The Boy Next Door

Think About It

Just as they predicted, Jaebum nearly runs his fist through the wall when he hears the news. Jinyoung takes it a little better, but since all he does is close his mouth into a tight line and take deep breath, he could be summoning demons for all they know. Junhoe doesn't react at all, really, except to sit down on the floor of the gymnasium and sigh.

"That means we'll play against them again?" Shownu asks, clearly not getting what it means to have another team forfeit.

"Only if we make it to the championships" Yugyeom answers. None of them look happy, especially the veteran members who were all hoping this was behind them.

"Wait, you guys played on the same club team, and you all came to the same high school?" BamBam asks, now realizing that every one of them knows who Hanbin is, even Yugyeom and Jungkook who are two years younger than the twins

"Yes, Jaebum, Sehun, Junhoe and I started the team, built it up until Youngjae, Kookie and Yugyeom could come play" Jinyoung says. "Hanbin was suppose to come to"

They all mumbles words of agreeance to that, but they're all thinking of a different moment with Hanbin and a different moment of forming the club. Most important of all of them is Junhoe, thinking about what he never told the others. Hanbin had promised he would be there, he said he was going to their school and joining the team the night before he moved. He said he couldn't wait to play on the same team with Junhoe again. All of it lies.

"Guys this changes nothing," Jaebum pushes off the wall he was leaning against, coming over to form a loose huddle. "I have the new training regimens and we start them today. We've already played against that team so we can bet its going to be our hardest game of the season. But that's still a little ways away, right now we should worry about our double game on Saturday"

"Double game?" Shownu asks, looking displeased.

"Yes, we play a double game, almost back to back. Its going to be hard for some of you, but we'll get through it, we'll have to"

They all nod, getting hyped just thinking about it. Sure its going to be hard, but they expected this when they joined the team. The coach comes in a moment later and announces the news that they've already heard. He isn't surprised, instead pushing past it to focus on Saturday. Jaebum gives him the personalized training regimen sheets he made and after a quick once over to make sure its nothing too crazy, he passes them out, telling them to get out to the field to practice.

Pulling in one of the other members from the lower league, Jihoon, they play a six on six half field game that is all about running plays and drills. As he wanted to, Jaebum switches out Youngjae and Mark, just to get Youngjae running. He doesn't know what he will do for actual games, and in the end its up to the coach, all he can do is offer suggestions.

Youngjae is a good goalie, there is no doubt about that, but as they quickly learn, Mark is just as competent. Since Youngjae's stamina is better than Mark's by miles, he thinks they should put Mark as goalie for Saturday and he can tell the coach agrees when he sees him mark something on his clipboard.

They all play hard, even Jihoon, who is keeping up well all things considered. When they break, Jaebum goes to talk to him, bringing him a bottle of Gatorade as he does. Jinyoung goes to talk with the coach but he watches as Jihoon smiles, and Jaebum pats him on the back. Jihoon goes to the locker rooms with the other members to get his stuff, and Sehun latches onto him immediately, holding him under his arm.

They don't see the other members of the lower league very often, its almost like a separate club, and they hold games at separate locations and they have different practices. This is because of the difference in dedication, the lower league is mostly for fun. Like an exercise class. Since everyone else is going to the locker rooms, and Jaebum and Jinyoung already have their stuff, they follow the coach back to his office to help him put the gear away.