of shared histories

Between Truths
FIVE
of shared histories

"HEY! Good game," Jungkook felt the solid slap on his shoulder as he threw his weight on the bleachers. He felt the guy slam himself on the empty seat next to him. Jungkook threw his head back to chug the water down greedily and managed a, "You too," two hard breaths later.

He towelled off the sweat dripping down his face and neck. It was just practice but no one could ever fault the coach for being intense. You had to give your all for every second your feet touched the grass, or you would be called off the field. With more than a hundred club members and only sixteen spots in the official varsity team, being benched out during practice was common, it was hardly surprising how desperate people wanted to play. Especially now with the seniors graduated and six newly vacant spots. Calling the practice intense might be too underwhelming a description. They had been training for at least three hours every single day—Sunday excluded— since the term started four weeks ago. Jungkook often forgot that it was night right until the field lights were flipped off exactly 15 minutes after practice ended at nine. And suddenly the intensity of the lights and games dispersed, and he had to remember that he had other responsibilities.

"You; 31, come out! 18, in. Now!" The coach bellowed. A boy with the number 18 plastered unforgivably large on his neon green vest rushed towards the edge of the field, jogging on the spot, never staying still while he waited for the swap. It was hard not to imagine the blood roaring in the boy's veins while the adrenaline was still running in Jungkook's own system.

“He’s good,” Jungkook heard the guy next to him comment.

“18? He’s good,” Jungkook agreed.

“Jaehyun,” he said.

“Huh?”

“His name is Jaehyun,” The guy explained.

“Oh,” Jungkook replied lamely.

“He’s a third-year. Used to be my high school classmate, but now he is my senior. Do you think he minds if I drop the formalities?” The boy asked conversationally.

“Were you close?”

“Used to be but two years have passed,” The boy shrugged as if they were talking about something as mundane as the weather.

“What happened?” Jungkook asked before he understood that he was throwing out the question and it honestly surprised him that he was being so conversational and open towards a stranger. 

“Nothing much. I didn’t know what I wanted and decided to serve the country first while I figure things out.”

Jungkook's mind was running havoc in excitement at his confession but all he said was, “You’re a first-year?”

“Yeah.”

“I have a junior that is now a year above me, but we don’t bother with formalities. Jungkook, by the way,” Jungkook did not know when he started being fair. Yet it seemed only fair that he shared something about himself.

“Yugyeom,” The boy offered in return, then asked, “You skipped a year?”

“Two,” Jungkook corrected, “I’ve served in between too,” he added.

“Nice,” Yugyeom offered his fist and Jungkook did not hesitate even briefly before bumping fists with him.

“How old are you?” Jungkook asked.

“23, this year. It’s weird how I was always the youngest around but now I’m older than most in my class.”

“I know what you mean. I’m 23 too this year,” Jungkook smiled brightly, excitement buzzing between them.

“Interested in a spot in the sixteen?” Yugyeom asked, after a few beats of silence as they watched the practice in focus.

“A regular for the varsity team? Who isn’t?” Jungkook replied.

“Heard that the coaches are worried. Six of their best players were seniors last year—they’ve graduated. That’s almost half of the team. They’re the best batch yet. At least that’s what I heard. It’s good for us though, they never had so many vacant spots at one time.”

Jungkook agreed. Then, they settled into a natural silence as they watched the intense game some more when there were sudden sweeping murmurs. It grew with increasing intensity across the bleachers.

“What’s happening? Why are their formation a mess?” Jungkook heard the curious question just as he saw the clean formation of training members of both teams fall away ridiculously quickly.

Jungkook quickly counted heads. There were an extra two. The two boys cut across the field towards the bleachers but not before dabbling the ball into their possession and turning the practice into momentary chaos.

“Oi! Get off the field!” The coach's irate voice boomed from the stand. The green-vested boys on the field visibly flinched although it was obvious that his ire had not been directed at them.

“They’re here,” he heard Yugyeom say.

It was easy to understand who he had meant by the distinctive red and black varsity jackets they snugly had on. The unmistakeable and bold ‘Hanyang’ across the back were even harder to miss. The official football varsity team. They were better known as the Sixteen. It was a jarring difference against the horridly green and tackily neon vests the rest of the boys—Jungkook included—were wearing.

Another group of them walked over, although less dramatically, towards the bleachers. They had quietly made a round on the tartan track around the field instead. They had the same jackets worn or haphazardly slung over their shoulder or arm. Jungkook could not help but noticed that they walked with an air of something big clinging to them. It was not arrogance if you had something to your name. And they did. They were the undefeated football varsity team.  Jungkook doubted anyone minded their brash stride of confidence.

Except maybe the coach. Even now, he looked less than impressed. In fact, he looked ready to kill.  

“Let the boys go, Coach Lee,” An older man in the same party as the rest of the Sixteen told him. Jungkook guessed that he was one of the other coaches, “They’re just excited to be back after the break and last year’s championship.”

“They’re making a circus,” Coach Lee grunted, “They’re sending all the wrong messages to the other boys,” Jungkook read their lips more than he heard their conversation.

“Do you think we get to see them properly play before the try-outs?” Yugyeom asked him.

“To see how good, they are?” Jungkook asked him the rhetorical question back.

“To check how true the rumours are,” Yugyeom confessed.

“I’d say crazy good by the way they’re winning the inter-varsity championship year after year for thirteen years straight,” Jungkook said.

“Ah, that’s why you’re here isn’t it?” Yugyeom pipped.

Jungkook shrugged, “That’s why you’re here too.”

Yugyeom laughed, “I think you got a chance. I saw you play. You’re good.”

“They’ll take in a first-year?” Jungkook was sceptical.

“Make that two. I’m not bad myself,” The boy’s mouth curled in a conspiring smile and Jungkook felt as though they were already friends. In honesty, the thought surprised him. Jungkook could count his friends with a hand. It was not supposed to be this easy to make friends. In his defence, he kept all his friends, unlike those people that make friends as easily as they lose them.  

“Is that all of them?” Jungkook asked. Jungkook counted heads. Nine. He did not know any of them.

“All I know is that if it is then it’s true that there are seven spots this year. Imagine that,” Yugyeom said a bit too excitedly and his excitement rubbed on Jungkook a little.

“Do you know who’ll likely make it to the team?” Jungkook asked.

“Jaehyun,” Yugyeom pointed to a guy with the unaesthetically big ‘18’ plastered on his back just as he was called out from the field, “I think he’s good enough. Plus, I’ve heard his name being thrown around a lot. Mingyu will too. That’s what everyone thinks. He’s the popular one; if you can spot him.”

“That guy?” Jungkook nudged his head towards the neon-vested guy that was comfortably lounging with some of the Sixteen boys. He was also—not coincidentally—the good-looking guy. Him, with his ridiculously perfect swept-up hair. Though, Jungkook mused that it was impossible to achieve such perfection without an uneconomically ridiculous amount of gel and an impractically even more time in front of the mirror. ‘He fit the bill: he looked like the type girls tended to like.’ Girls were ridiculously hard to understand. 

“Yeah,” A guy plopping next to Yugyeom confirmed in between hard breaths. Jungkook recognised him as Jaehyun.

“You’re crazy awesome,” Yugyeom slapped hands and bumped shoulders with him.

“Thanks,” Jaehyun answered simply before rattling off in continuation about Mingyu, “Though it might be for the wrong reasons. Not sure if you heard but Mingyu had made it into the team last year. They considered a few names, but he was chosen in the end. But barely, I heard. And guess what? He was kicked out less than a week later.”

“They can do that?” Jungkook asked.

“Of course, they can. They just never needed to. Because their places in the official team were not secured, those that made the team played better, train harder than the rest. The pressure is real,” Jaehyun explained.

“Isn’t it unfair to decide that he wasn’t good enough in a week?” Yugyeom said a little feelingly.

“…You didn’t hear? He was kicked out because he got a girl pregnant but started rumours about her being a because he didn’t want to be responsible. It wasn’t just any girl,” Jaehyun started.

“Wasn’t any girl?” Jungkook echoed.

“I think I heard a little of it before. She was one of the HLAs, right? Stands for ‘Hanyang Life Ambassadors’ or something,” Yugyeom said.

“Not yet in. She was only running to be in. But it’s the same thing. You don’t mess with the HLAs. Ever. That political or elitist or whatever club. They have strings they can pull that we don’t even know. The thing was…Mingyu was desperate enough and you don’t mess with that kind of people either. It was the worse campus scandal to ever happen. It was messy,” Jaehyun shivered at the memory, “Never mind that they were both crazy popular…And the coach hates drama. Something about being out of focus.”

“And how are they so sure that he’ll make it this year? Are they that desperate?” Yugyeom thought aloud.

“He’s already good to make the team last year. He’s even better this year. I’ve seen him play. And he looks like he got his head screwed on extra straight since then. He’s the most focused player I’ve seen; even more than most of the boys in the varsity team. Even the coaches could see that. They won’t let him go just because he is an irresponsible man when he is such a responsible team player,” Jaehyun shrugged.

“Wow,” Yugyeom whistled at Jaehyun’s crass words.

“Anyway, who’s your friend?” Jaehyun finally asked Yugyeom for an introduction.

“Jungkook. Jaehyun.” He introduced them.

“Hello,” He held out his hand. An easy greeting. An easy offer of a friendship made after careless words, “You don’t seem familiar…a freshman or a sudden interest to play?”

Jungkook took it; his own token at the easy friendship, “A freshman,” Jungkook said.

Jaehyun shifted his attention to Yugyeom, “You’re familiar but it’s like I know nothing about you…so what’s up?”

“I didn’t think you’d find me interesting enough to ask about me,” Yugyeom said, his lips tugging into a crude smile. It was a crass, self-deprecating joke. One that Jungkook would not make to acquaintances, even less to unsure friends. It made him wonder about their friendship.

“You’re the one who didn’t come up to greet me! And you’re the junior.” Jaehyun said defensively.

“You wouldn’t even look in my direction!” Yugyeom said equally defensive.

“What kind of friend went silent for more than a year?” Jaehyun argued in return, then directed his question at Jungkook, “Don’t you agree?”

Jungkook visibly flinched at the words.

“I’ve got a good reason; I’m busy serving the country. And it’s not as if you’ve not been quiet too.”

“True,” Jaehyun conceded.

A pause.

“I’m sorry though,” Jaehyun apologised, “Whatever it was, I should have come up to greet you first.”

“Treat me to a meal. We’ll call it even then,” Yugyeom said.

Jungkook watched the exchange, wondering if it had always been this easy to thaw off time and distance between estranged people.


 
                    
 
A/N
I just want to end off by acknowledging that I know this a challenging time. I want to be thankful that I am well and am given the time and freedom to continue writing this story. I want to capture it as beautifully as I see it in my head. That is not always possible and a lot of time the words I write fall short of what I wanted them to be. But here it is...an update, finally.   I hope that this could give some comfort to you readers amidst all the woes and stress of the situation. Stay happy and stay happy.  p.s: Before you go, please press that subscribe button, drop by to say 'hi' with comments and leave that precious upvotes at my doorstep. It's my joy in life and I appreciate it. More than you can imagine.  ^.^
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Tokwa2x
#1
Chapter 16: I've read the A/N.. (*´ω`*)..
Thanks for the shoutout.
Welcome back!! Bui bui bui bui!!! Worth the wait.
Tokwa2x
#2
Chapter 15: I changed phone so i came back late. Sorry. Thank god i still remember this story. Tho I don't mind rereading this but I'm kinda busy and just found some time to rest and check this site again. I actually picked up until where my last comment at. So i read the chapters again in one sitting. Anyways, mhm, this is getting deeper. I enjoyed this.
Hope you had a wonderful day everyday . Stay awesome. Stay healthy. (*˘︶˘*).。.:*♡
Hanyeon01Lover
#3
Chapter 6: Wow the chapter is amazing but i think dahyun isn't trying to show him that she really loves him so that why she used another name reffeeing ro him
Hanyeon01Lover
#4
Chapter 5: Thank you authornim for the update the chapter was good but what i didn't get is that yein called JK just because her mom fell and she didn't know what to do that a little selfish reason because we all know that you need to call ambulance but you could said that she called him for comfort
Tokwa2x
#5
Chapter 6: Done reading in one sitting. Just found this now and i got curious.. it’s been months tho but I’ll wait.
mateus_levi #6
Chapter 6: yes!!! progress!! i thought that confession was real for a moment lol jungkook is smarter than me. i’m feeling bad for him right now but hopefully it’ll all work out. congrats for another great chapter!
mateus_levi #7
Chapter 5: probably my favorite story in this website. I thought jungkook and dahyun would finally interact with how the start of the chapter went and boy I was not prepared to deal with all that happened after. I hope Jungkook can make it up to Yugyeom, even if I don't know if it's possible now that they're caught up in a lie... anyway, I'm excited to see what's gonna happen!
louieistrash #8
Chapter 5: Thank you so much for updating! I got really excited when I see that updated tag. I hope you can write more about the progress between Jungkook and Dahyun. Thank you!
mateus_levi #9
Chapter 4: always glad to see this updated!! this is very well written and I'm glad to see you back. nice to see jungkook making friends, and i'm giddy at him and dahyun maybe-finally-why-not getting to actually know more about each other with this new routine.
Hanyeon01Lover
#10
Chapter 4: Wow i'm really excited how will jungkook notice dahyun