even as he starts to feel the uv rays prickling against his already hot skin, and his sweat starting to trickle down his forehead, he still throws his leg all the way back and kicks the black and white soccer ball on the ground. he feels the ball curve at the force exerted by his foot, and it flies all the way across the field.    jinhwan jumps, the ball hits his chest and as he hits the ground, he doesn't hesitate on kicking the ball towards the goalkeeper's weak spot; upper right corner of the goalpost.   he kicks, they score.    hanbin feels himself smiling and accepting everyone's pats on the back and high fives before he knows it. it's not a real game, just a practice for the actual thing which is tomorrow. but still, he feels good. he's been feeling anything but good these past few days, so he tries to hold onto this moment a little longer.    "nice," he raises his hand and jinhwan smacks his own against it. "we're going to dominate tomorrow's match."   jinhwan shrugs. "as usual,"    the next day is even hotter than the day before, but hanbin barely even notices the heat. the stands and bleachers are packed, the sky is blue and the sun is scorching. the referee walks towards them, beckoning hanbin's coach forward.    he sat upright when he was finishing tying and retying his shoelaces. a nervous habit, but he was more excited than nervous today so he only had to retie his shoelaces twice.   he looked around, turned his head in every direction to catch glimpses of familiar faces. it didn't take long for him to find who he was looking for.    mom, dad, jaewon, jaewon's dad.    he lifts his hand high, over his head and waves vigorously to catch their attention. his parents wave back and jaewon gives him a thumbs up sign. "go hanbin!" he can hear his mother's screaming all the way from where he stood, and even above the loud chatter in the stadium.   he flashes them a wide grin before he turns around, his back to his family and the smile is wiped clean off his face. the pain blossoming in his chest blossoms slowly yet surely.    she didn't come.              he always overestimates himself.    the second he saw her, he knew, he knew, he knew by heart he was unable to hold a grudge against her even after all these years. and the instant she said those two words with all the sincerity in her being, he was reminded that once again, he can never be mad at lee hayi.    "this is just unforgivable, i know, i know. but hanbin, hanbin, hanbin look at me." he feels fingers grip tightly on his chin, and before he knows it, his head is being whipped back so that they're eye to eye and looking at each other. really looking at each other. "i'm so sorry. i really am. i'm very sorry."   there are three things hanbin hears because the rest of the world seemed muffled after her words; the cars passing by them on the sidewalk, the ruckus his team was making behind the doors that hayi was blocking him from entering, and her breathing.   she was waiting, she was actually nervous. she was actually scared. as if she did not have enough faith in kim hanbin. as if she seriously thought he could ever be mad at her.    she's overestimating him too.   he looks past her, at the doors to the restaurant. he sees his teammates getting rowdy at the other side of the transparent doors. it's so easy to just leave her here and go inside, forget about everything that's ever happened and continue living gloriously along with his team. he can do that. he can.   but he couldn't.   he sighs. "you -"   he didn't really know what to say, and he was positive he was just going to trip over his words and then forgive her entirely. all her faults, all her lackluster actions - he could look past it and move on because that's how it's always been since the day he realized he liked her. he was just going to make a fool of himself by saying all the wrong words, if he was going to be able to say anything to her tonight at all, and then make an even bigger fool of himself by accepting her apology. then all would be well and good.    to avoid that scenario from happening, thankfully hayi cuts him off with a hug.    small yet strong arms encircle his waist. her head against his chest, his chin on top of her curls. his mouth agape, her eyes closed, his hands placed awkwardly at the sides.   lee hayi, always the unpredictable enigma.    "please don't let me go inside the restaurant with you being mad at me. i really am sorry." and he feels it. he really does feel it. he feels the guilt in her voice, how it seeps through him and reaches his heart, tugging it.    he closes his mouth. he feels his features soften, his eyes narrowing as he smiles. he likes this. he likes the attention, how she's so persistent in making him forgive her. it's as if she cannot spend a single waking moment being hated by kim hanbin (only in another universe will that ever happen). it's as if what he thinks of her is of the utmost importance, it's as if he's really that special to her.    he smiles widens as he says her name, making her look up at him. her eyes b with tears that were ready to spill any minute, if he were to push her away and leave her unforgiven.   again, that would never happen.   he her hair with his hand, the smile still on his face. he is still caught up in the moment, his fingers still brushing through the strands of her soft hair. "it's okay, hayi. you don't have to be sorry f