THIRD PERSON POV

 

Alright, testing. 1.2. Good. This mic is working.

 

Now, let’s look at this from a spectators point of view. 

 

Come along and watch with me on the bleachers, as the players from both teams file into the court.

 

It’s alright, grab yourself a bucket of curry puffs or jellybeans and a soda to go along with it. Just take whichever snack you would like to watch alongside this match.

 

Now, sit back and relax and let the game start off.

 

If you want to hold up your banner to cheer for your team to get their together, do it but they won’t be able to hear your cheers over their beating drums of their fears over how this game is turning out.

 

Let the match begin

 

Well, firstly we have the home team.

 

AHN YUJIN and her team consists of strong attackers or otherwise known as her desire for Kim Minjoo to return to her life. However, her defenders don’t seem to have an equivalent strength of the attackers. Surely they have their own strength which may be useful as the time left for the first period runs out. 

 

Now, we move on to the away team.

 

KIM MINJOO and her team consists of strong defenders known as her supposed love for Chaewon disguised as her outlet where she would vent her suppressed feelings. A stark contrast to her attackers but similar to Yujin’s defenders, their time to shine would come along as the time left for the first period runs out too.

 

BEEP

 

The game is starting off slowly with Yujin’s strong attackers in possession of the ball going against Minjoo’s supposed love for Chaewon. Oh look the ball has gone past Minjoo’s defences! 

 

Will it go past Minjoo’s last man?

 

Oh what a shame, it seems like her shot didn't go through Minjoo’s wonderful defences but props to her goalkeeper being able to block that superb drag shot.

 

Okay, now Minjoo’s defenders have brought the ball to the half line, cautiously with them passing it back and forth.

 

Oh wait?

 

One of Yujin’s attackers came forward to tackle Minjoo’s defenders.

 

Now, Yujin has possession of the ball and she is aiming for a pretty far slapshot.

 

I sure hope it does make it through!

 

Looks like Minjoo’s defenders have successfully blocked the shot with their body and they are running ahead of their opponents.

 

One of Minjoo’s attackers passed it a bit too fast for the fellow attacker and it seems like it has reached Yujin’s right side corner of the court.

 

Looks like one player from both teams has stepped up and is trying to fight for the ball at the corner

 

Wait, that’s a foul move committed by Minjoo’s team right there.

 

Lifting Yujin’s defenders stick with her own. A bloody foul move right there for everyone to see. 

 

Oh, it seems like Minjoo’s attacker denied doing it but anyways, Yujin’s team has obtained a free hit over the ball after both teams changed the lineup.

 

Looks like Yujin’s team managed to catch it safely within their blades.

 

Alright, so far it looks like Yujin’s new pair of attackers are doing a wonderful job at going past Minjoo’s new defences.

 

Will she score once again?

 

Oh shame. But a wonderful catch by Minjoo’s goalkeeper

 

A replay of what happened on court is that Minjoo’s goalkeeper caught the ball safely away from reaching the net of the goalpost.

 

Well, that concludes the first period with no goals conceded by both teams.

 

Come back in three minutes.

 

Plenty time for you to replenish your food stock or to empty your full bladder.

 

Alright, empty bladder, check.

 

Voice ready to cheer for your favourite team, check.

 

Have you got your excitement pumping through you just as the players do for this will be the second period and I am really excited to see the outcome, I’m sure you are too, right?

 

BEEP

 

Alright, seems like Yujin has gotten possession of the ball first and there she is aiming for a slap shot straight at Kim Minjoo’s goal post.

 

Will go through again or will it suffer the same fate as her earlier shots?

 

Oh shame, it ricocheted off the goalpost. 

 

Looks like Kim Minjoo’s defenders are in possession of the ball now.

 

Oh right, I haven’t given information on Minjoo’s attackers who are now in possession of the ball after the failed interception of Yujin’s attackers.

 

Alright, well Minjoo’s attackers may not have the same volume of strength as compared to her defenders, but she is surely nimble and quick to act upon any passes and they are known as Minjoo’s desires to be with her ex girlfriend, Ahn Yujin.

 

That does bring me to Yujin’s defenders which are similar to Minjoo’s attackers, however they are backed up with their undeniable strength and willpower which are referred to as her fears of going past the label of ex-lovers.

 

Oh looks like when I was explaining both sides, Minjoo’s team has successfully gone past Yujin’s defences.

 

Will she be able to aim for the shot?

 

Alright, her blade has gone up for a drag shot.

 

Wait no, it has been swiftly passed to the other teammate who has gone for an immediate slapshot.

 

Will it be another save added under Yujin’s goalkeepers belt?

 

Oh the shot has gone past the goalpost and out of the court.

 

Well, perhaps Minjoo’s team has to improve on their accuracy but props to Yujin's goalkeeper for being able to move into position immediately.

 

The ball is under Yujin’s possession but it has been intercepted by Minjoo’s team once again.

 

Alright, seems like Another of Minjoo’s team has come forward to help.

 

And will they be able to wrestle the ball out or not?

 

And this concludes the second period with yet any goals to be conceded by both teams, I look forward to seeing more court action in the final period and cheer for your favourite team in this court as loud as you can!

 

______________________________________________________________

 

AHN YUJIN

 

I watched as Minjoo took off into the night abruptly as I stood rooted in my spot.

 

What the hell was that for? Kissing me so passionately then running away from me as if I am some kind of disease? Why do this? I thought you were comfortable with the idea of me trying to pursue your heart? Hell, you were even the one who initiated it? So why are you running away from this little match we are playing? Do you perhaps think this all just too fast paced for you? I don’t mind having to play this according to your pace but can’t you at least tell me why are you doing this? Giving me so much hope to get back into what we were once before just for you to break it up all up again.

 

Wait a damn minute, I am an athlete. I can run after my goal again. Stupid Chaewon forgot to mention the part where you can still run after the ball of fate and change its pathway by tackling the one who holds it. my expensive floorball equipment, I just want her back in my life for she is more precious than the value of these floorball equipment.

 

And with that, I dropped my equipment, ignoring the way Coach Kwon would have scolded me for dropping my stick as if it wasn’t a part of myself. Well, I do have something else that is part of my life that has run away on it’s own two nimble legs.

 

I soon catched up to Minjoo who was panting heavily as she struggled to run the last few paces to her lift lobby, with her bag swinging wildly on her shoulders.

 

I managed to grab her bag just as she was to enter the lift and pulled her close to my own body.

 

Leaving me in a position where I was back hugging her with her bag being the only thing to separate us. I could smell her sweet comforting jasmine perfume even after a long day.

 

We just stood, letting the people inside the lift wonder what was going before someone pushed the lift button to make them go up.

 

Finally, at least a bit of peace for me to convey I had been wanting to say to her before she even kissed me.

 

“Hey, I know I am really sweaty and all but just let me hug you this once and never let my opponent run away from this match. I want both of us to play this game fair and square” 

 

And with that, I could feel her shoulders starting to shiver slightly and there were muffled cries coming from her.

 

I whipped her around to face me so that I would be able to see her, but she used her hands as a little defense against my inching face.

 

“Hey, you know damn well I have seen your crying face before. I know it isn’t the best form of anyone but at least it shows all the cracks and imperfections you have within yourself. It’s alright, I have seen worse.”

 

And with that, I slowly pried off her hands and watched as her tears fell on 

her uniform. Yeah, there was snot running down her face and all but it didn't matter for at least the little barrier between us had been broken.

 

“Can we please. Go. Some. Where. Else” she hiccuped, trying to fight back the tears that were streaming down her face.

 

“Huh, oh yeah. Can we go to the little playground near my house. It’s pretty secluded and there really aren’t that many young kids playing there now.”

 

“Hic-. Alright”

 

And I steered Minjoo in the direction of the playground, which was plenty of time for her to calm down before I could lay out all my feelings regarding this entire baffling mess. And so that I could hear her viewpoint too.

 

I fished out the tissue packet she always carries around in her bag and handed it to her.

 

“Hey, at least wipe off the snot or you will look more ugly than before.” I jokingly replied, trying to lighten up her mood.

 

“What. Earlier, you were telling me. That it was okay to be imperfect. Then you are. Calling me an ugly person now. ” She tried to form her words but it just came up in little hiccups.

 

“You know, if you are that ugly. I can play the role of the princess and you will be the Prince frog. How cool would that be? Especially since you resemble one too yourself.” I snickered to myself as her face morphed into that of a cute little frown etched on her forehead.

 

Without any warning, she slung her school bag over her shoulders and whacked me squarely in the back, which made me stumble across the cold, hard pavement.

 

“What was that for?” I shrieked, thanking Coach Kwon for all the agility skills she had prepared us for this moment.

 

“Well, there are two different types of plays in theatre which are comedy and tragedy. Since we played out tragedy already, why not make this a little comedy, alright?” With a sinister grin etched on her face.

 

I ran away immediately, not without taking my floorball equipment, which fortunately hadn’t been stolen and decided to make a run for it.

 

But before I could even dash in the direction of my home, Minjoo managed to catch up with me and pulled my floorball stick which was unfortunately sticking out of the stick bag.

 

“I’ll break your stick into half if you don’t come to the playground with me” Her tone was a stark contrast to a meek one when Minjoo sobbing over how she was a mess earlier.

 

“Okay, okay. I’ll come with you. Please, just don’t break my stick or I’ll have to get use to a new one before the tournament”

 

“Oh yeah, your floorball tournament” And with that, Minjoo pushed me towards the direction of the playground.

 

We reached the playground, not before cleaning up the mess of the spilled bubble tea that I had made, courtesy of her kiss.

 

We settled into the little slide, which was surprisingly able to hold our large bodies, after placing our belongings on the bench.

 

I laid down onto the slide as she laid back onto me.

 

It wasn’t the best place to hold our game-changing conversation but at least I would be able to talk things with her. I needed to act on it before the ball of opportunity rolled away from me.

 

Once we settled comfortably into the slide, I spoke up, feeling her hiccups die down into a slow hum against my chest.

 

“So, maybe would you like to tell me why you ran off after that kiss. I just want everything said fair and loudly for me to hear.”

 

Minjoo kept mum, which made me speak up again.

 

“Well, maybe since you aren’t comfortable with telling me. I suppose it can wait. But, I’d like you to listen to my side.”

 

______________________________________________________________

 

KIM MINJOO

 

I listened to Yujin’s soothing voice while letting the cool evening breeze waft past us.

 

“You see. When I first caught you kissing, Kim Chaewon, it broke my heart having to see you do it to me. It just feels like someone decided to take my most favourite floorball stick and decide to break it right in front of my eyes. I just want to let you know, you are an important piece of equipment that I need to play in this game of life. Then, as the days passed by, I knew you had always wanted to reach out to me. But, I supposed it was too much negativity clouding my conscience. It feels like Coach Kwon shouting at me to follow her orders to get the shot in, but with my stubborn mindset, I just let the game play as I wanted it to, according to my pace and never taking note of my other teammates. But, I did slowly realise, with them, they taught me that I would have to depend on others for this game to play out the way I desired. And most importantly, it taught me I had to never retreat from the opportunity right in front of my very eyes and never have any regrets from any mistakes I had committed. I had to learn how to better improve how I held myself in court, from having to constantly shouting at my teammates to giving them constructive criticisms paired with encouragement. This allowed each one of us to improve on our strengths and weaknesses together as a team. So, I hope for the both of us, let us not play this game as opponents but as a team. Let’s work together on supporting each other’s flaws and constantly improve on our strengths.” And with that, Yujin let her arms drape round my torso and hug me tightly.

 

“I think it would also be best for me to explain it from my point of view too. It feels like a little play that I have entrusted to direct under my care. And I decided to make so many darn changes to the main leads, major plot twists and mostly importantly, lose the meaning of what the play was meant to convey. It started off as what seemed to be a blossoming relationship between two people who deeply trusted each other, till one of them committed a grave mistake and decided to ditch her lover for another. But she realised her mistake a tad bit too late for it to be reversed. She used a mask known as her love for Chaewon so in turn, she decided to vent her frustration, disgust and anger morphed into her fears into the victim of her wrath. But slowly, the little mask that she used to hide her cowardly self from trying to pursue a broken relationship with her ex-lover has chipped off and has revealed her raw form to the one who would truly accept her for who she was despite her numerous flaws. So yes, Yujin, I will pursue you again and again despite the numerous flaws etched deep under my skin. I want this game to change and I would be willing to end this play with one of a happy ending.”

 

I could feel Yujin tighten her grip against me. Although I couldn’t see her face fully, I knew that whatever she was feeling currently was parallel to my own feelings.

 

Just as she was about to shift our positions so that I could face her fully, someone called her abruptly.

 

“Hello, Mama. Yes, I’ll be having dinner now. Where am I now? Well, I am in a place known as Minjoo’s arms. Wait no, Ma we aren’t doing it. Please Ma,we are really young. So no. Wait, is that disappointment I hear in your voice, Ma? What the hell, Ma! Bye, I’m hanging up”

 

I chuckled softly at the sight of Yujin muttering gibberish at her Mom’s profile picture as she hung up the call.

 

“What made Mrs Ahn think so far, my little floorballer”

 

“I don’t know, besides there will be in no way I would be doing ‘it’ with you. I want both of us to do it in a comfortable environment and not in some random location” Although, the evening darkness has caught up on us, I could tell her ears were starting to get red.

 

“Oh oh, why are you thinking that far, Yujin? Perhaps, do you want to do it now?” I said while wiggling my eyebrows, trying to taunt her.

 

“Hey, uhm my mom said that I’ll be having my favourite prawn noodle so like bye.”

 

And with that, Yujin jumped off the slide swiftly after wriggling out of the position and collected her equipment and school bag

 

“Hey, no fair. You didn’t give a goodbye kiss”

 

I held out a pouting face and heard her trudge back to me.

 

“Well, I’ll make it quick since I wan’t us to take nice and sl-“

 

Impatient, I pulled on her stick bag and her lips melted directly onto mine.

 

It felt like having to end another successful play with the audience clapping loudly for all of us in the background.

 

After what seemed like a slow moment of us trying to find a comfortable pace, we settled into a relaxing kiss which soothes my frayed nerves after a long day.

 

We pulled away simultaneously, trying to grasp for our breaths.

 

“Well, uhm. Wow. Hey, do you want to have dinner with us? It’s getting pretty late” I could see Yujin, scratching sheepishly at her neck as she used her floorball stick to stabilise her dizzy, love-sick state.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry my little floorballer, looks like I have to go home too” I held up my phone, signalling to a phone call from my mother.

 

“Oh okay. You can walk home by yourself, right?”

 

“Yes, Yujin, I can. I am perfectly capable of running back home too, you idiot”

 

“Oh, just making sure. Just wanted you to ask me to walk you home.” She muttered the last sentence under her breath.

 

“What was that. You wanted to walk me home? Speak up louder you idiot”

 

“What, no. Yes. Well, I mean. Yeah. Only if you want to?”

 

“Well, I’m sure we have other days to do so. But let’s take things slow just as you said alright?”

 

“Oh alright.”

 

With that, we parted ways after sharing a sweet final kiss for the night.

 

And I took off into the night, except I knew for a fact that I am playing this game of love alongside Yujin, to battle my fears together with hers.

 

______________________________________________________________

 

KIM CHAEWON

 

“Alright, girls. Just three more last laps and we are good to go” I shouted at my team as we are preparing for the upcoming Soccer championships, just like how all the other sports clubs are doing currently in our school.

 

“Hey, Captain. Yujin wants to speak to you!” One of my team members, who had returned from her water break shouted from the gate

 

“Alright, thanks go run your last three lap”

 

I jogged over to Yujin, who was waiting alongside with her floorball team right behind her.

 

“Hey, fellow captain. Do you mind if we can borrow the court alongside your team to run a few laps round the field. Just need to improve on their stamina game.”

 

“Sure, sure” I huffed out as I jogged on the spot, so that I wouldn’t be able to lose the momentum.

 

“Alright, thanks. Mind if you can run a few more laps cause I want to get a little bit more acquainted with fellow captains.”

 

“Sure.” I continued my little jogging on the spot as Yujin shouted at her team who proceeded to run alongside the passing Soccer team.

 

Yujin came last and we proceeded to do our laps round the field.

 

“So what brings you here to talk about under this lovely afternoon heat” Fortunately, I was able to speak comfortably owing to my powering speed and stamina as a cheetah on the field.

 

“Well, are you feeling excited for the upcoming tournament?” Yujin tried to match her pace according to mine, since her legs were slightly longer.

 

“Well, yeah, I am pretty excited to win another trophy for the school again. The school’s media club came by to ask for the team’s opinion on the upcoming match. And something happened.”

 

“Ah, same here, they just came perfectly when Coach Kwon was about to launch into her rant over how we aren’t up to par with her expectations and the usual pre-game ‘encouragements’ and what happened?” 

 

She asked as we rounded the corner, her pace not faltering behind.

 

“Well, I accidentally hit a girl from the club who was carrying the camera with an overhead shot. Fortunately, the expensive camera wasn’t broken. But the poor lad suffered a pretty bad herself so I had to bring her to the medical room”

 

“Ah, I see. Was it Honda Hitomi? As far as I heard from Minjoo, she said that Hitomi told her that the media club would be going round school to ask the various sports on their expectations and words of encouragement for their team”

 

“Is it the one with the cute little chubby cheeks”

 

“Oh yes, that’s her alright. She nearly tried to use the overhead microphone thing to whack Yena for giving nonsensical answers earlier, but she was held back by Wonyoung who was fortunately held back.”

 

“Oh that’s a pretty contrasting image to an angel in the medic room earlier. That brings me, Wonyoung doesn't seem to be bothering you nowadays. Did she finally move on?” I said as I wiped off the perspiration dripping to my sweat soaked shirt.

 

“Well, she told me that she found someone she liked who was incredibly shorter than her but was a pretty good dancer. I could only think of Nako since she fitted the description.Incredibly short and a good dancer. But Wonyoung clamped her hands over my mouth after I said it. So I suppose that’s a new couple right there. How about you though? Are you going to aim for your goal too?”

 

“I don’t know.” My mind wandered over to Hitomi who was arguing with me earlier on the way to the medic room, saying that she could perfectly handle her self ignoring the fact that she had a noticeable bruise on her forehead from the ball which struck her forehead quite meanly, in my opinion

 

“Anyways, Soccer Captain, I need to catch on these laps so talk to soon, alright?”

 

“Yeah, yeah.” And with that, Yujin sped off as I continued my slow pace the way I like it.

 

I hope that maybe perhaps, there would be a little window of opportunity for me to score a goal on Honda Hitomi of Media Club.

 

______________________________________________________________

 

AHN YUJIN

 

The day has finally come for me to prove that I am able to bring my school to greater heights once again.

 

Three months had passed and so did the numerous matches that my school had battled out with opponents, no matter how many fouls they pulled on us or how tough our opponents were, we managed to pull through and come to the final match of the National Floorball Championships. With the overwhelming support from students of BLOOM*IZ High, I think it would be safe to say that I would guarantee another win for our school. Coach Kwon had endlessly pushed us beyond our limits could hold and with our own blood, sweat and tears staining the huge floorball court of BLOOM*IZ High, we were able to elevate our game play into the indoor courts of the National Stadium.

 

It felt like another window of opportunity for me to aim for the goal again.

 

Well, I managed to score numerous dates and eventually win the trophy, known as Kim Minjoo for myself to keep and treasure all my life.

 

And now, I await for the BLOOM*IZ HIGH to be called out to enter the court.

 

“WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE LONG AWAITED FINAL MATCH OF THE NATIONAL FLOORBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS BETWEEN WOODGROVE HIGH AND BLOOM*IZ HIGH!”

 

And let the match begin.

______________________________________________________________

Alright bring out your popcorn for next chapter will be the last one. And with that, Jdchrt wishes fellow readers, good morning/afternoon/night wherever you are out jdchrt out-

 

P.S: you can use this hashtag #AFTG_JINJOO if you wanna retweet your reaction to the chapters