✓ BETS & BROKEN HEARTS | JAY

5 - Like Or Hate?

Y/N stepped inside the classroom and plopped down on her chair before staring at Areum with a blank expression. Earth to Y/N?" Areum shook her hand in front of Y/N, waking her up from her trance. "What's wrong?"

She blinked, her focus shifting from her thoughts to Areum's concerned face. "Hey, sorry I was lost in thought."

"Lost in thought? You looked more like you were pondering the mysteries of the universe."

Y/N smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her. "It might have been something like that." Areum leaned closer with a smile on her face, making Y/N roll her eyes. "Okay, I met Jay on the rooftop and I might be thinking he's not that bad." 

It was Areum's turn to roll her eyes at her friend's words because there was no way Jay would've made such an impact on Y/N in a single day. "You can't be serious."

"I'm not saying he'd a good guy but he apologized so he might not be as awful as I initially thought." 

Areum leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms skeptically. "Don't you think you're being a bit too trusting? Just because he said sorry doesn't mean he's suddenly a saint."

Y/N sighed, a playful grin tugging at the corner of her lips. "Areum, you've known me for years. I've always been an eternal optimist. Plus, there's something about the way he said it, like he genuinely meant it. And his eyes... they looked sincere."

Areum raised an eyebrow. "You're really into those eyes."

"Stop it or I'll tell Sunghoon you have a crush on him." She earned a middle finger at that and laughed. "Where's everyone?"

"Our Math teacher isn't here today. We'll have to go to P.E. and join the others." Areum smiled and soon later, the two of them were walking towards the gymnasium with the rest of their classmates.

"Good morning, Mr. Kang." All the students said in unison when the teacher entered the gym.

"Good morning to you too. Alright, because your Math teacher isn't here today, we'll be practicing Basketball. So pick your teams and start playing." Mr. Kang said before he grabbed his whistle and gestured for them to start.

The teams were random. Y/N ended up being with Areum and Jay, and just the thought of him playing with her made her nervous. The students started passing the ball to each other as the teacher whistled from time to time if a student made a mistake. 

"Park Jay," A guy from the opposite team smirked at Jay, his eyes filled with confidence. "Let's see if you're as tough on the court as you act."

Jay's expression remained calm as he caught the ball. "Guess you're about to find out."

Y/N hated Basketball. One, because she was short. Two, because she sucked at it. It was a sport that had always made her feel awkward and out of place. "Y/N!" Areum shouted her name from afar before she threw the ball toward her. And just moments later, she regretted it. When Y/N jumped to reach the ball, her hand ended up brushing against it, and being the clumsy person she is, she ended up falling backward. 

She was so ready to feel the impact of the hard, cold ground as she closed her eyes tightly. But instead, she felt strong arms envelop her body, making her widen her eyes before she fell on the person embracing her form. The fall wasn't too bad for her, but the person underneath her could tell the opposite.

Slowly turning her head to see the person groaning in pain, her eyes met his and her heart skipped a beat. In that split second, his touch made every nerve in her body and brain electrified. They looked at each other for a while before they realized the position they were in, and Y/N quickly stood up, too embarrassed to look at him. Jay was still on the ground, massaging his arm. 

Without thinking, she extended her hand for him to take. The urge to take her hand in his was killing him, but he had to fight it. So, he stared at it for a while before he swatted it away and stood up on his own. "Why are you so clumsy? If you don't know how to play just leave the team. You're annoying." 

Every part of her stopped as she stared at him, his words stabbing her in the heart. The seconds stretched out, heavy and awkward, as Jay's words hung in the air between them. "Well, I'm sorry for not being a basketball pro like you." 

Jay's expression shifted from frustration to something resembling regret. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the guy from earlier stepped in and stared at Jay in disgust. "What an asshole. No wonder your mother left you." Jay's eyes darkened at the comment and with clutched hands, where you could see the whites of his knuckles appear, he slowly approached him.

"What did you just say?" Jay said between gritted teeth as he was now full height in front of the guy.

"Am I wrong? Your mother left you because you're just a loser-" The guy couldn't even continue talking when Jay punched him in the jaw, making him stumble back and fall down. Everyone stared in shock while Jay hovered over him and punched him again and again, blood dripping from his hand.

"What do you know? What gives you the fucking right to talk shit-" Jay said and tightened his grip on the guy's collar before he was pulled away from him. 

"Stop it right away!" Mr. Kang grabbed Jay's hand and pulled him away from the guy who was now laying on the ground, barely conscious. "Someone help me, we need to get him to the nurse." A pair of guys rushed to him and helped the guy stand up before they walked out of the court, leaving a furious Jay behind.

Y/N was beyond shocked at the scene that she just witnessed. Jay breathed heavily, his fists still tight as he turned to look at her, his eyes filled with anger, frustration, and something else she couldn't quite place. Then he looked away, head down as he exited the place. 

She felt bad for him because as much as his words had hurt her, they were nothing compared to the cruelty of the guy's comment.