Waiting for my other members to be ready after a show is over to go back to our dorm for some much needed rest is never a fun thing to do when you're the first one to be done and don't have someone to goof around with. With Daewon and the others still stuck with our stylists and Jota leaving to take care of his own schedules, I had no choice but to walk around the solitary underground parking lot, looking for something amusing to do; just when I'm about to give up I hear voices that seem to come from somewhere past the corner, right behind the elevators.

 

Come on, that's not how you play, Yibo… How many times do I need to tell you this?

 

I find a frustrated Seungyoun, one of five members that make up Uniq, scolding his maknae who kicks the soccer ball recklessly, without realizing that I'm turning the corner and walking their way; luckily, my reflexes are there to save me, giving the ball a good headbutt to send it back to Seungyoun, his eyes lighting up when he sees a more willing soccer player in me.

 

Hey hyung, wanna play?

 

I approach them ruffling the older kid's colorful hair teasing them about their gangster soccer skills, something that doesn't make the Uniq maknae too happy, forcing the older kid to apologize on his behalf, explaining that they hadn't had any lunch or breakfast since they started their day at four o'clock that morning.

 

Is Yibo your goalie?

 

I ask, imediately realizing I'll be needing a goalie of my own, wondering who should be the perfect candidate for this task but heaven makes the decision for me the minute I hear a very familiar voice calling my name, somewhere behind us.

 

Hyung, manager gave me the van keys for us to wait in the car ....

 

Heo Jun approaches our little group, walking lazily, the car keys dangling from his finger; I make the introductions even if we have met before in a few shows since our debut, just to make things less awkward between us; they all act polite but their shyness is still very obvious, but Seungyoun helps break the ice by making a few jokes that makes everyone laugh and relax.

 

Junnie, here will be my goalie!

 

I say happily, patting his back and smiling at him, proud to have such a tall and broad shouldered groupmate to keep our goal post safe. He smiles back, still being shy around the younger boys, blinking a few times as his eyes move from one Uniq member to the other.

 

W-Why me?

 

He's visibly confused and I quickly explain what's going on and why I need him to be my goalie; he agrees to help me out even if soccer isn't his thing because he's a good teammate and a kind hearted kid.

 

Ok, hyung, I’ll do it!

 

When the terms of the match were agreed upon by all of us players, Seungyoun and a very hesitant Yibo moved to one side of the makeshift soccer field, while me and Jun moved to the opposite end; I was the first to kick the ball and I watched with amusement as Seungyoun ran towards it, rushing in the direction of our goal post after stealing it.

 

You competitive brat!

 

I say to while running after him, trying to steal the ball from him before he could score; I see him kicking the ball and I'm sure that it will go past my team's line but Jun moves and the ball hits his arm moving away from the target; I high five him, quickly taking over the ball, running in the direction of Seungyoun's goal post where an uninterested Yibo is busy checking his phone; Seungyoun yells at him to keep an eye on the ball but there's no objection when I kick the ball and it goes past the goal line; it doesn't take long for Seungyoun to scold his teammate who simply stares at him with a bored look on his face.

 

What the hell, Yibo, you're supposed to stop the damn ball!

 

I can tell that he's disappointed but the youngest of the Uniq members isn't moved, putting away his phone, staring at the rest of us with the same poker face he greeted us with. Seungyoun takes control of the ball and I once again run to him, stealing the ball with one swift move; I know he's very competitive, I had the chance to see that side of him during the ISACs and it's no surprise when I find the ball back under his control, a cheeky grin on his baby face.

 

You're good!

 

I cheer for him, chasing after him as fast as I can, trying to steal the ball again but he kicks it hard sending it towards the center of our goal post; Jun is too alert to miss it, stopping the ball just in time sending it back to me with a very wide grin and a thumbs up; I clap at his efforts and start running again towards Uniq's goal post.

 

Awe man!

 

I hear Seungyoun sigh, he ruffles his hair, obviously frustrated but quickly snapping out of it when he sees me getting closer to his goal post possibly fearing that Yibo won't be there to safeguard it; as expected, Yibo is distracted by his phone, nowhere near the goal post he's supposed to be keeping safe; I don't want to take advantage of this but this is a soccer match and I got to do what I got to do when my own goalie isn't a soccer fan and he's still doing his best to keep our goal post safe; I kick the ball but this time it's Seungyoun who plays goalie and stops the ball from going in, kicking it hard with his right leg and we all watch in awe as it goes above Jun's head, scoring his first point.

 

Some leg you have!

 

I pat his back and he high fives me, visibly proud of scoring even without the help of his teammate, who is still glued to his phone. Once more the ball is all mine and I do my best to keep it under my control; Seungyoun nearly stole the ball from me twice but I managed to keep it rolling under the guidance of my legs; I feel the adrenaline pumping through me as I run towards his goal post, where like before, the maknae is paying more attention to his phone, texting away instead of keeping his eyes on the ball approaching; I hear Seungyoun warn him of my intentions with more authority than before but the youngest rapper does nothing to stop the ball and I end up scoring yet another point for my team, to the frustration of his friend, something that makes me feel bad when I notice the pout of disappointment on Seungyoun’s baby face.

 

Should we stop?

 

I ask, worried, but the kid is determined to even the score, controlling the ball as he runs to where my groupmate is waiting, expectant; I see Seungyoun seize his chance when my fellow vocalist rubs his eye aftter his fringe poked it but even with this, he manages to stop the ball from entering the scoring line, kicking it my way like a real pro. The oldest of the Uniq teammates tries to steal the ball  from me but I’m not having any of that, kicking it swiftly to see it go past a very determined Seungyoun who is stretched as long as his body can but whose fingers aren’t long enough to stop the ball from scoring.

 

Damn it Yibo!

 

Visibly more frustrated with the three points that I have already scored, Seungyoun kicks the ball with his left leg and does it with such strength that it flies all the way to Jun, hitting him square in the gut, sending him backwards into our goal area, scoring an unexpected point for his team.

 

Oh god!

 

I hear him cry, running to my fallen teammate, red like a tomato, kneeling beside him to ask him how he’s doing, apologizing to him several times while checking to make sure nothing's broken; I stop beside them, offering my hand to my fellow groupmate to help him back on his feet but he’s too busy laughing hysterically to notice me.

 

That was amazing!

 

He congratulates the red faced kid when he finally sits up, patting his back a wee too roughly; Seungnyoun apologizes again a couple of times but we both assure him that he’s alright and uninjured.

 

This ends our match, kids and we’re the winning team, so let’s go get some ice cream.

 

I pat Heo Jun’s back as I help him up and he pats both our backs, squeezing our shoulders a wee too roughly, still very excited about that last scoring point; Seungyoun thanks us, making his way to retrieve his soccer ball; Yibo is nowhere in sight so he makes his way to the other end of the parking lot, calling him but there's no answer; he nearly turns the corner.

 

Hey, where are you going? Don’t you want ice cream?

 

I call him; Seungyoun turns around, we can tell that he’s a confused little puppy.

 

Hyung’s paying!

 

I hear Heo Jun exclaim as he pats my back with one hand and beckons the younger with the other; I turn to see the widest grin and brightest eyesmile I have ever seen on his handsome face; I then turn to look at Seungyoun and his baby face is a mirror image of my groupmate’s. Seeing them so happy puts me in a very good mood.

 

Come on before I change my mind!

 

I try to sound serious but with these two smiling so happily, it’s hard.