Dork.

sixteenth.

The athletes on the navy team run together in one big hug and half of the audience stands up to clap and cheer.

I look around me and try to follow whatever the cheerleaders are doing, but I  can't really keep up with their synchronized prechoreographed dance.

Instead I drop the Pom poms and cup my hands around my mouth as I shout, "good job Kevin Moon!!" In English. I can't shout very loud but as soon as I said that, a head turns from the large mob of athletes on the field.

The turtleneck boy jogs over to me on the sidelines with his upturned lips.

"Hey" he says, running a hand through his messy hair.

"You want your jersey back?" I ask.
"Nope. Keep it!" Kevin smiles. "Oh! Turn around"

I do as he says and I hear him taking something out of his pocket. I feel Kevin rest one of his hands on my shoulder while he scribbles something on the back of the jersey.

He caps his pen and I turn back to him.

"My autograph. In case I become a famous football player what do you think?" Kevin says with a silly smile.

"Oh god no, please" I rub my forehead.
"And why is that?" He laughs.
"I had a heart attack whenever I saw you almost fall!" I say truthfully.

"Aww! You're worried about me!" Kevin puts his hands in his pockets and puffs out his lower lip.

"No I wasn't. I mean, you're too short to be an athlete at all!" I clear my throat.

"Hey! I'm 5'10!" Kevin defends himself and messes up my hair.

"Hey lovers!" Changmin walks over to Kevin and I. "The cheer squad wants a picture with the star player" he motions at Kevin who gives me a triumphant smirk.

The three of us walk over to the cheerleader who are gathered in their Instagram worthy poses. Kevin stands in the middle and one of the most popular cheerleaders stands next to him with a flirty look.

Awkward... I stand off to the side a bit with my hands folded in front of me, not knowing what to do. Changmin snaps a quick photo and the rest of the cheerleader wander off.

Chanhee comes over and our small friend group is complete. He leans over Changmin's shoulder to look at the picture and makes a comment about how I look awkward.

Soon after the students are dismissed, and Kevin and I decide to go out to lunch.

After we order, The cashier hands me back my credit card saying, "enjoy"

I fumble putting the card back in quickly- because obviously- and in a rush I say "you too".

O H MY- that did not just happen. I did now just say enjoy back to the cashier boy who goes to our school.

I guess I was frozen while spiraling down my instant regret path because Kevin gently nudges me and we walk away from the cashier.

As soon as we leave the store Kevin bursts out laughing- and I mean laughing- after a full two minutes he's gasping for air and all I can do is glare at him.

"That was the most relatable thing I've seen in my life" he wipes a fake tear.

My expression softens a bit since this has probably happened to him too but he also adds:

"I don't think he noticed anyway".

timeskip.
1 hour.

Once we finish lunch we walk back to the apartment, still dressed in Kevin's jersey, it's windy and cold and I hug myself to try to keep warm as we enter the apartment.

Kevin unlocks the door and we step inside. He takes off his shoes and speeds to his room, I wonder why he's in such a rush.

I untie his zip up that was around my waist and I hang it on the coat rack. I glance at myself I'm the mirror on the front door, and I don't recognize myself. Full face of makeup and a high ponytail, and an oversized jersey from a boy?? I almost look like a popular kid.

I turn away from the mirror because it's weird seeing someone who is not me, and Kevin runs back to where I'm standing.

He's holding a white sweatshirt with random squiggles and shapes on the back. Kevin quickly puts it over my head, puts my arms through and pulls it down, the rim of the hoodie reaches above my knees.

"I've been wanting to do that all day" Kevin rubs my sleeved arms to spread the warmth and he leads me to the couch where we sit down next to each other.

"You all good?" He asks after a bit.
"Yeah. This spirit day wasn't as bad as I thought it would be" I tell him.

"That's good! It was really cold though" Kevin adds.

"Yeah" I respond.

Kevin starts a story about his experiences being an athlete for a day, at first I listen intently, but eventually I find myself just staring into his eyes. I like how pointy the corners are, and the lines that appear when he smiles, and how much emotions and intelligence he holds in them. I even like his eyebrows, they suit his personality. he actually has quite a sharp jawline.

I don't realize my gaze travels to his lips until I start thinking, his lips are very thin, and i love how the corners turn up, whether he means to be smiling or not.

too trapped in my thoughts, I don't realize Kevin stopped talking, until he puffs his lips out and smooches the air.

I shake my head, forcing myself to stop staring, was I really staring at him that long?? Why am I being like this?

"oof I didn't think my story was that boring," Kevin laughs.
"Huh?? No, it wasn't. Sorry," I say, completely embarrassed.
"Why were you looking at my lips anyways?" kevin raises his eyebrows with a playful smirk.

"Not- I wasn't!" I say, looking him straight in the eyes.
"Mhm," he smirks, but I swear I see his gaze lingering in mine for a second. Or maybe it was an imagination. A hopeful imagination.

For the rest of the day we do homework leisurely on the couch with the heater on, and the cold staying outside. It has been a good day for me, and Im thankful just to get to spend time with Kevin.

But of course, none of my days can end without something sus happening. As the sun sets around 7, we start cleaning up our homework things when my phone rings.

I sigh when I see it's my mother on the phone. "It's my mom," I tell kevin.
"Good luck," He salutes me and I go into my room to answer it.

"Hello?" I say.
"Sunhee," my mom says, in a tone I recognize- she wants something.

"What is it?" I ask.
"Well, business has been going really well," She says.
"okay...?" and why do I care?

"And I made an important deal last week, and we have one more step to make it set," she says.
"get to the point" I say, and I hear Kevin whistling around the living room.

"I need a favor. We recently made a deal with an ad company that we are familiar with, and since I'm in a different city than you, I need you to hand something off to them since they're in your area." she says.

"okay, who and what?" I ask.
"I just need you to make a public appearance to hand off a folder and a flash drive," my mom says.
"But to who??" I say, starting to get ticked off.

"...Shin Hanbyul,"