Chapter 5.

"And my hopes they are high, I must keep them small. Though I try to resist I still want it all."

Jaehyun was sweating already. The game hadn’t even started yet and he heard the cheers from the audience and heard the sound of sneakers squeaking across the ground as the two teams took their places on the court.

Jaehyun was in the back, he was a great defense. Ten was a good attacker and he was a quick runner, which left him standing in the side. Johnny was best at fighting over the ball because of his height and started at the middle line. Hansol stood right behind him, hair pulled back in a small pony-tail. Another on their team called Mark who was a freshman, came from Canada and had played a lot of basketball there, and he was very good. On the bench sat Taeil, Jaemin, Sehun, Jongin, Taehyung and Yugyeom. Taeil was also a senior and Jaemin was a freshman, but he would become great and tall Johnny had foreseen. The other members from their team were showing their support by putting their fists in the air and mouthing. “Fight them - Kick their asses - ‘em up.” Their team was known for cursing a lot.

On the other team stood Doyoung at the front; currently glaring at Johnny. Taeyong stood in Ten’s side and Yuta in Mark’s side. Behind them stood Si Cheng and Kun who was Chinese exchange students but they were both good at sports. A freshman called Jeno was on the bench with another boy Jaehyun hadn’t seen before, as well as other team mates.

  “And now for the time we all have waited for. It’s Rivers against Tigers who’s on home ground.” The commentator spoke. “Last game we nearly had a fight, so let’s hope the teams make it through without getting into fights.”

Too late, Jaehyun thought and looked at the audience.

Jaehyun exhaled deeply as he watched the board with the scores and time glow red and he then heard the judge blow in his whistle before throwing up the ball. Johnny caught it, wringing it towards Ten who grabbed it and sped down the court.

  “And Tigers are famous for the Tiger Jump as some fans call it, Johnny the team captain doesn’t disappoint.”

Jaehyun ran up towards the middle line, and the game had started.

Jaehyun raised his hands but didn’t step out in front of Taeyong when he passed his defense and scored. Jaehyun closed his eyes in regret and looked up to see Johnny, Ten and Hansol give him regretful looks. Taeyong looked at him but Jaehyun ignored him and got ready to throw the ball by leaning against the wall and raising the ball.

  “This game, I must say I expected their defense to be as good as last time, but it seems like their player Jaehyun is holding back.”

14 - 15

Said the scores and Jaehyun hated how he had let three goals in without doing much and he then thought it was time to play as usual, maybe he shouldn’t fight too hard, but at least help his team. The time was narrowing down to the last set of 10 minutes and Jaehyun almost couldn’t focus on the scores. He was sweating so much his hair stuck to his forehead. He had shifted with Sehun whose tall form blocked out a lot of balls. Doyoung on the other side was glaring at Jaehyun. Ten looked at him and Jaehyun gave him a look that told the other to slow down. Sehun frowned when Ten yelled something to him and he looked over at Jaehyun, not seeing Yuta speed past him and another goal went in.

21 - 22

Jaehyun was sent in again because their coach couldn’t understand what was happening to Sehun.

Jaehyun looked at the scores and played the ball to Hansol while running up past the middle. Hansol played the ball to Jaemin who played the ball to Mark. Mark tried to get close but ended up playing the ball to Johnny who was blocked by a sweaty Taeyong. Johnny turned to look at Jaehyun.

Score.

He told him and threw the ball to Jaehyun who had been free. Jaehyun grabbed it and looked towards the ring. He had been practicing this with Johnny a lot and Ten had always been too busy talking when they practiced so Jaehyun had gotten pretty good at scoring from afar. The seconds passed and the game was coming to an end. Jaehyun threw the ball.

He scored. The score was now 24-22.

  “THAT’S WHAT I WANTED TO SEE! I mean- not that I’m taking sides, but Jaehyun has always been known for doing just as well attacking as he does his defense!”

The other team stormed at Jaehyun and he raised his hands in front of Taeyong. Taeyong gave him a look, eyes begging him to help him. Jaehyun saw a flash of Taeyong’s drenched hair, wide eyes looking at him before he was pulled out of Jaehyun’s grip and Jaehyun knew he couldn’t let Taeyong fall. Taeyong would face worse things than Jaehyun would and for some reason he couldn’t bare to know he would be the cause of it. Of course Taeyong would’ve brought it upon himself, but Jaehyun wasn’t like Taeyong. He was good, he had compassion. Jaehyun saw Taeyong quickly tilt his head to the right and Jaehyun understood the message. Jaehyun stepped to the right and Taeyong to the left. He jumped and he scored.

  “AND TAEYONG DOESN’T DISAPPOINT EITHER! IT’S A TIE FELLAS!”

  “Chen will you stop screami-”

  “THERE’S STILL TIME FOR THE OTHER TEAM TO GET A FEW POINTS IN. LET’S SEE!”

This added two points to their score and the game ended with 24-24. Johnny had had a clear chance to get another goal in before the game ended but halted. He tried to do it without trying to seem obvious and Jaehyun noticed Taeyong exhale in relief.

  “WHAT WAS THAT?!” The commentator also known as Chen yelled and Jaehyun heard the crowds’ mummer.

The judge called over the two respective leaders of the team, the coaches following along. Their coach Soohyun was speaking with Johnny. Doyoung looked like he was demanding more time but Johnny was clapping his hands and saying that he thought it was great. Soohyun eventually nodded and told the judge that he found the results okay.

Jaehyun waited and then the judge told them that was the final and the points from the other games they had played would be count in the end. This though, meant it was a tie. None had lost. None had won.

Chen sounded like he was really trying to keep his voice cool as he spoke. “Well, this seems that this game has been a tie, and as some of you know there was a promised camp trip to the winner, so this matter will be discussed amongst the schools.”


 

Jaehyun didn’t know what to do, but then his eyes connected with Taeyong’s. The other walked towards him and Jaehyun was afraid that he would hit him. Jaehyun’s eyes widened when Taeyong gave his arm a soft squeeze and a one-armed hug. “Thank you!” He spoke into his ear and Jaehyun couldn’t help but smile, because his heart was racing and he had fallen too deep. Hansol patted Kun’s back and Mark came over to congratulate Taeyong’s fast actions that helped his team to not lose the game.

Jaehyun looked at Taeyong questioningly and Taeyong squeezed his hand like he had done that night and it made Jaehyun’s heart leap. The look in Taeyong’s eyes told Jaehyun that he would explain, and then the teams split up and went to their respective locker rooms.

  “Do you think it’s over?” Asked Ten while he was undressing. Jaehyun looked at him and shrugged. He had no idea. It was like the boys knew they wouldn’t get an answer out of Jaehyun if they asked why he had let Taeyong score and why the other had hugged him. Jaehyun wasn’t even sure himself.

As some of the boys had left to go outside to talk with friends and family, Jaehyun, Ten, Mark and Johnny stood in the locker room and spoke of the game. Then a group entered the locker room and Jaehyun immediately stepped behind Ten when he saw Doyoung, Yuta, Kun and Taeyong enter. Taeyong stood in the back of the group and Doyoung stepped even closer, hands in his pockets and chin raised. “Did you hear the news?” He asked and Johnny stepped forward.

  “What news?”

Doyoung chuckled but it didn’t sound happy at all. His eyes landed on Jaehyun. “We’re going on the camp trip…”

Jaehyun’s eyes went to Taeyong, and he saw the other look away.

  “… Together.” Doyoung smiled widely. “Isn’t that great?”

Taeyong looked back at Jaehyun and Jaehyun wanted to sink to the ground and scream. The game had only begun. A whole week he had to be with those guys who hated him. A whole week he would have to live with Taeyong and his odd behavior.

Ten smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s going to be so great.” He said, Jaehyun didn’t like the way Ten made it sound sincere and fake on the same time. “I can’t wait for the cozy bonfires.”

Yuta snickered. “As long as he stays away they’re going to be cozy. Can’t have him jumping us.”

Jaehyun felt a pang to his chest and he avoided looking at anyone.

Mark who hadn’t heard the whole story and hadn’t been at the party stepped forward. “No one would jump on you, Yuta.” He said coldly and Johnny’s serious expression dropped.

  “OH MY GOD!” He exclaimed and turned towards Mark with wide eyes and a foolish smile. “MY SON!”

Ten and Jaehyun still glared at the others and Jaehyun and Taeyong shared a gaze that Jaehyun wasn’t sure of how to describe. Taeyong looked amused but on the same time sad. The other group left and Jaehyun felt a pressure on his chest lift.

Johnny was still laughing and Mark was blushing. “I didn’t like the way he spoke to Jaehyun.” He said in defense but Johnny was still hitting and shaking Mark.

  “I’ve seen enough!” Johnny laughed. “I can die happily now!”

Ten smiled genuinely and patted Mark’s shoulder. “That was really great.”

Mark’s eyes shifted to Jaehyun and Jaehyun smiled. Mark smiled back.

At least Jaehyun had his team mates, even though he was facing a time even worse than this.

How they ended up on the same bus after the party, Jaehyun didn’t know. Still he watched Taeyong stumble in and find a seat. Jaehyun didn’t want to make himself known. A voice in the back of his head told him that Taeyong was no good, no matter what signs of good he showed him.

Jaehyun was drunk, too drunk. But he just rested his arms and head upon the seat in front of him, staring at Taeyong. “How could you?” He whispered and sighed. “I didn’t deserve it.”

Taeyong looked up and Jaehyun put his head down on his arms, staring at his feet to avoid eye-contact. The movement of the bus wasn’t exactly nice when he had been drinking so much, but he still jumped up when someone dropped into his seat, bumping into his shoulder. It was silent between them, Jaehyun tried to recognize the area they drove in.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re drunk.”

  “That’s true.”

Jaehyun glanced at Taeyong and noticed that he was looking at him. Jaehyun almost couldn’t believe that the other had kissed him. Of course someone with such a beautiful face wouldn’t kiss him of free will. Still even if he was drunk and probably wouldn’t say he was sorry sober, Jaehyun felt reassured in that moment. He didn’t say anything; he just hummed along to a song that had been stuck in his head for some time. Taeyong leaned his head back and Jaehyun took the opportunity to look at the other when his eyes were closed. Taeyong opened his eyes and met the other’s gaze. “You stopped humming.”

Jaehyun smiled. “Sorry.”

Taeyong reached forward and pressed the button for the bus to stop at the next stop. Jaehyun looked around and noticed that he was in his neighborhood. Taeyong had remembered it. Jaehyun sighed and when the bus stopped, Taeyong stood to let Jaehyun pass and Jaehyun was reminded of the time right before the party. Taeyong grabbed his wrist and Jaehyun closed his eyes.

  “Could we be friends?” Taeyong asked and Jaehyun turned to look at him.

  “This isn’t a very good start.” He said with a smile and Taeyong smiled a little and shook his head.

  “It isn’t.”

He didn’t let go of Jaehyun’s wrist. The bus driver looked back at them. Jaehyun looked at Taeyong whose eyes were as pleading as they had been the time before the game. “You’d need to tell me more about you.” Jaehyun said and stepped back. Taeyong nodded.

  “I will tell you everything.” He said and Jaehyun smiled.

  “Let’s see to it when we’re sober and angry with each other.” He began and started exiting the bus and Taeyong’s hand held on until Jaehyun’s fingers slipped out of his grasp.

  “I’m not angry.” Taeyong said and Jaehyun just smiled and nodded. Then he stepped out of the bus and the doors closed. He didn’t see Taeyong sit back down.

A/N:

I'm currently writing on chapter 11. Yes, I'm way ahead haha, I just can't stop writing. ;A;
Also Jonghyun's new song Moon is currently the song I listen to while writing. 
 - Would you guys like if I made a list of songs that I listen to while writing this? I used to do that with some stories. ^^

Btw if you want to you can follow my tumblr blog called tenlion, it's nct only and some few others posts. You can ask me questions to writing or future fics there if you want, or you can friend me here on AFF. <3 

Thank you for the comments and welcome to new subscribers! <3

Love,
Emma. <3

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