My steps are light as my feet guide me to the boys' locker room, located past the field. I look down, anxious, at my white sneakers that Aimee and I painted purple and gold ourselves a few years back, and I curse at myself for not choosing another pair this morning. I could've worn black Converse oar my checkered Vans - literally, anything would be a better choice than these girly purple shoes. My eyes trail over to my hands that sway by my sides. Really, Yerin? Purple nail polish to match? You're such a gem.

Maybe I'm overthinking too hard, but I definitely don't feel comfortable.

I end up right where I need to be, the boys' locker room, before I even know it. I take a deep, hefty sigh as my hands press on the door. Once I open this, I am signing the rest of the senior year away to a group of smelly, testerone-y hounds that I've never talked to in my life -- boys that will probably pray for my knees to snap each time I step on the field, so that a fragile, little girl can never steal their spotlight again.

I'm really doing this, huh?

I open the door, maybe in too much of a dramatic manner, and a group of 20-something boys in stained wifebeaters are huddled around glaring back at me. I take a quick look at their arms: built... toned.... and tanned, but the coach's low octave tone fortunately snaps me back to reality.

"Kim Yerin!" Coach Soo says - I'm sure it's his regular speaking voice to him, but it's more of a stern, boisterous scream to the rest of us. "Glad you joined us. Please, sit."

I nod and flash a quick smile to Coach Soo, but it's quickly wiped off from my face when my attention goes back to the rest of the team. Their eyebrows are furrowed with hands crossed against their pecs, and the crowd is just side-eye galore. One dude has his left eyebrow dug in so hard that I'm pretty sure it's not healthy for his face.

I see Jungkook, finally, sitting on the right-most corner of the locker room. I flash him a faint smile, and he does the same back; it's not any strong word of affirmation, but I'll take anything at this point.

"Alright, team," Coach Soo says to break the ice. "Everyone, we are finally here together, for the first time - our new, complete team. I will be the first to say that this is completely new and unprecedented, and I only ask for everyone to be patient as we adjust to having a female on this team. Yerin," he says, and my head whips over in his direction, "please bring it to my attention if anything is off or uncomfortable to you. And boys, I will say the same to you, as well. We're all together on the same team, we have always followed the same play book and the same rules. This new addition does not change any of that."

My face liftens up when I hear Coach Soo's words, but the mood instantly takes a turn when some guy shouts, "SO ARE WE GONNA SEE HER SHOWER?!"

"YA, HYUNJIN, YOU EVER TRY TO THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK?!" Coach Soo lectures, and I can practically hear the boys rattle in their seats in fear. But this is nothing I haven't heard before - LK Women's League is my sixth team, so through all of those past team environments, combined with soccer camps, I've been through actual hell and back. You ever had a 50-year-old man scream to you that you're a failure, and no good for any purpose in life, just because couldn't hop a soccer on your right leg 10 times? I really hope not.

"Yerin, you're given the right-most stall in the shower rooms, and that back row of lockers is all your's. And before any of you at me - it was Principal Choo's orders to keep that seperation. Your parents would rip him, and me, apart if they found out we let you guys that close together. You got that, Yerin?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you so much," I answer.

"Yep. Any words from you, Yerin? Don't want to put you on the spot or anything, but uh, this is a pretty big thing for you and for all of us."

"Oh, uh," I take a step up, and then almost immediately regret it. "Hey, everyone. I'm Kim Yerin, and I've played soccer for almost all my life. I love this sport, and it means everything to me; I know it means everything to a lot of you guys too. So, I honestly don't care if you don't like me or if you don't feel comfortable that I'm playing on the same field with you. If we're all in it for the same love of the sport, then you know I belong on your team."

Oh , was that too disgusting of a monologue?

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Coach Soo says as a reply. I smile and look back to the tank top-wearing group, and they all nod to agree. I guess that's honestly the best response I could ask for right now. "Now, any words from the captain himself?"

"Right," the male next to me says, and I almost jolt in surpise because I forget the captain - my captain - is almost touching shoulders with me. Perhaps it's the fact that our first encounter was the most anti-climatic, most clumsy meeting I've ever had with a boy, so it's difficult to see him a leader-like light right now.

"So guys, I know that this wasn't what we all expected for this new season. We didn't expect to first have our season be almost cancelled, and last minute have to find a sub-striker, and especially for that sub to be someone of the opposite - that's never happened in this school's - hell, maybe even the country's, entire athletic history. But we're here now. We have a shot at a season, with a championship trophy shining right in front of our eyes. If these past chain of events are any indicator of the season ahead, then we're ing ready. I need you guys to understand that this is my senior season, and I'm not going out with a fight. And I'm not going to let you down if you guys promise to do the same. Yerin, I was the one to push for you on this team, so please, for the ing life of me, don't let us down."

"I gotchu," I wink, and I can hear some of the boys giggle.

"Great, Jungkook. One day, I hope you will be able to have a pep talk without cursing, but good job." Coach Soo interjects, and Jungkook takes his original spot next to me. "Alright, now that's out of the way, Jungkook is right when he says that we've already done so much to get here. I'll be the first to tell you guys I was already preparing this year without a season when Principal Choo once broke the news to me. I was preparing to be an assistant coach for the swim team, and you all know those guys are as good at swimming as rocks."

I laugh, alongside the other guys. Are we sharing a moment right now? That's cute.

"Well, enough of the jokes for the day. We're buckling up for the season! And I'm not going easy on you all at all. We are winning, and we are working hard to get there, no short cuts. You are using everything we've gone through so far as your motivation to get through, is that clear?"

"Clear!" We all concurrently say together.

"In fact, I am so serious about getting there that- SURPRISE! Practice starts today!"

The locker room immediately breaks out in loud cheer and high-fives; I watch as the boys embrace each other, with one guy so excited that he felt the need to unshirt himself? I bite my lip, nervous, as I think of ways I'm going to break this to Aimee. We're supposed to go to the mall today, and ever since Aimee proposed this yesterday, she has not shut up about it. She has been blowing up my phone - I think she's doing it now because my pocket won't stop vibrating - about how we haven't had girl time in so long. She seemed really excited, and I really don't want to break my best friend' heart.

"Yerin?" Coach Soo knocks me out of it, and I unconsciously lift my head from my feet. "Is there a problem with having the practice tonight?"

"Oh, uh," I stammer. I am not going to lie - we are not starting this season off like that. "It's just that... I had plans?"

Coach Soo chuckles. "And to you, what is more important than the first practice of the season?"

"I.. was planning to go the mall. With my best friend."

The locker room erupts in loud groans. I hear some guys click their tongues at me, so freaking upset that I, a high school senior, had plans afterschool. I crack my head and look down to avoid all the eyerolls every boy in here probably gave me.

"Oh, really? What ever will you do now that you can't get matching sparkly mini skirts with the girlfriend? Are you gonna cry? Don't forget about your $45 manicure when you're wiping the tears, though!" Some guy says from the back crowd; I don't have a good look at him, but I don't have a single care to figure out who it is.

"Yerin," Jungkook says my side, and I look upwards to him. "Don't mind them. But are you sure you can't make it to make it to practice? I don't want to diminish your plans, but you know, our soccer practices are pretty important. Especially the first one."

"You say that, but it definitely sounds like you're diminishing my plans," I crack a half-smile.

"Oh come on, Coach. You can't expect to whip out a planned practice minutes before it's happening, and expect 21 people to be wipe out their schedules. Plus, it's Wednesday - Yerin didn't know our practices are usually Wednesday and Thursday," one guy from my math class, Hoseok, says. I always liked that guy; he always stayed quiet in his seat, headphones in, and never bothered anybody. Maybe that's my preference in people - unproblematic.

"Thanks, dude," I mutter to him and he nods at me.

"Fine. I know where you're coming from," Coach Soo responds. That's new: an understanding coach. "It is a bit odd for me to pull a practice out of thin air, so whoever can make it can make it. Kay?"

"Yes, sir!" The boys say in one voice. I let out a deep sigh of relief, and watch as Coach Soo approaches me. My heart rate hastens to an unhealthy tempo, I just hope he goes easy on me. It is our first time meeting after all.

"You can always count on Hoseok to defend his teammates," Coach Soo chuckles and I laugh along. "But from now on, Wednesday and Thursdays. Occasionally Fridays when you get asskicked and I think we need that extra push before the weekend game. Is that clear, Miss Kim?"

"Crystal, thank you, sir." I watch as Coach Soo passes by and engages in conversation with another guy who's also heading out. I'm relieved as hell that I'm not the only one that can't make it. My eyes