A/N before the story:

Prompt from Embers. I thought it was a really original idea, Yongguk as coach and Daehyun as a cocky striker, what's with World Cup happening right now hahaha. Probably longest oneshot I've ever written 5.8k words... Let me apologise first for the lack of technical terms and elaboration or lame words because I know nothing about soccer LOL. I had to google a bit for some basic stuff... By the way, I won't be writing on all the prompts posted sorry if I disappoint (*´_ゝ｀) I didn't check this after I finish because... 5.8k words.

*Oh yea, I realise I didn't include the part about Daehyun deliberate trying to get punishment from Yongguk--

Live young and live wild, that’s how you should live.

Jung Daehyun never knows the meaning of stepping back or slowing down.

Because he only knows how to move forward.

And at intense speed.

“Breaching the defenses, number 11—he’s pushing it—“

“They’re defenseless!”

“Oh—“ The crowd echoes with the voice surrounding the entire stadium as they cry out in ecstasy or just, disappointment. On the field, there is devastation and there is joy distinguished but at the audience seats, the two polarities are mixed into a loud commotion but all Jung Daehyun can hear are the cheers in his ears. He chest bumps his teammates and let his smile spread obnoxiously as the commentators go on.

“It’s another goal!”

“Our favourite striker, Jung Daehyun that red eleven surrounded by his teammates. Sometimes we forget they’re only playing the Youth League.”

“It seems there is greater to be expected, ain’t it?”

“Hurry up and get your asses here. I don’t have time for your —OI!”

“God, early in the morning…” Sporting a number zero on his back, Choi Junhong cringes and covers his ears as he passes by the man with the loud vocals dressed in simple jeans and a black T-shirt. Kim Himchan is a chemistry teacher who lectures a fully-seated auditorium of eight hundred without a microphone and Junhong have always feared sitting in the front.

“You’re not the only one with a bad mood, Junhong.” Kim Himchan tugs the collar of his shirt as he shifts his weight to one foot with one hand on a hip. The field is already starting to warm up from the approaching afternoon sun and Kim Himchan hates the heat.

“I have an important announcement to make.” He clears his throat before speaking, a group of 17 boys sitting on the shaded grass before him dissolving into a natural silence from their chatters. “As you all know, your old coach has to leave due to some personal reasons…”

They begin muffled laughters as they exchange knowing eyes.

“Ok whatever, you all know, he went eloping with his god knows what, fourth? Wife? Mistress?” Kim Himchan scoffs.

Among the laughs, a hand raises and the centre-back Yixing adds in with sleepy eyes, “But you got to give him some credit… Old guy’s quite good at football.”

Chanyeol gives his friend a nod of approval and Junhong laughs until his eyes are slits.

Kim Himchan clears his throat, signaling the boys to quiet down before continuing. “We’re having a new coach. In fact, he’s standing right behind all of you.”

The boys turn back to see a man with features shadowed and silhouette darkened by the blazing sun standing with his arms crossed and feet slightly apart, his face unseen.

“He’s quite famous if you all know. Mr Bang coached Incheon high and a bunch of other top schools you guys met at the finals last year. So, Mr Bang, I’ll leave them to you now if that’s alright.”

The two men exchange brief words and then seventeen pairs of eyes are staring at the man who took over Mr Kim’s spot in the shade. He has short-cropped hair and eyes that doesn’t smile as they survey them. His jersey is big and baggy but it does not diminish the broadness of his shoulders as he crosses his arms casually, lean and long legs shifting to a more comfortable position as he sits down on the table where they place their belongings.

“My name is Bang Yongguk and I’m your coach for now. You can just call me coach in case my surname pose too much of a difficulty for some of you funny people.”

“Damn…” Chanyeol whispers and Yixing joins in with a silly smile, both boys already amused by the number of jokes they could come up with their new coach’s surname.

“I believe the goal this year is to win the national champion. Even though I have some other teams playing as well but you can trust on me to be partial. How you play depends on you solely. National champion isn’t a faraway dream for your capabilities. I’ve watched you bunch play on the field, it’s good, but not perfect of course. That why I’m here. Before our first official practice starts, let me make it clear, my goal is to clinch national champion because I believe that is the best you can do and I always push my players to their limits.”

The new coach has a baritone voice that seems to capture the team’s attention despite the heat invading their senses at the peak of the afternoon. Everyone seems to be naturally captivated by his words and the innate desire to win seems to be awakening once more.

“Before we start, any questions for me?”

“Coach, why is your voice so low?” Chanyeol starts the ball rolling and they see their coach smile for the first time. It’s really wide and… gummy.

“Born like this.”

“Coach, how tall are you?”

“180.”

“Coach, how heavy are you? Are you underweight?”

“62kg. I don’t know.”

“Coach, which team do you support?”

“That’s a secret.”

There’s a boisterous noise on the field and approaching them is a pair of neon green. The chuckles lighten a little at the arrival of the newcomer who sits down in the corner of the shade, bag at the side as he hugs his knees lazily.

“Why are you late?” The new coach stuffs his hands into his pockets and nods at the new boy. The new kid doesn’t say a word. He stares back almost audaciously.

“Stand up.”

He takes his time to stand, hands adjusting the hem of his jersey lazily as his eyes skim the grass.

“Why are you late?” The deep voice sounds through the now silence as the other boys turn back to look at their standing teammate while some are just not interested enough to bother.

Number 11, Bang Yongguk notes. His brows lowers slightly in displeasure as the boy shrugs his shoulders, face void of emotions in a cocky manner.

“You don’t know? Or you’re just late for nothing at all?” Bang Yongguk doesn’t wait for an answer. “One thing I didn’t mention earlier, I treat discipline above all. You can even call me for that but that is not going to change. I hate late coming, laziness and disrespect. Even if you’re the best player around, I’m the coach, you come late and you get out. No practice. I tolerate none of those rubbish. Number 11, do you catch?”

Number 11 nods.

“Sit down.”

Some of the other boys exchange looks.

The new coach obviously doesn’t know them that well. Number 11 is a shining number. Jung Daehyun isn’t just any school team player. He’s in the National Youth League. Even the old coach didn’t give a damn about his late coming. The new coach blatantly disciplined him about late coming on the first day. Nicknamed the blazing 11, Jung Daehyun is a celebrity trump card. The boys don’t think it’s a good idea to diss their ace on the first day. Jung Daehyun comes late every practice and doesn’t give much damn about whatever they do there. He just comes so he can get his attendance marked for end of year points. Their good-natured captain Suho has already given up on asking him to come earlier. Even Kim Himchan their teacher in charge can’t do anything about Jung Daehyun.

Number 11.

Of course Bang Yongguk recognizes that number and that face. Any citizen vaguely knowledgeable about football recognizes their national star. Set up a blaze in their youth league and commentators praise him to the skies. Bang Yongguk admits, he’s good but this afternoon’s lateness cancelled out everything they called him. Blazing 11 or not, a player that gives no about practice deserves no from him either.

Number 11 continues to be missing from practice until about half an hour after official time on the next practice. The new coach isn’t very happy about it.

Jung Daehyun comes strolling in and join a random group practicing their passes. The coach blows his whistle and picks him out. He half-jogs to the man standing at the side of the field with arms crossed as the team continues their practice.

Bang Yongguk examines the head of hazel brown locks and the pair of striking neon shoes.

“Why are you late?”

Jung Daehyun knew he would ask. His eyes travel.

“You’re late for 43 minutes. 43 rounds around the field.”

Jung Daehyun’s eyes meet Bang Yongguk’s in a quick second. The old coach never did this.

“Hurry up.” The new coach doesn’t give a .

Daehyun masks the urge to roll his eyes and sets off running.

“Shout the number of rounds when you finish one.”

The other teammates watch with amusement. Nobody ever told Jung Daehyun to do all that. Nobody dared to piss him off because that would mean a treacherous road towards national champion. But what is this new coach doing? He must not know the things around here.

“23!”

The team is starting their practice game and Daehyun grits his teeth and carries on.

Stupid old fool. Stop wasting my time already!

The next time Jung Daehyun is late, he runs another 53 rounds.

And the next, he just didn’t appear at all.

“Tell him he can forget about all his points if he doesn’t come tomorrow.” Yongguk throws off a warning to messenger Suho who just sighs and begins texting.

Daehyun appears on the field next practice, still late. Yongguk has reached his limit.

There’s a friendly match on the field and the opponents wonder why the coach is letting their ace run rounds instead of putting him in the play.

Daehyun watches as his teammates as he jogs around the field for the umpteenth time already. He is so sick of this, so sick of this new coach and his bull. Just let him play, how does school practice even matter? He’s got training at the national teams, this is nothing to him. Daehyun gets more and more frustrated as the sweat trickles down his face. As his teammates scored a goal, something snapped inside him. He stops running, slowing down to a stroll and Bang Yongguk turns away from the match to eye his ‘outstanding’ player.

“Coach, let me play.”

“You haven’t completed your punishment.”

Daehyun grabs his bag and leaves.

The next time he appears, the school team is playing in the preliminary round for their zonal’s and Suho’s taken over his position. He was tying his shoelaces, colour still as flashy as ever when the new coach announced the starter players, which didn’t include his name. There were somewhat surprised expressions among the boys but they weren’t that surprised, they were kind of expecting it. The new coach is weird.

So, for the first time, number eleven is sitting on the bench with a bunch of year ones. He’s pissed and totally annoyed but their new coach, on the other hand, doesn’t give a at all as he shouts instructions towards the field.

“in’ hell…” Daehyun curses under his breathe. This is it.

“Coach,” He approaches the man standing at the side of the field, fingers urging to dig into his palms from the anger. Bang Yongguk turns around. “Am I playing or what?”

The new coach scoffs.

“You’re not in the school team anymore.”

“What?”

“You’re late and you just don’t give a —you just want your points don’t you? But I’m sorry, I’m not going to give it to you so easily.”

“What is this? The team needs me to get into the finals!”

“The team doesn’t need you. You need the team.” Bang Yongguk deadpans and the whistle blowing on the field pierces through Daehyun’s ears like a speeding train.

“This is a in’ waste of my time!”

Bang Yongguk merely scoffs as the pair of neon shoes stalks away. The newbies on the bench stare as Jung Daehyun exits the field.

Stupid kid. Bang Yongguk turns back to the game.

He expected this. He knew that stupid kid is going to come back for his points. er’s realized he can’t fufil requirements for youth league without his bonus points. Bang Yongguk stares with steely eyes as Jung Daehyun appears in front of him beside their teacher in charge.

Apparently he’s suspended his bonus points because stupid kid just doesn’t know what is respect and punctuality. Jung Daehyun hates the new coach.

“One more str