THE YOUNG DRAGONS

THE TRY OUTS

But as Jae-Hyun began to fall for her, Min-Jun couldn’t shake the feeling that this girl—brave, beautiful, and undeniably intriguing—might bring more complications than his brother was ready for. And in a world where they were already struggling to fit in, that was a risk neither of them could afford to take lightly.
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The cafeteria incident had passed, but Jae-Hyun couldn’t get the girl out of his mind. Her name was Emily Parker, the captain of the cheerleading team and one of the few people who seemed unfazed by the twins' wealth and status. Emily was everything Jae-Hyun wasn’t—grounded, humble, and, as he discovered later, from a struggling family. Her mother was ill, and her father had only recently quit drinking after years of neglecting his family. Emily worked hard to keep things together, not just for herself but for her younger brother, who idolized the cool kids at school, especially Jason, the star of the basketball team.

Jason, however, had his eyes on Emily, but she didn’t return his feelings. Jae-Hyun noticed how Jason’s gaze lingered on Emily, and he couldn’t help the surge of protectiveness he felt. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was falling for her hard. Min-Jun, ever perceptive, noticed his brother’s growing infatuation and didn’t mind it at all. In fact, he found it amusing how Jae-Hyun, who had never taken any girl seriously before, was now acting so differently.

One afternoon, as they walked home from school, Jae-Hyun suddenly turned to Min-Jun. "You know, there’s something I’ve been thinking about," he began, a slight hesitation in his voice.
Min-Jun raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What’s that?"

"The basketball tryouts are next week," Jae-Hyun said, trying to sound casual. "I was thinking… maybe we should give it a shot."

Min-Jun frowned slightly. "Basketball? That’s not really our thing."

"I know," Jae-Hyun admitted, "but… it could be fun. And, well… Emily’s brother is on the team. It might be a good way to get closer to her."

Min-Jun chuckled, shaking his head. "So, that’s what this is about. You really like her, don’t you?"

Jae-Hyun didn’t deny it. "I do. And besides, we’re good at pretty much everything we try. Why not basketball?"

Min-Jun pretended to think it over for a moment before giving in. "Alright, I’ll do it. But only because I want to see how you handle yourself when you’re around her."

The day of the tryouts arrived, and the gym was packed with students eager to prove themselves. Jae-Hyun and Min-Jun, despite being new to the sport, quickly became the center of attention. Their natural athleticism, combined with years of martial arts training, made them formidable on the court. Their coordination was flawless, as if they could read each other’s minds. Every pass was perfect, every shot hit its mark. The coach watched in awe as the twins dominated the tryouts, outshining even the seasoned players.

Jason, who had always been the star, couldn’t hide his frustration. He had worked hard to be the best, and now these newcomers were stealing his spotlight. He noticed the way Jae-Hyun’s eyes kept drifting to Emily, and something inside him snapped. When the tryouts ended, and the twins were clearly the top picks, Jason saw his chance to strike.As the players were leaving the gym, Jason and his friends cornered Jae-Hyun. "You think you can just walk in here and take over?" Jason spat, his face twisted with anger. "This is my team. You don’t belong here."

Jae-Hyun remained calm, his posture relaxed. "I’m not here to take anything from you. We just wanted to play."

Jason wasn’t having it. "You’re not fooling anyone," he sneered. "I see the way you look at Emily. She’s not interested in you."

Min-Jun, who had been standing nearby, stepped forward, his voice low and cold. "I suggest you back off, Jason. This isn’t going to end well for you."

Jason’s friends began to close in, thinking they had the upper hand. But Min-Jun, with a smirk, calmly walked over to a bench and sat down. "Just don’t hurt them too much," he said to Jae-Hyun, crossing his arms.

Jae-Hyun nodded slightly, his eyes narrowing as he turned back to Jason. "I don’t want to fight you," he said, his voice steady. "But if you push me, I will."

It didn’t take long for Jason to make his move, but it was over just as quickly. Jae-Hyun, moving with the precision and speed of a trained fighter, easily dodged the first punch and countered with a quick strike that left Jason staggering. The rest of Jason’s friends tried to jump in, but they were no match for Jae-Hyun. Within minutes, the fight was over, and Jason’s group was left nursing their wounds, their egos bruised even more than their bodies.