𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒 || 𝐉𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐇𝐀𝐍 ||🥀

21

Mina

Hani: Emergency meeting of the wedding brain trust. Can everyone make it to Mimi's football game tomorrow morning?

DK: Why can't she play an evening sport? These early-morning Saturdays are messing with my Friday night social life.

Hani: What social life? You still haven't asked Chanmi out yet. *chicken emoji*

DK: Nobody likes a bridezilla, Han-Han.

Seoyeon: I can make it as long as we're hiding Bloody Marys in our cups.

Me: Sorry guys. I can't make it.

Hani: *frowny face* Mina, you were too busy for lunch and you backed out of bridesmaid dress shopping this week. I'm afraid I have to enforce my bridal reign and insist that you join us...unless you really are doing something more important than discussing wedding party attire and traditional wedding cake versus a pastry table. Then I totally understand and you should forget that I tried to make any demands on you.

DK: Forgive Hani. She's been honoured with a lifetime achievement award in people-pleasing.

Seoyeon: Can confirm that Mina did not have plans for Saturday morning as of last night when we picked up our Pizzeria to-go orders at the same time.

Hani: It's official. Mina's avoiding us.

DK: Let's kidnap her and find out why. Wait. Too soon for kidnapping jokes?

Me: Oh, THIS Saturday. I thought you meant some other Saturday. Who else is going?

Seoyeon: I second this question. I'm tired of showing up to places and running into Tall Dark and Meanie.

DK: She means Sinful Suit Minghao.

Hani: My parents, Jennie, and Seungcheol will all be there. No other family members or friends are on the agenda.

Me: I guess I can make it. As long as you weren't kidding about the Bloody Marys.

ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ

"These leaves," my dad's voice boomed through the speakers of my SUV. "I've never seen so many colours before. You should fly up for the weekend and check them out."

I made the turn into the gravel parking lot of the football fields and inched my way through throngs of players and families.

"Fall is in full swing here too," I told him. "You'll never guess what I'm doing right now."

"Winning an award at work? No, wait. Taking ballroom dance lessons? Oh! I know, eating sushi while booking a plane ticket home to surprise me for my birthday?"

I winced. "Good guesses, but no. I'm going to a kid's football game."

"No kidding?"

"Bet you don't miss those early Saturday mornings in the cold," I said lightly. I watched a family of five, bundled up in layers of clothing, jog toward the fields.

My dad had always loved football. He'd lobbied a local sports bar in our neighbourhood to air UK football matches long before David Beckham had set one golden boot in America. His love of the game was the reason I'd started playing as a kid. We'd drilled for hours in the backyard. He'd known every one of my teammates by name and was the team dad who made sure everyone got home safely from games and practices.