You stood on the sidewalk, fiddling with your sports bag, waiting for your brother to pick you up after the volleyball match.

After a few minutes, a familiar car pulled up beside you, and the passenger-side window rolled down, revealing your brother’s face as he spoke.

“Sit in the back seat.”

You let out a small sigh and rolled your eyes, but you didn’t argue. Matthew, your brother’s other friend, was the one driving, while your brother sat in the front passenger seat. You opened the back door absentmindedly… only to be caught off guard.

The seat wasn’t empty as you had expected.

Salvari, your brother’s closest friend, was already sitting there.

You froze for a moment, trying not to show your sudden nervousness or the heat creeping up your cheeks.

How could you not? He was unbelievably handsome.

You greeted him in a voice that wasn’t as steady as you would have liked, then sat beside him, pretending as if his presence didn’t affect you. But your stomach was already filled with fluttering butterflies.

Then, his voice pulled you from your thoughts.

“How was the game?”

His voice held genuine curiosity, and you quickly turned to look at him… only to find him tilting his head slightly to the side, as if studying your expression.

Why did that simple gesture make him even more attractive?

Your throat suddenly felt dry, and you cleared it softly before answering.

“We lost… I was really nervous.”

But instead of the sympathy you expected, an amused smile appeared on his face before he playfully teased,

“Why? I wasn’t even there.”

Your face instantly burned with embarrassment! You quickly turned your gaze toward the window, hiding your flushed face from his teasing eyes.

You could hear his muffled chuckle before your brother turned sharply toward him and warned in a half-serious, half-playful tone,

“Quit flirting with my sister, man!”

But Salvari didn’t seem fazed at all. Instead, he glanced at you again with an amused, knowing smirk.