When Hyerim signed up for her school's newsletter club and was placed in charge of sport photography, she didn't expect to form an unlikely friendship with the captain of the ice hockey team, Lee Haechan.
❆ High School Sport AU
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The chill of the winter air invaded Hyerim's senses, as she followed the crowd towards the ice arena. She had made sure to arrive quite early as so to leave time for the interviewing, and to avoid the crowds, but it looked like it wasn't going to be happening.
She wasn't sure where to go, clutching her crossbody bag that contained her belongings, including the new camera that she had bought. Mark had told her that it would be best to get an interview with the boys before the game started, but it didn't look like it was possible with the amount of chaos that was going on right now.
Craning her neck to look around, the girl darted into a hallway that was less crowded, and began to walk down it, looking around for anyone that seemed like a coach, or a hockey player.
"Hey!"
Whipping her head around, Hyerim came face to face with a black-haired boy that towered over her. He gave her a smile, eyes crinkling adorably. Hyerim recognised the boy as none other than Lee Jeno, the goalie of the Gators. She bowed politely.
"You must be from the Neoletter. Sorry, it's a bit hectic right now, but Mark let us know that you were gonna come tonight." Jeno adjusted his protective gloves while focusing on the small girl that stood in front of him, anxiously clutching onto her bag.
"Yeah, I was hoping to get an interview from you guys before the game started, preferably from the captain," Hyerim explained, just as she'd rehearsed it.
Jeno "aah"d understandingly, and nodded. "Yeah, no problem, I can go get him right now, just stay put. Don't want you getting lost in the crowd out there." The boy shot Hyerim a flirtatious wink, and disappeared, leaving her red-faced and flustered.
❆
It seemed like ages before Jeno finally reappeared, with a blonde boy in tow.
"Hyerim! This is Lee Haechan, the captain of our team!" Jeno beamed, nudging Haechan forward. The blonde boy nodded at Hyerim as a greeting, then said something inaudible to Jeno.
"Hey."
Hyerim quickly glanced upwards, unable to make contact with the captain, and shot a small smile towards his direction.
"Sorry, I-"
"Wait, it's really fucking loud here. Do you mind if we go somewhere quieter?" Haechan interrupted, motioning towards a room further down the hallway.
Hesitantly, Hyerim nodded, and trailed after the boy who strode ahead, flinging the door to the spare locker room open, and holding it for her. She ducked her head, rushing inside.
Only then, was she able to get a proper look at him.
She had seen him around in the hallways, but he was always surrounded by people, unapproachable, always at a distance. She had heard the gossip and the rumours about him, about how attractive he was.
