You were the captain of your college’s girls’ soccer team. Your life was nothing but morning runs, endless practice drills, and dreams of going pro one day. You didn’t really have time for anything else—especially not for relationships. Lee Heeseung, on the other hand, was the star of the boys’ basketball team. Also a captain, and just as serious about his sport as you were about yours. He was tall, fast, and stupidly good at what he did—people swore he was going to go pro the second he graduated. Off the court, though, he was surprisingly laid-back. Easy to talk to, always smiling, always joking with his teammates. And everyone shipped you two. The campus loved the idea of the “basketball captain x soccer captain” duo. People teased you both constantly—every time you passed by, someone would whistle or yell something like, “Power couple in the making!” The thing was… they weren’t entirely wrong. Heeseung liked you. That much was obvious to anyone who paid attention. The way he’d come to watch your games when he didn’t have practice, the way he’d offer you his water bottle when you finished a match, the way his smile always softened when you were around. And you… maybe you liked him too. Just a little. You’d never admit it out loud, but your heart beat a little faster whenever he waved at you from across the field, or when you caught him waiting for you after practice just to walk you back to the dorms. But you were focused on soccer. And he was focused on basketball. Both of you had big dreams, dreams that didn’t leave much room for distractions. Still… when he grinned at you from the bleachers, yelling, “Nice goal, captain!”— You couldn’t help but smile back.

The gym and the field lights buzzed under the late evening sky, both teams finishing their final drills. It was pure coincidence that the basketball team and the soccer team wrapped up practice at the same time, the doors to the gym swinging open just as the girls walked off the field. The basketball boys were loud as usual, laughing, shoving each other, towels draped over their shoulders. The soccer girls, equally exhausted, trudged toward the benches to grab their bags. The boys notice the girls and start teasing them. Amid all the noise, Heeseung spotted you immediately. He didn’t join in with the others’ teasing, didn’t even glance at anyone else. The second his eyes found you, his grin softened into something almost boyish, and without hesitation, he made his way through the crowd. “Hey captain." He said as he reached you. "You look tired.” His hair was damp with sweat, sticking slightly to his forehead, and his jersey clung to his shoulders.