𝗚𝗢𝗔𝗟 𖥻! seonghwa

( 6 ) play safe

FRIDAY. EVERY MOMENT counted at the last practice before the first game. everyone was on time and stretching before even seonghwa himself arrived.

after two long hours, they finished up with a group pep talk and a team chant. everyone went home with high spirits and a bit of anxiety.

well, not everyone went home just yet.

seonghwa stayed quite later after practice since he had a few captain duties to take care of primarily. around thirty minutes after everyone was cleared out, he was surprised to see a figure still on the field, practicing alone.

the ponytail gave her away.

seonghwa walked slowly, cautiously towards her. once close enough, seonghwa stopped the ball with his foot. she glanced up expectantly.

"i was wondering why one ball was missing from the locker room," he hummed and began to dribble the ball between his own feet easily, "you're nervous again, aren't you?"

she sighed, "how did you know?"

her demeanor was so much more dull than her usual bold, outgoing self. there was 100% something on her mind, something stressing her out, and of course it was her first varsity soccer game with the boys team.

"i can tell," he passed the ball to her, and from then on they passed it back and forth, "you're quieter than usual and you seemed extra focused today in practice. oh, plus you look more like an idiot than before."

"you noticed," she noted carefully, then scowled

he nodded, "don't feel flattered. it's my job."

"huh," her face brightened up ever so slightly, "good to know i can always count on you to be a complete and utter asshole."

"oh, of course. you know i'd never let you down. people need stability in difficult times," he smiled back.

she snorted, and ignored the warmth between them — just this once.

"come on, kim. go home. you've practiced enough already, and you don't want to exhaust yourself." seonghwa assured her, placing a hand on the small of her back to lead her away "it takes more than a few hours after practices to surpass me anyway."

she sighed, picked the ball up, and followed his lead. strangely, seonghwa felt comforting to her.

ugh.

𖥻

it wasn't just chaerim feeling stressed. everyone's nerves spiked right before the start of their first game. chaerim was as jittery as someone who had drank a whole pot of coffee solo, busying herself by dribbling a ball or tying and re-tying her shoes.

seonghwa seemed the same way with his headphones in, blaring music into his head to cancel out his anxious thoughts.

coach walked over, clapping, which was a signal that it was time to get up and get ready to play. show time. chaerim sucked in a breath of air.

she had to be good. she had to prove her worth on the team. she had to show herself her strength. this was an incredibly important moment for her.

"what are you kids looking at? starters, get on the field and kick this team's ass! let's go lions!!!"

the eleven jogged onto the field, scattering out to their positions. the two strikers walked alongside each other, silently and thoughtfully.

seonghwa walked to the center of the massive field and met with a referee and the other teams captain, who looked like he was good friends with the gym.

the coin toss was initiated, and seonghwa had won the team the privilege of getting to kick the ball off. chaerim silently celebrated. any benefit was much appreciated because she knew this team was very, very good and this game would be very, very tough.

seonghwa walked back, but stopped in front of chaerim.

"kim."

"hm?"

he looked down, "these guys are bigger and more aggressive than anything you've ever been used to, you know?"

"i know, seonghwa. i can handle myself," she assured him, but it felt like she was mostly trying to convince herself too.

he nodded, and before leaving her, said, "play safe."

the teams designated kicker readied himself, and with a 'whack', the ball soared forward like a cannon ball. the game had begun.