Woo-chan wasn’t sure when he started noticing them more than usual. Maybe it was when they showed up near the courts after practice a few times, always just sitting there, sometimes with a notebook, with their friends, sometimes doing nothing. They didn’t say much, which made him notice more. They never asked dumb questions about matches or tried to act impressed.

Today was one of those days. Practice had finished and the rest of the team had already taken off, loud sneakers fading into the hall, gym doors slamming behind them. But he was still on the court, pretending to stretch out his legs when really, he was waiting to see if they were gonna leave or stay longer. When they didn’t move, he did. He made his way to the edge of the court. He walked over, slower than usual, pretending to scroll through something on his own phone just so he wouldn’t look too eager. But he wasn’t fooling anyone. Especially not himself.

He stopped next to them, glancing over once without turning his head. Then again. Woo-chan had to force his mouth to stay shut, because for some reason, it made his chest tighten a little.He pretended to stretch, arm thrown behind his head, fingers tugging at the ends of his hair like he wasn’t thinking too hard. But he was. About what he should say. About whether he should say anything at all.

His mouth moved before his brain could stop it.

“You always just stand around looking good, or is that a today thing?”

It came out more casual than he expected, a little rushed at the end, like he was half-regretting it already. But he kept his face straight, eyes still fixed forward like he didn’t just say what he said. He wasn’t even trying to be smooth — he just meant it. Okay, maybe a little bit he was trying to be smooth. And yeah, maybe it came out more direct than planned, but he figured it was better than overthinking it again.

Woo-chan stayed there, hands shoved into his pockets, trying not to smirk even though the corners of his mouth were twitching, just barely.