Sanghyun park kicked the ball hard through the legs of his opponent. The ball scooted across the field to his best friend, Mir Bang, and he waited for Sanghyun to get in the open before kicking it back to him. Sanghyun hurried his step and with one sure foot on the ball, kicked it straight into the net. 

Dara jumped upon seeing her brother score the game-winning goal. After congratulations from his teammates, Sanghyun searched and found where his sister was in the stands and nodded to her. The Hot Shots walked off the field with another victory for their team. 

Mir came running up beside him, happy to have assisted with the goal. "Hey, are we cool or what?"

Sanghyun's face beamed. "We're cool." They gave each other a high five. 

Mir followed his friend as Sanghyun made his way to where he sister was waiting. "Can you hang around for a while?"

"I think so." Sanghyun nodded. "You need a ride? Dara's taking me home later."

"Nah, but mom said she'd be late picking me up." As they approached Sanghyun's sister, Mir's gray eyes focused on the pretty brunette. "Hi!" 

"Hey, Mir. That was a nice pass." Dara smiled at him as he tried desperately to hide his embarrassment.

Seeing his best friend smitten with his sister, Sanghyun shook his head before giving Dara a hug. 

"You did good, Cheondung-ah." Dara squeezed him tightly.

Her taller brother said. "Thanks. I had a good teacher." 

Dara did show her younger brother several moves and practiced with him for years, but the handsome Sanghyun had a natural talent for knowing where the ball was heading and getting a good foot on it. "Aww, that's sweet."

When Dara released him, she mussed his short hair. "Hey!" He pretended to be annoyed. "Mir's mom won't be here for awhile. You care if we go watch some of the other teams?"

Dara saw in which direction her brown-eyed brother looked and noted that a couple of young girl's team were preparing for their game. "Sure. I was gonna stop by and watch Hyesun play anyway. It's already started. So meet me there. Okay?"

Sanghyun nodded. "See ya." 

"Bye."

The fourteen-year-old dark haired boy stared for a long moment at Dara before Sanghyun bumped him. "You coming?"

Dara watched her brother and his best friend run across the field and she smiled. Even though there was seven years difference between them, they were very close. Sanghyun would sometimes spend weekends at her place and she always tried to make all of his games. When she heard a loud cheer from a crowd behind her, Dara turned and saw Yoo in na jumping in the bleachers. "I guess Hye sun made a goal." She stopped by the concession stand before joining her friend in the stands. "Here." Dara handed Yoo in na a coke while she sipped her Dr. Pepper. "What's the score?"

"Thanks. Hye sun's made the only goal." Yoo in na watched her partner negotiate around another player and pass the ball half way down the field to one of her teammates before it was kicked away. "Uh oh."

Dara settled in to watch the game. With each play, she wished that she could be out on the field with her old teammates. 

While there was a short lull in the game, Yoo in na took the opportunity to ask about what happened at the bar last Thursday night. "Jessica asked about you."

Dara stared straight ahead at the players on the field, not wanting to have any particular conversation. "Okay."

Yoo in na looked at her friend. "I don't get it. Everyone I set you up with, you don't like?"

Dara twisted around. "That's not why you wanted me to go Thursday, was it? To meet Jessica?"

"No." Yoo in na said honestly. "But..."

The brunette sighed. "You know I don't go for that type. She's too butch for me. Besides..."

Yoo in na rolled her eyes. "Besides what? You could at least give her a chance."

Dara's eyes turned back toward the field as she rubbed her temple. She prayed a headache wasn't on the horizon. 

When her friend remained silent for a long moment, Yoo in na asked. "So what's with you and that Chaerin girl?"

Dara shrugged. "She's nice."

Yoo in na ducked her head down to get a closer look at Dara's face. "You like her? You know, like that?"

Dara chanced a quick look at her friend. "She wants to be friends. And I gave her a massage the other day."

Some movement on the field drew Yoo in na's attention away for a moment. "I asked Hye sun about her."

Dara shot her friend a curious look.

"She works in a gay bar where she could get lots of dates, but doesn't." 

The massage therapist turned to her friend and asked seriously. "And that means what?"

Yoo in na shrugged. "Probably nothing, I guess."

"Yoo in na. You're gonna tell me anyway, so..." Dara knew her friend well.

Even as she watched her partner chasing the ball on the field, Yoo in na spoke to Dara, but what she said about Chaerin applied to Hye sun as well, at least in her mind. "She's one of those that will never commit. Oh, she wants you around when it's convenient, but..."

As Dara heard her friend's complaint fade away, the brunette knew Yoo in na's last comment was directed at Hye sun. "You said she didn't date."

Yoo in na casually dismissed her friend's comment and stared off into space as she continued. "...when it comes to really being there in the relationship, forget it."

"She just wants to be friends anyway." Dara sighed, not really agreeing with what she said next. "And I'm okay with that." 

When Hye sun came running off the field, Yoo in na stood up. "What's wrong?" 

Hye sun jumped on the bleachers, stepping up until she reached her girlfriend. "You got a Band-Aid?" The dark haired soccer player sat down and held out her hand to Yoo in na. It was bleeding. 

"What happened?" She searched in her purse.

Hye sun was intently watching the game. "Snagged something sharp, don't know. Can you hurry up?"

Dara leaned forward and said. "You guys are playing good defense, but you need to push it hard on the left. That's their weak side."

Hye sun laughed. "That's why we need you back. What do ya say?"

In deep thought, Dara said. "Maybe... one day."

"Come on, Yoon!" Hye sun was shaking her hand. "Hurry up."

Yoo in na wrapped the Band-Aid on quickly, and when her partner jumped up, she nearly yelled. "Hye sun!"

Turning around quickly, the dark haired woman impatiently asked. "What?"

Yoo in na's face contorted in frustration at her partner's inattention to her. Her lips pursed together as she let out a heavy sigh.

Recognizing that look, Hye sun dropped her shoulders, rolled her head, then ducked down before soundly kissing her partner. Yoo in na brought her arms up around her lover's neck and held Hye sun in place for a long moment before finally letting go. Then just as quickly as she arrived, Hye sun bounced down the bleachers and back onto the field.

Several people in the crowd gawked at the display. Dara felt a bit embarrassed by all the attention her friends drew with that kiss. The brunette rubbed the side of head and looked away, trying to avoid the staring eyes of the onlookers. It was times like these that Dara severely wondered if she would ever be that open with her partner in public. This fear haunted her and she questioned herself if it would be the sticking point that would keep her from finding true happiness with a woman. 

They watched the rest of the game in relative silence as they waited patiently for Hye sun to bid her friends farewell before joining them at the bleachers. Hye sun enjoyed the company of good friends and was always the center of attention with her out-going personality and sense of humor. 

"Hey, girls. What do you say we celebrate?" Hye sun grinned, then gave Yoo in na a wink.

"Count me out." Dara said. "Sang hyun's with me."

"Hi!" The young man stepped up next to his sister. "Guess you're ready, huh?"

Dara wrapped her arm around her brother. "Yep, perfect timing."

"Next time, maybe." Hye sun said to Dara then turned to Yoo in na. She slid her arm around her girlfriend and whispered in her ear, which made Yoo in na smile. 

Yoo in na turned her imploring eyes at Dara. "Why don't you come by after you've dropped Sang hyun off?"

Shaking her head, Dara declined. "Nah, we're gonna stop and get something to eat before I take him home."

Hye sun kissed Yoo in na on the cheek before she said. "I'll meet you at the car. I gotta talk with someone first, okay?"

But Yoo in na never had time to answer before Hye sun rushed off. Her curious eyes trailed her partner until the shorthaired woman reached one of the players on her team. "Dara... please?" She finally tore her eyes away from Hye sun.

"Sorry, but how about Thursday? We could go back to the bar." Dara suggested with a small, hopeful smile on her face.

"I don't know. Hye sun will probably want to but..." Yoo in na was tired of going out all the time and having to share her girlfriend with the rest of their friends. 

Dara thought her friend was going to turn down her suggestion until a thought seemed to occur to Yoo in na. 

"I'll call you. Or better yet, I'll stop by on Wednesday. I could use another massage. Having to lean over those patients all day at work hurts my back." 

"Alrighty. See ya Wednesday." Dara turned to her brother. "You ready, sport?"

"I was born ready." He winked at his sister and ran to her car.

"Bye. Take care." Dara said to Yoo in na and waved to Hye sun before she followed her brother. She was hopeful that if Yoo in na mentioned the bar to Hye sun, they would be going there Thursday night. It wasn't like Dara couldn't go alone. But the brunette wanted to cover her options, just in case. 

Sang hyun yelled out the driver's side window of his sister's white range rover. "Can I drive?"

Dara shook her head and opened the door. "Move over, Cheondung-ah. You'll get your turn soon enough. Just one more year."

Sang hyun reluctantly slid to the passenger's. "So where we going to eat?"

"Your choice." Dara grinned and knew exactly the place he would choose. She started her truck and pulled out. She had only driven a couple of miles before Sang hyun turned to her with a serious look on his face.

"Dara?"

"Yeah?"

"Your friends. Hye sun and Yoo in na." Dara nodded so he continued. "Are they, ya know, a couple?"

Sang hyun had met her friends a few times before in passing at the soccer field or when they had ran into each other in a restaurant, but he had never spent that much time around them. Slowly, Dara glanced over at her brother and confirmed. "Yes, they are." When he didn't answer for a long moment, her brown eyes returned to the road.

Finally, the young man nodded and said. "I figured as much." 

"So... you okay with that?" She held her breath as she waited for his answer.

"Yeah. That's cool." His attention soon turned to food. "So I get a whole pizza to myself, right?" 

Dara met his impish grin and mirrored one back at him. "If you think you can handle it."

They both laughed as Dara drove down the road to Sang hyun's favorite pizza place.

*************************

The telephone call left Dara disappointed. She let out a heavy sigh that Yoo in na picked up on. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'." Dara reached up to the cabinet, pulling out a couple of glasses. "You want something?"

Yoo in na thought about it for a moment. "Don't have time." 

Dara replaced the glasses in the cabinet before she turned. "You talk with Hye sun about Thursday?"

The dental assistant was digging in her purse. "Yeah, she's working late. At least that's what she says." Yoo in na chanced a sly look at her friend. "You wanna grab something to eat, then maybe take a ride or something? I hate waiting at home while she's working."

The brunette crossed her arms and leaned on the kitchen counter. "Nah. I told Chaerin I would go to her game Thursday." Besides, Dara really didn't want to make an obligatory drive-by the book factory while her friend pretended not to be looking for Hye sun's car in the parking lot.

"You sure?" Yoo in na cocked her head. When Dara declined with the shake of her head, the older woman pursed her lips. "She did say we might go Friday or Saturday night." 

That bit of news piqued Dara's interest even though she didn't know if Chaerin would be working at the bar either one of those nights. "Friday sounds good. Let me know, huh?"

Yoo in na finally retrieved her keys. "Yeah, sure." 

The massage therapist followed her friend out the front door and watched Yoo in na drive away before she went back inside where she was met by Sky. The black Lab followed Dara to her small office. When Dara dropped down in her chair, she pulled the appointment book out and stared at Chaerin's name. "It's funny how you can miss someone you just met." 

Sky barked once and seemed to pick up on her mistress's mood. 

Dara flipped the book back on the desk and pet her dog. "At least tomorrow's Thursday. What do you think? Should I go to the game or not?"

Sky gave the brunette an enthusiastic bark. 

For the first time that day, Dara let out a happy laugh. 

************************

The game was in full swing at the bottom of the second inning. Jessica was in the batter's box. Chaerin pulled out a bat and studied it for a long moment. She followed Jessica in the batting order, and for some reason wasn't anxious to get up on deck. 

"Hey!" Bom bumped her friend. "Unless you're expecting that bat to hit on its own, you better get out there."

Chaerin looked around the bleachers, for what seemed like the hundredth time since well before the start of the game. Again, she didn't find what she was looking for.
 

Bom put both her hands on her friend's shoulders, guiding her out of the dugout, then pushing Chaerin forward. "She'll be here."

Chaerin turned around. "What?"

Bom stepped closer and whispered. "They're gonna walk Jessica, so go up there and hit a homerun. When Dara shows up, you can tell her all about it."

The blonde was about to deny that her mind was on the pretty brunette when the umpire called to the next batter. Sure enough, Jessica was on first, not happy that the other team wouldn't pitch to her. As if in slow motion, Chaerin walked up to the box. Before she stepped in, the blonde took a couple of practice swings. She chanced one more look into the bleachers and frowned. 

"Chaerin!" Her coach Seunghyun yelled and clapped his hands together. With Jessica on first and their pitcher on second, the coach knew they had a good chance of putting a score on the board to get out in front. "Come on. We need a hit." 

When the rest of her team cheered her on, Chaerin stepped into the batter's box and braced herself for the first pitch. But her focus was off, so the first ball sailed past her for a strike. She stepped out, looking at her coach.

Seunghyun nodded, showing Chaerin that he had complete confidence in her ability to put the ball into play. Neither side had scored yet due to the outstanding defense from both teams. "Just put it in play, Chaerin."

The blonde took up her batter's position in the box and waited. The pitch was low and outside and fooled Chaerin enough that she chased it. 

"Strike two." The umpire yelled.

Again, the blonde stepped out and closed her eyes, trying to focus on the game at hand. But her mind was elsewhere. When she called Dara the day before and cancelled her appointment because of an emergency at work, Chaerin moped around the house all evening, without really knowing why. It wasn't until just before the game that the blonde realized she missed seeing her new friend. And when Dara hadn't showed up at the start of the game, Chaerin was distracted with wondering if she had done something wrong. 

"Batter up." The umpire's words brought Chaerin back to the present moment.

The blonde in a deep breath and stepped in the box once more. She heard the roar of her teammates encouraging her as she struggled to get comfortable. She cocked her bat back. The pitcher wound up and just before she released it, Chaerin heard a distinctive voice call to her.

"Come on, Chae. Get a hit!" 

Chaerin's composure settled immediately and a determined look framed the knowing smile that formed on her face. As the ball came whirling down the lane, the blonde's eyes were glued to it. With a smooth swing of her bat, Chaerin hit the ball solid and it raced past the shortstop. 

Jessica had a good lead off first and was rounding second as Jeanie headed home. The throw from left field was strong, but it curved off to the right of the catcher as Jeanie crossed the home plate. Jessica made it to third while Chaerin was standing safely at second with a double. 

With her hands cocked on her hips, the blonde in a deep breath, looking to the stands where the crowd was cheering her efforts. But her black eyes lasered in on the smiling brunette jumping wildly and clapping her hands. Chaerin's smile brightened and that's when she unconsciously delivered a small wave to her friend. 

"Way to go, Chae!" Dara yelled and returned the wave along with a grin. 

On her way to the batter's box, Bom tracked where Chaerin was looking and saw the brunette. Smiling, she mumbled. "That's one way to get motivated."

It was a tight game, but in the end, the Cougars came out on top with a score of one to nothing. After a short spontaneous victory hug by all of the team members, several players began to disburse, since two other teams were readying to play the next scheduled game. As usual, the coach invited everyone to Belle's for a drink in celebration of their win.

Chaerin quickly made her way over to where Dara was sitting in the stands. She looked up. "Hi."

Dara scooted closer to the edge. "Great game."

"Thanks. You comin' to Belle's?" The blonde was hopeful her friend would agree.

"Are you working tonight?" The brunette asked.

"Uh huh." Chaerin confirmed. "I usually do on Thursday's after the game and Fridays."

Even though Dara wanted to go, she declined. "I... I don't think so." She knew the part-time bartender would be busy, and Dara didn't want to sit alone. 

"Oh. Okay." The blonde was disappointed, but tried to hide it. Chaerin stood there for a long moment until she asked. "You coming down or staying up there?" 

"Down." Dara stood up, looking for a clear path down the bleachers, but she soon realized that she was boxed in. She looked down at Chaerin and shrugged.

"Here." Chaerin reached up. "I'll give you a hand."

The bleacher seat was only five feet from the ground. Dara scooted closer, leaned over, then took Chaerin's hand before jumping down. Dara slipped down next to Chaerin, who was still holding her hand. The brunette steadied herself as she stammered from the close contact. "th...Thank you." 

Standing very close to each other, Chaerin barely whispered. "You're welcome." Her hand was beginning to perspire as she stared into the brunette's bright, brown eyes. The blonde swallowed hard before she spoke. "I..."

"Hey, Chaerin. Can you help with the equipment?" Bom yelled for her friend. "Seunghyun's got to run by the bank. I'm gonna take him. Just throw it in the back of his truck, and we'll pick it up later."

"Yeah, I'll get it." The blonde stepped back from Dara and nodded. But her eyes remained on the brunette. "Wanna help?"

"Sure." Dara offered a shy smile and followed her friend.

Bom smiled at the brunette. "Hi, Dara. You coming to Belle's?" When the brunette shook her head, Bom slapped her best friend on the back. "Thanks. See ya later."

Chaerin immediately dropped down near the equipment and started sorting it. Dara was by her side, tossing the extra balls in the bag as the blonde stuffed another bag with the bats. After that, Chaerin stood up and hiked it over her shoulder, but dropped her glove. She leaned back down and picked it up. When she did, Chaerin felt her muscle pull tight in her lower back. "There it goes again." 

Dara noticed the blonde's face contort when she pulled her muscle. "Here. Let me." The massage therapist dropped her bag and moved around Chaerin quickly, then began rubbing the affected area. 

Two smug self-proclaimed jocks walked by and one of them snorted. "Queers. Don't know what they're missing, huh?" He let out a hideous laugh at his own comment.

Immediately, Dara pulled her hand away, backing up.

Concern flushed on Chaerin's face when she saw the brunette drop her eyes and look away. The blonde could tell Dara was upset. "You okay?" Chaerin took a small step closer.

Rubbing her temple, Dara nodded, but refused to look at her friend. 

When Chaerin touched the brunette lightly on the arm, the blonde felt Dara tense. "Hey?"

"I'm fine." Dara quickly grabbed the bag she had dropped and offered Chaerin a tentative smile. 

Quietly, they carried the equipment to Seunghyun's truck and deposited it in the back, before Chaerin secured the vehicle. When it was obvious the brunette wasn't going to speak, Chaerin sighed. "They were just jerks, Dara. You'll run into 'em every now and then."

Dara her lips nervously. The brunette reached in her pocket and pulled out her strawberry chapstick, applying it to her sensitive lips. 

Chaerin's eyes zeroed in on those same lips and stayed glued there for a long time. 

"I know." Dara finally said. 

"Don't worry about 'em. They were here last week and gave Jeanie and her partner a hard time." Chaerin knew her friend was upset about the comment.

"The pitcher? Jeanie? She's gay?" 

"Yeah. Nearly half the team is." Chaerin started to name some of the players and finally said. "And me." The blonde ducked her head lower to meet Dara's eyes. "You knew that, right?"

"Uh huh." Dara figured that Chaerin knew she was gay, but refused to bring it up herself at that point. "Well, I guess you need to get going?"

When Dara turned toward her truck, Chaerin grabbed her arm. "Wait."

Dara's clear brown eyes proffered the unspoken question she feared the blonde would ask. 

Chaerin smiled and asked. "I thought we were going to talk about that tattoo?"

Relieved, Dara's face broke out in a genuine smile. "That's right. You promised."

"I always keep my promises." She said seriously before Chaerin cocked her head and declared with an impish grin on her face. "But as I recall, we said we'd talk about it."

Dara's mood brightened and she bounced slightly on her feet. "So talk."

The blonde pondered her next words. "I could use another massage."

"Definitely."

"And if we did it Saturday morning, I suppose... " Chaerin grinned. "Unless you have something else to do this weekend, we could maybe, and I said maybe, check out some."

"It's a date." The words came out before she knew it. But Dara was so happy she didn't care. 

***********************

That night at the bar, Chaerin worked hard. It wasn't the bartending part that overtaxed her. It was having to avoid dancing with the several women that asked her to trip the light fantastic. The blonde didn't oppose dancing. As a matter of fact, she rather enjoyed it. However, this night, there was only one person on her mind and that brunette was nowhere to be found.

At home, Dara sulked around wishing she had said yes to Chaerin's invitation. She hadn't heard from Yoo in na yet about going to the bar on Friday night. So for both women, Saturday couldn't come soon enough.
 

sorry for the late up date......