Match
Salient Love
It was the last lesson of the day.
Gym.
I was looking forward to it for once, since my injury was still healing and I could sit out to watch instead of running around and getting all sweaty. Sooyoung was excited for gym, like usual, since she is the sporty kind. And for me, well, I didn't at physical activity but let's just say I prefer not perspiring and not feeling like my legs were going to snap into two pieces.
"Let's go!" Sooyoung smiled, after she had changed into her gym outfit and sports shoes, and dragged me off into the sports hall.
"Good afternoon, Coach!" The class greeted her. Coach Jung was basically like any other female coaches, but she was special. Even though gym wasn't my favourite class, I liked her. She was tall and tough and extremely strict, but when outside of gym class, she wore dresses often, surprisingly, and was very nice to all students, and treated us like her own children.
"Okay class! Today, you will run 4km!" She hollered. The motherly image I had of her outside of class shattered, to be replaced by the scary, military trainer-like coach she is.
Everybody's eyes widened like saucers as jaws dropped open.
And for once I was happy my injury had not healed.
She chuckled suddenly, seeing our shocked faces, "Just kidding! Hahah! Lighten up, guys!" She smiled heartily.
Sighs of reliefs were heard and some guys started to chuckle. "Not funny, Coach!" one of my classmates shook his head disapprovingly.
She raised a brow and shook her head. "Puny little wimps! You guys need to toughen up! But luckily for you, today I decided to let you guys play simple games instead," She smiled. Everybody brightened up at that aspect.
"Girls will be playing volleyball, and soccer for the boys!" She instructed. "And.. Oh! Daehee you can't play right?" She snapped her fingers and suddenly turned to ask me. 30 pairs of eyes then turned towards me.
I shifted uncomfortably at the sudden attention.
"Y-yes," I stuttered.
"Okay, you will be the referee for the boy's game, is that okay?" She asked me. "O-okay," I answered, as she passed me a whistle.
I blinked at the foreign object in my hands, as everybody just awkwardly stood around, waiting for instrctions. Coach Jung rolled her eyes at the scene.
"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS WAITING FOR? CHRISTMAS? START!" She yelled and tossed the volleyball and soccer ball towards Sooyoung and Luhan respectively.
Everybody jumped from her loud voice and started moving towards the respective playing areas.
"Sheesh if its Christmas, I would be home sleeping.." I heard someone mutter.
I quickly jogged towards the water cooler for a quick drink before the soccer match.
As I sipped the water, I saw Coach Jung talking to Luhan.
But I don't think it was anything important since when I reached the field later, Luhan was already there.
The guys were already splitting teams when I walked towards them.
Somebody passed the ball towards me, since I was the referee.
"Hey you, Luhan right? Can you play soccer?" Junki, this popular and pretty good looking guy from my class asked him. Yes, he has the looks, the money, and he has the skills for soccer, being the school's football star, but what he doesn't have is a good attitude.
Before Luhan could even give a response, Junki smirked.
"Probably not. You join the other team, and I take Sukjae!" He hollered. The timid-looking boy shuffled towards the other team. "My name's Jisuk.." He mumbled.
Nobody dared to go against Junki openly, due to his status that I don't think he deserves.
I frowned and shook my head at the badly split teams. All those that were better in academic areas instead of sports were placed in team B, with Luhan. While Junki had taken all his team mates in the school soccer team together with him in Team A.
But nobody said a word about it.
"Hey you, you know how to be a referee right? If some people resorts to cheating, you better catch them!" He said rudely, smirking, as he turned to me.
I smiled sweetly at him.
"Don't worry, I'll keep my eye on you."
His face instantly darkened and he snatched the ball away from me roughly.
My fake smile turned into an icy glare. "Hey-"
"START!" He hollered, ignoring me and kicked the ball up high in the middle for a somewhat fair play.
Before anybody could react, he had already jumped up, retrieved the ball and started to kick towards the goal.
Even though I find him annoying, I had to admit, he was really good.
He was just a few meters from the goal post in a mere ten seconds, and he smirked, lifting his foot to strike. His team members were whooping from afar, and the Team B people were just pouting and wandering around, knowing they will lose anyway.
The poor, skinny goal keeper, trembled as he covered his eyes, waiting for the impact. I bit my lip, worried for him.
But just as Junki was about to make a goal, Luhan appeared out of nowhere and managed to swivel the ball away from its position before Junki's foot hit it, causing Junki to kick the air.
I blinked, shocked.
Luhan then continued kicking the ball towards the other goal.
Junki stood there for a second, dumbfounded, before charging towards Luhan like an angry bull. "YAH!" He yelled as he chased after Luhan.
The other players jumped from their 'leader's' cry, and started to scrambled for the ball. They tried to steal the ball from Luhan, but he managed to dodge every one of them, and expertly manoeuvred the ball away from their reach. "AISH!" Junki sprinted forwards in desperation. He couldn't lose, not to a newbie.
Luhan turned to see an enraged bull right on his tail but still, Junki was too late - Luhan lifted his leg and kicked the ball. It shot through the air like a bullet and the goal keeper jumped to the left, trying to save it. Everything turned quiet as everybody paused, watching the ball shoot forward.
The ball flew past, and the goalkeeper's fingers grazed it as he jumped forth ;
but only slightly, and the small deterance was not enough to stop the ball from shooting pass the goalkeeper's reach, and hitting the net. Everything was quiet for a second before Junki's frustrated yell broke the silence.
I smiled and shouted, "One to Zero!" Team B started to cheer and jump about happily.
Junki looked beyond infuriated as he glared at me then at Luhan. He ruffled his hair frustratedly, probably due to the fact somebody just beat him.
I could see he wasn't handling it very well.
He then called his frightened-looking teammates together in a huddle and started to scold them for being incompetent and letting him do everything.
I jogged forwards and went to retrieve the ball in the net, with the Team A's goalkeeper sending me a glare before he walked off to the huddled pack of players too.
I shrugged.
I turned around and saw Luhan's teammates jog towards and huddle around him, congratulating and praising him. He still looked indifferent about the praises, but I could see that his face was a tinge more lifted and relaxed than usual. And definitely more relaxed than this morning. I smiled.
Luhan then turned his head a little just as he said something to one of his team mates. He seemed friendly from this angle. I looked him up and down, and realised he didn't look half bad in the school's gym attire.
When he looked back up, his eyes met mine.
Unlike the inclement and icy ones this morning, I was met with slightly warm ones.
He must really enjoy playing soccer.
I smiled and gave him a thumbs up sign, holding the soccer ball in my other hand.
Instead of his usual indifferent stares, I thought I spotted a ghost of a smile play on his lips.
The tiniest movement of his lips as it curled upwards.
Then everything happened so quickly.
I saw Junki out of the corner of my eye, storm towards me angrily. Before anybody turned their attention to what was happening, Junki grabbed the ball from my hand and kicked it.
Right into Luhan's face.
The impact made a loud sound that resonated through the windy fields.
Everybody was silent, their eyes wide open.
My eyes widened and I clasped a hand over my mouth.
That would ing hurt.
Luhan stumbled back slightly as he covered his nose with his hand. The ball bounced away after it ruthlessly slapped him, and landed on the floor, rolling to a stop beside Luhan's foot.
Junki stood there smirking. "Tsk. That would teach you not to mess with me." He hissed, being a sore loser.
Luhan moved his hand away from his face, and i saw that his nose was bloodied and bruised.
And the smiling eyes he almost had were gone.
Every trace.
I could literally see the life get out of his face, to be replaced with venom and ice.
His eyes were hostile and icy cold, and the whole field was still silent.
The day before he looked indifferent, this morning he looked frustrated, but now, he looked furious.
The anger from the morning, and the fight with Teacher Lee, seemed to add up together. And I think Luhan reached his limit.
His face turned dark as he shot a chilling glare at Junki. I shuddered and I saw Junki gulp involuntarily.
"Luhan-sshi? A-are you okay?" One of his teammates asked. He ignored him and continued to glare at Junki. His teammates gulped and backed away. Junki's 'friends' started to look nervous as they shifted slightly.
Luhan looked down, and picked up the ball that had just hit him.
Then he placed it in front of him, sent a glare at Junki before he kicked it, hard.
It shot through the field, as it sliced the air mercilessly.
And it was heading right for Junki.
My jaw dropped as I stood frozen ; too shocked to move.
If it hit him, it wasn't going to be just a bruised nose.
Even though Junki was being an absolute jerk, I didn't expect for Luhan to act like this!
Junki stood there frozen, his eyes widened as he opened his mouth to scream.
The ball sliced past the air,
But instead of crashing onto Junki's face, it only just grazed the side of his hair, before it shot right into the goal post far behind Junki.
Junki's mouth was agape, his eyes wide with fear and anger. Mostly fear.
Out of shock, Junki dropped onto the ground, panting. He then turned and glared at Luhan. Luhan returned the stare indifferently, the fury from before seemed to have evaporated.
Or so I have thought.
"Two to zero," Luhan said, his words laced with malice, as he walked away from the field.
________
How is it ? :b
inspired by the Asian dream cup hahahah.
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