"Manager,can you put this pain relief patches on my back?" Hoshi, the volleyball team right wing spiker, asked their girl manager. Without hearing her answer, he put the patches on her palms. Then, he turned his back against her and lifted his shirt.

How many times did (Y/n) saw a man's upper body?

It's countless.

All of her siblings are guys. Also, when she was young, she was used of watching her brother and his basketball teammates' practice. It is useless to feel embarrass over seeing something like a half naked man; that's her case so far.

And so, she asked, "Where should I put this?"

"Here." Hoshi pointed the aching spot on his side.

As she was about to put it with a nonchalant face, a face says: 'Whatever. Let's just do it', someone snatched the patches from her hands. With rounded eyes, she looked at the man who stole them. He has clean cut brown eyes, cat like eyes, small face and pointed nose.

"Ahhh!" Hoshi winced after he was harshly aided by someone from the back. "Manager~ Do it lightly," he pouted. Opposite to his request, the perpetrator harshly slammed another patch on his back. "Ouch!" Hoshi gritted his teeth as he looked back. "Hey...that's...!"

When he saw the other person behind him, he froze.

"Y-You...W-Why?"

"There are still few patches left," Joshua said with a smile; a kind of grin that isn't pleasant to see.

Glancing at Y/n) and Joshua with his small and slanted eyes, Hoshi forged a laugh. "Ha ha ha. No need. For some reason, my body isn't aching anymore." He got his patches from Joshua and walked away. "Is there something between them?" He whispered to himself.

The penthouse hallway is still noisy. But now that Joshua and (Y/n) are alone, the other sounds seemed muted.

Even if (Y/n) was known for being serious and quiet, there's no way she'll surpass their team's libero, Joshua, who was labelled as the most sheepish guy she met. Thus, she opened her mouth to open a conversation.

"How do you feel right now?"

Joshua put his palm and cupped his forehead. "I think I'm a bit okay. Thanks for looking me out."

After that incident at the kitchen, when Seungcheol licked his thumb which he used to wipe her lips, she shortly forgot the thing that happened a moment ago.

She still isn't sure if Joshua intentionally hugged her while there were asleep. Worst, they got caught by the person she likea, Seungcheol.

'It is okay to ask him about that incident? Or to persuade him to explain everything to our captain?' (Y/n) pondered inwardly, biting her lower lips. 'But it's Joshua after all. Maybe, making this a big deal will make me oblivious. I should let it pass. Besides, who am I to explain to Cheol? It's not like we're a couple. Tss~'

"Manager (Y/n)," Joshua called. She met his eyes and answered, "Yes?"

"Since I helped you, can you ask you one more favor?"

'What kind of help he was talking about?' She wondered. Still, she agreed, "Sure. What is it?"

"Can you put pain relief patches on my body?"

So it's that help he was talking about: the time when he volunteered on putting the patches on Hoshi's back. However..

'Why did he say the word body? I felt weird with my imagination. Damn it,' (Y/n) protested inside her head.

"G-Give it to me," she awkwardly stuttered with red cheeks. "I'll put it now."

"Oh," he gasped, clapping his hands as if he forgot something important. "But I left it with my room. Will you come with me?"

There's a saying: "Don't stay inside a guy's room." But since (Y/n) is too dense to notice his intention, she dumbly agreed. Well, Seungcheol is the only person whom she sees as a man among everyone. It's natural that when it comes to others, her reasoning skills have weakened.

'What's the deal? This is my penthouse," she said to herself while taking Joshua. Nodding her head, he silently continued, 'and we won't be alone.'

"You are sharing a room with how many?" She asked. They both stopped in front of the door.

Joshua turned the doorknob, opening the entrance. "Oh, we're five inside."

Five including Joshua. But when they entered, there's none. "Where are they?" She gasped.

He closed the door as he replied, "probably taking shower together."

That's right! Why did she forget the most important thing right now?! Everyone went for a shower after their intense training! That means, it'll be her and Joshua alone in this room again. But, what's the point of backing out? She thought she should prove to herself that she's a stone in front of the team; that they can treat her as their older/younger brother even if she's a woman.

Gulping her nervousness, she sat down on the floor.

"Why are you sitting there?" Joshua asked. He then tapped the bed, which is the only thing she can sit on. "Come here."

Somehow, his offer made her heart skipped a beat. Little did she know that this is just the beginning of Joshua's silly show.

"I'm o-okay with sitting at the ground," she made an excuse while holding her breath.

"Really?" He tilted his head as he got the pack of pain relief patches. Perching down on her side, he murmured, "It'll be hard to do it at the floor though. But if is your favorite position then, okay."

"..."

"What?" He asked to her with his innocent face.

"What t-thing?"

"Putting patches, of course," he proudly answered.

"Then why were you talking about position?"

"Indian seat is a hard position for a man like me."

"Ahh. I s-see."

Indeed, running her imagination in the wrong way made it worst. However, it isn't her fault since Joshua intended this to happen. How evil.

"So where are the p-patches?" She inquired while avoiding his gaze and scratching her arm.

Her blushing cheeks, her awkward movements, her stuttering words, Joshua is enjoying everything. With a grin on his lips, he gave the pack. "Here." Then he showed his back.

"Geez. What did a sick person do today? You're too young to complain about bedsores," she spoke, looking at his clothed back.

"You're right. Maybe because I had a dream of hugging someone while we're on bed so my muscles feel numb."

'Tud'

She dropped the patches.

Expecting the reason why she suddenly shut her lips, Joshua asked. "Why? Are you okay?"

'Does it mean he remembers everything or he doesn't?' She shouted inside her head. Clenching her fists, she exhaled a flame.

"The room is h-hot," she changed the topic as she picked up the pack she dropped.

Joshua chuckled. Next, he lifted his shirt to expose his bare back. When she saw it, her body temperature rose above 36°.

'This isn't right! I shouldn't panic over a bare back!' She threatened herself. Therefore, she gulped her saliva to calm.

"Where will I put it?" (Y/n)'s fingertips reached his skin.

His shoulders flinched for a moment, as if he got an electric shock. But soon his hardened expression shifted to a great pleasure.

"Your fingertips are hotter," he whispered.

"Huh?"

"You said that the room is hot," he explained. Tilting his head for a bit, she looked at his side view. "But your hands are hotter."

Their eyes met.

"..." (Y/n) couldn't say a thing. She just watched him; his gentle yet fierce stare, his pointed nose, his lips and his sexy back.

But before she lost her consciousness (to exaggerate her emotions), Joshua shifted back from wolf to a gentle sheep. "Are you sure you didn't catch my fever? I'm worried, manager."

Finally, she can breathe. "I'm warm b-because I'm a mammals."

"Mammals? Lol," he laughed then looked North.

Widely opening her eyes and mouth, (Y/n) exhaled deeply without a sound. She pressed her chest as she mumbled stupid things for herself.

Amidst her silent monologue, Joshua pointed the upper part of his back, near his shoulder. "Can you put that here?"

"Huh?" She gasped. "Ah, yeah." She placed it quickly.

Joshua frowned because she slammed it a little hard, just the way he did to Hoshi. But instead of complaining, he used this this chance to tease her even more.

"Ahmmm, you placed it wrong," he chuckled. "Maybe because you couldn't see it with my shirt on. Wait a minute, I'll take it off."

"What...?!" As she was about to stop him, Joshua is already half naked.

He tossed his shirt on the bed as if it's a natural thing to do. Now, (Y/n) freeze like an ice. It isn't her first time seeing a half naked dude but why does this feel different than usual?

"Now, can you put it here?" Joshua broke the thick air with a voice that is thicker than honey. If only he'll move around, (Y/n)'s reddened face will satisfy his greed. But no, this isn't the right time to feel overwhelm. He planned of knocking her out by acting innocent or else, she'll stay away.

Isn't Jeonghan's playfulness is the reason why (Y/n) can't see him as man? Similar but also different to that, Joshua will hide the monster living in him. Instead, he will use it to to awaken her desires... desires exclusive only for Joshua Hong.

"Here?" She touched him and her heart jumped out of her chest.

"Yes," he answered with reddened ears.

By the time she stamped it, the door opened. The smell of shampoo and mint penetrated inside the room. As she looked at the entrance, the loud noise coming from the people who entered the room has subsided.

"C-Captain," she called the first person she saw.

Seungcheol's hair is wet, as well as the other players behind him.

"Oh? What are you doing here? Manager?" Mingyu asked them. He walked inside with Hoshi. They were surprised but they didn't think weirdly of it.

"I'm just p-putting this on his back!" She stuttered, showing the patches on her hands.

"I feel guilty for asking manager to put one on my back," Hoshi laughed as he lay down on bed. "Thank you for taking care of us," he pouted.

For Mingyu and Hoshi, it may seems that she is just doing his task to take care of the team. But it's diffrent in Seungcheol and Jeonghan's eyes.

"Hey! That's unfair!" Jeonghan shouted. He threw his white towel and sat down beside Joshua. "Patch me too." About to take off his shirt, (Y/n) hit his back. "Ouch!"

"Why should I?!" She complained. "There are too many guys inside this room. So ask them."

"Exactly," Seungcheol said that caught everyone's attention. Looking at Joshua, he continued, "too many people but why did you ask her to do this? Alone in a room?"

Jeonghan's expression turned serious, as well as Joshua's. Mingyu held his breath, same as (Y/n). On the other side, Hoshi is too dense to notice the intensity of this situation.

"Oh, captain. Let me explain this," Hoshi said while eating cheese balls above the bed. " I met manager and Joshua at the hallway then he..."

Hoshi couldn't finish his words (and gulp his snack) because Mingyu covered his mouth.

"Oh right!" Mingyu exclaimed. "Hoshi and I will buy something at the convenience store. We'll be back. Ha ha ha." He dragged the innocent hamster out of the room.

Now, there are only Jeonghan, Seungcheol, Joshua and (Y/n) inside the quiet room.

Seungcheol is still standing at the entrance, without breaking his gaze to Joshua. "The rule is clear. While you are in this team, you can't date. Stop doing something that might led to misunderstanding."

"Captain," (Y/n) butted. "I'm sorry."

"No," Seungcheol shook his head. "This isn't your fault. I..."

"No!" She stood up, looking at the floor. "I'll make sure that I won't cross the line with everyone. I'll be careful."

"(Y/n), that's..."

She walked out without hearing the rest of his words.

"That's pretty harsh, captain," said Jeonghan. He sat up on the bed and looked at Seungcheol from toe to head. "Do you want to know why manager (Y/n) acted that way?"

"..."

"Because we saw you kissing someone. (Y/n) and I found out that our team's captain is dating behind our backs."

"What?!" Seungcheol gasped.

The night is deep.

After the unfinished conversation between Seungcheol, Jeonghan and Joshua, all of them went down to sleep. Hoshi and Mingyu are snoring. Joshua is sleeping at the corner. But Seungcheol is still awake.

He turns and turns and turns on the bed with a sigh. He looked at Jeonghan, wondering if he's asleep because Jeonghan is facing the wall.

'I couldn't sleep at all,' Seungcheol sighed for the 10th time.

If there's something that kept him awake, then it is by the fact that (Y/n) caught him kissing someone and mistaking that someone as his girlfriend.

'Of all the people who'll see that, why her?!' He cursed.

Stuffy, he decided to go out and clear his thoughts.

"I have to explain everything tomorrow. Right. I have to," he murmured, hands inside his pockets as he stared at the moon.

When the moon hid behind the clouds, Seungcheol wondered why he felt mad over this. (Y/n) is someone he respects, that's what he thought. But nowadays, she always got his attention in every way; when their eyes met, when she smiled at him or when she's close to the other player.

"What is this? Why am I so mad the moment I saw them together for the 2nd time?"

He was referring to Joshua and (Y/n)'s close interactions.

'Is it because she's too innocent to know how shameless those bastards are?' He guessed. 'Because she's like a little sister that I wanted to protect?'

"Of all the men in the world, why did I fall to him?" A woman voice came from his right side.

When he tilted his head, the moonlight shone down and illuminated at that woman's face from afar. It is (Y/n).

As if she twinkled in his eyes, Seungcheol thought this is the chance to explain his side. He wanted to tell her that he's not in a relationship, and everything they saw that day is only for his revenge. However, the next thing he heard coming from her lips made him stop.

"I shouldn't like him. I have to stop loving someone who's already taken. Right Seungcheol?"

At first, he thought she's noticed his presence and was asking for a reply. But...

"I can't like our captain. I must not."

He finally knew that she was talking to his after image, to the man she secretly likes.

"Then, before this training ends, I have to move on. For the team's victory and for Seungcheol's happiness, I'll get rid of this." She raised her fist and cheered, "Fighting!"

The cold wind blew. As the leaves of the tress rustle, (Y/n) looked at the spot where Seungcheol was standing. But she saw no one. "Oh? I thought someone is standing at that side."

Fearing that it might a ghost, (Y/n) dashed inside the penthouse with cold face.

On the other side, Seungcheol was actually hiding behind a bush. He is sitting at the grass, covering his lips with reddened face.

That night...the reason why he felt annoyed whenever (Y/n) and Joshua are together became clear. She was a seed in his heart. And now, it bloomed into a beautiful flower.

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