Jennie
There was an unexpected round of applause as I stepped forward and I smiled as it died down. "Thank you, Coach," I said as loudly as I could, folding my hands in front of me as I spoke. "I'm Jennie Kim and I lead this fabulous team that you see behind you. Each of you will have been assigned a Manager through an email sent to you prior to today. I'll be announcing them in a moment so that you can see who you've been paired up with. I have a few players under my management as well but, as I'm over the department as a whole, I'd like you all to know that you can come to me with anything, at any time. My door is always open. I know that there's always been a bit of a disconnect between the team itself and management but I want you all to know that my business cards say the Los Angeles Chargers and, as far as I'm concerned, that's you. I work for you. So please, don't hesitate to come to me with anything you may need."
A few men were smiling, some were nodding. They seemed, at least, to be receptive. None more so than their smirking and staring quarterback. I shook it off, telling myself that it was only my heightened awareness due to her constant attention earlier in the day.
"Now, the team. I'm going to tell you all their names quickly because I know you'd like to return to practice but I encourage you all to stop by the office and interact with them at any time you have off the field," I called and then gestured as I moved across the field, walking as I introduced my team arrayed before me. I spoke each of their names aloud, starting with Yoo Jae Suk and ending with Im Nayeon. "Thank you all for your attention. Have a wonderful practice and I do hope to see you in my offices soon enough!"
I gave a wave and the Coach called out a thank you, spurring on another round of applause. I smiled out at them all, ignoring the inflamed right side of my face as Ms. Manoban's gaze burned into it, and turned away, heading off of the field. My team all made their way back through the tunnel toward the offices but I caught sight of Rosé standing on the far end of the field, near the media gate. I crossed the side-lines to her and she smiled up at me as I approached.
"Not bad, newbie," Rosé said with a smile.
I shook out my arms, "I thought I was going to throw up on the field the entire time."
"Public speaking never has been your thing, has it? I couldn't even tell. You were practically oozing confidence the whole time."
"Speaking of oozing," someone said and Rosé and I looked up to see that Jimin had joined us. "This field is oozing testosterone. Can you ladies feel it? It's like feeding time at the zoo out here and you two are outnumbered ten to one."
"More like fifty," I scoffed and Rosé and Jimin smiled.
"What I wouldn't give to draw the eyes of men like the two of you do," Jimin sighed and Rosé and I smiled to one another.
"Not these men," Rosé told him. "These men prefer their balls."
Jimin snorted at that. I laughed and, just then, Lisa Manoban ran it in for a rushing touchdown, right into the end zone we were standing behind. She spiked the ball, ripped off her helmet, and shot me a wink. I froze. Then her fellow teammates were surrounding her, slapping her on the back at a job well done and pulling her back into the fray. Rosé and Jimin's faces slowly turned to me.
"What was that?" Rosé asked after a moment, stunned.
I did my best to play it cool, shrugging it off as if nothing had happened, "That's weird. Maybe she's winking at you?"
"I've met her on multiple occasions. I helped her work through an ankle sprain last season and she has never once winked at me," Rosé said, still staring.
"And that one only winks at me in my dreams," Jimin cut in. They both watched me, expectantly, as though I had something to explain. But I had nothing to offer by way of explanation. So I just sighed.
"She's messing with me," I told them.
"Messing with you?" Rosé asked. "Why?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's what rich football players do when they're bored?"
"But how was she-"
"Oh no." I had just caught a glimpse of my worst nightmare directly behind Rosé. Mino and Hoony were standing at the gate, arguing loudly and emphatically with the security guard who seemed to be running very thin on patience. Rosé turned to see them and muttered a curse of her own and we both went to hide our faces but it was too late. Mino was now gesturing wildly in our direction and the security guard was turning to assess. I marched off the field, seething, as I approached the gate.
"See? There she is! I told you we knew her!" Mino was shouting.
"Is it true, Miss?" the security guard was asking me, eyebrows raised in scepticism. "Do you know these two?"
"Unfortunately," I answered, crossing my arms as I stared at them. They took a step forward but the security guard did not move. They looked from him to me.
"Come on, Jen. Come on. Let us in. We came all the way down here. We just wanted to see the team," Mino was pleading. I raised a brow. "Okay fine. You don't have to get me the preseason ticket."
I tapped my foot.
"Okay, I'll do your laundry!"
"No!" I snapped. "The last time you did my laundry, I mysteriously lost all my bras!" The security guard raised his brows and looked away.
"They are excellent for launching water balloons at the neighbours, Jennie! You know that!" Hoony screamed.
"Dude," Mino pulled him back. "Calm down, man. Calm down."
"I just get so- she knows that, man. She knows."
"I know, just let me handle this, okay? Fine. I'll fix your dishwasher!"
I paused, interested.
"You know that noise it makes and how it won't close all the way? That's because it's off its tracks, Jen. I can fix it. I already have the tools at home."
I narrowed my eyes, "You mean to tell me you could have fixed my dishwasher this whole time and you've waited until now to tell me?"
"Well, I mean, I had to keep that one in my back pocket, you know? I mean-"
"Ugh! Let them in."
The security guard moved aside and I thanked him before turning around and pinching them each behind the arm, pushing them forward toward the field. The chorus of owws sounded all the way to the bench that I pushed them both onto. "You will sit right here. You will not move, you will not speak. So help me if you even make a peep on the direction of any of these players, I will-"
"We get it," Mino stopped me and I stood over him, fuming.
"Hey Rosé!" Hoony screamed and I looked over to see Rosé hiding her face against a laughing Jimin. Hoony's eyebrows creased. "Who's that guy?"
"Stay here," I growled and then turned on my heel and stalked off to where Rosé stood with Jimin a few feet away. My best friend was already rolling her eyes as I approached.
"Friends of yours?" Jimin asked with a smile.
"Rosé, I need to ask you for a huge favour."
"I'll give them the tour and distract them long enough for you to get some work done," she promised without my having to even ask. I smiled and gave her a hug.
"I owe you," I told her.
"You always do," she reminded me. "Go on. I've got them. Enjoy the rest of your first day."
"Thank you. Come on Jimin-"
"Oh no," Rosé put out a hand to stop my assistant. "He's coming with me."
Jimin's mouth popped open in shock at Rosé's scheming. I smiled and wished them luck as I turned on my heel to head back into the offices, ignoring the intense stare of the franchise quarterback burning into the back of my head all the way inside.
