“okay everyone, keep your head in the game,” his coach says when the other team calls a timeout and the team gathers in a circle. hyukjae keeps his head ducked, listening carefully to his coach’s words.

“yes sir,” they say in unison.

“siwon, remember your footwork,” the coach continues. “your defence of your left side is lacking and the other team is picking up on it.”

“yes sir,” siwon says, nodding.

“ryeowook, good job setting out there,” he says. “and hyukjae, great job as always. your blocking has been spectacular this game. but i want you to get more aggressive. ryeowook, start setting to him.”

“yes sir,” ryeowook and hyukjae respond. their coach nods.

“good,” he says. “two more points. let’s go.” he puts his hand in the center of the center and all of the members follow suit, chanting for their victory. they throw their hands up and disperse, jogging to their respective positions on the court.

hyukjae glances over ryeowook and kyuhyun. they both give him a nod — they both understand what they have to do.

two more points. two more points and they win.

their fifth victory in a little more than three years. they can do this.

the referee blows the whistle and hyukjae snaps to attention. he bends his knees and his hands are positioned in front of him, ready for anything coming his way.

the other team runs onto the court, the server waiting at the back of the court. hyukjae watches the man smacks the ball against the floor three times in a pre-serve routine before tossing the ball up. the man jumps and the serve is coming, a simple backspin sailing over the net.

“got it,” he hears heechul call behind him. his eyes follows the ball as it reaches heechul’s waiting arms. the man bumps the ball to the front. the ball passes him and ryeowook receives the ball with practiced grace. the ball is too far to the left for it to be reasonable to set to hyukjae, so the ball understandably sails to the left of the