Seokeoseu

————————  

[From: Chaeyoung 01:32PM]

I’m here at the venue.

[To: Chaeyoung 01:34PM]

I’m not. HAHAHAHA

[From: Chaeyoung 01:35PM]

Hard not to notice. Lol. Where are you, head?

[To: Chaeyoung 01:36]

Bus. Kinda traffic. You know how it is.

[From: Chaeyoung 01:37]

Faster. They’re warming up already.

[To: Chaeyoung 01:38]

I can’t make this damned bus fly, bird brain.

Tzuyu locked her phone and slid it inside her bag. She stared at the falling rain and watched every face of the people they pass by. She smiled to herself, excited to see her juniors, who are now seniors. She must admit, it’s been a long time since she last saw the girls. The last time she saw them was when she was still a student. It’s been months. Tzuyu actually misses playing with the team. She misses the pain of receiving hard spiked hits and the bruises on her hips, elbows, thighs, and knees. But honestly, she just misses the happiness volleyball brings.

She went down the bus and paid for her ticket. Tzuyu even chatted with the ticket seller since she knew the lady. That same lady was the ticket seller ever since she was a first year, now she’s already a graduate. Tzuyu looked around the venue, looking for Chaeng. She found Momo’s mom sitting behind the bleachers. She skipped her way there and hugged the old lady, “Mama Hirai!” she squealed. Mrs. Hirai hugged her too. Then she turned to Chaeng and hugged her best friend.

“You’re late,” Tzuyu smirked and shrugged. The game has already started. She settled on the vacant seat beside Mrs. Hirai and then watched her babies (juniors) play their hearts out.

“Psst,” she looked at Chaeyoung, who was in front of her, and raised her eyebrow. “Someone’s looking at you,” the shorter girl pointed somewhere. Tzuyu followed Chae’s line of sight and saw a familiar set of eyes. The same black orbs that used to .

Nayeon.

She turned her gaze back to the court, focusing on the game. Tzuyu felt her heart race a little bit. She’s supposed to be over Nayeon now. It’s been months since they last saw each other. Nothing much happened after they met at the game before. Tzuyu waited for Nayeon to make a move but the older didn’t so she just took it as a sign that they’ll just remain that way. As a normal former player and coach. Nothing more, nothing less.

Seven months is a long time for someone. And for Tzuyu who struggled her way out of college, the past seven months were hell. Before she could even get a hold of her diploma, Satan decided to toy with her and make sure she’ll leave their school with almost nothing. The perfect grades, no lower than one point seven, the student-athlete image she maintained, the student leader she had become throughout the years of hard work, all those awards she was supposed to receive were stripped off of her. She walked out of the school with nothing but her diploma because the school decided to be a devil’s incarnate and do her dirty.

After a series of breakdowns starting October up until May, Tzuyu remained her stoic image around the campus. Never did her friends witness her cry. They all think she’s chill and all but no. When she comes home at night, she bites her own lip and swallows every sob, just so she won’t wake her parents up. The only thing she wanted to give her parents, the award she was supposed to have, was taken away from her. All because the school had to cover up for their professor’s mistake. Tzuyu was used as a scapegoat, something she did not deserve. She did try to complain but did not progress. It was a week before graduation, Tzuyu went home to her parents and broke down, crying and begging for their forgiveness. It broke Tzuyu to tell her parents that she won’t be receiving the award she promised them. But her mother didn’t care much about rewards. Instead, Mrs. Chou just hugged her child, cradled her like an infant until Tzuyu fell asleep.

It was hard. Harder than anything Tzuyu had ever experienced. Imagine all the hard work she put in. The sleepless nights, countless cups of coffees, even the infinite gallons of energy drinks, all those were thrown out the window.

But her mother told her one thing: You graduated, that