The crowd roared as Jeno made another layup, scoring the team another point. It was only 10 minutes since the game had started but both teams were neck and neck with each other. Currently, our school has 12 points while the opposing team has 10. For the past 10 minutes though the ball was going back and forth between the two teams. Shoes continued to squeak against the wood floors.

“Square!” Jeno called out, “I said square!” he beckoned at his teammates as he held onto the basketball for another second before chest passing it. The teammate ran it down the court with his long strides before passing it back to Jeno who passed it to a person on his left that then passed it to another teammate standing in front of the net and scoring. All of it happening quickly.

“Run it down!” Jaemin yelled as his teammate had the basketball. Without hesitating his teammate quickly ran down the court and passed it to him so that he could score. The school in the opposite stand cheered as he did.

The game was fast-paced and even though students were cheering, most of us were too focused on both teams that we forgot to cheer at times. Now Jeno had the ball and was faced in front of Jaemin, the two of them intensely staring at each other as Jaemin held both of his arms out wide, blocking Jeno from passing the ball. As soon as the buzzer hit 0 it sounded, but the referee blew his whistle to break up the two boys up who didn’t seem to hear the buzzer. Jeno dropped the ball and glared at Jaemin, shoving against his shoulder as he walked past him and to the benches to grab water.

“Tch, did you see that?” Eunah asked.

“Yea, what was that about?” Donghae asked.

I shrugged my shoulders.

As the basketball team was huddling around the coach at the bench drinking water and wiping off their sweat with towels, Haechan looked up and waved at our direction.

“Ah how great,” Eunah sarcastically said.

Haechan continued waving at us, garnering attention as he did, then he stopped for a second to nudge Jeno who was standing next to him. Jeno looked up at us with a blank stare. I held up a fist to say fighting, not realizing I still had the pom pom in my hand. Jeno merely looked down afterward and continued to wipe the sweat from his face. Haechan saw and gave a fist back and smiled at us once more before focusing on what the coach was saying.

All the boys nodded in unison as the coach drew on his whiteboard. The scoreboard buzzed signaling the end of the break. The boys threw their towels back onto the bench and made their way back to the court. The game continued with the two teams constantly tied to one another.

Halftime came and the cheerleaders made their way to the court as the basketball teams went to their respective benches.

“Hyeri!” Jaemin ran across the court and waited at the edge of the stands, motioning for me to come. “Hyeri!” he kept calling my name, not caring about the attention he was attracting. Our basketball team as well as his was looking over, not the mention the students in the stands that were beginning to turn around to see who he was calling for.

“Excuse me,” I pushed past people so that I could stand in front of him.

“Hold onto this for me okay?” he held out his towel that he just used and flashed me a smile.

“What?” I grabbed the towel from him.

“I’ll see you after the game okay? Bye!” he waved as he ran across the court and back to his teammates where his coach lectured him for leaving all of a sudden.

“What was that about?” Eunah asked as I climbed back up the bleachers.

Being at a loss for words I shrugged my shoulders.

“Oh great,” Eunah elbowed me and nodded towards the benches. Looking down, Jeno was glaring at our direction. His fangirls saw him looking over at the bleachers and began swooning, holding up their posters for him to see. He stared at us for a while before turning back to watch the cheerleaders perform.

After the cheerleaders and drill team performed, the band performed a few songs, the principal greeted the two basketball teams to the court once again.

Jeno and Jaemin stood face to face at the center of the court, the referee in between them.

“Clean slate boys,” the referee blew his whistle and threw the ball in the air. The two boys jumped up at the same time, arms stretched out. By his fingertips, Jeno managed to acquire the ball and shoved Jaemin in the shoulder with enough force for him to fall onto his back before bolting down the court.

Phew!

The referee blew his whistle, shaking his head.

Everyone stopped where they were and the crowd began booing. Jeno turned to his coach who had his head in his hand, shaking his head.

The game continued with Jeno being more aggressive than during the first half, or at least when he was against Jaemin.

Phew!

The referee blew his whistle at Jeno once more.

“Jeno calm down!” Haechan screamed at him.

“I’m fine!” Jeno shoved past Haechan.

Haechan grabbed Jeno by the shoulder, “No you’re not! You need to tone it down before Coach takes you out!” 

“I’m fine!” Jeno forcefully brushed off Haechan’s hand.

It wasn’t long after that the referee blew his whistle on Jeno for shoving Jaemin too hard again.

At the benches the coach was standing up, he circled his arms around one another, signaling that he was going to sub someone out.

“Jeno off the court!” he shouted.

The stands erupted into boos as soon as they heard what the coach had just announced. A player from the bench stood up, taking off his yellow sweatshirt and handed it to Jeno who was on his way off the court. The coach put a hand on Jeno’s back, leading him to the bench. The referee blew the whistle to start the game again. The game continued with Haechan calling out the shots and formations. The score continued to go back and forth between the two teams.

The stands went quiet as the two teams were fighting for control for the ball and for the last few points. Both teams were at 73 points.

“Jolly! Jolly!” Haechan shouted as one of his teammates quickly passed him the ball and without hesitating, he threw it from halfcourt, just in time as the buzzer went off. The crowd erupted into cheers and his teammates all ran to him pulling him into a hug.

“Here,” Eunah held out a water bottle to me after the crowd had begun to die down and students were beginning to leave.

“What? Oh no, it’s okay I’m not thirsty,” I reassured her.

“No,” she shook her head, “Go give it to him,” she motioned over to where the basketball team was.

I smiled at her and took the water bottle, “Thanks.”

“We’ll wait for you at the front!” she called.

I stood outside the gym doors waiting for Jeno. I waited there for quite a while until he and his whole team came out of the locker room.

As soon as I saw him I waved to Jeno. Haechan who was walking next to him waved at me before elbowing Jeno. His whole team walked by me, not sparing a single glance.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Haechan waved at both Jeno and I.

Jeno now stood in front of me.

“Great game today,” I held out the water bottle to him.

He adjusted his duffle bag around his shoulder and took the water bottle, “Thanks. I’ll walk you out,” he turned and started walking towards the exit. The two of us walked in silence.

“Hyeri!” Donghae called out as he and Eunah waved for my attention as soon as Jeno and I got near the front entrance.

“I’ll see you later?” I smiled at him.

“Uhm,” he nodded.

“Did you two talk?” Eunah asked when we were a safe distance away from him.

My shoulders deflated as I shook my head.

She sighed, “Told you not to expect anything out of him. Come on,” she slung an arm around my shoulder.”