𝐓𝐫𝐲 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 || 𝐆𝐲𝐮𝐇𝐚𝐨

8

Minghao plops down on the bench situated in the middle of the boys' locker room of the opposing school's gym. He reevaluates the game he had just played in his head, mumbling to himself about it. This is what the boy usually does after a game, go over his achievements and mistakes, in order to better himself and the team.

"Setting, quicker sets, maybe some setter dumps from behind. Set to Vernon, remember set higher since he's tall. Set Seokmin lower. Good serves, maybe try float serve next game," he continues to mumble as he slips out of his tight volleyball sneakers, stuffing them in his gym bag. Minghao slips into his more comfortable slides and zips his backpack. He stands up from his spot on the bench, still rambling about the game under his breath.

Just before he reaches the exit doors, he scans the locker room to see if he is leaving anyone behind. He would want to leave on the bus without a member.

Sitting behind a row of lockers, Minghao spots Mingyu squatting on the ground, hands embracing his knees and his head stuffed between his legs. His bent over figure is shaking slightly and Minghao assumes the latter is crying.

"Hey man," Minghao calls, causing Mingyu to pick up his head, "We still won."

Everything next went by before Minghao's eye within a flash as Mingyu bolts up, storming towards Minghao and slams him into the lockers behind him by the collar of his team hoodie. Mingyu's eyebrows draw in, his face red with anger, his teeth gnashing loudly, his veins protruding from his forehead and neck. The look in his eyes flashes with barbaric rashness, his pupils blowing in and out.

"It's all your fault!" Mingyu barks into Minghao's face just inches away. "Your fault...your fault."

The elder's voice fades out as he keeps on repeating "your fault" and then switching to "you," like he is all out of energy to even utter two words.

As if the weight of the world is dragging down his body from his shoulders, Mingyu's deadly grip on Minghao's hoodie unwinds and he falls to his knees, on the verge of tears and about to break down. He gazes unconsciously at the ground once more and Minghao is frozen in his spot. He has never really seen Mingyu in such a weakened state, a vulnerable state. He did not even know the asshole could have other emotions aside from rage and disgust.

Minghao feels lost and confused, but also sad and worried even. No matter how stubborn Minghao is, he feels bad for Mingyu at this moment. Though, should he? Mingyu has done nothing in favor of Minghao, only bringing him stress, anger, and irritation in the form of taunts, arguments, and fistfights. Minghao feels like a ball of tangled yarn, his emotions a mess.

However, Minghao understands that, despite Mingyu's words that were verbally directed towards Minghao, those words are actually a mental attack on Mingyu himself. In other words, Mingyu is blaming himself for this mess. And of course, it is mostly his fault. Yet, Minghao is a human being and so is Mingyu, which means they all make mistakes but it is not worth beating oneself over it.

"Pull yourself together," Minghao takes a deep sigh, fixing his hoodie that was tussled by Mingyu's outburst earlier. He threads a hand through his honey-colored hair before continuing, "Look, I get that you don't like me and I don't like you- but we're holding the team back like this...and we don't stand a chance at nationals if we keep this up."

Mingyu rests his chin on top of his knees encircled by his arms. He looks up at Minghao before breaking the eye contact and nodding slightly. Even if the latter does not want to admit it, he knows that what had happened in the game, his anger towards Minghao and their arguing, is an interference to the team's success.

"Meet me after practice tomorrow, we have to learn how to work together. I'm not going to be the one holding my own team back, especially as the captain. So, join me or not," Minghao steps away from Mingyu and towards the exit of the locker room, "up to you."