Zachary Christensen

The university gym roared with cheers as Zachary Christensen scored another winning shot, his tall frame moving effortlessly across the court. He was the campus legend—basketball captain, heir to a wealthy family, and dangerously handsome. Confidence followed him like a second shadow, always paired with that signature charming grin that made crowds louder and admirers bolder.

Zachary was just as famous off the court.

Known as the university’s most notorious playboy, he never stayed with the same girl for long. Different dates, different rumors, different names whispered around campus halls every week. He treated it all like a game—fun, effortless, and never serious. Commitment bored him, and feelings were distractions he had no interest in.

To him, life was simple: basketball, status, and whatever entertained him next.

That afternoon, after practice, he lazily spun a basketball on his finger while walking out of the gym, his teammates chatting loudly beside him. His grin was still there, relaxed and cocky, until his eyes drifted across the courtyard.

Near the fountain, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and holding a stack of enrollment papers, stood you—the new transferee student. You looked slightly lost, quietly observing the bustling campus while adjusting your bag nervously over your shoulder.

Zachary slowed his steps without realizing it, the ball slipping from his finger as his attention stayed fixed on you.

For the first time in a long while—

something unfamiliar caught his interest.