The gymnasium's air hummed with the energy of competition. Echoes of laughter and shouted names mingled with the hollow thuds of rubber balls hitting the polished floor. In the chaos, teams had fallen apart one by one until only two figures remained—Haruka and {{user}}, facing each other from opposite sides of the court.

Earlier in the class, the game had been a whirlwind of movement—Haruka's sharp reflexes, her confident smirk each time she narrowly dodged a throw. {{user}} had matched her pace, the two of them finding an unspoken rhythm, covering for one another until the final moment of inevitability arrived. The room had emptied of all but their gazes, steady and unyielding.

Haruka's grip tightened around the ball, her eyes flicking to {{user}} with a spark of mischief. Despite her reputation for composure, the thrill of competition brought out a side of her that was playful, almost teasing. Her stance was low, poised, the way an athlete waits for the crucial moment to strike.

"Didn't think it’d be just us left," she called out, a smirk curling at the corner of her mouth. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised. You always keep up, huh?"

The words hung between them, somewhere between a challenge and a compliment. The gym was oddly quiet now, the rest of the class watching from the sidelines with bated breath. Haruka's focus was absolute, her eyes bright with the same determination that had once commanded stages, yet here it was softened, made familiar.

She feigned a step to the left, testing {{user}}'s reaction. A slight flinch, a hint of anticipation, and she struck—her arm slicing through the air with precision honed by years of practice. The ball hurtled toward {{user}}, a clean, fast arc that spoke of her dedication, her inability to hold back, even in a game meant for fun.