Transcending To You

Chapter 7: THE ROCKY ROAD

The team was wholly committed to the upcoming qualifying match. Every day after college, they dedicated two hours to practice, prompting Bright to rearrange his part-time job schedule to accommodate the rigorous training. Amidst the whirlwind of college, practice sessions, work commitments, and aiding Nira in settling in, Win found himself struggling to engage in meaningful conversations with Bright, their interactions limited to sporadic texts and brief encounters on the playing field.

One particularly late evening, the team found themselves wrapping up practice well past 9:30 PM. After freshening up, Win patiently waited for Bright to emerge from the dressing room. As Bright finally emerged, Win rose to his feet, prompting a curious glance from Bright.

"You didn't leave? It's late, you must be hungry," Bright observed, concern evident in his tone.

"It's just... I feel like I hardly get to spend time with my boyfriend anymore because of all the football and everything else," Win confessed, his exhaustion evident.

Taking a quick glance around to ensure they were alone, Bright nodded in understanding. "Yeah, that's true. I've been caught up with a lot lately, and now with Nira here, she needed some help getting settled," he explained while drying his hair.

"Tomorrow, since the weekend's starting, we might have to go trekking. It's part of our training. Otherwise, we could have gone somewhere, just the two of us," Bright continued.

Win nodded in resignation. "Yeah."

Bright couldn't help but notice the fatigue and disappointment etched on Win's face.

"I promise, as soon as we have some free time, I'll plan our third date," Bright assured, offering a reassuring smile.

Win looked at Bright, puzzled. "But we never had our second date," he countered.

"Well, we did spend that day on the terrace, and later we slept together as well," Bright replied casually.

Win immediately covered Bright's mouth with his hand, his eyes darting around nervously. "We didn't sleep together, and that wasn't a date," Win clarified, feeling flustered.

Removing Win's hand from his mouth, Bright chuckled softly. "I think it was. I mean, we've never shared late-night snacks together like that before," he reasoned, a playful glint in his eyes.

Win shook his head vehemently, silently protesting against the notion of that day being considered a date. However, for Bright, it held significance.

Pulling out his phone, Bright showed Win a note he had written: "Date 2: My lips are kissable. I am swoon-worthy as his charm."

Reading the message, Win couldn't help but smile. "You're seriously something else," he remarked fondly.

"Well, anyway, we'll figure out our date when we have some time. For now, get ready for the trek tomorrow. I've heard it's a challenging one, with lots of bears in the forest," Bright informed, changing the subject.

"Bears?" Win echoed, his expression shifting to one of fear.

"Yeah, we need to carry the spray and some other stuff with us. You weren't aware?" Bright inquired, noting Win's lack of knowledge.

Win shook his head in response.

"Don't worry, I'll bring everything we need. We'll be staying in a tent since we'll be spending the night in the forest," Bright informed Win, sensing his apprehension.

Win's worries deepened, especially considering his fear of heights and the presence of wild animals.

"I think I'll pass. Let me know how it goes," Win suggested, his voice tinged with reluctance.