Knew You Were Trouble | KAZUJIN

Chapter 1: Chapter One: The New Girl and the Captain

Kazuha hadn't quite settled in yet, but she was making progress. Her mornings were still spent navigating a school that felt too big, full of people she barely knew, and her evenings were a blur of textbooks and catching up on classwork. But cheerleading practice had become a small reprieve, a place where she could focus on something that made sense.

Today, as Kazuha stretched by the bleachers, the chatter of the other cheerleaders filled the gym. She felt the familiar nerves buzzing in her chest but pushed them away, focusing instead on the routine they were learning. The girls, even the mean ones, had warmed up to her, though she couldn't tell if it was genuine or simply the camaraderie of the team.

"Alright, ladies! Hustle!" the coach's voice echoed, and Kazuha jumped to her feet, her movements sharp and precise. She was focused, intent on every count, every beat of the music. She didn't notice the eyes lingering on her from the other side of the gym.

Yunjin had a basketball tucked under her arm, but she hadn't joined her teammates yet. She was too busy watching Kazuha, captivated by the way she moved, each motion graceful and determined. It was strange, Yunjin thought, to be so drawn to someone who seemed so unaffected by everything. Kazuha didn't seem to care about the chaos around her. Even Yunjin's usual attention-seeking stunts, the ones that earned her laughs and playful shoves from her friends, went unnoticed by the new girl.

"Hey, Yunjin! You playing or not?" One of her teammates called out, snapping her out of her daze.

Yunjin smirked, tossing the ball in the air and catching it with practiced ease. "Yeah, yeah, hold your horses," she replied, but her gaze drifted back to Kazuha once more before she jogged onto the court.

Meanwhile Kazuha, on the other side of the court was practicing. The girls were showing her the basic stunts and their warmups to start with. She didn't even look at Yunjin. Not even once.

As Yunjin joined her teammates on the court, her eyes kept drifting back to Kazuha, observing her movements with an intensity that borders on fascination. She noticed how the black haired girl seems to be completely absorbed in her practice, oblivious to the attention the latter is trying to draw. It's both frustrating and intriguing to her.

The red haired girl tried to focus on the game, but her mind kept wandering back to Kazuha. She attempted to impress her with her skills - nailing a perfect three-pointer and making flashy passes. After scoring, she glances Kazuha's way, hoping to catch her eye and see a reaction. But, there was nothing. The girl didn't even seem to bother enough to look her way.

Yunjin was frustrated at this point. She had never, EVER had to try hard to impress a girl. To make a girl even look at her and it was pissing her the fuck off. Practice ended with Kazuha feeling exhausted but accomplished. She wiped sweat from her forehead, smiling to herself, when she heard loud laughter from across the gym. The basketball team was wrapping up, and Yunjin was at the center of it, as usual. Kazuha had heard plenty about her: the girl who was as charming as she was chaotic, the captain who somehow kept her title despite her wild ways.

Yunjin was leaning against the bleachers now, laughing at something one of her teammates had said, when she glanced over and caught Kazuha's eye. On impulse, Yunjin's mouth curved into a teasing grin. She tossed the basketball in Kazuha's direction, just light enough not to be a threat but hard enough to catch her attention.

"Think fast!" Yunjin called.

Kazuha blinked, startled, but reacted quickly, catching the ball with surprising grace. She looked at Yunjin, a little confused but unfazed, holding the ball like she wasn't sure what to do with it.

Yunjin jogged over, her grin widening. "Nice catch, new girl," she said, her voice as smooth and confident as ever. Up close, Yunjin was even more striking, with bright eyes that seemed to hold a challenge.

Kazuha tilted her head, a small smile forming. "Thanks... I guess?" she replied, her voice steady. She passed the ball back, and Yunjin caught it with a practiced flick of her wrist.

"You any good at basketball?" Yunjin asked, her tone playful.

Kazuha shook her head. "Not really. More of a cheerleader." she said, her smile widening a fraction.

Yunjin took a step closer, her gaze never wavering. "Maybe I could teach you sometime," she said, her voice dropping to a flirtatious murmur. It was the kind of line she used all the time, the kind that usually had people blushing or stammering.

But Kazuha just blinked, her expression thoughtful rather than flustered. "Maybe," she replied simply, and with that, she turned to join her teammates.

Yunjin watched her go, a little surprised—and a lot more interested. No one had ever walked away from her like that, like she was just another person and not someone to be dazzled by. She found herself grinning, her heart beating faster than she wanted to admit. This was going to be fun.

Kazuha walked away from the encounter, her heart steady and her thoughts unbothered. She joined the other cheerleaders, her focus shifting back to gathering her things. Yunjin's flirtatious grin and playful attitude didn't have the same effect on her as it seemed to have on everyone else. In truth, Kazuha barely registered the interaction as anything more than a brief interruption.

"Hey, Kazuha, coming to get smoothies with us?" one of the cheerleaders asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder. The group had warmed up to Kazuha in the past week, and while she wasn't fully comfortable yet, she didn't want to be rude.

Kazuha gave a small smile. "Sure, I'll come."

They started walking out of the gym, but not before passing by the basketball team again. Yunjin was back with her teammates, making them laugh over some story she was telling with grand gestures. But as the cheerleaders passed by, Yunjin's eyes flicked over to Kazuha. She had expected at least a hint of interest, maybe even a smile from the new girl, but instead, Kazuha didn't even glance in her direction.

One of Yunjin's friends nudged her. "What's with you? Did the new girl already reject you or something?" he teased, smirking.

Yunjin shot him a look, but she couldn't deny the curiosity building inside her. "Nah," she said with a laugh. "She's just playing hard to get." The response earned a chorus of amused laughs from her friends, but deep down, Yunjin knew that wasn't it. Kazuha genuinely didn't seem affected by her charm, and that was... well, irritating, to say the least.

Outside, the sun was beginning to set, casting golden light over the campus. Kazuha trailed behind the cheerleaders as they made their way to the smoothie shop across the street. She listened to their chatter, but her mind wandered. New York City still felt foreign, and she missed her old home, missed the familiarity of knowing where she belonged. But she was determined to adjust.

As they crossed the parking lot, she heard a shout from behind. "Hey! New girl!"

Kazuha turned slowly, her expression neutral as she saw Yunjin jogging over, her basketball shoes squeaking against the pavement. The cheerleaders exchanged glances, giggling behind their hands. It was obvious that Yunjin had a reputation for her flirty antics, and everyone seemed curious to watch this play out.

Yunjin came to a stop in front of Kazuha, a cocky smile lighting up her face. "Smoothie run, huh?" she said, glancing at the group of cheerleaders. "Mind if I join?"

Kazuha raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Actually, I do," she replied, her voice polite but firm. "It's kind of a team thing."

For a second, Yunjin was speechless. People didn't usually tell her no, especially not with such calm indifference. She recovered quickly, her grin widening in challenge. "You're funny," she said, as if Kazuha's response was the most amusing thing in the world.

Kazuha didn't laugh. Instead, she adjusted the strap of her bag and turned away. "See you around, basketball girl," she said over her shoulder, still not knowing or caring about Yunjin's name. The cheerleaders whispered to each other, some clearly impressed that Kazuha hadn't fallen for Yunjin's tricks.

Yunjin stood there for a moment, watching Kazuha walk away. Her smile didn't fade, but something about the encounter had her intrigued in a way she hadn't been before. Who was this girl who didn't flinch under her attention, who dismissed her like she was just another person? Yunjin felt a strange rush of excitement, and she knew one thing for sure: this wasn't over.