HAVE YOU EVER FLiRTED WiTH YOUR LiFE ON THE LiNE - match 14: fetal position
β james, captain of his soccer team gives the famous soccer sports anime blue lock a bad review. not knowing the school's president is absolutely obsessed with said anime
β taglist (open): @taelvvrzz @cortisean @mimismachineheart @iraa567 @seokiify @13uk-g @royallywovenhorizon @badbitch69420sworld ask to be added!!
You could not believe your eyes.
Actually, scratch that.
What you couldn't believe was the sheer audacity of fate.
Because out of every restaurant in the city. Every diner. Every burger place. Every noodle shop. Every convenience store selling suspiciously good fried chicken at eleven o'clock at night.
These idiots had somehow ended up here.
The bell above the entrance chimed cheerfully, it was indeed not cheerful for you. You looked up from wiping down the counter and immediately froze.
Five familiar figures stepped through the door, and unfortunately, your eyes found him first. Of course they did.
The soccer team had clearly come straight from a match. The evidence was impossible to miss.
Seonghyeon looked like someone had stole all his money and kicked him in the stomach. Keonho had the thousand-yard stare of a man who had spent the last two hours running after a ball. Their jerseys were damp with sweat, socks pushed down around their calves, hair sticking up in random directions.
And he...
You frowned.
He looked miserable.
His shoulders seemed heavier somehow. His uniform was wrinkled. There was a faint streak of dirt near one knee. His hair looked like he'd run his hands through it fifty times on the ride over.
For some reason, seeing him like that made something uncomfortable tug inside your chest. Which was annoying.
You weren't supposed to feel bad for him, he hates the one thing you love.
Across the restaurant, Martin and Juhoon were already attempting emotional damage control. "It was one game," Martin was saying for what sounded like the fifteenth time.
"We lost."
"It was one game."
Juhoon nodded supportively. "Exactly. You guys are acting like the season ended."
"We needed that win."
"You need therapy."
"Probably." Honestly, that was the healthiest thing anyone at that table had said. You continued staring until your mother suddenly appeared beside you carrying a tray.
You nearly jumped. She looked entirely unimpressed. "You should go give them menus." You glanced back at the table, with a sigh, you grabbed a stack of menus and headed toward the table.
Professional. Calm. Classy. Bougie.
The second James noticed you approaching, something genuinely bizarre happened. The guy practically sat up like he'd just remembered his chiropractor scolding him about posture and whatnot. One moment he was slouched over the booth looking emotionally defeated.
The next he was sitting upright. Shoulders back. Hair pushed out of his face. Attemptingβ and failingβ to look significantly more presentable than he actually was.
Which was funny because he was still visibly sweaty. There was literally grass stuck to one of his socks.
You stopped beside the table.
He stared. "...Prez?"
"Unfortunately."
"What are you doing here?"
You looked around slowly. At the tables, the kitchen, the restaurant your family had owned since before you were born. Thinking back of all the years studying and serving customers all at the same time. Then looked back at him. "I work here, ego brain."
"Oh."
You stare at him as the gears in his head are probably shifting around. "Wait I thought riki worked here."
You sigh, realizing there might be a chance him being here tonight was not just random coincidence, or you being punished by the fates. No just being punished for being friends with riki. "He does occassionally, likes to help my mom out when days are busy and when I can't."
Juhoon makes a shock gasping noise, as if he realized something after you mention riki's flexible work schedule.
James ignored him completely. "This is your family's place?"
"Last I checked."
"Huh." He sounded oddly pleased by that information, which was weird.
You decided not to investigate. "You guys ready to order?"
"No."
"K"
You walked away before James could say anything else.
-
The next twenty minutes were spent balancing trays, taking orders, and preventing a small child from drinking oil.
Normal restaurant activities.
Unfortunately, every time you glanced toward the soccer table, your eyes automatically found James. Not intentionally.
You hope.
The problem was he still looked sad, less sad than before, but still sad. And every time you noticed, that same irritating feeling returned.
Eventually their food was ready.
You grabbed the tray and headed over.
The second you set James' plate down, he immediately picked up his utensils and took a bite. You watch as his face slowly starts making some sort of facial expression- you couldn't pin point it as he had his mouth full and saucers for eyes.
You narrowed your eyes. "What?"
James looked up.
"Huh?"
"You made a face."
"It was a good face." Now you made a face, filled with confusion and judgement.
He pointed at the food. "This is amazing."
Now your facial expression turned to one that was offended. "Why do you sound surprised?"
"No, that's not what I meant." Across the table, Martin was visibly enjoying this.
James pointed his fork at you. "I'm complimenting the food."
"Poorly."
"I'm trying."
"Try harder." A smile tugged briefly at the corner of his mouth.
Then he looked down at his plate again. "Seriously though. Kisses to the chef."
The table went completely silent.
"James I don't think that is the correct expression." Keonho is the first to speak as he tries to hide his giggles.
Martin's elongated form immediately folded in half. Nex to him Seonghyeon physically put his face in his hands.
You have just been blinking rapidly as the whole interaction has been going on, maybe hoping all of this is just a dream and nothing close to reality.
You're pretty sure he tried to say 'compliments to the chef'. Either way, all the blinking you have done has not made you fly away from all this. So attempting to stifle a chuckle you speak up finally "...I'll tell my mom, I guess."
Martin was crying now.
You had to physically turn away because if James saw you laughing, he'd never recover.
-
The rest of dinner passed surprisingly quickly. The team seemed to recover little by little, not completely, but enough.
Enough for Seonghyeon to stop looking like he'd lost custody of his children. Martin has stopped giving motivational speeches. AndJames is smiling occasionally. Which was good, not that you cared.
Eventually they started paying.
One by one they headed toward the register. Each one left after paying, gathering near the entrance while waiting for the others. Until eventually only James remained.
The restaurant had gotten quieter, most of the dinner crowd had already gone home. Soft music drifted from somewhere overhead. For a moment, it was just the two of you.
James dug through his wallet while you rang up the bill.
And suddenly you remembered. "I heard you guys lost."
James mood shifted. Not dramatically, most people probably wouldn't have noticed. But you noticed, his smile faded slightly, his shoulders lowered. And for some reason, seeing it happen felt awful.
Which made no sense. He is like basically evil because he didn't like your favourite anime... sometimes you have to stop and realize you sound insane in your own head.
Right, he completely disregarded the chemistry lab once... once. and ever since then he hasn't shown up late- heck sometimes he starts the lab before you get the chance to.
Oh, right. For some reason this guy, who sometimes barely stays awake in class, is off doing whatever extracurriculars, has managed to beat you for the top grade sometimes. Right that is why he is the enemy in your head.
So why did seeing him upset feel different?
"Yeah," he said quietly.
The register beeped. "That sucks."
James laughed softly, a tired sound. "Little bit."
You crossed your arms. "You can still make playoffs."
"Probably." The answer came too quickly, like he wasn't really thinking about it. Like he'd already decided something.
You frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
James shrugged. "You know."
"No."
Another shrug. You wanted to hit him. "You have words. Use them."
That finally got a smile, small, then it faded again. "Everyone expects us to win."
You stayed quiet.
"Even when we do." His gaze dropped briefly toward the counter. "...nobody really says anything. Like the people we have squealing and all just talk about how good we look or whatever... I don't know what I'm saying. Besides teammates and coaches, I just want a simple congratulations, you know."
The words landed heavier than expected, because you understood. Not completely, but close enough. To recognize the loneliness underneath them, to realize that was probably why losing hurt so much.
You looked at him for a long moment, then said the first thing that came to mind. "Then win the next one."
James looks up at you. "Win the next one... and I will congratulate you" You pointed at him.
James is just staring at you now, face unmoving.
You immediately wanted to throw yourself into traffic. What kind of thing was that to say? You sounded sincere. Disgusting.
For a long second neither of you spoke.
James smiled.
And for reasons you absolutely refused to acknowledge that your heartbeat skipped.
"Oh." He says still with such a wide grin.
You pointed aggressively at the receipt. "Don't make it weird."
"I'm not."
"You look weird." That only made him laugh.
And somehow, when he grabbed his receipt and headed toward the door, he looked lighter than when he'd walked in, like some invisible weight had shifted.
Near the entrance, Martin immediately looked between the two of you.
"What happened?"
James just shook his head, still smiling.
And for the first time that night, he looked like someone who genuinely believed he could win the next game.
HAVE YOU EVER FLiRTED WiTH YOUR LiFE ON THE LiNE - match 13: exploiting children
β james, captain of his soccer team gives the famous soccer sports anime blue lock a bad review. not knowing the school's president is absolutely obsessed with said anime
β taglist (open): @taelvvrzz @cortisean @mimismachineheart @iraa567 @seokiify @13uk-g @royallywovenhorizon @badbitch69420sworld ask to be added!!
sex is a distraction from your true purpose in life which is to go to the aquarium and look at the fish and go "wooooooaaah.... fishies". cmon guys we all need to lock in.
HAVE YOU EVER FLiRTED WiTH YOUR LiFE ON THE LiNE - match 12: chicken scratches
β james, captain of his soccer team gives the famous soccer sports anime blue lock a bad review. not knowing the school's president is absolutely obsessed with said anime
β taglist (open): @taelvvrzz @cortisean @mimismachineheart @iraa567 @seokiify @13uk-g @royallywovenhorizon @badbitch69420sworld ask to be added!!
HAVE YOU EVER FLiRTED WiTH YOUR LiFE ON THE LiNE - match 11: banana bread
β james, captain of his soccer team gives the famous soccer sports anime blue lock a bad review. not knowing the school's president is absolutely obsessed with said anime
β taglist (open): @taelvvrzz @cortisean @mimismachineheart @iraa567 @seokiify @13uk-g ask to be added!!
warnings: I wrote half of this drunk. word count: 2k
james had been sitting in the corner of martin's garage for so long he might as well blend into the walls. he had an entire loaf of banana bread in his lap like a suburban housewife waiting for his ceo husband.
the garage itself was really warm in a cluttered, slightly suffocating garage turned into whatever martin wants to do, which is turn into band practice space. old posters peeled from the walls beside a bunch of tangled wires and amplifiers that look like that could explode and electrocute anyone at any second. half the lights were dimmed yellow spilling over everyone.
martin and lily, the lead singer of the group if james remembers correctly, they were currently arguing over something in the center of the room while sunoo, the pianist was trying to calm them down.
meanwhile, james sat in the corner pretending to be scrolling through his phone while very obviously staring at you every thirty seconds.
not intentionally... okay maybe a little intentionally.
right now you were sitting on a stool near the amp, guitar balanced lazily against your thigh while you were absentmindly played random riffs between conversations. your fingers moved smoothly across the strings despite the fact that you were barely paying attention, too busy arguing with martin over whether the song sounded "emotionally constipated."
what the heck does that even mean.
another thing james seems to not understand is that every time you laughed, something weird would happen to his chest. like right now.
sunoo had said something out of pocket, and you had laughed so hard that you messed up a chord so bad. causing you to glare down at your guitar like the instrument betrayed them.
james did his best to physically look away.
something weird in his chest has been acting weird. like something is beating too fast and he might burst. he should probably get it checked out with a doctor or something.
he frowned suspiciously down at his banana bread in his lap.
across the room, you tucked your hair behind your ear while leaning over martin's shoulder to look at something on his phone, and that weird fast beating in his chest sped up again.
this is getting ridiculous, he came here for completely normal reasons. totally normal.
-
eventually rehearsals winded down, sunoo and lily have gone already. you finally stood from the stool with a quiet groan, packing up your guitar in your case and reaching for a jumble of keys in your pocket.
james straightened his back from where he was sitting.
he got this, it is legit just banana bread. it is completely normal for people to offer baked good to other people, so there is no need to go into cardiac arrest.
you head out of the garage to the sidewalk, towards a specific navy blue car parked in front of martin's house.
james immediately gets up, martin looks at him, "oh hell yah," he whispered, with a huge grin again. "you're actually doing this."
"shut up." james muttered.
"dude your ears are red."
"i'm going to kill you." james aggressively whispers, ignoring martin's giggles and hurried outside before he changes his mind.
the evening air hits him when he steps out, you had already reached your car and halfway about to open the driver's door when james called out your name.
you turn to him, "oh," you blinked. "were you here?"
james stops walking. "umm, yeah i was visiting martin but he had band practice." he lies through his teeth. but you don't seem to suspect anything.
"and i made banana bread for y- martin and his family, but you guys had your band thing so um.."
you looked down at the banana bread. then made an awkward smile. to james this is better than the way they would glare at him all the time during the first week of school.
"that's nice, but i can't eat bananas." their awkward smile becomes an apologetic face.
james stared at you. "...what?"
you pressed your lips together before continuing. "yeah, i have chronic migraines and doctors told me to stay away from bananas- oh and chocolate. screens to but that is unavoidable."
james looked down at the loaf in his hands, taking a moment to understand if what you said to him was a lie or not. "you're kidding,"
"umm... i don't think migraines are voluntary ball boy."
james doesn't not know how to react. all that time stressed over a loaf that can't be used to get on their good side. before he can full process all of this a couple of people walked by and called out your name, expect he recognized that voice.
riki, his own teammate and seem to be holding hands with a young kid, "sorry we're late!"
he sees gehlee a girl he remembers seeing last year in the art club, but he never really spoke to her much. "we went to get juice boxes at the store but the lines were insanely long." were they your friends?
he looks at you, and you seem unsurprised of their arrival. you were waving at them with a soft smile on your lips. then the young girl that was holding riki's hands ran up to you excitedly and james watches as your expression completely softens. then he looks back and forth between your faces. before he could stop himself, he asks. "is that your sister?"
you nodded at him while ruffling the kid's hair. "riki picked her up for me for her game."
"game?" james asked.
"my soccer game!" the little kid answered before you could.
james pauses. "... soccer?"
"unfortunately," you sighed dramatically.
martin finally wandered outside too, still visibly enjoying watching james suffer. "ooh kids got a soccer game tonight?"
gehlee finally notices james still standing there holding the rejected banana bread. and looks back at you, and a dangerous smile forms across her face. "ohh, so that's why you're here." referring to james."
james' face becomes warm. "no."
"oh you baked for them," riki whispers at him.
james shook his head. "it was for the band."
"the band that can't eat bananas?"
james considered throwing himself into incoming traffic. you, thankfully, were stuck in a conversation with your little sister about some outer worldly new brainrot, your face does not look convinced in whatever you're being told.
"anyways," gehlee announces, grabbing everyone's attention, "the little kids would probably love to eat your banana bread james."
your little sister gasped. "banana bread?" and suddenly james decided he really appreciates kids dearly.
-
then the problem of transportation came.
specfically the fact there are too many people, one car, and not enough seats. everyone silently stared at the car for maybe too long. then martin speaks up, "okay, who's going in the trunk?"
"no one is going into the trunk," you replied instantly.
"cowards," riki mutters.
five minutes later, he is taking back his words.
the seating arrangement, riki, who was about ninety percent limbs, ends up upon martin's lap in a backseat, while gehlee attempts to physically hold them both in place. "this feels illegal," martin complained from somewhere beneath riki.
"if the police pulls us over," you said while gripping the steering wheel with the exhausted focus of someone once moment away from homicide, "i'm telling them i don't know any of you."
"you would betray us?" martin asked, sounding really wounded.
"for sure dude."
then everyone stared at james.
"passenger seat." gehlee decided.
james stays still awkwardly. "why me?"
"because you're tall." she says as if two boys who are over six foot are not piled up on top of each other next to her.
"that makes no sense mar-"
"get in the car."
now, despite all odds, james is in the passenger seat beside you. which is not doing him any good with his blood pressure. the drive was absolute chaos.
gehlee kept throwing snacks at people, martin and riki were actively fighting each other. your little sister kept yelling 'six seven' while you were threatening vehicular manslaughter every four minutes.
meanwhile james sat there beside you trying very hard not to smile every time you would in his opinion get faked annoyed.
but every now and then you would glance over while talking, and james would simply forget whatever thought that was in his head.
this is medically concerning.
when they all got to the soccer field, the stands were already crowded with families folding chairs and blankets... you guys group was just a bunch of arguing teenagers, the loudest ones there.
james stood next to you near the sidelines after you gave your little sister's team a terrifying speech about how they shoud not be above pushing and shoving in order to win, while gehlee started handing out snacks to your little sister's team.
"you're taking this really seriously," he comments as you start shielding your eyes from the sun glaring at your guys direction.
"i care about winning." you shrug.
"yeah... a lot."
"ball boy, you're literally the school's soccer captain." he can't help but hear a slight annoyance in the way you said those words, but ignoring that. "hey it's different when it is my team and not a bunch of preteens cowering at an angry older sibling."
you snort softly at that, and he felt something weirdly victorious over getting you to laugh.
-
the game itself was adorable. wild kids sprinting around kicking the ball with lots of energy.
when your sister scored, you shocked him by full on jumping up yelling loud enough for half the field to hear. he stared at you for a second, and smiled before he could stop himself.
once the game ended with your younger sister's team winning, everyone spilled on to the sidelines celebrating.
that is when one of the coaches walked over. an older man, grinning after spotting the president. "well look who it is. do you still play these days?"
you were visibly awkward with the interaction. "no."
james looked between the two of them. "wait. you played soccer?"
the coach chuckled a laugh. "played? this one here was incredible."
looking back at you, james justs sees you actively avoiding eye contact with the both of you and just groaning, "uhhh."
"i'm serious," the coach insisted while point at them proudly. "man, one hell of a kick you had."
james' gears in his head were turning slowly. "what?"
you looked genuinely embarrassed now, not your plain idgaf face or your face of pure disgust that you would throw at him, rubbing the back of your neck. "it wasn't a big deal or anything."
"not a big deal? the coach repeated. "you once got concussed mid game once and refused to get off the field and finish the game with a win."
all james could do was stare at you in absolute disbelief. "you never told me this."
you glanced at him and looked away twice as fast, just shurgging.
"that's actually so cool prez."
you looked back at him again, but this time almost look offended. "please let's all stop talking."
he grinned. "we should play sometime."
"tsk, yeah, yeah whatever."
-
everyone started heading back toward your car, you were behind the crowd, hand hovering over you head, trying to block as much as the glaring sunset's light that was in your face. pulling out your phone and trying to capture a cute photo of everyone walking as the sun is going down in front of them.
james noticed this and slowed his tracks besides you. then, trying to sound as calm and casual as possible, he asked, "you should come watch one of my games sometime."
your attention still on your phone now that you were able to capture the photo, looking down at it examining said photo before locking it. adjusting your bag higher onto your shoulder. "sorry ball boy, busy."
maybe he should've been disappointed with this rejection, but honestly.
tonight still felt weirdly like a win. even if you never touched his banana bread.
masterlist β match 12
The amount of times my one friend kept making banana bread but I couldnt eat it ... chat wtf
HAVE YOU EVER FLiRTED WiTH YOUR LiFE ON THE LiNE - match 10: mlp was right
β james, captain of his soccer team gives the famous soccer sports anime blue lock a bad review. not knowing the school's president is absolutely obsessed with said anime
masterlist β match 11
β taglist (open): @taelvvrzz @cortisean @mimismachineheart @iraa567 @seokiify @13uk-g ask to be added!!
