Hate | Nosung

18

An
Y'all I just took the biggest risk of all time...

Jaemin's plan to get Jisung in the spotlight was perfect. His own step-brother was the basketball coach, who so conveniently happened to be very (suspiciously) chummy with one of the dance coaches. It only took a little convincing to get his proposal approved.

Jisung nearly passed out when he heard what was happening, but then the excitement exploded.

Donghyuck and Renjun were also elated by the news. The four friends actually planned to hang out afterward to celebrate.

Sure, it was only a basketball game, but that was no reason to let himself take performing lightly.

He practiced and polished every day at dance, and even at home just to prove to himself that it was perfect.

Friday couldn't come fast enough. Or it came too fast. It depends on who you asked. Jaemin, Donghyuck, and Renjun could not wait for the end of the week. Jisung felt like the week wasn't long enough.

Either way, Friday came. Jisung was wearing a South High team jersey for his outfit, which was way too large for him, as he walked with his three friends toward the gym. Jaemin was the team's waterboy, so he had to be there early anyway. The teams were warming up when they walked in, and Jaemin ran to the team manager, Yuqi, to get started on his job.

Yukhei and Mark, upon recognizing Jaemin as he jogged past, knew what his arrival meant. Donghyuck had told them they were coming to watch the game (and left Jisung's performance out, for the element of surprise).

The two players looked around, and found where Donghyuck, Renjun, and Jisung were sitting at the home bleachers. Both waved, unable to run up and start conversation. Hyuck and Renjun waved back, and Jisung decidedly did not.

Jeno looked at the commotion his friends were making, and stood up from where he was leaning down to stretch his legs. He followed their line of sight to the surprising image of Park Jisung. Jisung was there. At a game. Why? Jisung never mentioned anything?

It was a pleasant surprise to Jeno. His face lit up, and he called Jisung's name without really thinking.

Jisung's eyes found Jeno almost immediately after hearing his name, and saw the captain hold a hand up in a minimal wave. He was a bit confused, as to why Jeno was so excited, but he waved back anyway, with his lips pressing into a thin smile.

Mark noticed his captain's behavior, and shook his head knowingly.

Then Jeno noticed something. Jisung was wearing their team jersey? Whose jersey? Of course, it was Jaemin's complimentary jersey, but Jeno didn't know that. He didn't know why he was agonizing over something so miniscule, so he swallowed it and just continued with his stretching.

Soon, students and parents flooded into the gym. Not long after, the game began.

Renjun and Donghyuck were absolutely enthralled with their flirting buddies during the entirety of the first half. Anytime Yukhei scored, he would look at Donghyuck with a grin, sometimes pointing to the auburn boy on the bleachers. Hyuck giggled and held his face every time, proclaiming how dumb Yukhei was. Renjun found a particularly cute player on the opposing team, and had his eyes stuck on him the whole time.

Jisung was too nervous to really pay attention to any of it. He anxiously awaited the break between the two halves of the game where he would be performing. It came all too soon.

As he stood from the bleachers, his legs felt like jello. He forced himself to walk with strength down to his spot in the middle of the gym floor. Jaemin, Renjun, Donghyuck, and Taeyong (who'd come to watch his student dance), were sending expressions and gestures of encouragement.