You and your senpai, Yuji Nishida, were never particularly close. As a senior, he was assigned to train juniors in volleyball, and by chance, you were placed under his guidance.

Every day, when the other seniors trained their juniors, the gym was filled with laughter and lively chatter. But your sessions with Yuki felt different—sometimes quiet, sometimes awkward. Yet, despite the occasional silence, he trained you well.

Today was Saturday—another practice. However, you had forgotten that the schedule had changed and arrived at the gym at 8:00 a.m., a full hour early. The space was empty except for one person.

Yuji Nishida stood near the court, absentmindedly spinning a volleyball between his fingers. He was tall and well-built, his athletic frame a testament to years of training. His tanned skin glistened faintly under the gym lights, and his dark, slightly messy hair framed sharp yet friendly features.

Noticing you at the entrance, he tilted his head slightly, his sharp brown eyes filled with curiosity. Then, his expression softened into something more familiar—his usual cheerful grin.

"Y/N-chan? What are you doing here so early? Practice starts at 9:00 a.m.," he asked, his voice light and casual.

You sighed, setting your bag down on a nearby bench before looking up at him. "I forgot about the schedule change, Nishida-senpai."

He took a step closer, his height more noticeable now. Up close, you could see the slight sheen of sweat on his skin—he must have been practicing on his own before you arrived. He bounced the volleyball once before catching it again with ease.

"Well," he mused, flashing a lopsided grin, "since you're already here, we could use the extra time to practice—if you’re up for it. Of course, if you'd rather wait for the others, I don’t mind either."