For the rest of that week he watched from a distance. After that first day, standing in the back of the line watching amazed as the older boy blocked every single shot, he had gone home in a daze. His father asked about his day, he replied before going to his room and laying on his bed until dinner. When he had first seen Jinki he had wondered who he was. His next thought after taking in his attire was that if he was on the team what position he played. Goalie hadn’t been his first guess, but it made sense.

His first thought was that Jinki was a runner. It wasn’t like he was looking at his thighs on purpose, but the wind just happened to blow and make the shorts he was wearing taunt on his legs. Those thighs were those of a runner, but knowing that he was the goalie also explained why they were so muscular.

Minho sighed and kicked off his shoes as he slammed his pillow into his face. This wasn’t what a crush felt like. Was it? No. He told himself. They had just met, and it wasn’t really a meeting. He couldn’t have a crush. You had to talk with someone, like have an actual conversation, before you liked them.

Right?

——-

That weekend was free, having the coach taking the time to talk it over with Jinki and the other assistant coach about what to do and who to cut. Minho was rather nervous at that.

He was an okay player, but by the looks of things he wasn’t that good compared to the other boys. He hoped he made it because he honestly didn’t know what his father would do if he didn’t. He also maybe, possibly just a little bit, wanted to spend more time with Jinki, but that wasn’t really important.

Sunday afternoon all of the boys going out for the team would get a call. By then the coach would have made the final decision for the first cut. Minho tried not to think about it much. He had summer reading to finish before school started, and it would do him no good to sit and think about the possibility of not making the team. He didn’t want to think about how much of a let down that would be for his dad.

He went to the movies with his older brother Saturday night, laughed and smiled when the boy’s friends called him cute, and even enjoyed a rather good milkshake. It had whipped creme and extra cherries. He was a happy Minho that night when he went to sleep, but reality hit him the moment he woke up enough the following morning.

Anytime the phone rang he froze for a moment before rushing for it. He didn’t want his father answering it. There was a high possibility that he would be cut, and he really didn’t want his dad to hear about it before him.

When the coach finally called Minho’s throat felt swollen. “Yes Coach Kim?”

There was a chuckle on the other end. "Don’t sound so nervous boy. I’ve called to say you’ve made the first cut. See you on the field Tuesday.”

"What? Really?!"

“Yes. Just remember. 11 am Tuesday.”

"Yes.. I’ll remember." And then he remembered, "And thank you Coach."

The man on the other line just grunted before saying goodbye and hanging up the phone. To say that Minho was jumping off the wall for the next day and half was an understatement.

——-

The next conditioning day was just a running day, and Minho was relieved. Running was something he was rather good at, and he couldn’t really make a fool out of himself like he had the day before. It’s not like he meant to shoot it right at Jinki. The ball just had a mind of it’s own.

The whistle blew once more and he took off. It was only then that he realized that Jinki was running with them. The older boy didn’t need to, he was just here to help the coach and meet the possible new team members. He didn’t need to run or do the drills with them. He was the example, something to follow, or ask for help when the coach was either busy or just really unapproachable.

But there he was running full force next to him. Minho shook his head and focused on the suicide set they were on. His chest was burning, his legs felt like goo, but he kept pushing. He had to finish.

And when the whistle blew again he realized he was one of 6 boys still running. Jinki being one of them.

The coach’s voice boomed over their heads. “There’s water over on the bench. Tomorrow we’ll be at the field by the middle school. The band needs this one tomorrow.”

Minho noted that he was the only one besides Jinki standing straight up to catch his breath. The older boy smiled at him before wiping his face with his shirt and walking over to help the other boys get water.

———

The next afternoon Minho arrived at the field to find it completely empty. Well save for the one person lining up soccer balls from the bag along the field. He thought that maybe he was a little bit early, but checking his phone told him that he was perfectly on time. The person on the field turned a little and Minho saw that it was Jinki ( not that he needed to see his face to recognize him. That stupid ponytail did it away for him.).

Jinki stepped back a little from the balls before jogging and sending the first ball toward the net. Minho blinked once and the ball was colliding with the back of the goal. Another ball was shot, another made. Minho wanted to go forward, ask him where all the other boys were, but he couldn’t force his feet to move. He rather enjoyed watching the other boy move through the motions. They were so fluid, done with such a grace that he knew wasn’t really taught. Not to mention he really liked how Jinki’s shorts were riding up a little and he could see the boy’s thigh muscles flexing as he kicked.

But all good things must end, and Jinki turned a little and caught sight of him. Minho really didn’t know how he felt about how a smile spread on the boys face as he ran toward him.

"Hey Minho- shi." He couldn’t find his voice so he just smiled softly. The smile grew. "It seems you’re the only one that was listening to the coach yesterday. He went off to find them at the other field."

"Oh." He muttered.

Jinki cocked his head to the side, amused. “Would you like to play with me?”

Minho’s head snapped up to look at him a little too fast if he was honest with himself. “What?”

But Jinki was just chuckling softly. “Do you want to play soccer with me while we wait? It might be a while longer.”

"Uh-um, I guess." Minho scratched his neck and tried to not feel so weird.

"Huh well okay you’re Cute." He heard Jinki say softly before he was turning away and walking back toward the balls. "Come on Minho."

He took a deep breath and set his bag on the grass near the bench. He ran a hand through his hair and jogged after the older boy. He just hoped he didn’t make a complete fool of himself in front of him.