PitBabe Cast: Imagines

PoohPavel: Golf Buddy

The warm evening sun filtered through the trees as Pooh and Pavel stood side by side at the driving range, each with a bucket of golf balls at their feet. The scene was much quieter than Pooh had imagined. There was no crowd, no fancy clubs or golf carts, just the hum of distant traffic and the soft sound of balls slicing through the air.

It was, in many ways, the perfect place for them to spend time together, and yet, the tension between them was undeniable.

The two men had reluctantly agreed to play a round of golf, a compromise to appease their parents who had orchestrated their arranged marriage. Neither of them was particularly enthusiastic about the idea, and they had never gotten along—each encounter between them had been filled with tension and miscommunication.

Pooh shifted uncomfortably as he picked up his club, eyeing Pavel out of the corner of his eye. The two men were here because their parents had insisted—an arranged marriage that neither of them had asked for. Despite the beautiful summer evening, this felt more like a forced chore than a pleasant date.

This date, like the many before it, felt forced. There was no common ground because one was young while the other older. The other one was still in school while the other was already working in the family company, no easy connection at all. Just a pair of men bound by obligation rather than desire.

"You sure you know how to play?" Pavel asked, his tone dry, almost dismissive as he adjusted his stance and set his own ball up for a swing.

Pooh forced a smile. "I've been to a driving range a few times, yeah. Can't say I'm a pro, but I can hit the ball." His words came out more stiffly than he intended, and his heart was racing just a little faster than normal. The last thing he needed was to make himself look worse in front of Pavel.

Pavel raised an eyebrow, giving Pooh a quick, appraising glance before taking his shot. His swing was smooth and effortless, the ball soaring through the air with impressive precision. He didn't even look at Pooh to see his reaction, instead casually adjusting his grip as if this whole thing was beneath him.

"Not bad," Pooh muttered, more to himself than to Pavel, as he lined up for his own shot. His grip on the club tightened, his mind racing. Could he do this? Could he show Pavel that he wasn't a total failure at golf?

Taking a deep breath, Pooh swung. The ball went off to the left, barely making it past the line of the nearby net. He winced, and for a second, he felt that familiar sting of frustration. Of course, he couldn't even hit the damn ball straight. It was like everything he did tonight was destined to go wrong. He was just a kid, who can blame him? He wasn't introverted nor he wasn't sporty at all but he was always uneasy when Pavel was around.

Maybe because he was more scared to frustrate and disappoint the older one, than himself.

"Nice one," Pavel said, his voice laced with sarcasm as he glanced over. There was that familiar edge to his tone, the kind that made Pooh feel small. He could practically feel the unspoken judgment radiating from him.

"Yeah, thanks," Pooh muttered, embarrassed, reaching for another ball. He had no idea why he cared so much about Pavel's opinion—especially when Pavel had always been so condescending but the truth was something about the way Pavel looked at him, with that sharp, piercing gaze, made Pooh want to prove himself. Maybe it was the rivalry. Maybe it was the chemistry that had always simmered beneath the surface between them.

After a few more attempts, Pooh finally managed to hit one that flew somewhat straight. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough to get a small, satisfied smile on his face.

"Not bad," Pavel said, this time sounding less mocking. "Looks like you've got potential."

Pooh didn't respond right away, instead glancing at Pavel with the brightest smile he could muster. For the first time that evening, there was no edge to his voice. In fact, there was something else—a quiet, almost approving tone. It made Pooh's heart skip just a little. Was this some sort of breakthrough?