Three-point Through your Heart

For as long as she remembered, Jimin always had a basketball between her hands. 

Her first memory of basketball was when she was five years old. She clearly remembers her father’s utmost excitement when he had come home that day, with a brand new shiny basketball hoop stuffed in their van’s trunk. Tiny Jimin, not quite understanding what the fuss was but always ready to help, had helped him setting things up, all happy to see her father being so thrilled about something. 

And that day had been the first time she had properly played basketball. Her father had put a tiny orange ball in her small hands, beaming. 

“You should try to shoot it inside this hoop, Jimin. It’s really fun!” 

Alas, Tiny Jimin was way too small to reach the three meters high hoop, and she definitely didn’t have enough strength to be able to successfully throw the ball inside the basket. She was beyond frustrated with her father, who was just laughing at her struggles!

“Here, let me help you out sweetheart.” 

Her father had carefully placed his hands under Jimin’s tiny armpits, before suddenly raising her in the air, making Tiny Jimin way taller than she was supposed to be. And with this setup, she was successfully able to flawlessly throw the ball through the hoop.

And the feeling had been… indescribable. It was just a simple throw though but somehow, Jimin thinks that she fell in love with the sport right at that instant. And the next day, she enrolled in basketball classes, ready to recreate this incredible sensation she had felt, and became addicted to. 

And obviously, like any first loves, Jimin had never been able to forget basketball. So her still playing through middle school, highschool, up until college hadn’t been a surprise. What had been more of a shock though, especially for her loved ones, was that Jimin actually pursued the goal to become a professional basketball player. And the thought had entered her head during her second year of highschool. 

She was the star player of her team then, and loved the sport just as much as she did when she was five. But she had never really thought much of it. For Jimin, playing basketball was the perfect way to unwind after a tough day, or to just empty her mind from the headache school could sometimes be. 

But she didn’t really have any real motivation to keep on getting better in the sport. She was already the best in her team, so why bother to spend so much of her time practicing more, when she could just hang out with her friends or sleep instead? 

However, one day, everything had changed for Jimin, the cause of it being a tiny brunette who, on the first day of Jimin’s second year of high school, walked through their practice, and plainly humiliated Jimin. The girl was literally a midget too, which was even more embarrassing for Jimin who had always been proud of her unusual tall height! But she scored at least ten three points on Jimin’s face in the span of like, a minute. 

Jimin remembers the devious small grin on the other girl’s face when she had realized that her win would be a terribly easy one.

Later, Jimin learnt that the girl’s name was Minjeong, and that she was a freshman, who was aiming to become a professional basketball player, despite her small size and petite stature. She remembers how people would laugh at the younger girl for proudly displaying her seemingly unattainable dream, but Jimin knew that Minjeong was dead serious about it. And that she had everything in her to actually make it. If her humiliation wasn’t enough to prove it.

And after her shameful one versus one against Minjeong, Jimin, incredibly frustrated, had actually decided to stay behind to practice after everyone else had gone home. But when she turned her head, Minjeong was also still inside the gymnasium, already shooting from the three-point line on the opposite hoop. 

Jimin remembers rolling her eyes at the sight, even if deep down, she felt admirative of the younger girl’s resilience. However, all sense of admiration quickly vanished, when Minjeong turned to look at her, and shamelessly laughed right in her face. 

“Woah, I didn’t expect to see you actually practicing. Was the humiliation too much to handle?”

Jimin frowned, not expecting this level of cockiness from the seemingly timid girl. But before she could retort, Minjeong turned her back again, and resumed her mechanical movements, relentlessly throwing the ball, and flawlessly scoring each shot.  

But those extra practice hours hadn’t been an exception. Because following that day, Jimin had started to go inside the gym to get some additional practice every single day, without fault. And everytime she arrived on the court, Minjeong was already there, standing behind the three-point line, and throwing the ball towards the basket like a robot. 

This ordeal lasted for a good year, before the two actually decided to face each other again on the court. They hadn’t properly interacted ever since Minjeong’s snobbish remarks, mostly because Jimin did everything in her power to avoid Minjeong like the plague. But that day, Jimin had taken her revenge.

During a whole year, she had worked harder than anyone. She, who didn’t care less about hard work before and solely relied on her talent, had practiced every single day to prove some high school girl wrong. Jimin might not be the most passionate person, but she’s definitely competitive, and hates when people fantasize a pejorative and deluded image of her. 

So she trained, more and more, every day without fault. She practiced everything, and even relearnt the basics. How to make precise passes, how to dribble without giving her opponent any ways to steal the ball from her hands, how to efficiently block shots, how to skillfully perfect her signature crossover and jump shot. 

Jimin reviewed every single thing, to ensure her victory during her next game against Minjeong. And it was during that time that she discovered that maybe, basketball wasn’t just a way to unwind. Basketball was way more to her. It became the vessel of her sweat and tears. Of all of her hard work and passion.

Maybe basketball was made for her. It wasn’t just a simple hobby for her. It became a life goal.

Despite their differences, the two girls, forced in the same team, had also reluctantly learnt to play with each other. And what annoyed Jimin to no end was that, when they put their efforts and common skills together, they were simply unstoppable. With just the two of them, their team had managed to easily win the region’s high school championship. And both Minjeong and her had been chosen as the MVPs of the season. 

Sharing this title with Minjeong felt annoying though. It didn’t really give them any real closure on their indirect rivalry. At least, it was a rivalry in Jimin’s eyes.

When she had finally faced Minjeong again, Jimin had felt ready. And her overflowing confidence in her skills earned her an easy victory. She had managed to successfully stop almost every attempt Minjeong had made to score. A powerful block here, a sharp steal there. Jimin had simply dominated the court.

And now that she was in Minjeong’s old shoes, she realized how satisfying it felt to win, not thanks to pure talent, but because of her hard work and honed skills. But she also realized how satisfying it was to see your most dreaded rival lose all of her initial cockiness and brattiness, in the face of a crushing loss. 

However, Jimin knew better to not take this victory for granted. Because, while Minjeong and her hadn’t really bothered to interact, they had still spent every single day together practicing, even if it had been from a safe distance, and they had still been part of the same team, despite everything. So Jimin knows that Minjeong won’t give up this easily, and give her star player crown back to Jimin like that. 

Still, she was surprised when, with tears clearly falling on her round cheeks, Minjeong had asked Jimin for a rematch. 

“I’m not in great shape today. Let’s have a rematch tomorrow!” 

Not one to back out from a good challenge, Jimin had obviously accepted. And the next day, they played against each other again, and Minjeong surprisingly won. 

But this time, it was Jimin’s turn to ask for a rematch, her face crimson from anger and frustration.

“I wasn’t properly focused today. Let’s have a rematch tomorrow!” 

And like that, the two girls who had barely bothered to interact before, and who clearly gave each other the cold shoulder, started to play against each other every single day, during Jimin’s entire last year of high school. 

And in the span of this second year together, the two of them had developed a bond going beyond a simple rivalry. They weren’t close enough to consider each other as friends, but worked frustratingly well together still.

“We’re colleagues,” had said Minjeong one day, when Jimin had been practicing her dribbles after school. 

“Excuse me?” 

Minjeong, clearly not paying attention to Jimin, picked a ball up from the ground, and started to throw it in the air, practicing her shooting motion. “I mean, we’re not friends, but we still get along better than before. And sometimes, we’re rivals. So I think that ‘colleagues’ is a great label to describe us.”

Jimin remembers snorting at the younger’s logic. “Why are you bothering over labels Minjeong? It won’t change our performances on the court.” 

“Woah, you’re starting to sound like me, ew!” had snorted Minjeong, comically scrunching her nose in disgust. 

Jimin had rolled her eyes, before stealing the ball from Minjeong’s hands, successfully making the brunette whine in annoyance. 

“Ready for the loss of your life Kim?” 

Minjeong’s gaze had immediately changed, a burning fire of determination glinting through her pupils.

“You’re on, Yu!”

However, on the day of Jimin’s graduation, Minjeong hadn’t shown up on the court. Jimin had been so excited though, because it would have been their last duel before she had to go to college, and the score conveniently was of 151-151. It had been the perfect setting for the very last showdown. 

But Minjeong never showed up. 

Jimin remembers sulking, frustrated towards the younger girl for standing her up, but also towards herself, for not bothering to ask her teammates about Minjeong’s absence that day. 

It had been the last time Jimin ever saw Minjeong.

However, even without Minjeong’s presence, Jimin continued to play basketball in college, and had even earned a sports scholarship to go study in an American college, where she honed her skills. And by the time she graduated, she was fully ready to commit to her dream. 

***

Jimin thinks that she will never forget the day she got drafted in WBNA, to join the Seattle Storms.

After college, she stayed in the United States, and played for a small professional team there. And only one year after, she received a call on a random Thursday, telling her that she was invited for the upcoming WBNA drafting session. Taken by surprise, Jimin remembers bursting into tears from joy. However, the draft had been full of surprises. 

Jimin got called first, to join the Seattle Storms, one of the best teams in the league. Being chosen as the very first person to be chosen during a drafting session is very symbolic, because it means that you’re the most promising rookie. So obviously, Jimin was overjoyed. But this happiness immediately ceased when she heard the announcer calling the name of the second woman to get drafted. 

“The second person to be drafted tonight, by none other than the New York Liberties is… Kim Minjeong!” 

Jimin’s eyes comically widened, hearing this familiar yet distant name. She thought that she might have dreamt it but when she saw her, just an inch taller than she was in high school, still sporting her middle-length brunette hair, she knew that she didn’t hallucinate. 

Kim Minjeong was really there, inside this room, getting drafted to one of the best WNBA teams. In one glance, Jimin was brought back to high school, and to the endless practices and 1v1 against Minjeong. 

However, things were definitely more serious now. Because they weren’t just careless high schoolers anymore. They were professionals, who had obligations and responsibilities other than just their bruised ego and childish competitiveness.

***

Jimin and Minjeong faced each other not too long after the drafts, for the second game of the season. This game, opposing the two best teams in the league, was anticipated by all. Because of this, Jimin, who’s usually confident in her capacities, was stressed beyond relief. Partly because of the game itself, and partly because it would be the first time in years where she would face Minjeong again on the court. 

Both teams were warming up inside the overly excited stadium, but Jimin didn’t feel there mentally. And her coach, who closely watched over her newest rookie, had instructed her to go wind off a bit in the bathroom.

What a terrible mistake it had been. 

Because as soon as she entered the bathroom, she was faced with none other than Minjeong, a small towel between her teeth. 

Knowing that they couldn’t just ignore each other, Jimin clumsily attempted to start a conversation. 

“Hey Minjeong, it’s been a while. Congrats for achieving your dream.” 

Minjeong raised her eyebrow, seemingly surprised to hear those words coming out from Jimin’s mouth. “Shouldn’t you thank me for giving you a dream as well?”

“W-What are you talking about?” answered Jimin, confused and not quite used to Minjeong’s brattiness anymore. 

“Nothing, nothing~” The brunette walked past her, now drying her hands with the towel. However, she stopped right at Jimin’s level, and slowly inched towards her ear. “Have fun ridiculing yourself, loser. And don’t come asking for a rematch this time.” 

And with that, Minjeong walked off, a devilish grin painted on her face. Jimin was absolutely fuming. She thought that maybe Minjeong got rid of her bratty attitude but apparently, it had gotten even worse than during high school. 

Now completely riled up, Jimin angrily walked back towards the court, ready to destroy the opposing team. And destroying them she surely did. For her second game ever in the US’ biggest women championship, Jimin had broken her personal records.

She was one every single ball, whether it was blocking her opponents’ shots, or stealing the ball from them. But aside from her flawless defense, Jimin’s offense was phenomenal. In the span of the first eight minutes of the games, she had already scored fifteen points solely by herself. Mostly thanks to her favorite free-throw line jump shots, which always managed to fool her opponents. 

And when she saw Minjeong’s frustrated expression on the other side of the court, Jimin was blissfully delighted. The brunette’s face was basically burning from anger, and it clearly showed in the way that her playstyle had drastically changed, from a surgically precise one, to a more aggressive approach. 

But what Jimin has always liked about Minjeong, it’s that she always gives her a great challenge. And here, it took the shape of Minjeong scoring four three point shots in a row, in the span of forty five seconds, allowing her team to catch up on the small gap Jimin’s outstanding performance had created. 

Minjeong’s answer was clear. She wasn’t about to let Jimin have an easy win. 

Both teams valiantly battled, strongly pushing each other under the hoop, and aggressively aiming for more shots and lay-ups. And when this arduous battle was reaching its peak, the referee finally whistled, signaling the end of the game. 

79-77 for the Seattle Storms. 

Jimin jumped from joy when she looked at the scoreboard. Because, aside from smashing her own records and old performances, she has also successfully shut Minjeong’s arrogant mouth up. And a single look towards the brunette was enough to tell Jimin that she was fuming. 

When the time came for both teams to shake hands, Jimin tightly gripped Minjeong’s reluctant palm, and quietly whispered in her ear, her voice hoarse from the game’s lingering tension. 

“Who’s the loser now, hm? ”

Minjeong’s face immediately turned into a bright shade of red at the taunt. Although Jimin couldn’t really feel any animosity from Minjeong’s gaze. Instead, it was as if the woman was… embarrassed. 

Seeing Minjeong’s unusual flushed expression caused Jimin’s heart to abruptly jump in her chest, for some unknown reason. She had always been used to Minjeong provoking her, and sometimes playing around with her. But it was the very first time that she saw the brunette actually blushing and being embarrassed. And specifically because of something Jimin had said. 

At that moment, Minjeong looked almost… cute.

“Hey, are you done?” 

One of her teammates interrupted Jimin’s weird train thoughts, seemingly wanting to shake Minjeong’s hand. Jimin doesn’t know how long she had indirectly monopolized the brunette, but didn’t really want to know. Instead, she chose to quickly drop Minjeong’s soft hand, and swiftly grabbed her bag, before heading to the shower.

She can’t believe that, for a second, she had found Minjeong out of all people, cute. And why so suddenly? 

Jimin had seen Minjeong countless times before this game. She had seen the way she adorably puffs her cheeks whenever she feels frustrated, often letting out the cutest small whines with it. She had also grown used to seeing the way Minjeong’s short locks would gently fall on the top of her shoulders whenever she untied her hair after practice. She even noticed the way Minjeong always wears her basketball outfit in a way that is so her, with her jersey only halfway tucked inside her shorts. 

Jimin had always noticed the smallest things about Minjeong. And it was only normal, they did spend two whole years playing together! So why did she find her cute now out of all the moments? Why just now, when they had both reached their dream of becoming professional players, and were supposed to be more on the rivals than on the friends side?

Jimin stopped for a second, rewinding her thoughts a little. She always noticed the smallest details about Minjeong. Even those that aren’t basketball related at all…

Jimin violently shook her head, not wanting to think about this any further. Her mind was definitely going in a dangerous direction, and she really didn’t want that to happen now. Not when Minjeong is right there! 

Jimin hurried inside the shower, letting the warm water slowly fall through the curves of her body. The sensation helped her calm down, and freed her mind from the thoughts of Minjeong and her cute face. 

Alas, the relief had only been temporary. Because when Jimin was back inside her apartment, her mind immediately filled up with Minjeong’s face, the way she moves, the way she talks, the way she smiles everytime she successfully provoked Jimin and saw the frustration painted on her face. 

Minjeong took over her whole mind. And Jimin wasn’t sure to really like this. 

Her first reflex had been to push away those incoherent thoughts. Because really, why? And what the actual hell?

But a part of herself, the more emotional one, tried to sit down for a second, and to really think about the situation. 

Jimin has always viewed Minjeong as a rival, that much was completely clear. The brunette had stolen her star player title the second she joined her team in high school after all! But she’s also the one who indirectly gave Jimin the push to improve, and to eventually make basketball her dream. 

On one hand, Minjeong is the insufferable brat who always gets on Jimin’s nerves, even after years of not seeing each other. But on the other side, Minjeong is the one who always challenged Jimin to do better, to be better.

And her cute face definitely doesn’t help!

Jimin fell face first on her bed, and groaned inside of her pillow. She was way too exhausted for this shit. 

But somehow, the thought of seeing Minjeong again was enough to motivate her to improve even more, and to show the younger girl that Jimin is a better player than her. She has always been the best among the two after all, and she intends to prove it with her actions rather than with her words. 

***

And driven by this unwavering determination, Jimin had played like a wild beast in the games that followed. She was on every single ball, and never allowed a second of respite to the players she defended against. And in offense, her aim was deadly, flawlessly scoring almost each time the ball was between her hands.

And around three months after their last encounter, the Seattle Storms and the New York Liberties went against each other again. But this time, Jimin clearly noticed that Minjeong completely leveled up her game. It was to be expected though, and Jimin wasn’t clueless about Minjeong’s growth. She had shamelessly been keeping a close eye on Minjeong’s stats, and saw that she was just as determined as her to prove herself, and to become the best player of the league. 

The battle was fierce. Jimin, who usually finds easy openings to score, was clearly blocked there. Because, even aside from Minjeong, the whole New York team played like ferocious and enraged dogs. They were clearly determined to win this, but Jimin and her own team won’t back down. 

So Jimin tried harder. She ran everywhere around the court, blocked shots, tried to do anything to score and to assure nice assists for her teammates. But in the end, Minjeong’s team ended up winning. It was a tough game, just like the first time they went against each other in the second week of the season.

But Jimin was obviously frustrated to no end. She knows that her skills aren’t at fault there, and neither are her teammates. The Liberties had just been too good that day. But strangely enough, where Jimin would have usually sulked and immediately thought of which skill she needed to hone more, here, she found herself being in awe in front of Minjeong’s game. The brunette had displayed a much fiercer side of herself today, and Jimin even caught herself getting distracted a couple of times during the game because of it. Somehow, Minjeong’s unwavering and serious gaze was stuck in her head. 

Jimin’s cheeks flared at the thought, but she tried to push it back, making her way to her team’s changing room instead. 

But since life seems to tease her, on her way there, she went with none other than the girl who’s been occupying all of her thoughts recently. 

“Fancy seeing you here Kim,” said Jimin, who couldn’t fight a grin from forming on her mouth at the sight of the brunette, who she had frankly missed.

Minjeong rolled her eyes at the greeting. “We just saw each other on the court, Jimin. But hello to you too.” Her small frown immediately switched to a sly grin as soon as their eyes met. “How does it feel to lose against me again? How many times has it been now… 152 times?”

Jimin raised her brow. “Oh so you’ve been keeping track of your score ever since our high school days?” She let out a small laugh, somehow relieved to see that she hadn’t been the only one who couldn’t really let go of their carefree days and their never-ending duels. 

“But should I remind you that I also beat you 152 times? Don’t get too confident Kim.” 

Minjong answered Jimin’s taunt with a pout, making the raven burst out of laughter. But before Minjeong could throw a sharp retort back, Jimin gently put her hand on the brunette’s shoulder, and looked her straight in the eyes. 

“Good job today though. You were really great out there.” 

Minjeong cocked her eyebrow, a smile obviously tugging at her lips. However, her genuine surprise quickly got replaced by her usual cockiness. 

“Well obviously. I’m the best player, so that’s no surprise.” Her gaze didn’t waver, but Jimin could see Minjeong’s eyes frantically going left and right. Kind of like the last time they met, when they had shook hands. 

“T-Thanks though…” quietly stuttered the brunette. Jimin, surprised by Minjeong’s bashful tone, was about to comment on it, but was abruptly stopped by the younger girl putting her finger on top of Jimin’s lips, effectively shutting her up.

“Don’t even,” she said, glaring at the raven. Jimin smiled against Minjeong’s finger, but didn’t bother to remove it, firmly keeping her eyes on Minjeong. 

It’s weird because before, Jimin couldn’t bear to look at the brunette’s face for too long. Because there, she could only see her usual brattiness, and could practically hear Minjeong’s snobbish remarks in her ears. 

But now, in front of a more mature and composed Minjeong, although she never really changed, Jimin found herself carefully observing her face. She had always noticed Minjeong’s round cheeks, her sharp doe eyes and her adorable lips. Whatever that meant. But for some reason, this familiar yet intriguing seemed to mesmerize her at that moment, where it was only the two of them, looking at each other’s eyes as if searching for something between them. 

However, Minjeong broke eye contact way too soon for Jimin’s liking, seemingly muttering incoherent things to herself. Jimin wanted to pry, and had to physically stop herself from teasing Minjeong about the faint blush scattered over her cheeks. But before she could do it, Minjeong retracted her finger, and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Jimin,” she called. Jimin’s back immediately straightened, like she was prepared to get scolded. Who wouldn’t feel like that under Kim Minjeong’s sharp glare after all?

“You need to promise me something.”

That immediately got Jimin’s attention, who inched a tad closer, curiosity obvious on her features.

“Promise me to make it to the finals. And let’s make it our last duel.”

Jimin felt a strange pang at her chest hearing this, and knew that her emotions were probably obvious on her face, because Minjeong’s eyes immediately widened, sensing that she had struck a sensitive cord.

“I-I’m not saying that we won’t ever play against each other again!” she blurted out, feeling entitled to justify herself. “But wouldn’t it be perfect to end our contest in the WNBA finals? Our ultimate goal?”

Jimin obviously agreed, but it didn’t change the fact that her mood immediately fell at the implication. And she couldn’t stop the following words from escaping her mouth. 

“Am I not good enough for you now? Is this… the reason why you never showed up on my graduation day?”

Taken by surprise by Jimin’s words, Minjeong’s gaze fell slowly, sadness and remorse painted all over her face. 

“I know that I owe you an explanation for that day… I’m sorry.” She timidly raised her head again, and locked eyes with a pained Jimin, whose eyes looked like they were only seeking for answers. Minjeong let out a small sigh, knowing that she couldn’t fight against those irresistible puppy eyes. 

“I was scared,” she admitted. “If I showed up, it would mean that our duels would finally be settled, and there would be a clear winner between us.” 

Jimin looked puzzled. “But, why do you want to stop after the finals then?” 

“Deep down, I never wanted to stop playing with you… and against you. But part of me thought that, if I never showed up that day, then it would give me the perfect excuse to face you not just as two amateurs, but as pros, on the court of our dreams. And it also gave me an excuse to keep on playing against you.” 

Jimin’s brows slightly furrowed, trying to understand the situation. “So you never came because… you didn’t want to stop playing against me? Why not just say it to me, Minjeong? We could have stayed together during all of this time!” 

Minjeong looked away, not able to face Jimin anymore. She had said too much already. 

“I just couldn’t, Jimin. It’s not that easy.” 

And with that, Minjeong walked away, leaving behind a confused Jimin. Why did Minjeong suddenly raise her walls at the mention of their past? Sure, she now knows why the brunette never showed up that day, but Jimin can’t understand exactly why Minjeong couldn’t just tell her. She said that it wasn’t that easy, but it didn’t make any sense in Jimin’s mind. 

What was Minjeong hiding? 

Jimin came home with her mind swirling from confusion that night. Minjeong was clearly hiding something, but she had no idea what. However, she knows that despite the sharp turn their conversation had taken, Jimin owes at least one thing to Minjeong. 

To win her next games, and to reunite with her during the finals.

***

And a few months after, Jimin and Minjeong’s promise became a reality. Inside the burning stadium, where echoed countless of excited screams and cheers, the two teams stood up on opposite sides of the court, both gathering their thoughts and strength for the upcoming game. 

For both teams, this final game would be decisive. But for Jimin and Minjeong, it meant way more than a simple title. It was a symbolic game that would mark the end of something the two had shared for years. Their initial petty rivalry which eventually came to evolve into a shy camaraderie. 

Jimin was still confused by Minjeong’s sudden choice to ‘end things’ between them, even if the stake here wasn’t about their relationship as persons, but their relationship as basketball players. But Jimin knew that something deeper lies beneath Minjeong’s intention to end their rivalry with this game. 

And for some reason, the thought didn’t sit really well in Jimin’s mind. But she had to focus on the game first. Because there was no way she was losing this. For herself, but also for the sake of her team, and for all of the supporters who counted on her.

And right from the first whistle indicating the beginning of the game, the tension was palpable inside the stadium. The fast-paced nature of the game kept both the players and the spectators on their toes, their hearts pounding with every shot attempted and defended.

And on the court, things were just as tense. Every move mattered, and any mistake was immediately punished with precise shots. Jimin’s gaze met Minjeong’s in the middle of the game, and she looked incredibly focused. And almost distant. 

However, contrary to her cold demeanor, Minjeong was on fire. Each time the Storms made the mistake of leaving her alone in front of the three point line, Minjeong striked, and almost effortlessly scored each time. And even when the woman defending against her was in front of her, Minjeong would always, almost mockingly, score right on her face. 

But she wasn’t the only unstoppable player on the court. Because Jimin was determined to not let herself get humiliated again. Contrary to her usual aggressive playstyle, she aimed for a more thoughtful and intelligent play that day. She chose to not make too much of a show of herself in the first half of the game, and kept low, mainly deciding to focus on defending her team’s hoop like a lioness. 

She had to wait until the Liberties’ defense was beginning to crack to strike, and successfully bury them. 

And as expected, during the second half of the game, Minjeong’s team began to slightly falter. They were still on high guard, but it was enough for Jimin to fall back into her usual aggressive playstyle, and score with each occasion that her teammates created for her. 

A jump shot here, a tough lay-up there where she would always manage to make her defender make a foul on her, giving her free throws and free points to her team. She was simply unstoppable, and she sensed in her opponents’ eyes that they also knew that. Even Minjeong started to clearly avoid her gaze, her eyes frantically looking around every corner of the court but never directly at Jimin.

And by the time the referee blew his whistle, indicating the end of the game, the scoreboard showed 88-82 for Jimin’s team. 

The entire stadium erupted in cheers, coming from the Storms’ supporters who seemed over the moon. And all around Jimin, her teammates loudly screamed, their voices filled with a grand joy and pure satisfaction. 

Jimin also felt delighted. She had won the cup in her very first year in WNBA, and was almost sure that she would be named the MVP of the finals. But for some reason, she didn’t feel that thrilled about winning what should be the most important game of her life. 

And one glance at Minjeong was enough to tell her why. 

The brunette’s eyes were filled with tears, frustration obvious on her face. She barely even looked at Jimin when they had to shake hands at the end of the game, and rapidly flew away as soon as she was done showering, not even bothering to stay behind with her team to greet her fans. 

Jimin was familiar with Minjeong’s frustrated state whenever she lost a game. But this time felt different than usual. Like there was something more to just Minjeong’s usual bitterness. 

Excusing herself, Jimin ran after the brunette, the pang in her heart and the worry on her face evident. 

“Minjeong, wait!” she called. 

Minjeong didn’t spare her a glance, and quickened her pace. But Jimin, thanks to her long legs, effortlessly caught up to her. 

“Hey, are you okay?”

Minjeong looked at her, anger clear on her face. “Do I look okay to you? Gosh Jimin, learn to read the room a little!” She walked past Jimin, harshly bumping her shoulder in the process. Minjeong had never reacted this strongly after losing before. There was definitely something off there. 

But Jimin knew better than to force the brunette to talk, especially when she was in such a state. So she weakly sighed, somehow feeling like she was the loser that night, despite being the winner on the paper. 

***

Since the night of the finals, Jimin hadn’t seen Minjeong. She tried to call her, and even to reach out to some of the girl’s teammates who she was acquainted with to ask about her, but all of them told Jimin that Minjeong wanted to be alone, and that everyday, she locked herself in their team’s gymnasium to practice, until dawn.

But after going like this for a whole month, Jimin couldn’t take the deafening silence anymore. 

She dialed the number of Minjeong’s closest teammate, Ning Yizhuo, ready to finally put an end to this masquerade. 

“Hey Ning, sorry to call you so late. But I really need to talk with Minjeong. Do you think you can help?” 

Yizhuo laughed from the other end of the call. “It was about time, gosh! If I have to see her moping around for one more day, I think I’ll kill her. So go get your girl tiger, and quick before I end her with my own hands!”

Jimin sighed, and ended the call. She ran outside of her apartment, and quickly climbed inside of her sports car, making her way towards the coordinates Yizhuo had just sent her. 

After a quick drive, Jimin arrived in front of the apartment complex, and almost ran inside, searching for the room number Yizhuo texted her. And when she finally found it, she took a deep breath to steady her erratic heart. 

Minjeong was right behind that door, and Jimin was adamant on getting out of there with clear answers.

The raven slowly raised her hand, and softly knocked at the door. She waited in silence for a second, before hearing light footsteps paddling closer on the other side. The door slowly opened, revealing Minjeong, looking awfully small in her pajamas, an oversized shirt and barely noticeable shorts. 

When she saw who was behind the door, a flicker of recognition flashed through Minjeong’s eyes, and she immediately attempted to close the door. However, expecting such a reaction from the brunette, Jimin put her foot on the small gap between the door and the wall, and sighed. 

“I’m sorry for suddenly coming like that but… can we talk? Please?”

“I have nothing to tell you Jimin,” harshly retorted Minjeong. 

Jimin expected this, but she had enough of this. “Please Minjeong. And after that, I promise that I’ll leave you alone.”

She heard a small sigh coming from the other side of the door, before Minjeong fully opened it, gesturing for Jimin to come inside. The raven did as told and took a step in, not even bothering to take a look around the place. Minjeong is much more important right now. 

“Here, take a seat.”

Minjeong sat down on her sofa, and Jimin joined her, sitting at a respectable distance from the other. 

“So, what’s up?” started Minjeong, her defenses obviously up. 

Jimin wasn’t having any of it though. “I should be the one asking this, Minjeong. You’ve been ignoring me since the finals.”

“It’s not like it’s any different than usual, right? We never really talk outside of the court.”

“It is different!” exclaimed Jimin, her voice slightly rising. 

Minjeong furrowed her eyebrows at the sudden change in Jimin’s usual relaxed behavior, and crossed her arms in front of her chest, a subtle way to show how reluctant she was to let the raven in. 

“And how is it different?”

“Please, don’t play dumb with me Minjeong,” sighed Jimin, already exhausted by this talk that was clearly going nowhere. “Why did you react like that after the finals? And before you lie to my face and tell me that it’s because of your loss, I know that it’s not just that.”

“Oh, so now you claim to know me more than I do? Funny coming from you, Yu,” mockingly snickered Minjeong.

“Fuck, why are you like this Minjeong! Just talk to me! Tell me what’s wrong so I can help you!” snapped Jimin, frustrated by Minjeong’s fake indifferent act. 

“And why do you even care, huh?” retorted Minjeong, frustration evident on her face as well. The two of them had never been able to properly communicate, finding mockeries and playful jabs to be way easier than proper and heart to heart talks. 

Jimin breathed, trying to calm herself down. But the exasperation was too much to handle. And without realizing it, she suddenly blurted out the following words.

“Because I love you, dammit!”

Both of them immediately froze, and Jimin began to panic. She hadn’t expected to shout those words. Not at all. Hell, her troubled feelings for Minjeong weren’t even clear in her mind. 

Sure, she always noticed small things about the brunette. She even went as far as keeping track of all of her recent stats, and Minjeong’s snobbish grin was almost at the back of her mind whenever she was practicing, a reminder of why Jimin was working so hard to achieve her goal, and to become better with each day.

Okay, maybe Minjeong inspired her to become a better person, and a better player. And okay, Jimin might have been a bit obsessed with beating Minjeong since the first day they met. But she thought for the longest of times that it was just how rivalry worked. 

However, she’s certain that plain and simple rivalry doesn’t make you feel like the sky has fallen over your head the second your rival wants to stop battling against you, and simply stops interacting with you. 

Is it really normal to get lost in your rival’s eyes whenever she talks to you? Is it normal to notice all of her small habits, and to feel down when you can see that she’s not feeling well? 

“W-What did you just say,” muttered Minjeong, her voice almost inaudible. 

Maybe Yu Jimin has been a fool since the very beginning. She was far too blind to notice what had been in front of her since the very start. The way Minjeong never left her mind, from high school to now, even when they were apart. The way her heart rate always spiked up whenever she was close to the brunette, even if she thought for the longest of times that it only came with the excitement of having a rival whose skills rightfully rivaled hers. 

What a fool she had been. 

And she ultimately realized that she was in this way too deep to even attempt going back on her words and on her actions. 

“You heard me, Minjeong,” she said, the tip of her ears burning. “I-I don’t know what made me say that so suddenly but I’m not taking it back.”

Jimin tentatively raised her gaze to meet Minjeong’s who seemed completely baffled. However, her cheeks looked just as red as Jimin’s ears, a clear sign of embarrassment, and maybe something else.

“I- I…”

Jimin interrupted her, not wishing for her heart to be immediately shattered by Minjeong’s upcoming words. 

“It’s okay, you can just ignore this, it’s fine really. B-But, I hope you understand now why I care. Why, despite everything that happened between us, I always cared.” 

Minjeong shakily exhaled, her hands trembling on her lap. “G-Gosh Jimin I…” 

Jimin curiously looked at Minjeong’s face, trying to understand why it looked so torn, despite the obvious surprise painted on it. But suddenly, she heard Minjeong groaning, and saw the brunette frantically ruffling her hair.

Minjeong breathed, and stared right at Jimin’s eyes. But unbeknownst of the raven, Minjeong’s gaze slowly descended to her lips.

“Oh, fuck it.” 

Minjeong suddenly lunged at Jimin’s mouth, capturing her lips in a feverish kiss. Jimin’s eyes widened in surprise, but she wasted no time reciprocating the movement. 

And gosh, it felt so good. Jimin wonders why she bothered to fight her feelings for Minjeong for so long. But she was there now, kissing the woman she thinks she has always loved. And this very woman was hungrily kissing her back, somehow. 

Jimin wrapped her hands around Minjeong’s waist, and pulled her even closer. Minjeong softly let out a sigh against Jimin’s mouth, making the raven’s heart skip a beat. She desperately wanted to keep going, but had too many things she wanted to tell the other girl. 

“Gosh,” she whispered after slightly pulling away, her forehead resting against Minjeong’s. “I think… that I’m crazy in love with you Minjeong.”

Minjeong’s lips quietly hovered over Jimin’s, who could feel the brunette’s erratic breath mingling with her own. 

“I love you too.” 

Jimin suddenly pulled away, her eyes wide. “What?”

Minjong giggled, before gently cupping Jimin’s jaw with both of her hands, her fingers softly trailing around her cheeks. She pulled Jimin close, and laid a soft kiss on her slightly bruised lips. “I said I love you, Jimin.” 

Jimin slowly pulled Minjeong closer, sitting her down on her lap. Minjeong felt herself getting lost in their unusual proximity, but couldn’t tear her eyes apart from Jimin’s inviting lips. She slowly inched closer, and closed the gap between them, feeling herself get breathless at the way Jimin was kissing her. So full of want and of adoration.

She knows that they need to talk about this more. That they need to clear all of the misunderstandings between them, to maybe, start anew. But for now, Minjeong lost herself in Jimin’s touch, shivering when she felt the raven’s hands slowly traveling around her bare thighs. 

The talk could clearly wait. 

***

“Wait, so you've liked me since the day you completely humiliated me in front of the whole team in high school? And that’s the reason why you never showed up on the day of my graduation? Because you were scared of losing me if we stopped being rivals?” asked Jimin, not believing her ears.

“Unfortunately,” replied Minjeong, who was mindlessly twirling the ball on her finger, before shooting towards the hoop and scoring yet another three point. 

“Hey!” pouted Jimin, “that’s mean!” 

Minjeong lighty laughed at that, walking closer to where Jimin was dribbling, teasingly poking her cheek. “If I wasn’t teasing you, I wouldn’t be the Minjeong you love, right?”

Jimin groaned at that. “Ugh, I knew you would use that against me!” Minjeong erupted in soft giggles, before gently cupping Jimin’s cheeks in her hands, softly leaving a small kiss on Jimin’s pouty lips. And like a kid who had just eaten its favorite gummy, Jimin’s eyes immediately lit up at the touch. 

Now back in a good mood, Jimin practically jumped in front of Minjeong. “Let’s do a 1v1 Min! I’m sure that I’ll beat you this time!” 

Minjeong smirked, before picking up the ball and slowly making her way towards where Jimin was already bouncing on her feet. “Sure, but don’t cry when you lose.”

“Of course, since I won’t!” Jimin flashed a bright smile to her girlfriend, who only rolled her eyes in response. “Let’s add some fun and add a bet.” 

Curious, Minjeong curled her eyebrow. “Like what?”

“If I win, you owe me a kiss!” she said, mischievously grinning as if she had asked for a forbidden thing. 

“And if I win?”

“Then I’ll kiss you!” answered Jimin, as if it was the most logical thing ever. 

Minjeong rolled her eyes, not bothering to stop a soft giggle from escaping her mouth. “So no matter who wins it will end up with a kiss?”

“Yup!”

The brunette slowly inched closer to Jimin’s face, her lips purposely hovering over Jimin’s. “Okay,” she whispered, her voice laced with sultriness. 

Jimin’s eyes comically widened, like they usually do whenever Minjeong flirts back. But before she could react, Minjeong stole the ball from her hands, already aiming for the basket. 

“Hey, using your charms on me isn’t fair!” cried Jimin, who dashed towards her girlfriend to stop her from scoring.