"Yoojin!" Haknyeon called from the other side of the gym, brushing past the crowds of students rushing to go home. He plopped down beside me as I felt his heavy breath exhale onto me, causing me to discreetly shift away from him. "Why'd you leave so suddenly yesterday?"

I hesitated to answer as Donghyuck glanced at me from the side. Of course, I wouldn't tell him about our beef, nor about us making amends, but what else is there to say?

"My aunt was demanding me to come home, sorry for not telling you." I flashed a sheepish grin as a relieved smile formed on his face.

"It's nothing, I was just worried because you looked rather upset when you left." He looked like he wanted to continue, but a quick glance to the side convinced him that he shouldn't. "Anyway, care to join us for our self-training sessions next time?"

"There are next times?" My voice cracked as I raised it in surprise. Honestly, I rarely had any self-training in my old club since it was heavily coach based, so I don't know much about it. The only self-training I did would be running or doing high-intensity training to maintain my physique, but that's about it.

"Of course, did you actually think one session was enough?" Donghyuck butted in straight away in his lethargic voice, "Our exceptional skills don't fall from the sky, you know."

Then again, it would make much more sense to train regularly.

"I didn't ask you to elaborate," I snarled. That must've been the most humble thing he ever said, had that night change him? It can't be. "Just let me know when it'll be."

"Great!" Haknyeon cheered, digging out his phone from his bag, "I'll add you to our group so that we can discuss it more later."

He handed me his phone while I hesitated a little, eventually taking it from him. Well, that's one way to get someone's number. I could feel his anticipation so much that my fingers trembled inexplicably while keying in my number.

"Just so you know," he said while receiving his phone, "We like to train spontaneously, so be prepared." He patted my shoulder and took off to the other corner of the gym where his belongings were. That guy is way too friendly.

Just as he left, I exchanged awkward glances with Donghyuck, who was standing by the wall and folding his uniform. I still can't get over what happened yesterday.

"Yoojin," a calm voice called from behind as I swivelled about my spot, facing Youn with her bag slung loosely on her shoulder. "Wanna grab dinner?"

I raised my eyebrows while hiding my scepticism. "What's the occasion?"

"Nothing, I just realised we haven't eaten together before." She glared at something behind me as her lips twitched. "Alone."

"Oh, let's go then." I hurriedly heaved my bag over my shoulder as I pushed her towards the door, afraid of what might happen if we stayed there any longer.

---

We've reached a fruit stall quite a distance from the training centre, one that sold freshly made fruit juices. I let my eyes toggle between the variety of juices as Youn placed her order.

"What would you like?" She nudged my arm a second later as I hastily made up my mind.

"Tangerine juice, please," I replied over the counter as the lady nodded while manually squeezing an orange. I turned to the girl beside me, who was waiting eagerly for her beverage.

"Didn't you want dinner?" I asked, confused by her weird choice of menu. She gleamed at me as she answered, "This is my dinner."

Sensing my confusion, she continued, "I don't like to eat after 6 but I still need something to replenish my energy, and fruit juice does all that."

She keenly received her order and took a nice long slurp, depicting its refreshment through a loud exhale. I received mine too in anticipation, sipping a little to let the taste bounce around my mouth, eventually taking another, longer sip. The ice-cold liquid travelled fast through my oesophagus, sending a chilling shiver all over me.

"Good, right?" Youn asked as I nodded agreement, feeling like a child who just tried a new flavour that would soon be her favourite. "So much better than a set meal."

I paused at her last sentence and peeked at her. She was casually sipping her beverage, but I could tell she was still put off by that dinner session a few days back. Suddenly, it felt like I was being guilt-tripped.

"Sorry about that day, I didn't know that would happen," I apologised essentially, generating a stiff reaction from her as she pursed her lips. "Don't worry about it, he's always like that."

Somehow, I felt the need to clarify her words, because I was itching to find out more about their history and the reason they're fighting in the first place. But I didn't want to stir up any unwanted emotions again.

Luckily, she was willing to elaborate.

"We're not the only ones who had gone through his war of nerves, there were many others before," she started, "But those people left after a few months because they couldn't handle his nonsense, so you're the first after many to actually overcome that barrier."

She flashed me an impressed look while I couldn't help but smirk at her sudden praise. "How did he even come to choose his victims?"

"Like you, they were new students, both experienced and inexperienced. He just likes picking on them because they seem weaker than him, and they were."

My smirk immediately turned to a frown as I raised my eyebrows, requesting a further explanation. If what Donghyuck told me was true, then he was probably trying to help them, just not in the right way. But I have to hear both sides of the story to find out.

Youn noticed my sour expression, before letting out a laugh and continuing, "Obviously you weren't, you look like you trained for at least five years. He was probably jealous of your ability."

"Right..." I laughed dreadfully along with her, remembering that even she doesn't know my history. I decided to switch the subject before she could say anymore. "What about you?"

"Me?" She seemed to have been caught off guard as her eyes signalled for more clarification.

"What's with Donghyuck and you? And what is this issue with his dad?"

"Oh, that?" She laughed out loud before responding, "Nothing big, actually. He claims that his dad favours me over him, it's so silly."

"And why is that?" I guess my followup question stumped her as she instantly stopped laughing, rolling her eyes up in thought.

"Well, his dad was always helping me with stances and techniques, while he was rather harsh on Donghyuck on almost everything. I guess it would've been biased if he helped his son more, but to Donghyuck, it was as if I was sucking up to him."

She added a scoff as if recalling a fateful memory. "He confronted me one day saying I should drop my nice girl act, but I was merely trying to improve at my own will, while he, on the other hand, was busy trying to overtake others." There was an obvious scowl in her voice, something she did not even bother hiding. "Of course, he was probably trying to gain his father's approval."

Which son doesn't want his father's acknowledgement? Those words repeated in my mind as she said that, recalling the small talk the two boys had on the kerb in front of the training centre. I didn't notice before, but Donghyuck's face grew bitter just as Haknyeon said that. Was there something deeper under that tough shell of his?

"What I'm saying is," Youn snapped me out of my thoughts as she turned to me, "Don't mix around with that boy too much, his toxicity might just seep into you, and you know we don't want that."

An assuring grin ended off her sentence as if asking, you trust me, don't you? Well, to be honest, I don't. But that doesn't mean I trust Donghyuck either. Or Haknyeon. Everyone in this club just screams sketchy, maybe except Coach Lee.

"Anyway, it's getting dark, so we better head home." She slurped the last of her orange juice and threw it into the bin nearby, while mine was still half full. I watched her walk ahead as I trailed behind her, something bothering me really badly.

Did she pull me here just to tell me that? Though I was the one who brought up that question in the first place, she could've sensed that I would ask about it. Gosh, this is why I prefer training alone. No distractions. No trust problems. Just me, my coach and our daily routine.

"Well, I need to go down there," she said as we stopped in the middle of a crossroad, "I guess this is where we split."

Before she could wave goodbye, her name slipped through my lips as I called her, "Youn, can I ask you something?"

She cocked her head to the side. "What is it?"

"Why are you so nice to me?" I stuttered, a little embarrassed of what seemed like a childish question. Youn paused for a while, before sniggering out a reply, "Is that really what you wanted to know?"

I nodded in return, prompting her to gaze up at the sky as she sighed, "Well, Coach Lee did say to look after you, and I can't forgo his order, can I? Besides, you have quite the potential, and you've got to stick with the best to improve, am I right?"

As if sensing my sceptical self, she sighed again, stepping closer and assuring, "What I mean is, you have this resilient energy orbiting around you that, I don't know, just attracts others."

Her comment stunned me, because never did I expect that answer, especially from her. Was that really how others see me now? It kind of made me feel good but guilty because all I've been told previously was that I was too proud and complacent, which covered up my other qualities.

"That's why you shouldn't mingle with those who love to bring others down, I'm afraid they'll affect your mental health." I can sense the concern in her voice, but also a little sarcasm as well, mainly because part of what she said wasn't true. Donghyuck did pull down my self-esteem, but he also brought it back up together. Of course, I couldn't argue with that due to the fact that I didn't want to start another controversy.

Putting all that aside, neither of them seem like any harm to me, they just want to overthrow each other and I somehow got pulled into this. But then again, why is Youn trying so hard to pull me away from Donghyuck?