A/N: I appreciate the love and patience in this book. It takes A LOT of time to edit and write amidst daily full-time adulting and momming so I really love those who wait for me.

-BB

A few weeks since homecoming......

Game 1 D-Day

The muffled voices and air horns ring louder than bombs in Taehyung's mind.

Even with his hands flat against his ears, nothing drowned out the sounds of his misery.

He sighed, pushing his hair back as he lifted his head and he winced at the volume of the amalgam of familiar chaos surrounding him. It all seems to drag out in slow motion to exaggerate the bleakness of his point of view.

The coaches yelling from the sidelines.

The echos of the heavy feet squeaking against the waxed wood of the court.

The synchronized chants from Bayfield's cheerleaders at courtside, accompanied by the big-headed dancing tiger mascot as it pop locked to Meek Mill.

The whistles from the refs screeched periodically and the crescendoing cheers and booing of the crowd behind him felt heavy on his neck.

All things he never had to endure this long from his seat on the bench while still wearing his warm-ups.

Being on a temporary probation from playing was torture and a straight blade to his pride and Taehyung had never felt smaller than he did now, sitting amongst the underclassmen to watch the starters kick off the season without him.

He considered not even showing up to the game but what message would that have sent to his coach and teammates?

That he was an even bigger bitch than he was expected to be?

What point would that prove to Yoongi and anyone else who knew Taehyung's main problem?

Himself.

"LETS GO TIGERS!"

*clap clap clapclapclap*

"LETS GO TIGERS!"

*clap clap clapclapclap*

An eruption of screams is almost deafening as the teams returned from the locker rooms after halftime, tension heating the stands with the scores tying every other play.

Taehyung's knee hadn't stopped bouncing since the start of the second half, his saltiness stowed as the intensity of the game kicked up.

There were now about 3 minutes left and the score was teetering between Bayfield and Richmond by 2 points.

His eyes find Yoongi immediately at center court, dribbling comfortably as he faces off with the lanky opposer with his arms spread.

He seems relaxed despite it being down to the wire, his lean muscles flexing under his black and gold uniform. His raven waves are pushed back from his face under a black headband, and his fair skin is flushed and glistening with sweat from running up and down the court.

Rightfully so since he'd pretty much been there the entire game.

The Richmond player he was squaring off with in red and white was broad in the chest and shoulders, and much taller than our shooting guard by at least 5 inches.

But Yoongi isn't in the least phased or intimidated.

"Come on! Move something..." the opposer taunts as he shifts on his feet to match Yoongi's movements. He reaches out for the ball but only catches air in his attempt to steal.

Yoongi chuckles.

"Aw, You wanted this?" Yoongi taunts as he dribbles with a skill that's effortless for him. He crosses the ball between his legs as the two shuffle further from the sideline and Yoongi thwarts a few more of his feeble attempts to take the ball.

"It's right here. Wassup?" He teased further as he bounced the rock from one hand to the other, relishing in the frustration creasing his opponent's brow.

"Talk yo shit, but you not passing me.." the other player gruffs. Despite being wrong, he could most definitely pass him if he wanted, Yoongi gauges his opponent's reach against the narrow path between him and the paint and opts against it.

He steps back and plants his foot, yanking the ball further from reach and blinking against the sweat seeping past his headband that rolled down his brow. He pivots with his eyes on the male guarding him.

He then scans the court, spotting each of his teammates and their position.

Gabe and Tyson were close but already tussling with other players with their hands up and ready for a pass.

He then glances towards the basket and his pivoting foot lifts at the heel as he considers it.

He was just outside the 3-point line and off-center. Not his favorite place to be but...

"Shoot it !" A familiar voice shouts over the others and Yoongi turns his head.

He clocks Namjoon nearest to the net as the stone-faced Goliath repeats his command. Yoongi smirks as he brings his other foot back beside the one planted before springing upward to shoot the ball toward the goal.

Namjoon watches it carefully and jumps to block another player from intercepting it with ease. Yoongi's arm stalls in the shooting position as it drops through the hoop, the swish provokes a roar of praise from the crowd that drowns out the booing of Richmond fans.

Taehyung's palms clap together in triumph over Yoongi's clean shot and his lower half lifts from the seat briefly, but he doesn't stand and cheer with the rest of those bearing witness.

He only keeps his eye on the ball as if he were playing.

A player for Bayfield catches the ball from the ref and tosses it inbound to another teammate, charging everything back toward the center line.

Yoongi is already there with the player guarding him from before on his heels. But since he was not on offense, the lanky Richmond is slotted behind Yoongi as the ball is tossed from player to player in pursuit of the goal.

It soars in their direction, where Yoongi steals it mid-air seamlessly and turns to take it back to Bayfield's side of the court.

As he shifts past the Richmond opposer, his jersey catches between the player's grip.

Yoongi shoves his hand off but the Richmond player unintentionally yanks Yoongi towards him by the arm, causing their feet to get tangled and trip over each other.

The Richmond player stumbles forward while Yoongi falls back, clutching the ball against his chest and hitting the floor with a resounding smack.

The crowd exclaims in a unanimous "ooohh" in reaction and everything stops at the screech of the whistle. The ball rolls from Yoongi's hold and is immediately retrieved by the game officiate.

"What the hell was that?" Coach James exclaims from beside Coach Cruz, whose hardened glare shifts between the ref and his player with a clenched jaw. Taehyung was on his feet abruptly with the rest of the team, his eyes burning holes in the back of the red jersey'd player's shaved head.

A whistle blows again as one of the refs makes a gesture toward the lanky Richmond player to call the personal foul.

"22..Holding.." the ref mouths towards the scorekeepers and the away team and their support make their transgressions known as the player crinkles his expression in confusion.

"What?! Man..." he hisses under his breath, stepping away from Yoongi irritably without so much as a bitter glance back. But he only earns a smirk from our player as he's approached by Gabe.

Standing just as tall as the fouler passing him, the fellow teammate gives him a seething look as he offers his hand to Yoongi.

"Straight?" He asks and Yoongi nods as he takes it, grimacing mildly as he's pulled to his feet.

"Bitch ass.." Gabe hisses and Yoongi shrugs.

"Fuck it. Let's finish.." Yoongi responds, blinking hard and running his palm over his sweaty face. Gabe pulls Yoongi in for a quick dap of agreement with a swift pat to his backside before jogging away to take his position on the other side of the court.

Yoongi walked off the minor fall in his wake, running his tongue against his inner cheek as he stepped carefully.

A fall against hardwood was never pleasant and Yoongi rubbed at his lower back as he trudged towards the center line where the ref was. He glances up aimlessly to scan the crowd before looking towards the basket and when his eyes catch on a concerned set amongst the home team's side, his hard glare softens to a crooked smile.

Surrounded by the other Bayfield color-adorned squad members, Alana stands with her hands resting on her hips. Her formally braided hair was pulled up and slicked into a curly knot at the top of her head. The mustard-shaded uniform accented the warmth already in her caramel complexion, and its two-piece style gave Yoongi an appreciated view of her soft mid-drift and her healthy thighs whenever he was near that side of the court.

But this time around, it was her face that held his gaze.

Her brow crinkled as she mouthed 'Are you ok?' from the distance and Yoongi nodded with a sheepish smile.

Having played basketball for most of his life, these types of minor conflicts and scuffles were common in the heat of a game. Yoongi was unarguably the smallest guy on the team in terms of height but that never stopped him from being a starter from freshman year.

Alana's concern was flattering though.

"You sure?" She mouths again, her eyes flitting towards the out-of-pocket fouler before regarding Yoongi again.

She lifts her brows in warning as if the opposing player could see her and Yoongi can't help but laugh.

"Her lil ass swear she can beat up somebody.." he says to himself.

He awaits the venom in her gaze to fade as it returns to him and rolls his eyes in amusement before flashing her the 'ok sign'.

To further confirm it for her and himself, he picks up his pace in pursuit of the referees waiting for him at center court.

Alana pouts at his dismissal but ultimately gives into her smile as Yoongi turns away from her to listen to what the official with the ball has to say. His hands rested on his hips as the refs deliberated, and Yoongi reached for the hem of his jersey as he listened.

He lifts it just enough to wipe the dripping streams of sweat that were overwhelming his face thoughtlessly and Alana's brow softens.

A brief glimpse of his pale torso is flashed, the definition of his abs just barely visible over the dark line of his happy trail before the jersey falls back to cover his tummy.

It was brief but not unseen.

Alana shifted her weight from one leg to the other, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes as her thoughts traveled to the night she met a similarly naked and dripping Yoongi on his doorstep.

And then to times more recent when he surprised her on hers...

Her attention was consumed by her phone as she stepped outside. Crisp morning air cools her skin that wasn't covered in her favorite baggy denim jacket,  her curls slicked back in a low bushy poof at her nape.

Fall at Bayfield was beginning to feel like it with trees going orange and the breeze blowing hard enough to smell the sharp scents of Autumn.

Especially in the morning.

Alana's grateful for the chill since she was dragging today and needed something like a cool wind to wake her up. And it does just that, along with the unexpected pair of feet just beyond her dorm's threshold.

Alana's head snapped up to find Yoongi standing there, looking just as surprised as she did as he pushed back one ear of his headphones.

His white hoodie allows the warmth of his complexion to shine through, along with the poreless appearance of his boyish face.

Keys jingle sharply as they smack against the books Alana hugs against her chest and she exhales heavily in relief.

"Yoongi..shit you scared me!" she scolds him and Yoongi chuckles breathlessly as he backed away from the door.

"Sorry! I thought I was early..." he smirks and Alana shrugs the strap of her small backpack purse higher on her shoulder. She pauses to turn and pulls the door behind her shut.

"Hell yeah, you are! What are you doing?.." she exclaims distractedly, testing the nob to ensure it's locked. Having gathered her bearings, she returns her full attention and she finds him just looking at her as if he were expecting something.

Since the night he walked her back to the dorm after taking her braids down, Alana felt a heaviness from Yoongi she couldn't ignore. Everything was different. Every encounter. Every casual conversation. Every glance.

Something unsaid loomed between them that neither would acknowledge, despite being more obvious than an actual elephant standing between them.

But ever the cool one, Alana expected Yoongi not to lean into the feelings she could see in his eyes every time he looked at her.

Not to say it wasn't slightly disappointing though...

"I um..." he begins, immediately schooling his features to a shy smile over his bitten lip.
He glances down at their feet for a moment before inhaling.

"I heard people have been getting jacked for their phones and shit on campus lately..." he says unexpectedly, trailing off as if that explained why he was there. Alana's curious gaze softens with a slow nod.

"Oh. Yeah, I heard about that too. That shits sad as hell. Very musty of whoever is doing it.." she wrinkles her nose and Yoongi's face lights up in amusement.

"Right? Middle of the day too. These folks just don't care I guess." he adds, clutching the strap of his backpack hanging from his shoulder.

An awkward pause looms over them, both regarding each other almost expectantly.

"So...you came here to tell me that or.."Alana begins and Yoongi's head lifts an inch and another shade of embarrassment colors his cheeks.

He shifts in his stance, straightening his back and tipping his chin towards her.

"Um...Naw. I came to walk you on campus. I know you keep your iPad on you so..."

Another pregnant pause settles between them but it's only because Alana is surprised by Yoongi's response.

"You're walking me to class? You could've just texted me and I'd meet you downstairs," she says after a few beats, her tone implying she either didnt believe him or that she was genuinely touched by the thoughtful gesture.

Something about it made Yoongi's chest ache pleasantly and he swallowed back his apprehension.

Alana knew anytime she pointed out Yoongi being overly thoughtful or chivalrous that he'd get visibly flustered and it always amused the hell out of her.

"Well, I just thought of it. And I was already outside. Don't make it weird Peanut. I got class too." he deflects and Alana purses her glossed lips.

"Yeah but not in Braxton Hall. Yours is way on the other si.." She goes on but her mouth shuts when Yoongi is taking her books from her.

"Oop..wait" She crinkles her nose again cutely in surprise but she allows it, stifling the tickle in her chest at his nonchalance.

"Ok? So let's go so we can both make it on time. Come on.."  he rolls his eyes but the annoyance is short-lived once Alana's broadening smile stops him short.

"Come on.." With a short nod of his chin, Yoongi didn't await her response as he led the way toward the outside elevator that would take them down to the ground floor.

Nor did they say much else on the way to campus.

A whistle blows sharply, pulling Alana from her thoughts and into the now as time resumes motion.

The sudden recall had her going warm all over and she had to break her concentrated stare from the now unassuming Bayfield player as the ref passed him the ball.

From the looks of it, Yoongi was awarded free throws since he was now approaching the line.

Players from both teams took their positions and a lull of quiet anticipation settled over the crowd as Yoongi prepared to shoot.

The crowd erupts in a cheer of praise as the ball sinks through the net, the sudden uproar further breaking Alana from her trance that was fixed in the shooter's general direction.

She blinks soberly as members of her squad join in on the cheering, reminding her of her role as she claps in time with the practiced chant.

😻: gorl get yo head out yo panties!

The ball goes back to Yoongi and he tosses it against the painted line a few times before sending it back through the hoop. The swish sets the gameplay back in motion and all attention is pulled towards the other end of the court.

Thankfully.

She was sure the doe-eyed daydreamy gaze she'd set on the shooting guard would have garnered the attention of anyone close enough to notice. But since things were back in play, she too could play off the dumb look on her face as Yoongi and his team bounced further away.

Despite what she hoped, Alana did feel a pair of beady eyes beaming against the side of her face.

From beside her, Kaliana, a member of her squad observes Alana's profile as she watches Yoongi and a sly grin spreads over her rounded face.

"Saw that." She says low enough for only Alana to hear over the normal volume of the game.

"Hmm?" Alana turns her head to find the grinning cheerleader quirking her brow.

"You. Eyeballing Suga...." She responds, tipping her chin in the player's direction. Alana wrinkles her nose at the nickname.

It wasn't new to her but something in here didn't like the way it sounded coming out Kaliana's mouth.

"I ain't eyeballing nobody. I'm zoning out. Ready to get out of these shoes..." Alana half lies with a disgusted pout that has her squad member smirking.

Kaliana's lips press together to hide her teeth and she shrugs as she resumes her gaze forward.

"Mmhmm..If you say so." She mutters and Alana bites her inner cheek to keep from smiling guilty at Kali's observation.