CH. II

 

‘Number 4 is kind of terrible, do we have to let them onto the team?’ 

 

‘I’m sure Captain Yujin won’t let her on.’ 

 

‘Yeah, she has like, no control, she just smacks the ball whereover. I’m scared she’s going to knock someone out.’ 

 

A week has passed since the first day of school and Yujin was holding tryouts for the volleyball team. For reasons unbeknownst to the school, volleyball, soccer and softball seemed to have high attendance rates for tryouts. 

 

Who were we kidding, everybody knew the reason why. 

 

The downside of having so many people watching was that it added extra pressure onto the people who actually wanted to tryout. Also, there were many people there who had no skill in sports whatsoever, they were just hoping that maybe they could get close to to the cute captain. 

 

‘Number 6 is really tall and she moves pretty well, we could definitely use someone like her.’ 

 

Yujin hummed. 

 

‘Number 11 is super agile, though. She has really good reflexes.’ 

 

‘Honestly, just bring them both in and we should just send Number 4 home. Poor girl was already struggling with the warmups.’

 

Her team started laughing at that last comment and Yujin couldn’t take it anymore. 

 

‘That’s enough, you guys.’ Yujin turned to her teammates. Yujin was always a jokester, cracking light hearted jokes and always smiling. But it was times like this where she had to be serious. ‘I’m the captain here, and at the end of the day I’m the one who calls the shots. I’m the one who says who makes it to the team or not and I’m the one who chooses whether to send people home.’ 

 

Her teammates looked down. 

 

‘Sorry, captain.’ 

 

Yujin just waved her hand in dismissal, softening her gaze towards them. ‘Just go set up the target drill.’ 

 

Her assistants nodded and scurried off to do as they were told. Yujin sighed and clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. 

 

‘Okay, guys. We’re going to start a drill. We just want to see how accurately you can serve the volleyball. Remember, the techniques that we showed you during the warmup.’ 

 

She watched as her teammates lined everyone up into two groups. 

 

‘Group one? You guys ready?’ 

 

‘Yes, captain!’ 

 

‘Set and hit!’ 

 

She watched as the volleyballs went flying into the air, some hitting the target and others narrowly missing. Yujin nodded to herself. 

 

‘Great job, guys.’ Yujin said. Group two? You guys ready?’ 

 

‘Yes, captain!’ 

 

‘Set and hit!’ 

 

Group two were fairly similar to group one. Some had good technique but no power whatsoever while some had no power but great technique. But there was one girl in particular who seemed to have none of them. 

 

Yujin watched as the tall Number 6 jeered at Number 4, who had swung at the ball but missed it completely, the ball falling and hitting her face. 

 

‘Oh my God,’ Number 6 held her stomach from laughing too much, prompting everyone around her to laugh too. ‘That tiny freshman hasn’t done anything right this entire practice.’ 

 

‘Ya!’ Number 4 said, tears threatening to escape her eyes. ‘I heard that. No need to be so rude about it.’ 

 

Number 6 rolled her eyes. ‘Grow up.’ 

 

Number 6 eyed the freshman up and down. 

 

‘In more ways than one. Why are you even trying out for volleyball? You’re like the size of a rat.’ 

 

Number 6 started laughing again and turned around to grab her drink bottle. 

 

To Yujin, it all happened in slow motion. Number 4 picked up the volleyball that she failed to hit before and threw it in the air, bringing her hand back to prepare for the shot. From the looks of it, she looked like she wasn’t doing any holding back. 

 

But Yujin could see where it was going. Just by looking at the angle of the girl’s body and seeing the way her eyes were focused on the volleyball instead of where she was going to hit it, Yujin could predict that the ball wasn’t going to go in Number 11’s direction. 

 

Number 4 hit the volleyball and Yujin was right, it was nowhere near Number 11 and was now hurtling towards an unsuspecting girl. 

 

‘Wonyoung! Watch out!’ 

 

The cheerleader turned around to see a volleyball hurtling towards her at full speed and all she could do was close her eyes and brace for the impact. 

 

Except, the impact never came. 

 

When she opened her eyes she could see the volleyball was right in front of her face, but was being held by a pair of hands. 

 

‘You okay?’ 

 

Wonyoung turned to see none other than Ahn Yujin with slightly flushed cheeks, probably from running over to her in order to catch the volleyball. 

 

Wonyoung nodded. 

 

‘Sorry about that.’ Yujin said. 

 

Wonyoung was just about to thank her when Yujin flashed her that annoying smile (the same one that everyone else would fall for) and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. 

 

‘I can take a hit, no need to play hero.’ 

 

Yujin was slightly shocked at Wonyoung’s answer and how quickly her expression suddenly darkened. But she quickly regained her senses, chuckling slightly and keeping that grin.

 

‘I know. I just don’t want the volleyball damaging your pretty face, Jang Wonyoung.’ 

 

Wonyoung opened but was interrupted by a small figure barreling towards her. It was Number 4, the one who hit the volleyball. 

 

‘I’m so so so so sorry! I really didn’t mean for it to go in your direction I have terrible aim and I just realised that I am absolutely terrible at this and I should probably go home before anyone actually gets hurt but still I’m really really sorry I hope you’re okay!’

 

Number 4 was speaking at 100 miles a minute and Wonyoung couldn’t help but laugh and pat her head. 

 

Suddenly, Wonyoung’s whole demeanor changed when she was talking to the freshman. She bent down so she was a little closer to her height. 

 

‘I’m fine, don’t worry. It was an accident.’ Wonyoung said.

 

Number 4 bowed, ‘sorry again.’ 

 

Then she turned to Yujin. 

 

‘I think I might leave tryouts early.’ 

 

Yujin shook her head, glancing at the other people trying out who were watching the situation nosily. 

 

‘No need. I think I’ll just end the tryouts there. I got everything I need to know.’ Yujin said. 

 

Number 4 bowed her head. 

 

Yujin turned back towards the other girls trying out, clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention. 

 

‘That concludes our tryouts! I’ll post the list of people who made it in a few days, but thank you everyone for your hard work today!’ Yujin said. 

 

Then she turned back to Wonyoung. 

 

‘Are you sure you’re okay?’ 

 

Wonyoung swatted her hand away. ‘I’m fine. Now leave me alone.’ 

 

Yujin put her hands up in defense, ‘okay, okay. I’m going now. But for the record, you’re the one crashing my tryout session.’ 

 

‘Trust me, it’s not by choice.’ Wonyoung said, pointing to the her other cheerleaders who were pretending not to listen to their conversation. 

 

‘Okay, Jang Wonyoung.’ Yujin said, making an okay sign with her fingers and turning around to head towards the changerooms. 

 

On her way there, she passed by Hyunjin who looked like she was pissing herself laughing. 

 

‘What are you laughing at, fool?’ 

 

Hyunjin wiped a tear from her eye. ‘Jang Wonyoung can’t stand your ! Finally, someone who dislikes you. I’ve been live texting everything to Ryujin, too bad she’s missing all this.’ 

 

‘Where is she, anyways?’ Yujin said. ‘She loves attending sports tryouts.’ 

 

Hyunjin just wiggled her eyebrows, knowingly. 

 

………………………..

 

‘I’m sick of this already!’ Ryujin groaned and laid her head onto the desk. 

 

‘It’s only been an hour, Ryujin.’ 

 

‘And? An hour is way too long.’ 

 

‘And you spent the first twenty minutes on your phone.’ 

 

‘I was doing research.’ 

 

‘I saw your phone, you were watching the American soccer team.’ 

 

‘See? I was doing research. I never said what I was doing research for.’ 

 

Ryujin really didn’t enjoy history. It happened, there were wars, there were arguments, but now they’ve been resolved. Couldn’t people just move on and get on with their lives instead of living so much in the past? 

 

‘Shin Ryujin.’ 

 

Ryujin sighed and stared at her project partner. 

 

‘Jeon Heejin.’ 

 

Ryujin only found out her name on the third day of school, when the new girl approached her to ask when they should meet up to work on their project. They decided that they both wouldn’t be available until the next week, thus scheduling to work on it then. They were currently in a coffee shop where other school students from everywhere were also working on projects. There were a mixture of high schoolers and middle schoolers but there were mostly college students. 

 

‘Do your work.’ Heejin said. 

 

Ryujin shook her head. ‘This isn’t due for another month, we got time.’ 

 

Ryujin moved closer, raising her eyebrows sultrily at the girl. 

 

‘Besides, I kinda want to get to know you.’ 

 

Heejin sighed, guessing that Ryujin was going to be stubborn until she got her way. 

 

‘Fine.’ Heejin said, ignoring how attractive Ryujin looked. She had to admit she was pretty charming, but Heejin found it hard to be interested in people until she knew what their personality was like. 

 

Ryujin fist pumped. 

 

For the next half an hour, Ryujin and Heejin did a somewhat informal version of twenty one questions, just asking random things about the other. Stuff like, favourite color (hot pink vs black), favourite food (sweet bread vs spicy and savory food), dream holiday (a fast paced trip in Japan vs strolling around Paris) and much more simple things like that. 

 

Ryujin learnt that Heejin had transferred back to Korea after living in Brazil for a couple years. No wonder she had a bit of a foreign vibe to her. 

 

It was all going smoothly, the conversation was quite normal and light hearted and Ryujin learnt quickly that her usual charm didn’t seem to affect Heejin, but Ryujin wasn’t too fussed about it. Heejin was pretty cool but Ryujin didn't really think too much of her either than she was just a pretty classmate. 

 

Until the moment.

 

‘What do you want to do when you grow up?’ 

 

Ryujin chuckled. ‘Easy. Professional soccer player. How about you?’ 

 

Heejin’s eyes sparkled. ‘I want to go into medicine. I’d like to be a Doctor.’ 

 

Ryujin sat up quickly. 

 

‘A Doctor?’ Ryujin said. ‘Interesting.’ 

 

……………………

 

The next day, a loud smack was heard on a table in the school cafeteria, a hand having slapped down onto the surface harshly. 

 

‘Do you need the milk yet, unnie?’ 

 

Ryujin and Hyunjin shook their head, their cheeks extremely red and tears threatening to fall from their eyes. 

 

‘Never.’ Hyunjin coughed out. ‘Not until Ryujin backs out first.’ 

 

‘I’m waiting for you.’ Ryujin said. 

 

‘Well, you’ll be waiting for a long time. Unless you want to eat another one.’ 

 

Ryujin and Hyunjin eyed the other two chillies, then they nodded to each other. 

 

But before they could grab the chillies a hand stopped them. 

 

‘Okay! Just call it a truce.’ Yujin said, pushing the glass of milk closer to the two. ‘Just drink the milk at the same time before you burn through your livers.’ 

 

Yujin saw them narrowing their eyes at each other. 

 

‘On my count of three you both better be drinking the milk or I’m telling Miss Lee you want to be stage crew for the Spring Musical.’ 

 

Hyunjin and Ryujin both grabbed their glasses, their head shaking in fear.

 

‘One, two, three!’ 

 

Both of the girls gulped their milk. 

 

Hyunjin sighed, leaning back into her chair as Ryujin swished the milk around . 

 

‘Please, not the stage crew.’ Hyunjin said. ‘Never again.’ 

 

As Ryujin swallowed her milk, she noticed Heejin nearby with her three blonde friends. She caught Heejin’s eye and smiled at her, the other returning the smile. 

 

‘What do you guys think of Jeon Heejin?’ Ryujin said, once Heejin had turned away. 

 

‘Who?’ Yujin said, a mouth full of bread. Hyunjin grabbed a napkin and wiped the cream off of . 

 

‘My partner for my history project. She’s new and has moles and she’s super pretty.’

 

‘Oh! The new girl with the moles.’ Yujin said. ‘Uh, I never talked to her but Jungeun sunbaenim, Jinsoul sunbaenim and Park Chaewon sunbaenim seemed to instantly have become friends with her, so I’m guessing she’s pretty nice?’ 

 

‘What about you, Hyunjin?’ Ryujin said. ‘Isn’t she in your Japanese class?’ 

 

‘Yeah.’ Hyunjin said. ‘She’s smart. And pretty unintentionally funny. I’d say she’s cool.’ 

 

‘Oh.’ Ryujin said. ‘Well, are you like, into her?’ 

 

Hyunjin shook her head. ‘No way. I don’t date weebs. I just find her funny.’ 

 

Ryujin nodded satisfactorily. ‘Cool. Cause, I’m planning on asking her out? You guys okay with that?’ 

 

‘Why wouldn’t we be?’ Yujin said. 

 

‘I just don’t want a repeat of middle school. You know? Miyawaki Sakura.’ 

 

Hyunjin shivered when she heard the name. 

 

Ryujin and Hyunjin had first met in elementary school, but they were anything but friends. They were classic rivals, both of them highly competitive and at the time, they were really into wrestling. Hyunjin’s Dad thought it would be okay but Hyunjin to join wrestling, it would help with her strength for softball, and Ryujin just liked playing sports. They were the best wrestlers in middle school and were always fighting over who would get to be the captain when they reached the 6th Grade. 

 

Their rivalry got worse when they both found out they were crushing on the same senior, Miyawaki Sakura. They’d try to outdo each other whenever Miyawaki Sakura was around and for some reason, it would always end up getting them detention. One time, Hyunjin sprained her ankle while trying to outdo Ryujin by jumping to the middle monkey bar. She had reached the bar but wasn’t able to cling on properly and ended up rolling her ankle upon impact with the ground. It hurt, but technically Hyunjin was the true winner there as she got to be held by Sakura on the way to the Nurse’s office. 

 

But one day, Ryujin caught Miyawaki Sakura on a date with already middle school student, Kwon Eunbi. And from that day on, she realised that fighting over a girl, was not worth it. She had informed Hyunjin of Sakura’s dating status and Hyunjin didn’t believe her at first until she straight up asked Sakura. After that, they both apologised for everything and from then on, they decided to be friends, and had been friends ever since. 

 

Hyunjin glanced at Heejin and shrugged. ‘Yeah, go for Jeon Heejin. I’m not really interested in her. At least like that. Just, please don’t break her heart, I kind of need her to help me pass Japanese.’ 

 

Ryujin fist pumped. 

 

Suddenly, a pair of long legs came storming over to the three. 

 

‘Ahn Yujin!’ 

 

Yujin stood up straight and saluted, a terrified look on her face. ‘Yes, ma’am!’ 

 

Then she turned to see who it was. 

 

‘Oh, it’s you.’ Yujin said. She smiled. ‘Hi, Wonyoung.’ 

 

Wonyoung scoffed. ‘Don’t you, oh, it’s you, me, Ahn Yujin. I’m the one that’s supposed to be oh, it’s youing you!’ 

 

‘What did I do?’ Yujin cocked her head to the side like a puppy. 

 

Wonyoung sighed and showed Yujin a video on her phone. 

 

‘Everyone keeps sending me that video of you acting all hero yesterday.’ Wonyoung said. 

 

‘And that’s bad because?’ 

 

‘Because, they all think we’re dating!’ 

 

Yujin’s facial expression barely changed. She just raised one eyebrow slightly. 

 

‘Okay, and? Just tell them we’re not.’ 

 

‘I have been!’ Wonyoung said. ‘But nobody will listen to me. Can’t you just tell everyone that we’re not dating? Tell them I’m in no way interested in you.’

 

‘I’m not interested in you, either.’ Yujin said. ‘At least in that way. But, you’re a nice girl when you’re not out to k word me.’ 

 

Wonyoung crossed her arms, staring down Yujin with a glare. Yujin had to admit her glare was not intimidating in any way at all. In fact, she looked like a cute, harmless a bunny. Yujin suddenly got the urge to pinch her cheeks. 

 

‘They’re just rumours, Wonyoung.’ Yujin said, ‘we both know we’re not dating and that’s all that matters. They can think whatever they want to think.’ 

 

‘Really?’ Wonyoung said. ‘You’re not gonna do anything?’ 

 

‘Nah. Let them talk.’

 

Wonyoung groaned. 

 

‘Why do you hate me so much anyway?’ Yujin said. 

 

Wonyoung stared at Yujin, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took a step closer to her. 

 

‘I don’t trust you, Ahn Yujin. People like you seem to be perfect on the outside, but I see right through it. People like you can’t be that perfect, you have to be faking something. There’s something about you that I can’t quite put my finger on, but I’ll figure it out soon.’ 

 

Then Wonyoung her heel and stalked away. 

 

‘She hates you for being perfect?’ Hyunjin laughed. ‘This gets funnier and funnier every second.’ 

 

‘Why didn’t you just offer to help the poor girl?’ Ryujin said. 

 

Yujin shot a glance at Wonyoung’s retreating figure, a small smile creeping onto her face. 

 

Ryujin and Hyunjin exchanged a look, they knew that smile. 

 

‘Okay, what’s with the lovesick smile?’ Hyunjin said. ‘I thought you said you weren’t interested in her.’  

 

‘I wasn’t. At least, three minutes ago.’ Yujin said, still watching Wonyoung. 

 

Wonyoung had stormed back to her seat and was now eating her carrots in frustration. Her cheeks were puffed and she really was starting to look more and more like a baby bunny in Yujin’s mind. 

 

Wonyoung looked up and caught Yujin’s eye, the latter sending her a smile and a finger heart much to Wonyoung’s frustration. Wonyoung just raised her fists up in what she probably assumed was threatening, but to Yujin it just made her even happier.

 

……………………………..

 

Hyunjin was leaning back against her chair, half asleep in Japanese class. It was a mixture of a lot of factors. One: it was the very end of the day and she was exhausted. Two: they were watching a movie, so the lights were dim and it didn’t help that it was a very boring movie. And three: well, it was Japanese class. Hyunjin always wanted to fall asleep in Japanese class. 

 

She was about to actually fall asleep when she felt someone nudge her arm. 

 

She opened her eyes to find a note being passed onto Hyunjin’s desk. It was from Heejin. 

 

Maybe if the movie did this, you’d be awake right now, said the note. Underneath it was an accompanying drawing of Naruto doing some sort of ninja pose. A very good drawing, might Hyunjin add. 

 

Hyunjin shot a look at Heejin as if to say ‘really?’ and Heejin just shrugged. 

 

Maybe if I was a weeb like you Hyunjin wrote back in her note. She saw Heejin roll her eyes. 

 

If you saw Sasuke then you might change your mind about the show was what Heejin wrote back. 

 

Is Sasuke a man? 

 

Heejin looked towards Hyunjin and nodded. Hyunjin asked for the paper back. 

 

Well. Then, I’m definitely not interested.

 

Hyunjin heard Heejin snort when she read that note. Her eyes widened and she covered , hoping the teacher didn’t notice. 

 

Hyunjin saw Heejin writing something for a long time. 

 

After a couple minutes, the paper was passed onto Hyunjin’s desk again. 

 

Well, maybe you’ll be interested in Sakura. 

 

Hyunjin looked at the accompanying picture of Sakura, who was very much a girl and definitely pretty. 

 

I am looking. Then Hyunjin drew two pairs of poorly drawn eyes. 

 

Heejin almost laughed again, covering so she wouldn’t do it out loud. But her eyes still crinkled. Hyunjin thought it was sort of like how Yujin’s eyes would crinkle. But Yujin’s eyes would crinkle into huge crescents and dimples would form next to . Heejin’s eyes were smaller crescents and she had a weird dimple further up her cheek and closer to her eyes and nose, the same nose that would scrunch up along with her eyes. Hyunjin’s never seen a dimple like that before, it was kind of cute. 

 

Heejin and Hyunjin continued to pass notes during class, Hyunjin drawing badly for Heejin to guess. It was nice making Heejin laugh because secretly, Hyunjin wanted to keep looking at her strange dimple. 

 

Finally, the bell rang and Hyunjin jumped out of her seat, mid drawing. 

 

‘I’m free.’ Hyunjin said. 

 

Heejin just laughed. ‘Was I that boring?’ 

 

‘No, not you, I meant the class.’ Hyunjin said. ‘You made it more bearable.’ 

 

‘I’m glad.’ Heejin smiled. ‘Well, you give me even more reasons to make this subject my favourite subject.’ 

 

‘You mean to tell me I’m up there with Naruto?’ Hyunjin gasped. 

 

Heejin narrowed her eyes, a playful smile still on her face. ‘Now, don’t get too ahead of yourself. Check back with me after you watched the show with me.’ 

 

‘Oh, we’re going to watch the show together, are we?’ Hyunjin said. ‘As long as Sakura is as cute in the anime as she was in your drawing, I won’t be so opposed to it.’

 

Suddenly, Hyunjin caught sight of Ryujin waiting outside the classroom. Right, she forgot that Ryujin wanted to ask Heejin out. 

 

Hyunjin wasn’t interested in Heejin like that, but she had to be careful with her words, it might give people the wrong impression. It might give Ryujin and Heejin the wrong impression. 

 

‘But, still, I might have to pass on that.’ Hyunjin said. 

 

Heejin shook her head. ‘One day, you will know what you’re missing, Kim Hyunjin.’ 

 

‘We’ll see.’ Hyunjin said. ‘Anyways, see you later!’ 

 

‘Wait,’ Heejin said, ‘can I keep the drawings?’ 

 

Hyunjin looked at the piece of paper that was now wedged between her notebook. 

 

‘Oh, sure.’ Hyunjin said, handing her the paper. ‘Here you go.’ 

 

Hyunjin left the classroom first, fist bumping Ryujin. She threw an arm around her neck and ruffled her hair. 

 

‘Go get her, tiger.’ Hyunjin said. 

 

Ryujin just kneed Hyunjin playfully in the . 

 

‘Heejin!’ She heard Ryujin say as she walked away. ‘You got a minute?’ 

 

..................

 

A/N: I forgot to say, I'm going to update every Friday (or Thursday if you live in the US?) hahaha just makes it easier for me to maintain a steady writing schedule. I'm determined to complete this fic. 

Thank you so much for all the people who have commented so far! I really appreciate it. I really love the 3jin friendship I've made in my head, and I hope you guys too. Yujin is Ryujin and Hyunjin's baby even though Ryujin and Hyunjin are way too unresponsible to look after anyone lmaoo 

Isn't annyeongz and 2jin (the real one) cute?? Also sorry there's no Chaeryeong here, but dw ryuryeong stans, she'll be in the next chapter!