fever | ateez lore story

| the jock |

wandering
/ˈwɒnd(ə)rɪŋ/
adjective
1. travelling aimlessly from place to place; itinerant.
"I became a lost boy wandering."

┉┈◈◉◈┈┉

Life...is like a basketball. It's in perfect shape, but it can be thrown around many times. It will have dents, scratches and may become deflated. But if you pump air into it, it'll return to its shape and function as soon as possible.

What I'm tryna say is sport is life. There's a reason I'm called the 'sport jock' - I've got it in the bag. Ever since I've been appointed captain for the basketball, it's been the first thing I think about when I wake up, and the last thing I think about before I sleep. Aside for studying it's one of my top priorities. I don't know where this passion came from, but the more I run on that court, the more hoops I shoot, the passion only becomes more fierce. It's a fire inside me that burns bright and vigorous.

My only fear is when that fire goes out.

---

On the way to school, I run into my teammates, the three of them attempting to scare me by chucking a basketball at my face. Did they forget I'm the captain?

I turn and catch the ball with my hands just in front of my face, moving it aside as I eye each and everyone one of them, their faces morphing into shame.

"You guys are sooo scary. I almost collapsed." I say with the most mono-toned voice. I scoff as I throw it back, their reflexes quick enough to catch it, but still a second too slow as it hits their chest in the process.

-"Come on. We'll be late."

I say, leading with them following behind me.

"Oh, before I forget. Jinju Academy want to play us for a friendly game. You guys wanna stay home or play away?" I ask. I always ask for their input when it comes to upcoming games. I may be the captain, but basketball is a team sport. I want them to have their say, too.

They look at each other, discussing amongst them the best way to play the game; either at our school, or Jinju's. I hear them bicker amongst themselves behind me, a smile playing on my lips as I find this petty argument very amusing.

"Okay, we'll play home. Saves money from travelling." They decide. I nod, accepting their decision.

-"Cool. I'll ask the other teammates and see what they say."

---

A few minutes before class gave us an opportunity to kill it, so me and my teammates did light-practice in the courts. I texted the others and have them meet-up with us, and I split us up into two teams of 4, the rest of them either on their way to school or too lazy to practice.

"Pass!" Beomsu yelled. I can tell by the way Kyungmin was hesitating that Beomsu was only bluffing, and passed the ball to Young-il, instead.

I taught them this technique - a false call, I named it. It's when you ask for the ball to be passed to you, but it's a bluff to get your opponent to block you and leave a space open for another teammate, in which the ball goes to them instead. Works every time. I analyse the way in which people are very hooked up on defence that they do not pay attention to the atmosphere around them. Just like Donghyun, in this situation; no matter how many times I mention the false call technique, he falls for it every time.

Young-il catches it with great grip, dribbled it to the net and shoots it in perfectly. I laugh at the dumbfounded expression on Donghyun's face - like he has seen a ghost. I approach him and slap him in the back, rubbing the impacted area before it leaves a mark.

-"Close your mouth, Hyunnie. You'll catch flies."

We start another match, and I continue to play as centre. I run around the opponents, catching and passing the ball. I can feel the impact of doing so in my hands, the palms gushing red and tingling - I'll never get tired of this feeling. I feel so free playing sport, like I'm flying through the air.

"Jongho, left!" I hear Beomsu yell, and I immediately book it to the left. He chucks the ball too early and too high, and I only manage to tap it with the tips of my fingers, so close yet so far. It flies upwards and into a cherry blossom tree. The branch droops and the blush petals rain down, gathering in a pile in front of me.

"Jesus...didn't think it was that hard of a throw. My bad!" Beomsu yells, jogging back to his position.

I stare at the pink sea at my feet, feeling strong culpability for ruining something so beautiful and pure. Never, have I felt so...reprehensible. I look up at the broken branch, scratching the back of my head and watching its limp arm blow weakly in the wind.

-"Jong!"

I turn round and see the team stare at me bewildered, waiting for me.

-"Pep in the step! The school bell's gone."

Already?