Chapter Text
Text me back
Chapter 1
The rooftops of the school were almost always barren. It wasn’t as if the rooftops were in dire states, nor were they filthy or outdated, quite the contrary, being hardly used by the students, it was kept clean, the only blemish was that of a phone number, etched in black permanent marker, on a slab of brick near the base of the fences surrounding the roof, that and the stray leaves blown in by the morning wind. The phone number was a new edition to the blank stone, the ink only a few hours dry, a stark contrast to the light grey concrete brick.
The only students that usually occupied the space had yet to see the black digits, that or they didn't care. They were three boy's on the cusp of adulthood, entering their senior year of high school. Its almost always reiterated that high school is the prime of one's life; the drama, the romance, the excitement of entering adulthood without the hassle of being an adult, many basked in its glory, living life with little worry or care, or with lack thereof. There were others who saw this time as overrated, merely a stepping stones to what was beyond. The three boys were a mix of these people, three different stories that found a home under a single a roof, or should one say, on it.
There was Hyunjae, a tall brunette, with an even taller personality. He was lively and loose and lived life as it may. He was almost always seen laughing, sometimes at jokes, his jokes or himself. Then there was Younghoon who was the opposite, he was quiet and observing, watching the world as it passes, earnestly waiting for what's beyond. And then there was Juyeon. He didn't necessarily fit anywhere, a balancing figure between the opposing natures of Hyunjae and Younghoon. He was the middle, lost and drowning in the waves of adolescence.
There were days where Juyeon felt like he was indeed drowning, engulfed in the opportunities and complications in front of him. He was a gifted basketball athlete, obtaining conditional scholarships with the sport, and, though mildly oblivious, he was also a hardworking student with an active social life, but there were days indeed where he just felt empty. It wasn't in his nature to go on a whim and say fuck-all and do whatever like Hyunjae, nor was he just one to sit back and wait for life to deal the cards like Younghoon. He wasn't passive, but nor was he active in life, solely responding to what fate has in store, hoping it wasn't some bluff or a ruse.
Juyeon was climbing up the stairs to the rooftop, his tie loosely hanging from his neck. The school day had just ended and he wasted no time walking up to his solace. It's been a long day. Senior year had just started, about a week in, but he was already swamped with assignments, sports meetings, and college applications and even though regular instruction time was over he still had a basketball meeting within the hour and cram school later that night.
Upon reaching the roof he headed straight for its southwestern corner overlooking the school's baseball field, a lone individual can be seen running through the bases, perhaps practicing their sprint. The sun was yet to set, but it was low enough for the glare to obstruct one's vision, Juyeon being no exception.
He looks out into the fielding watching, leaning against a slab of concrete, the metal fence supporting his built frame. He assumes the individual was male perhaps younger than him by a year. He was evidently not a senior, as most senior wouldn't have time to run laps around the field so freely, though Juyeon wasn't one to talk as he lounges about on the roof. Perhaps it was the glare of the sun, but Juyeon swore that the boy's hair was neither black nor brown or anything natural, but a bright mix of bluish hues that resembled ocean water.
'Giddy, Giddy Up!!!' his phone rang, taking his attention away from the mesmerizing movement of blue on the field. Hyunjae was calling.
"Dude where are you?" He asks though it should already be obvious to Hyunjae where he was.
"Up on the roof," Juyeon takes a seat on the ground as he continues to talk. "I have 30 minutes to spare before practice starts."
"Make that 20 minutes. I heard coach had some announcements, so best be early."
"Okay, I'll make sure to come in earlier. Are you coming to cram school today?"
"Probably, we already have a quiz next week, and I'm definitely unprepared. Here's hoping that New is there," Juyeon could hear a dramatic, exasperated sigh from the end of the line. "Why is math a thing?"
"I can say the same thing for English."
"Don't even get me started on English class, why is Shakespeare so dramatic?!"
"Cause he's a playwright?"
"Well I think he should stop, it's making my life dramatic."
Juyeon chuckles at his friend's plight. It was comforting to know that he had this routine in his life. His friends made the whirlwind worthwhile and he couldn't visualize a life without them.
He didn't have a lot on his plate per se, but he handled things differently from others. When it came to life Hyunjae took broad strides, Younghoon took calculated leaps, and Juyeon, he took baby steps.
"Hey, are you going to try out for team captain?" Hyunjae's question cutting clean through his thoughts, "Jacob graduated last year, and coach might want you to take the spot."
"I don't know." He allows the last word to trail off as he leans his head back to look towards the sky, the once blue horizon now adorning faint shades of orange and yellow.
"You should at least think about it. I know for a fact that Jacob won't approve of anyone other than you, and I don't think it should go to anyone other than you," Hyunjae tries to convince him. Juyeon doesn't know what to say, silence filling the gaps between the two lines. "Well, I'll see you at practice then."
He separates the phone from his ear as the call drops. Juyeon had no particular emotion in regards to becoming the next team captain. Jacob approached him last year to take the spot, but he hadn't thought about it since then.
The responsibility didn't bother him, and It would look amazing on his transcripts, but otherwise, he felt no obligation to take the position. Just another card dealt to him by life. The position itself was no problem as it didn't threaten the routine he already set in place: classes during the day, basketball practice after (if he had any), then cram school later at night. It may seem a bit too mundane for some, but it was his routine, one that he treasures as it gives him something concrete to lean on to, a foundation of sorts. There is, however, a small desire to break said routine, something that could fill that empty, gnawing feeling that dug its way into his psyche since starting senior year.
He stood up, dusting his pants off while turning around in order to face the baseball field once more. It was empty now, the boy no longer in sight. It was to be expected. The sun was setting and unless you were apart of a school club it was highly unlikely for anyone to stay this late at school. It was odd though, there was something in Juyeon that wishes the boy would've stayed, to be re-mesmerized by the movement of blue against the red beamed clay of the baseball field.
He didn't even know the boy, nor did he know what he wanted from him. Perhaps he just needed someone to talk to, a new voice to help him out. Don't get him wrong, he was grateful for having his best friends, and he knew that they would always be together through thick and thin, but, in all honesty, there were days where he just needed a new opinion.
4:15 pm
Juyeon sighs to himself as he heads for the rooftop doors. He had 5 minutes to get to the gymnasium or else coach would throw a fit, luckily the stairwell was quite close to the gymnasium, about a hallway down. Upon nearing the doors, small black scribbles located on a concrete brick, near the corner of the doorway, caught his eye. Looking closer he sees ten black digits written in neat print, a phone number.
02-1314-1122
'The numbers are still pretty dark. it must be new.' Juyeon ponders and, without thinking much of it, he takes a picture of the number with his phone and heads down the stairs.
...
"Alright everyone, as you all may know I injured myself during the break," Coach sighs. Everyone around Juyeon chuckles, including Hyunjae.
The team was informed at the beginning of the semester that Coach Min sustained an injury during the winter holidays. At first, they were all worried about him and what that would mean for the basketball season. That was until they found out about the true nature of his injury, he was attempting to learn TWICE choreography with his daughter when he twisted his body the wrong way and his hip locked into place.
"So I've asked for some outside assistance to help the team this season."
Jacob walks in not long after coach announces that they were getting outside assistance. If you were to ask anyone about Jacob they would tell you that Jacob was pretty much an angel. He was a charming individual with an angelic face and a sweet mesmerizing voice. He was well loved by the school and had many admirers, though none of them could approach him because of Sangyeon, Jacob's boyfriend, being around him all the time.
It was due to Jacob's leadership and skill that they won the trophy last year. And no one wanted to lose that title.
" Hey, what's up everybody?" Jacob says with an angelic smile. "I'll be helping out from now on."
"Hyung don't you have University Classes? Won't it be too busy for you?" Hyunjae asks from the back of the group, his voice filled with excitement but also worry. Hyunjae and Juyeon were particularly close to Jacob in comparison to the other people in the team, and even though Jacob was older than them, there was always an unspoken agreement in protecting the small older boy. If anything were to happen to him, Sangyeon ( who they were also close to) would take it out on himself and they simply want to ensure that that won't happen.
"Luckily my university classes end at 4 pm and it's not too far from the school so it won't be too much of a problem!" Jacob responds, a reassuring smile shown on his face. "Besides, I have a cousin who just started school here and It wouldn't hurt to see him more often."
"Will he be joining the team?" A student asks. Jacob was quite popular at school during his stay and it was no surprise that people were wondering about his relatives. Especially one he cares enough about to announce in the middle of a team meeting. Even Juyeon found himself wondering who he was, what he looked like, and how he sounded.
"No, he's not really into basketball, but I'll make sure to introduce you all to him if he ever comes by," Jacob began, his face became more serious, brows furrowed, a serious (yet still adorable) pout forming at the corner of his lips. "But enough about my cousin. We shall go over the training plan for today, as you all know our first game is in 2 weeks and we need to make sure we are in tip-top shape."
Jacob began to trail off, laying out the structure of today's practice. The team, including Hyunjae, listens to him in earnest. Juyeon listens, but somewhat absently, he knew the plan a few days earlier as the coach approached him for his thoughts. Though he hasn't officially accepted the team captain position, the tasks normally assigned to the position have already fallen into Juyeon's lap. It was part of the reason to why he believed he had no choice in the matter.
Sighing to himself silently he moves away from the center of the court along with the team, picking up one of the balls from its basket. The sound of dribbling around him drowning his insecurities. He allows himself to let go and enjoy the sport that he loves.
...
Practice officially finishes at 6:30 pm, though most of the boys remain on the court, playing freely, passing the ball around with mild competitiveness. Juyeon would've normally remained on the court, weaving through the people as he takes a shot, but today seemed oddly way too tiring for him and he decides to finish as soon as practice ends. Wiping his sweat with the bottom of his shirt, Juyeon sat on the bench to catch his breath before moving to the changerooms. Jacob sees Juyeon move to take a break, visibly more exhausted than usual.
"Been a long day?" Jacob asks, offering a bottle of water to Juyeon. The younger boy nods in gratitude, hastily turning the cap. Without waiting for much of a response Jacob continues. "So how's the first week of being captain?"
It was clear to Juyeon that Jacob thought that he was already captain of the team.
"I'm not the captain" Juyeon responds quietly, Jacob looks at him somewhat oddly.
"But didn't you create today's training regimen with Coach Min?" Juyeon nods, "Plus he already told me you were captain."
"I guess he thinks of me that way, but I haven't technically accepted the position." Juyeon wasn't sure whether or not to voice his insecurities to Jacob, he knew that Jacob wouldn't judge him, its outside of Jacob's nature to Judge anybody, but Juyeon knows that Jacob also wishes him to be the next captain. "I just don't think I'm cut out for it."
"Of course you are,"Jacob says as reassuringly as possible, "There's no else that deserves it, but take your time and if you need any help you can ask me." He put's a hand on Juyeon's shoulder and squeezes it lightly, a reassuring smile on his face.
'Just You!!!'- Jacob's phone rings.
" Yes, Yeon?" Jacob answers, his tone lightens when he hears Sangyeon's voice over the phone. Juyeon couldn't help but smile at the older boys' relationship. It was to be admired. They were together for the majority of high school, though it wasn't made public until their last year. They were brave, Juyeon remember's when the two boys came to school the day they made their relationship public. They came into school holding hands, wearing matching pink topped couple outfits, Jacob's face almost as pink as the shirt he was wearing. Though there were obviously some people who could not accept the truth, surprisingly the majority of the student body was accepting of them.
Jacob smiles at Juyeon as he walks away, symbolic of a farewell.
Juyeon sighs, moving towards the change rooms, opposite of where Jacob was heading. Juyeon knew that Jacob meant no harm, but he can't help but feel pressured by the entire situation. It was as if everyone but him decided that he was captain, that he didn't even get a say in regards to the matter. He knew that there was no point in talking to Coach Min about it, nor to Jacob, as they were dead set on having him as captain. Hyunjae was practically in the same boat and Younghoon couldn't care less when it came to Basketball matters. The desire to have someone new to talk was stronger than ever.
Opening his phone, the picture of the phone number he took earlier appears immediately, being the last thing on his phone before locking it,
'What do I have to lose?' he thinks to himself. Inputting the number on to his phone, he sends a message.
To: 02-1314-1122
Hello?