"Woohyun-sunbae, fighting!"

Ratrie screams her heart out, cheering for her sunbae. Woohyun looks at the bleacher, he can see Ratrie with her group of friends, holding a supporting banner together for him. Woohyun runs across the field with a big smile on his face. All of the sudden, he gains a strong wave of energy when he is actually exhausted from playing the last 89 minutes. He looks to the front, aiming his goal before he kicks the ball straight to his target.

"Goal!!!"

The crowd cheering all together when woohyun scores a goal on the last minute. It was a close match and everyone is so happy that their team win against their all-time rival in the friendly match with a score 2 - 1. Woohyun, being the football captain, never disappoints his team members. All of the team members and supporters on the bleacher start to gather around Woohyun, cheering for him. Woohyun is trying to search for Ratrie on the bleacher but fail to do so. Ratrie smiles proudly when she spots Woohyun from the other side of the crowd. 

Later that evening, after discussing a new strategy and improvement for their next friendly match, Woohyun and his teammates drop by at a convenient store, along the way back home. Ratrie's family owns the store and it is known for their delicious homemade bread. Ratrie's mother is an excellent baker, she decides to sell her homemade bread when everyone in the family encourages her to do so. And voila, the feedback is extraordinary. 

Woohyun goes inside the store and takes the last batch of breads for him and his teammates. Ratrie's father is reading a newspaper behind the counter, waiting for Woohyun. Woohyun goes to the counter and greets Ratrie's father before proceeds on paying the breads. 

"So, how was the game, Woohyun-ah?" said Ratrie's father, breaking the silence.

"It was great! We won and we managed to come up with a new strategy plan for our next match."

"Oh really? Wow, that's nice, Woohyun-ah! I know you and your team will win the game."

"Thank you, Abeoji. You support me like my own father." Woohyun smiles like he is the luckiest person on earth.

"I am since I always look out and take care of you when your parents work overseas. Come here, Adeul." Ratrie's father goes to Woohyun to hug him and Woohyun hugs him back.

"Now now, go and get a proper meal with your teammates after this, okay? You guys need to have strength. Strength is important for men. I don't want my Adeul to be weak." Ratrie's father ruffles Woohyun's hair.

"Yes, Abeoji!" Woohyun hugs Ratrie's father once again before he grabs the plastic of breads and heads out of the store.

**********

Ratrie wakes up after she dismisses her alarm. She goes out of her bed and stretches herself while heading towards the curtain. She opens up the curtain to the side and a curtain-closed window welcomes her in front. He doesn't wake up yet. He must be really tired. She heads to a bathroom afterwards, doesn't want to waste even a second. 20 minutes after, Ratrie goes out from the bathroom while wrapping her hair with a towel. She is already in her school uniform, the only thing left is to organize her books so she goes to her study table.

She stops when she sees the window next to her house is open and the curtain is tied up neatly to the side. A moment later, Woohyun comes in front of the window. They both exchange smiles before waving at each other. Woohyun then signals Ratrie her head and Ratrie quickly hides herself from embarassment when she just remembered the towel wraps around her head. Woohyun swears to himself that Ratrie never even once look unpleasant. Ratrie quickly combs her hair nicely and grabs her bag and stocking. She races down the stairs and runs to the kitchen. Ratrie's mother is baking some breads and her father is eating a bowl of oatmeal. 

"Rie, drink the milk and don't forget to take those lunch bags with you." her mother said while concentrating on mixing the dough. 

"Yes mom..." Ratrie drinks the milk as fast as she can without focusing on what her mother just said. She kisses her father's and her mother's cheek before she runs towards the door.

"Rie! The lunch bags!"

"Sorry mom, hehe." Ratrie smiles innocently to her mother. 

"Why rush, Rie?" asked her father.

"Can't keep Woohyun-oppa waiting. Bye mom, dad!" her parents can only smile happily looking at their daughter.

Ratrie quickly wears the stocking and her shoes before grabbing her bag and lunch bags, out of her house. Ratrie greets her senior back when he greets her in front of the gate before both of them start walking to school. Woohyun has been living next door for the last 5 years and since his parents usually going to work oversea, he always spends time with Ratrie and her family. Both families are so close to each other, they both treats the other's children like their own. Ratrie and Woohyun basically are like brother and sister. Well, at least that is what their parents think of. 

Woohyun always walks Ratrie to school and back home, everyday. Sometimes, when Woohyun has a football practice later on the evening, Ratrie will walk back home with her best friend, Cath. Ratrie and Cath both attend the same tuition class after school thus they always spend time together. Ratrie describes Cath as her sister from a different mother. Her bosom buddy. Cath is the only person knows about Ratrie's feelings towards their sunbae, so whenever Woohyun and Ratrie are walking home together, Cath will always finds an excuse to not be the middle person.

Woohyun is now in his senior year while Ratrie still have two years ahead before graduating. Woohyun is balancing his studies and his passion for football since he is planning to further his education at a sports-based university. Ratrie knows Woohyun is so in love with football, but not only that, she also knows that he is good at singing as well. His voice is very beautiful and sweet. Every morning and every evening, Woohyun will hum into various songs along the way. It is comfortable and peaceful, somehow Ratrie will always playback his humming to her sleep that night.

**********

Days by days. Months by months. The football team have been joining countless numbers of friendly matches with various schools. The football coach, at the same time, is making sure that the team members are not slacking in their studies especially those who are in their third year. Woohyun is at his best stable state, he takes the final examination fairly and meets the passing requirements. They are a few of the teammates that fail one or two subjects, but they can back it up by taking the supplementary test.

The football team is preparing themselves for the fall tournament. Many schools are participating in this tournament, they have to win the preliminiaries first, before competing to be the one of the best three in their region then advancing to the first place. The tournament is held a week before the graduation ceremony. To the third year seniors, this is the most important moment to win as it can give them a bonus point in entering the sports-based university that they have been dreaming of. Every single person in the team is working very hard to sharpen their individual skills and also their teamplay. 

Woohyun has been coming home late during the practice season. Almost every evening, Ratrie looks out through her window to see if he is back at home yet, but she will always gets disappointed to see a dark room across her. No more Woohyun to wave at her every morning. No more Woohyun's humming to her sleepless nights. She misses Woohyun, but she has to wait for a little bit more as the competition is just around the corner. 

The day of the tournament. Ratrie dismisses her alarm and she hurries to the curtain to see if Woohyun is already awake, but she panics when she can see Woohyun is already getting ready. Ratrie opens her window and waving so hard to get his attention. Woohyun sees her so he goes to his window and opens it.

"Woohyun-sunbae! You're going to the tournament already?"

"Yes, Rie. I have to go to school earlier today because I need to make sure some stuffs."

"Oh okay, sunbae. Break a leg, but please, I don't mean it literally. Be safe!"

"Haha sure, Rie. I will try my best. I see you later today, okay?"

"Okay. Good luck!" 

Woohyun smiles to Ratrie before he shuts the window securely. He waves at her happily and Ratrie signaling him the 'fighting' pose. Ratrie waits by the window and watches over him until Woohyun is not visible in her view. Ratrie then closes her window and proceeds on preparing for school. She hopes that their football team can win out of the best three team to represent their region. I hope that's not a big thing to wish for.

Later that day, Ratrie plans on dropping by at the convenient store after her tuition class ended. But then, she spots a familiar figure, in front of the tuition centre. She is so surprised by how casually the guy is balancing a ball with his foot. Some of the girls from the same school even greet him along the way out. When Ratrie walks closer to him, she stops when she sees his smile. It is so unlike him, the smile seems fake. Ratrie already assumes that they didn't win the tournament, but she waits until he tells her himself.

"Hey Rie!" Woohyun spots her, standing still not far from where he is while staring at him. Woohyun calls her again before she gets back to reality.

"What are you doing over there? Daydreaming?" Woohyun asked when Ratrie is standing beside him. Woohyun starts walking and Ratrie follows.

"No, nothing. I was just thinking back then. So, how was the tournament?" 

"Luckily, we passed the prelim greatly, but then we lost against the other three best schools in our region, so yeah..."

"Oh goodness, really?!? What happen, sunbae?"

"Three of our aces hurt themselves during the games, so we didn't have the same synergy like we had during the prelim. To be honest, I am upset because our team didn't win against any other teams after that, but I am more upset that our aces are focused on playing solo instead of teamwork."

Ratrie silently waits for Woohyun to continue and she keeps on looking at him once in awhile.

"I just, I can't believe they would be so selfish like that when during practices and friendly matches that we had, I keep on reminding them about teamplay and they were playing just great with the teammates. But wow, they're getting cocky, I guess."

"Then sunbae, what are you gonna do about the sport university entrance application?"

"Well, it is obvious that I don't stand a chance to enter that university anyway since we lost just right after prelim. Hmmm, I have a few other universities that I'm interested in. You know, I have a wonderful voice, right? Maybe I can start on focusing on singing after this."

"But sunbae, I don't want you to abandon football just like that. I mean, you're talented so why would you stop?"

Woohyun stops on his track. Ratrie looks confused and guilty too, if she just said something wrong. Woohyun then takes the ball he's been holding to and he starts balancing it on his foot again. He smiles and Ratrie swears Woohyun looks the happiest whenever his foot touches the ball. 

"Ratrie, can you see that empty plastic bottle over there? I'm going to knock it off." Woohyun said proudly. 

Ratrie is smiling looking at his childish act. Show off. Just the moment Woohyun kicks the ball, somehow the ball bounces upwards and the ball hits his face, hard. Ratrie can't contain her laughter, she lets it out while Woohyun is staring blankly at the ball, shocked and dumbfounded. That is the most embarrassing moment ever! A minute later, Ratrie managed to control herself.

"Okay sunbae, maybe you're not that talented." Ratrie laughs it out again.

"Oh okay, okay. Laugh all you want. Today is my day, just wait until your day comes. I will laugh my heart out."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Ratrie wipes off her tears.

"Ratrie, I just want you to know that I won't be around after the graduation ceremony. Dad wants me to spend time with them, so maybe I will be coming back three weeks before the college registration starts. They will help me with all the paperworks and all after that." Woohyun changes the topic, but somehow it turns serious and gloomy.

"I see. That's okay, sunbae. You rarely have time with them anyway, so make sure you spend it to the fullest."

"I will come and see Abeoji and Eomeoni before I go. And I wanna say sorry because I didn't spend much time with you these past few months."

"No, sunbae! It's okay, I-I helped mom and dad around." Ratrie hides her hurt feeling because she understands it very well.

"Hey Rie, maybe we can discuss about going to the same university which is best in my field and yours. Fair enough, right? Then, we have lots of time to spend together."

"That's a great idea, sunbae!" Ratrie genuinely smiles to him because she absolutely loves the idea.

"I can't imagine how my life would be without you, Rie." Ratrie suddenly feels herself blushing, she quickly laughs it off.

"Me too, sunbae."

Ratrie doesn't seems serious so Woohyun moves closer towards her. Ratrie feels a sudden blood rush because of the close proximity. Woohyun drops the ball he's been holding and gently hugs her. 

"I'm serious, Ratrie." Ratrie can feel the seriousness.

"We are going to the same university and that's final." Woohyun breaks the hug and he looks into her eyes, searching for something to solidly prove that the feeling is mutual.

"O-Okay, I guess mom and dad are okay with it." Ratrie shyly looking back at Woohyun.

"I'll be waiting there." Woohyun ruffles her hair gently and she can see the loving smile of his that she loves so much.

"Eung! I'll be right there." Ratrie smiles at him back and she can feel butterflies in her stomach for the first time.