Her Captain, The Gamemaster

Standing In The Spotlight

I put on my dress. I wanted to wear a plain white dress but I got this Venetian silk dress from Balenciaga I think. My grandma had it custom-made. It was made of incredibly thin silk and it was almost ivory. I brush my hair and straighten my wavy side-bangs.

I really don't care what people think about me but I do need to make sure my hair doesn't get in the way for game later. A team from Shenzhen was coming in and apparently they're one of the best high school teams in Asia. They have a 16-year old from the national team.

That's all I know. I'm not the type of person who researches. That's normally Soo-ah.

We head back to the school with our bags, discussing what's gonna happen. Meanwhile, I think through our upcoming game, but I know we're gonna win.

The Zinovenko girls just do everything on the whim, guessing everything. They're pretty smart so they always get it but they don't have the strength to block really heavy balls.

Annie always plays to 100%. Unfortunately, she does fall for decoys and other tricks but she has the athletic power to get a spike through a total defense formation.

Soo-ah knows her team like the back of her hand. She can sync up perfectly and memorizes everyone's preferences and habits.

When we just started middle school, I helped her sync up with Annie, our strongest offence.

~Flashback~

'You need to calm down, Soo-ah,' the red head said to a newly-bleached Soo-ah.

'AISH. Sorry,' she yelled.

I walk over to her to help her. Her voice is one of the few things that I can hear even in my safe space because I've grown accustomed to her voice, classifying it as 'important' but now she just interrupts me.

I motion for Annie to spike again, with me as a setter and at the right time, I sent her a nice clean set. She looked quite amazed at her own power as the ball bounced off the floor and hit the roof.

'Your sets have too much spin, giving it too much momentum. Annie isn't someone who thinks about the set so she will just try to hit it every time even though it's not gonna work. You need to look at her, figure out what she's comfortable with,' I explain.

I've played volleyball since I was born. Soo-ah's only played since she was 5. She may be a year older than me but I have a whole's life's experience.

'Make the set more floaty with minimum spin and keep a good grip on the ball as you set it rather than trying to set off the top of your head. Make the ball go higher for Annie for her to reach more power. Stay calculated and calm,'

She nods and they begin practicing again.

~Back to Present~

We just arrived at the gym where the party will be held. The six of us enter and I automatically sense stares, but I just close my eyes and ignore them. Like usual I walk ahead, Soo-ah to my right followed by Annie and headed up by the triplets. I maneuver my way across the room to a long table, blind but I hear voices behind me.

I don't even have to turn around to know that it was someone who wanted to talk to my teammates. After all, we've made a name for ourselves. I see the triplets talking with a representative from World Health Organization about Ukraine and Annie talking to a sports magazine editor. I also spot several modelling agency scouts handing out business cards.

All my teammates are pretty. It only makes sense that the beauty industry wants them. I spot dozens of business cards in Soo-ah's hands and I know that she has been recruited for many jobs.

I place an earbud into my left ear and as 'Happier' by Ed Sheeran plays, I walk off.

I take a breath and blend into the crowd using what I call 'invisible mode'. I minimize my movement and noise, in a stable pattern to remain unnoticed. I keep flexible to move around with minimum noise.

I walk off to the neighboring gym, feeling a little tired. However the next gym had a team practicing. How odd. I thought all club activities were cancelled today.

Upon closer inspection, I realized they were playing volleyball and my interest peaked. I recognize them as the foreign students I saw earlier today. 

'They're probably the students, we're versing,'

I walk along the empty corridor only to find that all the other gyms were locked so I walk inside the gym where the high schoolers were practicing.

When I walked through the door, they immediately stopped practicing and eyed me as I dropped my bag onto the floor in the bleachers and I took out a pillow and begun sleeping.

I was about to doze off when...

'Hello?'

I look over to the person who woke me up. A girl around Soo-ah's height with dyed brown hair was looking back at me.

'The party's in the other gym,'

'I know,'

...

'Aren't you gonna go...?'

...

I sit up, my face lit up with the gym lights and the girl took a step back upon seeing my face.

'You-you're Tang Liling,'

I looked at her.

Duh.

At first glance, she looked completely terrified but after a moment, her face spread into a grin.

'Oh. My. Gosh,' she yelled in English. 'I am SUCH a fan. I watched you play at nationals last year and I could NOT believe that you were two years younger than me. I've watched all your games and I am SO happy to finally meet you,'

I blinked at her.

'Good for you,'

I shove my pillow back into my bag and move to the bleachers on the other side of the gym. Her teammates watched me in curiosity as the girl followed me across the room. 'I've done some research and you come from CHINA?!? and not to mention, Xinshan's capital?!? Like wow, I was amazed at how someone at such a young age be so accomplished already. I heard you have a license for financial and legal practice. Is that true?'

I realized this girl was a lot like Soo-ah but with brown hair instead of blonde and much more words to let out and I reply to her, trying to get her to leave. 'Yes but I can't utilize it in Japan, only China, and-,'

I was cut off with a 'WOW, THAT'S SO COOL,'

And that's when I lost my patience.

'Ok, FIRST OF ALL, I don't even know who the hell you are. Secondly, does it matter what I can or can't do? Thirdly, PLEASE shut up,'

But she only looked happier.

'OH RIGHT. I FORGOT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF,' she yelled.

I feel a tiny headache but I ignore it.

'Jeon Jiyeon, first year at Cheng'er High School, Class 1-4,'

I nod, rubbing my nape. 'Ok thanks, now what do you want?'

'Weelll, I just wanted to be friends, y'know?'

I tilt my head at her.

'Seeing as...,' she began before drifting off quietly and I motion for her to continue.

'...you're joining my team,'

Author's Note:

haha more drama 😃

thxx.