the space used by NHL and NBA players.

Today, however, it was packed with celebrities.

[TEAM CANADA]

A Canadian flag adorned with a maple leaf hung on the wall.

Junghyun and I wore matching red uniforms.

SUN.

KIM.

Printed across the backs.

Short sleeves.

Shorts.

Knee pads.

White stripes running through the red fabric.

And bold CANADA lettering across the chest.

Honestly, the design was pretty nice.

"Let's take a selfie!"

A petite singer with black hair.

British singer-songwriter Kelly Nelson.

At her suggestion, everyone gathered together for a group photo.

The lineup was wonderfully chaotic.

Two Koreans.

One Brit.

One Australian.

One New Zealander.

Five Canadians.

I leaned toward Halley and quietly asked:

"Couldn't Canada find more Canadians?"

"Oh, there are plenty. They're just old enough now that getting hit by a dodgeball might fracture something."

"..."

"They'll probably be here as guests."

Apparently many of Canada's legendary singers and actors would be watching from the VIP section.

Soon the coach assigned to Team Canada entered.

"Let's announce today's starting lineup."

The six starters were revealed.

Five Canadian celebrities, including Halley Blue.

And Kelly Nelson from Britain.

Mixed-gender teams were required to include at least two female players.

Since this was Canada versus America, the starting lineup naturally consisted mostly of Canadians.

"The substitutes will be rotated in depending on the flow of the match. Any questions?"

The coach scratched the bridge of his nose, looking slightly overwhelmed by the sight of so many famous people staring at him expectantly.

"Then I'll briefly explain the rules and strategy."

Since this wasn't a professional competition and was primarily an entertainment event, the rules would be applied somewhat loosely.

As he assigned positions, the coach glanced at videos of Junghyun and me.

"Have either of you competed in amateur tournaments before?"

The rest of the team looked at us similarly.

"We played a lot during gym class."

"Woooow. Koreans really take dodgeball seriously. I wish Canada were like that."

"Uh... well..."

The poor man had clearly developed some strange fantasy about Korean physical education classes.

Rather than attempting to explain, we simply let it slide.

"Anyway, you two are our hidden cards. We'll deploy you as secret weapons in the middle and late stages of the match."

"Understood."

"And as for strategy..."

While I mentally filed away the various technical terms and tactics he explained—

The Prime Minister's wife entered the locker room.

Dressed in a red dress, she shook hands with the participants and delivered an encouraging speech.

"Today, countless Canadians will be watching this match. Please stay safe and give them a wonderful performance."

Everyone nodded and smiled.

She continued.

"I'd like to sincerely thank everyone gathered here today. Britain, Australia, New Zealand, our fellow Commonwealth nations..."

Then her eyes met ours.

We're here too!

"...!"

A brief flicker crossed her face.

The Commonwealth, blessed by the grace of the Crown.

And then suddenly—

Korea.

Appearing out of nowhere.

"...and our strategic partner, South Korea. Thank you as well."

The locker room erupted with laughter.

Supernova Dodgeball.

If someone asked for the hottest event currently dominating North American social media, this would be near the top of the list.

-Canada vs America. Which nation is better at sports?!

Ahead of the event, Madison Square Garden was already buzzing.

"We're here live at Madison Square Garden for Supernova Dodgeball! I'm Laura Lugo."

"And today's Canada-USA friendship match..."

Reporters stood before broadcast cameras discussing the event.

The camera panned across a dodgeball court identical in size to a volleyball court.

Sponsor banners covered the walls.

The Supernova Dodgeball logo filled television screens.

[The day we've all been waiting for has finally arrived! Welcome to Supernova Dodgeball!]

The commentators began introducing the match.

[Before we start, let's explain dodgeball for viewers who may not be familiar with the sport!]

A beautifully produced rules video appeared.

[Simple! Six balls are placed along the center line. Each team races for the three balls on its side!]

Players sprinted toward their designated balls.

A second line was marked near the center.

[After retrieving a ball, you must bring it back past this line before it becomes active.]

[So you can't throw it immediately?]

[Exactly.]

The explanation continued.

[Simple! Eliminate every player on the opposing team and you win! Catch an opponent's throw and they're eliminated instead, while one previously eliminated teammate returns to the game!]

[What counts as an elimination?]

[Any contact with the body. However, deflecting a ball with one you're holding doesn't count. If the deflected ball hits a teammate, though, that teammate is out.]

[Ahh!]

[And stepping on the boundary line is also an elimination.]

As the unique rules continued to pile up, American and Canadian viewers scratched their heads.

There's a lot to remember.

Professional dodgeball is surprisingly complicated.

Unlike football or hockey, which many knew by heart, dodgeball as a serious competitive sport was unfamiliar territory.

People sat on couches drinking beer.

"Has it started yet?"

"Not yet."

Many had organized viewing parties just like they would for football.

Canadians living in America gathered together.

Americans gathered separately.

Pizza.

Beer.

Soda.

Everyone stared at the television.

This is going to be awesome.

A welcome break from politics and current events.

The crowd inside the arena looked equally excited.

Half dressed in blue.

Half dressed in red.

[The atmosphere here is incredible! Let's hear from some fans!]

A seven-year-old girl with a Canadian flag painted on her cheek giggled into the camera.

A man with a USA shirt stretched over his belly laughed boisterously.

They perfectly represented the mood of the audience.

This looks fun.

Being there in person must be amazing.

As everyone eagerly awaited the event that would entertain them for the next two hours—

"Hm?"

"Huh?"

Across the Pacific, Koreans were blinking at their television screens.

Because of a very strange news headline.

-'Global stars' NewBlack join Canada-USA friendship dodgeball match

People waking up and staring groggily at their phones.

People watching morning news broadcasts in soup restaurants.

People listening to radio news while driving.

Everyone tilted their heads.

Then passed the information along.

"Apparently NewBlack is playing dodgeball in America."

"Okay?"

"With American and Canadian celebrities."

"...??"

"The Prime Minister's wife and the President's wife are attending too."

"...???"

At first people laughed.

"Dodgeball? Seriously?"

Then they blinked.

When they learned that Korean portals would be streaming the event, they clicked the links out of curiosity.

Just like a sports broadcast, the comments were divided between [Canada] and [America].

-Did anyone else come here from the news???

-Me

-What even is this??

-Is this some American version of the Idol Olympics?

-I came because the scale seemed suspiciously huge lol

-Canada fought in the Korean War. At last we're repaying the debt.

-America: ?

Nobody was entirely sure what the event actually was.

But NewBlack appearing alongside celebrities from both countries was strange enough to draw attention.

Then the team introductions began.

[Now introducing today's rosters!]

The lineups appeared onscreen.

Names familiar even to Koreans filled the lists.

Among them were two substitutes labeled:

SUN.

KIM.

-Lineup is insane ㄷㄷㄷㄷ

-Wow, NewBlack really made it

-But why Canada??

-Why aren't they on Team USA?

-Random Korean flag lol

The roster displayed nationalities.

Canadian flags.

British flags.

Australian flags.

New Zealand flags.

And among them—

[KOR]

The Korean flag.

The commentators continued.

[Next up is Team Canada's mercenary and NewBlack's sunshine-like leader, Sun!]

"Oh my..."

"Goodness."

An impossibly handsome man wearing a red sports uniform.

The kind of face that made people stop and stare regardless of gender.

-Wowㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-He seriously looks good in everything

-Wait, then why do his casual clothes look like that

-Is the uniform pretty or is he just pretty

As Koreans collectively admired the view—

[Leader of NewBlack, singer-songwriter, reality star, comedian, actor, model... Sun is active in just about every industry imaginable.]

[It says here he personally wrote his goal for today's event: "I'll show you K-Dodgeball!"]

[K-Dodgeball after K-Pop! So what we're about to witness today is Korean dodgeball?!]

"No!"

"Absolutely not!"

Koreans everywhere immediately began waving their hands in panic.

They are NOT representing us!

Definitely not!