"Your tickets , Sungjong. We can't see from here."

"If I knew earlier, I would've brought us some binoculars."

"Hey! I was nice enough to get us some tickets for this popular game."

"Guys, stop bullying him.", Sunggyu spoke up.

"Hyung, you're helping me?"

"At least you can treat us for some supper later."

"HYUNG!"

 

Jiho met up with Kevin in the middle of the field with the 3 referees. 

"Nice seeing you again, Zico."

"You too, Kev. Heads or tails?"

"Tails."

The coin was tossed and landed back down, "Heads. Pirates may go first."

They shook hands and Kevin pulled Jiho closer to him, "Good luck, you'll need this."

Ryein was facing Byunghun with the ball between them.

"Be careful, okay? I don't know what tricks they have this time round but I have a feeling it's bad."

Ryein nodded her head and Jiho gave her arm a squeeze before heading to his position.

The whistle was blown and the game begun.

The crowd went wild when Empire started attacking in the first 5 minutes but failed to score a goal.

"Pirates' defense has to strengthen or Empire will score!"

"NIEL, KWON!", Jiho shouted and they came running with a Empire player who is running towards their goal.

".", Ryein watched from afar and the player shoots.

"GOAL!!!!!!!! It's a goal for Empire!"

"Told you you'll need the luck.", Kevin walked passed Jiho and said.

Soon, 45 minutes were over and they were back in their dressing room.

"Since when did they get so strong."

"If they're playing rough, we are too. Come here."

Jiho told each of the players what they should do when the second half starts.

"And you, just be careful and be at your very best. I'm very sure they will attack you because you're a girl."

"Don't worry, I can manage. You have to be careful too."

"Let's go guys, let's win this thing!"

"YEAHHHH!!!!!!!", everyone in the dressing room cheered.

"Looks like Pirates are getting back in the game, I wonder what new strategies they have in store for us in the second half."

"We'll just have to wait and see."

"Have you heard? Pirates has a girl player."

"Girl? Is that even allowed?"

"Rules said nothing about no females being the team, so."

"Wow, we have to really look out for her then."

10 minutes in second half and Ryein now has the ball.

She's running towards Empire's goal which is open.

"RYE, BEHIND YOU!"

She glanced back quickly to see 2 Empire players chasing after her which made her run even faster.

"RYE!!!!!"

And within seconds, she was down on the ground.

The referee paused the game, Jiho and Byunghun came running to help her up.

"Are you okay?", the referee asked and Ryein nodded before spitting some blood out on the grass and stood up.

She eyed the player that knocked her down, Dongjun.

"You're going down.", she drew a line over with her thumb.

"You're really alright?", the other players came around and asked her.

"Guys, I'm not dead. Please go back to your positions, I'm fine, really."

Ryein gave the nod to the referee and he blew the whistle, the game continued.

 

"Woah, we have a warrior in the Pirates tonight. That was a hard blow and the only female player on the field is standing strong."

"Heard she's a star player in the team, we really have to keep our eyes on her then."

Everyone in the audience was now standing and giving the applause to the female player who is running back on the field.

"Did you see that? I might have died if I was being knocked over.", Sungjong said with fear.

"Don't you guys think Empire is going a little too rough? They have a girl on that team."

"Empire never goes easy on anyone. Brace for it, guys. We're playing with them one day.", Woohyun said as he kept his eyes on the field.

The maknaes gulped as they sat back on their seats and continue watching the game.

Dongjun had the ball and was running towards Pirates' goal.

Ryein saw it and ran as fast as she could just fast enough to snatch the ball away from him without a foul.

"!", she heard him shout as she ran the opposite direction with the ball.

The goal was wide open for her.

"GO FOR IT, RYE. NOW!"

"AND IT'S A GOAL FOR THE PIRATES!!!!!!!"

At the end of the 90 minutes, Pirates won Empire by 1 last minute goal with none other than Jiho.

"Great game. I hope your pretty dongsaeng isn't injured.", Kevin shook hands with Jiho.

"Oh, you don't have to worry. You better worry about Kwanghee and his crotch."

The winning team then made their way back to their mini-van. 

"Time for some celebration, shall we?"

"The usual?"

"The usual."

 

 

-------

 

It was a school day and Woohyun was on his way to the field again to see Ryein sitting on the bench instead of playing.

"What's wrong with you today?", he took a seat beside her.

"Hmm? Nothing, just feeling a bit tired to be playing today."

"Is that so? Then should we just talk then?"

"Are you sure you want to hear what I'm about to say?"

"You said you and that boy of yours are adopted, right?"

He saw her nod before she looked up to the clear sky, "But not by the same person."

 

I hope you guys like ZE:A.