This is my first one-shot written for EI's requesters.
[one]
Title: Basketball Freak!
Character(s): Key Kim Ki Bum (SHINee) & Yang Joo Ri
Summary: Key first saw Joori when she was playing basketball with her friends, in 2004. After that year, he didn't see her. 5 years later, Key finds her againm but this time she's a new SM trainee.
“Stop staring at the TV, Key! You’ve practically glued your face to the screen!” Onew, one of Key’s best buddies, shouted across the living room, where the TV viewer was stationed at.
The latter ignored his friend and continued watching the programme. He was not a couch potato in general, in fact, he seldom watched TV after he graduated from high school. He preferred spending his time outdoors. He became almighty when he stepped out of the house, proficient in almost all outdoor games, especially basketball, which he grew to be fond of over the years.
If not for Onew who wanted to stay over at his house for night studying session, Key would not even have switched on the television out of boredom. It was, however, someone who had captured his attention so much that he could not take his eyes off the screen.
“What’s so interesting?” Onew could not hide his curiosity and went forward to join Key. It was merely an entertainment news show introducing newcomers in the industry. Onew followed his friend’s gaze and saw that his eyes were fixed on a particular girl practicing a dance with other girls.
“And I was thinking what got you so engrossed… so you’re smitten with that girl huh?” Onew teased as he pointed to the young lady Key had been ogling at.
“What? I’m not!” Key snapped angrily. “I thought you wanted to mug hard tonight? Why are you slacking now? Go back to the books!” He was acting like a mother again, to Onew’s displeasure. The older one tried to protest but it was to no avail when Key turned into a mother.
Key decided to turn off the television so that his pal could concentrate on revision.
“She looks familiar…” He thought to himself as he went to coach Onew on his science.
.
The security guard yelled at the bunch of girls who were scattering around to gather their belongings and hurried out of the training room. It was a usual sight in SM training rooms. The trainees wanted to spend more time practising their dance, in the hope that if they worked hard enough, they would be able to debut soon.
Yang Joori was one of the girls who were often chased out by the security guard when it was too late at night and the guard had to lock the doors. It has been five years and her status remained as a trainee. It was not because Joori sang or dance badly, or that she did not put in her effort. She could have debuted 3 years ago as a solo artist but SM was planning for a girl group to surface. When she could have been in So Nyuh Shi Dae, her grandmother fell terribly sick out of a sudden and she had to give up her chance to another girl. If there was anything she could blame, it would only be her luck.
However, Joori was not one who would give up easily. She was determined to strive through, no matter how difficult it could get, and achieve her dream.
She drew out the ball from her bag, the basketball she’d always brought along wherever she went. Since the young age of 7, Joori has been playing and loving basketball. Her love for the sport has never changed even until now. It had gradually become a form of stress relief for her. Whenever she felt upset or tired she would play basketball.
She aimed at the net and gave a light throw, getting the ball right through the net. It seemed that she had not lost her skills as yet. There were two things which kept her motivated to persevere and overcome obstacles during her trainee years. One was the guy she’d crushed on 5 years ago, ever since the first day she saw him. The other one would be basketball.
“Ah, I miss the old days!” She let out a sigh as she recalled the fun times she and her friends had during their junior high school days.
.
[Flashback]
“Yah basketball freak!” One of her friends called out her nickname before passing her the orange ball. Joori gladly caught the ball and shot a goal, once again. One might feel gloomy being called a freak but Joori did not mind at all. She admitted herself that she loved basketball so much to be an addict for it. Furthermore, it was only shared among a few close friends. She was rather pleased with the nickname herself.
Grinning widely at her high score, she continued flaunting her fine skills, not knowing that she was being observed by someone.
.
“Kim Ki Bum!” Onew slapped hard on Key’s head, causing the latter to glare at him. Key disliked people calling him by his full name. He felt that it was rude and he detested sharing the same name as the popular member of Super Junior. He used to like SM Entertainment very much, so much that he went for its audition, only to be rejected. Dejected, he returned to his normal school life and swore that he would not join any audition again.
Key rubbed his head in pain, slightly perturbed that Onew interrupted his thoughts. He was trying to remember the girl he saw on TV the previous night. He definitely met her before.
Who was she? How did they meet? Where was it? Many scenes popped up in his mind and then he finally remembered.
“Ah! Basketball freak!”
.
[Flashback]
Key saw the basketball freak by accident. He did not mean to go to the basketball court; he intended to play soccer with his friends after school. Just as he was walking past the court someone had shouted out “Basketball freak!”, making him turn to see who the lead was.
He was surprised that a girl would smile when she’s being termed as a freak. Key could not help but think that the girl looked rather cute with her bright smile. He carried on watching the girl jump and shoot the ball through the net. Almost every shot was perfect. She was indeed gifted. Key had always thought highly of talented athletics but he never thought that a girl could look so beautiful when playing basketball!
From that day onwards he tried to get closer to the female basketball player. He found out the class she was in; loitered outside the classroom purposefully and attempted to initiate conversations when she was alone. It was a tough job, though, since her same few friends were always around her.
Yet the girl was a person of few words. She was so quiet that Key thought she wasn’t interested in him. The idea of going out was ruled out in his mind. He even brooded over it for a period of time, until a friend of his enlightened him and told him that the girl might only be shy and that he still stood a chance. Key was apparently delighted by his friend’s encouragement and he made a decision to confess to her. Even if he were to be rejected, like how he was in the SM audition, he would feel better knowing how the girl actually felt.
Just as he was all prepared to confess to her, the girl had disappeared suddenly. No one knew where she went. Key could only blame on his luck.
.
“Onew! It’s her! The girl on TV last night! It’s her! It’s Yang Joori!” Key was thrilled upon recognising the dancer he had intently observed on TV the previous night, leaving Onew in puzzlement.
“You calling me?” A female voice cut in and he spun around, only to see the SM trainee standing right in front of him.
“Ah Yang Joori! I can’t believe it’s you! You’ve vanished after year one! Why are you a SM trainee now?” Key was getting nonsensical. He was obviously too excited to meet her again.
“Why am I a SM trainee now?” She repeated his question. She looked as if she was going to answer but then she stopped again. It’s okay. She would tell him so in the future.
“Let’s go for some coffee and chat further, shall we?” She asked with a smile.
.
[Flashback]
“Hey Key! You’re going for an audition tomorrow?” Minho, Key’s best friend in high school, asked casually.
“Yeah! It’s the SM audition! I really hope to get in!” Key replied enthusiastically. “I’ll get to see BoA and Dong Bang Shin Ki… and I heard that there’re lots of pretty trainees too!”
Minho chuckled. “Are you going there to sing or to date girls?”
“Well… can’t I do both? I want my girlfriend to be a SM artiste as well!” Key’s smile grew wider as he pictured himself debuting with his girlfriend.
“Alright you can continue daydreaming while I go for classes!” With that Minho slapped Key’s face and ran off, being chased after by the boy who dreamt of becoming a star. Key thought that besides Minho, no one else would know his little secret.
Yet there was one other person who knew. Yang Joori, the girl who overheard their conversation after her game of basketball.
.
On a side note... I was nervous writing one-shot for someone else so I mis-read her plot LOL. I was relieved she liked it though (:
