a/n: unedited once again. ya'll already know, annnnd there's a smidge of , not too much. it's still developing. enjoy~

Unlike other sport games that we've prepared this year, this sport especially will consist more of enjoying nature rather than racing with an opponent. 

It's been so long since she's been out on open water. Last time Mina was out on open water was during her birthday on a huge cruise her dad had bought for her. A lot comes with the pressure of being the richest student in the district and on top of that, having the burden of staying on top of her grades as she juggles her favorite past time, artistry.

Mina listens well to Hanbin as he reads off partners from opposite teams. Even if they're not racing one another, splitting into teams still kind of sounds contrary. 

Last but not least, Myoui Mina. Your partner will be Minatozaki Sana. That's all. Please find your partner and grab a 2-person tandem kayak and enjoy the ride. There will be camp instructors at each checkpoint in case you and your partner get lost along the way.

Mina looked around the field as she finished hearing Hanbin speak his instructions. Everyone was twirling and pointing to their names on the back of their tracksuits to figure out who's partners with who. Mina on the other hand, stood still, hands folding shyly in front of her. 

Dahyun had realized this and excused herself from her partner. "Excuse me for a moment, I'll be right back. Go ahead and choose a kayak first, I'll meet you there." 

Dahyun's partner nodded his head as he walked towards the lake front, grabbing a green kayak after putting on his safety gear. 

"Who's your partner?" Dahyun asked, rubbing Mina's back for a brief moment. There was no surprise that she shuddered from the touch. 

"Oh, someone named Minatozaki Sana. I don't see her anywhere though." Dahyun's eyes widened hearing the familiar name escape from Mina's lips. Sana?

"Sana's your partner?" Mina nodded at the younger's question. She observed how the blonde's eyes faltered away from hers as it hits the ground. Dahyun looked around for a purple/yellow tracksuit and someone who has long wavy, brown hair. 

"I actually don't see her either. Maybe she called out sick or somethi-" 

"SORRY I'M LATE MR. KIM I COULDN'T FIND MY TRACKSUIT." Sana approached Hanbin panting out of breath, sweat beads forming right on the upper parts of her temples. Dahyun smiled and pointed Sana out with her thumb. 

"That's your girl." 

Mina looked at Sana from where she stood. The girl looked oddly familiar. Ahhh, she was playing soccer yesterday against their school. 

Hanbin looked at his clipboard and searched for Mina, knowing she was in his class that he was chaperoning.

"She's right over there, in the pink and white tracksuit." Mina broke out a soft smile, inviting the taller girl towards her. Wow, she's pretty.

"Hi! Mr. Kim told me that you were my partner for this sport today, nice to meet you, I'm Sana." Sana introduced, reaching her hand out for Mina to shake. Her voice sounds familiar too, where has she heard it before? 

"Mina." 

Sana felt Mina return her handshake softly and ushered them both towards the lake front where everyone has grabbed a kayak and have already made their way down the lake with happy faces and fits of laughter here and there. They're probably trying out this new sport for the first time.

"Is it your first time as well?" Sana initiated, not knowing who she's talking to just yet. It's not like Mina knew either but something drew her to Sana, and she doesn't know why but she's still going to keep her distance for now. Mina listened as Sana spoke. 

"Don't talk much huh? Well, we don't really need to for this sport. I heard from Mr. Kim it's more so, enjoying the scenery and nature itself. No headbutting in any way." 

Mina nodded her head and turned to her side when one of the camping instructors nudged her to put on her lifejacket. "Ah, thank you." Mina spread her arms so the instructor had an easier time helping her out. 

"Can you swim?" Sana asked, pushing the kayak outwards towards the open water. Mina nodded. "Okay, here hop on in." 

Sana sat in the back so Mina could sit in the front, having a better balance for the kayak.. putting them in a less dangerous situation if anything happens where they'll tip over and such. 

Off they went, paddling with the kayak paddle. They both got a hang of how to maneuver themselves down the lake. Just like what Sana said prior, they didn't really have the need to talk and just enjoyed what nature offered but something was itching Mina's curiosity. 

Remembering now, when she was in her room yesterday afternoon she heard two voices talking to Dahyun. She was sure that Sana's voice was one of the two who she heard. It wouldn't hurt to ask right? She wasn't stepping any boundaries. As far as she knew, it was just a curiosity. 

"Do you know Kim Dahyun?" Mina asked a little louder than her normal voice. Having no echo or vocals bouncing off four walls of a location, she spoke a little louder than usual. 

Sana tilted her head as she kept paddling, "What did you say?" 

"Kim Dahyun. Do you know her?" 

It'll be weirder if she didn't. I mean who doesn't know her?

"Yeah, Seacoast's legendary ace, everyone in our district knows her." Sana replied, stopping her paddling as she sees the momentum of the craft glide peacefully through the still water. 

"I meant like do you know her personally?" Sana was taken aback, why does this girl want to know about her relations with Dahyun? Then it clicked. 

The first thought that flashed Sana's mind was, this girl was trying to scout out her competition and Sana wasn't having it. Mina turned around very quickly, seeing how she was responded with silence.

"Excuse me, did you hear me?" Mina asked over her shoulder. Sana cracked her neck, moving it side to side with a cocky smile. Another competitor she had to eliminate. 

"Yeah, I know her personally. We talk. Why does it matter to you if we're friends or not?" Sana snapped, seeing how Mina didn't respond or react in any way she patted herself on the back, taking this attack as a win for her. 

"She's my best friend." 

Sana froze at the news, best friend? Mina held the paddle in front of her and confessed to Sana. "I thought I heard your voice yesterday along with one other person and I wasn't sure, so I asked if you knew her. I didn't want to be mistakened." 

Sana cleared as her pupils shook uncontrollably. Stop making a fool out of yourself, Sana. 

"Well, I d-did see her yesterday. Did you hear our conversation with Dahyun?" 

Mina nodded her head as she took the paddle and pushed it against the still water, pushing forward into the lake trail. They passed one checkpoint seeing how there was a camping instructor in the open water in a kayak of their own. 

"Briefly. I only heard someone say goodbye to her." It was Sana's voice she heard. 

"Ah, that was me. Things got a little heated so I decided to leave at that." Sana replied, remembering yesterday's scene. Mina sighed out and outright asked Sana a question that caught her off guard. 

"Do you like her? Dahyun?" 

Sana was more than happy that she sat in the back of the craft because that alone made Sana so shocked that she couldn't control her face expressions. 

"Who doesn't? She's a person who everyone wants to be friends wit-"

"You know what I meant." 

Sana felt herself getting cornered by the way Mina was interrogating her. She decided to put up a front. "What does it have to do with you?" 

Mina turned around passed her shoulders and replied, "You're not in the situation to ask me that." Sana scoffed at the younger's reply. The nerve this girl got. 

"And who are you to tell me that I have to answer all your questions?" 

Mina bit her tongue. She realized just now that the hard pang in her chest and the blood rushing all to her face, making her face all red and flushed, can only mean one thing. Mina's jealous. And she doesn't get jealous. Never. 

"Then don't. Just remember who you're talking to." Mina threatened. Sana scoffed, is this girl trying to provoke her feelings about Dahyun? 

"I do. Knowing who you are to Dahyun doesn't faze me. It should honestly scare you more, knowing that you can't be anything more to her." Sana's words rolled off her tongue. Before she could take it back, the damage was done. 

All the pented up feelings towards the girl in front of her was released and she had no way of taking it back. ", wait. I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." 

"But you did." Mina laughed out. More like forced a scoff actually, as she poked her tongue on the inside of her cheek. "I know you meant it. That's why you said it." 

Sana stayed mum. 

"But I don't blame a word you said. There's no way around it, I'm just someone who she sees as a friend. Nothing more, nothing less." 

Sana, out of nowhere, felt bad for the girl yet she feels relieved knowing it's one less person to deal with. But still, the situation itself seems pretty sad to think about from her point of view. She couldn't get a word out, she just listened. 

"I probably sound so pathetic right now." Mina scoffed out, before looking up at the clear, blue sky. 

"The day goes on, life goes on. And being the person who she wants to run to when she needs an outlet is what she wants from me, then so be it. I would rather be that than nothing to her." 

Sana was wondering why Mina was telling her all this when it wasn't even less than a minute ago they were going at each other's throats. 

"You must be wondering why I'm telling you all this, out of all people." 

Sana wanted to know why too. Mina looked past her shoulder. "If you really know her as much as I do, then you'll know she's a people pleaser, or at least you can tell. She's a kind soul with a kinder heart. But for some reason she came to me yesterday, all stressed out after your conversation in the lobby of our cabin. I couldn't help but wonder why." 

Sana looked at the back of Mina's head as it droops down.

How can someone's back look so sad? 

"Why do you affect her in such a way that I can't?" Mina let out, sniffling. Sana was taken aback from the sudden statement. Still, she lunged forward trying to reach out and pat the girl's back in a comforting manner.

The next thing she knew, the weight of Sana's thighs were unbalanced and she accidentally flipped the kayak over. In goes Mina and Sana, submerged in the cold lake. Mina and Sana stood up on their feet as they felt their lifejackets hover them up above the water.

Mina huffed out air from , creating some mist as she brushes her long hair backwards, her bangs now out of her way. "How did you even tip the whole thing over when your legs are perfectly laid out in front of you?" 

Sana giggled at the sight of a drenched Mina, "I guess I got tired of sitting." Mina annoyingly huffed out a puff of hair as she tried to flip the kayak over. Sana tried her hardest to push it back so it can roll over to the right side up. 

Successfully doing so, Sana held the kayak down as Mina got in first. Thank goodness no excess of water didn't go inside as much. It's still going to be a wet ride home though.

They were almost at the finish line, the trail consisted of a round trip of a circle in the lake. Greens on one side and the lake front on the other. It's a safe area to be kayaking in.

The ride back was chilly and quiet. They didn't get to finish their conversation formally but the message definitely got across. Mina has fallen for the younger and cannot obtain her attention in the way Sana potentially can.