CROSS-CHECKED (VSOO)

2

Jisoo

My legs were on fire.

"Last round! Let's clean up that formation!" Alisha shouted from the front, her voice clear, commanding — classic cheer captain mode.

I sucked in a breath, tightened my ponytail, and focused. We hit our pyramid, balanced, posed — and finally heard the magic words:

"Practice dismissed!"

Groans filled the field as we all dropped onto the turf, panting, peeling off sweatbands and adjusting bras like we'd just survived war. Honestly? We kind of had. Two and a half hours of drills, chants, tosses, and transitions under the mid-July sun? It was brutal.

I collapsed next to Minji, who tossed me a bottle of water and a knowing look.

"You look like your soul left your body during that last toe touch," she teased.

I laughed, breathless. "It did. It waved goodbye around the second round of high kicks."

Minji grinned and bumped her shoulder against mine. "You'll get it back before Friday's game. Maybe."

Across the field, Alisha was doing her usual debrief, clipboard in hand, spitting out notes for each girl. Perfectionist didn't even begin to describe her. And yeah — she could be intense, but she had a heart of gold underneath all that glitter and grit.

Alisha Kim was the cheer captain, senior, a business major, and secretly the glue holding our squad together. Not to mention my best friend 

Minji Lee, on the other hand — was the sassy, blunt, no-filter part of my trio. A junior like me, tiny but fiery, and absolutely fearless. The kind of girl who could take a hit, nail a triple jump, and roast your outfit in the same breath.

We were a team. Not just on the field, but in life.

Alisha finally made her way over, flipping her clipboard shut.

"You two still alive?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"Barely," I mumbled, downing the last of my water. "I think my thighs staged a rebellion."

She grinned. "You'll thank me when the scouts come next month. Columbia and NYU are sending reps to the showcase — they want juniors this year, not just seniors."

The mention of scholarships sent a ripple of excitement through my chest — and nerves, of course. I wasn't at the top of the pyramid, but I was consistent. Strong. My GPA was solid, my technique clean, and I knew what I wanted after college — a spot on a pro cheer team, even if it meant moving across the country.

Sometimes I wondered if it was enough. If I was enough.

"Think you'll go out of state?" Minji asked, reading my mind.

"I don't know," I said truthfully. "It depends on where I get in. Where I fit."

Alisha gave me a look. "You'll get in anywhere, Soo. You've got the charm, the grades, and the work ethic. They'd be dumb not to take you."

I smiled, grateful. They always believed in me more than I did. And sometimes, I needed that.

"Speaking of dumb..." Minji said, dragging the word, "...are we actually going to your bonfire tonight, or is it just another excuse for you to get Sean drunk and make out behind the snack table?"

Alisha rolled her eyes. "It's not just for me and Sean. It's for the whole team — cheer and hockey. We've been grinding hard this month. We deserve one fun night."

My ears perked up. "Wait — hockey's coming?"

She smirked. "Obviously. They need to socialize too. Coach thinks it'll help with team morale."

I tried to play it cool, but my brain instantly jumped to him.

Kim Taehyung.
Senior. Captain of the Silverridge Wolves. NHL-bound. Literally every girl's favorite fantasy. Tall, reckless, insanely talented on the ice. And a total heartbreaker.

We didn't know each other. Not really. I mean, we'd crossed paths once or twice at campus events, and maybe I'd seen him at a few late-night café runs — but that was it. He was always surrounded by girls, always with that cocky smirk like he knew exactly the effect he had on people.

He wasn't my type.
At least... that's what I kept telling myself.

"You thinking about him again?" Minji asked, way too sharp.

"Who?" I blinked.

She raised a brow. "Tall. Tan. Hockey god with a jawline so sharp it could cut glass."

I flushed. "No."

Alisha grinned. "You don't have to lie. Taehyung's basically a campus myth at this point. Like a hot ghost who shows up, scores, flirts, disappears."

"Exactly," I said, trying to steer my voice toward neutral. "Not interested."

Minji gave me a sure, Jan look. "Then you won't mind if I flirt with him tonight."

"Go ahead," I said too fast.

Alisha just laughed. "Don't worry. He probably won't even show up."

But something in my gut said he would.

And if he did... I wasn't sure I could keep pretending I didn't care.

After practice, we all changed back into our regular clothes. I threw on a sweatshirt and shorts, tying my hair up into a messy bun. We had a few hours before the bonfire, so Minji and I planned to hit the smoothie bar, shower, then regroup at Alisha's house for setup.

As I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out of the gym, I glanced across the quad — past the bleachers, across the practice field.

The hockey boys were leaving their rink.

And in the middle of them — towel slung around his neck, hockey bag in hand, dark hair messy and wet — was Taehyung.

He laughed at something one of the guys said. Probably Sean. Maybe Joshua.

His eyes didn't scan the crowd. He wasn't looking for anyone.

But mine had found him anyway.

I shook my head, forcing myself to look away.

It's just a bonfire.
It's just a party.
And he's just a guy.

A very, very good-looking one.
But still — just a guy.

Right?