RBW High’s cheerleading squad is in shambles.

It’s not any of the team members’ fault, really. Everyone is very talented, and even more committed, but you can’t expect much from a squad whose leader is… a hot mess. They’ve had some extremely successful seasons since Yongsun was made Captain, that much is true. She had been an excellent cheerleader and a capable leader, up until a few months ago. But things started to go wrong at the beginning of the school year. Why? Because a gorgeous new transfer student joined the football team and Kim Yongsun has lost her mind, that’s why.

She’s been so distracted lately that she aroused murderous feelings in her fellow cheerleaders. Yongsun simply stops functioning, she stops being able to cheer when Moon Byulyi is around. She forgets the words to their cheers. She mixes up the steps of their routines. She fell from the top of the pyramid once, during a game. That was so humiliating for everyone in the squad, and for the whole school.

What’s worst, she’s not a good leader anymore. She doesn’t remember her newest team members’ names. She lost the keys to the gym once, and it was raining so everyone had to go home and they all skipped practice. She went from being the most energetic among them, capable of motivating and pumping the squad up in the blink of an eye, to absentmindedly mumbling weak “let’s go, team”s and “come on, ladies”s every once in a while during practice.

Everyone agrees. Kim Yongsun is going through the motions, but her mind is elsewhere. People don’t want to admit it, because everyone loves and respects Yongsun, but this is not right. Something needs to be done.

Mutiny.

Irene, the vice-captain, calls a meeting. She’s calm and collected as she explains to Yongsun that they are kicking her out. There have been just too many episodes. The team can’t suffer like this just because the captain has a crush on the quarterback. “I hope you realize this isn’t personal, Yongsun,” Irene continues, “I have to do this for the sake of the squad.”

“Yes, unnie, we all love you, but we can’t go on like this,” Seulgi adds.

Yongsun is shocked. She knew things were not perfect with the squad right now, but she wasn’t expecting this. She wasn’t expecting to be kicked out of the team that she had successfully led for two years. Her second family. She’s distraught.

“Does everyone else agree with them?” Yongsun looks at all of them, trying not to let the tears in her eyes fall. Her gaze stops for a moment on Wheein and Hyejin, her protégés. Yongsun had seen promise in them, and personally fought to let them in the squad. They lower their eyes. Nobody else says anything.

“Very well,” Yongsun remarks. She doesn’t say anything else, and she just leaves the room. She won’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

This is, by far, the worst day of Yongsun’s life.

Until she’s finally outdoors, gasping for fresh air, and she sees Moon Byulyi running towards her. She’s still in her jersey, sweaty and short of breath after her practice. Great, Yongsun thinks. Just great. I’m a mess right now. I don’t have the mental energy to deal with how incredibly charming I think she is. Please don’t let me say or do anything embarrassing. Moon Byulyi stops running as she approaches her.

“Hi,” she says, with a shy smile.

“H-hi,” Yongsun replies, her heart beating so hard that she’s afraid the other girl might hear it. Please, heart, be normal!

“Your name is Yongsun, right?”

“Right. And yours is Byulyi.”

“Right. Hey Yongsun, this might sound weird or totally inappropriate, but…” Moon Byulyi speaks quickly. She seems almost afraid that the words will escape if she doesn’t get them out at once. “Iwaswonderingifyoudliketogoonadatewithme? My treat.”

“I… I…” Yongsun is left speechless. Say yes, silly!, her brain screams at her, but the words won’t come out.

“It’s ok if you don’t want to, I won’t ask again. It’s just, I know we don’t really know each other, but I really like you… I think I’m not even doing my best on the pitch because I can’t take my eyes off you most of the time, and you seem so sweet and such a badass at the same time, and I bet we’d get along great, and I’d just like it very much if we could do that, I mean, get to know each other, but only if you want to too… what do you think, Yongsun?”

Moon Byulyi is rambling. She’s as nervous as I am. Somehow, this thought brings Yongsun back to Earth, where she hadn’t been in months. Byulyi’s just a person, just like her. A very handsome, but very gentle, very approachable person. There’s nothing to be nervous about. She smiles at her.

“What are you doing tomorrow after school?” One good thing about being kicked off the squad: Yongsun won’t be as busy. She’ll have time for new things. New people.

Moon Byulyi’s anxious face breaks into a dazzling smile. “Going on a date with you?”

This is, by far, the best day of Yongsun’s life.