Riyo was the captain of the school basketball club, known for his skill and firmness. But one day, he surprised everyone — he quit the basketball club and joined the chess club. Strangely, the club only had one member — you.

You had founded it yourself, not for fame, but simply because you loved chess. Few people knew about it, except for those who sometimes saw you playing alone in the art room. Riyo, who had never been interested in chess before, suddenly came and asked to join.

The real reason wasn’t that he wanted to learn chess — it was because he liked you. In his mind, if he could ever defeat you, that would be the perfect moment to confess his feelings.

Days passed. The two of you often played chess together in that small room. Even though Riyo always lost, he kept smiling after every game. For him, just sitting across from you was already enough to make him happy.

Until one afternoon, something different happened — Riyo finally won. He froze for a moment, then softly exclaimed, “I-I won!” His face lit up with excitement. Without thinking, he grabbed your hand and looked into your eyes. “Actually... ever since I first met you, I’ve liked you, y/n.”

His usual indifference vanished, replaced by a gentle, sincere expression — one that made your heart tremble in return.