The rain just stopped, and the day couldn’t be more beautiful. The wet grass, the rain drops brings Sehun back to his childhood, when his mother was still around. He remembered how she liked to watch the rain. Before everything else changed.

He walked towards the library and stopped at the vending machine around the corner.

Maybe, I should buy today? He thought to himself.

He took a few coins from his pocket and put it into the machine and bought 2 coffees.

He then turned to walked into the library and found Lay talking to Haru, in the counter. Lay was in his white shirt and dark jeans, his black hair was combed sleekly. Haru smiled throughout the conversation. She occasionally tuck her hair behind her ear, and looked genuinely interested.

She’s not bad, he realized, her black hair tied into a tight ponytail, and her smile looked delicate. At this time, she almost looked like a beauty, he thought.

Lay bowed slightly and smiled before he end the conversation with Haru. She grinned and blushed slightly, as she turned around to the desk.

Sehun quickly hides the coffees behind his back when Lay saw him. Lay raised his hand into slight wave.

Sehun shot a quizzical look to Lay, “What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Lay shrugged his shoulder and patted Sehun in his arm before exiting. Sehun then turned to look at Haru, who standing at the book aisle, with her back facing him.

She was putting label stickers to a bunch of new books, in a trolley. She wrote the author’s initial on the neon pink stickers before sticking them to the bone of the book.

Sehun coughed a little, when he approached her. Haru turns her back to Sehun, his 6 foot tall figure looming over her.

She pretended as if she saw nothing and continued writing on the stickers. Sehun signed and rested his arm on the nearest rack, “You can at least greet me.”

He touched her cheek with the can and she flinched at the cold contact.

“This one’s for you,” he said.

“We cannot drink here.”

“Who cares? No one is here anyway.” Sehun said, while opening the lid of his can.

“Rules are still rules.” She said sternly, looking directly at Sehun. He huffed a small laugh, and pointed his finger to her face, “You always talk like that to me,” he said, taking a sip of coffee, “But you were all smiles when talking to Lay.”

Haru blinked at the mention of Lay’s name. “Lay? That’s his name?” she asked. The corner of her lips curved into a smile. “He’s nice.”

“He’s nice to everyone.”

Haru ignored him and walked towards the counter and switched on the computer. Sehun followed her, “So what he talked to you about?” he asked.

“Nothing.” Haru answered while typing.

Sehun leaned in forward so close Haru can smell the coffee from his breath. She tilted herself backward and look at him mockingly, “Like how you don’t want to work with me and stuff.”

Sehun blanked a second, “I didn’t-”, he hesitated, “Well, you have to admit, you’re not ideal to work with.”

“Well if you still don’t find me ideal to work with, you can actually swap your partners, I heard.” She ducked a moment to take a piece of paper, and give it to Sehun, “But you got to fill this up and-”

“Forget about it,” Sehun said, putting the paper aside, “I know you’re dying to work with me.”

“You’re really are delusional,” Haru sneered.

//

“So, this is yours, and this is mine,” Haru signaled a bunch of papers to Sehun, “Finish it before you go to your meeting,”

Sehun nodded and start checking the papers. “Well. You don’t have to be quiet,” he said, “Talk something,”

“About what?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“When’s your big match?” she asked curiously. “I heard the seniors are coming?”

“Yes, in two weeks,” Sehun paused and looked at her, “Why are you excited about it?” he asked.

“Nothing,” she lied, and started correcting the errors in the paper using a whiteout.

“Kris?” Sehun laughed, “You’re excited to meet him.”

“Well, it’s not every I get to meet him.” She admitted, “It’s been a while.”

Sehun didn’t say anything before realizing she was eager to see Kris in the match, and not him playing. And for some reason, that bothered him.

“You’re bothersome,” he said quietly. Haru looked to meet his eyes, and raised her eyebrows.

“Girls like you are bothersome,” he said, “It’s a burden for the guys if the girl is so forward about liking him.”

Haru signed short.

Sehun leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table, his chin on both palms. “What you’ll do if Kris likes someone else in his workplace? If he has a girlfriend?” he asked, playfully.

“I won’t do anything,” she said, “I like him as a person, that doesn’t mean I see myself going out dating him. I don’t care if that means I get to see him from far. I’ll be happy if he’s happy.”

“Then what’s the point of liking him in the first place?” Sehun argued, “To see the man you like, talking and smiling to other girls who are not you, how is that going to make you happy?”

He leaned back, putting both hands in his jeans pocket, “If you don’t want to live in regrets, take a risk. The Japanese calls it ‘Ichigo Ichiae’, which means one chance in a lifetime. You sure you don’t want to take the chance?” he challenged.

Haru kept silent a while before breaking into a wide smile, “So you think I should tell  to him? Telling him that I like him?”

The smirk in Sehun’s face disappeared after he realized what he’s done. “No-” he stammered, “That’s not what I meant,” he struggled, “What if he doesn’t see you that way? It’s going to be awkward for you both. It might not end well.”

“It doesn’t matter, does it? The point is for me to tell him. It doesn’t matter if he accepts or rejects. You’re right. I should take the risk. At least I can get it off my chest.” Haru said, cheerfully.

//

“Can you move fast? I don’t have all bloody day.” Sehun scolded the junior basketball team. He’s been criticizing everything for every 10 minutes.

“What’s wrong with him?” Xiumin asked to Kyung Soo during their 10 minutes break. Kyung Soo shrugged his shoulder and wiped his face with a damp towel, “He looks irritated.”

Baek Hyun was running towards the gang’s direction, his hand holding a piece of chicken thigh, “He’s gone crazy, that kid,” he muffled, in between his bites, “He asked the junior team to run 3 laps, just because they’re late for 5 minutes,”

Chen looked at Sehun from far with concern, “He’s at it again, isn’t he?” he said, “And at this time, it’s not going to end well if he didn’t snap out of it.”

“I think the practice session finally takes its toll.” Kai said, “He’s at the court almost every day, training for hours. Maybe he’s just stressed out.”

“I don’t think this has to do with the practice.  I think something else is bothering him.” Chanyeol muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

//

Haru exited the laboratory with a thick chemistry book. Her exams are going to be at the end of month. Haru is always excited and interested in chemistry. The bond, the molecules and the changing process they undergo fascinates her. While she dunk her head deep in the book, a sudden raspy voice wakens her, “Hello?”

Haru was startled, and her reaction gained a laugh from a tall guy standing in front of her.

“Hi, I’m Zi Tao, from Parish College, and I need to see the EXO team, but, uhh, I think I’m lost.” he mumbled. Haru swallowed hard, after seeing his black rimmed eyes, and the huge dark circles around it, obviously from sleep deprivation. He looks scary, she thought. She pointed her fingers to west, “Keep walking that way, and you’ll see a cafeteria. The court is just next to it.”

His eyes were never leaving her and he let out a creepy smile, “I’m not good with direction,” he chuckled, “Can you show me? I’ll treat you a drink.”

Haru hesitated before nodded briefly. She walked first to lead him the way. From the side of her eyes, she noticed he was running his eyes from the top to the bottom of her.

She felt disgusted by him, and wanted to distract him from staring at her. “So Parish college, you say?”

“Hmm.”

“You’re having a match in the next two weeks.”

He finally pace up with her, and she thanked that she succeeded in distracting him.

“Yeah, we’re having a match, with the EXO’s, which is why I’m here. To exchange greetings and to see how good they are.” He said smugly. “I heard the captain is a freak, never misses a shot.”

”He is,” she said.

Tao looked at her mockingly, “You’re his fan?”

She snorted, “I am not his fan,” She said, “But he’s good in what he does. I can’t deny that.”

“You like him?”

She scoffed, “No.”

“You open dating outsiders?”

“What?”

“I win the championship, will you go out with me?” Tao asked, casually.

She scoffed out, letting a small annoyed laugh.

“Go out with me if I win this match.”

Tao was assessing her for an answer, but she stops abruptly, “Here’s the court, and goodbye.” She said swiftly and started walking in the opposite direction.

“Wait!” Tao called out, “I promised you a drink,” he said. He walked to face her, blocking her from walking past him.

“Nevermind.” She rejected.

“Can I have your name at least, you have mine.” He insisted.

“Kim Haru,” she said, before walking past him, her face cold and she didn’t even return his smile.

“You have yet to give me an answer,” he shouted as Haru ignored and continued walking.

Tao smiled to himself before turning around walking to the court. The court itself was big, and there is a lot of girls waiting outside trying to sneak a peek at the inside of the court.

Fan girls, he assumed.

He walked into the court, and saw Sehun practicing his throws. He barely misses one. His eyes looked determined and his postures were great.

“Parish?” A voice startled him.

He turned around to a black haired boy. His hair were combed to perfection, and he was looking at Tao with curiosity.

“Yes,” Tao answered.

“I’m Lay,”

“The point guard,” Tao remembered, “Known for stealing balls,” Tao joked, “I know you.”

Lay laughed but eyed Tao menacingly, “What are you doing here?”

“Relax, bud. I’m here only to make friends,” Tao said, holding his both hands up in the air, as the gesture of surrender. “I’m not here to fight.”

“We don’t make friends with an outsider,” a dark hollow voice echoed.

Tao turned to see Sehun with the basketball under his arms, his eyes are not welcoming, “You came here to pry?”

Tao laughed, “EXO’s are worried?” he joked. “Good to know.” Tao walked up to Sehun and stopped in front of him, “Sehun, right?” he asked. “You’re good.”

“I know.” Sehun responded.

Tao scoffed a laugh, “We’ll see how good you are in the day of match. We’ve won against your seniors before and we’ll win again”

“Right, say that to yourself repeatedly, it may help with your confidence.”

Tao smiled disappeared and he looked cold suddenly, “This is my pride, and I won’t let you take the crown from our college.” He said seriously.

“The crown was never yours to begin with,” Sehun chuckled.

Tao clenched his jaw hard in anger but somehow faked a smile. “All right, we shall meet again.” He said turning back to the exit. He briefly nodded to Lay but never smiled at him. Before exiting, he paused suddenly and turned around, “I almost forgot,” he said, “Can I ask for a favor?” he asked.

“What?” Sehun snickered, while he dribbled the ball.

”Kim Haru,” he said, and Sehun lifted up his head immediately. “Ask her to think well about the deal.”

With that, he left the court, with a stupid smirk on his face.