On the next training, Roo had decided to let them touch the ball after the first 15 minutes of warm up, making them excited. The past 2 days of school before the training was peaceful for her. They had not cause any troubles for her but they did cause a number for themselves.

“For the next hour, play like you usually do in the game. No interruptions, I am going to observe this time. Kim Woo Bin, Hong Jong Hyun. Choose your teammates.”

They did a scissors, paper, stone to decide who to choose their members first and Kim WooBin won the chance.

“Song Minho, Oh Sehun, Park Bo Gum and Kang Minhyuk”

The rest was automatically put in to JongHyun’s team, which consist of Lee Jong Suk, Nam JooHyuk, Kim Yugyeom and Park ChanYeol.

“In this one-hour game, I want the two temporary captain to lead your team, and decide the position for each of your teammates. You have 3 minutes to do so.” She instructed. They dispersed immediately to discuss their strategy.

Along the way, many arguments were heard coming from the two teams. A deep sigh coming out from Roo’s mouth. They are a team yet they can’t even stay friendly for just 3 minutes of their life.

“I told you I want to be point guard, why are you giving it to him?” Song Min Ho detested when WooBin appointed him the center position. “Let me be the shooting guard” Min Hyuk, too, voiced out.

“I see some problem here?” Roo came around as she overheard their arguments. “Having some issues? Kim WooBin”

“They are not listening to me.” He sighed exaggeratingly.

“Tell me about it”

“Song Minho, center. Park Bogum shooting guard. Oh Se Hun, point guard. Kang Min Hyuk, small forward. And I will take power forward. But they thought it was a bad idea” He slowly explained.

“Well, good job WooBin, I think you made a good choice of position. Talk them into the plan” Roo moved on to the next team. She was surprised by Kim WooBin’s plan, it was what she was planning initially. She had watched too many of their games and had some knowledge on their weaknesses and strengths. Thus, she had all their positioning in mind. She wanted to see how the two captain would place their teammates. They too, were still discussing about the position of each player.

“Roo, I think I am good enough to be the point guard, don’t you think so? He was being an from wanting that position since he is the captain.” Park ChanYeol ‘complained’ to Roo.

“I think I am more qualified than you for being a point guard, kid. 2 more years of experience of being a point guard” Hong Jong Hyun shot back at him.

“final position?” She wasn’t going to give any opinion.

“My decision. Park ChanYeol, shooting guard. Me, point guard. Yugyeom, power forward. Nam JooHyuk, center. And Lee Jong Suk, small forward.” Roo nodded her head before walking off. She was quite impressed by the two captain for spotting what she had in mind. They both have good observation skills.

“For starters, I want you to observe each and every one. Be it your opponent or your team. Be familiar with their playing styles.” Roo stated before tossing the ball in the air when both tallest members of each team jumped for the ball. With quick but careful movement, she managed to remove herself from the court.

“Yugyeom! Here!” Lee jong suk shouted to the younger one to get his attention. Instead of listening to him, the younger male passed it to JooHyuk who was not alert enough, and the ball was snatched away by Song MinHo who was in defence of JooHyuk. Who managed to pass to his point guard and gain the first point for his team.

“WHAT THE HELL KIM YUGYEOM!” Lee Jong Suk roared, making a face at the younger male before returning back to his position. Yugyeom just rolled his eyes at him. Roo shook her head at the little scene that happened.

The game proceeded and the first 15 minutes ended with Kim Woo Bin’s team leading. 21-18

“I am going to repeat myself one last time, if you are going to play violent foul one more time, you will be out of the team! Understand?” She lectured them as they were trying to catch their breath while drinking water.

“Seriously Kim Woo Bin! You shouldn’t have insisted on giving up that ball! We would’ve be leading for more than just 3 points” Mino yelled at his temporary captain.

“You think you can’t pull the difference if you don’t play foul? That’s how much confidence you have?” Kim Woo bin questioned him

“You don’t talk to me this way Kim Woo bin, you are only the captain for this game, not the real captain!” Mino stood up in fiery heading towards WooBin’s seat. The latter didn’t give a to the former and just let him.

“HEY! SONG MIN HO! SHUT UP!” Yugyeom roared. The others were surprised at the kid shouting at his Hyung, when he was always the quietest player. Roo was just sitting at the bench watching them. She was tired of them constantly arguing every minute. She reminded herself to address this at the end of the game.

The game ended with Kim WooBin’s team winning 84 to 79.

There were still arguments and even fights within teammates. When Lee JongSuk was upset at Oh Sehun for knocking him down to the ground. Roo had to step up to stop them before they get into real deep , and because of that, they were all awarded with 200 pushups each.

They were all surrounding Roo when she was having a debrief with them. She haven’t been standing around a lot because her knee still hurts.

“Seriously? Can you guys just play a quarter without conflicts? Do you guys know the five S’s of sports training?” Receiving no response, she continues, assumed that they don’t know, “Stamina, speed, strength, skill and spirit.” She paused for a while, observing each and every one, “And the greatest of all, is spirit. I want to compliment WooBin, for admitting all those fouls and being the bigger person to give your opponent their well-deserved ball.”

“Isn’t that stupid in the real competition?” She turned her head to the one that spoke up, Park BoGum.

“Well, the real champs, don’t mind all those small balls. They give in their all in playing a real game. They show sportsmanship, they win with pride.” She answered

“Another thing, I am sure after today’s games, you’ve get to know each other better. And you guys know each other better than me. There are pieces of papers here, write down who you think is the most suitable to be the captain. Pass it to me at the end of training. Next! Performance reports from class. Remember my rule from the first day? CGPA of at least 3.0. I have your progress reports here with me. There is only one person with a CGPA above 3.0. I have the upper hand of what you are going to do in the next subsequent trainings. So let’s see if you want to pull up your GPA in the next 2 weeks or you want to stop playing basketball”

“She thinks she’s all smart and all. I bet she went in to Whimoon with basketball skills only. She probably has a lesser CGPA than us.”

“I heard that Kang Minhyuk.”

“So what if you hear that? It might be true. What’s your CGPA?”

“Proud to say, I have maintained a CGPA of 3.95” She said with a smug expression making all the players raising and eyebrow at her results.

“How did you do that?” JongHyun asked daringly.

“Do what?”

“Study and basketball”

“you do that every single day, every single hour, every single minute, without rest. Because I want to achieve what I want, I work towards it.”

“If you love basketball that much, then why risk it when you called for that competition that day?” JongHyun knew that her leg couldn’t take it but still want to prove that she can do it.

“Do you know what my favourite part of the game is?” She asked him, he just showed her a confusing look. “It’s the opportunity to play.” They were all staring back at her, like she had just spoken some alien language. She cleared after looking at her watch. “OKAY!” she shouted so suddenly, making them jump. “200 pushups! Down in 5! 1…2…” They got down groaning and whining, struggling to complete the 200 push ups.

They got up after completing their punishments and packed their bag, ready to head to their locker room. “Hey, don’t forget to give me your votes.” They scribbled on the piece of paper they had received during the debrief and passed to Roo before leaving the hall.

Sadly, for Park Bogum, who was in Roo’s class as well as desk partner. She was constantly keeping an eye on him, making sure he was focusing in class. She would always give him a call 15 minute before school start to check on his whereabouts. She would sometimes threaten him that there would be no training for him if he were to skip school. He had no choice but to go to school for the sake of basketball. She can see significant improvement in his work even with the few days’ difference.

It was only 2 weeks after Roo joined Richmond. Even when they were still showing displeasure towards her, they had grown politer, and respected her. He leg was healing well despite that ugly match, thanks to her beloved brother.

“Anyone wants to try out this question?” The class went silent when their math teacher asked.

“Park Bogum will try” Roo Spoke, gaining a ‘WTF’ look from him. “What? This is your chance to prove to me that you are not stupid”

“Well, Mr Park?” Her teacher was waiting. He reluctantly got off his seat and went to the whiteboard, not forgetting to kick Roo’s chair, his way of ‘revenge’.

“Piece of ” He hissed at Roo.

“Well, you got it right isn’t it, smarty pants” She rolled her eyes. “I told you guys before I am monitoring your progress, especially you since we are in the same class” she smirked.

The rest of her class, she just quietly studied without disturbing Park Bogum, giving him peace, which he was glad.

“FINALLY” He stretched himself, before packing his bag, ready to go. He felt a pull on his bag refraining him from leaving. “What do you want?”