Castles in the air

4.

Songs featured in this chapter: The Stars- Chelsea Cutler

I'm out the school with the basketball team. I'm still in my uniform but i untied my ponytail and let my hair down. Is it already spring time?.. , the thought crossed my head as I saw the flowers in my school garden. It's warm, but not hot. It's cloudy, not sunny. A small wind blows off my hair and sticks it to my lipgloss. I started reminiscing the days when me and moonbin went to the beach. The wind would blow my hair and cover up my face, as i watch him get mad at the sight of my covered face. We lived there by the beach, in the countryside. We were friends back then, well he was my only friend to be specific. We spent everyday together, he was/is basically family. Mom, dad and jinjin were in town at that time, due to dad's medications. I stayed with grandma for that meantime, questioning why I was left behind. During that misery, he was my only escape. He was there to make me forget all of my worries and just let them be. I was so young to understand why I was left behind.. But he was always there, as the needed distraction, to save me from drowning into my thoughts..

While we're waiting for the bus and I'm enjoying the weather, I take out my laptop from mg backpack and place it on my knees. Everything around me just gave me an inspiration to write.   I'm sitting there typing and the kids around me are standing in groups and gasping loudly. I'm all alone but it's not bothering me, I am loving my company. I'm driven away by my imagination and i can only hear the sounds of my typing... Untill, the bus's engine brings back my consciousness. It's so ginormous.. It had 4 automatic doors and a lot of wide windows. Yeh, we were 2 teams (girls and boys teams) but we really didn't need such a gigantic bus to be honest. The bus's doors open and i close my laptop and hold it between my arms, close to my chest. I put my backpack on and approach the front door. I step in and I spot him. He was gazing out the window, with his head laying on it. His hair falling on his eyes and landing on the glass, his back resting on the seat and his hands crossed in front him.. He didn't even look around, he was out of place. "Ouch", I whispered to myself as some kids entered the bus pushing me back to the edge slandering my sight away from examining dongmin. I sit there in the front seats with the coaches, away from the teams' noises. "Hey coach, I just wanted to ask why is another school with us?", "Our trainings are always held at their school's training center, is it your first year joining the team?".  What?  Of all schools??
"Yes, it's my first year", i said giving her an awkward smile. She pats me on the shoulder and i avoid talking to her by switching my laptop on.  
-Is he still awake? - I thought as i switched on my laptop's front camera to check on him behind me. He's asleep. He fell asleep in the same posture and haven't moved an inch.  I just couldn't take my eyes off him..

The bus stops and all the students quickly stand up. The brakes were so hard that my laptop flew to the front. I take a few steps to catch it up but the kids just come rushing down and push it even further. I can't reach it out so i just turn around to zip off my back pack and put it on as they walk out. I turn back again  to pick it up and he's right there handing it to me. "OH NO NO NO NO NONONO", i gasped as i saw it's cracked screen and the footprints. I quickly wipe it off with my sleeve and blow away the dust. "You can't fix a broken screen by blowing on it, it's not an injured finger", he disclaimed looking at me sarcastically. "Do you blow on your injured finger?" , "No, my mom does", he giggled. We walk down the bus and i try to stuff in my cracked laptop. "I'll take care of it", he said pulling it away. "It's really expensive to fix it, I'd rather just buy a new one", I shrugged. "I joined this course last year, in which i learned how to fix such stuff. I'm doing it as a practice, it's not for you", he complained so i let him be.      -For me- , I giggle at the thought.

We walk into the playground together and everyone is suddenly gossiping. He shows/walks me to the girl's yard and walks back to his. As soon as he left all the girls there suddenly circle in around me. "How did you get to know him", "Did he start talking to you first?", "How's his personality?", "Did he help you with your studies as well?", "Where does he live?", "Does he have any siblings?". They all started bombarding me with questions and i just froze there telling them that I don't know. "GIRLLLSSS, line up here", coach Brea commands silencing them down.
We line up in the middle of the court and she asks us if we're either newbies or older trainees. The majority were newbies, so we stood aside. The other trainees went back to the court and followed coach minho. "Alright girls, basketball isn't hard. I guess y'all have watched it before. Okay then, we'll be watching a game to witness the moves and also to give you a brief introduction of how basketball games are played, if you haven't seen one before".  "Okay", we all echoed. "But first, get changed into your jerseys so that we can head to the other court". "What court miss? I thought the girls had only one court? Are we not going to train with the other players?", asked one of the girls that i barely even know. "No suji, we'll be watching the guy's game. And you WILL be training with the other players". -Cool, now he has to see me in a jersey.- the thought silenced them up in the background.