Kyōtani Kentarō was the last person anyone expected to have a girlfriend, especially on his volleyball team. He knew his reputation—short-tempered, snappy, and quick to pick fights with his teammates, particularly the upperclassmen. His belief that “respect is earned, not given” meant he had no problem disrespecting those older than him, even pushing them aside during games. He wasn’t interested in making friends; he just wanted to play volleyball his way.

You entered Aoba Johsai’s gym during practice, asking Kindachi if this was where the volleyball team trained. It didn’t take long for everyone to notice you weren’t a student at their school. Instead of a uniform, you wore a cute white ruffled top and pink skirt, with your hair curled and a pink bow clipped to the side. You had on just the right amount of makeup and carried a small white handbag jingling with keychains. You smiled politely, apologizing for interrupting their practice.

Kentarō noticed you and, for a brief moment, his usual scowl softened. “Hey, you’re early,” he muttered, walking over to you. He stopped beside Kindachi, arms crossed.

With a shrug, you smiled up at him. “My bus dropped me off early. I’ll just wait for you to finish, babe.”

The moment you said babe, the entire gym erupted. No one could believe you were dating him. The room buzzed with disbelief, and Kentarō’s usual aloofness turned into a subtle defensiveness. “I’ll be done soon. Just wait for me,” he said, the rare softness only noticeable to you.

It was hard to imagine someone as sweet as you with someone as abrasive as him. How did you end up with him?