✓Pivot || MCND Bic

CHAPTER 2 - 🏀

Hyebin's POV

"This is what you think I need?" I asked as I stood on the edge of the basketball court.

"Yeah?" He said but it's clear he's watching my reaction to know the answer. "No? No." He shook his head. "This is just a warmup."

I smiled and picked up the ball on the corner where people hide it after playing. This is a neighborhood basketball court and there's always a ball left behind for people who doesn't have one. It mysteriously changes every now and then and we always say the ball is bewitched but that didn't stop everyone to play with it.

I tossed the ball to him. "You first." I said and he just looked at it like a strange object on his hands.

"No, this is your thing." He tossed it back to me. "You used to smash the basket when you're upset."

I was on the basketball team during elementary. I really enjoyed it and I was so sure I wanted to become a professional when I grow up but sometimes things doesn't go the way you want it. I failed the height requirement in middle school and I stopped dreaming about it altogether. I still play for fun sometimes because it somehow calms me. And I'm actually glad Seungmin brought me here.

I positioned my arms to shoot and I carefully steadied the ball on my palm. I aimed at the backboard as I jumped as high as I can to make up for my height. The ball hit the board lightly and bounced down to the basket. Seungmin cheered.

"Yeah, you still got it!" He shouted and I can't help but feel proud of myself.

"Thanks." I said. "Now, your turn." I nodded at the ball which bounced to his direction.

He picked it up but he immediately passed it to me.

"I said your turn!" I passed it back harder.

"You know I don't-" he said and there's no need for him to continue what he's saying because I was internally laughing at the memories of him with basketballs. He's not bad at it but he plays funny. His facial expressions, gestures, and his series of body gags especially when he shoots made the game more comical than intense.

He must've notices me smiling because he made the ball bounce toward my direction. "Hey, I know what you're thinking." He said accusingly.

"No you don't." I picked up the ball and made another goal. "Is that too hard?" I teased. I caught the ball mid bounce, dribbled it a few times and made another shot. This time, it didn't go in. I fake groaned. "I really think you can do better."

I looked at him and I could see him feeling pressured. But when he smiled and picked up the ball, I started clapping. "Let's go!" I cheered.

"You asked for it." He said. He went on the middle of the free throw line and started getting into position. He slightly bent his knees and stretched his arms back and forth with the ball on his hands and I covered my mouth the keep from laughing. Once he's ready, he jumped like a flying squirrel and the ball made it's goal.

I burst into laughter. He sighed and made an act that he's done with me but I could see him smiling.

"I knew this would happen." He said. "That's why I don't want to."

"That was priceless." I said mid laugh. "I haven't seen it in years. I can't believe you still fly when you shoot."

"I'm not the flying squirrel for nothing." He shrugged, a smug look on his face. "Hey, stop laughing!"

But I didn't. It wasn't until my laughter hushed down when I noticed him staring at me fondly.

"What?" I asked, trying my best to brush off the awkwardness I just felt.

He stepped towards me and I found myself fighting the urge to step backwards. He stopped when he's just a couple of feet away from me. He leaned forward to take a better look on my face and I froze.

He gave me a wide smile, the one I used to think that could melt even the whole world. And then he chuckled. "You look funny laughing with swollen eyes." He said and I reached out to punch his shoulder. He laughed.

I turned away from him and pretended to pick up the ball. I could feel my heart beating abnormally. What was that?

When I returned the ball to where we'd found it, he asked, "You don't want to play anymore?"

I shook my head. "My stamina isn't exactly the same anymore."

"A few shoots, little bit of running around, and a lot of laughter and you're talking about stamina?" He asked incredulously. "Really, how old did you get from the past few years?"

I snorted. He always have that ability to make me laugh on any occasion. That must be the reason why I agreed for him to join me. He'll help turn my focus away from Haneul, the breakup, and the consequences the goes along with it. I shook the thought away. You're here to have fun, I reminded myself.

"That's not what I'm saying." I said, smiling. "I meant I'm not really built for basketball anymore."

"How about biking?" He asked.

"What? I don't have a bike."

"My friend has tons." He said proudly and I know exactly who that friend is. Will he lend us a couple of bikes in this time of the night? But Seungmin doesn't seem to share the same thought I was having because he just said, "Let's go."

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