Rational thoughts over emotions?

“Oppa!” Krystal waved at Minho as she ran toward him.

“Good morning!” she said, squeezing his arm.

He gave her a smile and a nod which didn’t even reach his eyes.

She noticed. “Yah, what’s with the cold treatment?”

He shook his head. “I’m just…tired,” he finished lamely.

She reached out and touched his cheek. “Really? I’m so sorry, oppa. I exhausted you with all that practicing yesterday.”

He gently took her hand from his cheek. Stop doing that. Stop being nice to me, he wanted to tell her. Then he reprimanded himself. He shouldn’t be thinking of stupid things like this. He should focus on what’s ahead of them at the moment…the interschool games wherein they’d be competing with another high school within the city.

He abruptly turned away from her. “Come on, let’s warm up.”

Krystal silently followed him. Maybe he is really tired, she thought. But throughout the weeks they’ve been together he had never ignored her like this even when he was exhausted.

“Oppa, is something wrong? Did something happen? How is your mother?” she asked worriedly as they jogged around the oval.

“She’s fine,” he replied. “And no, nothing’s happened.”

She decided to keep shut. Maybe it’s best to leave him be.

…………………………..

Krystal took a deep breath as she scanned the crowd surrounding her and the other player for the high jump. There are only two of them left. And it’s her last try for 1.9 meters. She couldn’t believe she had gotten this far. She looked at her friends who stood at her right. Amber, Jinri and Sonyoung were all rooting for her. She smiled and waved at them. Then she turned to Minho who was seated beside Coach Song and Key. He looked so serious and he’s eyeing her intently. He never said anything, but it seemed that the look he was giving her was encouraging and she felt stronger.

I can do this. I won’t fail them.

She heard the whistle, signaling for her to start. She mustered all her strength and ran…and jumped. The crowd went wild.

She got up and her face was filled with wonder. She looked at her friends jumping up and down, with Key joining them, and Coach Song and Minho standing up and clapping. Then without thinking she ran…straight into Minho’s arms.

………………………………..

Minho was shocked when Krystal ran toward him and hugged him tightly. He couldn’t explain how he felt. He hugged her back with sheer joy lighting his whole face.

“You’re amazing, Krystal. I’m so proud of you,” he said softly.

She looked up at him, her face beaming. “I couldn’t do it without you, oppa. Thank you!”

“No. You can still do it without my help. You’re a natural,” he argued lightly, still holding her. He couldn’t let go of her.

“What she said was true, Minho-ssi,” Coach Song said. “You’re a good coach to her.”

Krystal turned to Coach Song and hugged her, too. “And you, too, Coach. Thank you so much for giving me a chance and believing in me.”

“You’re welcome, Krystal-ssi. But you wouldn’t have made it without your hard work and determination. Congratulations!”

“Krystal! Oh my gosh, that was freaking awesome!” Amber said as she, Jinri and Sonyoung surrounded Krystal and took turns hugging her.

“Yeah, I didn’t know you had it in you,” Sonyoung said. “You should do this from now on.”

“You’re unbelievable!” Jinri exclaimed.

Minho watched as Krystal talked to her friends. She’s an amazing girl, and it’s really difficult not to fall for her. He has to stay away from her from now on. He doesn’t want complications and his feelings for her are making things complicated to him.

He silently slipped from the crowd and walked away. He never even got far when he heard Krystal calling him.

“Oppa! Where are you going?”

He stopped and turned to look at her. She was beside him in an instant. Aish, how could he ever stay away from her when she keeps on getting close to him? Does she even know the torture she’s putting him through?

“What’s wrong, oppa? Something’s bothering you, I could sense it,” she asked, looking worried.

She’s perceptive, he thought. And what’s with that look? Why does she feel that something’s wrong with me? Is it possible she cares for me, too?

He took her hand and held it tightly in his. “There’s something I would like to tell you…but, not here. Coach Song and the other players have organized a sort of victory party tonight. Will you come?”

She looked at their entwined hands and then she looked up to him, smiling. “I’d love to.”

And just as Minho was starting to have his hopes rising, an arm went around Krystal’s shoulders, pulling her from him.

“Krystal! I’ve watched you! You’re so good. I didn’t know you were into these things,” Kyoung Jae said, laughing.

Krystal smiled at  Kyoung Jae. “Well, yeah, not before. But now I do.”

“I’ve heard from Ms. Park that you did this so that you can get into the honor’s list. Great job!”

“Thanks, oppa,” she glanced at Minho who was looking nowhere, his face grim.

“Are you quitting after this? ‘Cause Sonyoung said you just wanted this for your record and now you got it. I mean, you don’t seem the type to have some interest in this.”

Minho turned to look at her, waiting for her answer.

“I…” she hadn’t decided about it yet.

Minho nodded at her. “I’ll go ahead, Krystal. Congratulations!” he turned and walked away.

…………………………………………….

“Kyoung Jae oppa, will you give me a minute? I need to talk to Minho oppa,” Krystal asked, pulling away from Kyoung Jae.

“Minho? Choi Minho? Don’t tell me you’re friends with that…scumbag?” Kyoung Jae said, laughing scornfully.

Krystal felt her face turning red. “Yah, don’t call him that! You don’t know him!”

“And you do, Krystal?” Kyoung Jae shook his head. “Tsk, don’t ever think about getting close to that thing, princess. Your father would be very displeased if he knows of it.”

Krystal’s eyes widened. “Are you threatening me?”

“Oh, let’s just say that I’m just warning you. And I’ve heard about that victory party tonight. Don’t get yourself involved with those slobs, Kryssie. You don’t belong with them. Come on, I’ll take you home,” he put his arm around her shoulders but she flinched.

“I have my own car. I don’t need you to bring me home,” she said coldly and ran away from Kyoung Jae.

……………………………………….

Kim Kyoung Jae plays well, and he holds all the aces. His family is influential, and Krystal’s father favored him. When he told Mr. Jung what he thought of Krystal’s activities, the older man didn’t give permission to his daughter to go out that night.

“And you will quit that sport you had joined in. You already have a record, anyway,” Mr. Jung told his youngest daughter.

“What?!” Krystal let out a groan of frustration. “But, Appa, you always said that as long as it’s about school and it would help me achieve my goal, you’d consent to it!”

“You have already achieved your goal. There’s no need to continue being in that track and field team. Don’t argue with me.”

Krystal snapped shut and ran to her room. She fell face down on her bed and tears began to stream down her cheeks. Isn’t this what she originally planned? Play once and quit the team? But that was before she got to know Minho for real. Being in the team was the only chance she got to be with him. They’re not even classmates and if it’s not because she joined track and field they would hardly see each other. Minho would not really go looking for her around school, would he? They’d be back to square one. She put her face on the covers and sobbed. Why is she unhappy? So what if she couldn’t be with Minho anymore? It’s just the way it was before, right?

She raised her face and stopped crying as she realized something. Am I already in love with him? Is this why I felt like I don’t want to be away from him?

The realization confused her. She thought of Kyoung Jae and her father. She knew without a doubt that they would stop her if she got close to Minho. Her father is a hard man, and all her life she did what he wanted her to do. Does she have the courage to bend her father’s rules now? Is Minho even worth it?

………………………………

It had been awhile since Krystal saw Minho. The last time she did was right after she won the women’s high jump. At first she tried to ignore how she fel