jealous type. chapter 5:: the match
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mimi speaks ! omg first written chapter šš sorry if this took a while but summer break started and i got lost in doomscrolling ā¦ also js so u know i dunno shi about basketball
english isnāt my first language, I apologize if there are mistakes!
You found yourself staring at your bedroom mirror for longer than you liked, double-checking every single detail, from the way your shirt looked tucked in to whether your shoelaces were tied too awkwardly.
Usually, when you had to get ready for hangouts, you always did everything last minute and ended up arriving at least twenty minutes late. Then you blamed it on traffic, of course, even if you had gone there on foot.
But today was different. Even if you kept telling yourself it wasnāt, since after all it was just Juhoon, you still took a forty-five-minute shower to make sure your hair was flawless and browsed through every single Pinterest outfit inspiration post to come up with something that looked effortless but wasnāt simply improvised.
āY/n, are you done? I donāt have all day!ā your mom shouted from downstairs. You could almost picture her irritated expression.
You had begged her to drive you to school after giving a detailed explanation of how the dirty bus would have ruined your hair and outfit if you had taken it. In the end, she agreed only because your dinner was getting cold and she wanted you to shut up.
āComing!ā you shouted back as you walked down the stairs two steps at a time. When you reached the living room, you glanced at your mother. She hadnāt even bothered to change, and she was probably going to drive you while wearing slippers, even if that was sort of illegal.
She sighed, turned on her heels, and grabbed the front door handle. āLetās go. Me and your dad have a movie to finish.ā
You looked over at your father, carelessly sleeping on the couch, and followed your mother out of the house.
While she took her time getting into the car and starting it, you quickly jumped into the passenger seat and fastened your seatbelt, checking your messages every five seconds to see if Iroha had canceled at the last minute or if a bomb had somehow dropped on the gym.
Even after the car left the parking spot, your leg was still frantically bouncing up and down, and your palms were sweating uncontrollably.
Cāmon, Y/n, why are you so anxious? Itās not the first time you've seen Juhoon.
āIs everything okay?ā
A voice interrupted your thoughts, and your motherās eyes scanned you through the rearview mirror.
āUh? Umhā¦ yeah. Everythingās fine.ā You nodded and smiled tightly, but she didnāt buy it.
She raised an eyebrow and looked back at the road, but she wasnāt done questioning you.
āWhy do you want to watch this game anyway? Youāve never been interested in sports.ā
It took you a few moments to answer.
āIroha is going with a bunch of guy friends and wanted me to go with her,ā you mumbled, looking out at the city passing by on your left.
Again, she didnāt buy the lie. āAre you sure thatās the only reason?ā
āIs there any cute guy on the team orā¦ā
You quickly interrupted her. āMom, please shut up.ā
She scoffed and gave you a light slap on the shoulder. āI was just asking. And it wouldnāt hurt you to bring some cute boy home. The only hope Iāve ever had was Ohyul.ā
You turned to her and let out a loud gagging sound.
āIf you ever see me with Ohyul, please throw a rock at my face and tell me to wake up,ā you advised before sinking back into your seat.
She sighed, and before you realized it, the car had stopped in front of the school parking lot.
āWeāre here. Go watch your game and call when I have to come pick you up.ā
You nodded as you unbuckled your seatbelt, but just as you reached for the door, your mother called you back.
āAnd donāt call me at the last minute. Remember that it takes me at least fifteen minutes to get here.ā
You nodded absentmindedly and shut the door behind you.
You walked to the main entrance of the school. It felt weird being there on a weekend. You had expected it to be emptier once you got inside, but to your surprise, plenty of people had come to watch the game.
You were seeing students you had never noticed before, and not only from the opposing school.
Your legs started to feel numb as you approached the gym. The curtains didnāt completely block the light coming through the hallway windows, and as it peeked through the gaps, it reflected off the metal of the grey lockers.
You stopped a few steps away from the gym entrance and took in the sight before you. Both sides of the black bleachers were almost full, to the point that some people had to remain standing. There werenāt just students, but also parents who had come to watch their sons play. The two teams were warming up, and the red jerseys were already damp with sweat even though they had only just started practicing free throws. The squeak of shoes against the parquet floor filled the room as you tried to spot Iroha from afar, failing miserably.
Just as you were about to take out your phone to call her, despite the fact that your battery was about to die, a foreign voice called your name.
You looked up and saw a brown-haired girl who looked around your age. Her features didnāt seem fully Korean.
āUmhā¦ yeah?ā You looked around in confusion while she remained cheerful.
āIām Ella, Iām Juhoonās friend,ā she quickly explained after noticing your expression.
Finally, her name rang a bell. āI think Iāve seen you around school.ā
At your words, her expression brightened. You slipped your phone back into your pocket and took a step closer to her.
āI saw you wandering around alone, and since I know youāre also friends with Juhoon, I was wondering if you wanted to sit next to me.ā
When she said friend, something stung inside you, but you ignored it and decided to focus on the fact that he mentioned you frequently enough for his closest circle to know who you were.
āYeah, thatād be nice.ā
You nodded. She smiled and headed into the gym. You quickly texted Iroha that you had found someone else to watch the game with before Ella gestured for you to follow her.
Once inside, you squeezed past a few people before Ella stopped in front of two empty seats in the front row, one of them occupied by her purse.
Before sitting down, she grabbed it and then turned around to wave at a trio seated a few rows away, who you assumed were her friends.
Just as you adjusted yourself on the bleachers, the game finally started.
Your eyes immediately found Juhoon, and it felt strange seeing him outside of his school uniform. His hair was pushed back slightly by a thin headband, the bright red jersey looked a little larger than it was supposed to, and his shoes had a unique design that, weirdly enough, matched the rest of his outfit.
When the ball started moving, it was almost like he changed form.
The same focused gaze he had whenever he worked on maths was still there as he moved across the court. Even though his posture and movements were rougher and more instinctive, his eyes seemed to be calculating everything around him, as if he knew what was going to happen next before anyone else did.
Not even five minutes into the game, he had already scored a three-pointer.
And his performance only kept improving as the match went on, and you found yourself cheering louder than you would have liked.
āThis is the best Iāve ever seen him play,ā the brunette said after Juhoon scored once again.
āDo you watch him play often?ā you asked, turning to face her.
She looked back at you and shook her head.
āEven though weāve been friends forever, he rarely invites me and the others to watch his games.ā
You nodded slowly, processing the information.
āYou should consider yourself lucky that he invited you after only a few weeks of knowing each other,ā she added.
Your gaze drifted back to his figure on the court, following his every step.
āHeās very talkative about you, yāknow?ā You looked down and smiled to yourself, not even bothering to deny it.
Juhoon scored again, and when the ball bounced back onto the floor, he found himself searching the crowd for your face. The moment he spotted you, a smile appeared on his lips, followed by a faint pink tint spreading across his cheeks.
But a few bleachers away, someone wasnāt having nearly as much fun as you.
āWho even is Ella?ā Martin complained to Ryul beside him, staring at the empty seat that was supposed to be yours.
āI think Iāve seen her a few times around school, but all I know is that sheās Juhoonās best friend,ā he explained, briefly glancing at James playing on the court.
āOf courseā¦ all roads lead to Juhoon,ā Martin mumbled to himself as he dropped his head into his hands.
āIāve never seen him play this well,ā Ryul pointed out, shifting his focus back to the game as James passed the ball.
āHe probably wants to impress Y/n,ā Iroha jumped in, and that comment made Martin sulk even more.
āDonāt worry, man. Youāre better than him anyway,ā Woojin reassured him from the row behind them.
āConnect to the school speakers and make a beat right now to show her what sheās missing out on.ā
That earned a small chuckle from Martin, and he looked up at Woojin, who patted his shoulder.
āThen get on the court and miss every shot you take.ā Irohaās voice made Martin roll his eyes almost instinctively.
āOf course you had to ruin my mood again, Roha.ā She giggled to herself before turning serious again.
āYour chances are still there. Donāt give up yet.ā She tried to reassure him, but Martin didnāt fully believe her.
The moment the timer hit zero and Juhoon and Jamesās team had officially won, by a lot, Martin released a breath he hadnāt realized he was holding.
He lazily got up to follow the others, the urge to get out of there as quickly as possible growing with every second.
Juhoon, on the court, also had a strong urge to get out of there.
But not because he wanted to go home.
But because he was dying to see you.
He found it lame to admit, but every shot he had taken that day had carried a deeper meaning behind it. He genuinely wanted to impress you, and that was unusual considering he had never really cared much about other peopleās opinions.
As he shook hands with the defeated team, barely bothering to look them in the eyes, he wondered what you had thought of him during the game. Whether you had enjoyed watching him play. Whether you had meant to cheer for them, for him, or if you had simply done it because it was your school.
Either way, he didnāt even bother stopping by the changing room. Showering and getting ready would have taken too much time, and he could do all of that later. So he followed the few teammates who had started making their way toward the bleachers.
As he passed by, a few people complimented him on his performance, but he only thanked them quickly, because everything else stopped the moment he saw you.
You were standing near the gym exit, talking to Ella about something Juhoon couldnāt quite make out. But the second you noticed him approaching, you stopped mid-sentence.
Ella followed your gaze and spotted Juhoon making his way toward you.
The closer he got, the more your mind seemed to go blank.
You had talked to him countless times.
But today, it felt like something had shifted.
He stopped when he reached you, and Ella moved slightly to the side, giving the two of you some space.
It was all you managed to say, a smile creeping onto your lips.
He answered just as awkwardly, a soft warmth settling across his face.
By then, all of your tough, sarcastic persona had faded away, replaced by a softer version of yourself, one whose ears turned red just from holding eye contact.
āYou played well,ā you mumbled, fidgeting with your hands.
He smiled and let your words linger in the air for a moment before speaking.
āI hope I lived up to your expectations.ā
His eyes searched yours for any reaction.
āEven surpassed them, Iād say.ā
That only made him smile wider. He wasnāt even trying to hold it back anymore. His teeth were fully visible, and the carefree expression suited him surprisingly well.
āHave you ever come to watch our school basketball team before today?ā
You shook your head. āThis was my first time.ā
āDid you have fun?ā he asked, sounding slightly concerned now.
āYes. Ella kept me company.ā You nodded toward the girl, and she responded with a playful wink.
āDo you always play this well?ā Your question immediately pulled his attention back to you.
āIf Iām being honest, I think this was my best game of the season.ā His voice grew quieter with every word, but you still caught the entire sentence.
āThen Iāll come more often, just to see if you can beat this performance.ā
His eyes widened slightly, and his lips curved upward when he heard that. But before the conversation could go any further, a pair of hands landed on Juhoonās shoulders.
āYou really crushed it, Jju.ā
A boy, maybe a year younger than you, spoke up with a cheeky smirk on his lips.
Two other friends followed behind him, a black-haired girl and another boy who looked remarkably similar to the first.
āThank you, Seonghyeon,ā Juhoon mumbled to his friend, not bothering to shrug his hands off.
āGo shower quickly. We have to go to Keonhoās house,ā the girl said as she walked up beside them.
āYeah, all that sweat is making you stink,ā the last boy added, pinching his nose between two fingers and squinting dramatically.
Juhoon looked back at you, shaking his head, and that was when all of their eyes finally turned toward you.
Your lips twitched into a nervous grin.
The first boy, Seonghyeon, blurted out as he finally realized who you were.
Juhoon let out a heavy sigh.
āThose are Seonghyeon, Narin, and Keonho,ā Ella jumped in, pointing at each person as she named them.
Seonghyeon nodded before speaking again.
āNice to meet you, but Iām so sorry. We have to steal your man because Keonhoās mom is waiting for us outside, and sheāll kill us if we waste too much of her time.ā
You stopped hearing the rest of the sentence after the words your man. Still, you acknowledged it with an uncertain nod. āYeah, of course.ā
You took a few steps away from the group. āSee you at school, Juhoon.ā
āWe can also see each other outside of school.ā The words slipped out before he could stop himself.
You turned around, and when you noticed Seonghyeon facepalming beside him, it became difficult to fight back a grin.
Especially after seeing how quickly Juhoonās cheeks had turned red.
āYeah, that would be nice.ā
His face remained flushed, but not from embarrassment anymore.
And after that, you walked out of the gym, the sound of your heart beating in your chest almost louder than the voices of the few remaining students scattered throughout the hallways.
You practically skipped your way out of the school, but your smile faded the exact moment you passed through the entrance.
You hadnāt called your mother to tell her to pick you up.
You let out a heavy sigh as you looked over the almost empty parking lot. Iroha had definitely left by now.
Leaning your back against the schoolās outer wall, you pulled out your phone. But just as you were about to tap on your motherās contact, the battery died.
āFuck,ā you mumbled to yourself, trying to turn it back on to see if there was even a tiny percentage left.
You groaned loudly, and that happened to catch someoneās attention. Someone who was walking out of the entrance.
A tall boy approached you. He had blond hair with dark roots, features that werenāt fully Korean, and a noticeable Adamās apple.
When Martin recognized you, he tried to play it cool by shoving his hands into the pockets of his baggy camo jeans, acting as if he hadnāt been completely fangirling over you twenty minutes earlier.
āYeah, my phone died and I need to call my mother,ā you explained, slipping it back into your pocket and looking up at him.
āI can lend you mine.ā
He pulled it out without hesitation and held it out to you. Your eyes flickered from his hand to his face.
You didnāt fight the offer for very long.
āThat would be really nice of you,ā you replied sarcastically, taking the phone he offered.
When you turned on the screen, you noticed his wallpaper. It was a photo of what you assumed was his friend group, and among them you spotted Iroha.
āShit, youāre Irohaās friend?ā You spoke without looking away from the screen as you typed in your motherās number.
He nodded. āYou know her too?ā he asked, trying his best to sound clueless.
āOf course I know Iroha.ā You two were attached at the hip, after all.
āWait, are you Y/n?ā He put every bit of effort he had into sounding surprised.
Then, just as you pressed the call button, you narrowed your eyes at him. āAre you Martin?ā
The moment you recognized him, his entire face lit up.
But before the conversation could go any further, your mother picked up.
āWe donāt want anythingāā
āMom, wait, Iām not spam. Itās me, Y/n!ā you quickly blurted out before she could hang up.
āY/n? Why are you calling from a random number?ā You could hear her getting up from the sofa, the movie still playing faintly in the background.
āMy phone died. One of Irohaās friends lent me his to call you. Can you come pick me up?ā
You heard the front door open on the other end.
You groaned heavily while a giggle came from the other side of the line.
āWhy isnāt Iroha with you two?ā You could practically hear the smirk in her voice.
āJust come pick me up.ā And with that, you hung up.
You handed the phone back to him. āHere. Thank you so much for letting me call, Martin.ā
Martin took it, his fingers lightly brushing against yours. He slipped it into his pocket but didnāt move away immediately.
āDonāt worry about it,ā he said. Then, after a pause, he added, āDid your mom forget to come pick you up?ā
You leaned back against the wall again, your shoulders relaxing now that the call had gone through.
āI was the one who forgot to call her when it was time for her to start the car and come pick me up.ā
He nodded, neither judging you nor questioning it further, then shifted his weight slightly. The parking lot behind him was slowly emptying, cars pulling away one by one, leaving behind a quieter version of the school than the one you had walked into earlier.
āI usually stay a bit longer,ā he said, glancing toward the road. āI live kind of far, so I wait until it clears out. Less chaos with buses and stuff.ā
That explained it. He wasnāt in a rush. He never really seemed to be since you had met him, actually.
A small silence settled between you, not uncomfortable, just unfamiliar. Like neither of you was entirely sure where the conversation was supposed to go next, but neither of you wanted it to end either.
āIām not a basketball enthusiast, I just came to see my friend play,ā he said after a moment. āJames.ā
āHeās in Irohaās friend group too,ā Martin added. āI donāt know if youāve heard of him.ā
The name sounded vaguely familiar, but you couldnāt quite place it unlike you did with Martinās.
He glanced down for a second before looking back at you.
āActually, Iroha told me one of her friends was supposed to watch the game with us today.ā He gave a small shrug. āI figured it was you.ā
āYeah, Iām sorry about that. I made friends along the way and sat with someone else,ā you said sarcastically, shrugging before looking up at him.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. āSucks. It wouldāve been nice to have you around. I feel like I wouldāve liked talking to you.ā
The comment caught you slightly off guard. Not enough to make it obvious, but enough that you had to look away for a second.
āI guess we ended up talking anyway,ā you said.
The smile lingered for a moment before fading into something more casual.
āI came to see someone too,ā you said.
Martin looked at you a little more attentively āOh yeah? Who?ā
You hesitated. āA male friend.ā His expression didnāt change much.
āAh.ā That was all. Just a small nod, like he was filing the information away.
āThe next time I come, Iāll make sure to sit next to yāall,ā you reassured him, crossing your arms.
āAnd here I was already planning not to come to the next game,ā he retorted snarkily, shaking his head.
āYou donāt know what youād miss out on.ā The answer only seemed to amuse him.
Another brief silence settled between you.
After a moment, Martin said, āThen ask Iroha if you can hang around with us. I wouldnāt mind you.ā
You tilted your head, your lips forming a faint smirk. āIāll consider it.ā
Before either of you could say anything else, the sound of a car pulling in cut through the moment.
Both of you turned at the same time.
Your motherās car slowed near the curb. āOh,ā you said, straightening slightly.
Martin stepped back immediately, giving you space without needing to be asked.
āThatās my ride,ā you said, though it was obvious. Then you added, a little softer, āThanks for the talk and your phone.ā
āYeah,ā he said quickly. āSee you around school.ā You said before heading toward the car.
āYeah. See you,ā he said, a smile appearing on his lips.
It was simple. Almost too simple for how it felt.
You pulled the car door open and slid inside. The warmth hit you instantly, wrapping around you in contrast to the cool air outside.
Before the door fully shut, your eyes drifted out of habit toward the parking lot again.
Near the edge, you caught a glimpse of Keonho and the others still talking as they walked away from the gym, their figures blurred by distance and movement.
You didnāt get to focus on them for long.
āWho was that tall boy?ā your mother asked as soon as she started the engine.
You blinked, turning your head slightly toward her.
āLet it go,ā you said, leaning back into the seat.
But even as the car pulled away, the moment didnāt feel like it had ended. It just shifted, quietly, into something that would probably come back later when you least expected it.
