It’s the last year of high school and he should be happy.

However, Yifan sighs for the umpteenth time as he looks at their current line-up. They’re six people short and the paper for the try-outs is still blank. Although it’s only been three days since the start of the school year, Coach Kim has decided to extend the sign-ups since the basketball season isn’t going to start until spring.

He decides to forget for a while and let off some steam by going to the neighborhood basketball court which was fortunately covered but it’s still cold considering the tendrils of winter creeping inside the building. When he gets to the entrance, he sees the lights are open and the undeniable sound of a basketball bouncing on the hardwood floor reaches his ears. It could be a bunch of guys from the neighborhood who decided to play some pick-up game but he can only hear one pair of shoes squeaking against the shiny floor. He hesitantly peeks at first then decides to just head on inside.

He sees someone who he’s seen for the last nine years of his life, only this time, for the past four years, he sees him not with the white and black keys on his fingertips but the rubber of the orange ball. Yifan hesitates at first since he’s not sure if they still share the same bond that they had four years back. He stands hidden on the sidelines and watches for a while as the boy, dribbles, sidesteps and downs a few more jumpers. He’s a bit rusty but Yifan can see that he still has it; what Yifan would often fondly call golden hands.

With an ounce of courage that he miraculously plucked from somewhere after seeing the boy smile after a three-point shot, he straightens up and makes his way to the smaller boy.

What could go wrong, right? He thought as he took his first step.

“I didn’t know you still come here and play.” He catches the other boy’s attention who swiftly goes for the ball before turning toward him.

“Oh, Yifan.” The smaller boy was definitely surprised by his sudden appearance but immediately schooled his expression to a smile. “I just had to let off some steam.” The dimple was evident when he smiled softly. A smile Yifan can’t deny he misses.

“Care for a one-on-one? Just like the old times?” Yifan puts his own basketball down beside the bench before jogging up to where the other boy is still standing.

“Come on, Yixing.” Yifan gestures for him to throw the ball at him.

“Just like the old times.” Yixing murmurs shyly to himself before throwing the ball to Yifan and standing in defense. He was shorter and definitely less practiced but he doesn’t give up without a fight. Yifan fakes and turns to the right when Yixing steps on his left, immediately bypassing the younger for a layup.

The taller grabs the ball and passes it to Yixing with a smirk.

“Come on, play seriously.”

“Okay.” Yixing counters his smirk and before Yifan could move any closer he steps back behind the white line then scores a three-pointer.

“Three to two.” He points at the taller boy who’s making his way to the ball. It’s been so long that he’s forgotten how smooth Yixing’s long range jumpers are. They go on for a few more rounds before they deem themselves in need for refreshments; panting as they walk towards the vendo machine.

“Hey, Yixing.” Yifan starts as he retrieves his bottle of energy drink. There was heavy silence since the squeaking of their rubber shoes have stopped and it was making things uncomfortable again.

“Hmm?”

“Have you ever thought of playing for the basketball team?” The smaller boy almost chokes on his water as it went to the wrong pipe. Yifan hurriedly pats his back as a fit of cough hacks through his body.

“Are you asking me to play for your team?” Yixing coughs through the sentence as he looks incredulously at Yifan.

“Umm, yeah?” Yifan in all his tall glory feels small for asking a friend he hasn’t been in close contact with for the last four years but he knows he needs Yixing; his team needs Yixing and five more people.

“But Yifan,” Yixing looks away and nibbles on his bottom lip, “I have a lot of stuff to do. You know basketball was never my priority, it’s just a hobby.” The taller knew of the answer beforehand but he just wanted to try his luck. Yixing has been into music ever since they were little and he wasn’t surprised when Yixing stopped playing with him and started going on his piano recitals instead. Yifan, on the other hand, never left the court. He knew, as he watched Yixing play each note with concentration and accuracy that he was feeling the same exhilaration he gets whenever he steps on the court and the ball goes through the hoop.

“It’s okay. I just wanted to try.” They left the court in silence again. They started walking towards their street and Yifan doesn’t remember the last time they walked home together. They just slowly drifted apart from each other’s lives even if they were only separated by a road.

“Hey, I had a lot of fun today.” Yixing says as he turns towards Yifan, back facing the white gate of his own home.

“Yeah, me too. We should do that some time again.” He blurted out as he watched the red dusting Yixing’s cheeks spread down to his neck.

“I…uh…” Before Yixing could even give a proper reply, the gate opens to the smiling face of Mrs. Zhang.

“Oh, Yifan. Long time no see.” He remembers how Yixing’s smile has always had the same glow as Mrs. Zhang’s that makes him unable