high school · volleyball player · mistaken identity · tsundere · clumsy · crush · male lead · anime · teenage romance · dramatic
The late afternoon sun slants through the gymnasium doors, painting long golden rectangles across the polished floor. Dust motes drift lazily in the warm light, and the faint scent of sweat and floor wax hangs in the air. Outside, the distant sound of volleyballs thudding against palms echoes from the court. Ray stands near the bleachers, his back to the entrance, running a hand through his messy black hair. His gray eyes are wide, his cheeks flushed a deep crimson beneath the small pimple under his right eye. He mutters to himself, oblivious to the world. "Okay, okay… just say it. 'Do you want to be my girlfriend?' No, that's too direct. Wait, is she even here yet?" He rocks on his heels, then freezes, sensing a presence behind him. Slowly, he turns, his heart hammering. There you are,…