- f l a s h b a c k -
He gasps for air as his blood rush wildly through his veins. Beads of sweat roll down his porcelain forehead and down to his face, glistening. Yet again, it is another perfect shot from a three-pointer distance.
His teammates applaud at him scoring another basket during their training. They cheered and clapped for his amazing skills. He never fail to mesmerize them and even the girls who are watching their game, fangirling at the brilliant, athletic, and rich Zhong Chenle.
"Okay! Let's call it a day!" Mr. Kim interjected in the midst of the zone of the pumped-up kid.
The players heaved a sigh of relief almost in unison but never for Chenle. He wants another game. He wants more. He needs more.
He needs something where he can drain his thoughts and feelings from.
Mr. Kim, their coach, approached him and patted his back like a proud father to his son. "You're unusually energized today, Mr. Zhong. Keep it up," then he walks out of the court along with the other players.
"Chenle oppa! Please get some rest now! We brought you some water and food!"
Of course, his fans stayed at the court with him.
Chenle only waved at them which is enough for them to cheer wilder for him. But he dribbles the ball in his hand again and keeps up practicing insanely.
"Chenle oppa! Get some rest now!
No. I need more.
Then again, another shot. The lonely player already look exhausted and at the verge of fainting from running around the wide court as if there's no tomorrow.
Hidden along his sweat are his tears. Nobody notices it. Not his coach, not his teammates, not the girls, no one. Instead, they are so proud and ecstatic for just the surface of him.
He stayed longer at the court for the next two hours; it's already past 8 PM. The girls unknowingly went home by their own, which sucks. Chenle thought he could still eat the snacks they brought.
Although he cannot dig up more energy from his body, he forced his feet to at least walk back to his locker to grab his things and finally head home.
Eyes, puffy. Nose, red. Lips, pursed.
This time, people would instantly guess right that he's been crying. He rubs his swelling eyes as he gets out his phone from the pocket of his jersey.
There are no new notifications to look when he opened his phone. His finger cannot help it but to click a certain conversation between him and Ningning, the girl.
"I'm sorry, Lele. I don't see you as someone beyond a friend..." he whispers each word from the last text of Ningning.
It is the 14th time he read it, or not. He himself cannot even count them in his head.
"Why did you build my hopes up, Ningning?" he mutters under his breath through gritted teeth, angry tears gathering again for another waterfall. He continued trudging through the hallway while tightly gripping his phone. He could crush it into pieces if he really tries to.
Finally, the poor boy made it to his locker. Coach Kim will be mad for sure at the morning since Chenle made a mess, kicking off every object that's in his way. Temper cannot be held.
He quickly changed into his extra white t-shirt and jeans. Slamming his locker close and finally noticed a flyer sticking onto it.
WHY DON'T YOU JOIN US?
→ DNYL CLUB
"Don't Need Your Love Club?" Chenle's eyebrows meet as he reads the paper further which seems like a school club recruitment flyer. His eyes get to narrow than how it is ahead.
"What kind of a club is this?!" He snorted and filled the empty locker with his high-pitched laughter. A tear escaped his eye from laughing too much and neither his stomach cannot take it anymore.
"God, this is crazy," he shakes his head, calming down from the sudden burst-out. But...
He grabs the flyer and folded it before putting it in his bag. He deleted the painful conversation on his phone and left the school at last, with head held high.
"I don't need your love."
