Thinking that you can get used to something is the stupidest thing ever. Or thinking that time can fix things.
Time will never heal Baekhyun's pain for Kyungsoo.
Time will never make him get used to his patients dying once he becomes a doctor.
And right now, while he was watching a gym full of volleyball players that had the same goal as him, no matter how many matches he had played and how good he was, he felt like throwing up.
They were finally standing on the court in the gym where Qualifiers were held. The net was up, balls were flying all around while other players warmed up and the crowd was starting to gather in the stands with transparents, ready to cheer for their school team.
"I'm so hyped!" Minseok said happily, stretching his arms and legs, jumping up and down all the time.
"Me too!" Luhan agreed. His eyes were shining with excitement. The liberos were always the most impatient ones to start playing.
"This is gonna be a piece of cake." Tao said, looking at the schedule in his hands.
"Basically, if we beat Mithawk, which we will, we will play against either Hanseong or Inchang, depends on who wins. Neither of them is hard to handle, though."
Chanyeol flinched on the mention of Hanseong, his ex team. Since he had left, he hadn't played against them in an official match. He was looking forward to it though, thinking that now he was on a stronger team.
"So we are in A group. In B group there are Douyang, Whimoon and Bangwong." he said, his expression darkening at the mention of the last team, everyone's painful spot.
"There's no doubt they will win that one. If we finish off all the teams in our group, we have to face them." Junmyeon said.
"Don't let that discourage you, boys." coach Lee appeared with Jongdae following him with a bunch of water bottles and towels in his arms.
"We already went through the strategy. Bangwong relies on strength, and you have much more than just that. You've also improved on all fields as a team since them, but also individually. I know how much each one of you practiced to fix your weak spots, like Chanyeol's receiving or Sehun's serve. You also have the most reliable captain in this gym right now, so don't worry too much." he smiled, tapping Baekhyun's back.
"Alright guys, we can do this!" Baekhyun shouted, gathering his teammates together.
"We are one! Jungsan!"
----
"This was so easy." Sehun bragged, biting off his banana after they won the match against Mithawk.
They won 2:0. They didn't expect it to be any different, because Mithawk was not a very strong team. They had few good attacks here and there and their libero was quite solid, as well as one of their wing spikers.
"Don't brag too early, dumbass. Hanseong won against Inchang. We have to handle them to get to the finals." Junmyeon warned.
"Yeah, like they're hard to handle." Sehun huffed at his hyung, putting his free hand on his hip.
Chanyeol and Baekhyun were sitting next to each other, eating in silence. They observed the court, where the first match in group B was being played, the one between Bangwong and Whimoon. It was already third set, and Bangwong was in lead 20:16.
"They will be tough to deal with." Baekhyun sighed. "They're still so good." his voice almost sounded mesmerized. He couldn't help himself. Every time he saw a good team playing (if it wasn't against him) he would stop seeing them as enemies and admire their skills instead. As much as he was an asshole, Taemin was also a really good player.
"But it only makes it more fun. Mithawk was boring to play against, to be honest." Chanyeol replied.
"I agree to that, though."
Soon the game was over, the score being 2:1 in Bangwong's advance. Baekhyun now couldn't help bit cringe at Taemin's arrogance and fake smiles towards the towel girls. His team shook hands with their opponents, and they both headed towards the locker rooms.
As expected, Taemin didn't go straight there. He stopped just in front of Baekhyun and Chanyeol.
He eyed both players with a sly smirk on his face.
"So you are Jungsan's infamous new ace." he commented, looking down at Chanyeol who shot a piercing glare at him. If glares could kill, Taemin would've been burned alive at that moment.
"And I'm ready to wipe the floor with you." Chanyeol said with a polite but sarcastic smile on his face and fake polite tone.
"I can't wait." Taemin acted out eagerness. "But I'm still looking forward to see what you will pull out of your sleeve this time, captain." he said, winking at him and walking away.
"Aisshh!" Chanyeol gritted his teeth, standing up to head after him with bailed fists, but Baekhyun pulled him down on his seat.
"That punk thinks he owns the court!" Chanyeol groaned frustratedly.
"Yeah, but that's not a reason to beat him up. As you said yourself, you'll have a chance to wipe the court with him in the match."
Chanyeol's stare was still glued on Taemin who casually walked, stopping here and there to flirt with his girl fans.(a/n basically oikawa lolol )
Chanyeol suddenly felt Baekhyun's hand covering his, intertwining their fingers.
"It's gonna be okay, Yeol. And I trust you, I know that I can rely on you in the final match." Baekhyun's eyes found his, and they smiled at each other.
Chanyeol loved the way Baekhyun could calm him down and comfort him with one simple gesture and with warm look ih his eyes.
I trust you, too.
----
"Kai nice serve!" Chanyeol shouted when Kai stepped behind the serving line, bringing the ball to his eye level.
Kai did the floating serve, and considering the was the second best server in the team after Baekhyun, the ball successfully reached the aimed spot untouched.
The score was now 24:20 in Jungsan's advance. The had already won the first set, and they were only 1 point far from the finals.
Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Kai, Kris, Junmyeon and Minseok were currently on the court. The rest of the boys were cheering for them, some of them waiting to get in at least for a little to replace the libero or as a pinch servers.
Unfortunately for Jungsan, Kai's next serve got picked up by Hanseong's ace.
"I've always hated him the most." Chanyeol muttered to himself, his eyes following the ball on the other side, trying to guess where Jungkook, Hanseong's setter, will send it.
It was wierd to play against the team he used to be a part of for whole two years. Yoongi, Jungkook and Taehyung were his only friends there and he missed them, but the others didn't really like his cocky attitude so he didn't like them either.
Taehyung spiked down the ball that was tossed to him by Jungkook, but Minseok successfully saved it.
Baekhyun, whose mind has been working and strategizing during the game non stop, positioned himself for the toss, thinking where he could send it to.
Sending it to Chanyeol would be too obvious. Maybe I could...
He waited for the ball to come perfectly for the toss, but in the last moment he changed his game, jumpig up and doing a dump over the net. He sent the ball down at the opponent's side with a single movement of his left hand, not giving them time to think about what happened.
"Hell yeah!" Kris yelled, hugging Baekhyun from back, and soon all the boys were on the court, hugging and celebrating.
"Two down, one more to go." Chanyeol smirked.
They had to shake hands with their opponents, and when he reached his three friends, Chanyeol gave them an apologetic smile.
"You guys played well." Yoongi said to him. Chanyeol could see that he was sincere as he smiled at him.
"I hope you beat those douchebags." he added, nodding his head towards Bangwong, who were playing their last set on the second court, and of course winning it.
"We will." Chanyeol grinned.
"The finals are tomorrow, so go stretch and take some good rest! You will be sleeping in this school's dorms tonight, we have 6 rooms so feel free to choose who will sleep with whom." coach Lee instructed them.
"Yes, sir!"
------
"Aigoo, this was a ride!" Chanyeol fell back on his bed the second he stepped into his and Baekhyun's room.
He had expected Baekhyun and Junmyeon to share rooms since they were best friends, but for some reason Junmyeon insisted on sharing the room with Kai.
"I think Junmyeon has a crush on Kai's sister." Chanyeol thought out loud.
"Well let me confirm it for you. He does." Baekhyun chuckled, taking his pajamas out.
"Good for him. Kim's sister is actually kinda cute when you think about it." Chanyeol made a comment, and it Baekhyun frown. No matter how much je tried to deny it, he felt a stabbing pain in his chest every time Chanyeol would say something like that.
Was it... Jealousy?
He shook his head from such thoughts, heading to the bathroom to take a shower.
"Where are you going?" Chanyeol asked, lifting himself up on his elbows.
"To take a shower."
"Can I join?" Chanyeol smirked devilishly, and Baekhyun thanked the heavens that he wasn't facing him at that moment, because his cheeks went red like a tomato at a mere thought of having Chanyeol under the shower with him. Naked.
But he decided to play along.
"If you want." he glanced at the giant over his shoulder, and now he was the one to redden out of embarrassment.
"I- erm, Are you... For real?" he chucked nervously, standing up from the bed.
Baekhyun suddenly dropped his things on the floor, walking towards Chanyeol slowly. With his each step, Chanyeol took one back, stumbling over his feet.
Baekhyun's face was now inches from his, and somehow, it started to calm Chanyeol down and take his breath away at the same time. He stared at Baekhyun's soft lips, and heat rushed from his legs and stomach all the way to his chest. He was starting to realize that he was getting too deep into it. His body and mind were reacting more wilder and wilder every time he was around Baekhyun, and he couldn't keep calm anymore. He had no idea what was happening with his head, but he knew there was only one way to solve it.
His hand started travelling up to Baekhyun's face, ready to cup it softly.
But then Baekhyun suddenly stepped back, bursting out in laugh.
"I really must be something to make the greatest fuckboy of our generation and wider stumble and stutter." he laughed, picking his things up and dissapearing in the bathroom.
Chanyeol still stared at the door Baekhyun had dissapeared behind confused and even embarassed, thinking that just moments ago he was going to kiss Baekhyun. What was he thinking? That Baekhyun would kiss him back?
His heart was racing like hundred wild horses.
Well fuck it. Even though he had never felt it before, Chanyeol knew very well what that unfamiliar feeling in his chest was.
"You really are someting, Byun Baekhyun."
-----
"I'm nervous." Luhan said probably for the first time in his life, looking at the court like he was about to be executed there.
"Don't worry, that's why your hyung is here! Your senpai!" Minseok stated proudly, slapping Luhan's back and pushing him in front of himself.
Baekhyun smiled as he watched different emotions among his teammates. Some were nervous, some excited, some had their own wierd ways to calm themselves. Sehun once said that every time he feels startled by some player, he imagines him naked and it makes him laugh.
"This is it. Our last chance." he heard Junmyeon say beside him.
"There is no something like last chance. There's still university. Or even National team." Baekhyun smiled.
"You know that for me there isn't."
"I know."
Since he was kid, Junmyeon had a dream of being prosecutor, and he knew that law school won't let him have any side activities.
"We can do this. Make our silly childhood dream come true." Junmyeon tapped his back.
"We can."
----
"Baekhyun! Here!" Kris called, and after checking if there was a wall of blockers in the other side, he tossed to Kris, who spiked the ball down in sharp angle, making sure it wouldn't get picked.
"Damn, that was close." he mouthed, and Baekhyun returned a smile.
Baekhyun, Yixing, Junmyeon, Kris, Chanyeol and Kai were on the court again as starting lineup.
They were playing third set against Bangwong. First set was won by their opponents, and second one by them.
Now it was 23:22 in Bangwong's advance. Neither side was backing down, even though they were both already exhausted. The game was not tiring only physically, but mentally as well, especially for setters. They couldn't let their guards down for a single second.
"Minseok, go in!" coach Lee nudged the libero and he went in, replacing Kai, who couldn't do much at the back line as a middle blocker.
Baekhyun called spikers closer to him, lowering his voice.
"Next chance ball, we're doing sincronized attack, okay? I'll toss to Chanyeol, so act it out well." he smiled, fist bumping each spiker.
He moved closer to the net, waiting for Jumyeon's serve to cross the net.
He caught Taemin's hateful look on him. Bangwong's ace was standing right across him, and Baekhyun knew the other was following his every move during the game. He knew he has Taemin's biggest threat.
"Don't worry, I'm not planning any spectacular moves right now." Baekhyun smirked at him.
"Don't be so cocky, Byun. We're still in lead, in case you haven't noticed." Taemin's expression was far from his usual arrogant one. He looked completely serious, like his life depended on the game they were playing.
Junmyeon's serve crossed the net, and Bangwong's libero saved it, passing it on to the setter. He tossed it to Taemin, whose spike was fortunately saved by Minseok.
As Baekhyun had predicted, sincronized attack was perfect to do since Chanyeol was on the back line too, what gave him more space to take a jump and spike.
Chanyeol slammed the ball with his all might, but things don't always go as we predict them.
In the corner of his eye Baekhyun caught Taemin pushing a wall of blockers towards the place Chanyeol had aimed, and they blocked his spike.
"No!" a voice was suddenly heard, and Baekhyun could see Chanyeol, who hadn't even landed his jump yet, stretching his arm to save the ball before it hit the ground.
The ball went up, but Chanyeol went down.
He collided with floor, hitting his left arm against it.
"Connect it!" coach Lee yelled, and Minseok could barely reach Chanyeol's saved ball. Baekhyun, who couldn't toss anymore since the ball had been touched two times already, saw the ball coming towards him.
He took a jump and scanned the opponent's side in mid air, before the ball came to him. Then he slammed it down with everything he had.
"Yes!!" he heard the boys shouting around him, and he saw the ball bouncing on the other side as he landed.
Chanyeol.
He looked down at the floor beside him, where his teammate was lying lifelessly.
"Chanyeol!" he fell on his knees next to Chanyeol, who winced in pain the moment Baekhyun touched him. He rolled over on his back, still holding on his left arm.
"Are you okay?" Baekhyun asked, his voice trembling. It was such a stupid question to ask, but in fear, his brain didn't cooperate.
"Call someone." Chanyeol muttered through his gritted teeth.
"Nurse! We need a nurse here!" Kris called. All the boys were gathered around Chanyeol, and even Bangwong's players were leaning over too see what was happening.
"You have to win this." Chanyeol grabbed Baekhyun's hand, and he could see fear in captain's widened eyes.
"I know you can." he smiled weakly, letting go of Baekhyun's hand as medical staff picked him up and put him on a stretcher.
Baekhyun watched after them as they carried him. He couldn't help himself. His felt his body going weak and his heart thumping fast. What if his injury is serious? What if he never gets chance to play again?
"Yah, Baekhyun-ah." Kris called him, and he snapped out of his thoughts.
"We know you are worried sick about him right now, but it won't help him if you keep worrying. And you know he is frusted anyway that he can't finish this with us, so let's win it for him, shall we?" he smiled, and all his teammates put their hands on top of each other's, waiting for Baekhyun's to join.
At that moment, even though their chances were still shaky and one of their players was injured, Baekhyun felt happiness. He was happy that even after everything they went through, he still had one hell of a team with him.
"Let's win this." his hand joined.
The third set soon started to look like a real cat and mouse game. Neither of them could win two points in row, and to win they needed two points gap.
Currently it was 30:29 for Jungsan, and they were in that situation for God knows what time.
"Baekhyun nice serve!"
"Finish this captain!"
During whole match, Baekhyun could hear all those supportive chants and whispers in the crowd every time he served and tossed.
"Is he some kind of monster?"
"His serve is incredible!"
"He will definitely play for National team one day."
But now, Baekhyun couldn't hear anything.
There was only the ball that he held in front of his eyes and the other side of the court where it was supposed to go.
Calm down, he had a voice in his head say, and he wasn't suprised when he recognized it as Kyungsoo's.
I believe in you.
The fall went up, and he took few steps before jumping.
Bam.
Just where he wanted it.
Right at the left corner, where their defence was the weakest.
But of course, someone managed to pick it up.
And it went back to Jungsan.
This is it. I feel it. This is where it all ends.
Baekhyun's legs moved on their own, and his arms went up in position to toss unwillingly. His body moved on insticts. His eyes scanned the court, searching for the right person for the last spike. He knew it was the last one.
If only Chanyeol was here, he thought, before he tossed the ball to Junmyeon.
Not Kris, who was the second best spiker on the team.
To Junmyeon, because his heart, his insticts and his fingers told him to.
Soon he heard chants break through the silence that his mind had created.
"We're going to the fucking Nationals!" Kris yelled victoriously, picking Baekhyun up and hugging him.
Everyone around him was almost tearing up in happiness, and it created dizziness in Baekhyun's head because that joy mixed with other feeling that was already in his heart.
Before he could realize it, he was running away.
He had no idea where ambulance was, and signs written in hangul suddenly seemed like chinese characters to him.
"Ambulance... Where is the ambulance..."
"Y'need help?" some young, red haired nurse asked him, narrowing her eyes.
"Where is the ambulance? My friend..
"
"Down this hall and then just make a left."
Without taking time to thank her, Baekhyun rushed down the hall, sprinting as if he hadn't just passed the Qualifiers for the Nationals.
He entered a small room that smelled just like hospitals.
Park Chanyeol was sitting om a bed in the middle of the room with a broken arm.
Baekhyun's tears of joy were a little late. He felt his cheeks getting wet as he looked at the boy with a huge smile on his face.
Chanyeol looked like a happy child waiting for good news, and he was completely calm even though his arm was broken.
"Have we won?" he asked as Baekhyun approached him silently and slowly, like he was afraid that he might dissapear.
As if he hadn't even heard the question, Baekhyun kept walking until he was face in face with the giant, and that's when a smile crept on his face as well.
He was happy.
And he wondered how the hell he was so ignorant about the person in front of him and his own feelings. He wondered if it's really necessary to experience loss to realize how much someone means to you. What had happened to Chanyeol was nothing very serious, but what if it was? What if Chanyeol was on Kyungsoo's place and Baekhyun only then realized how much he needed him in his life?
But Park Chanyeol was there in front of him, dumb, attractive and annoying Park Chanyeol, and that made him so happy. He watched at Chanyeol's soft face in admiration as the latter's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, his puppy eyes scanning over Baekhyun to figure out why he was acting like he totally snapped.
"Baek? I asked if we-"
But he didn't get to finish the sentence because Byun Baekhyun crushed his lips against his very own.