“Agh! It ran away! No!”

Confused stares are directed your way as you shake your phone around in frustration. The elusive, high CP Pikachu you had been hunting had fled from the catching screen, leaving you with less pokeballs and a slightly fractured morale. Adding insult to injury, after you tap the screen to look at the “Nearby Pokemon” list, you only see your standard fare of basic pokemon – Pidgeys and Weedles.

You utter a pitiful moan and hang your head in disappointment. It had taken so long for you to track that Pikachu down, too. When you saw it pop onto the Pokemon list twenty minutes into your stroll down the walking trail, you knew you had to claim it as your own. The hunt had led you from the trail into one of the neighboring parks until the last footprint had finally disappeared. Fate, however, had other plans.

Sighing, you turn around and make your way back toward the trail, passing a bench seating a couple of young women nursing their babies. You look around the park in appreciation of the cheerful ambience of the children’s playground. Squealing kids slide down short, colorful slides and push their friends on a swing set. Somehow, the sight of children playing seems more relatable to you as you stroll around playing Pokemon Go, which reminds you of the game you had been acquainted with since your youth.

The release of the mobile game had given you a source of nostalgia and motivation to walk for long distances outside without the threat of inevitable boredom. The absence of air conditioning didn’t really seem so bad when the augmented reality app could allow you to see the pokemon you were catching through your own camera. The game was strangely addicting – if for no other reason than the amusement of seeing a Rattata standing on a slide. You had to be careful to not look like you were taking pictures of children, though. The mothers had already shot you with wary looks and the last thing you needed was to be banned from a park.

You lift your phone to look at the list again and happily note that an Eevee had taken up residence someplace nearby. You continue to walk toward the trail, keeping a close eye on the single footprint. Your eyes glance toward the ground occasionally in order to prevent any unwanted accidents. After all, you could only imagine how embarrassing it would be to end up in some news story detailing yet another Pokemon Go-related mishap. You could just see the headline already – “Local Girl Falls into Uncovered Manhole while Capturing Pokemon”. Yeah, no thanks.

“Yes!” a cheerful male voice whoops ahead of you. You look up curiously to spot a slim, tall guy clutching a phone with both hands. As he jumps excitedly, you jog toward him while holding your phone in front of you. As expected, an Eevee pops into the screen.

“Sweet! Thanks for the heads up,” you grin as you tap on the small creature. You glance upward and see him regarding you with sheepish surprise. After turning your attention back towards your screen, you notice the brown creature standing on the ground beside his feet.

“Hey! It’s right next to you!” you exclaim happily, pointing at the space beside his right foot.

“Right here?” he asks, turning his body to lift his right foot above the space.

You giggle at the sight through your camera. “It looks like you’re about to stomp on it.”

“Take a picture! I wanna see,” the boy requests eagerly, maintaining his pose.

You comply and take a quick screenshot of his nubuck Timberland boots poised above the small Eevee. “Got it! I’ll catch it now,” you smile, and fling a pokeball toward the cute pocket monster. Luckily, the one pokeball was all it took. After seeing the pokemon’s identification screen appear, you look up from your phone to get a proper look of the boy you ran into.

Short, dark brown hair was swept over thick eyebrows, framing a pair of very innocent brown eyes. A plain white, oversized shirt hung well past his hips, over stylishly torn jeans, which were tucked into light brown, nubuck Timberland boots. He seemed to be close to your age.

“Hi there. I’m [Y/N]. It’s nice to see another player out and about. What’s your name?” you flash him a friendly smile and extend your right hand in greeting.

He smiles shyly and takes your hand to shake. “I’m Jungkook. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise! Would you like to see the picture?” you ask amiably. He nods silently, a subtle expression of excitement crossing his face. You open your photo gallery and bring up the screenshot you had just taken. “Check it out,” you grin, extending your phone to show him the amusing photograph.

He examines your phone and laughs, clasping his hands together with a small clap. ‘He certainly seems sweet, you muse’, admiring his soft features. He looks away from the phone to meet your eyes, suddenly looking stricken with bashful reticence. A light pink tinges his cheeks, before he finally opens his mouth to speak.

Before he can make any comments, a short tone is emitted by his phone. He lifts his phone to look at the screen and makes a quiet noise of surprise.

“Sorry [Y/N], I’m needed at home.”

“No problem, nice meeting you,” you smile kindly as he looks at you apologetically. He lifts his free hand to give you a small wave before turning around and running toward the park entrance, away from the trail.

The next week, you had taken up a temporary residence at a small, local café. The proprietor, Mr. Jeon, had become used to your presence over the last few days, nonplussed about your need to visit often in order to reclaim the Pokemon Gym for Team Mystic. On the third day of visiting the café, he had received that particular explanation when he had asked about you as he prepared your favorite tea. He had shaken his head with confusion, mumbling about strange teenagers playing video games about digital creatures. You had only smiled sheepishly in response, understanding that the idea could be rather niche for some people, particularly the older crowd.

The first day you had visited, you had been making your way back home after attending classes. It was difficult for you to ignore the sight of the local café’s gym being decorated by red or yellow. Over the course of the next few days, it became obvious that there were a few other people as dedicated to reclaiming the café’s gym for their team as you were.

Between the yellow Team Instinct and red Team Valor, it was evident that the red team was the biggest contender for the crowning glory of this particular gym. You grin slyly as Team Valor’s Pikachu falls to your Eevee. The gym once again begins to display Team Mystic’s blue color. As you smugly place your prized Eevee to protect the gym, the chiming of bells announces the entrance of another customer.

“Are you kidding me? Who just took Team Valor’s gym?” an incredulous male voice calls out from the doorway. You look up from your screen with curiosity and notice a familiar boy holding his phone as he scans the café with pouting lips. His eyes meet yours from across the room. There is definitely no mistaking it – this was the shy guy you had met at the park last week. Smirking, you decide to by smugly leaning back against your seat.

Jungkook’s eyes widen for a fraction of a second in recognition before narrowing. You watch him carefully, amused by his change in attitude. He deliberates privately for a second, then decides to walk toward your table.

‘Well, this ought to be good,’ you decide with growing interest.

He stops in front of your table, grasps a chair to pull it back, and plops onto the seat. Crossing his arms dramatically, he breaks the silence. “I spent a while gaining prestige for this gym,” he accuses.

“I spent a while chipping away at it,” you say as you flash him a toothy grin, tapping the handle of your porcelain mug.

“This is Team Valor territory,” he states pointedly, pouting his lip. Somehow, he seemed even more attractive than when you had last met him, when he had seemed quite mousy. There was a fire in his eyes that screamed competitiveness.

That, of course, meant that you would refuse to budge even an inch. “Was.”

“Is,” he retorts impatiently. You raise your eyebrow, challenging him to continue arguing. You sip your tea calmly. You knew you could be as stubborn as a Tauros when you felt like it. He continued with his threat, “There’s no way you can defend this gym. I’ll just keep reclaiming it.”

“Well then, I’ll just snatch it right back,” you simper, cocking your head to the sight and displaying the most innocent expression you could muster.

“T-there’s no way you can keep coming every day to reclaim it,” Jungkook stutters, attempting to look past your flirtatious façade. His grip on his arms tighten ever so slightly as you continue to watch him closely.

“Oh yeah? Then how does this gym keep ending up in Team Mystic’s hands?” you challenge, smiling coquettishly.

“What?! You’re the one who’s been snatching the gym away while I’ve been gone?” he asks with disbelief and a small hint of outrage.

You scoff and look away. “Why not? I’m hungry after classes and this is close to home. Besides, am I supposed to ignore when Team Valor or Team Instinct are occupying a gym I encounter?”

“Y-yes! Because this is Team Valor territory!”

“Says who?” you retort. His face turns red and he quakes with emotion as he struggles to keep himself from arguing. You decide to prod further with a little white lie. “Besides, the color red .”

The chair screeches loudly as it scrapes against the floor. “Liar! Take that back!”

You blink with surprise at the overreaction, but quickly recover. “Blue is way better than red,” you smile pleasantly, taking a second to glance at the other customers sitting in the café, who are watching the spectacle in bewilderment.

“Red is the best color!” he shouts angrily, pointing at your face. “And, besides… strength is power! And Moltres is way better than Articuno! Also-”

“Jeon Jungkook!” an angry feminine voice interrupts his passionate tirade, cutting into the air viciously.

The black-haired teenager jumps in place, startled out of his excitable state. A short, dark-haired woman strides toward the table, an irritated expression crossing her soft, worn features.

“Is that any way to talk to a customer? What do you think you’re doing, harassing people like that?” the woman shouts at Jungkook, who has been instantly cowed into silence. You struggle to not crack a smile as she turns to look at you. “Oh!” she exclaims as she examines your face. “Are you a friend of Jungkook’s? A girlfriend maybe?”

“N-no, eomma! I don’t know her!” Jungkook interjects fervently, wide-eyed with panic.

You face him with mock hurt, deciding to tease the awkward boy. “That’s mean, Jungkookie. I thought we had made a connection at the park.”

His mother turns to face him, annoyance plastered on her face clearly as she narrows her eyes. “Do I need to have a talk with you about interacting with girls again?”

“N-no!” Jungkook shrieks with indignation. “We’re just messing around! It’s only friendly competition!”

“Jungkook, just because you like to be competitive doesn’t mean everyone else is,” his mother lectures, then turns her gaze to you. “Is that true? Or is he trying to pull the wool over my eyes?”

You keep your face neutral despite your amusement as your eyes sweep over the boy’s nervous expression. You decide you had tortured the boy enough. Meeting his mother’s gaze with an innocent expression, you reply sweetly, “That’s right. Your son and I are friendly rivals.”

You notice the boy exhale with quiet relief as his mother’s expression brightens. “Truly? Well I’m excited to hear that! Kookie never has girls over at the café.”

“Eo-eomma…” Jungkook protests weakly. You giggle at his expense.

“Well, don’t let me keep you! I’m going back to the kitchens. Have fun!” the woman winks and waves before walking away from the table with a small spring in her step. Jungkook slumps with exhaustion as soon as she is out of sight.

You gaze at him innocently. “I’m guessing that’s what you meant by this being Team Valor territory.”

“I should have you kicked out,” the boy mutters, eyeing you warily from his spot near your table.

“But your mother seems so happy about my presence,” you protest, widening your eyes playfully. “In fact, I’m sure she’ll never let me leave now.”

His eyes shift to your table for a moment as he frowns. “I’m reclaiming the gym right after you leave. I have the advantage here,” he grumbles before meeting your eyes.

You smile widely. ‘He looks like a grumpy bunny,’ you think privately as your eyes are instantly drawn to his pouting lips.

“You know, you’re right. Therefore, I’m challenging you to a proper Pokemon battle. I’m assuming you have a Nintendo DS?” you request confidently, watching with delight as the fire returns to his eyes.

“Of course I do!” Jungkook asserts, banging his palm on the table. “Tomorrow. Same time, same place.”

You grin at his stubborn display of determination.

“You’re going down, Jeon Jungkook.”