TEA LEAVES N DAYDREAMS | ONE SHOTS

i'm aiming for your heart, pt.1 - jaehyun vb au

status: unedited

word count: 2200!

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It wouldn't be practice at Sooman High if Nari and Jaehyun weren't arguing. Their heated interactions were amusing at first, even entertaining--- but at one point, it became dreadful to witness. And, it doesn't help that volleyball finals are coming up so soon. The tension that has been building up finally explodes that Monday evening. Squeaking their heels, the rest of the players try to drown out the sound of their captains shouting.

"You're a bitch, Jung, you know that?"

"That's bold of you to say, Kim!"

This sort of pointless bickering continues, growing louder in volume and their insults less and less relevant. At one point, Nari calls Jaehyun "a robot with no personality" and Jaehyun calls her "a hot-headed five-year-old."

Jaehyun rubs his temples in irritation. "Look, I would love to continue this childish spat with you, but our team doesn't have time to waste. We just placed in the finals. I think that should tell you who needs the gym more."

Nari rolls her eyes. "And? So do we!" she argues, "No one is telling you guys to stop everything you're doing or go home! We just want to practice, dickhead! At least give us half the court!"

"Half- half the court?" Jaehyun repeats, appalled and astonished by her simplicity. Then, he bites the side of his mouth, hands on his hips as he looks around to humor Nari. Ja "I don't know if you noticed, but there's only one net!"

"You guys can just scoot to the side and---"

"Can't you guys just bump a ball to each other in a circle---"

"What?" Nari asks, taking offense to his comment. "We need to practice like an actual team, Jung. What the fuck are you suggesting?" Her eyes widen in anger. "Do you not take us seriously?"

In the heat of the moment, Jaehyun retorts, "How can I? You guys dropped out of the nationals already! What's the point of even trying anymore? Your team is a lost cause!"

By now, Nari would be lunging at him and threatening to rearrange his face in five different ways. Her friends would be holding her back from doing just that. That's what he had expected, yet... the room is completely silent and she doesn't look the least bit angry.

Just hurt.

"Nari, I'm---"

"Fuck you, Jaehyun," is all she whispers, her reddening eyes painfully connecting with his. He feels his heart break into two and he doesn't know why. "Just- fuck you."

And with that, Nari turns around and walks off, leaving the room with a sharp door slam. "Low blow, Jae," he hears from Ten, their libero. "You really messed up."

I know, he thinks. I know.

---

Jaehyun and Nari have gone three days without fighting, which is weird.

If anything, he knows that this is something to be relieved about. Kim Nari--- single-handedly the most annoying person he knows--- has finally stopped bothering him. Now that she's out the way, he's been able to focus on volleyball and his studies, instead of cleaning up after her reckless antics.

But still. Rather than losing an enemy, he feels like he lost... someone important and close to him. And it doesn't make sense since they weren't friends. Maybe it was because their fighting had never gone far enough to elicit the face she made that day. The wounds that they inflicted on each other never dug that deep.