𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐍𝐨𝐰 || 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐨

Chapter 2 : You Okay?

The game is tough. Sets always end up passing the usual line of points as none of them want to give up the opportunity of carrying the trophy in their hands.

They’re currently on the fourth set.

Mark’s team is winning by two sets and if they kill this one they will be proclaimed champions, but obviously Jeno is not letting that happen. The scoreboard shows 19-21. If they keep on like this, they’re going to lose this set and that means they have to go for a fifth and last one.

Sweat is persistent on Mark’s forehead and he rubs it away with his blue official t-shirt. Mark bents down and places his hands on his bare knees as he looks at his teammates. They’re outworn. Their coach called a time-out to establish a few new strategies and to cut the good streak from the rival team.

“They’re good with tips, we’ve fallen for a few of them already,” Mark points out, annoyed. A few teammates look over their shoulders as they spot the rival captain.

Jeno is an expert at that and doesn’t doubt playing his best card. It’s his trick and Mark can’t stop falling for it. With just the contact of his fingertips the ball passes the net and they barely have time to run and set it high again. That stupid smirk never fails to do a comeback when the ball touches the floor.

“We need to use our best weapons too,” Mark’s eyes land on the referee that’s checking his watch before looking at his teammates. The time is ticking and Mark’s heartbeat starts speeding up matching the watch handles. “We have a few tall members, we need to create a decent wall. Jaemin, Sungchan and Jisung will take care of that.”

There is a consensus nod as the named boys get closer to sort out a plan.

“About the serves, go straight for it. Send them powerful shots that will destabilize their libero and the ball will go off limits.”

That’s the best way of getting extra points just from the beginning of the serve. Mark doesn’t want to let go of this set, he knows their teammates will be too tired for a fifth one.

“Alright guys, gather up,” The rest of the team as well as the seated ones on the bench huddle around him in a circle. “We’ve been doing amazing up until now; let’s keep up the good work!”

The whistle pierces the air and they howl as their hands gather up in the middle of the circle to chant a few team-words. The ones on the bench pat their backs and butts to encourage the players.

We’ve got this. Jaemin's words keep repeating on Mark’s mind as he scurries to take his position up at the front.

Jeno is in the other side of the net, eyes looking straight at him as a few strands of red dark hair are stuck on his forehead.

“Feeling energized?”

“You can bet.” Mark replies, lips tugging up in a half smile.

Jeno's stare hardens when the ball is tossed into the air.

24-24

They managed to match the score and the rival team is fuming.

It’s not an easy task to keep the two points difference, they keep on achieving one point and then the rival school does the same. It’s like a never ending game.

28-27

Mark is up at the front again as he gets ready to attack. From the corner of his eye he observes Jeno moving, trying to follow his position. Mark looks at his setter to determine the direction of the ball and he leaps, his hand comes in contact with the ball and sends it flying between the blockers. The ball bounces off the floor as the rival libero misses it.

Mark wishes he could see the scoreboard going up but as he comes off his jump, his leg slips and his knee collides with the floor. Mark hisses. A piercing pain runs through his leg as he drops his arms to hold himself up, head hanging down to hide his distressful face. Mark endures and blinks away the tears that are about to fall out.

“You okay?”

It doesn’t take long for Jaemin to come up running to check on him and Mark lets himself be dragged up as he forcefully sends the pain away.

“Your bad knee again?”

Mark mutters a ‘yeah’ through gritted teeth and eagerly takes his dark hair off his face as if it’s going to relieve the pain or make him focus more in some kind of way.

Before the game resumes, Mark stares at Jeno and immediately looks away when their eyes lock, getting off the nonexistent dust that could have landed on his clothes. Mark just doesn’t want to look at him, he’s still processing the fact that Jeno, his archenemy, asked him a simple question that actually wasn’t simple at all.

You okay?

29-28

One point. Just one point is what separates them from getting the trophy. Both teams are pulling up a good fight even if their energy is very much depleted.

Mark looks at Jaemin sideways when he notices who the next server is in the rival team and a ray of hope blossoms in his chest. Jeno is an amazing setter and even better to carry out tricks up at the front in the net, but definitely he’s not one of the best when it comes to serve powerful shots.

As expected, the ball crosses the net with a low impact. It’s very playable and Sungchan takes advantage of that to set it up and send a useful collocation to the setter. Mark and Jaemin are ready to play the trick as the hitters without letting know who is the one killing the ball at the end.

They both leap and the rival team forms a wall trying to knock it off but their focus is mostly on Jaemin who has a better position. In a last minute decision, Jisung suits it to his right where Mark is already waiting and before he knows it, his wrist moves and he spikes it to the open corner.

The buzz comes off and he’s just there, numb.

His sport shoes are glued to the shining floor as the scoreboard moves: 30-28.

They’ve won.

“We’ve won!!!” Jaemin jumps on his back, yelling and Mark comes off his trance and laughs as his teammates hug him fervently almost knocking him off.

They end up on the floor forming a human buddle as the players on the bench join them and it’s just a mess. They are yelling, laughing, crying… Mark comes with the excuse that it’s sweat and tries to hide his face behind his forearm but Jaemin knows him better than that — and he will never let that die anyway.

Wiping his tears away with the back of his hand, Mark calls for the team to gather up.

“Line up guys.”

The rival team is already waiting on the other side of the net and they shake hands as they pass by.

“Congratulations.” Jeno says, coldly.

“Thank you,” Mark replies, trying to suppress the bliss. “You put up a good game.”

Jeno just looks at him making Mark squirm in his own skin before dropping his eyes. Mark follows his stare and notices his scratchy knee. Damn, he showed his weak side in front of the enemy. Well, it’s over anyway.

They lock eyes again and Jeno lets out a hum before going for a handshake with the next opponent player. Mark looks after him as if he just missed something he should have known.

He’s lost.