Chapter: 56

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The rest of the conversation had flowed reasonably well, all things considered. Yejin had recounted every detail she could remember about her exchange with Jiyang, her words rushed but deliberate.

From Jiyang's insistence on seeing their changing room to compare it with her university's facilities, to her excuse of wanting to drop something off for someone on the team-it all sounded absurd now.

Miyeon had given her an incredulous look, her brows furrowing deeply. "And you didn't bother asking what it was or who it was for?"

Yejin had bitten her trembling lips, hesitating before finally shaking her head. "I was stupid," she admitted, her voice shaky. "But we've been friends for a while. I'm sure you wouldn't question everything your friends say either, Miyeon."

The question had caught Miyeon off guard, silencing her for a moment.

Would she? Would she really take someone's word without question, without hesitation?

Her mind wandered to the few people she trusted undoubtedly. Nari and Wonwoo, yes, without a doubt. She would never second guess them.

But the others?

Trust was a fragile thing, built slowly and broken in an instant. She wanted to believe she could, in the bond they had cultivated, but how many of them could she truly say she trusted without reservation?

Miyeon pushed the thought away, shoving it into the far corners of her mind. It wasn't something she could think about now-not here, not when there were more pressing matters at hand.

Some questions, she told herself, were better left unanswered for the time being.

As they made their way back to the gymnasium, the tension between them simmered but didn't quite boil over. Miyeon finally broke the silence, her voice calm but firm.

"Don't mention this conversation to anyone, Yejin," she said, her tone brokering no argument, "I'll let you off without a penalty this time, but you're sitting out for one game."

Yejin froze in her tracks, her eyes wide and her expression a mix of fear and desperation, "Miyeon, please-"

But Miyeon turned to her sharply, her gaze cutting through any protests. The unspoken authority in her eyes silenced Yejin immediately.

"If you don't want me telling everyone the full story-including the Coach-then you'll take the one-game ban without a fuss," Miyeon said, her tone icy. "You know as well as I do that if the Coach hears about this, she'll be handing out demerit points faster than you can blink. While the team will not look at you the same."

"And let's not forget," Miyeon continued, her voice lowering, "you let someone who isn't even part of our university into the changing room, Yejin. What did you expect me to do? Let it slide completely? Smile and say it's okay?"

Yejin dropped her gaze to the floor, shame creeping into her features. She had no response to that.

Miyeon exhaled slowly, her chest tight. It felt harsh, almost too harsh-but it also felt necessary. For too long, her team had seen her as soft and lenient, someone who wouldn't crack down unless absolutely necessary. She had embraced that role, perhaps to a fault.

But things were different now. Expectations were higher, scrutiny harsher and in the end, it will all end up on her.

If she didn't start making changes now, when would she?

She glanced at Yejin one last time, her voice softening just slightly, "This isn't personal, Yejin. It's about what's best for the team."

Yejin nodded reluctantly, her steps heavy as they continued walking. But in the back of her mind, Miyeon knew this wasn't over. It wouldn't be. Not until every question, every suspicion surrounding, Wen Jiyang, was laid to rest.

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The first thing Miyeon noticed as she stepped through the gym doors was the hum of activity-the sound of sneakers squeaking against polished floors and the low murmur of teams warming up. Two new teams had joined the mix, their blue uniforms standing out against the familiar backdrop of her own teammates.

Pristine.

Her eyes swept across the large space, watching the attention her arrival had drawn. A few curious glances lingered on her, but Miyeon barely noticed. She wasn't looking for them.

She was looking for him.

Her gaze flitted to where she'd last seen him, and sure enough, there he was. The relief on Jeonghan's face was unmistakable. When he realized she was looking at him, he raised a questioning brow, his posture stiff with unspoken worry.

He didn't so much as glance at Yejin, who stood just beside her. His eyes just for her.

Miyeon gave him a subtle nod, just enough to let him know she was fine. That single gesture seemed to ease his tension; his shoulders dropped, his posture relaxing. The fluttering in heart  made her want to hit her chest until it stopped.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Mingyu mutter something to Joshua, who shook his head in exasperation. Her lips twitched at the sight before her focus shifted again, this time to the unfamiliar teams.

That's when her eyes landed on them, Wonwoo's team.

He was standing near the edge of the group with two of his friends she knew as Jun and Minghao, his expression unreadable but his gaze locked on her. Concern flashed across his face, directed solely at her.

Miyeon returned his look with the same reassuring nod she'd given Jeonghan, and though he didn't fully relax, the lines of worry softened slightly.

Then, her attention moved to her own team.

That's when her eyes narrowed.

Standing at the edge of their team's circle, with an air of nonchalance that only she could muster, was the root cause of this entire mess-Wen Jiyang.

Her smirk was unmistakable, sharp and deliberate, as if she knew exactly what she was doing. Their gazes met, and Miyeon felt a flicker of irritation twist in her chest. Miyeon could see the tension on the faces of her own team that even Yewon had stood up next to them to face the devil.

Without a care for the stares she was attracting, Jiyang sauntered toward her with unnerving confidence, her steps unhurried and her demeanor bold, loving the attention she was getting.

The air between them seemed to crackle with tension as Miyeon stood rooted by the door, her expression hardening. Jiyang's smirk only deepened, and Miyeon clenched her fists, bracing herself for whatever game this girl was about to play again.

Jiyang stopped a few feet away, her smirk firmly in place. She tilted her head slightly, the picture of confidence, and her voice came out smooth, almost teasing.

"Captain Miyeon," she greeted, her tone syrupy but with an edge of taunt, "Quite the dramatic entrance like always. Or should I say, always hungry for attention."

Miyeon held her ground, her expression calm but cold, "I was handling team matters. Something you wouldn't understand, I imagine. As for the attention part, it comes naturally to me but for you? You have to pull stunts like," she paused, eyeing her up and down from head to toe, "you're smart enough to know what I mean, right?", she smirked.

The jab wasn't personal enough, but the subtle challenge in Miyeon's tone was unmistakable. Around them, the gym seemed to grow quieter, the attention of teammates and rivals alike honing in on the interaction.

Jiyang's smirk faltered, just for a moment, before she quickly masked it with feigned amusement. She stepped closer, the sound of her sneakers against the gym floor sharp in the now hushed room.

"You've got quite the sharp tongue, Kim Miyeon," Jiyang replied, her tone light but her eyes narrowing, "Though I wonder if it's compensating for something else. Pressure, maybe? Since you lost pathetically against us last time."

Miyeon didn't flinch. Her gaze stayed steady, unwavering. "Pressure is what separates the leaders from the followers. I'd say that's why you're still chasing shadows, isn't it?"

A low murmur rippled through the gym, and Miyeon could see her teammates tense up from her peripheral vision while Yewon surprisingly looked at the girl from opposition with a glare.

She caught Mingyu shifting on his feet, his lips parted like he wanted to interject, but Joshua stopped him with a quick shake of his head.

Jeonghan and Wonwoo stood further back, their eyes locked on the exchange. Jeonghan's fingers drummed against his crossed arms, a sign of his growing impatience, while Wonwoo's expression remained impassive, though his gaze seemed to pierce through Jiyang.

The image she had once carefully crafted in his mind had long since faded, erased by the actions she took against Miyeon. It was his kindness, his loyalty to Jun, that kept him from confronting her directly.

Jiyang chuckled softly, though the sound lacked its earlier confidence. She crossed her arms, leaning slightly forward as if testing Miyeon's resolve, "You talk a big game, but words only go so far, Miyeon. Actions, on the other hand-"

"Actions like sneaking into other teams' spaces and bending rules to your comfort zone?" Miyeon cut her off, her voice not more than a whipser but she could feel Yejin tense beside her, "If that's what you mean by actions, then I'll pass. I prefer to win without shortcuts.", she completed, her voice back to normal.

This time, Jiyang didn't bother hiding the irritation flickering across her face. She straightened up, her smirk finally slipping into a tight line and she took a step forward.

But before she could respond, a firm voice broke the tension.

"Jiyang."

Everyone turned to see Jun, standing a few feet away, his expression a mix of exasperation and warning. His gaze was locked on his sister, and for a moment, the sharp edges in his tone seemed to cut through her bravado.

Miyeon looked surprised at his intervention. Wonwoo had told her about the two being siblings but she didn't think Jun would actually intervene in his sister's matters.

"Out with me. Now." he said with finality.

Jiyang clenched her jaw, her eyes flashing with defiance, but she didn't argue. Instead, she turned back to Miyeon, her voice lower but no less biting, "This isn't over, Kim Miyeon."

Miyeon didn't flinch, didn't even blink, "It never is with people like you."

With that, Jiyang stepped away, her movements stiff but deliberate. Jun gave Miyeon an apologetic look, his lips pressing into a thin line before he followed after his sister.

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Sucks to be Jiyang.

Anyways, responsible brother Jun on duty.

Show some love people! ❤

Happy Reading!📚 🤍