The Whispers (Underworld 6) VK

16: Cocky Basketball Player

It was one of those days when Seungkwan was leading his cheer squad through a complex routine, his voice sharp and unwavering as he pushed his team toward perfection.

"Five, six, seven, eight—again!" he barked, stepping forward as they began their formation once more. The team was working hard, but Seungkwan's sharp eye caught every wobble, every missed step. He wasn't the type to settle for anything less than perfect.

Just then, the doors to the gym swung open with a loud creak, and in came the basketball team, as usual, led by none other than Hansol. They swaggered in, acting like they owned the place, basketballs thudding against the floor as they approached the court.

Seungkwan's eyes narrowed. It was always like this. The basketball team had a way of interrupting their practice, and today was no different. Hansol, of course, seemed to make it his mission to look as unbothered as possible by the fact that they were barging in.

"You're early," Seungkwan snapped, not even bothering to hide his irritation as he signaled for his team to pause. The squad froze, watching the exchange with a mix of amusement and nervousness, knowing what was coming.

Hansol, as usual, shrugged casually, spinning the ball on his fingertip like some basketball show-off. "Or maybe you're late," he replied, his voice annoyingly calm, with that lazy grin that made Seungkwan want to throttle him. "Practice schedules changed."

Seungkwan's eyes widened, hands planted firmly on his hips as he glared at Hansol. "Well, we're not done. So you can wait," he shot back, refusing to let him steamroll the cheer practice. His team needed more time, and there was no way he was giving it up for some basketball game.

Hansol paused, looking at Seungkwan with a smirk that was somewhere between teasing and infuriating. "Cheerleading's important, sure," he said, voice dripping with mock sincerity, "but maybe you guys could use a little more time practicing. That last pyramid you tried looked... shaky." His words lingered in the air, that smirk of his practically daring Seungkwan to respond.

Seungkwan's jaw clenched, a mix of anger and adrenaline coursing through him. The audacity. "Excuse me?" he spat, stepping forward. "We're doing just fine, thank you. Not that you would know anything about what it takes to actually lead a team."

His voice was biting, but there was a fire in his eyes, a defiance that always flared up whenever Hansol got under his skin. And Hansol, of course, wasn't backing down. The rest of the gym seemed to fade away as the tension between them mounted. Hansol cocked an eyebrow, clearly amused by Seungkwan's feisty reaction.

For a brief moment, something flickered in Hansol's eyes—something softer, something almost like admiration. But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by that same smug look. "Alright, leader," he said, stepping back with a wink. "Let's see who finishes first." He threw one last playful glance in Seungkwan's direction before jogging back to his team.

Seungkwan stood there for a second longer than he should have, fuming, fists clenched at his sides. Hansol always knew how to get under his skin. But there was something else too—something about the way Hansol looked at him, that teasing edge in his voice, that stupid grin. It made Seungkwan's heart race, even though he would never, ever admit it.

"Alright!" Seungkwan snapped, turning back to his team. "Let's get back to it. And let's show them how it's done."

The cheer squad nodded, and as they resumed their routine, Seungkwan found his gaze drifting back to the basketball court where Hansol was now leading his own team, his focus sharp, his movements fluid. There was no denying it—Hansol was good at what he did. He was annoyingly talented, and somehow, Seungkwan couldn't tear his eyes away. And he hated that he was even thinking about him at all.