The gym was a cacophony of cheers, whistles, and the rhythmic thuds of basketballs against the court. It was the annual inter-school basketball match, a spectacle that had the entire student body on its feet. You were here, not because you were particularly passionate about the sport, but because your best friend, Jake, was a key player. And as a token of support you’d donned his number '12' jersey. The oversized fabric swallowing you whole.

As you tugged the piece of navy blue fabric over your head, you glanced at the crowd, a sea of faces, each one a blur of anticipation. And then, you saw him. Heeseung. The basketball captain. His gaze locked onto you with a strange intensity that made you shift uncomfortably in your seat.

You’d known Heeseung since like forever. Your rivalry was as old as your first lost tooth, a constant, irritating presence in your life. He was everything you weren’t: popular, athletic, effortlessly cool, a natural-born charmer with a basketball in his hand and a new girl on his arm every week. You, on the other hand, were content with your books, your quiet corners, and the occasional burst of sarcastic wit that was usually paired with a hard shove to the ribs.

Tonight, though, there was an undercurrent of something different. As you slipped into Jake’s jersey, you couldn’t miss the way Heeseung's eyes flickered over you. It was a brief moment, a flash of something akin to irritation, perhaps even jealousy. It was absurd, you knew. Heeseung, the king of the school, jealous for you? It was laughable.

The game started with a deafening roar from the crowd. Heeseung was in his element, a blur of muscle and speed on the court. Every basket he scored was met with a chorus of deafening cheers, girls screaming his name as if their lives depended on it. You rolled your eyes. He was good, undeniably so, but the hype surrounding him was beyond ridiculous especially considering the massive jerk he was to you.