to your smile so bright || jung jinyoung

× Chapter 5 - A realisation ×

by @tt10500

Oh no, I think i'm catching feelings

And I don't know if this is empathy I feel

We trained whenever possible, which meant that Jinyoung and I saw each other more often. We would all hang out after school; at the park, at the local fish and chip shop and walking back home. Seconds turned into minutes, then hours, then days and weeks flew by quickly.

I would bump into him so often that I didn't need to mumble "hi" or anything. I smiled so much, that I didn't even know it was aimed at him. I had liked him. After many denials and questioning myself "do I like him?", it was clearly a yes.

It was "the day." The Clemente Cup soccer game. I was in defense right back, near our goalkeeper. Jinyoung was at front left, far away from where I was. Focus on the ball, not him! The whistle blew, and the game was on. He looked so cool, running towards the ball and kicking it towards another team mate. Meanwhile, Youjung had cowardly dodged and ran away from the ball. Sigh.

The ball had now reached my side and I had to defend the goal- in the best way possible without making a fool out of myself in front of Jinyoung. I stepped back and moved to where the ball would shoot and it aimed at me and hit my lip.

The best part about that was; I defended the goal! The worst part? I killed my lip. My lower lip was bleeding a bit but I didn't notice. It was until Jinyoung asked if I was okay and gave me a pat on the back. I smiled at him and assured him that I was okay, but the lower lip bled. We had won a tight match, 2-1. As soon as the match ended, he ran to his bag and gave me a tissue.

"You're not okay," he said, with a sigh. "Your lip is bleeding"

I was too astounded to say anything so I nodded. I was too embarrassed...having my lip bleed in front of him. The end of lunch bell rang and he had disappeared without a trace. Was that the best and only thing he did? I felt thankful anyways.

I hopped onto my phone after school and by then, the soccer chat was active...madly active.

"Good game everyone," one had said. "We all deserve a treat."

"You too!" Another exclaimed and asked the chat. "Are we all up to to chicken salt tomorrow?"

'Tomorrow' came by quickly. Youjung and Jina ran up to me and we all sat under the shelter near the dance room.

"So..." Youjung questioned, silently. "When are you going to confess?"

"What?" I asked, asking the question back to her. "What do you mean confess?"

"That you like him." She smiled. "Jinyoung. Oh cmon it's obvious"

Was it obvious? Holy crap, was it?

"Confess." Youjung said and smirked. "Or you'll be endlessly chasing him when he's with another girl.

"How?" I asked. "I thought usually the boys confess first"

"Yeah, but you're not a boy. And, you like him" Jina pointed out, out of the blue. "You like him, which means you can't hide these feelings for him forever."

I agreed with her. All my life was dedicated to boys confessing first, and never in real life. Love and life was messy like that. We spent the rest of the time talking and them giving me advice. I concealed a plan to confess to Jinyoung.

By night I hopped onto the soccer chat again. We all agreed to meet at the chicken shop the next day, after school.