Park Sooyoung watched her team's recorded video on her phone from yesterday's practice. She made several notes inside her head about what needs to be changed and some minor arrangements in her squad's formation. She decided to give her girls a new routine to try since there will be an upcoming national cheer competition held in June. Joy looked at Wonyoung. Her secret weapon against their rival school's cheer squad. Wonyoung got the body and the looks for a perfect cheerleader. Not only that, her overflowing charisma and confidence were some of the things why she's running for cheer captain once she became a sophomore. Her skills and talent are unmatched. 

Joy sees so much of herself in the younger girl, which is why she's confused that Wonyoung's performance today was a little bit off. Because just like Joy, Wonyoung is supposed to be perfect. 

" Jang! Come here for a second. " Joy called her student. Wonyoung left her squad and approached their coach who was sitting on the bleachers.

" Did I messed up the routine? " Wonyoung asked. 

" No. " Joy shook her head as she took off her sunglasses. " I'm impressed that you have memorized the choreography already. It's just that-" 

Wonyoung admired their Joy. She was an alumnus from their school. She won Prom Queen seven years ago, excelled in her studies, enjoys F1 racing, and despite owning her own company, Joy still wanted to be the cheer coach of her alma mater. She told her students that it was her duty to train young and beautiful girls to be the best version of themselves so that when they become college students, they can use the discipline and knowledge they learn from being a cheerleader. 

Wonyoung, Yuri and Hitomi thought it was bull. Minju, however wrote it in her journal as an inspirational qoute. 

" Is there something wrong? Got in a fight with your boyfriend? " Joy asked. Wonyoung eyes widened a bit from the sudden question but ultimately shook her head.
Joy watched Wonyoung stare in the distance, not convinced that the younger was fine just like she said. She decided to impart some advice to her troubled star student. She considered it as charity work for the kid. " You know, when I was your age, I dated four guys at the same time. " 

" Four?! " Wonyoung gasped in disbelief. Other people's dating history does not concern Wonyoung, but when Joy told her something so ridiculous  and inappropriate as that, she cannot help but feel shocked. She acknowledges how much of a girl boss their coach is, but she never imagined her to be promiscuous. 

Joy  rested a hand of her cheek as she reminisces about the old times. " It was fun until it lasted, but it was a hassle. " Joy patted the girl's back. " Anyway, don't let boys interfere with practice. You know I trust you to bring the cheer squad to nationals, right? " 

" I don't have a boyfriend," Wonyoung replied as she checked her sparkly nails. Her eyes landed eventually on her dumb best friend, Ahn Yujin. When Yujin arrived, she never did once look at Wonyoung or even said hello to her. 

" Aww. " Joy cooed teasingly at her student. " What? They find little Wonyoungie terrifying to date? " 

The younger girl scoffed. According to some low lives in their school, it turns out boys are intimidated to ask out Wonyoung because apparently, she gives off the YOU'RE NOTHING TO ME energy, and such energy from any women frightens boys and their egos. She doesn't care much about other people's opinions except for hers anyway, so it did not bother her at all. 

" I will never date a highschool boy. " Wonyoung said listlessly, her gaze still on Yujin. " I watched Clueless when I was 12 years old. That movie changed the trajectory of my life forever. "

Joy followed Wonyoung's line of sight, a smirk forming on her lips. She finally found out what Wonyoung was so concerned about. " So... How are things with you and Yujin? Do you girls still talk after Yujin quit the team? " 

The younger snapped her head to make eye contact with Joy for the first time. 

" She's too easy too read. " Joy made a mental note that the mere mention of Ahn Yujin's name will make Jang Wonyoung interested. 

" Of course we do. Yujin is my best friend. " Wonyoung felt slightly offended that their coach have the nerve to question her friendship with Yujin. Yujin is a vital part of the cheer squad, and at first, Wonyoung was worried that Joy would not let Yujin go from the cheer squad, but she let her off easily with a simple letter explaining why she decided to leave the team. And now Joy even asked Yujin's help. Wonyoung thought that maybe she and Joy wanted the same things for Yujin. Even if their coach acts mean for no reason sometimes. 

They were silent for a moment. Joy can't help but miss her younger days with Irene, Seulgi, Joy, and Wendy. 

 " Why are they still here? " she asked and pointed at her friends at the corner of the gym. They were only three people there, but their cackles and banter could be heard from the other side of the gym. 

Before the cheer squad starts their practice, Joy arrived with Yujin, Yena, and Chaeyeon. Wonyoung almost choked on her water when the cheerleaders attacked Yujin with hugs, and I miss yous. Joy explained that she asked the three members from the Dance club to assist the cheer squad with their new routine. Chaeyeon, being the dance club president, did her job flawlessly. Her dance was clean and precise, thus making it easier for the other girls to follow. Yena did the same, except she made friends with the other cheerleaders and made them comfortable. 

Yujin, on the other hand, was like a hyperactive dog and made more talk than do her actual job. Joy had to pull out Yujin a couple of times to reprimand her because the girl was messing around her with her ex-teammates, taking selfies and trying to make fun of Hitomi and Minju again.

Wonyoung wonders if Yujin was acting that way because she missed the cheer squad. 

" Let them be. " Joy said, brushing off Wonyoung's concern. " Remember to make a TikTok and post it on all our social media platforms, okay? " 

" Why are we making one again? " Wonyoung asked. She winced at the sight of Minju trying to hit the woah like what an 87-year-old woman in a retirement home would do. Yujin looked so pleased as the puppy-like girl even hugged their older friend when she started whining cutely.

" To promote our school, dummy. " Joy laughed. " You know how kids are all about Tiktoks, Fortnite, and uhh... Iced coffee and stuff. " 

" You are getting old, coach. " Wonyoung told Joy while giving her a cheeky smile. " It's cute that you try to be hip and act like you're 18 years old again, but it gets sad eventually. " 

Joy's lips twitched at Wonyoung's remark. " Why, you little ... " 

Wonyoung walked away smugly and joined her team once again. Joy just shook her head and watched Wonyoung gather up the girls and discuss something with Chaeyeon. 

" She's like a mini Park Sooyoung. That little devil. " 
xxx