Spring sunshine filtered into the Heiran High gym, reflecting off the polished floors and echoing with the hum of a hundred voices. This was our home court: last year was Sagano's territory, but today we had the home advantage.
Flags hung from the rafters, and students from both schools buzzed around, tension and fun cooking in the air.
I slipped through the entrance hallway, clutching a clipboard with water bottles (trying to be helpful), toweling sweat off my brow, and tried to stay invisible as... some of the Sagano girls strutted by. Eight of them, loud, confident, leaning toward Heiran's starters as they passed.
They giggled and batted their eyelashes at our boys: James, Travis, Twan, Ryan, and Minho. I rolled my eyes. Been there. Saw that. Full trash. But then one of them—short black hair, pouty lips—turned and spoke loud enough for me to hear:
"Hey, water-girl's-in-the-house? Or is that just a legend? I've heard you're like the only girl at your school. Imagine how co-ed would've been if I'd known!"
Ouch. Even I flinched.
None of the guys reacted. I understand though, the girls were loud-LOUD. Except... maybe Travis, who caught the girl's full sarcasm and shot her a cold glare. Then everyone turned back, laughter bouncing off the walls.
I sighed, eyes sharp. I turned to the Sagano girls with a polite smile. "Yep! I'm the water girl. I'm also the one they actually talk to before and after the game."
With that, I fully walked off before waiting for a reaction. My chest burned with adrenaline or maybe with shame at my own resentment. Either way, I needed air. I needed to leave.
...
Outside, the courtyard was bright and blooming. Less busy as well since most students are already inside the court or eating/buying snacks at the cafeteria for the game.
Cherry blossoms petaled across the ground like confetti. I sat on the stone bench, still shaky from confrontation. Then:
"Hey."
Josh stood beside me, gentle pulse of concern in his tone.
"I couldn't handle it either," he added quietly.
"Thanks," I whispered. "That was... something."
He gave me a small smile, not smug, just soft.
"You okay though?" Josh asked gently, sitting beside me against the school's side wall, trying not to let my expression crumble.
I didn't answer at first. The sun was too bright. The wind too sharp. My thoughts too messy.
"They're just Sagano" he continued. "They show up like that every year. Loud. Flashy. Temporary."
I gave a laugh. "Yeah, well, they do a great job acting like we're invisible."
Josh tilted his head to look at me. "They don't make you invisible, Elise. Trust me."
I glanced sideways at him. "Thanks."
A pause. His voice softened again. "Hey... how about we don't go back in yet?"
"Huh?" I replied.
"I mean, it's not like they need us for the event intros. Or the fire-lighting thing. That's for show. We've got like an hour and a half before the actual game kicks off." He stepped back, gesturing toward the courtyard entrance. "There's a quiet place behind the science wing. Has a koi pond. I go there sometimes to think."
I hesitated.
"I'm not saying you need to talk," Josh added. "Or explain anything. Just... if you want to breathe, I'll be there."
It wasn't romantic, not exactly. But it was something.
I found myself nodding. "Alright. Lead the way."
He smiled, not the smirk I'd seen a few times before, but something softer. Lighter. Then he offered his hand. I didn't take it—but I did walk beside him, close enough for our sleeves to brush. I blamed the wind.
We turned a corner, passing the edge of the gym building until the noise from the court and student clusters faded behind us. A small stone path curved around a few trimmed hedges and low cherry blossom trees, still budding in the early spring.
And there it was. A small koi pond surrounded by smooth rock benches, water shimmering beneath golden morning light. It was quiet here. Really quiet.
"Wow..." I breathed, surprised. "How have I never seen this?"
"Not many people come here unless they're skipping class or hiding from martial arts subject," Josh said, rubbing the back of his neck.
I sat down on the bench and watched the fish swirl slowly through the water. "This is nice."
"Yeah. Kind of my peace corner." Josh replied.
A beat passed.
He sat beside me, not too close. "I don't know what they said to you, but I could tell you were off. And I get it. The noise. The pressure. The... everything."
I looked at him. "Do you?"
He didn't smile this time. "More than you think."
There was something in his voice, tight, buried—but he didn't offer more.
"So," I said lightly, needing to ease the shift in the air, "are you always this good at being in the right place at the right time?"
Josh smirked. "No. I've just learned what it feels like to be in the wrong one."
I turned away at that, letting the silence fill the space between us. A breeze rustled the trees overhead. Somehow, I knew I shouldn't ask. And somehow, I knew I would—eventually.
He cleared his throat. "Hey, can I tell you something kind of stupid?"
I raised a brow. "That depends. Is it going to make me laugh or cry?"
"Maybe both." He leaned back, bracing his hands behind him. "I'm kind of glad I got pulled in to sub today. Not for the drama, or for... y'know, stepping in Minho's spot. But because if I hadn't, I don't think I'd have gotten to know you."
"That's not stupid." I replied, and then added. "It feels kind of bold, though."
A pause.
"I guess I like bold," I said quietly, surprising even myself.
He looked at me, maybe caught off guard. And I looked right back. Just for a second too long. I felt that familiar hitch in my chest, the kind that comes before you do something you're not sure you'll regret—but you're tempted anyway.
"I..." I stood up, brushing nonexistent dust from my sleeves. "We still have like... over an hour, right?"
Josh blinked. "Yeah."
"Then... show me more," I said before I could overthink it.
His lips twitched. "Thought you'd never ask." So we didn't go back right away. Instead, for the next hour, we wandered.
Josh and I snuck off behind the science wing and ended up wandering into the school's greenhouse, hidden and humid like a secret summer. We talked, really talked, for the first time.
He told me about his detention-worthy antics, his weird love for thunderstorms, and his failed lawyer dreams. Somewhere between mint leaves and quiet laughs, I realized I liked this version of him. It felt easy... almost too easy.
Just as something in the air shifted, maybe toward something more, then his phone buzzed.
"What is it?" I asked.
He sighed. "Reminder that we're supposed to be lining up for the player intros soon."
I glanced at my watch to check the time. We'd been gone for almost an hour or more. "Oh, crap."
"We should get back before they send a search party."
I nodded and stood, but my head was still spinning, not from standing up too fast, but from everything else. He walked beside me as we made our way around the greenhouse path, back toward the gym. We didn't say anything more. But something had shifted.
When we reached the back entrance, the muffled roar of the crowd inside echoed through the walls. Game day energy in full swing.Just before we opened the door, Josh turned to me. "Hey."
"Yeah?" I turned to look at him
"Thanks." Josh replied.
I gave him a small smile. "Thanks for making it not suck."
And then we stepped inside—together.
Ryan's POV.
Meanwhile... as we walked inside. The first horn blared across the gym, echoing off the walls like a warning shot. Warm-ups had begun.
Inside the locker room, the air buzzed with tension, balls thudding against the court outside, sneakers squeaking, the sharp scent of menthol and rubber hanging in the air. Everyone was suiting up, but something was... off.
"Where's Elise?" I asked, scanning the room. Her usual spot near the benches was empty.
Travis didn't even look up from re-taping his fingers. "Dunno. She'll be back."
I raised an eyebrow. "She left?"
He gave a noncommittal shrug. "She's fine."
I didn't press, but I could tell the others were starting to feel it too.
We gathered in the hallway, gear in hand, jerseys worn. Everyone fidgeted in their own way. Twan was checking his watch more than usual. James stood near the trophy case, adjusting his collar, staring at his reflection with a practiced-smile. Travis was reading a book in one hand while bouncing a ball in the other. And Minho stood apart, one shoulder against the wall, jaw clenched tight. He kept checking his phone like it owed him an answer.
I didn't say anything. No one did. But we all noticed her absence.
...
Warm-ups were halfway done. The gym was loud now, crowd noise filtering in through the walls, the energy bouncing off the lockers, off the floor, off us. But Elise and Josh? Still nowhere to be seen. I stood by the hallway door, arms crossed, checking my phone again.
Almost an hour and twenty. That's how long she'd been gone. I didn't like the feeling. Not because I didn't trust her—but because this wasn't the time. Not before the game.
And Josh? He was still technically part of the team. He was supposed to be in the player intros. Even as a sub, he had a spot to fill.
Minho finally asked what we were all thinking, voice low, sharp. "They're not here yet?"
I didn't answer. Just looked at the door. And then, finally— The hallway door creaked open. Josh stepped in first holding the door for Elise. Elise followed, windblown and flushed. They walked in laughing. Exactly ten minutes before game time. Just in time for the lineup.
The entire squad stilled...
Elise's POV
Josh pulled the door open for me, warm air and gym noise rushing to greet us. We stepped in. Ten minutes before tipoff. And the moment we crossed into the locker hallway, the guys all froze as they saw us, like a still frame from a movie.
Ryan stood near the door, arms crossed, brows slightly raised like he was waiting for an explanation. Minho leaned against the wall, expression unreadable, but his gaze flicked straight to me. James was halfway through adjusting his jersey, hands frozen mid-fix. Twan gave me a quick blink, like he wasn't sure what to say. Travis didn't move, he just watched, quiet as always, eyes tracking every detail.
"...Hi?" I said, trying not to make it awkward. Spoiler alert: too late.
James was the first to speak. "Elise. What the hell. We thought you vanished."
"Vanished?" I blinked, feigning innocence. "I was just out."
"For an hour and a half," Ryan added, raising an eyebrow.
"It wasn't that long," I muttered.
Twan checked his watch. "One hour and twenty-seven minutes."
"Wow, you timed it?" I shot back.
He shrugged. "It's game day."
Josh, ever the unbothered one, simply gave a short nod. "Hey, guys."
Minho didn't respond. Not verbally. Just looked from Josh... to me... and back again.
"Look," I said, stuffing my hands in the front pocket of my hoodie (Josh's hoodie, which wasn't helping). "You guys were busy anyway."
I didn't mean for it to come out that pointed, but... well, I had to say something. The way those Sagano's were hanging off them earlier? And they let them? Ryan glanced at Minho, but Minho didn't react.
Josh stepped past me and headed straight to the bench to start lacing his shoes and doing warm-up wrist stretches. The guys shifted a little, that thick cloud of tension hovering, but no one said anything else. Then the first buzzer rang. Time for introductions.
Ryan exhaled, adjusting his armband. "Let's move."
The guys filtered out of the locker hallway, Josh included, moving as one toward the gym doors. No dramatic glares this time, just focused energy. Game faces on. Sagano's team had already cleared the opposite corridor, their cheers echoing faintly from down the hall.
Through the glass doors, I could see the court lights blaze to life, spotlights darting across the bleachers as the announcer's voice boomed over the speakers. The crowd roared in response—waves of sound and school colors and pure, electric hype.
The door swung closed behind them, sealing off the chaos on the other side. I stood there for a second. Alone. And then I followed suit. As soon as I left the hallway, a second buzzer echoed through the halls. The game was about to begin.
And something told me this wasn't just a tournament match.
No...
This felt like the start of something else entirely...