Jeongyeon paced anxiously in the dugout, cursing that stupid no phone rule for the millionth time. Couldn't coach make exceptions every now and then? This was important.
"Jeongyeon, will you please stop?" Jihyo frowned. "You look like you're about to fight someone and it's freaking Yuna out."
"Huh? Oh, sorry Yuna. I'm not angry, I promise," Jeongyeon said to the girl.
Yuna gave her a timid smile and just nodded.
"Then quit staring daggers at coach when he isn't looking, dummy. You know the cellphone rule isn't going to change," Jihyo said.
"Well it's a stupid rule. What if there's an emergency?"
"Your girlfriend being four minutes late isn't an emergency Jeong."
Jihyo rolled her eyes. She loved her friend, but she was such a worry wart. Especially when it came to Nayeon.
"Relax, alright. Sana and Seungyeon unnie are both with her. Besides, Nayeon is a big girl. She can handle herself."
"I can't help it. You know how people are. I don't want anyone bothering her or looking at her like she's some freak," Jeongyeon said.
"You're going to have to let that go. You can't control what other people do," Jihyo said. She got up and pulled Jeongyeon to sit down.
"Just sit here and try to calm down. I'll keep a lookout for them," Jihyo offered.
"Here unnie, my mom sent you this for the game," Tzuyu said as she handed over a small bottle of gingseng drink.
"Thanks Tzu. Be sure to tell her thanks for me."
Jeongyeon accepted the drink and downed it quickly. Vitamin drinks didn't always taste the best, but she wasn't going to turn it down. Tzuyu's mom was a master at knowing which vitamins and herbal medicines they needed.
"Oh, and just a heads up, she's also mad at you."
"What? Why?"
"Because you haven't brought Nayeon unnie to meet her yet. She hasn't stopped complaining about it," Tzuyu said, rolling her eyes.
"Tell her I promise I'll bring Nayeon," Jeongyeon said. "I want to introduce her to my parents first though."
"Just as long as you do it soon. That way she can focus on you and Nayeon unnie, and stop bugging me about getting a girlfriend too," Tzuyu said.
"She's still on you about dating?" Jeongyeon asked.
"Oh yeah," Dahyun said as she joined the conversation. "You should have seen her yesterday. She had all these pictures of girls she thought Tzuyu would like. It was hilarious."
"Poor you," Jeongyeon laughed.
"Having the world's most supportive mom has somehow turned into a bad thing," Tzuyu complained. "I mean seriously, where did she even find all those girls? Does she just search "gay Chinese girls" and pick from the list?"
"For your mom's sake, I hope she's not searching that. She'll be traumatized for life," Dahyun said.
"What about Sana?" Jeongyeon asked.
"What about her?"
"She's into girls and she's really pretty. Nayeon said she mentioned she thought you were cute."
"She thinks I'm cute?" Tzuyu blushed.
"Ooh Yoda, looks like we found your girlfriend," Dahyun teased.
"You should ask for her number. She's coming today," Jeongyeon said.
"Jeong, they're here," Jihyo called to her friend.
Jeongyeon immediately jumped up and peaked over the dugout to look for her guests. She smiled when she saw Nayeon sitting in between Sana and her sister on the first row. Nayeon waved at her excitedly when she spotted her.
"I'll be right back," Jeongyeon said as she exited the dugout.
"Make it quick! Coach will make you run laps if you aren't back here in time," Jihyo warned.
"Hi Jeongie!" Sana said as Jeongyeon approached the chain link fence that separated the field from the spectators.
"Hey Sana, glad you came. Hi babe," Jeongyeon said. She ignored Seugnyeon grinning at her.
"Hi baby," Nayeon smiled.
"You guys make it here okay?"
"Everything was fine Jeongyeon," Seungyeon reassured her sister.
"You brought your cushion right?" Jeongyeon asked her girlfriend.
"She has it. Now quit worrying so much. You better go back before your coach gets mad at you," Seungyeon said.
"Alright. Here babe." Jeongyeon pressed some cash through the chain link fence for Nayeon. Sana grabbed it for her. "In case you want to get some snacks."
"Where's mine?" Seungyeon asked.
"You have a job. Buy your own snacks."
"Don't mind her unnie. I'll share with you and Sana," Nayeon said.
"Can you be my sister instead Nayeon? I like you much better."
"Just give me some time and I'll make her your sister-in-law." Jeongyeon winked, reducing her girlfriend to a blushing mess. "I'll see you after the game babe."
Jeongyeon took off before her sister could tease her about marrying Nayeon. Coach Park eyed her sternly and tapped his watch when she got back to the dugout.
"Cutting it close Yoo," Coach Park scolded.
"Sorry coach. I'm here."
Coach Park clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.
"Alright girls, you know the drill. I want you to do your best out there. The Pink Ladies are tough competition, but I believe we can win this game. Let's give our all out there," Coach Park said.
"Huddle up! SeoulMix on three. One, two, three!" Jihyo shouted.
"SeoulMix!"
It was game time.
Jeongyeon ran out onto the field with her team for the first time in over two months. That familiar buzz she got at the start of every game hit her as she took her place between second and third base.
She glanced to the crowd, quickly spotting Nayeon, Sana, and her sister. All three were cheering for her. She gave them a quick wave before turning her attention to the game. As the first batter came up to home plate, Jeongyeon let everything around her fade. This was what she had worked so hard for during therapy.
SeoulMix's star short stop was back and she was ready to put on a show.
Nayeon's POV
"Jeongie is so serious out there. She looks hot," Sana said to Nayeon.
"She does, doesn't she?" Nayeon agreed.
There was something about her girlfriend in that uniform that was definitely working for Nayeon. She hadn't taken her eyes off Jeongyeon since the start of the game.
Nayeon was amazed at just how good her girlfriend was on the field. She'd seen all her trophies, and heard her friends talk about her. But it was something else to see her play.
Jeongyeon was quick, throwing the ball faster than Nayeon could keep up with. She'd even gotten a double in the third inning. Nayeon was proud to know what a double meant now; Jeongyeon had been helping her understand the game. She was turning into a good baseball girlfriend.
"Tzuyu is a great pitcher. I guess it helps that she's so tall," Sana gushed.
"Yeah probably."
"She's so cute in her uniform. I wonder if she likes girl?"
"I think she does. Dahyun teased her about some girl the other day and she got all embarrassed," Nayeon recalled.
"Do you think Jeongyeon will help me out with her?" Sana asked.
"Since when do you need help asking someone out? Just do what you always do," Nayeon said, eyes still on her girlfriend.
"It's different though. She's your girlfriend's friend. What if she turns me down? That would make things so awkward."
"I'll talk to her and see if she can get anything out of Tzuyu then."
"Thank you!"
Sana grinned and pulled Nayeon into a side hug.
"You're welcome."
"Here you go girls," Seungyeon said as she appeared with their food and drinks.
"That was fast," Sana said as she took her pretzel.
"Since the game is winding down, the lines aren't nearly as long. Did I miss anything?"
"Not really. Number twelve got a single and Tzuyu struck out number seven. She's currently got a 1-2 count on number one," Nayeon rattled off.
Sana and Seungyeon stared at her in amazement.
"Wow Nayeonie, I didn't know you knew so much about baseball," Sana said.
"Jeongyeon has been teaching me. I was tired of not understanding what her and her friends were saying when they'd talk about baseball," Nayeon explained.
"You two are adorable," Seungyeon smiled. "Don't tell Jeongyeon I said that though. I don't want her to get a big head."
"I won't. She's got enough of an ego already," Nayeon laughed.
They all cheered loudly when Tzuyu struck out number one. The game moved to the last inning and Nayeon was hopeful that Jeongyeon's team would win. They were in the lead by three runs so the odds were in their favor.
In the end, she was right. SeoulMix held off the Pink Ladies to win the game 4-1. She smiled proudly, cheering for her girlfriend and sending her a finger heart when Jeongyeon looked her way.
"Let's just wait here for a little bit so the crowd clears out," Seungyeon said.
Nayeon nodded. There were a lot of people and she wasn't confident she could get down to the area where all the player's family and friends were gathering. It would be too easy for someone to bump into her or hit her crutches.
She patiently waited for Jeongyeon to come. A few minutes later, her girlfriend emerged from the crowd of people huddled around the field's exit. Nayeon was ready to call out to her when two girls stopped Jeongyeon and began talking to her. Her eyes widened when one of the girls touched Jeongyeon's arm.
"What does she think she's doing with your girlfriend?" Sana said irritably. Even Seungyeon was staring the girl down.
Nayeon couldn't help but feel a little insecure. The girl was very pretty, and she was making it obvious she liked Jeongyeon. But Nayeon didn't feel that way for long because Jeongyeon removed the girl's hand and walked away without saying a word.
Her girlfriend jogged to her with the biggest smile on her face when their eyes met. Just like that, Nayeon forgot all about that girl. She didn't even have time to say anything, because as soon as Jeongyeon reached her, she bent down and kissed her in front of everyone.
"Hi," Jeongyeon said when she pulled away.
"Hey baby. You did a great job out there," Nayeon said proudly despite the blush on her cheeks.
"Thanks. I was trying to show off for you. Did it work?"
"Oh it worked alright. She couldn't keep her eyes off you the whole game," Sana teased.
"Good. I don't want you watching anyone else."
"Ew, don't say things like that when I'm around," Seungyeon complained. "You're making me sick."
"Come here unnie. I haven't hugged you yet."
Jeongyeon opened her arms wide and pulled her sister into a hug. Seungyeon resisted, trying to get away.
"Let go of me! You're all sweaty and gross!"
"Don't be like that," Jeongyeon said. "I'm just showing you how much I love you."
"I love you too. Now get off of me!"
Jeongyeon laughed and finally released her sister. She walked back to Nayeon and sat beside her, wrapping her arm around Nayeon's shoulders. Tzuyu and Jihyo walked up about that time.
"Congrats girls. You did a great job," Seungyeon said proudly.
"Thanks unnie," Jihyo said.
"You were great out there Tzuyu," Sana said.
"Thanks," Tzuyu said, blushing slightly.
"Baby, do you think Tzuyu would like Sana?" Nayeon whispered to her girlfriend.
"Yeah. I already told her to ask for Sana's number," Jeongyeon said.
"Perfect!"
"Yo Dubu, there you are," Jeongyeon called to her friend as Dahyun joined them.
"Guess what? Chaeyoung finally asked Somi out and she said yes!" Dahyun said excitedly.
"About time. I was sick of her moping over that girl," Jihyo said.
"Okay, now that everyone's here, are we ready to go?" Seungyeon asked.
"Yep. I'm starving," Jeongyeon said.
"Where should we go eat?" Sana asked.
"We have a spot picked out already," Jihyo said.
"It's our tradition. We go to the same chicken shop after every game, win or lose," Tzuyu explained.
"You'll love it. Nobody can beat their fried chicken," Dahyun added.
"Come on babe," Jeongyeon said as she got up and held her hand out for Nayeon. "We need to induct you and Sana into the fried chicken club."
Nayeon smiled and let her girlfriend pull her to her feet. Jeongyeon held onto her waist while Sana got her crutches in position.
As they made their way to the parking lot, laughing and trading bad jokes, Nayeon couldn't help but feel grateful. A few months ago, she only had Sana and her physical therapists for company. Now here she was with a girlfriend and a whole new group of friends.
Meeting Jeongyeon had changed her life in the best possible way.
"Hey Sana, how about I drive you and Nayeon?" Jeongyeon offered.
"You have a license?" Sana asked.
"Yeah."
"Sure! It'll be nice to be driven around for a change. No offense Nayeon," Sana giggled.
"You know this means we'll be making you drive us from now on right?" Nayeon said.
"Well yeah, that's my job. I drive and you sit and look pretty," Jeongyeon grinned.
"You're such a flirt," Nayeon said.
"Only for you babe."
The End (sort of)
Author's note: The reason for my switching to Nayeon's pov was to avoid having to write another baseball scene like the one in chapter 6. Just the thought of it made my head hurt.
p.s. Only the epilogue left before we say goodbye 😉