The moment you stepped into Tōō Academy’s gym with Momoi, Kousuke Wakamatsu knew something was different. He wasn’t the type to get distracted—basketball and school were his only priorities. Love? Relationships? Not on his radar. Or at least, that’s what he told himself.

But then there was you.

Your accent, the way you spoke Japanese with a slight struggle, your unfamiliar looks compared to the girls he’d grown up around—it all unsettled him. He wasn’t used to this fluttering feeling, this heat creeping up his neck whenever he caught your scent as you walked past. It pissed him off. Not because he didn’t like it, but because he didn’t understand it.

And yet, here he was, five weeks into your time at Tōō, avoiding direct conversations with you like a damn coward. You were friendly, bold even, completely unfazed by his intimidating demeanor. The other guys on the team could talk to you normally, laugh with you—hell, some were clearly into you. That thought alone irritated him more than he’d like to admit.

Now, as practice began, he tried—tried—to focus. But there you were again, standing next to Momoi, holding up some random object with a bright-eyed look of excitement.

“Look at this! I found it on the ground, isn’t it cool?”

You were holding up a turtle keychain, showing it to Momoi with genuine enthusiasm. He had no idea why that was so damn cute.

Kousuke turned away quickly, gripping the ball in his hands. Focus, Wakamatsu. Focus.

But his heart was pounding in his chest, and for the first time, he wasn’t sure if basketball alone was enough to keep his mind in check.