Chapter 32

The university's 3-day sports fest was already happening. The campus was shouting with excitement. The big departments—College of Teacher Education (CTE), College of Engineering (COE), College of Criminology (COC), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), College of Health and Science (CHS), and College of Business, Economics, and Accountancy (CBEA)—were all competing.

In a quiet corner of the sports complex, the chess tournament was underway. The room was tense, filled with students who were concentrating hard on their games. Yoongi was representing the CTE. He sat at the chessboard, staring at the pieces, thinking carefully about each move. He knew this match was important as it could give him a high mark on his grades.

Yoongi's opponent was a strong player from the COC, known for his aggressive style. The game started, and every move was met with a counter-move. The small crowd watching held their breath. Yoongi's eyes were fixed on the board, his mind racing through possibilities. He moved his bishop, aiming to trap his opponent's queen. The room was silent except for the ticking of the chess clock.

His opponent studied the board and captured Yoongi's bishop. Yoongi had expected this. He calmly moved his knight, putting his opponent in check. The crowd leaned in closer. The tension was high. Yoongi felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead but didn't wipe it away. He stayed focused.

His opponent made a move to escape check, but Yoongi was ready. He moved his queen into position. "Checkmate," Yoongi said softly. The room erupted in applause. Yoongi had won the match, securing the silver medal and a spot in the unigames.

Yoongi stood up and shook hands with his opponent, who nodded respectfully. As he turned to the crowd, he saw his friends cheering for him. Jimin was clapping loudly, a big smile on his face.

The medal ceremony was next. Yoongi received the silver medal, feeling proud. His friends surrounded him, congratulating him on his win.

"Great job, Yoongi!" Jin said, giving him a pat on the back.

"You were awesome," Jimin added, his eyes bright with pride.

Hoseok jumped in, ruffling Yoongi's hair. "You totally nailed it, man!"

Taehyung smirked, "I was worried you were going to faint from all that concentration."

The group laughed, the tension from the match melting away. Suddenly, Yungmin stepped forward. The two had always had a rocky relationship, but Yungmin's face softened with a rare look of pride.

"You did well, Yoongi," Yungmin said, offering a sincere smile. "I'm proud of you."

Yoongi blinked in surprise, then nodded. "Thanks, Yungmin."

"Who knew Yoongi was THAT good at chess?" Namjoon teased, causing the group to chuckle.

Jin grinned, "Yeah, I thought he'd just stare at the pieces until they moved themselves."

"Or maybe he hypnotized his opponent," Taehyung added with a laugh.

Yoongi rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling. "You guys are the worst."

Jimin caught Yoongi's eye, and for a moment, they shared an awkward glance. The memory of the hug and their conversation lingered between them. Jimin quickly looked away, but his heart was still pounding.

Hoseok noticed the exchange and smirked. "What's up with you two? Something we should know about?"

Yoongi and Jimin both stammered, "No, nothing!"

The group burst into laughter again, enjoying the lighthearted moment. Yoongi felt a mix of embarrassment and warmth, knowing his friends had his back. Despite the awkwardness with Jimin, he couldn't deny the happiness he felt being surrounded by his friends, including his brother.

As they walked towards the next event, the bickering and jokes continued, the earlier tension forgotten.

As the group moved to the next event, excitement buzzed in the air. Jungkook was up next, competing in a track race. The friends found seats in the bleachers, ready to cheer him on.

Jungkook stood at the starting line, his focus intense. The gun fired, and he took off like a bolt of lightning. The crowd roared as he sprinted down the track, his muscles straining with each powerful stride. As he rounded the final curve, Jungkook pushed harder, his eyes locked on the finish line. With a final burst of speed, he crossed the line, securing first place.

"Jungkook, you did it!" Yoongi shouted, jumping up and down.

Jungkook panted, catching his breath but grinning widely. "Thanks, guys!"

Next was Jin's turn in the swimming competition. The group moved to the pool area, where Jin was already warming up. He waved at his friends, flashing a confident smile.

"Don't worry, I'll bring home the gold," Jin declared, earning cheers from his friends.

The whistle blew, and Jin dove into the water with power. His strokes were strong and efficient, cutting through the water like a knife. As he reached the final lap, the crowd was on their feet, cheering him on. Jin touched the wall, finishing in second place by a fraction of a second.

"Almost had it, hyung," Taehyung said, clapping him on the back. "You were amazing!"

Jin shrugged, smiling. "Silver is still good. Plus, it was fun."

Namjoon's sport was next. He was competing in a strategy-based board game called "Catan,". The group watched as Namjoon set up his pieces, his mind already working on a strategy.

"Come on, Namjoon! Show them who's the boss!" Hoseok yelled, earning laughs from the group.

Namjoon played with intense concentration, his moves calculated and precise. The game was close, but Namjoon's strategic prowess shone through. He managed to outmaneuver his opponents, claiming victory and earning another gold for the group.

"That's our Namjoon!" Jin exclaimed, giving him a high-five.

"You're a genius, Namjoon," Yoongi added, genuinely impressed.

As the group congratulated each other and shared in the victories, Jungkook's phone buzzed with a text. He glanced at it and then looked up, grinning.

Jimin caught Yoongi's eye once more, the aura between them lingering. But as Yoongi smiled at him, the warmth in his eyes made Jimin's heart skip a beat.

Hoseok was looking at them from a distance. "They are definitely fucking."

****

Day two of the sports fest dawned bright and early. The anticipation was palpable as the COE basketball team gathered in the locker room, getting ready for their big game against CBEA. The coach, a seasoned veteran with a no-nonsense attitude, stood before them, ready to give his pep talk.

"Alright, listen up!" Coach Choi barked, his voice echoing in the room. "This game is ours if we play smart and stay united. Hoseok, as the captain ball, lead them. Mingyu, Hyunjin, keep the defense tight. Heeseung and Jimin, I need you two to work together on offense. Remember, it's not about individual glory but about winning as a team."

Hoseok nodded, his expression serious. "We've got this, Coach. Let's show them what COE is made of."

The team headed to the court, where the crowd was already buzzing with excitement. Yoongi, Jin, Namjoon, Jungkook, and the rest of their friends were in the stands, cheering them on. As the game started, Hoseok won the tip-off, and the COE team took control.

From the outset, it was clear that Heeseung had an agenda. Every time Jimin had the ball, Heeseung seemed to be right there, stealing it away and smirking. Jimin gritted his teeth, trying to stay focused and brush off Heeseung's antics.

"Pass the ball, Jimin!" Hoseok called out as Jimin dribbled down the court.

But before Jimin could make his move, Heeseung swooped in, swiping the ball and passing it to Mingyu. Jimin shot Heeseung an annoyed glance, but Heeseung just winked at Yoongi, who was watching from the stands.

As the game progressed, the tension between Jimin and Heeseung grew. Every time Jimin got the ball, Heeseung was there, intercepting his passes and making it difficult for him to play. The frustration was evident on Jimin's face, but he tried to stay composed.

Then, it happened. Jimin was jogging down the court when Heeseung intentionally tripped him, causing him to fall hard onto the floor. The crowd gasped, and the referee blew the whistle, but the damage was done. Jimin's anger boiled over. He pushed himself up, his eyes blazing, and before anyone could stop him, he threw a punch at Heeseung.

The gym erupted into chaos as players from both teams rushed to break up the fight. Hoseok and Mingyu grabbed Jimin, pulling him back, while Hyunjin and the CBEA players held Heeseung.

"Enough! Both of you, knock it off!" Coach Choi yelled, stepping between them.

Jimin struggled against Hoseok's grip, still fuming. "He tripped me on purpose! He's been sabotaging me the whole game!"

Heeseung smirked, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. "Just playing the game, Jimin."

"You call that playing?" Jimin spat back, trying to lunge at him again.

"Jimin, stop!" Hoseok ordered, his voice firm. "We need to focus on winning, not fighting."

The referee called a timeout, and the teams retreated to their benches. The coach pulled Jimin aside, his expression stern.

"I don't care what beef you have with Heeseung," Coach Choi said sharply. "You need to keep your head in the game. We can't afford to lose because of personal grudges."

Jimin took a deep breath, "Fine, but if that motherfucker trips me again, I'm gone."

The coach went over to Heeseung who was smirking the whole time. "Don't try doing something bad again, Heeseung. Or else I'm going to kick you out." He says, jabbing a finger to his chest before heading off.

With Coach Choi’s stern warning, the atmosphere on the court shifted. Jimin was determined to stay focused, take a deep breath and refocus. Heeseung, who had been a bit too playful, seemed to take Coach Choi’s warning seriously.

The game began, and both teams played fiercely. Every point was crucial, and the crowd was buzzing with excitement. COE’s team, with Jimin and Hoseok leading, made some impressive moves.

Hoseok, the captain, dribbled down the court and passed to Jimin. Despite Heeseung’s attempts to be cheeky, Jimin managed to score a clean basket. The COE bench erupted with cheers.

Heeseung, while trying to play his best, couldn’t resist making the occasional snide remark or playful shove. However, he managed to contribute significantly, scoring key points for COE.

The score stayed close, and with only a few minutes left, both teams were neck-and-neck. Coach Choi called a timeout, gathering the team.

“Listen up,” Coach Choi said. “We’ve got one last push. Jimin, you’re going to be the key player for this final stretch. Heeseung, keep your head in the game and support Jimin.”

The team nodded in agreement. When the game resumed, Hoseok made a key pass to Jimin. Despite Heeseung’s playful interference, Jimin kept his cool and dribbled past defenders.

With seconds left on the clock and the score tied, Jimin took the final shot. The ball flew through the air and landed in the basket just as the buzzer sounded. The gym exploded with cheers from the COE supporters.

The team rushed to Jimin, lifting him up in celebration. “Great shot, Jimin!” Hoseok exclaimed.

“You did amazing,” Mingyu said, smiling and giving Jimin a supportive pat on the back.

Coach Choi approached with a big grin. “Fantastic job, everyone!"

After the game, Jimin’s friends gathered around him, their faces lit with excitement and a hint of mischief.

“That was incredible, Jimin!” Jungkook and Jennie said, high-fiving him. “But seriously, you and Heeseung had quite the showdown out there.”

“Yeah,” Yungmin added with a chuckle. “I saw you punch him pretty hard. That was some drama.”

Jimin rolled his eyes but couldn’t help but smile. “He kept getting in my way. I had to defend myself.”

Jin, who had been watching from the sidelines, joined the group with a playful scowl. “If Heeseung keeps this up, I swear I’m going to kill him with my bare hands,” he joked, swinging an imaginary sword.

“Yah, don’t get too carried away,” Yoongi said, laughing.

“Yeah, yeah,” Jin replied, still grinning. “But I’m just saying, I’ve got a lot of pent-up frustration from all that.”

Jimin lets out a huff to Yoongi.

He's defending the asshole, again.

The group laughed, and Hoseok chimed in. “Well, Jimin, you certainly made up for it with that final shot. It was awesome.”

Jimin shrugged and smiled. “Thanks, man. It was a team effort, after all.”