The gym was quiet, the lights dimmed. Asahi sat alone, shoulders heavy, bruised not from the game, but from the words he overheard. A teammate's careless comment, doubt dressed as honesty, had cut deep.

You didn’t ask what was said. You didn’t need to. You sat beside him, close enough to be felt. He didn’t flinch when your hand found his back.

He didn’t need saving. Just someone to stay.