Hate Your Guts | BeomJun

12 | Can We Hold Hands?

      'Why is it so hard to hang out with you? We're on school holidays, what are you even doing all day?' 

      That was the sentence that Choi Yeonjun thought was an appropriate greeting when he approached his soulmate.

      Beomgyu raised an eyebrow at him. 'Strict parents. Also, I hate you.'

      'Hmm, well, your loathing for me will only increase when I beat you in the school wide assessment coming up.'

      'I can guarantee you that you will not beat me, and neither will you win this badminton game.'

      The two eyed each other from opposite ends of the volleyball court, neither willing to accept the possibility of them losing. The summer heat bore down on them, glinting off the metal rackets they held in their hands.

      Their town didn't actually have a badminton court, so they opted to just use the volleyball net that was set up in a nearby park. Sounds of young children playing in the playground next to them drifted into their ears, along with the chatter of birds in the branches of trees. 

      'And I can guarantee that you will eat your words,' Yeonjun gave the shorter boy an evil grin, picking up the birdie on the ground next to his feet. He adjusted his stance to serve and Beomgyu's muscles stiffened in anticipation as he watched the birdie carefully. Their shoes dug into the sand of the court.

      After a few moments of silence, Yeonjun finally threw the birdie into the air, before lightly hitting it over the next, and their rally began. 'So, tell me about yourself,' he spoke, his eyes constantly on the birdie. 'I'm guessing you want to be an artist?'

      'Want to be? I am an artist,' Beomgyu retorted, hitting the birdie back to the older boy. Yeonjun struggled to move across the court due to the sand, grains flying into the air as his shoes harshly dug into the earth.

      Yeonjun scoffed, glaring at the birdie as he hit it back over the net. 'Okay, then what are you going to study in uni? Visual art, animation?' Sass laced his voiced as he spoke, causing a frown to appear on Beomgyu's face.

      'Nursing, obviously. My parents want me to be a doctor.' He returned the birdie to the older with force, sending it rocketing across the net. Yeonjun barely managed to hit it back, letting out an exasperated sigh.

       'Are you serious? You're actually going to listen to your parents?' 

      'What did you expect?' Beomgyu spared a glance at the boy as he hit the birdie and it soared higher than he thought it would.

      Yeonjun was starting to get annoyed. 'I don't get it. You're already going against them right now, right this second, so why would you listen to them when it comes to your future career?' This was the most sensical Yeonjun had ever been in his entire life. He hit the birdie with great force, sending it flying toward Beomgyu, who proceeded to hit it back just as hard, the resistance between the air and the racket crying out loudly.

      'The only reason I'm here is because I wanted to destroy you in badminton, not because I wanted to hang out with you.'

      Yeonjun hit the birdie with so much force that it went flying high into the air, before it suddenly turned around and started speeding towards the ground, right in the middle of the court. They both approached the next in an attempt to see which side it will land on, their hearts pounding in their chests. 

      Time seemed to slow down as the birdie approached the next, just barely clipping it before . . . 

      . . . landing Yeonjun's side.