CROSS-CHECKED (VSOO)

13

Taehyung

She walked away without looking back, her ponytail swaying, and something about that bothered me more than it should have.

I stood in the hallway for a second longer than I meant to, hands shoved in my pockets, replaying our conversation in the nurse's office. It should have been nothing—just another pointless interaction after a one-night stand I didn't need to think about again. That's how it's always been. That's how I've always kept things clean. Simple.

But with her, it wasn't.

When I saw her slumped on that bench earlier, pale and clearly in pain, something twisted in my chest. It wasn't pity—I don't do pity. It was... concern, which is worse. And when she looked at me just now, all defensive and sharp-edged, acting like she didn't care, it was almost convincing. Almost.

Why did it matter?
Jisoo's just some girl.

That's what I told myself all morning. That's what I told myself last night, too. And yet, every time I try to file her away in the "forgettable" category with everyone else, my mind just... refuses. I've had girls who were flashier, hotter, more obvious in the way they wanted me. But none of them ever burned into my head like this.

I was halfway to the locker rooms when my phone buzzed. Team group chat:

Coach: All players — locker room, 10 minutes. Mandatory.

Great. Last minute meeting. I turned and headed toward the hockey wing, pushing the thought of Jisoo to the very back of my mind.

Sean and Joshua were already leaning against the wall when I walked in.

"What's this about?" I asked, grabbing my gear bag and tossing it on the bench.

"No clue," Sean said, rolling his shoulders. "Coach just texted us, same as you."

Joshua smirked. "Bet it's some extra practice for nationals."

"Could be," I said, though I knew Coach didn't usually drag us in without a clear reason.

The locker room was buzzing with low chatter as the rest of the guys filtered in. Sticks clattered against the walls, the smell of sweat and rubber flooring filling the space.

Coach came in, whistle hanging from his neck, clipboard in hand. He didn't waste time.

"Alright, listen up," he said, his voice carrying over the noise until everyone shut up. "This is important."

He glanced around at all of us, letting the weight of his words settle. "Next month, we've got a big game against the Arizona Bulls."

A few guys muttered under their breath. We all knew the Bulls were tough. Coach continued.

"The game's in Los Angeles. That means travel. But here's the twist—this game isn't just a regular game. It's part of the national circuit. Which means..."

He paused for effect, and I could feel the anticipation in the room.

"The entire Silverridge hockey team and our cheer squad will be going to LA for nationals."

That got a cheer out of a few guys. Nationals meant exposure, competition, and bragging rights. But Coach wasn't done.

"There's a catch," he said, holding up a hand. "Silverridge needs more players and stronger backup for this run. Which is why..." He looked at us, his expression dead serious. "...Crestridge will be joining us. One team. One bench. One roster."

Silence.

It felt like the air got heavier.

Crestridge. Of all schools.

The same Crestridge we've faced on the ice more times than I can count. The same Crestridge full of smug bastards who play dirty and think they're God's gift to hockey. And worse—my personal nightmare. Jay.

Coach went on, oblivious to the storm brewing in my head. "For the next month, the Crestridge hockey and cheer teams will be transferring here to Silverridge for joint practices and classes. We've played against each other before. Now, we work together."

I could feel my jaw clenching. Work together? With Jay?

The guy's been my rival since we were kids. We've checked each other into boards harder than we check the puck. We've traded more hits than goals in games. And now I'm supposed to call him my teammate?

Coach clapped his hands. "That's all for now. Meeting dismissed."

The moment he left, the locker room exploded in chatter.

Sean and Joshua both turned toward me instantly, like they already knew.

"This is gonna be interesting," Joshua said, smirking.

"Interesting?" I scoffed. "This is gonna be hell."

Sean leaned on his stick. "So... what's the plan? You gonna play nice?"

I met his eyes, a slow grin spreading across my face. "Play nice? No. Silverridge life is about to be hell... for them."

I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out, already thinking about all the ways I could make sure Jay's month here was the worst of his life.

But even as I left, heading toward the parking lot, my mind slipped again—just for a second—back to the nurse's office. Back to Jisoo.
And that bothered me most of all.