Chapter 27: Get Your Goddamn Head In The Game!

Wednesday | November 29th, 2023 | 4:42 PM

"Nervous?"

"Super," I sighed, stretching my quads. The rec center was buzzing with energy. Almost every team that made it to the playoffs came to the center early, my team included, and everyone was warming up before the games started. The atmosphere was different, and I could feel it in the air.

"I don't blame you," Jinho laughed, rubbing his arms. Despite putting up a cool facade, he was nervous, too. Jinho was a cool-headed person and he had a poker face. His body language told lies, though. "It's our first time making it to the playoffs, we have a point to prove."

"Damn right," I laughed. We sat down next to each other, and together, we stretched. On the court, the rest of the team was warming up. Sana and Yeji were passing a volleyball between them while Haechan and Tzuyu were doing their own little stretches. I sighed as I leaned forward, feeling a burn in my hamstrings.

"Are the others coming today?" Jinho questioned, leaning forward and touching his toes.

"They better," I said. "We're going to need them to be loud."

Jinho hummed, nodding. We fell into a comfortable silence, and the sounds of the rec center filled our ears. The sound of squeaking shoes, bouncing volleyballs, and loud conversations. It was all there, filling the rec center. I got up from the ground and reached my hands towards the sky, a loud sigh escaping my lips.

"You ready?" Jinho questioned, also getting up.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I nodded, taking in a deep breath. Jinho and I made our way back to the team, meeting them halfway. "Are you guys warmed up?"

"Yep, we're good," Sana smiled, Yeji nodding. A little bit away from us, Haechan and Tzuyu joined the group, also signaling that they're done.

"Good, now listen up," I said, a serious tone in my voice. They all looked at me, waiting for me to continue. "You know, I'm really proud of us. Technically, our journey started last year when we all decided to take up volleyball. Look where we are now."

"Playoffs, baby!" Haechan whooped, causing the girls to giggle.

"Exactly," I grinned. "This is a big deal for us, okay? It's our first time making it and we deserve to have fun. But, at the same time, we're good enough to prove a point, right?"

They nodded, a new sense of pride rising up in them.

"Alright, so, let's have some fun and let's win this intramural season," I smiled. The group had broken off, going into our usual pre-game rituals. The games were going to start soon, and all the teams were already starting to get heated up. I glanced around the gym and saw none of our usual cheerleaders.

I pulled my phone out of my bag and dialed a number. It took a few rings, but she eventually answered.

"Minjae! I'm on my way right now but there's some traffic. Sorry," Chaewon's voice immediately apologized through the speaker.

"No, it's fine. I was just wondering if you're gonna make it in time. Our game starts soon I think," I said.

"Ugh, no," Chaewon dragged on, annoyed. "This traffic is the worst."

"Don't worry about it," I chuckled. "Just get here safe."

"Of course, good luck," She cooed.

"Thanks, bye," I smiled, and hung up. Turning back to my crew, they were all doing their own thing. We played really well during the season and I had a lot of hope that we would be able to pull through in the end. Although it'd be nice if we had our peanut gallery cheering us on, there were some faces I was hoping to impress today after all.

Looking across the courts, I saw the behemoths that made up the Wall Street team. The boys on that team were tall and muscular. If they didn't play volleyball, they looked like they could play basketball or baseball. The thought of playing them early in the playoffs sent a chill down my spine.

In the distance, I spotted a familiar face walking into the gym. Her eyes met mine, and she shot me a warm smile. I jogged over to Karina, who entered with her team, and waved.

"Ready for playoffs," I greeted, slowing down and stopping in front of her. Her team acknowledged me and walked ahead, leaving the two of us behind. Now that I was up close and personal, I couldn't help but notice that she was dressed a bit differently than normal. I had to lock my eyes onto her pretty face to avoid staring.

Karina had on a black sports bra and high-waisted shorts. It was the type of outfit that would look normal on anyone else, but her ridiculously hot body made her stand out. Her work clothes really hid her figure well. The rec felt like the temperature just jumped up 10 degrees.

"Excited," She nodded. "Are you guys warmed up, ready, y'know."

"I mean, yeah," I chuckled, crossing my arms. "It's our first time getting into the playoffs. We're determined to win."

"Right," She grinned, her eyes brightening. "Well, good luck. Hopefully you make it far enough so that we meet in the finals!"

"Right, as if you'll make it," I smirked, teasing her.

"Oof," She hissed, placing a hand over her heart, fake hurt. "You hurt me, Minjae."

"Good, that's the goal," I teased, and she rolled her eyes. Karina's gaze drifted behind me, and I looked back to see my team. The girls were gathered around each other, chatting. "I'll leave you to warm up with your team, and I'll go do the same."

"Bye," Karina smiled, waving her hand. "I'll see you on the courts."

I smiled, "See you later."

I turned around and went back to my team, joining them. We had stood around doing whatever we felt like, not particularly warming up like we should've as a team but I didn't mind if it helped ease their nerves. After a few minutes, a whistle blew, and I saw the team of referees and officials walking into the gym.

That was our signal for every team to swarm them and surround them, eager for the games to start. A referee walked towards us, holding a clipboard. "Hello, team name?"

"The Goofy Goobers," I answered. He raised an eyebrow and looked down at his list. His face lit up when he found our name and checked a box next to it.

"Okay, the Goofy Goobers. You're on Court 2 and your opponents are the Golden Spikers. We'll begin the matches soon, we're going in the order of who had the best regular season record. If there's any confusion or questions, ask me or another ref."

The referee moved away and walked towards another team. I looked back at my team, who all were relieved that we had a simple enough team to go up against for our first. I clapped my hands together, drawing their attention, "Alright, ladies and gentlemen. This is what we've been preparing for, okay? Let's play some good volleyball and have fun."

"Fuck, yeah!" Yeji grinned. The team cheered and the atmosphere was light. The referee's whistle rang again, and all the teams broke off towards their designated courts. I had confidence that we would be able to win without too much difficulty.

An audience had slowly trickled in. It wasn't a full house, each court had some number of friends that had come out to support their respective teams. Speaking of which, I noticed a familiar group of girls enter the court. Saerom led the fashion trio, Joy, Jennie, and Xiaoting, behind her. The girls scanned the court and immediately found our team, jogging and skipping towards us.

"Hey, sorry, we're late," Saerom smiled apologetically. "We had to run all the way from the arts building."

"We're just glad you guys came," I chuckled, smiling at her. The team had wrapped around, happy to see them. "Thanks for coming out, again. We appreciate it."

"Of course, I can't believe you guys made it this far! Good job," Jennie said, a warm and genuine smile on her face.

"You guys have been playing for a while, I remember when you guys tried making me play with you guys when you first started," Joy grinned. "Congrats, it's exciting."

"It is," I smiled, rubbing the back of my neck. My eyes drifted around the rec center and towards Karina's team. She and her team were also huddled up, looking deep in a pep talk before their game. They seemed to be getting excited as well, a competitive fire in their eyes.

On our court on the other side of the net, I saw the Golden Spikers team huddle up. It was an interesting mix, all different body types. Some were tall, some were shorter, some were buff and muscular, some were lanky. Their team was diverse and interesting, and I had a feeling they'd be tough opponents.

"Let's win this one," I said. Corny as it was, I stuck my hand out in the middle of us and let everyone pile on, forming a small huddle. We were all smiling and giggling, feeling the hype. When I was satisfied, I yelled out, "Goobers on three! One, two, three!"

"Goobers!" We cheered, our hands separating.