Chapter 08 • An Yujin and Jang Wonyoung

“Wonyoung, are you sure the doctor already allowed you to play?” An Yujin asked Jang Wonyoung who was putting three days worth of training clothes on her duffle bag, she was off to hang them on her locker in the gym so she won't have to bring a lot of things everyday, just her shoes. The doctor said I shouldn't play for a month. But I can't just sit there doing nothing. The Compass Tournament is coming, and before that we have the Compass Training Camp in a few days. Wonyoung thought as she looked at Yujin before answering.

“Yeah, the doctor said I'm good to go, but I shouldn't push it—” Yujin forced her to sit on her bed.

“Wonyoung, tell me the truth.” Yujin was holding her down with her hands on her shoulders.

“The doctor said I'll be okay—”

Yujin grabbed her wrists and pinned her down on her bed. “Is that the truth I was asking for? Isn't that a lie?” She was on top of Wonyoung. Wonyoung tried to free herself but Yujin was stronger.

“Yujin! I'm telling the truth! Now let me go!” She tried fighting her off, Yujin noticed how Wonyoung wasn't using her right hand, just her left.

“I see.” Yujin released her grip on Wonyoung's wrists. “If that's how you want to play it, then fine. I wouldn't be liable if something happens to you and your right hand before the Compass Tournament.” Yujin added. She grabbed her bag on her bed. Before leaving the room, she turned and looked at Wonyoung who sat at the bed, fixing her training clothes and socks.

“Just be careful and take care of yourself. Don't hesitate to call me if you know you can't take a pass with a certain strength. That's all.” she left the room.

Wonyoung looked at Yujin's back as she closed the door. She slowly touched her lips with her left hand. She just smiled. Why does Yujin care alot about me? Does she like me? No, that can't be. Maybe she's just that cheesy, Wonyoung. Don't trust the players. She thought to herself, before she knew it, she was already blushing. Wonyoung chuckled as she closed her bag and carried it on her shoulder. Maybe she doesn't really remember what happened that night, of course, she was drunk. She was surprised when she closed the door, everyone has left, except for Hitomi and Yujin.

Yujin offered to carry her duffle bag, Wonyoung politely declined a few times, but soon Yujin got to carry it. She was quiet the whole time on their way to school, Wonyoung and Hitomi were the only ones having a conversation. To the passerbys, it looked almost like Yujin was a slave, since she carries two duffle bags.

When could I tell Minjoo that… I don't like her anymore? When is the right time? Yujin was deeply in thought as she continued to walk inside the schoolgates. She remembered that time during their barbecue party five days ago.

They were outside the house, they decided to be the last ones to enter. As soon as Nako went inside, with Eunbi getting carried by Yena on her arms, Minjoo immediately hugged Yujin, she missed her so much. They've not met for a few weeks straight, it was as if they've been on a cool off or something—but it was just Yujin telling her that she's busy or she has a lot to do. In truth, Yujin really didn't know what to do, those days are the days she's been debating with herself whether or not what she feels for Wonyoung is really love, not an infatuation. An Yujin knew that even if she meets with Minjoo on their secret meetings, she might accidentally think about Wonyoung in their time together, and she can't do that, it's cheating.

“Yujin, I missed you.” With her face buried on her right shoulder, she kept on saying it a few times more.

“Yeah, I missed you too.” She caressed her hair and hugged her back. “Shall we go back inside?” Yujin initiated.

Minjoo shook her head, her face still on Yujin's shoulder. “I want to stay like this longer.” She said.

Yujin sighed. “Minjoo, if I were to break up with you because I already fell in love with another girl, what would you do?” She asked.

“I will try to surpass that girl, and make sure you'll fall in love with me again.” Minjoo said, her hug becoming tighter, and her face even going deeper on her shoulder.

“Of course, you just won't hand me that easy to anyone else.” Yujin forced a smile though she knew that Minjoo wouldn't even be able to see that look on her face. “That's why I love you.” Yujin said as she lifted Minjoo's face and brushed her hair back on her ears.

“So you aren't breaking up with me?” Minjoo asked, looking right into Yujin's eyes.

“No, of course. You're the only one I'm going to date.” Yujin felt herself being on quota for lying, she remembered she just went on a date with Hitomi a week ago, though she left her in the middle of that date because something happened on her family and she had to go back to her parents’ house that day.

“I love you Yujin.” Minjoo hugged her again.

“I…” she paused. Am I really doing this? I've done this a few times before. Why do I feel like I'm doing something bad for the first time? “I love you too, Kim Minjoo.” She continued and hugged her back tighter.

“Two-on-two! An Yujin, and Jo Yuri. Jang Wonyoung, and Honda Hitomi. Choi Yena, referee.” Kaeun said as she whistled. Yena also whistled when she threw the ball upwards. Damn it, why didn't the coach pair me with Wonyoung?! Maybe because of our height. Ugh, this is so annoying! Yujin thought as she aggressively took the ball away from Wonyoung. She had the ball passed to her again from Yuri who was acting as a Point Guard.

Yujin immediately dunked the ball without hesitating.

Yujin's kinda aggressive today. Did something happen between her and Wonyoung? She's been stealing the ball before Hitomi could even make a pass. Yuri thought as she dribbled the ball and accidentally passed it to Wonyoung. “I slipped!” Her pass was quite solid, Yujin's eyes widened from the opposite side of the court. She won't make it even if she runs her fastest. She thought for a short while that she had an eye contact with Wonyoung, who just smiled at her.

Wonyoung received the ball with her left hand, she ran towards the center line to make her three-point shot. It went in, and they got their first points.

Kaeun whistled to stop the game.

“Girls, come here for a bit.”

Kaeun grabbed Wonyoung's right hand, she then sighed after feeling it for a bit. “Huh Yunjin, you're going to be the starting center in the Compass Tournament. Starting tomorrow you're training with them.” Kaeun typed on her tablet. “Jang Wonyoung, rest. You don't have to come to the trainings, I'm also going to talk to the head if we could give you another activity equivalent to the next week's training camp.” She said while typing another batch on her tablet.

“Coach, why? What's wrong with Wonyoung?” Yuri asked.

“Have you seen the shot she made earlier? You saw it move around the hoop before going in, right? That isn't as strong as her previous shots. Her hand isn't healed yet.” Kaeun explained.

“Coach! Maybe you can reconsider? Her shot still went in, right?!” Yujin pleaded. Yes, I'm doing anything just to play with that girl. Yujin thought to herself as she stood closer to their coach. “It rolled around the hoop, it means that it won't surely go in.” Kaeun answered Yujin without thinking twice.

“Yujin, I'm alright. You don't have to do that. I'll go home and rest. Thanks coach.” Wonyoung ran towards the changing room.

“Coach, maybe you can put her in the game… even just a substitution player…” Yujin's hands balled into fists.

Kaeun sighed. “Okay, I'll put her as a substitution player.” She typed on her tablet again.

Yujin immediately went to the changing room.

“Wonyoung, why'd you just leave like that?” Yujin locked the door and sat beside Wonyoung who was curled up at at the corner of the room. “What do you want to do?” Yujin asked, she opened the can of energy drink she got from her locker.

“I want to play at the tournament.” Wonyoung mumbled.

“I got Coach to put you as a substitution player.” Yujin patted Wonyoung's head, she later heard weird sniffing. “What?! Are you crying?!” She hugged Wonyoung. Thank you, Yujin. Wonyoung thought to herself, she said it on her mind as if saying it to Yujin.

I think, I really got to experience love at first sight with this girl. She's very different to the other girls I've flirted with. She's got the charm of a queen. Yujin caressed the younger girl's back, calming her down. “Wonyoungie! Let's eat burgers after training tomorrow!” She hugged her tight, she was waiting for her answer.

“I'll get fat.” She answered.

“Just tomorrow please~”

“Okay, I'll go.” Wonyoung smiled at Yujin.

Yena just finished taking a shower when she saw her phone ringing. She was surprised to see the name Coach Kwon Eunbi on the screen. There has been 18 missed calls. Wow, she took down aunt Jo's missed call record. She answered it before leaving the shower room.

“Hello?”

“Hi Yena. Can we meet tonight?”

“Uhm, I can't really do that. I'm dating Yuri now.”

“Let's just talk for a bit.”

I might as well agree, we didn't have a proper closure to be honest. It's time to end this relationship. “Yeah, I'll go. But not now, I'll leave once Yuri's asleep. See ya.” Yena pressed the red button and went out of the shower.

“Where're you going?” Chaewon asked as she placed the campus newspaper she was reading down. She has just finished her late night training with Eunbi, she was still on her oversized white shirt, and small short shorts.

“I'm going out to meet Yena.” Eunbi said as she grabbed the jacket hang on the coat hanger. Chaewon clicked her tongue and stood up, she walked towards the girl who was ready to leave and grabbed her left wrist with her right hand. “Hey.” She mumbled.

“What?” Eunbi raised her brow at her.

“Why do you even still try to go after someone who doesn't even like you? I thought you told her you'll be fine after you broke up?” Chaewon said, still with her grip tightened on Eunbi's wrist.

“What if I lied? I lied because I wanted to look strong in front of her? Anyone wouldn't want to look weak in front of the person they like.” Eunbi tried to free herself from Chaewon's grip.

She remembered that something like this happened before. Back when Eunbi told her she won't be coaching her anymore because they lost to South High when she was in her high school freshman year, Chaewon also grabbed on her wrist before while trying to convince her that she'll win next time. It was funny. She herself didn't even get to play in the Nationals and win the Compass Tournament when she was in high school, those three years, she and her teammates would always end up in the second place of Compass Tournament. Still, Eunbi left her despite knowing that fact.

“Of course, I'd still go after her. I love her.” Eunbi explained. “Now let me go.” But Chaewon's grip wasn't as weak as her grip a few years ago, despite Eunbi's strong and forceful movements, she still isn't loosening her grip.

“Are you really that hungry for someone who'll love you?” Chaewon asked again, her voice was shaking.

“Yes I am. I want Yena, she's the only person who loved me like that. She respects me, she… she… makes sure that no other person would look at me the way she doesn't want… She was the best girl you could date.” Eunbi explained, she was smiling. Chaewon wanted to wipe that smile off her face, but she knew she can't since Yena was the reason for her smiles.

“I… ugh… Why don't you look around you? There are other people who could love you like how she loved you! They can probably do even better than her!” Her grip was slowly loosening. “Like… Like me!” she pointed at herself.