You found yourself pressed against a wall with two gym bags next to you. Taekwoon was leaning down toward you to compensate for the difference in both of your heights. You had just got done with your game and he had found you before your sister, mother, or friends ever could. You had just finished changing when you followed your teammates out of the locker room but you had forgotten to stow away your extra knee pads in the locker that had been assigned to you. You let Jimri leave before you after giving her an assuring look before returning to the locker room. There were a few of your teammates in the room and only one player from your opponent’s team that your team had just defeated. You bowed to that girl and received only a nod in return. You had to unlock the combination lock before you had access to the locker but that was no problem since you’d become familiar using this kind of lock last year for your P.E. class.

A few of your teammates said their good byes to you and you felt obligated to verbally return the sentiment. You had become more familiar with a few of them but only a select few. Mostly just the ones that you played with on the court and even a few on of the varsity team. Being on the junior varsity team, the line between your team and the varsity team became apparent as the latter was more devoted to the sport than you could relate to. That attitude was exemplified in Jimri. You both still spent lunches bumping her volleyball back and forth but things had evolved in a manner that she was progressing at a faster rate than you. It was intimidating at times but you’ve learned to cope with it as you took your practices seriously now that the mock exams were out of the way.

When you walked back out of the locker room, there were fewer people in the stands than before. Your eyes immediately locked on to the section where your mother and sister had taken to sitting whenever you had a home game. They weren’t there. You felt your surprise peak at that. Just as you had been about to walk to the exit, your eyes happened to meet Taekwoon’s who was standing alongside the wall next to the exit. He was standing underneath the basketball goal.

You found yourself walking to him but let your eyes rove the area for his friends. You heard their cheering over the growing numbers of the crowd that had expanded since the first game. Their presence (mainly Taekwoon’s) had helped you concentrate even more as you played especially since you wanted to show them what you and your team were capable of. Your team had won by seven points in the last match which wasn’t too bad as your team had control of the game the majority of the time.

When your search for the rambunctious boys came up empty, you felt a smile playing on your lips. Taekwoon stood up to his full height as you edged closer to him. You were oblivious to any looks directed at you and him from the lingering crowd. He was dressed in a dark track suit with his dark green soccer jersey peeking out of the slightly ped collar and he had his gym bag slung across his chest.

With his game to look forward to, you were now fully prepared with a lunch box, his drink, a light blanket and extra hair ties. So, your bag was a little heavier than usual with your usual sportswear inside and the change of clothes you just changed into courtesy of Nunji’s fashion advice. You hadn’t actually asked her for said advice but she had been around when you were making your decisions on your wardrobe last night. So you were a little more dressed up than usual but that was apparently fine in Taekwoon’s eyes judging by the way he took you in.

You didn’t second guess your actions as you walked right up to him to lean against his tall frame. He patted your head and you felt him lean back against the wall, taking you with him. One of his hands tugged on the ends of your pony tail as he wrapped one arm around your waist to move your gym bag a little. Your forehead was resting on his chest as he made the adjustments for you to move a step closer to him. It was only when you did so when you felt him rest his head on your shoulder. You two stayed in this position for a too little amount of time when you felt him straighten up. You followed his example and he held out his hand for you to take.

He pulled you out of the gym and instead of taking you in the general direction everyone else was going to the main exit, he led you in the opposite direction. At the back of the school, he took you to the familiar nook next to the exit you two had ventured to before. You felt the anticipation build between you two as he dropped his gym bag next to the wall and then he helped you with your bag. He backed you up to the wall and next thing you knew, his lips were on yours. So you were currently so occupied with Taekwoon that you both ignored the notifications his phone was issuing from his jacket pocket.

He was the first to break the kiss for air and you looked up at him while trying to regain your breath. He flashed you a lazy smile before leaning down again. You encouraged him when he trailed kisses from your lips, across your cheek to your neck. That was when you felt your pulse racing faster than not even an hour ago when you had been jumping up and down blocking on the court.

It was only when his phone beeped a different tune when you two separated. He removed one arm from around you to get his phone while he let you kiss his neck to distract him. You successfully accomplished that when he stopped trying to retrieve his phone only to capture your lips again. When his phone started beeping again a minute later, he pulled back. You continued with your earlier ministrations when he brought his phone up to his face.

He muttered a curse as he must have pushed the wrong button and N’s voice filled the silence, “Yah! Where are you? The teams are warming up now!”

Taekwoon leaned back and you rested your head against the wall trying to regain your mindset from the induced state only he could drive you to.

“We’ll be there,” Taekwoon mumbled into the phone before hanging up.

You let your arms drop from where they had been resting on his shoulders but you let your hands trail down his chest in the process. He was still cradling you in his arms and he pulled you into a closer hug with your hands resting between your bodies. You let your arms drop when he reached down for your gym bag first. He placed the strap over your head while you moved your ponytail out of the way so it wouldn’t be caught. His hands lingered on your shoulders until you looked back up at him. He gave you a smile that you had to return.

He snatched his bag up and he was soon leading you around the school to the soccer field. He was almost jogging which meant you had to increase your pace so you wouldn’t trip behind him. But you had to be even more careful with your steps since you were trying to dig around in your bag for the energy drink you had prepared for him.

The stands soon came into view and it was only then when your nerves got to you which was stupid because you hadn’t felt this nervous when you had been playing for him earlier. You were both now jogging and he didn’t let go of your hand until you both got to the gate.

“There he is!” one of his teammates pointed in your direction. You quickly passed Taekwoon the bottle and he gave your hand a now familiar squeeze before he let it go. He quickly ped his jacket which he gave to you before jogging to the players’ bench with the bottle in one hand.

You stood there at the fence for a second when you heard your name being shouted, “Over here Mikyungie!”

You felt a flush spread on your face and trail down the length of your body as many eyes followed you to where Taekwoon’s friends were seated with his jacket thrown over your folded arms.

Without any prompt when you sat next to him, Hyuk asked, “Where were you two? The coach was starting to get upset when one of his starters wasn’t here.”

N hit the back of the youngest boy’s head from his seat behind you, “Don’t be rude.”

Hongbin snickered next to him, “Just let it go maknae.”

You knew you were blushing just from knowing that Taekwoon’s friends might know where you two had been.

“But this is the first time Leo has ever been late for a game!” Hyuk was adamant in embarrassing you further with this new knowledge. “He’s usually one of the first players on the field.”

“Awww Hyukie, you’re so cute,” Ken gushed on the other side of him. His tone of voice struck a chord in you as he smiled at you. “And Mikyungie?” you met his eyes before looking away just as fast, “your mother wanted to let you know that she’ll be unable to pick you up later so she recommended that your Taekwoonie you home as long as you’re not late for dinner.”

You only nodded as you stared down at your hands clutching the material of the jacket.

Hongbin chuckled, “And you sister was pretty funny too when she found us. She said not to look for you after the game so you could cool down from making the other team cry.”

“Ah! Auntie!” N stood up and was waving at a group of people who were walking along the fence.

“Leo’s mom!” Hyuk also stood up to greet them.

“Mikyungie’s mother-in-law,” Ken said under his breath, loud enough for you to hear as you both stood up. Hongbin also laughed at that while giving you a teasing smile. You hit them both in the sides. “Auntie! I missed you!” Ken held a hand over his heart.

“I haven’t seen you four in a while,” the older lady greeted them.

“Hello Leo’s father,” the boys all formally bowed to the older man in unison and you bowed along with them.

“Hey boys.”

“You guys are too tall!” the woman accompanying the couple exclaimed.

“Jieun noona!”

“She’s Leo’s second oldest sister,” Ken informed you in a low voice. You nodded back.

N inquired, “Where’s Jihee and Soomi noona? Are they joining us for Leo’s game too?”

“They should be coming. I believe Soomi is bringing her husband and son so they’re taking their time. Jihee has class but that should be ending soon and then she’ll be arriving right after.”

The couple took a seat next to N and their daughter sat behind them. It was lucky that the boys chose seats near the end of the bleachers but that probably wasn’t luck since they most likely knew where the best place was to sit after attending many years of Taekwoon’s games.

You felt eyes on you so you chanced it to look up only to see Taekwoon’s father staring at you, “I remember you. Taekwoon’s girlfriend. Right?”

You felt your cheeks burning and your hands clenched Taekwoon’s jacket even tighter.

“Girlfriend?!” Taekwoon’s sister asked in disbelief.

Taekwoon’s mother stopped talking with N to look at you.

“Um,” you couldn’t find the words to say.

“You made it,” Taekwoon was now standing on the opposite side of the fence in his full uniform. He was looking at his parents then his eyes shifted to you. He frowned as he must have read the panic in your eyes. He looked over to where his teammates were gathered before looking at his parents again

His mother smiled at him, “Taekwoonie.”

“How are you new cleats?” his father asked immediately.

“Who is she?” his sister demande