Her Captain, The Gamemaster

What Her Eyes Tell Me

After waiting for a reply to my question (and not receiving one), I walk down stairs to see my roomie packing a few things into her bag.

'Yoohoo (big summer blowout?), you done yet?' I ask her, peeking at her face hidden behind her hair.

She didn't say anything as usual and hid her face to not look at me. I sigh, reading her behavior instead.

'You still thinking about China?'

She froze but nonetheless, nodded.

'Hmm, penny for your thoughts?'

She shrugs before zipping up her bag.

'Ahh I see, you don't even know what you're thinking about. Hmm,' I say to no one in particular.

The two of us walk to school in silence but it wasn't awkward. Li was lost in thought like usual, despite not actually thinking about anything. I take it as a sign that she doesn't want to talk, but that's ok with me. I have stuff to think about as well.

'Like them,' I grumble as those things who call themselves my parents. I feel my blood boil at the mention of them.

Recently, those people had contacted me. And not even directly. Those people had gotten their housekeeper to do it instead. What parents do that?

On the day Li-ah leaves for Guangzhou, I'm heading back to Seoul to meet with my parents. 'Those horrible bastards,'

And then all my anger went away.

I feel a small cold hand on my left shoulder and I know it's Li before anyone said anything. She squeezed it but made no eye contact. 'Don't,' I read off her body movement.

Ok.

She reads my actions and I continue walking to the school gates. We spot the rest of our team members and they wave. I wave back.

*Li's POV*

That girl needs to stop thinking about those things. 

Going to meet a friend, my ass. It's so obvious from the moment you told me that you were going to South Korea.

I walk through the gates, ignoring those loud, loud people behind me. Like usual, I always walk 2 feet in front. 'They're so embarrassing,'

I spot a few foreign strangers out of the corner of my eye but it doesn't really get me that interested. I see my teammates ogling at them before I close my eyes to walk to my homeroom.

'Actually made it on time for once,' I think as my watch displayed a clean 8:44am. I lay my head onto my sleeves as usual and attempt to sleep but the sun was out today, melting all the icicles, blinding me.

People would think I sleep too much. I sleep an average of 10 hours everyday plus a 2 hour nap throughout the day. It's so weird that I'm always tired. 

I always feel so energized in Taishan though. I think it's the miracle of my hometown.

I guess I feel better when I play volleyball as well. After all, Taishan IS the birthplace of Chinese volleyball. I feel warmer just thinking about it and it makes me sleepy but sorta happy as well.

RING. RING. RING.

Our homeroom teacher makes her way into the classroom and I take a peek at Ms Chun as she enters. She has been my homeroom teacher for the pass three years and always liked to dote on my eyes. 'Why does everyone think my eyes are cool? They're literally dark black. Nothing special,'

Ms Chun began to read the notices for today but I tune her out, looking outside the window instead. 'It's pretty like this. Not prettier than home though,' I think.

Ms Chun then begins to call out the role and I ignore that seeing as she knows I don't want to talk like usual. I'll miss her and her ugly shirts. I grin at the thought of her ugly shirts that she always wears.

By 8:50, the bell for first period rang but no one went to their next class. Today, we're meant to clear out our lockers so I walk to the third floor and enter the combination code for my locker. I look at the dusty number plate that read 'Tang-42' and enter my code '7145'.

I look behind me to see Soo-ah at her locker, 'Jung-79' (-10). Her locker was already open and she was taking out her books and equipment. I could see photos of us, grandma and the team stuck up there as well as our coach and our juniors.

I turn back to my locker and begin to take out my stuff. I take out my e-Commerce textbooks from last term and my modules from Calculus. I then stack my textbooks neatly in my cardboard box to make room for my other stuff. I take out a few small notebooks which contained my notes and I tuck it into the side of the box.

At this point, most of my locker had already been cleared. All my stuff were safety-wrapped and placed in a neat cardboard box with my bag on top. 'I have absolutely no idea as to how Soo-ah and the team have such messy and full lockers,'

I walk down to the next corridor on the left to see the triplets and Annie cleaning out their stuff. I grab a few more cardboard boxes and pass it to them. They mumbled a 'thanks' before continuing to clear put their trash. I fold a couple of their jackets and sportswear stashed in their lockers and stack their textbooks a little neater.

'Umm, Captain?' I hear one of the triplets ask. Probably Esme.

I look up. I'm right as usual.

Yes?

I look at her and I think she understands. 'You don't have to help us. You should do your own,'

'Already have. Not as messy or unorganized as you lot,'

Her mouth hung slightly but she nodded and turned back to her locker. 'You guys don't seem to have made much progress,'

They freeze and turn to me. 'R-really?' I hear Isla ask.

I say nothing. 'I'll help you guys. We have the rest of the day to clear these before heading to that dumb party,'

'WAIT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO-,' Annie began before I cut her off with a look.

I stand up and turn my back towards them. 'Second period is almost over. I need to go check on Soo-ah, then I'll come back,' I say before walking down the corridor.

I make a right turn to come face to face with my friend having a crisis on the floor. 

Huh.

Author's Note:

😃 i livee

thxx.