Taeyeon wiped the sweat from her forehead as she stepped back for the return. Both she and her partner, Minho, were tired from their back-to-back match play. Today was only doubles but she wondered how she could keep up with only 15 minute breaks once she started singles play tomorrow, especially now that she was already feeling exhausted in their second match.

“Jiwoong!” Taeyeon broke from her daze to return the birdie. With the flick of her wrist, Taeyeon placed the birdie dangerously close to the net causing the opponent to frantically hit it up. Minho was then set up for an easy strike to end the set. Taeyeon sighed in relief as the second set ended in their favor, “One more.”

Minho laughed as he opened his water bottle, “Yea. We got this.” The boy tipped back his bottle only to find it empty, “Jiwoong do you have more water?”

Taeyeon rummaged around her bag to find her spare bottle, “Yea here.”

Minho smiled, “thanks buddy.” Taking a huge swig of the liquid, Minho stood up, “Let’s finish this up!”

Taeyeon laughed at the boy’s never ending energy, “Of course.”

As the third set progressed, Taeyeon saw Minho sweating porously, “Minho are you okay?”

Minho gasped for air, “It feels hot...in here...”

Taeyeon looked up at the score, “Are you ok to finish?”

Minho nodded weakly, “I...think so.”

Seeing that Minho was dragging his feet, and struggling to stand, Taeyeon decided Minho wasn’t ready to play anymore but Minho refused to sit out and let their efforts to go to waste, “You can’t go on like this Minho.”

Grabbing Taeyeon’s shoulder for support, “I know you can finish this...you really don’t need me.”

Taeyeon rolled her eyes, “It is  doubles match...we should do this together.”

“Jiwoong...we only win with you...you can do it...I will just stand in the back okay?”

Taeyeon looked over worried for the boy that was about to collapse, “Are you sure?”

“I trust you.” Minho said as he waivered.

Taeyeon sighed as she looked back at the score, “15-9...six more...” Nodding that they would continue, Taeyeon placed Minho in a spot near the back corner while she prepared for the game play. Taking the birdie, Taeyeon served it to the far back causing the opponent to hit it back highly in Minho’s direction. Taeyeon was holding her breath as she saw the boy weakly hold up his racquet for the return. Once the boy hit it, Taeyeon watched the birdie carefully as it just barely made it over the net. Miraculously, it was the perfect position to make the opponent scrabble and hit it back perfectly for Taeyeon to end the point. Now only 5 more points and Taeyeon was starting to think she could possibly finish this game.

It took 10 more points and Taeyeon stared at the score in amazement, “We won!”

Minho already took a seat on the court looking up at Taeyeon with hooded eyes, “See...you are...amaz---” With those last few words, Minho lost consciousness.

“Help!” Taeyeon yelled out as the referee came down to assist the boy. Not long after,

Nichkhun and their Coach came over to take Minho away.

Taeyeon sat outside the infirmary waiting for her coach to come out and tell her what is wrong with Minho but she was growing increasingly worried as it was already an hour since he collapsed.

Finally the door opened and her coach appeared, “Jiwoong...”

Taeyeon stood up to face her coach, “Coach...how is he? Is he okay?”

Her coach sat down and Taeyeon followed suit, “Minho had his stomach pumped because he ingested a dangerous amount of Propranolol...do you know what that is Jiwoong?”

Of course Taeyeon didn’t know so she shook her head.

“It is a drug for heart disorders, but Minho doesn’t have any heart problems. Do you know how he got or why he took that drug?”

“I never saw him take anything and he was fine this morning...just suddenly he started sweating.”

“When was that?”

“The last match he ran out of water...and then...my water?” Taeyeon went to shuffle in her bag to find the water, “He drank this.”

The coach took the water and stood up, “I will take this for now. We had to cancel the rest of the matches for today but you and Minho are still eligible for third place. That match and the finals are played the day after tomorrow. I think Minho will be okay by then. You may not get first place this time, but I think you and Minho will get third. Anyway, you should join the rest of the boys and finish watching the matches okay?”

“Are you sure Minho will be okay?”

The coach smiled, “Yeah he will. Just get back to the gym and cheer on your teammates.”

Taeyeon smile and nodded. She made her way over to the gym again. Looking around Taeyeon spotted some of her teammates so she started going over but a man stood in her way, “Are you Kim Jiwoong?”

Taeyeon eyed up the man that stood before her, “Yes?”

“Great! I saw your match earlier with your partner. Anyone could tell that you were the star...you single handedly beat two people. That is amazing!”

“Excuse me, but who are you?”

The man laughed, “Me? I am the coach of the Junior Olympics team.”

Taeyeon’s eyes bulged, “You? But but you are so young?”

The man laughed, “I guess so but I am more than qualified to help bring Korea’s men into first this year against our rival China and after seeing you play...I think we found the perfect player to do so.”

Taeyeon wanted to jump for joy and yell out that she would do it but then there was a problem...she wasn’t a he...how could she accept something that she knows she can’t do? Jiwoong was still MIA and she had dreams of her own, making the woman’s badminton team, not the men, “I am sure you are exaggerating. I can’t be that good.”

“Oh but I think you are. Anyway, I saw you down for singles tomorrow. I will be watching you closely. I hope your partner gets better too.”

Taeyeon wanted to pull her hair out the chance of a lifetime in her grasp, but that she couldn’t have. Things looked like they were going well but were they really? Even if she wanted all of that, she knew she couldn’t have it...at least not like this.

-----------------------

Jessica was kicking her soccer ball against the wall as another male approached her, “What you doing here alone buddy?”

Jessica turned to see Taecyeon, “Hey...nothing much just kicking away some frustrations.”

“Frustrations? Having trouble with your aim because I don’t think one of our top players has any troubles...”

“No not that. I just wanted to hear how the match is going but Taeyeon hasn’t called.”

“Oh that. Maybe she is focusing...it is a big tournament.”

“Maybe...just I thought she would keep me updated.”

“Aww don’t worry about it. She is good so I am sure she is doing well.”

Jessica stopped kicking the ball so she could sit down on it, “I guess but would it hurt to call? It is nearly 7pm!”

Taecyeon laughed, “Yea it is and here you are outside alone at night kicking a ball! Y

ou should be home relaxing and waiting for her to call.”

Jessica laughed, “Maybe.” Just then a ringtone broke the silence of the night.

Taecyeon looked down at Jessica’s phone ringing, “You better get that...I will get going.”

Jessica smiled at Taecyeon before she answered the phone, “Hello? Hey babe...how is the tournament?”

-------------------------

Taeyeon sighed after she hung up with Jessica. She neglected to tell her about the fact that Minho was poisoned and was still not back yet from seeing the doctor, nor did she tell Jessica about the incident with the coach of the Junior Olympic team. She didn’t want to worry the girl about these things although she felt very guilty lying to Jessica.

After a few sighs and rolling around in her bed, Taeyeon got up to redial her girlfriend. With only a few rings, a somewhat groggy voice came, “Hey Jessica...I know it is late but I just wanted to say I love you...I know I said it before...just wanted to tell you again. Thanks...I will do my best tomorrow.”

Even if Taeyeon didn’t know what would happen after tomorrow, she knew that good or bad, Jessica would be there to tell her that she loved her.

Author's Note

Long wait for probably not a very eventful chapter...lazy author always comes in this story. Sorry if I am dissapointing a bit. Just have a lot on my plate at the moment.

Comment ^^