A/N: Hey, everyone! Sorry for another hiatus. There were a lot of things planned for this update, but as I wrote I realized that there was way too much for one chapter. I didn’t want to keep you guys waiting, though, so I decided to post what I have so far. I’ve already started writing the next chapter, so it should take less than a week for me to have it ready.

Again, thank you for your patience and thank you to all the new people who have subscribed. Keep commenting and I will try my best to update more frequently :)

Today was the day. The day where SinB proved her abilities as an athlete and redeemed her title as one of the best runners in Navillera High history. SinB felt eager to lace up her lucky running shoes, pin that track number on her cherry red singlet, and get down in a starting position as she waited for the gun shot to fire in the air.

That Friday morning, Coach Kwon called SinB up to her office to reveal the good news; there were no irregularities found in the urine sample. SinB was cleared and all set for the track meet. As she walked out of the locker room to return back to her calculus class, SinB breathed out a big sigh of relief, making sure to further thank Umji later via text message.

In the afternoon, she and the rest of the track team were excused from their last period as they collectively got on the school bus to make the trip to Fantagio High School where the meet was hosted. While most of the team sat together in pairs, SinB was left astray in the middle row of the bus. She figured Yuju and Yerin would locate themselves at the back to do whatever their lovey dovey hearts pleased. Instead, the couple sat directly in front of SinB. The up close and personal view of the high school sweethearts tortured her to no end.

Yuju took the window seat while Yerin slid right next to her. The older girl had her arm slung around Yuju’s frame while her chin perched on her girlfriend’s shoulder. The two would laugh and reminisce about past dates as the scenery changed. Occasionally, Yerin exchanged glances at SinB who quickly disguised her annoyance with a half-hearted smile. The older girl reciprocated with a bright eye smile before returning her attention to Yuju.

Not wanting to pry on the pair’s intimate conversations, SinB resorted to the safe haven of music. Ears plugged in, she pumped herself up for the potential victories that awaited for her.

Scrolling through her library of tunes, SinB stumbled upon a playlist that one of her track and field friends from the States made for her. It was mainly filled with punk rock and heavy metal songs that didn’t appeal to SinB at first. But, with each competition, SinB found herself immersed by the screaming vocals, the loud guitars, and the louder drumming. Even when her legs felt like they were going to give up, hearing the songs echo in her mind helped her to push forward and ultimately win the race.

My heart is in the right place/ So wipe that smirk right off your face

Don't make me feel like that/ Cause that's just plain not nice

We don't always see the bright side/ And I lied when I said I was fine

You slapped my face today/ But I have my wounds and carried on

Distracted by her own memories while gazing out the window, SinB quickly turned her head when she felt another body take a seat next to her. SinB was met with Yerin’s gentle, dark brown eyes that made her heart feel as if she ran a mile. Tugging on the wires of her earphones, SinB bunched up the chord in her palm as she gave Yerin her full attention.

“Yerin-ah, what’s up?” SinB said casually, removing a fly-away hair out of her vision.

“Just wanted to check up on you,” Yerin replied, scooting closer to the younger girl. “Plus, I’m also giving Yuju some time to rest before our arrival. Can you believe she stayed at the hospital with her family all night? It turns out her grandfather’s illness is getting worse.”

“Wow. It certainly didn’t look like anything was bothering her during lunch,” SinB replied, feeling genuinely sympathetic for Yuju.

“I just hope she’s not burdening herself with sadness. She’s been quite cryptic when it comes to talking about her family. Sometimes, I wish she would let me into her personal life a bit more.”

SinB patted her friend’s shoulder. “Give her time, Yerin-ah. I’m sure she’ll come around.”

Yerin nodded her head, standing up slightly to check on Yuju. Her girlfriend was slumped in the seat, head resting on the window sill against the gray sweater Yerin lent her. A warm smile spread across Yerin’s lips as she sat back down.

Mood chirpier, Yerin tapped SinB’s thigh to get her friend’s wandering attention. She, then, pointed to the semi-tangled chord of earphones stuffed in the younger girl’s hand. “May I listen, SinB-ah?”

A wary expression formed on SinB’s face, unsure if Yerin, whose iPod was filled with bubblegum pop and ballads, was ready to listen to something on the “extreme” side. Nonetheless, SinB straightened the wire and handed one earbud to the older girl. “Alright. But, I must warn you, Yerin-ah. It’s not as eardrum-friendly compared to the past groups I’ve shown you.”

Figuring that SinB was over exaggerating, a relaxed Yerin placed the earbud into her ear, waited for the song to play, and immediately flinched by the lead singer’s screeching vocals followed by the manic crashing of cymbals. She ripped the earbud out and threw it back to SinB who began to chuckle.  

“Yah, SinB, are you trying to make me go deaf?!” Yerin wailed, rubbing her ear in mock pain.

Laughter subsiding, SinB wore one earbud and offered the other pair to Yerin. “C’mon, Yerin-ah. Try listening to the song once more. If you don’t like it by the end, then I’ll promise to play that Arctic Monkeys song you love so much.” SinB pouted her lips and widened her eyes, looking as innocent as can be.

Yerin harumphed. She snatched the earbud from SinB’s hand and placed it back in her ear. “Fine, SinB-ah. But, don’t think you’re going to turn me into one of those rockers with tattoos and piercings all over their body.”

SinB smirked at the thought of Yerin ever becoming a hardcore rock fan. “I’m sure I can still try,” she joked before pressing the play button.

The bus entered the parking lot of Fantagio High. Once parked, the Navillera track team grabbed their belongings and made their way out to stretch and mingle with the competition.

Black sneakers hitting the pavement, SinB surveyed her surroundings and noticed that there were already two buses from other schools that have arrived before them: Starship High and Woollim High. From what Yerin informed her during the ride, both schools had scouted some amazing talent. But, it was Pledis Academy who succeeded the most last semester, which meant that they were the ones to look out for.

As the team leisurely walked to their designated area by the bleachers, SinB’s attention drifted to Yerin and Yuju who were several paces in front of her. This time it was Yuju who had her arm wrapped around her girlfriend. Despite not being able to run that day, Yerin still wore her track singlet with the school’s insignia on the front and her name on the back. She was also dressed in her workout track pants and had the matching jacket tied to her waist.

Eyes gazing up and down the older girl’s body, SinB forgot how luminously creamy Yerin’s skin tone is. She practically glowed beneath the rays of sunshine. SinB never noticed it before, but has her best friend’s arms gained more muscle definition? Seeing Yerin in this perspective felt strange. Like SinB was staring at  a completely different person.

During her absence, SinB knew that her friendship with Yerin would always remain constant. That no matter how far apart they were, there will never be another person who could take the place of her best friend. But, SinB never considered the possibility that there was someone in Yerin’s life who could take the place of her.

“SinB-ah!” Yerin hollered as she waved a hand for the younger girl to join her and Yuju on the bleachers. “Come over here. You should start changing.”

SinB hadn’t realized that she stopped so suddenly in the middle of the field. Her teammates, Yuju included, were already out of their track suits and warming up in their red and white uniforms. Shaking off unwanted thoughts, SinB began to jog, ping and shedding off her track jacket along the way. She laid her bag next to Yerin before removing her pants to reveal the standard, authorized shorts. Taking a seat on the metal bleachers, the silver-streak haired girl brought out her lucky running shoes, admired its majestic shine, and kicked off her sneakers in exchange for them. As she tightened the laces, SinB glanced from the corner of her eye and saw Yuju place a chaste kiss on Yerin’s cheek before excusing herself to take a call.

With Yuju gone and the rest of the team warming up, SinB and Yerin were the only ones left sitting on the bench. Though focused on tying her shoes, SinB could feel the weight of her best friend’s stare. And, she knew it was only a matter of time until…

“Guess who?” A voice, sweet as maple syrup, sing-songed into SinB’s ear as her vision was covered by a pair of heavenly soft hands.

A smile crept on SinB’s face. “Oh, let me guess.” She paused, pretending to concentrate with all her brainpower. “Is it you, Yerin-ah?”

Yerin uncovered SinB’s eyes, causing the younger girl to turn around and face her lifelong friend. “Of course, it’s me, SinB-ah. I have been greeting you in the same way since we were in training bras,” Yerin chided, scrunching up her face in that adorkable sort of manner SinB knew too well.

Releasing a breathy laugh, SinB playfully pretended to flick the older girl’s nose. She, then, searched through her bag for a hair tie. Once found, she proceeded to smooth her hair back into a tight ponytail. While doing so, she realized that Yerin was openly staring at her, eyes filled with a certain kind of adoration.

“Are your parents coming to support you, SinB-ah?” Yerin asked, tone slightly hesitant.

SinB sighed. The last thing she wanted to think about were her parents. She looked down at her shoes, shifting her feet back and forth to catch its wondrous glow. “They're both too busy. My Appa has been working later than usual. And, my Umma is probably dedicating the day to dusting her fine China.” She laughed insincerely, desperately trying to make light of the situation.

Yerin remained silent. Anxiety rose in the pit of SinB’s stomach. Right when she was about to hold her head up, SinB felt the tip of Yerin’s pointer finger on the side of her forehead. SinB closed her eyes as if she were being cast under a spell.

“What's going through that mind of yours, SinB-ah?” Yerin whispered. “You seem so out of focus these days. I lost count of all the times I caught you staring into space.” She slowly removed her hand away.

SinB’s heavy eyelids carefully opened, afraid that all of this was only a dream. Her heart rate moved faster as her eyes instantly connected with Yerin’s. “I'm just thinking about the future a lot lately,” she quietly replied. “My parents’ future. Your future. My future. Everything feels all jumbled together with no clear path of how it's going to end up.” She retreated her eyes to the ground again.

Yerin nodded, relaxing a bit to finally hear something forthright being spoken by her best friend. “I'm worried about the future, too. Which university I should apply to? Should I even go to university? Will Yuju and I still be together after high school? All of these things pass through my thoughts on a daily basis. But, I keep reminding myself what you told me on the second day of school after break.” SinB’s gaze shot up from the ground to Yerin’s dark brown orbs. “‘Even if things do change, it'll all be for the better.’”

SinB knew that if they weren't surrounded by peers and strangers, she would have kissed Yerin on the lips right then and there. But, something inside her didn’t want to settle for fantasy. Slowly and steadily, SinB found herself moving closer to her best friend’s face. Everyone else around them were too busy preparing or occupied with other concerns. The surrounding bleachers were beginning to fill with students and family members. The noise increased as the air between her and Yerin decreased. At that moment, SinB could care less about the consequences. Because, at that moment, there was something in Yerin’s eyes that indicated that she wanted to kiss her, too.

*Wheet Whoo*

A suggestive wolf-whistle resounded across the other side of the wide arena. With a jolt, SinB leaned her body as far away from Yerin as she possibly could. Flustered, she stretched her head behind and spotted Sowon and Umji standing on the following column of bleachers. The pair were still dressed in their school attire. Umji tightly held her notebook as usual, and Sowon sported a pair of sleek, cat-eyed sunglasses. The taller girl tipped the frame to her nose as she gave SinB a look that was a mixture of disbelief and amusement.

Returning her attention to Yerin, SinB smiled at her sheepishly. “Sowon and Umji are here. I-I gotta go check on them.” She stood up quickly and was surprised when Yerin stood up at the same time.

“Yeah, I should see how Yuju is doing,” Yerin responded, avoiding her friend’s gaze. “Well, see you later, SinB-ah. Fighting!” With a hasty wave, Yerin walked away through the crowd of blissfully ignorant runners.

Exhaling a breath that was held in for far too long, SinB dug her front teeth into her bottom lip as she made her way to the adjacent bleachers. The closer she got to her neighbor pal and the Beta werewolf, who SinB wished she never became involved with, the wider Sowon’s smirk came into view.

“SinB-unnie,” Umji greeted with a cheerful smile, “we traveled here to support.”

“Pipsqueak wanted to support you,” Sowon clarified, removing her sunglasses. “I, on the other hand, thought it was best to fulfill my role as the cheerleader girlfriend. But, perhaps, I should transform into the  jealous girlfriend after seeing you and Yerin-ssi almost kiss. And, in such a public space. Naughty, naughty, Wolfpup.” She wagged her index finger in front of the Alpha werewolf’s face.

Annoyed, yet blushing, SinB swatted Sowon’s finger away. “I appreciate your support, Umji-ah,” she said, apprehension hiding behind her smile. “But, how did you two get here so fast? The team and I barely arrived here less than fifteen minutes ago.”

“What can I say,” Sowon spoke, polishing her shades with the hem of Umji’s sweater, “working at the school’s administration building as a student aid has its perks.”

“Sowon-unnie wrote a note for me to get out of my last class early,” Umji further explained.

Sowon placed her sunglasses back on, a cocky grin on her face. “As for transportation, I decided to take my car out for a spin today. Unlike you dorks, I actually have my driver’s license.”

SinB rolled her eyes.

“Unnie,” Umji addressed to SinB, “take a look at what I made for you during my lunch break.”

Scanning through her notebook, Umji’s face brightened once she landed on the page she wanted to show. She flipped it over to reveal a hand-drawn sign that said “Hwang SinB, Fighting!” The bold Korean characters were colored in with pink and yellow highlighters while the background was shaded off by a black permanent marker. SinB’s smile grew, amazed at how there was not even a sliver of white notebook paper left uncolored. It was truly a feat that only Umji could accomplish.

Before SinB could thank her new friend, she heard the quick steps of one of her teammates running up the stairs to their row. Twisting her head, she saw Jeongyeon whose demeanor was covered with urgency.

“Yo, SinB, check it out.” Jeongyeon pointed towards the parking lot to where the last school arrived. The batch of competitors were exiting out of their bus. “Pledis Academy are here and they got new uniforms,” she briefed, scurrying off the bleachers to alert the next group of teammates.

SinB shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand, taking a gander at the group of girls who proudly wore their crisp teal and orange outfits. Pledis must have done spectacular last semester for their school to upgrade their track uniforms. SinB hoped their rivals weren't feeling too confident about winning. It was a day for redemption, and SinB was going to prove that Navillera High is a force to be reckoned with.

“Oh, shii---take mushrooms,” Sowon suddenly uttered.

SinB quickly spun around and saw Sowon’s face filling with horror and dread. In an instant, the usually cool and confident Sowon darted behind Umji, using the younger girl to conceal herself. But, with her tall stature, there was no doubt that Sowon was drawing more attention rather than being incognito.

“What’s the matter, Sowon-unnie?” Umji said, looking over her shoulder to check on the older girl.

“My ex is here,” Sowon answered in a harsh whisper. “She’s in the Pledis Academy group. Long legs on the far left. Face like stone, but cute as a button.”

SinB redirected her line of vision and instantly recognized the girl. “That’s Lim Nayoung. She’s captain of their track team.”

Umji squinted her eyes and determined Sowon’s past flame judging from the name on her track jersey. She watched as another girl came running up to Nayoung, snaking an arm around her waist before pecking the slender girl’s cheek. Her jersey read, Zhou Jieqiong. “And, she also appears to be in a relationship,” Umji commented.

“I should’ve known that Pinky had a thing for her,” Sowon sneered. “She would always send me death stares when Nayoung and I met up after her practice.”

“I find it hard to believe that anyone was actually willing to be in a relationship with you,” SinB kidded. She could see a tinge of blue flare from Sowon’s eyes even through her dark shades.

Sowon straightened her posture and stepped out of Umji’s shadow, knowing it was of no use. “For your information, Wolfpup, Nayoung was my first love. The first person who didn’t care what I looked like in the past as long as she was able to get to know the real me in the present.”

“What happened?” SinB asked gently, not wanting to pry. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder how Sowon navigated life after her drastic, and still quite unexplainable, transformation from “ugly duckling” to “queen bee.”

The taller took a step down, so that she, Umji, and SinB were almost at equal heights. She stretch her neck to the sky before returning her gaze to Nayoung and Jieqiong who were happily holding hands.

“I broke up with her,” Sowon spoke solemnly. “I didn’t want her to waste her time on me. My parents wouldn’t approve of our relationship. Not to mention the fact that my heart is set on being a lone wolf. And, everyone in the werewolf community knows that any wolf who strays from their pack doesn’t deserved to be loved.” Inhaling through her nose, Sowon released her breath with a long, audible sigh. She exchanged glances between SinB and Umji whose expressions were downcasted with sympathy. “I’m going to the concession stand. Grab a corn dog or something.” With heavy footsteps, Sowon began to trudge down the stairs of the bleachers.

“Wait, Sowon-unnie, I’ll come join you,” Umji alerted, closing her notebook. She looked at SinB who nodded her head in understanding. “Good luck out there, Unnie. Fighting!” Giving SinB a thumb’s up, Umji skittered down the steps to catch up with Sowon.

Alone, SinB stared at the horizon and wondered if her future was going to be as bright as the mid-afternoon sun.

“And, coming off in first place for the 100 meter sprint is… Choi Yuju of Navillera All-Girls High School.”

The team roared in celebration as Yuju’s victory was announced through the intercom of the arena. Yerin and several other teammates scrambled from their post to congratulate the fatigued girl who had her hands on her waist, catching her breath. Despite panting with pure exhaustion, Yuju smiled widely as she opened her arms for Yerin to jump into. Living up to her ginseng nickname, Yerin picked Yuju up on her back and carried her to their area, settling her down on the bleacher.

“Good work, Yuju,” Coach Kwon applauded. “Tzuyu, you’re up next for the 200m. Remember, mind over body. You can do this. Fighting!”

Brushing strands of hair behind her pointed ears, Tzuyu nodded and looked up in the crowd to see her best friends, Sana and Dahyun. They were holding up a sign that read, “Cheer Up, Yoda!!” She grinned, thankful to have a support system to calm down her nerves. Giving them a wave, she took her place on the course.

Sitting at the far end of the bleacher, SinB clapped her hands for her teammate. Chou Tzuyu was a fast runner, but faced problems with her stamina. SinB, though, has seen Tzuyu’s efforts during practice and knew that all of her hard work might pay off today.

Rising from her seat, SinB walked over to the water cooler for a light refreshment before she began prepping for her own race after Tzuyu. She passed by Yerin and Yuju, trying hard to avoid eye contact from either one of them. Ever since that almost-kiss between her and Yerin, SinB was positive that she made things awkward for her best friend. SinB kept her distance, no matter how much she yearned to see Yerin and her signature eye smile again.

Grabbing a paper cup and filling it up with H2O, SinB swallowed it in one big gulp. Coach Kwon stood next to her, shoulder perched on top of the water dispenser as she flipped through papers that were held down by her clipboard. SinB threw the cup in the trash, figuring it was best to get started with her stretches. She was just about to leave when the Coach looked up and cleared .

“Hey, SinB,” Coach Kwon spoke, “I know that you’re already running the 400m, but do you think you’ll have enough energy to also do the 100 meter relay with Jeongyeon, Chaeyoung, and Mina?”

SinB rarely did relays. In the past, she would constantly drop the baton, causing her team to get disqualified. She has improved over the years, but occasionally felt weary of her performance. Today, though, she felt confident. And, it would be satisfying to see the look on her competitors’ faces when she actually managed to not let the baton slip out of her grip for once.

She slowly nodded her head. “Sure, Coach. Which order do I go?”

“Fourth leg. Anchor,” Coach Kwon replied. SinB’s eyes widened in surprise at the very crucial role she had. Anchors were the last runners in the relay and held the most responsibility. Coach took notice, bringing the clipboard to her side before laying a supportive hand on the girl’s shoulder. “I know it’s asking a bit too much, but I believe you can do this, SinB.” As the announcer informed the crowd that the 200m sprint was going to begin in a few minutes, Coach Kwon clapped her hands and yelled out some encouraging words for Tzuyu.

In a daze, SinB walked away from her team and went towards the side where other runners gathered, stretching or sitting leisurely as they watched the events unfold. Feeling a tenseness in her shoulders, SinB rolled her neck in various movements and directions. She, then, loosened the muscles in her hamstrings before switching to her arms. Amidst doing several hip flexors, a girl from Pledis Academy, whose hands were shyly tucked behind her back, stepped directly in front of SinB. Halting her pre-game warm ups, SinB silently waited for the oddly familiar, short-haired girl to speak.

“Annyeonghaseyo. Jeoneun Jung Eunha-imnida,” Eunha introduced herself with a quick ninety-degree bow. “You probably don’t remember me, but I was that Contrail waitress who spilled your soda last Saturday night.” She smiled bashfully as she looked down at her shoes.

“Oh, yeah. I knew I’ve seen you before,” SinB replied, demeanor no longer in a state of confusion. “ Jeoneun Hwang Eunbi-imnida, but you can call me SinB.” She bowed, as well.

“Mianhaeyo if my clumsiness ruined your clothes, SinB-ssi,” Eunha apologized, cadence soft and sweet.

SinB couldn’t help but smile at the girl’s natural aegyo. “Don’t worry about it. My Umma is a magician when it comes to getting stains out of clothes,” SinB responded, earning a relaxed giggle from the friendly foe. Looking at Eunha’s singlet, SinB noticed something different about it compared to the rest of her team. “So, Eunha-ssi, how come your uniform doesn’t have your name on it?”

“I transferred schools in the beginning of the semester. When I joined the track team, there wasn’t enough time to get my own personalized uniform, so they gave me a blank one,” Eunha explained, twisting her body from side to side in a cute manner. “I’m in the 400m race. How about you, SinB-ssi?”

“Me, too. And, also the relay,” SinB answered.

Eunha took a step closer. “I know that we’re suppose to be competitors, but I just want to wish you good luck on both your races, SinB-ssi.”

A pleasantly surprised smile perked on SinB’s face. “Good luck to you, too, Eunha-ssi.”

Eunha waved goodbye, awkwardly playing with her hands as she retreated to her school’s side of the field. SinB continued to stare at the delicate girl. Beneath her doey eyes and coquettish smiles, there was something about Eunha that SinB couldn’t wrap her head around. She didn’t dwell on it too much, though, when she sensed a contrasting enigmatic presence in her midst.

“Annyeong, SinB-ssi.”

SinB breathed out an exasperated sigh before turning to face Yuju who stood before her holding a water bottle.

“Yuju-ssi,” SinB simply acknowledged.

“Did I just catch you flirting behind Sowon’s back?” Yuju teased.

SinB scowled as she was reminded, yet again, that she and Sowon were supposed to be in a relationship.

Yuju grinned. “I’m just joking with you, SinB-ssi.”

SinB kept closed, trying to concentrate on stretching while watching Tzuyu start her sprint.

Tightening her lips, Yuju straightened her posture. “Anyways, SinB-ssi, I heard that Coach assigned you as anchor for the relay. Yerin was originally supposed to partake in it. Of course, she probably already told you about how she was also anchor last semester and led the team to victory in the final track meet.”

Forehead creased, SinB darted her eyes back to Yuju and shook her head. “No, Yerin never told me that.”

“Hmm. Perhaps, she’s just too humble,” Yuju surmised. “Well, I’m going to get ready for the long-jump competition. Hope you do well on your race, SinB-ssi.” Raising her hand to a supportive, “Fighting!” fist, Yuju traipsed off the field.

A hailstorm of emotions rained over SinB. It wasn’t like Yerin to keep such a pivotal piece of information away from her. She felt happy for her best friend’s achievement. After all, it was a goal Yerin had been working towards to since she came in third at the semi-finals during their Junior year. Was this why Yerin was so eager to compete in spite of her injury? To genuinely prove to SinB that she wasn’t just a second-stringer who was content with a bronze medal every year?

SinB’s heart felt heavy. She didn’t like the feeling of her best friend keeping certain things from her. But, SinB soon saw her own folly when she realized that she was doing the same thing to the older girl. They were best friends since elementary and close in every aspect of the word. But, as her line of vision traveled to where Yerin was, holding Yuju’s hand as they watched the race, SinB sensed the distance in their friendship growing farther and farther apart.

Lost and unfocused to what was happening outside of her mind, SinB snapped out of her daze at the sound of her team screaming in jubilee once again.

“Navillera High’s Chou Tyuzu takes first place in the 200 meter sprint.”

As the crowd continued to rumble, so did SinB’s inner werewolf.

Song lyrics used: “Line & Sinker” by Billy Talent