Scripts (Purinz)

Script 10: Practice game

They're already inside ACE Academy's huge gymnasium and she has nowhere to go even if she was able to escape Sieun who has been guarding her ever since they arrived.

It also didn't help that the gymnasium was so cold, her sweat was becoming cold and she became hyper-aware of everything once she saw the students on the other side of the court.

Why was she even here in the first place? She should have been at home, resting, loving the comfort that her bed brings. But instead, she's here, having to look out for Kim Minju every damn second just so she could hide from her.

She meets eyes with Yu Jimin who was with the cheer team, preparing as they were to sit closer to the court.

Jimin looked shocked to see her at first but then her mouth curled up into a teasing smirk, pointing at her.

She flips her off in true Chaewon fashion as Jimin slowly shakes her head while laughing.

She was so persistent about not attending, even almost fighting Yena when she brought it up. All of that and for what? For her to attend the practice game.

"Who do you guys think will win?" They all turn to their heads and see Kang Haerin grinning at them from behind. Yoon Seeun was quietly sitting beside her while Lee Hyein took pictures of everything on her right.

Chaewon momentarily forgot that the photography club was here, too. The journalism club as well. It all worked out as a ton of students were all a part of two clubs at once. So, Kim Sunoo, a theater club member, could be the journalism club's temporary leader right now as Jimin's busy with cheerleader stuff.

"This is just a practice game, Haerin." Hyein leans away from her camera, taking a quick glance at the cat-looking girl before proceeding to take more pictures again.

"Still." She shrugged.

Usually, the girl would be quiet. She wouldn't even dare to say a single word to anyone unless it was needed. The theater club members were surprised that she was even talking to them.

It's probably because Danielle's around. They are together after all.

"Who do you think would win, Haerin-ah? I honestly think we can beat them." Sunghoon responds to the girl, smiling at her as Haerin's eyes sparkled in interest.

"I think the same way. Minji unnie is pretty strong." Haerin looked proud. Almost puffing her chest out as she complimented Minji.

"Oh, for sure! Minji unnie can put anyone down!" Hyein butts in. They do know how close the three girls are. Minji always was around them if she wasn't around Yujin and the others. The two were basically Minji's children.

"This isn't wrestling, Hyein-ah." Suddenly Hanni speaks up, chuckling at the younger girl's words.

"What about you, Chaewon?" Wonyoung suddenly bumped her shoulder against Chaewon's, successfully catching the girl's attention, "Who do you think would win?"

Wonyoung had a huge grin on her face, teasing. Chaewon rolls her eyes as she looks back at the court. She looks around, inspecting the two teams. Her eye catches Yunjin's orange hair among her teammates and she instantly looks away.

"I don't know. Heard ACE's women's basketball is pretty solid." Chaewon mumbles, uninterested.

"Boo, at least support our team!" Sakura suddenly spoke beside Wonyoung and Chaewon glared at her, "What are you? A traitor? Are you siding with them now?"

"Right, Chaewon. Just because we have friends on the other side doesn't mean you gotta cheer for them too?" Sunghoon eggs them on and Chaewon scoffs. "You're all so annoying..."

They all snickered but before anyone could say another word, they heard a whistle being blown and they immediately turned their heads back on the court. The two teams stand in front of one another. They all looked intimidating as most of the members seemed tall.

At least as tall as Yunjin.

They all shake hands before returning to their designated side of the court. Chaewon leans back on her seat and lets her eyes wander around the gymnasium.

It was bigger than theirs. Looks brand new, maybe the academy renovated it. Or maybe it was newly built but Chaewon's thoughts halted when she saw Kim Minju on the other side. Sitting quietly as she looked around the court.

Chaewon almost sunk into her jacket. She felt exposed like this, so she zipped her jacket up and pulled her hoodie up as well. Minju wouldn't possibly see her if she was hiding like this, right? Can she even see the people on her side properly? Chaewon hopes not.

She turned to look away, she was going to avoid ever looking at that spot but she couldn't help herself from looking over and over.

Well, of course, she wouldn't be able to stop herself. That's Kim Minju, the person she was absolutely head over heels with. Her closest friend, her warmth, her own kind of "home". She wonders if she's even still allowed to see Kim Minju that way.

She tries her best to keep Kim Minju out of her mind as the game starts. She decided that if Minju was focused on the game, she should be, too. So she does, she focuses on the game and-

It was strange.

Something was off with their team. She sees Ryujin playing, Yujin signing with her fingers, asking for the ball, Minji having two people block her, Minjeong running toward the corner of the court and Kazuha dribbling the ball.

Someone was missing.

Chaewon frowns as she looks at the players one by one. She thinks that her eyes must be playing tricks on her because there is no way Huh Yunjin wouldn't be out on the court in the first round.

Not like Chaewon knows about that.

"Weird," Sunghoon says under his breath and Chaewon glances at him for a second before turning her attention back to the court. "They benched Yunjin."

Upon hearing that, Chaewon's eyes immediately landed on the side of the court just beside the cheerleaders' spot. She immediately sees who she is looking for.

Yunjin was there, sitting quietly on the bench beside the other players. Her back was turned towards them and no one could see her face. "Do they always bench her?" Chaewon turns to look at Sunghoon again and Soobin is beside him, she doesn't even notice him arriving.

"Not really? I only watched one of their games. They always have her out in the first round. I don't know why she isn't out this time."

Suddenly the thoughts of Kim Minju slowly faded away, and her mind was now filled with curiosity as to why Huh Yunjin wasn't playing.

She stares at Yunjin and not at the court. Maybe they'll let her play for the next round. But the next round came and Yunjin didn't play.