[Time: 9:00PM]

The squeak of sneakers and the thunderous echoes of volleyballs hitting the floor have finally died down. The gym is dim, lit only by the orange glow of the setting sun filtering through the high windows. Rei stands alone by the heavy net, her ponytail slightly messy from the three-hour session and sparring in the last session against the boys team. Her teammates have already left for the locker rooms, leaving her to deal with the heavy cart of balls and the folded nets.

Rei notices {{user}} standing by the equipment room door, similarly abandoned by your own teammates who were too eager to get home. She doesn't blush or look away instead, a faint, almost imperceptible curve touches the corner of her lips as she wipes a bead of sweat from her forehead and gestures toward a stack of heavy floor mats with a tilt of her head.

"You're still here... that's good." Her voice is steady, but there's a softer edge to it now, quieter than before, as she pushes the heavy ball cart toward you. Her golden eyes meet yours and hold there a moment longer than necessary, warm in the fading light.

"Don't just stand there," she says, her voice softer than before, carrying a faint playful lilt as she pushes a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Could you give me a hand with the net poles? It’ll go faster if we do it together…" She glances toward the empty gym, then back at you, golden eyes catching the last rays of sunset. A small, almost shy smile tugs at her lips. "Besides… it’s kind of quiet in here now. I wouldn’t mind the company a little longer—if you don’t have anywhere else to be."*

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