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Park Jiwoo tightened her ponytail and fixed her shorts before she waddled over to her best friend, and midfielder, Do Inhwa, that looked at herself in the tiny mirror in her locker. Inhwa had her pastel-colored hair in a ponytail—and not her usual pigtails—and was fixing some strands of it with her finger.
"Somehow you look even more cute than usual." Jiwoo smiled and sat down next to her. "Woojin-geun would go crazy for your looks, Inhwa!" Jiwoo giggled and Inhwa blushed at that comment. She didn't make herself extra pretty for Park Woojin, who probably didn't even knew she existed, but for the paparazzi and tabloids that were about to catch her and Lee Jeno's romance.
"Jiwoo-yah! Don't make me flustered! You also look super cute!" Inhwa gave back and straightened her jersey. Jiwoo cocked an eyebrow. "I know I am not as cute as you, but if I am cute enough to pass as Park Jihoon's favorite type I'll be alright!" The defender laughed and Inhwa rolled her eyes.
It was not her first match, but it was the first time, that her boyfriend was watching her.
Inhwa and Jeno had texted back and forth the whole week. Talking about things that the two of them were interested in, foods they liked or disliked, songs they loved or movies that made them cry. Jeno had a virtual laughing fit, finding out that Inhwa cried waterfalls watching Disney's Coco.
Inhwa was comfortable texting Jeno. She felt as if the two of them had bonded and became friends—which would make their job much easier. They could pretend to be a couple much better if they knew each other and knew their likes and dislikes.
Inhwa was brought out of her thoughts when their coach came into the dressing room, looking at the girls. "Ready, girls?" The coach asked and the girls got ready to go on the field. Inhwa took one last breath and put on her sunshine smile, and climbed her stage: the field.
― 💌 ―
Jeno's eyes followed the ball on the field with excitement. The Korean team was leading the game with two goals. One shot by South Korea's striker and the other one by a midfielder.
Even if Inhwa hadn't shot a goal so far, her performance was great. Even amateur soccer fan Jeno could see that. Whenever the Korean team did something impressive the mass of fans triggered him to stand up and shout Inhwa's name—proudly wearing the jersey of course.
MC Ari, who accompanied Jeno to the game versus Uruguay, was looking at the boy from the corner of his eyes before chuckling and continuing to check his e-mails. He knew Jeno and Do Inhwa had become friends by now. What the busy NCT manager hoped was that they were mentally strong enough to not let Haters and mean comments get to them, once the first rumors start spreading.
MC Ari looked at Jeno that was cheering on the South Korean team with a passion in his eyes that the smiley boy only had when he was dancing. He knew it was a risky idea of their CEO to pair two so young people in a PROmance, but Jeno seemed to genuinely like Inhwa already.
MC Ari sighed when Jeno next to him started screaming.
The manager looked at the younger boy that yelled out Inhwa's name. MC Ari followed Jeno's eyes and saw the seventeen-year-old midfielder standing by the sideline, throwing hearts at Jeno. MC Ari chuckled. That's the food the tabloids were going to love.
"Hyung! Did you see the goal Inhwa just shot?!" Jeno screamed, beaming with joy and pride. "It was amazing! And that with a left foot, holy shit!" - "Language, Jeno," Ari warned but continued to let the boy curse out his excitement.
The game ended with South Korea winning 3-0 against Uruguay. The fans were screaming the girls' names and congratulating them, while they waved them. Jeno looked around for Inhwa who came running to his side of the stadium. She waved him with a bright smile and threw another heart at him.
Jeno acted as if he caught it and pressed it on to his chest. Inhwa giggled when she saw Jeno doing his aegyo before she continued to greet the other fans. Jiwoo was running over the field to her best friend and pointed to a seat in the distance. "Wanna One was here today! Did you see them! The screen showed them for a split second!" Jiwoo screamed and Inhwa gasped.
"So they do know we exist?!" Inhwa asked, her fangirl popping out from the inside. "Yes!" Jiwoo screamed. "Coach Min said we're going to meet them. They'll be visiting us in the dressing room, so stop flirting with the audience and hurry up!" Jiwoo dragged Inhwa's arm, but latter shook her head.
"Huh? You don't want to meet Wanna One?" Jiwoo asked with her eyes big as plates. "But what's with your undying love for Park Woojin?" Jiwoo pouted and Inhwa licked her lips. "I'm sorry, Jiwoo-yah... but I have to meet someone else now." She said and nodded towards the block where Jeno and his manager were still sitting, waiting to leave the stadium and meet Inhwa at the back door.
"Huh? Who is that?" Jiwoo asked because from the distance it was hard to make out Jeno's face. All Jiwoo could see was a red jersey with a big 13 on it; an Inhwa jersey. "It's a ... friend." Inhwa smiled and blushed lightly. She was very excited to meet Jeno. She wanted to know what his opinion on her game was and if he enjoyed watching her.
"What friend? You never told me about any male friends!" Jiwoo rambled while they followed their teammates towards the dressing room. They all wanted to refresh themselves before nations boy group would visit them, so Inhwa took the chance to take a quick shower and step into her normal clothes, putting her hair into her trademark pigtails before saying goodbye to her teammates and Coach.
She was only a bit sad that she couldn't meet Wanna One and talk to them, but meeting Jeno was much more interesting right now.
