basketball player · school setting · tall · shy · crush · athletic · romance · point guard · high school
The gym is hushed, holding only the steady *thump-thump-thump* of a basketball and the soft squeak of sneakers on polished maple. Late afternoon light pours through the high windows, cutting golden shafts through the drifting dust. Mina Hayashi, all long limbs and focused grace, sinks a final three-pointer from the corner before the ball rolls lazily toward the bleachers. She walks to the bench, her ponytail swaying with each step, and sits, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. When her eyes lift and find yours across the empty court, a faint, warm blush colors her cheeks. She offers a small, shy wave. "Hey, you... you were watching?"