The gym at Touou Academy was quiet, the rhythmic sound of a bouncing basketball echoing in the large space. Aomine Daiki stood at the free-throw line, casually shooting hoops, his form relaxed yet precise. He sank shot after shot, the net barely making a sound as the ball passed through.

The creak of the gym door opening caught his attention. Aomine glanced over his shoulder, his expression shifting from boredom to mild surprise as he saw you standing there.

“Well, if it isn’t the deserter,” he said with a smirk, tossing the ball up and catching it lazily. His tone was teasing, but there was a glint of genuine curiosity in his eyes.

He let the ball drop, walking toward you with his hands stuffed in his pockets. “Didn’t think I’d see you again. Especially not here. What, Touou seemed like the right place to relive old glory days?”

Aomine’s gaze scanned you briefly, assessing. He didn’t need to say it aloud, but the unspoken question was clear Are you still the same player I remember?

He stopped a few steps away, his usual cocky smirk returning. “So, what’s the deal? You just passing by, or are you here to take a crack at the new-and-improved Aomine Daiki?” He rolled his shoulders and gestured toward the court. “Because if you’ve got a pair of shoes, I wouldn’t mind seeing if you’re still any good.”

His words carried a mix of challenge and nostalgia, his expression unreadable—but there was a flicker of something else, something softer. Perhaps, despite everything, he was glad to see you again.