“Winning is everything”. The words rang in Hu Yin’s ears. His coach Yang Ping had drilled it into him. “You must have the killer instinct. The end justifies the means. Go all out. Remember - its either destroy or be destroyed.”
Hu Yin stared at his nervous opponent. Radin stood, looking hesitantly, eyes downcast, completely awed by the supremely confident world class player on the other side of the net. Hu Yin felt a twinge of pity, but he quickly shook it off. “The opponent is the enemy. Your only aim is to destroy him.” He remembered his coach saying.
Radin readied to serve. And just as he did, Hu Yin held up his hand, signaling that he was not ready. But Radin had served. Unsettled, Radin readied to serve again. Hu Yin’s mouth curled in an imperceptible smirk. Radin served. Into the net. Hu Yin looked at him pityingly. And just as Radin stooped to pick the shuttlecock, Hu Yin let out a whoop, hands upraised, startling Radin.
In a matter of minutes Hu Yin had reduced the young man to a wreck. He had Radin frantically running all over the court. A shot just over the net had Radin scrambling to the forecourt, falling headlong at the net. Looking up, he saw Hu Yin, his shoes almost touching Radin’s forehead. Hu Yin towered above him to an impossible height.
Game over. Hu Yin had his shirt off, and did a jig on the court, to the screaming cheers of his fans. As he stopped, he saw Radin. He stood, spent and crushed. Hu Yin turned around, and jiggled his backside at Radin to the deafening howls from the fans. Soon his team-mates and his coach were on him, hugging and kissing him, and congratulating him. “You destroyed him. You proved you are the master.”
Hu Yin lay on his bed. He had been lying there for hours, unable to sleep in spite of being tired out from the punishing exertion over the past few days. The sight of the defeated and humiliated Radin standing with stooped shoulders haunted him. And as he pictured the scene in his mind’s eye, all of a sudden, the scene changed. It was Hu Yin standing there, crushed in defeat, shoulders slouched, spirit drained. Hu Yin knew it then. One day, it would be his turn.
It was morning. As Hu Yin walked out of the games village, he saw the opposing team members. Readying to leave. Radin stood at the back. Hu Yin paused for a moment. Then, in purposeful strides, he walked over to Radin. Hu Yin caught Radin’s shoulders, and embraced him. Radin turned to him, surprised at first, but as their eyes met, he brightened and smiled. No words were spoken, but the two men held each other for a long moment. And as they shook hands in farewell, applause broke out, among all of the team-members and spectators standing around.
And Hu Yin knew it then. He had won. Finally.
Hu Yin stared at his nervous opponent. Radin stood, looking hesitantly, eyes downcast, completely awed by the supremely confident world class player on the other side of the net. Hu Yin felt a twinge of pity, but he quickly shook it off. “The opponent is the enemy. Your only aim is to destroy him.” He remembered his coach saying.
Radin readied to serve. And just as he did, Hu Yin held up his hand, signaling that he was not ready. But Radin had served. Unsettled, Radin readied to serve again. Hu Yin’s mouth curled in an imperceptible smirk. Radin served. Into the net. Hu Yin looked at him pityingly. And just as Radin stooped to pick the shuttlecock, Hu Yin let out a whoop, hands upraised, startling Radin.
In a matter of minutes Hu Yin had reduced the young man to a wreck. He had Radin frantically running all over the court. A shot just over the net had Radin scrambling to the forecourt, falling headlong at the net. Looking up, he saw Hu Yin, his shoes almost touching Radin’s forehead. Hu Yin towered above him to an impossible height.
Game over. Hu Yin had his shirt off, and did a jig on the court, to the screaming cheers of his fans. As he stopped, he saw Radin. He stood, spent and crushed. Hu Yin turned around, and jiggled his backside at Radin to the deafening howls from the fans. Soon his team-mates and his coach were on him, hugging and kissing him, and congratulating him. “You destroyed him. You proved you are the master.”
Hu Yin lay on his bed. He had been lying there for hours, unable to sleep in spite of being tired out from the punishing exertion over the past few days. The sight of the defeated and humiliated Radin standing with stooped shoulders haunted him. And as he pictured the scene in his mind’s eye, all of a sudden, the scene changed. It was Hu Yin standing there, crushed in defeat, shoulders slouched, spirit drained. Hu Yin knew it then. One day, it would be his turn.
It was morning. As Hu Yin walked out of the games village, he saw the opposing team members. Readying to leave. Radin stood at the back. Hu Yin paused for a moment. Then, in purposeful strides, he walked over to Radin. Hu Yin caught Radin’s shoulders, and embraced him. Radin turned to him, surprised at first, but as their eyes met, he brightened and smiled. No words were spoken, but the two men held each other for a long moment. And as they shook hands in farewell, applause broke out, among all of the team-members and spectators standing around.
And Hu Yin knew it then. He had won. Finally.
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