Blessing in Disguise

Chapter Twelve

Y/N

6/18/2018

Y/N stood at the center of the gym, watching as the group of elementary school kids tried their best to dribble the basketballs. Their small hands struggled with the ball, but the sheer excitement in their eyes made him smile. The gym echoed with the sounds of sneakers squeaking on the polished floor, and every now and then, a small voice would call out to him, asking for help or showing off a new move they'd learned.

"Coach Y/N, look! I did it!" one of the boys yelled, his face lit up with pride as he managed a shaky dribble across the floor.

Y/N chuckled, ruffling the kid's hair as he passed by. "Good job, man! Keep practicing, and you'll be a pro in no time."

The atmosphere in the gym was light and fun, a welcome change from the overwhelming pressure that had been weighing him down lately. Teaching these kids, seeing their pure joy and enthusiasm for the game, reminded him of why he loved basketball in the first place.

As he walked toward the group, one of the girls tugged on the sleeve of his shirt, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Coach Y/N," she asked, "do you have a girlfriend?"

The question caught him off guard, and he felt a blush rise to his cheeks. He scratched the back of his neck, suddenly shy. "Uh... yeah, I do," he admitted, glancing around at the curious faces of the kids who had gathered around him.

"Ooooh," a few of them chorused, giggling and nudging each other. "What's she like?"

Y/N couldn't help but smile at the innocent curiosity. "Well... her name's Jennifer," he began, a soft warmth filling his chest as he thought about her. "She's really sweet, and she has these big, cute brown boba eyes that I love. They always look so bright, like they're smiling even when she's not saying anything."

The kids were completely absorbed now, hanging on to every word he said. "And... and when she eats something she likes," Y/N continued, chuckling softly, "her whole face scrunches up in the cutest way. Like she's so happy that her body doesn't know how to handle it."

One of the kids, a girl with cute pigtails, tilted her head. "What else?"

Y/N's smile softened, his mind drifting to one of his favorite memories. "Her hair," he said, his voice quieting as he spoke. "It's dark brown, kinda soft, and sometimes, I like to run my fingers through it. It feels calming, like everything is okay when I'm with her."

The kids were wide-eyed, clearly invested in his story. One of the boys asked, "Do you love her?"

Y/N's face flushed even more, but he nodded, smiling to himself. "Yeah," he said softly, "I really do."

The kids erupted into giggles, some teasing him, others asking more questions, but Y/N didn't mind. Talking about Yunjin—especially in this light, easy way—felt like a breath of fresh air. It was a reminder that even with all the pressure and struggles he faced, there was still something simple and pure in his life. Something—someone—worth holding on to.

Yunjin

Yunjin's body was exhausted, but her mind refused to rest. The trainers had just announced that there were three days left until the next re-evaluation for Produce 48's title track, Pick Me. The weight of the challenge pressed heavily on her. Class C wasn't where she wanted to be—not anymore. She needed to push herself, to climb higher. With every fiber of her being, Yunjin was determined to make it into Class A.

The practice room was filled with the sound of music and the quiet echo of her voice as she ran through the choreography again and again, her feet moving across the floor with a precision that came from hours of repetition. Sweat beaded on her forehead, trickling down her temples as she focused on hitting every note, every move, perfectly.