Jin sat down on the cold hard court and let his chest rise up and down as he finally got some much needed rest from his match.
He was disappointed, after all how could he not be? A 1-7 loss is abysmal.
But at the same time Jin felt a faint feeling of fulfillment.
Being able to give it his all along with improving at the same time was definitely not something to scoff at.
As Jin reflected on his performance today he saw his opponent approach him out of the corner of his eye.
Jin looked up as the boy stopped a few steps away.
"Hey," the boy said, offering a hand. "That was a fun match. Good playing."
Jin took it, standing with a small nod. "Yeah… you too."
"I'm Noah, by the way."
"Jin."
Noah grinned. "That last shot at the end? If it landed, I wouldn't have stood a chance. Seriously, it was almost insane."
Jin let out a dry chuckle. "Well, I still lost 1–7."
"Sure," Noah said with a shrug, "but I don't think the score reflects how hard you fought out there. Honestly, I feel like next time we play, it'll be even better."
A faint smile tugged at Jin's lips.
"Thanks, man. Next time, I'm definitely getting a few more points off you."
They shared a laugh, the earlier tension from the match dissolving into easy conversation. The two kept talking for a while longer, swapping stories about school, past matches, and how they got into tennis.
Turns out Noah had been playing since he was a little kid and his dad was a tennis coach at a local club.
"No wonder you're so good," Jin said, raising an eyebrow.
Noah scratched the back of his head, a bit sheepish. "Yeah, I've been lucky. My dad's taught me a lot. Plus, having access to the club helps a ton."
Then his eyes lit up. "Actually you should come by sometime! My dad and I would love to hit with you."
"Really?! No take-backs now," Jin said, eyes widening in surprise.
"Promise," Noah said, holding up a pinky with a laugh.
Jin held up his own as they completed the most sacred contract of all time. The pinky promise.
Just as their conversation was wrapping up, Coach walked over to Noah with a hearty laugh.
"Great playing out there," he boomed, clapping Noah on the back.
He spent a few minutes giving Noah some quick pointers, his voice animated but sharp. Jin stood nearby, quietly waiting as their exchange continued.
Eventually, the coach turned his attention toward him.
"Jin, right? I remember you from last year," he said, squinting slightly.
"Yes, Coach," Jin replied, standing a little straighter.
Coach rubbed his chin for a moment, then spoke bluntly.
"To be quite frank, Jin… you suck."
"Huh?" Jin blinked.
"Your fundamentals are all over the place. Your footwork's stiff, your groundstrokes lack control, and your technique needs serious work," Coach continued, voice steady but merciless.
He didn't stop there. For the next thirty seconds, he listed out every major flaw; grip issues, late reactions, inefficient movement. Each point felt like a blow, and the more Coach spoke, the more Jin's head sank until his eyes were nearly level with the ground.
Jin already knew most of it. But hearing it said out loud, so clearly, so publicly, made it hit harder.
Then, just as Jin braced for another wave of criticism, Coach's tone shifted.
"But…" he said, pausing for a beat.
"You kept fighting."
Jin glanced up, surprised.
"I watched the whole match. You were down 1–6 and still chasing down every ball like it was a match point. Most kids would've folded after the first few games, but not you. You stuck it out."
Jin blinked, unsure how to respond.
"And that last topspin shot, even if it went long, showed you're trying to figure things out, even mid-match. That takes guts."
A quiet beat passed before Coach added, "You've got a long way to go, sure. But I've seen kids with better technique and zero heart. You've got something more important so make sure to keep it up."
Something warm flickered in Jin's chest. The sting of earlier criticism hadn't vanished but it was softened now.
"See you at practice tomorrow. Be ready to work."
Once the coach walked off, Noah glanced at Jin with a smirk.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear the first half of that," he joked.
Jin flicked his shoulder. "Shut up," he muttered but a grin was already spreading across his face.
Noah chuckled. "Looks like my dad'll be here soon to pick me up, so I'm gonna head out."
"Yeah, I should probably get going too. I'll see you tomorrow!" Jin replied.
"Yup. Nice meeting you, see you then!" Noah waved as he jogged off toward the parking lot.
As Jin began packing his things into his bag, he felt a hand clap down on his shoulder.
"Hey, how'd your match go?" came Ren's voice, bright with mischief and an all-too-wide grin.
Jin let out a long, exhausted sigh.
"Not great. I lost 1–7… He was really good. Actually…" Jin paused, narrowing his eyes. "How the hell did you even get five points off him? I don't remember you being that good."
Ren shrugged with fake modesty. "What can I say? I've been practicing."
Jin raised an eyebrow. "Right."
The two began walking side by side, making their way toward the front of the school. The late afternoon sun had begun to dip, casting long shadows across the courts and painting the sky in streaks of orange and pink.
"Jin! Over here!"
Jin turned toward the voice and spotted his mom waving from the car, the window rolled halfway down.
"Coming!" he called back.
He and Ren crossed the lot, Jin heading for the passenger side while Ren veered toward the window with a grin.
"Wait, is that Ren?" his mom asked, squinting slightly before breaking into a warm smile.
"Hi Mrs. Zhang!" Ren said brightly, leaning down toward the window.
"Well, look at you!" she said with a chuckle. "You've gotten taller and louder!"
Ren laughed. "Gotta social for the girls right?"
"Oh, is that what it is?" she teased. "Also, still getting into trouble with Jin, I assume?"
"Always," Ren said with a grin. "But only the good kind."
Mrs. Zhang laughed. "Good to see you again, Ren. Don't be a stranger! Feel free to stop by our home whenever you want"
"Will do! Take care, Mrs. Zhang!" Ren said, giving a quick wave before turning to Jin. "Later."
"Later," Jin replied, bumping fists with him before slipping into the car.
"How was school?" his mom asked as she pulled out of the lot.
"It was fun! Coach even gave me a few compliments today," Jin said, leaning back in the seat.
"Is that so? For some reason, I find that hard to believe," his mom teased with a soft chuckle.
Jin gave a wry smile and stared out the window. "Yeah, well… he wrapped them in a solid five minutes of insults, but I'm pretty sure there were compliments in there somewhere."
His mom laughed. "Sounds like Coach, alright."
Jin didn't say anything after that. He was just looking forward to finally getting home and resting.