Change court, Hanyang and Yonsei had switched bench during half-time. Minho found comfort to see his followers closely at his back. Their cheering and encouragement gave him motivation to win. During the break, he took the time to reflect and analyze on his own mistakes, enthusiasm controlled him that he overdid his plays. His impulse was urging him to focus on the game so now is the time for him to step up and play his best.

Meanwhile, Sica was waiting at the game to proceed when she heard the beep of her cellphone.  

"Hello."

"Hello Jessica. Where are you?"

"Mommy, I'm here inside Yeoiudo Gym watching Minho's match."

"I see. Can I talk with Krystal? I kept calling her since five but she didn't answer." Everyday, Mrs. Jung has to call Krystal to assure if she is safe going home.

"Krystal isn't here. She said she will come after she did some task in school."

"She is still in the school?"

"I think so."

"It's already 6:15 p.m."

Jessica looked at her wristwatch "Perhaps she is stuck in traffic."

"I hope so. If she's already there, told her to callback. Okay?"

"Okay Mom."  

The third quarter started and like the first half, Yonsei continued to dominate the scoring board. This made Hanyang team looks dejected,  as they persistently struggling both on offensive and defensive strategies. The team captain Sanchu pat on the back of his teammates to cheer them up. Minho responded to his leader and consequently, fired up a long a three-point shot that cut the lead of Yonsei to 15 points. Their fans applauded but It was not enough for them.

6:45 p.m. Krystal was still not around hence Jessica started to worry about her sister. Eunseo on the other hand, observed her uneasiness as she kept looking on the clock and surrounding alternately.

"Jessica what's wrong?"

"I'm waiting for my sister, she's not yet here."

"She will come. Don't worry." Eunseo told her as she was trying to calm her down.

"Wait I'm going to call my mother." Sica went outside the venue to call Mrs. Kanghye.

"Mom is Krystal already there?"

"I was supposed to ask you the same question." The mother started to feel panic again. The last time Krystal came late was when she bumped to a lamp post and luckily, Minho rescued her.

"Wait, We need to contact her again." Sica dialed up Krystal's number and it was out of coverage area. The two was already fearing for her safety.

"You have to go to Cheonan to get her, quickly!" Her mother directed her in which she obeyed.

"Okay." Jessica returned to the venue just to get her handbag and bid goodbye to Eunseo.

"Eunseo I need to go now. I have to pick my sister from school, she might get stranded on her way home."

"Ohh you will not going to finish the game?"

"Yes. Please tell Minho that I'm truly sorry about it.."

"Okay. He will understand. Take Care."

"Yes. You too."

Sica was exiting the venue when Minho noticed her departure, it made him wonder. Anyhow, he did not want to get affected by it and so as the final quarter began, he made another long range shot that cut the lead of Yonsei to 12 points. "Jersey No. 10, 3 pointsssssssss!" The Hanyang fans were awaken with this beautiful shot courtesy by rookie Minho.

Jessica arrived in front of Cheonan's gate. The school looks creepy at the dark without students filling its corners the sound of silence echoing through her ears. She braced herself to inquire inside. She knocked on the gate door and one security guard opened it.

"Yes?"

"Good Evening Sir. Can I ask if there is still student inside?" Sica asked politely.

"No Mam. All the students already left the school earlier 5 p.m., only faculty members stayed until 6."

"Had you already check the rooms?"

"Before we closed the gate, we already checked every room to guarantee that no one is left. Why are you asking Mam?"

"Because my sister hasn't return yet. We are worrying about her."

 "Did you already contact her friends and classmates if they have any idea on where your sister is? If not, then try go to police station and report it."

"But I don't have any contacts of her friends and classmates."

"She has cellphone?"

"Yes but out of coverage."

"I see. Wait, what is her fullname again so I can ask her adviser for their landline."

"Jung Soojung or Krystal Sir."

"How about her adviser's name?"

"Wait I will ask my mother." Sica called her mother then she replied shortly.

"Ms. Kim Sunyoung."

The guard contacted Krystal's adviser right away and as soon as she was  informed, she cooperatively called some of her students to enquire if Krystal is with them.

It was twelve points game entering the final quarter. The center of Hanyang grabbed an offensive rebound and laid a shot to basket breaking the lead to only ten points. The crowd was thrilled to witness Hanyang's determined to climb back. However, Yonsei resilience the audience when they made an easy jump shot causing the lead to turn back from twelve. The referee gave the ball to Hanyang point guard, he speed-dribbled the ball down to their court side. He quickly passed the ball to Minho who was positioning himself for alley-oop, but was pushed by his defender. "Foul Yonsei!" The referee shouted. Minho was sent to free throw line, his fangirls were already chanting his name "CHOI MIN HO! CHOI MIN HO! CHOI MIN HO!". His face was marked by fierceness, he succeed making free throws cutting the lead to ten again. Yonsei's point guard slowed down the game as he was planning to do some offensive tactic. He passed the ball to their off guard, Minho was defending his counterpart and followed his movement. It took the ball handler too many steps without dribbling the ball causing him to made "Traveling!" The Yonsei team was alarmed by a sudden burst of power that shook off the Hanyang teams' sluggish first half. Their coach called for a time out and he changed their game plan where they have to focus on the Hanyang's main man - Choi Minho. Coach Hwang Jeongmin (the 40 years old mentor of Hanyang) already knew the game plan of Yonsei, he pursued the zone defense to prevent Yonsei's inside scoring. While on their offensive, he wanted them to play an up-tempo fast break contrary to their opponent and use the screen to help Minho get open. Six minutes remaining with the ball possession of Hanyang. Minho bounced passed the ball to their center against Yonsei's aggressive defense. He used man-to man offense, and with a quick manner, he shot the ball that hit the backboard before it went through the net. Upset-minded Yonsei trailed by just four points in the all-important quarter, and as the time winding down Hanyang continued to bewilder the audience for their impressive defense and offense strategies. Minho "The Ace" was the one who controlled the game from the end of the third quarter, hitting two 3 points consecutively made him recovered his confidence. He influenced his teammates lead them to comeback from the humiliating 19 points down. He got the full attention from the opponent as they centered the defense on him, luckily it made him easier to pass off the ball to the open teammates. He was unstoppable, and as they reached the last two minutes mark, Sanchu blocked the ball from their opponent's power forward hand and passed the ball to Minho who triggered another 3 points shot that tied the ballgame. Followers of Hanyang jumped in their joyfulness as they were smelling the victory ahead. Hanyang rallied down the stretch limiting their rival by just scoring six points, caused them to taste their first win of the season. Choi Minho led all the scorers with 26 points and that made him the best player of the game.

Eunseo gave Minho a tight embrace. "You did great."

"Thanks lovely." His smile was full of joy as his hardwork has paid off. They got into his car while he gentlemanly helping his girlfriend.

"Happy White Valentines." Eunseo surprisingly grabbed Minho on his neck and kissed him on the lips. He then pulled her harder and deep his tongue in it. It's my gift for you." She continued. Minho broke a grin on his face and kissed her more passionately.

After of sweet making out, they fasten their seatbelts and was ready to leave.

"Jessica said sorry for being unable to finish the game."

"Why would she had to apologize?" Minho then called to his mind what Sica did.

"She left early to see her sister from the school. She is so worried about her not going back in time. "

"Huh?"

"Yes." She had waited her sister to go here and watch the game with her, but she didn't come."

The information was like a blow to Minho. Out of the blue, his mind got disturbed by it. The fact that Krystal did not watch the game though she had promise and as her family started worrying again made him unexplainably troubled by it.

"Are you okay?" Eunseo asked him as the news left him still in a daze.

"Yes." He lied to her. Minho controlled his emotion as he did not want to bother Eunseo about his state. He dropped off his girlfriend at her home.

"See you tomorrow. Good Night" She told him.

"Good Night."

Eunseo saw the sudden change in Minho's mood. There was something that occupying in his mind all of a sudden she thought.

Minho texted Jessica to ask if she already saw Krystal in school. Jessica read the message and called him instead.

"Minho I'm sorry, I left the venue too early."

"It's okay."

"How was your game?"

"We won."

"Congrats." Sica said it in a weary sound.

Minho could already sense something wrong. "Eunseo told me you will pick Krystal from school. Did you see her?"

"No. She's not here. We already called her classmates and they don't know where Krystal is. The security guard accompanied me to search for Krystal, we traced her way from school but could not find her. I already reported this to the police."

Minho stared aghast out of nowhere while listening to her. Sica could not contain her distress as she dropped tears from her eyes.

"You know Minho, I'm afraid to tell this to Mommy. She'll have emotional breakdown if she'll learn Krystal is missing so I ignored her call." Jessica continued. She knows her mother's weakness when it comes to emotion.

Minho got terribly affected either by Jessica's anxious state or Krystal's disappearance. He wanted to help so he presented himself to search for Krystal even he was exhausted from the game.

"Don't tell this to your mother yet. I will go there to help you. What is the name of the school again?" He asked her. Jessica was pleased by his voluntariness to search for her sister.

"Cheonan. Cheonan High School".

Flashback memories recurrent in his Minho's mind. He remembered the day when Krystal was about to enroll to Cheonan with her mother and the day Eunseo told him about sorority and hazing inside the school. He was not able to realize that Krystal and Euseo share the same school. The connection of the two ideas troubled him evenmore. He wanted to stay calm and be positive but the more he is fighting distress, the more stressful it is.

Minho drove to Chungcheongnam-do, where the city of Cheonan is located. It's about an hour to get into the place. With the guide of some strangers he reached the Cheonan Girl's High School. He knocked on the door gate and one of the security guard came out. Minho went to look for the sisters, but the guard told him that Sica already stayed in the police station with her father. The guard escorted him towards the station and as they entered the headquarter, Minho saw Mr. Jung consoling Jessica.

"Minho?" Mr. Jung was surprised to see him in Cheonan Police Station at exactly 11 p.m.

"Minho!" Jessica looked at him with swollen eyes resulting of too much crying.

"Sir is there any update about Krystal?"

"Nothing. They already dispatch numbers of police to search for her." Mr. Jung was keeping calm under stress. When Sica was already spaced out, she called her father to the tell the truth.

Pity aroused from Minho while seeing Jessica in agony.

"Sica you can go home now. I will stay with your father here."

"Are you sure? You look too tired from the game." Mr. Jung asked him.

"I'm fine Sir."

"Thank You Minho but I can't." Jessica refused. Krystal might be cruel to her but Sica never harbored any resentment towards her sister.

"Minho is right. You need to take rest. Your mother is already waiting for you. I will call you if we already find Krystal.

Her father tapped her head. After of minutes of persuasion,  Sica was convinced.

"Just pray Jessica." Minho advised her.

'Thanks Minho." Sica needed to go back to Seoul to comfort her mother and she left them with so much hope.

After an hour, Minho stood up, impatience of waiting. He felt the problem would not be solve by just sitting. "Sir, we should go back to Cheonan."

"We are not allowed to enter there."

"It's urgent, they must understand. I think if we will go back, we'll get some clue on how Krystal is missing." Mr. Jung agreed to him and they went back to school.

to be continued...