"IT'S TRY OUTS SEASON!"

We all tried hard to endure Coach's eardrum splitting voice as he huddled as us up again in the field but it's different today. Instead of standing in the field, we are seated side by side with each other on the bleachers and in front of us are a line up of freshmen. That is the sole reason why Coach is in high spirits today. Nothing can literally rain on his parade. Not even Namjoon who is habitually late to practices nowadays.

"It's that time already?" Jimin said under his breath, probably just talking to himself.

"I know right?" Taehyung couldn't resist but reply to Jimin with a big smile on his face. "I'll be really good with the new ones. I can't wait to get the 'Best Senior Award'."

"Since when did we give out awards?" Hoseok joined in, chuckling as he gave Taehyung a look. "But that does sound good. I might consider being your rival."

"Yah, yah," Yoongi spoke and scooted closer to me, pushing me closer to Hoseok which made me more conscious of him. I noticed that he moved a bit when my shoulder touched his, easing out of the tight spot but not making it quite obvious. "Let's not forget this senior right here. No one is more deserving for that award."

"Yeah, because you're a literal senior citizen?" Jimin snickered, nudging Hoseok to laugh along with him but Hoseok was already preoccupied with preventing his elbow to graze the side of my boob.

"Shut up, Park." Yoongi countered. "I bet even with osteoporosis, I would still be taller than your 173.5cm height."

".6!" Jimin glared at Yoongi but he kept a straight face. This dude absolutely knows how to start a fight. "If you're going to talk about facts then do it right! I'm 173.6cm."

"Doesn't matter. You're still short." Yoongi deadpanned and crossed his legs.

Jimin tried to lunge forward, pushing Hoseok closer to me and then the inevitable happened, hs elbow touched my boob, making it impossible for the both of us to breathe. Jungkook saw how Hoseok and I were so close to each other and spoke up, "Are you guys serious? Are you 3 year olds?"

"It was 173— I mean Jimin. He teased Yoongi then got mad when Yoongi said he's short." Taehyung explained, still keeping his voice low as to not disturb Coach while he was giving a pep talk to the new ones.

Jimin looked bewildered by the sudden betrayal and told Taehyung, "Our friendship is over."

"But—"

"Hush, betrayer." Jimin brushed Tae's hand off his knee and faced forward.

"It's okay." Namjoon placed his hand on Taehyung's shoulder. "He didn't mean it. Don't worry. It's not real friendship without ups and downs."

Meanwhile, Hoseok finally got the space to move away and I started to breathe properly. He slightly turned towards me and talked, "It was a cramped and I—"

"It's not a big deal. Don't talk, Hoseok." I replied.

"No, let me properly apologize for touching your, um, your ches—"

Oh my god. Why was he not born with an emergency stop button?

"Hoseok." I wanted to stitch his mouth shut at the moment just to avoid the embarassment. It was gentlemanly of him to apologize and cute but, at the same time, akward. "It's really okay. Not okay okay, but I mean your apology is accepted so let's not talk about it anymore."

He finally understood what I was saying but now he stares at me every now and then. I pretended not to notice it but fuck, I'm not blind and he's not even making an effort to hide it. Jungkook has been looking at our direction while he stood beside Coach. Why are these two idiots acting up today?

"Alright, we'll start with introductions." Coach said and told us to be quiet while the newbies are introducing themselves.

There were a few girls who tried out because ever since I joined the team, it's like it's just the norm to have girls in the team. Don't get me wrong. I am glad that the culture changed. I'm happy that these girls are given a chance to try out and be welcomed by the team. Unlike me, they weren't really warm when they welcomed me but that's history. Let bygones be bygones, right?

"H-Hello!" A tall boy with almond eyes said. He reminds me of Jungkook for some reason. His hair is brown and his fringes covered his forehead. "My name is Taehyun. I want to join the team because I was inspired by someone."

"By who?" Yoongi was the one to ask, making the boy lift his head up.

He looked confused at first about Yoongi's question but regained his momentum. Taehyun's gaze met Jungkook's, "By Jungkook hyung."

"OoOOhhHhh." The guys teased Jungkook while Taehyun gave him a bow to show how much he respects him. I laughed at how Jungkook tried to hide his face. "I'm not your hyung."

Knowing him, he will try to play it cool or chic but he's really just a dork. He's not even that far from Taehyung. I don't really get why he tries so hard to act mature. He should act like his age and enjoy the things he want to do.

"It's weird to hear someone calling Jungkook his hyung. I guess the team's baby is grown up." Coach hooked his arm around Jungkook's neck and went along with teasing Jungkook.

"I'm not a baby!" Jungkook freed himself from Coach's grip and fixed his hair. "Ah, you guys should stop this. Be serious. We're in front of the newbies."

"Aw." Namjoon cooed over Jungkook's frown and tried to stop himself from running over to pinch his cheeks. "That's so cute."

"I'm cute." Jimin smiled widely and puffed his cheeks out as he poked it with his index finger. "Aren't I the cutest?"

"Alright. Huddle is over." Yoongi stood up and led the new ones to the field to start with the warm up. "This hyung is going to teach you how to pitch drunken master style. I guarantee you. After you learn this technique, you all will be able to pitch in your sleep!"

"I wonder who will quit first?" Taehyung commented as he followed after me. I felt the weight of his arm around my shoulders as he asked me, "Hey Vee, this girl from the other class said I'm hot. Does she mean like my basal body temperature is above average? Because our science teacher said our bodies only become hot when there is an infection."

"Taehyung." I stopped and stared at his outstanding, features laid by the Gods themselves.

If I were to describe Taehyung, I would say he is like a baby Koala that needs protection but then his body is built to destroy anything that comes across it. Does that make sense? I don't know.

Do I even know anything?

I didn't want to confuse him so I just gave him a smile and said, "You are absolutely right, my friend. Listen to your science teacher and focus on your lessons."

🌸

jungkook;

"Are you going home?" I asked as I run up to her after practice. She turned around with her hair halfway undone and it was the most beautiful thing I have seen today.

"Yeah. I was going to wait for Syd but she texted me and told me she's with Jimin." She replied while fixing her hair.

"You can let your hair down every once in awhile, you know.." I said and she looked at me with a smile.

"Jeon." She started, "Do I look pretty with my hair down?"

I fixed my gaze ahead of me and nodded, "Yes. Very."

She smiled. I made her smile. Is it normal for my heart to beat like it's going to explode?

"I didn't expect you to say it that easily." Vee continued as we walked together out of the school gates. "You used to be mean to me. Now it's like I'm with a different person."

"Is it a bad sign?" I asked her. She stopped walking then faced me. My feet automatically became rooted to the ground, "You don't want me to be nice?"

She shook her head no, making me confused. "Different is good but I want you to be you."

She made me smile. My whole life, I have never been told to be me. Ever since I became an orphan and was raised by my distant relatives, I was always told what to do. Be quiet when the social workers visit, don't cry when I miss my parents.. I lived a tough life. I didn't know who Jeon Jungkook was, until I met good friends.

I met good friends who made me laugh, made me angry, made me think if they are mentally sane, and then someone else came and made me doubt my own sanity because I feel like I could jump off a building right now and land on a cloud, race through space and time, just to go back in time and hear her say those words again.

"Being me is okay but more than anything.." I took her hand and she molded hers in mine. "I want to be yours."