Chapter 20 (1/1)

“When are you guys going back to Seoul?” Roo was left with Whimoon as the rest went back home to rest. “Tomorrow morning” “What time is your bus?”“8.15 am”“Have a good rest then, becareful on your way back home. I am going by this way, so I will say my goodbye here. Till then” She nodded her head at them. “It’s only 7pm, can you hang out with us longer? Since you’re not going back with us, and we don’t know when we will meet you again.” ChanWoo pleaded her to stay. Roo took a look at her watch before agreeing. They went to a nearby basketball court, not surprised, but this time, just chilling at the audience seat. “Back at Whimoon, we don’t even sit and chill like now” DongHyuk voiced. “We were too busy with school and we see basketball as something we have to do. I finally understand why I enjoyed playing basketball so much previously. I got back those feelings while playing with Richmond.”“Yeah, I agree with Hyukkie, it’s actually the first time we hang out with someone other than the 7 of us after basketball. We don’t even do that with other players of Whimoon.” Everything they said felt like long lost memories of Roo. It was true though, her teammates certainly don’t do that, and with Whimoon boys team, they were nothing more than just basketball mates. Being here in Richmond, she felt the warmth. It has been long since she felt those distant treatments. They always say your teammates are like your family, she understood that in Richmond. She tugged her legs in and hugged while listening to their conversation. “Was it hard for you?”“What was?” She questioned JinHwan back“Being here. Being a coach. Being a transfer student. Everything.”She took a good minute before she could answer, “it was better than I thought it would be.” She paused, waiting for them to talk, but no one spoke up, as if waiting for her to continue. “Rather than being in a skilled team, it was less scary here. It was… more comfortable.” She took a deep breath. “There wasn’t much to think about.”“I didn’t realise that Whimoon is so suffocating for you. you didn’t mention anything to me neither. And I kept on bothering you with my troubles.” Chanwoo said guiltily with his head hung low. Roo reached out to caressed his head, “It’s not your fault ChanWoo, it’s okay to share stuff with me. It’s not a bother”Everyone could see how caring Roo is, towards Chanwoo. She is just someone that needed a lot of time to get comfortable with. She isn’t as bad as what people perceived her to be. She just had a tough exterior, everyone forgot the fact that she’s just a high schooler, teenager that needed friends, and caring people in her life. After their interactions today, the remaining 6 then realised that, she was actually a little girl in the heart.“I am sorry, noona”“Silly, why are you sorry!”“No wonder our Maknae likes you so much. You need to stop being a Part time nanny, Roo. It doesn’t suit your image.” YunHyeong laughed.“Why do I keep thinking that you have something against me?”Bobby grabbed on to YunHyeong’s collar and JunHoe laced his arms around YunHyeong’s neck. “Leave it to us, Roo. We will get rid of him for you” YunHyeong managed to break off from the two and ran away. They were playing their chasing game while the 5 of them just watched at the side-line.“How’s ChanWoo doing right now?” The question was directed to the captain, of course. ChanWoo immediately shifted his gaze to meet Hanbin’s. pleading him to say that he’s doing well. “ I am sorry Maknae, but I can’t lie” He grinned slyly at ChanWoo. “He is being distracted too much lately because of your absence. He missed quite a number of trainings too. Coach is considering to kick him out of the team.”Roo had her eyes wide open. She was genuinely surprised to hear that. “Are you being serious right now?!”“You know me, I don’t joke around” HanBin faked a stoic expression“Jung Chan Woo” Roo is serious right now, if looks could kill, ChanWoo had already died a few times now. “Yah! Hyung! You have to take responsible for the words you said!” ChanWoo was backing away while the rest of his friends just laughed at his misfortune caused by their captain. They didn’t know they captain can joke. “Noona! That’s not true! Hyung is lying!”“Why would he lie! You come over here!” ChanWoo is now away from his seat, standing up preparing to run. Roo stood up, in position to chase him but was held on by a smiling Kim HanBin. “I am kidding Roo, you can’t do much destroy to this kid yet” Roo raised her eyebrows, unimpressed.“Excuse you Kim HanBin, am I seeing things right now? Did the cool ass captain just joked with me?” Roo removed herself from his grip and sat back down. “ChanWoo is an ambitious kid, you don’t have to worry man. The fact that you are not around anymore, drives him to achieve more. Seriously, I think that kid live to impress you.” “Anyway, how’s your leg, Roo?” That clueless JinHwan spoke up, received a nudge from DongHyuk. Roo heard DongHuk mouthing something along the line *told you not to bring that up!*She didn’t want to make the atmosphere awkward, she cleared her throat. Bringing up that past that was forgotten for a moment, “it’s healing well” she lied. DongHyuk was relieved when the awkward air he had expected, did not happen.“So does that mean we will see you on court soon, legend?” DongHyuk got excited.“probably?” HanBin and Chanwoo who had just come back watched Roo’s movement, as well as her knee. They could sense something was wrong but did not mention anything. They chatted until quarter past 10pm, and they decided to return home. They offered to send Roo home first but she insisted that she didn’t want them to do so. They parted at the basketball court, said their good byes, and they said they will return soon enough. It was a short unexpected reunion but they were glad that they had found her.