ELECTRIC ϟ LEE HAECHAN

sixty six

"We're starting with a new set up today. Yoo, you're up in the first set." Coach looked down at her clipboard as she sat on the cold metal folding chairs. Minseo tilted her head in confusion, pulling the padding over her knees. "Coach, I always set first." she interjected. The older woman eyed her facial expression adorned by eye bags that were inefficiently wearing off after she slept for an abnormal amount of time the night before.

"I'll sub you in later, Choi. For now, we need a strong start." Strong start? She hid her offended expression, walking to her seat where the rest of the girls were sat.

The gym was filled. Parents and families came to watch their daughters with wails from little siblings crying in the bleachers, students from each school as well. Who knew the reason shifters and non-shifters would be coming together is through high school volleyball? The aroma of popcorn and Gatorades from the concession stand mixed with the scent of girly deodorant, the air not humid just yet. Shoes squeaked, people waved, but it all came to a halt when the whistle blew.

"Why is Minseo sitting out?" Chenle wondered as Hyerin stood where she usually would. Renjun pondered the same thing, looking over at Mark, who looked over at Seorin, who looked over at Jisung. The black haired boy paused mid bite into his hotdog, eyes widening a fraction. "I don't know, don't ask me." he shrugged. Yet as a pang of tiredness washed over him, he flicked his eyes up to where his twin sat, raising at eyebrow at the unwanted signals he had been receiving the entire day.

"I'm so excited, this is the first game I could actually attend." Miyeon was giddy in the scrubs she absolutely hated, clinging onto Mark's arm as the game she used to play began. "Look at her go!" Jaemin cooed, admiring the way the brunette's hair swayed back and forth as she readied herself to receive the ball. Unexpectedly, it hit her forearms in the first pass, making her eyes widen as she was supposed to be setting. "Help!" she called out, but the ball hit the ground with a thud, making her eyes widen.

The scorekeeper flipped Jaegu's side up one point.

"It's okay!" Aera chuckled nervously. Not only did the two's friends come to support, it seemed like their parents did too. The group of people took up an entire section in the fairly small gym, wondering why the schools decided to have it in Jaegu instead of the Republic. "That's my daughter," Hyerin's mom nudged Chanwoo, and he exchanged a quick smile before examining the distressed look on Minseo's face. Guilt washed over him, wondering if it were the lecture he gave her last night on not bringing Minjun home from practice, or the amount of sleep she hadn't been getting.

"Damn, Jaegu never played this good before." Minjun mumbled, nudging Renshu beside him.

The clock didn't stop ticking and just above ten minutes into the game, the gap had become far too wide for the losing team to handle. Hyerin stared at their opponents through the empty squares in the net, eyebrows drawn downwards in frustration while perspiration already began forming on her flesh.