Like Night and Day

Collapsing Stars

The sun was beating against his body, burning his neck and soothing the ache that had developed from multiple falls. His lungs were on fire, knees green from grass blades cutting into his skin. Kyungsoo hunched over, hands gripping his thighs as he tried hard not to suffocate from the lack of oxygen in his system.

Jongin was watching him, beads of sweat running from the boy's neck. His lower lip was bruised and his knees were beginning to feel the itch done onto him by several cuts. And yet, as exhausted as both of them were, neither backed down. After giving Kyungsoo, who had possession of the ball just beside his foot, another minute to recover, Jongin broke out into a run and charged.

On high alert, Kyungsoo abandoned his body's scream for oxygen and moved, keeping the ball in distance with his feet as he swerved to the right, avoiding Jongin's attempt to kick the ball from under his feet.

Kyungsoo ran straight for the unattended goal on Jongin's side of the field. His legs were already numb. The president had no idea whether he'd accidentally trip on his own two feet, but he kept moving forward.

Glancing back, he saw Jongin beginning to close the distance. When the male was a mere two feet behind him, Kyungsoo stopped, changing his direction to the left before manning his position, stepping on the ball possessively as he stood, catching his breath.

Jongin let the boy have a moment, but stayed on his guard. Taking up the front of his shirt, he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"You're not tired yet?"

Locking his jaw, Kyungsoo refused to answer. He felt like death, tired and exhausted with a body that begged for him to quit, but for once, Kyungsoo didn't want to sit down and let the score remain three to three. Losing wasn't an option.

Giving the latter a neutral expression, Jongin put his hands above his waist. "Do you want to talk now?" As he expected, the silence between them was the only constant in the conversation. "Kyungsoo, tell me what's going on with Chanyeol."

"What's there to say? He's your friend," Kyungsoo growled under his breath. He shifted and watched as Jongin matched his movement. "Why?"

"I told you to stay out of their relationship."

Giving the captain a weary grin, Kyungsoo gave a short, dry laugh. "I am out. I'm on the sideline, maybe even in the goddamn bleachers. How far do you intend to make me 'stay out' of it until you're satisfied?"

"Until you start looking after yourself instead of Baekhyun." Jongin took a step forward. In response, Kyungsoo tensed. "When was the last time you thought about you?"

The question almost made the latter grin in bitter sarcasm. "I think about myself all the time. In case you haven't figured it out, I'm a self-conceited fuck."

"You're self-conceited, but you don't love yourself enough. That's ironic, isn't it?"

Enraged, Kyungsoo darted for the goal with his swift footing keeping the ball by his side, but Jongin was fast enough to keep at his exact pace. But then, it took a split second for the president to realize the captain had no intention of taking the ball into his own possession.

"Chanyeol doesn't just start to lose his focus during practice, Kyungsoo!"

Halting the ball once again, Kyungsoo stood just a meter away, no longer on guard about the ball's protection. Jongin's focus wasn't on their game anymore. It was on him.

"He's a moron if you ask me," the student body president flared. "When the guy loses his senses, is it automatically my fault?"

"No, but--"