“I asked for their progress reports since 2 weeks ago, when will I get it?” Roo was having a talk with the administrative in the office for the players’ progress reports.

“I…”

“When will I get it?” She demanded

“Not-“

“When? Can I get it by the end of this week?”

“It’s not possible to get it for you Karls Roo. You are a student here”

“I am the coach of the basketball team, I think I have enough authority to get it from you. Do you need me to get Mr Park to get it from you?”

The administrative lady heaved a big sigh before showing a displeased look on her face, “Alright, I will try my best to get it for you before the week ends”

“Thank you” Roo said politely before leaving the office.

Roo was leaving school when she saw the basketballers gathering at the gate. It’s only been almost 2 months but they’ve gotten so close. She was kind of jealous of their friendship and she knew she will never ever get to that extent with them. She has always thought that they hated her, and they didn’t want her there. Even if they don’t, she was no more than a coach, schoolmate and classmate relationship. She lowered her head and walked towards another direction.

“So where to for bubble tea? Cofioca or bubb--Hey isn’t that Roo?” Sehun pointed out, making the rest of the members turned their head, stopping their discussion. “JooHyuk! Go and ask if she wants to join us” Sehun suggested. The older members signalled the younger boy to go as well. He scratched his nape, pulling out an uncomfortable expression before his legs brought him in front of Roo.

Roo who was using her phone with her head hung low, bumped on to JooHyuk’s chest, she was about to apologize but realised it was just one of her basketball player. “Oh, JooHyuk? What are you doing here? I thought you were with the guys?” She looked over to their side to realise they were all staring at her.

“Oh so you saw us? Then why didn’t you come over and say hi?”

“Oh, I w-was, I am heading home” And I don’t think I am welcome. Roo was getting a lot more self-conscious now a day.

“Well, you could just come over and say hi. Anyway! We are heading out for bubble tea, do you…want to join us?” He asked cautiously, scratching his head out of awkwardness.

“It’s alright. I don’t want to be a wet blanket. You guys can go ahead” She looked up at him, as Joohyuk towers over her with his gigantic height.

“Come on Roo, you are not and will never be a wet blanket okay. We all want you there” Mino came over when he got too impatient.

We all want you there. It has been long since she heard that, she felt her heart warmed at the sentence. She bit her lips in contemplation.

“Oh Gosh woman, just come over” Mino dragged her to meet the other guys who smiled at her, happy that she was joining them. They headed to Cofioca without wasting another minute.

“Well look at her, I told you she’s one of a kind. What a , Bogum oppa wasn’t enough, now she needs 9 other men, seriously” A junior scoffed, ing to her friends as she passed by Roo. Roo was at the back of the group as they left to Cofioca, and she thought she was the only one who overheard the conversation. If she was the Roo 2months back, the Roo that was in Whimoon basketball team, she wouldn’t even give a about it. But the Roo now, minded, self-conscious, insecure about having friends. She was too used to being alone to have friends.

“Erm… guys? I just remembered I had something coming up at home, I have to leave first.” She was finding excuses to leave, as everyone stopped on track and turned their attention to her.

“Something coming up again?” MinHyuk raised.

“Something coming up or because you are a ?” Yugyeom said boldly.

“What the yugyeom?!” Bogum who was shocked by his sentence. Yugyeom was walking close enough to overheard those girls’ conversation.

Roo frowned. Unaware that he had overheard the conversation and thought he was talking about her.

“…” She mumbled.

“Don’t think I didn’t overhear what they said?” He asked again, receiving an eye contact from Roo who was equally shocked. “If it’s because of them, then just ignore.”

“Who?” Sehun the ‘why’ Kid asked.

“What were you talking about Yugyeom?” JongSuk asked out of curiosity too.

“Some junior girls were talking about Roo, saying she’s a for wanting to get us” He explained. Roo hung her head low out of embarrassment this time round.

“Seriously Roo? You actually cared about all these? I thought you were too cool for all these talking.” JongHyun was the one who opened his mouth. Watching no reaction or reply from her, he went beside her and had his palm on her shoulder. She shot her head up, expecting Sehun or the younger guys but it just had to be JongHyun, she was taken aback. “You are better than that Roo. Never listen to what other says because they don’t know you alright.”

She was embarrassed, she wasn’t supposed to show them all these unwanted emotions. It was a surprise to her that they cared about her and they thought highly of her. She swallowed hard. “Honestly, I don’t care about what they say. I really had something on”

“Anyway, you guys were having quality time with each other, I shouldn’t in like this and disturb all of you. I should get going.” She didn’t wait for their reply and speed walked to the other direction.

“Aren’t you part of us?” ChanYeol frowned, Roo slowed down her footstep and eventually came to a stop. “Do you feel ashamed hanging out with us? Do you think that we are not good enough for you? that we are in no place to befriend you? what was the problem Roo? I thought we were good.”

She didn’t expect that coming, she still had her back towards them. No words came out of her even when she had opened, preparing to reply. She didn’t know what to say. The others were staring at Roo, didn’t know what to say either.

Hearing no response, Chanyeol continued, “Why are you always trying to push everyone else away? Why are you always being a loser, staying away from all of us? You can’t push us away, treat us like and expect us to like you and respect you.”

That came off too harsh, everyone including Roo was trying to digest what just came off Chanyeol’s mouth. As if someone casted a spell on all of them, no one spoke up.

“You think I don’t know I came off too much as a ? That everyone is hatin’ on me?”

“No one hates you Roo, how many times do I have to repeat myself? Pushing people away makes you weak, not strong. Especially when you are doing it out of fear”

“Fear? I have no fear. Don’t think that you know me that well enough to say that.” Roo turned around, now coming face to face with ChanYeol who stood out from the rest, her gaze hardened. It was again, because of her that the vibe was ruin. They were just happily going to get bubble tea but they had to approach her. “I need to stop being a wet blanket, just go before I ruin your day even more.” She walked off without giving a second look at the others.