Chapter Text
Jiung loved exactly three things in life: neat layouts, well-written articles, and peace.
Unfortunately, the school newspaper had just taken all three from him in one sentence.
“Jiung, Theo,” their adviser said, tapping the whiteboard like it was a gavel delivering a death sentence. “You’ll be handling this month’s feature.”
Theo straightened beside him, eyes sparkling. “Another club spotlight?”
Jiung nodded along, hopeful. Please be the Gardening Club. Please be the Chess Society. Please be anything that didn’t involve sweat, whistles, or—
“The basketball team.”
Jiung froze.
Theo blinked. “Oh.”
“And specifically,” their adviser continued far too cheerfully, “the Basketball MVP.”
The marker squeaked as she underlined the name already written on the board.
HWANG INTAK
Jiung felt his soul leave his body.
“No,” he said, immediately and loudly, earning a look from everyone in the room. He cleared his throat. “I mean—no, respectfully.”
Theo leaned closer. “You’re going to pass out.”
“I am going to pass away,” Jiung muttered. “In this very classroom.”
Hwang Intak.
Basketball MVP. School celebrity. Walking disaster.
And worst of all the guy who flirted with Jiung every single time he so much as breathed near the court.
“You’ll be conducting a sit-down interview,” their adviser said. “Photos, quotes, background. Make it engaging.”
Theo nodded like this was the best news of his life. “Got it!”
Jiung raised a shaky hand. “Is there "hypothetically" another writer?”
“Nope.”
“A substitute?”
“No.”
“A medical excuse?”
Their adviser smiled. “You’ll be fine.”
Jiung would not, in fact, be fine.
The gym smelled like rubber floors, sweat, and arrogance.
Jiung knew this because he had been forced to walk past it countless times on his way to the journalism room and every single time, Intak was there.
Every. Single. Time.
“Reporter Jiung!” Intak’s voice echoed across the court the moment Jiung stepped inside with Theo. “Didn’t know you were into sports.”
Jiung flinched.
Theo bit his lip, already trying not to laugh.
Intak jogged over, hair messy, jersey clinging to him in a way that was frankly illegal. Behind him trailed his teammates Keeho, grinning like he knew something, and Soul, who looked equally amused but quieter about it.
And then there was Jongseob.
Jiung’s cousin.
Traitor
“Oh hey, Jiung,” Jongseob said casually, tossing Intak a towel. “Didn’t know you were coming today.”
Jiung stared at him. “You knew?”
Jongseob shrugged. “Intak mentioned it.”
Jiung whipped his head toward Intak. “You mentioned it?”
Intak smiled. “I pay attention.”
Theo made a noise suspiciously close to a giggle.
“Professionalism,” Jiung reminded himself under his breath. He pulled out his recorder. “We’re here for the interview. Nothing else.”
“Aw,” Intak said. “Straight to business?”
Keeho leaned over to Soul. “He’s definitely flirting.”
Soul nodded. “Aggressively.”
Jiung shot them a glare. “You two quiet.”
“Yes, sir,” Keeho said, still smiling.
They moved to the bleachers for the interview. Jiung sat stiffly, Theo beside him with the camera, while Intak sprawled far too comfortably across from them, elbows on his knees, eyes fixed on Jiung like he was the only person there.
“So,” Jiung said, clicking the recorder on. “Hwang Intak. Basketball MVP. How does it feel?”
“To be interviewed by you?” Intak said. “Amazing.”
Jiung stopped recording. “Do you want this article to exist?”
Theo fully snorted.
Intak laughed, hands up. “Okay, okay. Serious. It feels good. All the hard work paid off.”
Jiung nodded, scribbling notes. “How long have you been playing basketball?”
“Since middle school,” Intak replied. “But I got serious in high school.”
“And your teammates?” Jiung asked. “Support system?”
Keeho immediately leaned into frame. “We’re incredible.”
Soul added, “He’d be nothing without us.”
Intak gasped. “Lies.”
Jongseob chuckled from where he sat nearby, scrolling on his phone. “He’s insufferable, but he works hard.”
Jiung paused. “…Why are you even here?”
Jongseob smiled sweetly. “Moral support.”
“For him?” Jiung hissed.
“Yes.”
Jiung considered disowning his cousin.
As the interview went on, it became painfully clear that Intak answered every question normally and then added something unnecessary.
“What motivates you?”
“Winning and impressing cute reporters.”
“What are your future goals?”
“Going pro. Maybe dating someone in journalism.”
Theo had to lower the camera multiple times to laugh.
Jiung’s ears burned. “Can you not?”
Intak tilted his head. “Why? You don’t like it?”
“I—” Jiung stopped. Regrouped. “This is a professional setting.”
Intak smiled softer this time. “I know.”
And somehow, that made it worse.
When the interview finally ended, Jiung packed up at lightning speed.
“We’re done,” he said. “Thank you for your time.”
“Anytime,” Intak replied. “Especially if it’s you.”
Jiung turned and walked away without looking back.
Theo followed, whispering, “You’re doomed.”
Jiung sighed. “It’s only the beginning”
Behind them, Intak watched with a grin, nudging Keeho.
“I like him.”
Keeho smirked. “Oh, we noticed.”
And somewhere deep down very deep Jiung felt the terrible sense that this assignment was about to change everything.