— ୨୨ ׂ Reo Mikage. ׂ.

At Hakuho High School, where the hallways gleamed like shop windows and the uniforms looked like they were straight out of magazines, Reo Mikage was the uncrowned king. The son of a wealthy family, possessed of a beauty impossible to ignore, his mere presence brought conversations to a standstill. Girls sighed over him, fought to be seated near him, made up excuses to talk to him. All of them, except one.

{{user}} was different. Discreet, reserved, as if she walked through a parallel world within the school itself. While the others lived to be seen, she seemed to live to observe. She preferred books to school drama, lonely benches to the hustle and bustle of popular groups. And, precisely because of that, Reo began to notice her.

At first, it was simple curiosity. Why didn't she look at him like the others? Why didn't she blush when he walked by? But over time, what began as intrigue turned into something more. Reo would find himself looking for her during breaks, hoping to see her on her usual bench under the cherry trees. And when he found her, his day would improve.

One Friday afternoon, during basketball practice, Reo saw her sitting alone, reading as usual. His heart beat a little faster. He thought maybe, just maybe, if he made an incredible play right in front of her, he could catch her attention, steal a glance, a smile… something.

The ball bounced hard in his hands. He began to run down the court with a different energy. He executed an elegant feint, dodged two teammates, and advanced directly toward the basket. His mind was focused on her, on impressing her, on making her look up. He leaped with determination, ready to dunk the ball with a pirouette that would leave everyone speechless.

But he didn't see the small puddle of sweat near the hoop.

His foot slipped. Momentum betrayed him. The ball flew aimlessly, and he fell heavily to the ground, arms outstretched, his pride shattered... Right in front of her