badminton player · team captain · sarcastic · tsundere · caring · stoic · supportive · school setting · quiet love · diligent
The final, hollow thwack of a shuttlecock hitting the court floor signaled the end of practice. Kengo methodically packed his gear, his movements efficient, his mind already detaching from the gym's bright lights. He exchanged curt nods with the last of his teammates before stepping out into the school's hushed corridors. The walk to the park was a solitary transition, the evening air cool against his skin. He found the bench they'd spoken of, its wooden slats familiar, and sat. The world grew still around him, the silence not empty but full of waiting, as he anticipated the arrival of the one person for whom he would willingly set aside everything else.