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🌸

"Okay guys, this is the first game of the season. We should start off with a good record. We've practiced for this. Sweated for this. I know you all had your hardships and now is the time to prove that you are better now." Coach gave his pep talk in the locker room. Everyone in their complete uniforms. None of us made a single dumb remark. Everyone in the team had that determined gaze as they listened to Coach.

We have 15 minutes before the game starts. I'm excited and, at the same time, so nervous I could just drop dead here and then. I felt a nudge against my knee and I looked up to the person beside me, Jimin. He smiled at me and asked, "Nervous?"

"Kind of." I tell him and we smile at each other. I can feel that he's not calm too but trying to look like he is so I nudge his knee too. "Hey, we'll be fine."

Jimin nodded my way and then we heard the starting announcement outside. Coach told us to go out and gave each one of us a pat in the back as we passed. We came out in a neat line and followed Jungkook to the bench. I was behind Jungkook at the time and I was spacing out when I saw how huge the venue is. I bumped against Jungkook when he stopped, making him turn to look at me. At first I thought he was going to scowl at me and tell me to keep my mind present, but he didn't do that. Jungkook pulled me aside without the other noticing.

"Give me your hand." He said in a serious note while he held out his hand, palms facing up. I furrowed my brows and was thinking to myself, what kind of fiasco he was doing at a serious moment like this. Jungkook hissed when I didn't oblige quickly. He took my hands out and held it, "Grip on my hand."

"This is so random but okay." I did what he said even though I have no idea what we are doing.

"Tighter." He said and I did without questions. Jungkook sighed, "This is all you can do? Did you even eat today?"

"I'm trying!" I glared at him.

He pulled on my hand, "Then try harder."

"Fine." I retorted and gritted my teeth as I crushed his hands in mine. It was a bit difficult being that his hands are bigger than mine but I still tried with a mindset of punching his face because why, out of all the time in the world, is he making me do this right now? For what reason?

"Good." Jungkook said and looked at me. "This is how you're going to hold that bat out there. You're going to hold it like your life depended on it, understand?"

I loosened my hand around his and realized that he was trying to give me an advice. He came off rude but he at least tried. That was nice of him? I guess he does care about this team a lot.

"Remember that out there." Jungkook added. I nodded at him then he let my hand go and returned to the group, leaving me on his tail.

🌸

I was sweating. Everyone was sweating as we huddled together for a new strategy towards the end of the game. Our opponent is not an easy one and they seem to know how to play against us very well. They know our loop holes and everything. They came very prepared today and we are on the losing end, five points away with not much time. I can see everyone's faces, tired and just exhausted with no hopes of winning.

"I don't want it to end like this." I say and everyone raised their heads to look at me. "We can do this, guys. I know we can!"

Taehyung smiled at me, "You all heard what she said. So are we gonna win or are we gonna win?"

"The fuck is that question. Of course we're here to win." Jin stood up and straightened his back. "Enough with this gloomy mood. Let's go out there and play!"

We went out for the second time, greeted by the loud crowd as they cheered for their teams. Some cheered for us and some for the opponent. I saw Syd and my classmates with a banner, waving their arms like crazy just to get me to notice them and then they started shouting some chant, "Kim Namjoon! Kim Seokjin! Min Yoongi! Jung Hoseok! Park Jimin! Kim Taehyung!.."

I was smiling like crazy watching them when I felt a pat on my back. I looked behind me and saw Hoseok, "Thanks for the cheer back there. We really needed that."

I was going to say something but Yoongi interrupted, rudely passing between us like and breaking the good atmosphere at that moment.

"VeeKook. OTP." He coughed just to make everything awkward.

"Ah, that hyung." Hoseok just laughed it off and I did the same, knowing that it will never be possible.

The game continued. I took my place at the batter's box and held onto the bat as if my life depended on it. Because it actually does depend on it. I could see both anxiousness and anticipation from my teammates' faces. I rotated my ankles gently before digging my soles in the ground and taking my position. The pressure is gradually sinking in. If I do it well and hit the ball like I've been doing during practices, we'll be going home as winners but if I mess this up.. If I miss the ball..

"Barbie!"

I was startled and immediately broke out of my thoughts when I heard that nickname. There was only one person who calls me that. I turned to the direction of his voice, to my left, and our eyes met. Jungkook held his hand out before him and did a gesture where he was pretending to hold a bat, and then, as if he knew what I was thinking, he said, "It's okay. Relax."

He sounded very mature and passionate towards his team, like a real captain. I gave him a small smile, slightly relaxed, and then focused back on the game. I told myself what I needed to do and listened to my own voice, disregarding everyone else's. It's my game and I'm going to play it the only way I can.

The signal came and the pitcher threw the ball in the air, coming fast at me. By instinct, the balls of my feet dug against the ground as I twist and turn my body to hit the ball. Clank.

The crowd was screaming. I didn't even turn to look where the ball went. All I know was that I needed to move now. I threw my helmet on the ground and began running. I ran towards Namjoon, past Taehyung, Jimin, Hoseok, Jin, Yoongi, Jungkook. I can hear them all telling me to run as I passed them. I didn't even feel like I was touching the ground, my body just moved and before I knew it I was home. I made it.

Jin easily carried me and spun me off the ground, regardless of his girlfriend that was watching. Everything was just a blur. All I could see was faces around me. Namjoon latched his arm over my shoulder and soon Taehyung followed, doing the same thing. I could feel the happiness surrounding me. I caught a glimpse of Jungkook smiling as he stood not too far from our huddle. I've never seen him smile so big ever since we met. He looked so relax and happy. Jimin pulled him in the huddle and we all were just screaming our lungs out. Not making sense out of anything. We were just happy.

🌸

"I've never heard anyone scream in such high frequency than Jimin did in his high, squeaky voice." Yoongi commented during the celebratory dinner that Jin suggested.

Taehyung nodded, "Totally agree. He sounded like that lady next door to us whenever she fakes an orgasm."

"What the fuck. I did not sound like that or anything close to that." Jimin countered, ears getting a bit red at how embarrassed he is of his voice. "In my defense, Taehyung was louder than me."

"Jimin no matter what you do, you're still cute, so it's okay." Namjoon said while laughing.

"No I'm not." Jimin still denied, turning to everyone and looking for someone to side with him.

"Face it, Jimin. You are cute." I told him, grinning.

"Shh guys. Don't you know who the girls fall for?" Yoongi stood up and walked across the table, we were a loud bunch but Jungkook remained quiet, just watching and laughing along. Yoongi put his hands on his shoulder and started to massage the muscles underneath his white shirt. "Wow, just feeling all this muscle. I bet the girls will line up to see him shirtless. What do you think, Vee?"

Jungkook caught me looking at him. I stopped eating and looked away first, thinking that it was weird looking at him while I was eating. I still feeling a bit of awkwardness with him.

"Isn't he just that total package? Face and body." Yoongi was now squinting his eyes at me but it felt more like a glare. He wants me to say something.

"I don't know." I shrugged and laughed him off, looking around. "Maybe?"

"Not all girls have the same preferences." Hoseok joined in. "Maybe Vee likes someone who she can talk freely with. Liking someone just because they look good seem to shallow of a reason, don't you think?"

"Argument accepted." Yoongi's face went flat and emotionless as he returned to his seat.

"But yeah, Jungkook can also be that guy. He's got a good personality and a heart that cares for others." Hoseok smiled, casually adding in a compliment which made Jungkook straighten in his seat. I don't think he's used to hearing compliments from the team.

"A toast for the best captain this team has ever had." Namjoon raised a glass for him and we all joined in.

"A toast should be done with something alcoholic. We're all drinking orange juice. Who are we all kidding?" Jungkook said. Jin had to help Jungkook raise his glass to do the toast since he suddenly acted all shy. "Ah, seriously. We really didn't need to do this."

"You were great out there." Namjoon said and all of is agreed with smiles on our faces. "We all felt relaxed knowing that we have you there with us."

I was enjoying the whole time and didn't realize how the time went by so fast. I gasped when I saw what time it was. "It's already 9pm?!"

I looked for my phone in my bag and saw how many missed calls I have from home. I quickly stood up and grabbed my bag, "I'm sorry guys. I have to go. My Dad has been looking for me."

"Ah, there's always that one friend." Jimin sighed, but said goodbye anyway. "Want me to call a taxi for you?"

"No, it's okay. I think I can still catch the last bus. It's not very late." I said and went ahead after saying goodbye again. I walked into the street, still a lot of people outside.

I was just two minutes away from the chicken restaurant when someone called my attention. I turned to look over my shoulder and saw someone running up to me. I didn't know why he followed me. Did I leave something behind?

"The guys wanted me to see you home". Jungkook said. I wanted to insist but he cut me off. "Just let me go with you. They'll kill me if I go back there and let you go home by yourself."

"Okay. I don't want you to die because of me." I said and laughed lightly.

We were walking casually side by side, and I just realized that we really have nothing to talk about. It would be weird if I start asking about personal stuff right away. I pretended to do something on my phone while he just walked and looked around with his black cap on. All of a sudden, a woman and a man approached us and asked if we're highschoolers then they handed Jungkook a business card. "If you have time, you can come by our office and we can give you a good offer. Don't worry we're not scammers."

Jungkook politely accepted the card and bowed as we left them. I couldn't help but laugh as soon as they were gone. "Wow. That was so random. You don't even look surprised."

"It's not really the first time." Jungkook said humbly.

"Well, you do look a lot like model material." I shrugged my shoulders, slipping off a casual compliment in there and then acting like I never said anything. "Why don't you try it? I think you'll be popular."

"That's not really a field I want to be popular in." Jungkook replied, cutting off the conversation again. "Since when did you like baseball?"

"I liked baseball since I learned how to walk, I guess." I sent him a small smile, hands in the pocket of my jacket, "My dad loves baseball so I grew up loving it too. And you?"

"I don't really remember." He thought about it, tilting his head to his right. "I guess I just found myself playing one day and falling in love with it." Jungkook smiled. "I really like playing with people who share the same feelings I have towards baseball."

"Now I understand why you're so mean to me." I chuckled as we reached the bus stop.

"Sorry about that." Jungkook said as we sat down and waited together. "I hope you don't hold grudges."

"I don't. Anymore." I grinned at him, reminding him of the bat incident. "I got my revenge already."

"Aha. So that was on purpose?" Jungkook chuckled, stretching his legs out. "But I deserved that. I was such a jerk to you. No one deserved to be treated that way."

"It's okay. It motivated me." I replied, remembering the feeling I had back then. I really wanted to prove myself. "I'm actually thankful for that."

"You're welcome, then." Jungkook replied, then we fell back into silence again. "Hey, uhm, I just want you to know that I won't tell anyone about your secret so you don't have to worry."