“Thanks for joining my team,” Jimri whispered into your ear again. Your arms were linked loosely with hers, a familiar feeling of comfort overtaking your senses as you walked side by side, both of your duffle bags on opposite sides of your hips in order to achieve this connection of comradery. You’d done this enough times with her in high school that you had grown accustomed to such a space-encroaching-action she initiated though such instances of this arm link was set and limited exclusively to her. Which was one of the reasons why you were starting off this tournament in uplifted spirits. That sense of nostalgia was a powerful one. About as powerful as any source of such instances which just about proved your love of the sport.

As she slowed her pace, you did the same as you both overtook the entrance doorway leading into the location of your upcoming and promised strenuous exercise. With your first steps inside, your eyes and mind took in the expansive gym. There were two courts side by side on a well-polished floor and it was almost reminiscent of that day at nationals except that then, it had been an even bigger gym with an even larger crowd. But still, this tournament seemed to be one with a bit more prestige than the last one you participated in as there was a rather plentiful audience already in the stands and just as many teams on the courts warming up of varying colors in uniform.

The familiar and homely sound of volleyballs being hit echoed around the roomy building. It was truly a sight to behold from the very yearning for exercise your bones had been feeling lately. That restlessness must have been apparent to Jimri as she had once again coerced you into adding this tournament to your schedule. Though she would only say that this extended invitation of the inclusion of your presence was more for herself and her own comfort.

Jimri and you were once more in matching uniforms as well as Doona, who animatedly greeted you once again when you first rounded that corner, not at all dissimilar of your last meeting that one fateful tournament. Your reunion with the exhuberant woman was, at least, a welcome distraction from having to go through the ‘necessary’ introductions with the rest of your new and temporary team of fifteen. But you still paid them the respect designated as it was thanks to one of your more fanatic new teammates that you all had the same uniform who, Jimri generously let you know, came from a well off family and was about as fanatic about the sport as Captain Yunhwa. That particular teammate very enthusiastically shook your hand after waiting in line to greet you after Doona’s smothering greeting.

At a certain level, you did feel comforted that you were once again within the vicinity of someone so passionate about your beloved sport. As much as Jimri may have aspired to, she hadn’t been able to reach the extent that Yunhwa and this new teammate would ever set. Though, Jimri had done a good job in accomplishing a lighter degree in such fanaticism. It had been almost obsessive and you had been right there by her side in sharing that desire, even if it lasted the months leading to qualifying for nationals.

Your game was one of the first of the day and that suited you just fine as you would rather not waste away your morning energy in the stands waiting for an afternoon game. You and Jimri stood on opposite ends of the short side of the court and were about to warm up when one of your teammates called out Jimri’s name. When he received both of your attention, he smiled, “I was just about to get some drinks for us all.” He kept that smile intact as he went through the words though you had the distinct feeling he was speaking only to your friend. “So, what’s your poison?”

Your suspicions arose as he gave Jimri a pointed glance and caught her shifting her weight to the other leg as if nervous. “Um, well, I guess that would be plain water for the both of us.” Her eyes reached out to you and you didn’t know why she was acting this way. “Right, Mikyungie?”

With your shoulders giving the ever present noncommittal shrug, Jimri gave you a pleading look that you did not understand one bit.

“Did either of you want to join me in getting the drinks?”

“Uh,” Jimri looked like a fish out of water.

“I’m not sure I will be able to carry everything.” One thing was for sure. You didn’t like how uneasy Jimri was. “We still have about an hour or so before our game and there is a convenience store close by but since there are so many people in our team, I hope you wouldn’t mind helping m—e,” Doona popped up by his side just as sudden as his intrusion had been.

“Hey guys!” she smiled brightly at you and Jimri. “Did you know there’s a store nearby? Did you want me to get you guys something?” Her smile was a little more knowing than usual but Jimri’s sudden relief was palpable.

“Oh?” the tall guy blinked down at your former teammate. “Doona, was it?”

Said girl eagerly nodded in the affirmative. “That’s me.”

“Well,” he gave Jimri a gaze that underlined many things. “I was just about to do the same thing.”

“Really?” Doona actually looked shocked up at him. Her head swiveled to you and Jimri as if to share in this coincidental wonderment. “I guess this is when the phrase, great minds think alike comes into play, right Mikyungie? Did I use that phrase right?”

Her gaze was steady as she met yours and you finally understood what she was getting at. “Yes, Doona.”

She beamed at you with such brilliance, it was almost normal. But she was taking one for the team, which consisted of your three girls versus whatever predatory intentions this guy had toward Jimri.

The guy was now frowning and an arm was wrapped around your waist but you recognized the feel of Jimri’s presence, if that even existed. She gave you a squeeze and whatever it was that Doona had immediately caught on to, you were grateful to her now as you patted Jimri’s arm in reassurance as Doona naturally included herself as this guy’s plus one in the store excursion. He was powerless to get out of the situation without looking like a total idiot now that he got the company he sought but just not the particular one he had in mind. And as a given, he did cast one glance back at the two of you as Doona led the way back out of the gym.

“What is it?” you asked automatically when Jimri had yet to extract herself from you in the departed couple’s absence.

“Um,” she ducked her head and then mumbled the rest of her words and none of those words comprehended in your brain’s dictionary which was a hefty accomplishment considering just how close you two were standing next to each other.

“Repeat,” you demanded.

“Heaskedmeoutbeforeyoucamethismorning.”

Though rushed out, the words did finally register in your aforementioned dictionary and the previous event did play a role in assisting you disentangling one word from another. “So?” you asked indifferently.

She gave a cry of disbelief as she finally dropped her imprisoning arms and stood on her own in front of you. “Mikyungie!” she just about whined.

You gave a shrug as you walked away from her in order to retrieve the discarded ball that lay forgotten on the floor a couple meters away.

“He made me feel so awkward,” she complained as she resumed her position on the other side of the court. “And…”

You gave the ball a resounding hit that had her scurrying into position not to miss the easy ball you generously gave her. After all, if she hadn’t reacted the way she did in all of her discomfort tendencies being brought to light, she would have been on the receiving end of a more grueling beginning attack.

“It’s just,” she set the ball for you and you spiked it toward her with probably a quarter of your strength and ability. Besides, she was still talking and so you would let her get whatever was bothering her off her chest. It only made sense to do so after so many years of her putting up with you and your problems. “It’s just that it’s been a while since something like that has happened to me. I mean,” she gave you a pointed glance. “I’m not you.”

You scoffed rather loudly as you bumped the ball back to her and your response made her lose whatever baggage that had been holding her down as she smiled widely at you, almost mischievously. “Seriously, Mikyungie,” she spiked the ball at you and you had no problem getting it back to her as she must have limited her strength too in order to continue this ‘invigorating’ conversation of sorts. “You’ve turned down how many guys now? A hundred? No. I’m pretty sure it’s just about two hundred. But that estimation includes all of the guys who have or had crushes on you. Oh, and also the ones who are too scared to approach you and your beauty.”

Her smirk was a rare one and if it meant she was feeling better, you let her continue to tease you about whatever conquest or record she proclaimed you to have. “And that number is only going to increase by the end of this tournament.” Her smile regained its missing sheen.

Despite the easygoing nature she presently had, you felt guilty for not noticing anything off with her before with the dilemma out in the open now. If the tables had been turned, she would have noticed something was off with you right off the bat. Though she did have a point in that you were well used to being hit on. Enough so, that you’d become desensitized to such advances.

When Doona, the savior, returned, she was welcomed back with a heartfelt hug from Jimri. You only gave your gratitude in the form of a sharp spike at her in thanks for being more intuitive of the murkiness of the added company in relation to your friend. With a shriek that had the immediate attention of all those who had ears, Doona clumsily but efficiently bumped the ball back to you. Though the plastic bag she carried ripped at the sudden jostling her action demanded.

“Eh, Mikyungie!” she gaped at you in surprise but that aggressive introduction to the ball was all it took for her to drop the destroyed bag and with it the drinks, and spike it back at you. And it was no ordinary spike, it was the jump serve spike she specialized in. But when you managed to send the ball back to her in a perfect arch, she began to get serious.

Jimri was left to getting the bottles in order as she ignored the rough and bruising passes with an indifference that belied such a situation happening at a common occurrence. Well, it wasn’t so common these days but it did happen aplenty back in high school when the situation called for it. And it did, right now.

Doona was soon in her element that should probably have been used later on for an official game but a different sort of game was going on. And to her it was probably way more important that the tournament at the moment.

She was all fire and frenzy as she spiked ball after burning ball right at you and your face but as the pattern continued for quite a while, she was getting sloppy and sloppier due to that very fact. Doona always prided her spike that could reach quite an impressive speed and damage should it get by a person’s defenses. And that did happen a lot of times. She may just have been one of the important reasons in getting your team to state. But there lied the problem. She took such pride in her arm-breaking (figuratively, it had yet to be proven) spikes that her petulance and frustration was always a given should anyone receive such spikes with the ease you were showcasing. Practices wouldn’t be a practice without her at least challenging you once before, during or after practice to what you two were doing now.

And just like in high school, you two obtained a crowd. Though you did much prefer your high school teammates than to complete strangers to be the ones watching you.

So you cursed yourself as your own pride refused to let a spike get by you despite your instinct to remain under the radar. And Doona knew that as she gave you a challenging look as if you needed the added incentive to continue this game of yours. Jimri knew too as she smiled sweetly at you both.

“Well, Mikyungie?!” Doona grunted with the repetitive spike but she was off in her form so it was an easier return for you though you hit the ball up in a higher arch.

So it continued. And so did the crowd continue to gain observers. But you won. And that was all that mattered when Doona’s spike hit the floor instead of your waiting arms.

She groaned her frustration at that mistake as she flopped down on the floor, chest heaving to take in the air that escaped with each sharp exhale that led into a great spike. Your legs were weak and your knees sore from having to crouch down to get the lower spikes but you didn’t collapse. Jimri handed Doona her favorite flavored water while you got your regular and normal water. You nodded your thanks at her as the crowd broke up but the brave few added their comments which you easily dismissed.

However, there was a swaggering and confidant soul who walked right up to your tired self and you could already tell it was the kind that you hated. Because he sounded so sure of himself as he gave you easy smiles and even a wink when he tittered praises like you were desperate for them. When he got no response, he took it in stride and sat down right by you when you let yourself give in to the fatigue but you told yourself showing such weakness was okay as long as Doona was laying down right where she had slumped still catching her breath. And she wasn’t alone too.

“I really like your form,” Mr. No Name smiled at you. Jimri, your ever present friend, sat down across from you, feeling that her presence was very likely needed. For you or the intruder, you didn’t know.

You chugged down the water, enjoying the pleasant feeling of the cool liquid going down your parched throat.

“So, how long have you been playing?”

After bringing the bottle level and closing the cap, you exhaled and breathed through your nose.

“It looks like you’ve been playing for a while, at least from my point of view.” He was outright staring at you but you knew your continued silence was getting to him. It could be traced in his voice, that sliver of fear. The fear of rejection. “Did you want another bottle of that? I could get you one if you need one.”

You stood up, feeling your body settle down from the workout you and Doona put it through. Jimri, like a shadow, did the same though she got up with grace you were lacking. Neither of you waited for the guy to do the same as you both headed to the locker rooms, already knowing that, as persistent as you pegged this guy to be, he wasn’t crazy enough to land himself in a lawsuit and follow you right in. But it was only you heading right in as Jimri stopped by the corpse of Doona to ask if she needed help in getting there.

The sweat was always there after you and Doona’s challenge but it was a welcomed presence unlike the male attention you set yourself up for. And you had two more days of putting up with it. Doona had her revenge of sorts, because it wasn’t really revenge as the girl wasn’t the spiteful or grudge holding kind. Nope, it was her devious teasing that gave her the satisfaction in its replacement. She took advantage of the attention and told all kinds of stories that made the situation worse. The biggest one and the more impactful being that you were single.

She basically had been hyping you up the whole day when she wasn’t playing and then fed you to the wolves the next day after your team completed the first day undefeated.

Jimri, to her effort, did the best she could in order to contain any collateral damage your dismissals and refusals put you in the light for. Doona had joked about you playing hard to get and that challenge was alluring to the few who wouldn’t take your silence and disdain for an answer.

“Oh, no. Not another one.” Jimri muttered as she broke away from her own persistent fellow who had been following her around the course of the tournament. But you got the feeling that Jimri enjoyed the attention Doona upon you as it gave her an ample amount of excuses in order to avoid the guy.

You had been glaring at anything that had an X and Y chromosome that came within twenty meters much to the delight of Doona who had taken residence at your side at all times as she proclaimed that was the best spot to enjoy the view. She laughed as Jimri intercepted the guy who had been about to approach you and you didn’t hold back in pinching your sidekick and instigator of destruction.

There was no way you would miss her and her very being ever again as she took your action as an act of affection. “Aww, Mikyungie.” She beamed at you. “I’m pretty sure that was number ten of the day and,” she glanced at her watch-less wrist, “it isn’t even the morning yet.”

Now, you wouldn’t have minded the situation so much if but for one reason. And that reason being that whenever a guy would spike at you in a game, he took it easy on you. That right there pissed you off more than anything.

Right after the game where it happened once again, you needed to take a breather. And that was where it all hit the fan.

The gym the tournament was being held in was one of the most resourceful ones you’d been to and that was largely due to the fact it was in a rather upscale part of the district. The gym was a part of an even larger gym that included whatever base, form and space for whatever sport a person could think of. There were tennis and basketball courts, indoor and outdoor. Same for the pools. There were fields for baseball and softball alike. And of course, there was one for soccer. So basically, this was a rich gym or center of sorts. So you had to walk quite a distance in order to escape any attention to the park that would provide you enough anonymity. You were only planning on stepping away for a while until the next game.

And it was at that exact park did you meet your doom.

And just like that, your mind went blank.

To be honest, you had imagined many ways of meeting or running into him again. And the way you just bumped in to each other here at a park wasn’t really included in any of those. Of those restricted and forbidden fantasies, you had thought of the frozen moment in which your eyes would meet before you ultimately chose to ignore him. You would walk by him and nothing more would happen.

It was one of the things you wanted to get out of the way. The meeting. You wanted to disperse any anticipation you had been harboring for such a thing to happen.

And it took only two years for that to happen. After all, his soccer training took priority and he had been whisked away to a training camp right after graduation, the last time you had seen him in person.

When you and him just stood there staring at each other, it was the true start of things not going the way you wanted them to. Forget what you had been going through today and yesterday. Just seeing him was a bad sign. More so, in person right in front of you.

So you blinked and continued walking. Your mind was clouded about what just happened that it took you walking a good distance to notice the footsteps behind you.

No.

“Leo!”

Just no.

“Hey! Leo! Where are you going?”

“No.” You stopped walking but didn’t turn around. “No.” You repeated yourself at a higher volume so he was sure to hear you. “No.” That last one had been said with a contained aggression you’d been saving for this very moment. And you didn’t even know you were saving anything for him. Because you shouldn’t. You definitely shouldn’t.

You started walking and trained your eyes and ears on all sights and sounds around you. To the way the birds were chirping uselessly. To the grandmas walking along the path. To the stupid open field where soccer stuff was going on. You were so blind. And deaf.

The footsteps resumed their tracing.

Fine. Let him. It wouldn’t do anything. Nothing would come out of this.

Except more suffering.

And stupid flashbacks.

You kept your breathing even as you kept your pace just as even. The exit gates to the park you had walked through wasn’t far and you just had to deal with a relentless shadow that wasn’t yours. Eyes remained trained forward in order to go through with the act you were clinging on to as your hands remained in a relaxed state swaying at your sides.

He kept being called back by familiar voices and you figured the owners of those voices hadn’t seen you at a closer distance otherwise you would be hurt even more than you already were right at that moment. Because that would lead to recognition and then there would be more interactions you did not have the heart to deal with. The pain would only increase. You were thankful beyond all measures they hadn’t seen you. But the danger was not far off since those voices seemed to be following him and thereby following you.

It was only the worst of that group you had to put up with and get rid of.

So you kept walking. And he kept following. And they kept following.

It was just as you were on the edge of the park when there was a sudden exclamation. “Hey! Isn’t that-?”

“It is!” that was a loud whisper.

Your eyes flickered to two men who you had been about to walk by. They were looking right past you while huddled together like two gossiping school girls. As you passed them, you could clearly see one of them holding his phone up under his arm, trying to be smooth and discreet to take a photo.

Your eyes closed tightly before increasing your pace. It wouldn’t do good to stick around any longer and put up any pretenses that you were tolerating his presence. His unwanted presence. It would do to just get rid of him now. You started running. You couldn’t give him any chance. No chance at all.

You heard him grunt but he didn’t follow you after that. Not that you heard but then again you were deaf and blind. But still, to be on the safe side, you kept up the pace all the way to the gate. But he was waiting for you there. Not at all out of breath or showing any signs of fatigue after surely outsprinting you here.

Damn him.

Damn him and his obvious fit body.

Damn him, his body and whatever it was that had him correctly predict where you would run to.

You stood up fully before stiffly walking to the edge of the street and stopping to face him. He probably cut across the field. Of course he could. After all, he’s a professional soccer player. He probably ran ten kilometers per day. Maybe more. No. Definitely more. It was stupid to think you could escape him by running. So stupid.

With that in mind, you internally cursed yourself as you considered your options but he was already walking toward you. Your breath caught in your throat but your eyes manage to catch his again. His eyes were so scary. The earlier shock had long since dissolved and you just couldn’t get a read on him. He was lost territory that eroded into something that became uncharted. And you did not want to wade through that. Not again.

Without a thought, you started walking toward him too. He paused in his steps as he blinked at you but you kept your eyes on his as you crept closer and closer to him. The distance disappeared and your steps became heavier though you were sure it didn’t show. You wouldn’t let it show.

You walked right up to him and looked up at him in a familiar but unfamiliar manner within a familiar but unfamiliar space. In an unfamiliar but still familiar situation. With unfamiliar but familiar words that were out before you could stop them. And they were true words.

“You’ve worked hard.”

He changed. You saw your words register in his head and his eyes were gone because his head dropped.

Giving a satisfying nod, you edged around him and walked just to the beginning of the gate when you heard his order.

“Stop.”

Your hands clenched as you disobeyed him.

“Wait.”

No. No way.

“Wait.”

You knew he was reaching out to you and you didn’t want him to.

“Mikyung.”

You had never been more aware of the way you walked until now. It had been a while since you’d been so conscious of such a thing and it .

He cut your path off with his towering form as he stood in front of you again. Literally throwing himself out in the open.

“Wait.” He demanded so softly it almost didn’t make it a demand.

But there it was. The one thing you could actually recognize in him. The way he narrowed his eyes in annoyance. With that one innocuous action, a dam broke within you. And it made you confront the fact that you missed him. You missed him and his annoyance.

“No.” Your one word made that annoyance disappear just like that. But it was gone for only a second. In its place, a more developed version took over. One you had been on the receiving end of until you weren’t.

“Why?” He took one step closer to you, but not to intimidate you with his much fuller form. It was so he could hear you, because your voice had lost the gusto that it held minutes earlier.

When all that you could do was blink at him, certain things were forgotten. But you knew you would remember them away from his proximity.

“Why?”

He was asking too much. Never mind the fact that he didn’t always ask you things. But the fact that there had been no contact except his written words made you feel spooked. That didn’t even make sense but then again, nothing was making much sense presently.

“Why?”

He was now asking something different. This one was a loaded one. It was now beyond a simple question.

“Why what?” you asked back. You basically threw the whole situation back in his face. If he was capable of it, he would have had a different reaction than the stoic one he was presenting you with.

“You know why.”

You did know. And it made you both mad and sad that he wasn’t even asking you in the first place. You both knew, then why?

“I do, so?”

He was staring at you with such intensity, it transported you to a different time. But the way the sun was shining on you and the ever present traffic beyond the gate cemented you to the time you were in now. This was a different sun that had shined on you back then. It was different people in different vehicles in that traffic jam. So it should be a different you that stood there. But that also meant it should be a different him standing there with you.

“Mieun.”

Your eyes flashed at that. So dangerously, it sounded out in your voice. “Don’t.” Your teeth gritted in ferocity. “Don’t you dare.”

It was only then did you notice yourself looking up at him. You had walked right up to him in some kind of trance. The Taekwoon induced kind.

He seemed to realize how close you were because his eyes once again changed. And that look made you want to run off again, no matter how fruitless it may prove to be once more.

That one look made you step back and it made him follow you. It was what made Choi Mikyung and Jung Taekwoon notice each other once again.

Longing.

 

 

And there it is! Thanks for continuing to keep up with my irregular updating!