AHN YUJIN

I am currently enjoying my popcorn chicken listening to Yena bicker with Hyewon over how slow she is in court. 

It seemed kind of ironic considering how Yena is the slowest one out of the four of us and Hyewon is the fastest. But I decided to not pour any fuel into the fire, watching Hyewon just take a bite out of her chicken rice, and give an unamused expression to Yena who was spitting out her argument along with bits of her noodles.

Chaeyeon was busy with her girlfriend, Sakura where they were both talking about their day sweetly to each other which left me with no other choice but to observe my surroundings.

I cleared my throat with iced lemon tea and observed Hitomi in the next table talk about something to her friends, Nako, Yuri and lastly Minjoo.

Minjoo seemed to enjoy the conversation just like how I am currently doing so but it was a shame she couldn’t have her friends sit with us since the table was only fit for 6 people.

Well, I would gladly kick Chaeyeon and Sakura out to another table but I need both of them here to break the two idiots from escalating into a riot of fists being thrown.

Well, looks like my plan of asking Minjoo out for another bubble tea date this Wednesday, after her theatre club practice and my floorball practice would have to wait. I took a mental note of ending training a little bit earlier than usual so that Minjoo wouldn’t have to wait but crushed it immediately, knowing that Minjoo would disapprove of the idea of me purposely not allocating more time for my team especially with the national floorball championships approaching.

Besides, it was my last year as a captain and I might as well have to show to Chaewon that I was a better captain, that wouldn’t break someone’s heart that easily and is willing to improve herself to reach that impossible goal.

Anyways, moving on from my thoughts on a little cheater, I wondered to myself, why would I choose Minjoo despite her cheating on me with a cheater. 

Wait, if Chaewon cheats on Minjoo who was also a cheater, would that make her a cheater squared? Man, something seems to be wrong with the popcorn chicken today. I do appreciate math but I don’t want it to interfere in my personal life.

Suddenly, I was tapped on my right shoulder right as Yena had admitted defeat that she was the slowest runner but then Hyewon launched into another endless bicker as to why duck rice is better than the chicken rice she was enjoying currently.

I just pray that Yena doesn’t turn into the roast duck for Hyewon’s new duck rice recipe as I turned my head to acknowledge the person.

I came face to face with a nervous looking Chaewon.

It seemed weird for she always portrayed a cocky and arrogant view in my eyes who turns into a lovable girlfriend for Minjoo.

“Hey, can I talk to you?”

Yena and Hyewon suddenly stopped their conversation, waiting for my response.

“Sure”

Hyewon looked as if Yena wasn’t the only one on her dinner menu for the day, for she threw daggers on Chaewon and Yena was frowning in displeasure at the presence of someone I despised.

“Uhm, well can we talk at the bleachers in the Soccer field”

“That’ll be fine”

I gave a reassuring glance to my friends, including the couple who had stopped their sweet exchange.

I could feel the four of them collectively giving Chaewon death glares. But, I shrugged it off knowing that they would beat Chaewon merciless if given the chance.

I excused myself for a while to the vending machine to buy two cans of Milo to at least ease the tension surrounding the upcoming conversation.

Chaewon just waited patiently at the side as I collected my change and handed one can of Milo to her.

To which she collected politely.

We reached the bleachers, with the afternoon heat blazing down on the both of us.

“So, what brings you to me?” I said while cracking open my Milo can.

“Well, I want to talk to you about my relationship with Minjoo. My now ex-girlfriend” Chaewon hadn’t opened her can of Milo.

“What about her?” I said as I took a sip, letting the cold chocolate malt drink soothe my frayed nerves.

“Well, she is my ex girlfriend now and perhaps yours too. I don’t know. Well, she kissed me first which made me ask her out the following minute. It all happened in a blur. And I don’t know if she agreed to it and we sort of dated. I don’t think you can even call it a relationship at any point for it seemed like a give and take relationship where I was merely used as her outlet of suppressed emotions.” Chaewon rambled on too quickly and she seemed to gripping her can too tightly for a casual conversation.

“Hey, slow down. I won't be able to understand what you are trying to convey to me” I held up my hands to slow her down.

“I. Well. Uhm. Okay, I believe that she loves you still, Ahn Yujin. Every time we would make out, she would unconsciously call out your name and it does hurt my poor heart. I didn’t bring it up to her and I just beared with it. Eventually, I took out my own suppressed emotions on other people in the school, which I believe will clarify the rumours of ‘Chaewon making out with people’. Anyways, I don’t know how to sincerely phrase this, but I hope that you can at least listen to Minjoo first. Before jumping back into a relationship with her. At least this will clear your doubts. That was a very severe mistake I did on my part as I really fell in love with Minjoo along the way but failed to recognise that she was merely using me as her outlet. It still hurts, but I still have the upcoming national Soccer championships to focus on. So I think that it would at least take out a bit of that pain.” Chaewon muttered out the last few sentences.

I kept mum, trying to take it all in.

Kim Minjoo had been sending me frayed signals to which I blatantly ignored at the beginning over how heartbroken I felt. Then slowly my heart opened up slowly and decided to let the signals pass through, however, reality was holding me from taking it further to clinch her as a trophy for me to display. As time passed, I took it out harshly on my other teammates, my friends and lastly myself. As what Chaewon had mentioned, it made me stop and think.

Would it be worth aiming for her heart?

I had already experienced this heartbreak once, and I’m afraid that she would break it again. Or worse let the relationship rot in ashes.

“I don’t know if this would at least help clear your conscience since you seemed deeply concerned over what I had said.You see, I hope you can at least inject a bit of the court motto into your personal life. I mean, we both are sportswomen and even I, myself tend to have my personal life clash with the court. I know the bull saying of whatever stays in court must remain there and we are not to take out any bitter feelings outside of it. But it seems to me that you still have some baggage feelings for her and so does Minjoo. So why don’t you perhaps at least play an important role in this match. You know those moments where you can’t just help and stare hopelessly, watching the ball roll past you aimlessly, your body standing rooted to the court grounds and before you know it, your opponent has already taken up the chance and aimed for their goal. Well, in this pathetic case, you are the home team and I am the away team. Basically, I am the opponent. So I am offering you this little golden opportunity to use those few precious seconds and just snatch that future goal away from your opponent. I am letting you go after Minjoo or I will go after her again and reach for that impossible goal of getting her heart again. So do yourself a favour and try to get her back in your life.”

And with that, Chaewon opened her Milo can and chugged the contents down.

“But how am I supposed to do it?” I asked her.

“I don’t know. Well, let it play out or what? I’m not really sure. It is your game and not mine to play for now. At least. So do whatever fancy trick shots you have up your sleeve and get Minjoo’s heart. Anyways, thanks for the Milo”

Just as Chaewon was about to walk out, I voiced out.

“Hey, Soccer captain. Thanks, I owe you one.”

“It’s alright Floorball captain. I mean this is what sportsmanship is all about right or no? But it doesn't matter, just get that goal alright or I’ll be that snarky opponent that will tackle you mercilessly to the ground alright”

And with that the retreating figure of Chaewon crossed the Soccer field to head back to her classroom.

I had a slight flashback to the comments that my teammates had said a few days ago.

No we don’t retreat, No we don’t regret.

Perhaps, I shouldn’t retreat away from the idea of going back to her. I should go and snatch that little golden window of opportunity. Do some fancy tricks up my sleeve or other but mostly get her back in my life. However, I don’t know if I would possibly regret it though. There are so many ways this relationship can backfire and this can result in both sides getting a timeout from this court. The only difference was that once I step away from this little match held within my own court, I wouldn’t be able to play the same game again. It won’t be the same. It would be completely different. Just a different set of opponents, my fears, losing Minjoo again, losing passion in floorball and losing myself. All manifesting into one major blockage on the court, constantly trying to follow me wherever I go as I dribble my little ball and score a goal straight into the goalpost. But no matter how many times I try to score one measly goal, be it being as accurate as possible. I am just afraid I wouldn’t be able to aim for her heart.

The bell rang signalling that I had to return to class and effectively broke my away from my spiralling train of thoughts.

______________________________________________________________

KIM MINJOO

Should I text her now, but what if she is eating her dinner? But she usually eats her dinner at 7.00p.m. it, I’ll just text her. Either way she’ll just read it and respond or even worse just blue tick me. Well that’s even worse, but who cares.

Hey, Yujin are you free to grab a bubble

tea after your floorball practice?

Oh I was about to ask 

the same thing

But yeah sure:)

Tomorrow

Or I’ll make you buy my favourite 

Muhahaha

Yeah yeah noisy dog

Good night

What!!!

That’s pretty early though?

But alright, sweet dreams little one :)

Jokes on myself, looks like I was the one that ended up blue ticking her. But how else was I supposed to respond to such a sweet message. Well, it looks like I’ll just have to wait for the night to pass by so that I can interact personally with her.

______________________________________________________________

It was currently flashing 5.58 p.m. on my phone and I was patiently waiting for Yujin to come out of the hall.

I caught a glimpse of my ex-girlfriend who was packing up her Soccer equipment but I replied back solemnly to her little cheerful greeting.

I didn’t feel an inch of regret in breaking up with her. It just felt like the shackles of being in a relationship being released from me. But I could feel the ominous thorns of returning back into a potential relationship with Ahn Yujin.

What if Yujin was just merely using you just like how you did with Chaewon? Perhaps this was her sweet little revenge on you, for breaking her heart and breaking her determined focus in floorball? Was it karma just playing out its little tragedy right in front of you but you just want to see everything with rose coloured glasses so you would delude yourself into thinking that perhaps Yujin would even return an inch of your sincere feelings back? 

I tried pushing these thoughts away.

No, she would never do. Besides, she was starting to look out for me more frequently after the weeks of breaking with Chaewon. Hell, she even gifted me with a box of macaroons and a bouquet of beautifully decorated flowers after the play I had performed in the school’s auditorium. So why am I even starting to doubt it all now?

A high pitched shrill rang through my ears and I looked up to see Yena narrowly avoid Yujin’s floorball stick which seemed to be aiming for her shin.

Chaeyeon was in the background shaking her head, disappointed at the view which was a stark contrast to Hyewon who was chugging down her Milo drink while egging on Yujin to whack the poor soul.

I could hear Yena sound out, “I have a date with my Yuri after this. At least spare me from this misery.”

“And what about you duck, I have one too with Minjoo. Might as well make it fair and square like what you always preach about. So this for you trying to pull a foul move on me earlier in the court. What the hell was that for, Choi Yena? Trying to trip me with your stick. Especially on my first day back from my sprained ankle phase.”

“Okay, okay, just one whack and we are even, alright?”

“Okay”

And with that Yujin comically geared up her floorball stick, as if it was a baseball hit and Yena was the incoming ball. It seemed adorable in my eyes since I had missed this playful side of Yujin.

Yujin came down swiftly on Yena’s backside but she stopped and gave her backside a little tap.

“What the was that for”

“Oh do you want more, Yena?” Yujin egged on her poor victim.

Okay, maybe I should perhaps step in before it escalates further.

I came out from my hiding spot and approached the team.

“Hey, Yujin. Ready to go on our date?”

“Huh? Oh yeah, just a moment, babe?”

Yujin tried to give one final smack on Yena but it seemed like she had already sped off, possibly even beating Hyewon’s 100m sprint timing.

This left Hyewon and Chaeyeon to laugh maniacally at the sight of the poor duck running off.

“Okay, goodbye, Yujin and have fun on your date with your babe” Chaeyeon said while pulling Hyewon away from us.

“And Yujin, I’ll send the footage of Yena being whacked by you later after your date. Or maybe not” Hyewon wheezed at her joke and left alongside Chaeyeon.

“Ah well. I’m sorry for taking up your time.” Yujin apologised as she slung her stick bag over her shoulders along with her school bag.

“It’s okay. Besides it seemed funny how Yena ran off” I could see Yujin’s ears turn red in embarrassment with her eyes darting everywhere else but my face.

We soon reached the little quaint bubble tea shop.

“Okay, anyways what are you going to get? I'm going to get black milk tea with extra pearls, sugar content, 70 percent . What about you?”

“Well, strawberry milk tea, 70 percent-“

“Pearls and strawberry milk foam. Yeah, I pretty much saved it in my mind”

She then proceeded to place our orders as my heart did a little leap of joy over the small gesture.

“Here you go. I poked in the straw already so you won’t spill the drink everywhere again.”

“Thanks”

Then, we made our way back home, with my right hand brush past Yujin’s jersey.

Yujin suddenly switched her drink over to her right hand and with her lonely left hand, she took my right hand which always fit perfectly in the warmth of her hand.

I could see her face turn the shade of the very drink I was sipping as she held tightly on my hand, as if afraid that if she were to let go, that little window of opportunity would never return.

We both talked about our days and Yujin delved into her training session for the upcoming floorball championships which was about a month away, as we walked to her apartment building.

She rambled on about how Coach Kwon had made them redo their little game play multiple times and how she was punished severely since her teammates didn’t seem to cooperate with her reminders of rushing back to the court immediately after their water breaks.

My eyes wandered over to her sweaty and tousled hair which was held up in a bun then down to the beads of sweat dripping down from her forehead and trickled past her large doe eyes. Down to her plump, irresistible lips which were taking occasional sips from her black milk tea. These features moulded together to form a breathtaking beauty, which in my opinion could stomp Aphrodite into a little pulp if she were alive. The owner of the very face belonged to none other than the very girl I had decided to plant my lips upon.

I could feel Yujin mumble in shock, against my lips.

I could taste the sweet black milk tea on her lips and with it fusing with the strawberry flavoured milk tea on my end.

It felt like I was in heaven from pure bliss.

Yujin dropped her bubble tea out of shock which made the sugary liquid splash over our legs. But it didn't matter, for we would probably clean it up later.

But for now, I just want to enjoy this moment with you. 

Then, the thorns of the thoughts over this mending relationship slowly wrapped itself, round my limbs. I could feel myself trying to push against its ever tightening grip on me as time slowly ticked by in the silence. 

Just give it all up now. You will have a chance to win this hopeless game of love.

I could feel myself straining against the heavy weight, the burdens of how this broken relationship would turn out. As time passed by, so did my energy and passion for it. I couldn’t lose hope. No. Please, no. It would all go to waste. Just hold it all in. Just a little bit more.

I pressed my lips harsher against hers and in response she paralleled my rough actions.

Does she even love you at all? Maybe she is just your pathetic karma over you using Chaewon as an outlet. Just give it all up now and you can move on, away from a potential heartbreak. It’s really easy to roll the ball of fate away from this exhilarating match. You can just ignore her. Push her away. Erase her very existence from your own memories. Just pull a foul move and you can pull yourself out from this game over a penalty. Just do it. It’s never too late for you to do so. You managed to push her away from your thoughts away in the past when you were cheating on her with Chaewon. So why can’t you just let history repeat itself again?  Hell, wouldn’t it be better if she was the one who pulled the foul move? It would be a wonderful score to this little match you are playing with her. 

Then, I pulled away from her abruptly.

Yujin was even in a more ruffled state than before, but her eyes screamed that she yearned for this relationship to move past the labels of ex-lovers and friends into that of something more

But before she could lean over to land another rounds of kisses on me, I took off into the night.

Giving into my fears of moving past the labels of ex-lovers to something more drastic.

______________________________________________________________

Get those tear ducts working. Aaa I'm real sorry for this but it will be essential to the upcoming chapters. ad with that good morning/afternoon/night to fellow and new readers and jdchrt out