Simon's Game |nct 127|

The 12th Mission

~

"Jaehyun pass the ball!"

Someone shouted but the teenager didn't care. He continued holding the orange ball in his hands, facing the basket in front of him.

His opponent was trying to block him with his hands stretched above his body, hiding Jaehyun's view.

Even if Jaehyun was 'trapped' he smiled. Sweat was falling gracefully on both sides of his face matching his wet hair. Some of it stuck to his forehead, at certain times annoying the young teen.

"Jaehyun I'm open!"

"Jaehyun pass the ball!!"

Everyone was shouting at him but he didn't pay attention to their words. He knew that he could do this. The boy from the opponent team was standing relaxed, his whole body upright in front of him. But...he was going to use this to his advantage.

Jaehyun raised quickly his hands, pretending as if he was going to shoot and the man in front of him took a small jump.

'This is my chance.' He thought and lowered the ball he was holding, moving it fast under his feet to his right hand.

One triple and a lay-up.

2 more points for his team.

Something easy, but his opponent was stupid enough to let him do it. Jaehyun smiled victoriously and started running back to his team's side of the court.

Nothing spectacular, but he heard his girlfriend cheering from the stands. He turned his head to look at her and their gazes locked.

Jaehyun smiled and so did she.

He felt embarrassed that she was cheering for him so loudly but he wouldn't change this moment for anything in the world. He loved her, he really did.

Areum was his everything and he hoped that she would continue being by his side for a long time.

Maybe his dream came true, but not the way he expected.

You have to lose something, in order to win something else.

He did the right choice... he was sure of it... but sometimes he couldn't help but wonder.

How would everything be...

If both of his dreams came true?

~

Jaehyun sighed as he remembered this moment...how long had it been since he played basketball?

Months...or maybe years...

It was early in the morning and he continued walking, heading towards his job. The sky was clear, and only the sun was shining brightly, but it still wasn't enough to make this day warm. The wind was slightly cool and chilly. Jaehyun's favorite weather. Not too hot and not too cold at the same time, somewhere between...right in the middle.

Suddenly his feet stopped.

A small ball was rolling towards his direction. An orange ball. Jaehyun smiled and picked it up, holding it tightly in his hands.

Was this a sign? Could he still hope?

"Hey man!" A deep male voice said. "Can you pass me the ball?"

Jaehyun looked at the man. He wanted to hold the ball in his hands like he did before but instead...

"Sure." He threw the ball back to it's owner.