Kris was drench in sweat. The intense practice from Coach Lee sure would be the death of him, but he did not stop practicing. Seoul Basketball Tournament was close and his team practiced almost every day. As the captain, Kris made sure that he practiced twice harder that his teammates. That’s why when coach Lee decided to call it a day and his teammates were busy to get ready to go home, Kris decided to stay behind and practiced for more, alone.

He made another 3 points when Coach Lee patted his back and his teammates bid him goodbye. Coach Lee told him to go easy on himself when he dribbled the ball across the court.   

“Yifan.” he heard somebody called his Chinese name.

He turned his head to the front door, only to see a guy with doe eyes staring back at him.

“You still here?” the guy asked Kris in mandarin.

“I have to practice a little more,” Kris answered, also in mandarin. “What are you doing here, Luhan?” he asked the guy.

“Just finished practice, I have to put this back to the storage room,” Luhan answered while throwing a ball in the air and caught it again.

Kris nodded, he just realized that his Chinese friend was holding a ball the entire time. As Luhan made his way to the storage room, inside the gym, Kris continued to shoot another 3 points.

“You have to go easy on yourself, you know?” Luhan told Kris, inviting himself to sit on the bleacher near Kris, attempting to have a conversation.

“That’s what coach Lee told me,” Kris answered, “but I can manage, we have to win after all.”

“Seriously man, you need to have a life, like finding a girlfriend or something, enjoy your youth.”

“This is my life, Lu, beside, I don’t need a girlfriend.” Kris sighed.

He lost count on how many times that his friend told him to find a girlfriend, but he just couldn’t bring himself to get close to girl for more than just friends. It’s not that he doesn’t have girl that like him, in fact, Kris has his own fan girls around school, he was good looking after all. Well, good looking was an understatement, he was hella handsome, with a great body, since he was captain of basketball team. He might look cold from the outside, but Kris actually was pretty friendly with warm personality, and he had quite a lot of female friends.

However, none of the girls was actually could go closer more than friends with him. He simply saw them as friends with platonic relationship.

Luhan sighed and stood up, ready to leave. “I just want to tell you that you need to have fun, loosen up bit.”

Kris chuckled “I am having fun.” he said.

“Yeah yeah, whatever.” Luhan waved his hand. “You still up for the next game on Friday? Remember, that’s my debut as a captain.” Luhan reminded while pointing a finger at him.

“I don’t have time to watch soccer game,” Kris answered, ignoring his pissed friend.

“Jerk,” Luhan muttered. “I don’t care, if you don’t show up at the game, you dead!”

Kris chuckled and waved his friend goodbye. Luhan strolled away from the court, leaving Kris alone again. Kris decided to stop practicing when his mother texted him to go home. He put all his stuff in his duffel bag and returned all of the balls to the storage room.

When he walked at the corridor, he noticed another walking figure behind him, walking in hurry while stuffing some papers into their school bag. Kris noticed that the walking figure was one of his classmates, Bang Minhee or something. He did not particularly close to her, they had different group of friends, they sometimes exchanged a few nods here and there when they meet at the corridor.

 Kris was purposely slowing his stride so that they could walk together. But Kris realized that it took a long time for the girl to reach him, even thought she took fast strides. When she was close enough, Kris called her out.

“Still here?” He spoke calmly.

The girl flustered and put her hand on her chest, as if she was shock.

“Yah, you scared me.” she half yelled at him.

“Why are you still in school this late?” Kris decided to ignore her previous protest.

“Newspaper club stuff, I was too immersed on writing the next article, I lost time, God my mom would kill me.”

Kris watched her blabbering and could not help but notice how short she was compare to him. She only reached his lower chest.

“I have to go to catch the bus, or I’ll be home late,” she blabbered again.

Kris thought that there’s no harm to give a classmate a lift, especially a girl at that hour, so he asked, “where do you live? I’ll give you a lift.”

The girl was startled, “oh, you don’t have to,” she said while waving her hands in front of her face. “I can always take bus.”

“You said your mother will kill you, right? No problem, I’m not in hurry, I can drive you home.” Kris convinced her. “Besides, it’s not good for a girl to walk alone at this hour, it’s already dark,” Kris nodded his chin at the sky.

“And I’m safe to go home with you?” The girl challenged.

Kris rolled his eyes. “I’m your classmate for God sake.”

The girl chuckled. “so you notice,” she half whispered.

“What?” Kris asked, did not catch that.

“Nothing.”

“So, you comin'?” Kris asked her, ready to step into the parking lot.

The girl nodded reluctantly and he led the way to his car.

“It’s Bang Minhee, Right?” he asked.

“Huh?” she looked puzzle, but then immediately rolled her eyes. “It’s Kang Minhee, Bang is my friend, Bang Minah. How can you not know your classmates’ name,” she muttered the last sentence.

“Ugh, sorry, but it’s not my fault, your guys names are so similar, and it’s hard to remember all Korean name, okay?”

“How can you make this about Korean name? It’s you who can’t remember our names.” she snapped back.

Kris threw his hand in the air in surrender manner, before unlocking his car door, “Okay, I’m sorry, let’s not talk about this, we never talk but we arguing already. Let’s talk about your club activity.”

Minhee sighed and nodded.

“Anyway, I read last week article about Kpop culture among teenager, who wrote that one? I don’t think it suit for school newspaper, don’t you think so?”

“Um, Kris, it’s me who wrote that article.” Minhee said with gritted teeth.

Oops.

 

When Kris entered his class the next morning, he noticed that Kang Minhee was already there, talking to her friend who squealing lightly with a big smile on her face. Kris could not help but remember how he made pissed the hell out of Kang Minhee when he unknowingly insulted her article. He just wanted to state his opinion but it turned out to make the girl keep quite at the whole way home and only murmured thank you when they reached her home. Minhee saw Kris entered the classroom and nodded a little at him, a gesture that Kris returned immediately.

They continued to act like usual, like nothing happen or like they never talk before, until PE class, the most torturing class Minhee has ever been.

Coach Lee, who also their PE teacher, thought that it was fun to have basketball lesson that day. And he decided to put the students into a pairing group to learn about dribble and arrogantly set the pair on his own. Kris was okay with basketball lesson, until he knew who his partner was.  

“Oh, you got the baby,” Choi Minho, one of his friend who in the soccer club told him.

“What baby?” kris asked, puzzled.

“Your partner, baby, it’s interesting,” Minho chuckled.

Kris furrowed his brows, still could not understand what his friend means.

“Ugh, don’t you know, the class baby?” Minho pointed across the gym.

Kris followed his friend’s finger until his eyes landed in one particular person who was fidgeting in front of Coach Lee, listening to his explanation.

“Baby?” Kris asked Minho curiously.

“Yeah, Kang Minhee,  everybody call her baby since she’s so tiny and adorable, in fact, she’s the shortest among us, and you my friend," Minho patted Kris' back, "is the tallest in class, isn’t that interesting?” Minho wriggled his eyebrows.

Kris eyes’ darted to Minhee again, who was now talking furiously at Coach Lee, while the later only sighed in annoyance. Kris approached them, curious on what his partner might discus with the coach.

“Oh, Kris,” the Coach saw him walked towards them and let out a sigh of relieve.

“Look, Ms. Kang, you can’t switch partner, I chose the best partner for all of you, you got Kris because he is the best player in the entire school while you’re not so good in sport, he can help you.”

Minhee’s face redden and Kris could not decide whether it was because she was embarrass or simply angry at their teacher.

“You want to switch partner?” Kris asked, puzzled.

Minhee only stared at him without answering his question.

“Coach, I will take care of this, no need to worry, we won’t switch partner and troubled you.” Kris told the coach and bowed, pulling Minhee with him.

Minhee was startled and yelled “Yah.” But bowed a little to the teacher, out of habit, not that she already forgave him.

“Why?” Kris asked immediately after he successfully dragged Minhee to the far corner of the court.

“What?!” Minhee spat.

 Kris just stared at her with a stern look.

Minhee sighed. “look, I just want to be partner up with my friend, okay?” she pointed some girls who watched them with worried look from across the court.

“Are you sure it has nothing to do with our conversation yesterday?” Kris raised his brow.

Minhee rolled her eyes. “It’s not my fault that you’re so annoying,” she muttered in whisper.

“I heard that.” told Kris.

Kris lightly nudged her head with his finger “I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean to be mean or annoying, I just simply stating my opinion, sorry if it’s hurt your feeling,” he apologized sincerely.

Minhee let out another sigh. “It’s okay, it’s not entirely your fault, I was worried yesterday that it’s easy to annoy me. I’m sorry I was angry at you,” she smiled at him.

 Kris ruffled her hair. “It means that we still partner, right? You don’t want to mess with Coach Lee, trust me.”

“And you don’t want to mess with my hair, trust me,” Minhee spat while punching his arm lightly.

Kris chuckled. “let’s go stretching, maknae.”

“Yah, I’m not maknae.” Minhee yelled, walking backward so that she could face Kris and glaring at him.

“You look like one,” Kris chuckled, pushing Minhee’s head with his pointed finger repeatedly so she stumbled on her steps.

“Yah, giant, stop it,” Minhee yelled, trying to catch his hand so he could stop.

Kris raised his hand so Minhee could not grab it. Minhee huffed and Kris put his hand in front of her face again, when she wanted to grab it, he raised his hands again, only to piss her off. Minhee sent him a death glared and ran to the Centre of the court to join their classmates, Kris laughed and followed suit.

30 minutes later, both Kris and Minhee panted hard, not because of the sport but because of yelling at each other.

“I can’t believe you can’t catch that, it’s super easy.” Kris yelled at her.

“Well, Mr. Captain Giant, it’s not my fault that you’re a giant and passed the ball way above my head.” Minhee yelled back.

“Don’t call me giant, you hobbit.” Kris spat.

“What did you just call me?”  Minhee stormed to Kris.

“Hobbit.” Kris repeated arrogantly.

“I’m not a hobbit.” Minhee growled.

“What then? A dwarf?” Kris smirked.

“You so gonna get this.” Minhee pointed at him while grabbing the nearest ball.

 Kris was too immersed on their bickering so he did not notice when a ball flew his way and landed on his face. He felt a sting feeling in his face saw minhee and his classmates gasping.

Minhee stuttered “I..I’m sorry. Uh oh, God, I’m so so sorry.” Minhee walked backward, away from Kris.

“I thought you would catch it,” Minhee told him. “Why didn’t you catch it? You are the captain after all.” Minhee started to run away, afraid of Kris’ expression.

“Kang Minhee, get back here,” Kris growled, trying to catch her.

“It’s not my fault,” Minhee yelled, “you’re the one who did not catch it.”

They started to run around the court, avoiding their friends who was playing basketball or just watching them bickering. Some of their classmates laughed when Minhee started to stop and panted hard while Kris was still on full energy.

“Got you.” Kris caught the back of Minhee’s shirt and pulled her towards him.

Minhee struggled hard, she could not beat Kris’ strength. Kris brought her closer and ruffled her hair furiously.

“Yah, giant, you wanna die?” Minhee yelled.

When Kris released her, Minhee’s hair was a close resembles of a bird nest. Kris laughed while clutching his stomach. Some of their classmate also laughed, more at their silliness. Minhe was furious and kept hitting on Kris’ arm repeatedly.

“Stupid giant,” she yelled.

Kris held her head with one hand to keep her away from him, since he was so tall, it was easy for him. Minhee struggled on his grip while Kris kept laughing.

“Hobbit, hobbit, hobbit,” he chanted.

Minhee stopped moving and breathed deeply, giving up. Kris released her head and she started tidying her hair again with Kris’ help.

“Wow, your hair really hilarious, the best thing my eyes ever landed on,” Kris laughed. “Congratulation, Kang Minhee, you’re jjang!”

Minhee rolled her eyes but then kicked Kris’ shin. Kris yelped in pain and rubbed his shin. Minhee casually strolled back to her friends and ignored Kris. Kris jogged towards her and poked her head, much to Minhee’s annoyance.

After PE, Kris and Minhee still in pretty much bickering, in fact they were in each other throat the whole day. Kris would and call her hobbit, and she would smack his arm as hard as she can. Their classmates thought that they were funny considering that they were never close before. They would tease them that they looked cute together, while Kris and Minhee would snort in disgust of the prospect at being together.

They were assigned as lab partner too after their classmates pointed to the teacher that they should be paired because Kris at science while Minhee was the genius one. The teacher agreed immediately without sensing anything’s wrong. Boy, their classmates just loved seeing them bickering in the boring lecture.

“So, what’s up about you and the baby?” Minho asked when they had their lunch in the cafeteria.

Kris laughed “Nothing, she’s fun to be teased.”

Luhan who sat with them at lunch perked up at this fact.

“You teased some girl?” Luhan asked Kris.

“You know her, the cute classmate of us that I told you the other day,” Minho told Luhan.

Luhan nodded, remembering a particular girl that known as the baby of his friend’s class.

“You guys think she’s cute?” Kris asked curiously.

“Don’t you think so?” Minho asked back while munching on his kimchi.

“Nah,” Kris shook his head, “she’s a bit annoying, but she’s funny. She’s fine.”

“I think she’s cute though,” said Minho. “She’s so tiny, you know, even her school sweater looks bigger on her, she’s like the girl who walks from anime.” Minho shrugged his shoulder.

Luhan chuckled. “I don’t think she’s that tiny, though.”

“Are you mad?” Kris gaped, “she’s practically hobbit.”

Luhan laughed again, this time louder. “You call her hobbit? Well you know, she’s short compare to girls in your class or in school, but she’s not that tiny, she’s normal, just girls in this school are quite tall.”

Kris shook his head.” Naah, she’s that short.”

“You know what,” Minho interrupted, “whether she’s that short or not, she’s still cute.”

“You have crush on her or something?” asked Luhan

Kris looked at Minho curiously while nodding his head.

“Nope.” said Minho. “I give her up for Kris.”

Kris choked on his drink. “What the hell!”

Luhan laughed out loud. “Seriously, Kris, what’s up with you and her? In a day, you and she have become a hot stuff.”

“I don’t know, man, we’re nothing, really.”

“Uh uh,” Minho waved his hand sassily. “there’s definitely something in that cute bickering.”

“It’s a normal bickering, we pretty much hate each other, you have to stop watching those girly animes,” said Kris and whacked Minho’s head.

“Hate each other? I thought she’s your fan, I’m sure I saw her on your basketball match, almost at every game I guess.” Luhan scratched his head.

“Aawww,” Minho squealed, “it’s getting interesting.

“You sure, Lu? I never notice though,” Kris shrugged.

“Kris you should ask her out, I bet you guys would make a great couple,” said Minho.

“Yeah sure,” Kris snorted with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

“What’s wrong? She’s cute,” Minho argued.

Kris shrugged his shoulder while packing his lunch box, “Whatever, Mr. Choi Minho, go ahead dreaming all you want, I need to see Coach Lee. See you, losers,” Kris bid them goodbye.

Kris left cafeteria while Minho was still nagging about Kris and Minhee who should be together to Luhan.

 

A week passed with Kris and Minhee bickering almost every time. They were getting closer but still annoyed at each other’s present. Kris always found a way to disturb Minhee while Minhee willingly smacked Kris’ arm in return, hard.

Their friends always told them that they could make a great couple but they always gave them a disgust face in retort.

“Hobbit!” Kris called Minhee one day and pulled her into a head lock. “You come to my first match next week, right?” he asked.

“Dunno,” Minhee answered absentmindedly.

“Why not?” Kris frowned but pulled her closer by throwing his arm around her shoulder.

“I have a plan.”

“What plan?” Kris retorted.

“Plan!” Minhee replied, annoyed.

“With who?”

“A friend.”

“What friend?”

“Friend.”

They could end up in another bickering session if it’s not for Luhan, who was walking with them along with Minho, in their conversation.

“Why are you so working up about Minhee’s plan, Kris? Are you perhaps, jealous?”

Kris snorted. “As if.”

“Yeah,” Minhee agreed. “Why would he be jealous anyway.”

“I don’t know, looking at you two, it’s hard to tell,” Minho told them with a smug face.

Kris rolled his eyes. “Don’t listen to them, maknae-yaa, just show up at my first match, alright? Cancel your plan with your friend,” he told her.

“I can’t promise you,” Minhee replied, “and no, I won’t cancel the plan,” she added when she saw Kris was going to argue her.

Kris made a face but Luhan smacked him in the head, “stop making faces, you didn’t even come to my debut,” Luhan told Kris angrily.

“I did come,” Kris retorted back.

Minho raised one brow at Kris. “Only in the last 10 minutes. And you call yourself his best friend.”

“I was busy,” Kris shrugged his shoulder.

“Busy having coffee with Minhee?” Luhan wiggled his brows, laughing along with Minho.

 Minhee blushed madly. “I was there the entire game, coffee was the other day,” she admitted shyly.

Kris face palmed himself while Luhan and Minho burst of laughing.

“Aahh, so you two did have coffee at the café near school,” Minho nodded knowingly. “The girls in class not really into trash gossip then,” he added.

“Um, guys, I have to go, see you.” Minhee waved them goodbye with a red face, dashing from their sight immediately.

“Yah! Come to my game,” Kris yelled one last time.

Minho and Luhan laughed at Minhee’s cuteness.

“Kris, you should make her your girlfriend this instant,” Minho told him.

“I told you…,”

But Kris was cut out by Luhan, “You never act this way around girls before, Kris. Even though you don’t realize it, but Minhee is indeed special for you.”

Minhoo and Luhan did high five while Kris giving them a shut-up look.

 

On the said day, Kris found himself looking into the bleacher full of people to find the particular face. However, he could not find the person. Tao, his teammate, jogged towards him.

“Coach called us, you coming?”

But Kris only muttered to himself, “she’s really not coming? That brat!”

“Looking for Kang Minhee?” Tao asked him.

That making Kris startled. “Wait, what? H-How do you know?”

Tao chuckled. “Everybody knows, Duizhang, everybody knows,” he patted Kris back and added, “We have to discuss about strategy, Coach’s getting angry.”

And Kris dragged his feet lazily to the rest of his teammate.

 

“Kris, focus!” Coach Lee shouted at the side of the court.

It has been 15 minutes game, but they were losing to 20 points already. Kris kept missing his shot and his dribbles were the worst. Their opponent kept stealing balls from them, and Kris was far from focus. Luhan and Minho who sat in the front row were worried that they might be losing.

At that time, Minhee arrived at the basketball court and wiggled her way to her friends at the top of the bleacher. Kris, who noticed Minhee’s entrance, waved at her like a mad person, grinning from ear to ear, earning a loud groan from the girl. Minhee’s friends giggled at their cuteness and for what Kris did. Kris’ friends who noticed Kris immediate change behavior grinning knowingly at Minhee.

Sehun, who was their junior and also Kris’ teammate, grinning at Kris and whispered a loud “Whipped” into Kris’ ear, earning a hard whacked at the back of his head from the older male.

After that, Kris become more focus and was back to his old self, the captain. They soon cashed the losing points and led the game. At the end, with Kris scored most of their point, they won the match and went to the next round.

“I thought I lost you at the first half.” Coach Lee grinned widely and patted Kris’ back.

“I never let you down before, right Coach?” Kris answered proudly, with a hint of playfulness.

That time, he saw Minhee waved at him and mouthed “I got to go” then she waved one more time at him and went to the way out.

“Where are you going?” Kris jogged towards her after wiggled out from his teammates’ hug.

Minhee looked startled but answered it anyway. “I told you I have plan.”

“What plan?”

“Plan.”

“What plan?” Kris asked again stubbornly.

“I have a date.” Minhee whispered.

But Kris still caught that and he felt a weird angry feeling from his chest.

“With who? Why did I not know this?” Kris asked with a stern voice.

“Um, you know him,” Minhee answered, scratched her nape groggily.

“Who?” Kris asked again, clearly did not seem please.

“Errr, Kim Jongin.” Minhee answered, but added some more when he saw Kris’ confuse face, “from dance club, you saw him spoke to me in soccer club match.”

Kris remembered clearly that day, he definitely forgot about Luhan’s debut after too absorb with his practice, he decided to ditch it and were going to lie to Luhan that his mother needs him at home, but he canceled his plan and headed to the soccer field when he spotted Minhee was speaking to a rather dashing guy at the corner of the field.

“I thought you told me that he only wanted to borrow your book?” Kris raised his brows.

“Well yeah, at first, but after that he asked me out on a date and I said yes.”

Kris did not know why he felt really pissed at Minhee’s answer but he did nothing about that.

“Well, have fun then,” he told Minhee and left the girl confuse.

 He headed back to the court and spotted Minhee’s friend and his friend were engaged in a conversation.

“Who’s Kim Jongin?” He asked the crowd.

“The guy with sport car?” Minho asked back.

Sport car? Seriously?!

“He’s the y guy from dance club.” Hyeri, one of Minhee friends answered, “and oh, Minhee is so lucky to have a date with him.”

“Minhee has a date with him?” Luhan boomed, “Man, game over.” He patted Kris’ back.

“You seriously doomed, man,” Minhoo added for Luhan, “he’s a God,” he pointed at Minhee’s friend who giggling and squealing, fangirling over Kim Jongin.

 “Minhee’s way over Kris, Kris maybe her huge crush last year, but she seems happy when Jongin asked her out,” Minah, Minhee’s besfriend spitted out, but later got elbowed from her friends.

“Woaah, Minhee had a crush on Kris?!” Minho almost shouted, “Kris, do you hear that?”

But that time, Kris was way ahead to the exit, running all his will.

 

Next thing Kris knew, Minhee was at the old abandon classroom with him stood in front of her. He practically ran from the court to the parking lot, dragging Minhee away from a confused Jongin and shoving her to the old classroom nearby.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Minhee asked him angrily.

He did not know what to say so he blurted out the first thing that come to his mind. “Minah said that you had a crush on me.”

“wh-what?” Minhee startled.

“Don’t go out with Jongin,” he said, making Minhee shocked.

“Kris, wha-what--”

“Don’t go out with him, I don’t like it.”

“And why don’t you like it?” Minhee suddenly angry.

Kris stared at her in a good 10 seconds before answering “I don’t know okay, what I know right now that I want to kiss you so bad.” Kris blurted out.

Minhee was startled and blushed, hard. She kept opening and closing but nothing came out.

“God, I’m going crazy,” Kris raked his fingers through his hair.

“Minhee, I think I like you, a lot, but I don’t know, okay? I’m so confuse, and I’m so mad right now. Why didn’t you tell me that he ask you out?” Kris asked angrily.

“Kris, easy,” Minhee tugged his hand to calmed him down.

At that, Kris lost himself, seeing Minhee so vulnerable in front of him, he could not take it anymore, then he claimed her lips. Kris felt the pure bliss after Minhee kissed him back after 5 seconds of freezing, he did not know that kissing Kang Minhee is the best thing on earth, if he knew, he would kiss her every time his eyes landed on her.  They spent the next 5 minutes savoring each other present in a lip lock, processing what their brain could not process, with their heart.

Kris sighed contently when they parted, smiling sheepishly at Minhee but when he saw her blushing face he smirked instead “You’re so short, my neck is aching bending this down to kiss you.”

Minhee gaped then blushed furiously, she smacked his arm. “You, giant, jerk!”

Kris laughed then pulled her up and settled her in the nearest table, he then straddled her.

“You all sweaty, don’t come near me,” Minhee spat and gave him a fierce look

“But I want to do this again,” Kris pecked her lips, twice. “Ahh, this time better,” Kris said, referring to her current height after sitting on the table.

Minhee smacked his arm again.

“Minhee- yaa,” Kris called her softly, making the latter blushed. “You really had a crush on me?”

“It’s so last year,” Minhee blushed.

 Kris rolled his eyes. “What about this year?” he asked.

“I don’t know, maybe,” she blushed harder.

Kris grinned, “if I ask you to be my girlfriend, will you say yes?”

Minhee was startled, all she could do was staring at Kris.

“Be my girlfriend, Kang Minhee, because I like you, a lot, and I won’t let you go,” he confessed sweetly.

“I thought you said you confuse,” Minhee finally produced a word.

“Now, I know, I like you, and it’s been a while now. I’ll be your giant and you’ll be my hobbit, yes?”

Minhee chuckled, bringing Kris closer by putting her arms around his neck, “yes.”

Then, Kris kissed her again.

---

(A/N) I don't know whether this is good enough for the contest, but I really love Kris character here.

Wish me luck with the contest, guys, and thank you for reading