game changer

part 3

you groan in your desk chair, staring at the scattered papers and notes in front of you. you had spent hours going over the interviews and information you gathered from picture day, but most of it was useless. the answers you got were vague and unhelpful, leaving you with more questions than answers.

you rub your temples, trying to soothe the growing headache from your relentless efforts. the only thing you can confirm is that there is a rivalry, and everyone knows about it. but no one seems willing to spill the details. it's like they're all under a gag order.

you glance at the attendance sheet coach davis gave you on picture day, every name was checked off that you had interviewed– except for park sunghoon. he had disappeared before you could interview him. the field was empty before you realized that you had missed him.

your frustration bubbles over as you huff, pushing your notebook away. this investigation was turning out to be much more challenging than you anticipated. you thought being the new sports reporter would be relatively easy, but it turns out it's harder than you imagined. it felt like you were running in circles.

but at the same time it makes you more determined to uncover the truth. the headline you'll be able to release makes you excited and you know it'll be good for your career once you graduate. but for now, you let out another groan and sink back into your chair, contemplating your next move.

the journalism office door opens and blair, the arts and culture reporter of the college, who is also your friend, walks in with a concerned look on her face once she sees you slumped in your chair.

"are you frustrated?" she asks, setting her bag down on the desk next to you.

"very."

blair leans against the desk, her eyes sparkling with an idea. "well, if the athletes won't speak, maybe get information from the students."

your eyes widen at her suggestion. "blair, you're a genius!" you exclaim, a renewed sense of determination flooding through you. you jump up from your chair, grabbing blair by the arm.

"what—?" she starts, but you're already on the move, scooping up your notebook and pen in one swift motion.

"come on, we're going to get the information from the public. the people who spread the rumors," you say, practically dragging her out of the journalism office. you're determined to get some answers.

you usher blair to get her phone out, recording your interaction with students as you use a makeshift microphone; your voice recorder attached to a ruler. you tell blair to start recording, you start slowly walking back, talking into the "microphone" as you introduce the video.

"today, we are at enha university," you speak confidently, "there is a years long feud between the hockey and baseball teams– but what is the reason for it? today we will be asking the students that go to enha university for their opinion."

blair stops recording and puts her phone down to smile at you, "that was good, let's go."

you first head out to the main quad, and walk up to a group of students who are sprawled on the grass. "hey guys, mind if we ask you some questions for the school newspaper?" the students all nod and blair pulls out her phone to record again, with her signal, you start, "so what do you know about the feud between the baseball and hockey teams?" you ask, holding up your makeshift microphone, you shove it in the student's faces.

"oh, it's wild," one student says, eyes wide. "i heard the baseball team thinks the hockey team was behind some major equipment theft. like, they're convinced the hockey team took their bats!"

"yeah, and the hockey team thinks the baseball team has been spreading rumors to get them disqualified from big games," another adds.

"okay, but what's causing them to steal equipment and try to get them banned? what started it?" you press the two of them.