Falling Comets (Jungkook Fan fiction)

Chapter 69

To say that Hyunsoo was disappointed was an understatement. After all the practicing with Jimin, all the matches and the rallies, Hyunsoo had been prepared to beat Jungkook no matter how tough the match would be. What she didn't expect however, was the lack of seriousness with Jungkook's movements.

The game had started really suddenly when Jungkook served as soon as coach blew the whistle. From then on, Hyunsoo hit back with as much power and technique as she could manage and remember in the few seconds she had to think between each hit. Jungkook, on the other hand, acted way more relaxed, and yet, annoyed to the max. He wasn't in his usual attacking stance, didn't defend as he normally would, and looked as if he couldn't manage to give even a single damn about the match he was playing.

A slow smile built up on Hyunsoo's face only a few minutes into the game. This was it, she could win this after all. She would have thought he would be more competitive after everything that happened between them. Apparently not. Maybe the fact that he always won against her had gotten to his big fat head, and he thought he didn't even have to try anymore. Boy, is he wrong, thought Hyunsoo.

The coach was stood next to Joonhyung at first, watching them closely, before walking away to the next group. Since everyone was too busy keeping their eyes on the shuttlecock, no one was ever able to tell whether the coach looked satisfied with their level of skill, or disappointed because they were 'worse than old hags trying to text'. Coach was obviously not a man for the elderly. Joonhyung was still waiting and watching, though Hyunsoo had a weird feeling that he was only focused on her, making her feel a little conscious with her movements. She couldn't let this get in the way of winning against Jungkook though, and anyway, maybe she was just imagining it.

"Keep up, will you," said Jungkook, while smashing the shuttle on Hyunsoo's end, earning him points.

They were both doing pretty good, but Hyunsoo would gain a point or two above Jungkook, which then bothered him so he tried harder and closed the gap between them again. This is where Hyunsoo would then retort with a reply like, "I wouldn't get too comfortable with the scores right now," and then adding in a quieter voice, "You'll eat your words today."

Jungkook raised his eyebrow when Hyunsoo scored again, picking up the shuttle and getting ready to serve. "I honestly feel so honoured to receive so much attention from you, like yesterday at the cafe. Your stare gave me goosebumps. I didn't realise you cared about me so much." He smirked. It wasn't his usual famous one. This was cold, and angry. "Little rat's getting a little too confident for her own good."

Hyunsoo could tell that Jungkook was beginning to pick up speed and control during the match. He seemed to have realised that there was a difference in Hyunsoo's skill now compared to before. Under different circumstances, that would have made Hyunsoo happier, but his sarcasm had ended up striking a nerve in Hyunsoo, making her all fired up to smack down for another point.

During their intense back and forth hits, Jungkook was starting to run out of breath, and Hyunsoo decided to use this to her advantage when she hit the shuttle as far from him as she could with as much speed as she could to score another point. This would have gone to plan... if she hadn't tripped on her own shoelaces that had somehow come undone.

Luckily, Hyunsoo still managed to hit the shuttle at the last second, though unluckily, she lost her balance trying to hit it while she was tripping, so in the end, she ended up falling flat on her face right after. The gasps all around them were loud enough to make Hyunsoo squirm in embarrassment and physically want to cringe at herself (she managed to hold back), before she started sitting up to check what happened. The last thing she saw before falling was the complete and utter surprise on Jungkook's face when he was beginning to run towards where Hyunsoo was originally aiming to hit. Due to Hyunsoo's off balanced stance, she ended up hitting it right where Jungkook stood before he ran, which is what got her the point.

That meant... that meant, she won. Hyunsoo had finally won against Jungkook!

Hoseok was the first person to call her name, running to check up on her and cheering for her at the same time. Joonhyung had stood by closer, so ended up reaching Hyunsoo first, bending down and tying her shoelaces for her.

"You okay?" he asked, doing the laces swiftly without looking. He was watching her instead. "That was a pretty bad fall."

Hyunsoo nodded without saying anything. She was a little overwhelmed with this new victorious feeling. And, she couldn't stop looking into Joonhyung's eyes. They were a really deep blue that seemed too interesting to look away from. He smiled at her with his eyes suddenly, having noticed her gaze.

Then, out of nowhere, Jimin's hand was stroking Hyunsoo's hair. She looked up and met his twinkling and secretive eyes that she could only decipher as 'I'm proud of you'. Next with his mouth, he said, "You were amazing."

Hyunsoo's first thought was circling around why and how she ended up getting surrounded by people she least wanted to face after having made a fool of herself. She settled with replying to Jimin instead, "You saw? When did you get here?"

Jimin grinned. "A good few moments before you fell flat."

Hyunsoo's face burned with embarrassment. This was going to be remembered, she could tell from the atmosphere around her. It was further confirmed when Jungkook started laughing loudly behind them. The shock of losing seemed to have subsided rather quickly for him. "I said it before and I'll say it again, you always seem to do something retarded every match you play against me."

"Shut it Jungkook," said Hoseok. He was standing next to Jimin, who was also glaring at Jungkook. "No one asked for you."

Hyunsoo hardly ever saw Hoseok get annoyed like this, except when someone hurts her. He never backed down from anything when it came to his friends.

"Oh no," said Jungkook in a very dead tone. "I'm ruining your little winning ceremony aren't I?"

Joonhyung was about to stand up and most likely say something, but Hyunsoo put a hand on his arm and stopped him. This wasn't his fight, and she didn't want him to get involved unnecessarily like that. Hyunsoo stood up instead and said, "Sounds to me like someone's a little jealous."

"It's dumb luck, nothing else." He pulled a disgusted face and walked away towards Yoongi, who had just come to join the group and see what was going on.

At the same time, the coach was making his way back to the front getting his whistle ready. Now that every pair had finished their match, he was calling for them to prepare for the next one. There was no time for anymore comments, not even ones to her friends who had come to check up on her. The only thing she managed to do was smile and thank Joonhyung once again, especially since he came first to help her.

Later on after practice was done, Joonhyung found his way to Hyunsoo again and they were able to continue their conversation. It didn't last very long, but Hyunsoo found out he was studying music, which, if memory served her right, was the same course that Yoongi was studying. By the end, they even exchanged numbers before parting from the bus stops.

Hoseok walked with her the rest of the way. Jimin had planned to join but he suddenly had somewhere to be right after practice.

"What?" she asked Hoseok. He had been eyeing her for a while now.

"Nothing." But he was smiling mysteriously.

Hyunsoo rolled her eyes. "Come on! Tell me, what's up?"

"Just, you know," he said, smiling while shrugging. "You seem to gather a lot of admirers wherever you go."

Hyunsoo thought about that for a while. That wasn't true... 

"It's true," said Hoseok, as if reading her mind.