In the realm of dreams

Part 23 - Matchday full report

Baek Yoona

If truth be told the away crowd for SK high school on friday's match is much smaller than our crowd had been in the first leg of the play-offs when SK was the host. I guess not many of them wanted to slum it all the way over here at Gangwon, in the lesser neighbourhood frequented by lesser people. Queen Haewon was conspicuously absent from the small group of well-groomed teenagers that huddled around in one corner giving off a distinct 'don't-try-to-mingle-with-us' vibes. Good. We definitely don't need Haewon's presence today - we don't want to risk Sooho getting distracted by her magnificent aura and/or attention-seeking personality. Whatever.

The match itself is as close as the last one which wasn't great news for our hearts or collective anxiety. We are screaming and jumping on our feet encouraging the team as best as we can muster. In the last quarter it is once again neck and neck and there are mere seconds before Sooho can make one last effort to score. I am concentrating so hard on giving all my energy to him that I don't notice Eun Gul and his lackeys come towards me until he is right in front of me.

'Hey new girl', he says in that gruff way of his. I frown and try to think of what to say to him to shoo him away when on the court Sooho missed his mark. A collective groan goes around the courtside in a wave of disappointment. I look at Eun Gul with fire in my eyes, giving him my best - we-lost-because-of-you look before realising that might actually give him some power. Like he is important or something, so instead I try to channel you-are-annoying-me-with-your-mere-existence energy. Soobin tugs at my shirt corner and I know she is trying to signal to me to not do anything rash, anything that might harm the school's reputation.

'Ah since you guys lost, let us buy you ice-creams to soothe your wounds.' Eun Gul hunched down, hinging from his hips to come down to our seated level.

Perhaps it hurt his ego too much that I didn't give him much attention last time and he needs some sort of validation. Would it be better to ignore him completely or to acknowledge his invitation and reject him politely? I couldn't make up my mind.

I don't want him to spread rumours that Gangwon isn't a friendly school and treats its guests meanly but I also don't want to encourage him in any way.

'No', I said simply, trying to go with the minimum viable response strategy and start gathering my bag.

Eun Gul's jaw clenches and he looks like he could punch someone. 'You'll pay for this one day', he muttered under his breath.

'Naah, I wouldn't take it even if it's free', I cannot resist quipping back as I leave the courtside, secretly pleased with my comeback.

Choi Sooho

I don't feel great as I stand in the dressing room shower post-match. My mind is clouded with thoughts of missing the last shot, of Eun Gul bothering Yoona, of letting my teammates down, of disappointing coach-nim. Last I saw Yoona had managed to shake off Eun Gul and was walking away from the courtside with Soobin. Hopefully she would have gone home by now and Eun Gul would have left the premises already.

When I emerge from the shower most of my teammates have also left. I don't wait around to dry my hair in the near empty dressing room and instead throw on my casual clothes and head out of the building.

I see her shape before I see her face. She is leaning against the exterior wall of the school gates, a manga in her hands, shifting her weight from foot to foot. I slow my footsteps not wanting to ruin this perfect picture. Has she been waiting for me? She looks up from her book, her eyes crinkled, and then pushes herself off the wall and runs towards me. Is there anything more precious than seeing the girl of your dreams run towards you? Holding her perhaps. The cloud in my mind clears. There is only sunshine now, warm and liquid and present and a human with the sun's radiance standing in front of me with her long hair and easy words.

'I have been waiting so long for you, I was starting to think you left already', she says quickly - the words tumbling out of her like a fast aria.

'I am sorry we lost', is all I could come up with. It would be too easy, too hopeful, to read too much into this: her waiting for me. It is only because we took the same bus home. No other reason. I am nothing special. This is nothing special.

'Ah these things happen, don't worry. it was a close game'. She falls into step with me as we walk towards the bus stop. She launches into a detailed lecture on our latest English assignment; no doubt to distract me from game we just lost and my role in it.

It is tempting to admit to her, we lost because I missed my shot. Because I had a momentary lapse in concentration when my eyes clocked Eun Gul with her. But I refrain from saying anything about Eun Gul. It wouldn't do any good admitting my mistake now anyway. I am still on slightly fragile ground with her after my fiasco at the dinner last weekend anyway. But I have to admit it to myself: was making one too many mistakes. I was slipping, as Eomma would say, because of a girl. But the girl is Baek Yoona. The girl who is still going on about how she is going to argue Romeo was far from an ideal boyfriend in her essay.

This girl, who is intelligent, beautiful, and friendly, is making me lose my mind in the most wonderful way. And there is nothing I can do about it. I could easily lose my concentration on the court because of her. Who is to say my grades wouldn't be affected next? I am helpless in front of her. I know that with certainty. Just as I know I would be hopeless without her.