Jennie
I could hear the thousands of fans entering the stadium from my office as I stood, directing my team on their activities for their very first game day. Once everyone had their assignments, they dispersed at a run to accomplish them. I strode from my office, headed down the hall toward the locker room with Jimin following close behind.
"Almost one hour until kick-off," he was telling me as he checked his watch. "The players will be coming out of the locker room for warm up soon."
I nodded and quickened my pace. If the players were emerging from the locker rooms soon, there would be a pre-game media frenzy in need of management. A few more steps took me around the corner and to a realization of how right I was. They were gathered there already, behind the red rope, clamouring for a clear shot with their cameras as security pushed them back. I approached the rope from the internal side and held a hand up.
"As always, you are welcome to interview the players once they are on the field if they decide to give you the time to do so. But they will not be stopping on their way out of this locker room. Thank you," I addressed them professionally enough and, indeed, a few wandered off at my words, headed to the field to set up their equipment there instead. But even more seemed undeterred by my speech, perhaps believing they could manage to convince a player or two to stop despite my warning. I just took up my post at the end, near the exit of the tunnel, where I could keep an eye on both Jimin, who was holding back the media inside the tunnel, and the rest of my team, who were holding back the media and awaiting the players outside.
Finally, I heard the sound of fifty five cleats and the players came jogging out of the locker room. Lisa was at the head of them all and she shot me a cocky grin and a wink as she jogged past. I just rolled my eyes and waited for them to exit before following them out on the field where I helped a few members of the media figure out where to go before settling in on the side-lines, crossing my arms, and watching the warm ups.
I kept an eye on my team and my assistant as they did their duties, assisting the players as needed and leading the media where they needed to go without too much disruption of the sport. I was watching Nayeon arrange an interview with a nearby reporter and the back-up running back when my phone rang.
"Jennie Kim," I said into the receiver once I had pulled it from my pocket and answered it.
"Jen, look up," Mino's voice spoke.
Confused, I turned around and looked up. Only a few rows back from the field sat Mino and Hoony, huge grins on their faces and looking ridiculous in their oversized jerseys with giant foam fingers and big buckets of popcorn. Hoony moved to wave and nearly spilled his beer.
"Can you see us?" Mino asked as he began to wave too.
"Yes," I sighed. "Unfortunately, I do see you. What are you guys doing here?"
"You promised tickets to a pre-season game," he reminded me.
"Damn. You're right. It totally slipped my mind with the conference. I'm sorry Mino."
"No it's okay! See? Because Lisa got them for us."
I froze.
"Lisa," I repeated. "Lisa Manoban?"
"Yeah, who else? She's a really cool person, Jennie! She got us these locker room passes too! I said they looked fake but Hoony said-"
"They're laminated!" Hoony shouted from beside him.
"They're laminated, yeah," Mino said excitedly. I couldn't help but smile.
"Well, enjoy yourselves today then, boys. I'll see you after the game, okay?"
"See you, Jennie. Get out there and... relate to those players!"
I snorted a laugh as I hung up the phone, turning back around, eyes finding Lisa on the field where she stood, passing back and forth with our second string quarterback. When had she done all this?
Before I knew it, the game was starting and Jimin and I were busy arranging the media, running back and forth from the internal stadium studios to the field reporters to schedule interviews and assess their needs.
As busy as I was, I did manage to catch a few glimpses of the game and, with every room I entered containing a television blaring the live feed, it was impossible to miss the commentary. It sounded like our quarterback was making an excellent showing for the first pre-season game of the season, shattering records she had previously set and showing no signs of stopping. Our team was absolutely killing it, twenty points ahead by the beginning of the fourth quarter, and I could hear the excitement in the announcers' voices even through the television.
There was a moment, late in the fourth quarter, when the camera cut to Lisa after a touchdown throw. She did the standard fist pump that every quarterback did, running to hip bump Bambam who had caught the ball in the end zone. But as she was jogging over, I saw the look on her face and thought it might be the most genuine happiness I had ever seen.
Not long after, the rowdy team entered the locker room in a very celebratory mood, holding up their helmets and chanting some team cheer that I was too new to know. My team allowed them their celebrations but, as soon as it died down, it was time to get to work and we admitted the reporters as always.
Rosé was there, checking the knee of a second string tight end. I was assisting Bambam. He was very popular having just caught 3 touchdowns during the game. I was directing a newer reporter on where to stand for the best lighting in the interview when I overheard the answer that Lisa was giving her own reporter. "Some days you're just feeling good, you know? Some days it just all comes together," Lisa was telling her.
"Well, it certainly all came together today," the reporter responded. "Some analysts are saying that's the most heart they've seen you play with since your rookie year. It's making them rethink their predictions for the Los Angeles Chargers this season. Is there a particular reason for the sudden passion?"
I turned and looked at Lisa. She could not see me from where she stood. I was looking at the back of her head as she leaned into the mic to answer.
"I'm sure by now, you've seen my interview with NBC news," she spoke eagerly. "I've got a new sort of inspiration."
My eyes shot to Rosé who had frozen, mid-stretch of the tight end's leg, and was staring right back at me, wide eyed. She mouthed a single word that summed up the whole of my experience thus far with the famous quarterback: What?
That's when I saw them behind her. Mino and Hoony entering the locker room in absolute awe of the athletes surrounding them. They pointed, like one would in a zoo, at Jackson Wang who was giving an in depth interview if the dramatic gestures he was making were any indication. I sighed and made a move toward them but I was halted by a reporter I had met at the conference who wanted to know if I knew anything about the second string tight end's injury.
"Mino! Hoony!" Someone exclaimed in welcome to those two and I was stunned to find that it was Lisa. The reporter stepped awkwardly aside as Mino and Hoony, shocked themselves at having been summoned, made their way to the quarterback and fist bumped her in greeting.
"Hey Lisa, thanks so much for the passes," Mino said with a smile bigger than I'd ever seen.
"And the tickets, of course," Hoony added giddily.
"Oh, no problem, guys. Any time. Really. Hey, you want to get a picture?"
