RACE YOU TO HER HEART; 
Chapter 20: Catching Up (VI)

It was D-day... The day Dahyun and Jackson find out who wins the bet... And who has to fulfil the punishment the other person has set for them. 

"Are you ready Kim Dahyun?" Jackson spat, attempting to be as badass as possible. 

Dahyun rolled her eyes. "Well I'm definitely more ready than you'll ever be, Jackson Wang." 

Jackson scoffed, "Alright then..." He slowly walked towards Dahyun with the blue rented baseball bat in his hands. The two friends were back at HitClub! again preparing for their little "showdown".

"Get ready... to get your assed kicked!" Jackson he whisper-yelled in a tone that was suppose to be intimidating. 

Dahyun stared at him for a while, before a laughter escaped her lips, "Hahahaha! Wait wait... Is that seriously how you thrash talk??"

"Yah!" Jackson huffed. "I was being serious a-and like... FIERCE there Dubu! Way to ruin the moment..."

Dahyun only continued laughing. "The moment was already ruined the instant you started talking."

"Yah!" Jackson yelled. "Whatever... You won't be laughing when I win later anyway."

Dahyun only grinned, shrugging as she held onto her own rented bat. "Well we'll see about that shall we?"

-

Jackson started out well, managing to hit the first couple of shots that came at him. "Yeahhhh!" He cheered as he managed to hit another one. So far he has only missed 3 out of 10 shots. 

"Beat that, Kim Dahyun!" He mocked, sticking out his tongue. 

The next 10 shots was Dahyuns turn to hit. And she, surprisingly to Jackson, did pretty well too. She too managed to hit 7 out of the 10 shots, ending the first round with a draw.

"What in the world?" Jackson muttered in shock. 

Dahyun went on to grin proudly, all her time spent practicing and bugging Sana to teach her definitely paid off. 

"Hehehe I'm not bad right?" She said going to poke him in the arm, playfully. "Admit it I improved a lot right right?" 

Jackson scoffed, "Yeah yeah whatever..."

Just then Dahyun sees Sana walking pass the batting cage she was in. "Omo, Sana-unnie!" She yelled, waving cheerily at her. 

Sana stopped in her tracks peering into the cage. "Ah, it's our superstar baseball batter Dahyunnie!" The older girl said with a grin, before letting herself into Dahyun's batting cage. 

After going over to HitClub! to practice so many times in the past two weeks, and always bugging Sana to help her improve, Dahyun has officially became friends with Sana, earning that silly title– superstar baseball batter Kim Dahyun – Sana decided to call her... Even though, skills wise, Dahyun was still clearly very very far away from how well Sana played.

"Annyeong Sana-unnie!" Dahyun greeted, as Sana came over to pat her on the head. She realised how Sana wasn't in her uniform, the usual HitClub! T-shirt or bomber jacket, but in her own clothes instead. "Oh you're not on shift today?"

"Nope," Sana said simply. "So you can't ask me to teach you anything today alright? It's my day off!" She joked pointing a finger at the younger girl. Dahyun giggled, raising both hands up in defeat. "Fine fine, I won't disturb you today Sana-unnie."

Sana glanced at Jackson, who was awkwardly grinning at her. "Is this the Mandu friend you always talked about?" She asked Dahyun. 

"Oh yeah," Dahyun nodded. "This is my best friend Mandu Wang."

Jackson frowned, "W-what don't tell people to call me that!" He then turned to Sana, flashing her a confident smile before introducing himself. "Hey pretty noona," he winked, "I'm Jackson, nice to meet you," he said stretching out a hand for her to shake. 

Sana only chuckled in response. "Hi Jackson," she said going to shake his hand lightly. "I'm gay." 

And to that Dahyun snorted while Jackson's jaw suddenly hung open. Serves him right for always openly flirting with pretty girls. 

"There there, it's okay," Sana laughed going to pat him on the head too, as though he was a little kid. "Thanks for the compliment though."

Jackson only shrugged, looking down at the ground, disappointedly kicking at pieces of the fake plastic grass. "Whatever, it's cool..."

"So Dahyunnie, you practicing again today?" Sana asked. 

"Nope," Dahyun answered. "Today is the real deal Sana-unnie!"

"Oh!" Sana mouthed, clapping her hands together. Suddenly she seemed very excited. "Then I must stay to watch you play then, my dear student!" 

Dahyun shrugged, with a shy smile. "Sure why not? I hope I don't disappoint you tho, Sensei Sana," Dahyun said with a bow. 

Sana giggled at the nickname and gesture, going to bow back, while Jackson sulked, feeling a little left out. "Yah, hurry up and let's continue so I can win already!" He said. 

-

The game ended with, surprisingly, another draw. 

"Whaaaat??" Jackson whined. "What is this???"

"Yeah what the heck??" Dahyun sulked. She doesn't know whether to feel relieved that she didn't exactly lose, or feel unsatisfied that she didn't win. 

"I guess you're both winners then?" Sana announced with a voice full of positivity. "Good job!" She clapped. 

"No no no, we should have a rematch!" Jackson suggested. 

"I agree," Dahyun nodded. 

And Sana looked at them both as though they were crazy. Are kids nowadays all so competitive? 

"Good it's settled then, let's play again, I'll go extend our slot," Jackson said. 

"Sur- oh wait don't," Dahyun let out while glancing at the clock. "I have to go soon!"

"Aw what? Why?" Both Sana and Jackson happen to say simultaneously. 

"I have to go meet Nayeon unnie to study," Dahyun rushed out, already going to pack her stuff. "We'll have a rematch next time then Mandu..." She trailed off. 

Going to pack her things quickly, Dahyun thought she saw someone standing outside their batting cage from the corner of her eye. 'That's odd...', Dahyun thought. Feeling as though someone was watching her, Dahyun turned to look towards the gate of the batting cage they were in. 

She barely sees a figure that already started to walk away. Dahyun shrugged, she was pretty sure she saw someone standing there for awhile just a couple of seconds ago. Oh well, she brushed it off, maybe someone just happened to walk pass. 

"Dubu-yah when do we have the rematch then?" She heard Jackson ask.

"Um I don't know? Next week is study week, and then the week after is exam week so I guess the rematch will have to wait?"

"Oh okay..." Jackson sighed. "I guess I'll get going soon too then."

"Aw Dahyunnie, so you won't be coming over as often anymore?" Sana pouted. 

"Yeah probably not for the next two weeks..." Dahyun sighed, feeling a little bad for some reason. Somehow she has found herself growing fond of playing baseball here, and having someone cool, patient and nice like Sana to guide her.


"Well I'll surely miss you bugging me so, come play when your exams are over alright?" Sana said with a small smile.

Dahyun zipped up her bag, slinging it against her shoulders. "Sure Sana-unnie! I'll definitely be back to bug you soon."
 

-

Sana casually walked into the staff lounge to grab a cup of water from the water dispenser. As expected she sees Momo on the couch staring at her phone. Sana rolled her eyes. 

"So how was it?" Momo lets out nonchalantly... Or at least, pretending to be nonchalant. 

Sana lets out a scoff, almost choking on her water. "Why are you asking me? You should know how it went since you were practically there watching the entire time."

Momo clicked her tongue. "Yah, don't expose me!" She whined. "Wait... Oh my God do you think she saw me?"

Sana only sighed, going to plop down next to her friend. "Momoring..." She deadpanned. 

And Momo peeled her eyes away from phone to look at her. "Yes?"

"You trust me right?" Sana asked. 

And Momo shrugged, "well yeah of course."

Sana nodded at that. "Good, then you should listen to me when I tell you to just go talk to Dahyun."

Momo stared at Sana for a good five seconds. "... No thank you..." She mumbled going to look at her phone again. 

Sana did another eye roll, before snatching away Momo's phone. "Hey!" Momo yelped. "What are you doing?"

"Giving you something you would thank me for," Sana mumbled as she typed something into Momo's phone. She tossed the phone back into the blonde girl's hands. On her screen was a new contact added that read, 'Kim Dahyun'. 

Momo's eyes sparkled in awe. Sana had given her Dahyun's number. 

"Ahem," Sana cleared . "Instead of staring like an idiot, a 'thank you' would be nice? Oh no make it two. You owe me another thank you and a meal for making me come down here on my day off." It was true. Sana had thought she'd spend her day off just lazing around or just chilling at some cafe... but no, Momo had to call her all of a sudden – yelling in panic in Japanese – about how she was in trouble and Sana has to come down to HitClub! now to help her. And Sana could've just ignored Momo (since she was probably overreacting) but no, Momo sounded as though she was going ape so Sana had to drag herself back to her workplace... on her day off. But she should've known.... the emergency Momo was yelling about was actually just... Dahyun. Sana could only sigh, what a shame of an off day she had, especially since she had no assignments that day for school to worry about too...

Momo only continued staring at Dahyun's number in a daze. It felt as though that this was a window – a pathway – towards finally being able to communicate with the younger girl. But wait... What was she suppose to do with this information in her phone anyway? She can't just suddenly text the younger girl. Dahyun doesn't even know her... Okay maybe she does... That is if she remembered that one encounter she had with Momo during that winter. Does Dahyun even remember meeting Momo that winter? 

Momo doubts so. 

Momo hesitated for a moment before her finger went to click the delete button on the contact page. 

"Yah?! What are you doing??" She heard Sana yell at her, a high pitched voice that made Momo cringed. 

"Why did you give me her number? I can't do anything with it and it'll just haunt me if I leave it there. What if I did something impulsive when I'm drunk?" Momo rambled on. 

Sana rolled her eyes. "Momo," Sana started with a sigh. "I can easily introduce you to her and then you can proceed to text her and officially make friends with her. DUHHH!" 

Momo blinked, "Oh... Oh yeah you know her..."

And Sana could only facepalm herself. "God, you're so stupid sometimes I don't know why we're friends." First she disturbs her on her off day, and now Sana has to deal with her being an idiot. Wow, Momo was lucky she was Sana's best friend and that Sana loved her to bits, or else Sana would've probably strangled her by now.

"HEY! I'M NOT STUPID!" She yelled obnoxiously in the lounge.

"Yes you are, now give me your phone. I'll save it for you again..." Sana reached over. 

"W-wait!" Momo said. "But I..."

Sana looked at her in question. 

"You can go on and introduce her to me... I-... That would be nice but I..." Momo begin to mumble. "I want to ask for her number myself..."

Sana stared at her best friend confused for a second before Momo's words sank in. "... Oh..." Sana said. "Oh my God..." She began laughing to herself, shaking her head at Momo.

"W-what?" Momo asked.

"Nothing..." Sana mumbled while she continued laughing, or rather, scoffing.


Momo clicked her tongue. "Yah! Tell me why you're laughing a-and... Stop laughing at me!" she whined.

"No no it's nothing," Sana insisted. "I'll... I just... You're so- Nevermind." Sana laughed again. 'I'll just introduce you to Dahyun', she declared in her mind, whipping out her phone to send Dahyun a text. "Hehehe it'll be great, you'll see...," Sana mumbled to herself excitedly. But Momo didn't hear her.

SN: [ "Hey Dahyunnie!:) It's your amazing baseball mentor Sana-unnie!" ] 

DH: [ "Ah Minatozaki Sensei! Haha what's up?:)" ]

SN: [ "Just wondering, are you free to hang after your exams?" ]

DH: [ "Probably? Why? Are you giving me more free lessons?:D (kekeke just kidding~) ]

SN: [ "Hmm... Maaayyyybeee?:> Anyway just let me know a good day when you can hang alright? Or just when you're dropping by HitClub! again? I kinda want to introduce you to someone!:p" ]

DH: [ "Ahahaa okay okay sure unnie~" ] 

SN: [ "YaY~ See ya around then Dahyunnie, oh and all the best for study week + exams!" ]

DH: [ "Hahaha okay thank you~ And see you soon Sana-unnie!" ]

"Alright!" Sana cheered quietly to herself as Momo stared at her suspiciously.

"Alright what? What are you doing Sana-ah?" Momo wondered.

"Something you'll be thanking me for..." Sana smiled.

Secretly introducing a frantic Momo to Dahyun... without Momo knowing beforehand. Sana likes the idea of that. 

A smirk crept up her face at the thought of her sneaky plan.

It's gon' be lit.

A/N Hello everyone! Happy Monday~ :) Sorry the chapter is a bit shorter than usual and sorry I took awhile to update again but HOW WAS IT?:DDD  Momo is finally – legitimately – appearing in the story. WOOHOO *throws confetti* (I can hear people screaming "It's about time!" at me lololol) I'll be honest, I'm shipping SaiDa so much recently I'm kinda tempted to insert more SaiDa moments here and there... BUT NO I MUST STAY FOCUS AT DAHMO N DAYEON HERE. YES I WILL. (Someone pls send help tho, SaiDa is so cute argh.) Also, OH MY LORD WHO'S EXCITED FOR TWICE'S END OCT LIKEY COMEBACK???!!! AHHHHHHH (This might sound inappropriate but) I'M SO HYPED I'M GONNA MY PANTS (just kidding haha). Guess who burned a hole in her bank account ordering albums because JYP is sneaky and has 3 Versions x2 finishings for their albums? That's right.. me (points at self in shame). Also I'm so so happy that One More Time is doing so well in Japan rn :''') I feel so proud of my gurlies :''')  Okay sorry for the excited rant but I'M JUST HAPPY OKAY. And I hope you guys are all happy too ~ Have a good week ahead, let me know what y'all think and what y'all are expecting/hope to see in future chapters if you want. As always thank you for still sticking with the story!:) <3

~strangemagnet