You were already sitting on the bleachers when Sanford walked in, gym bag over his shoulder, hair still slightly messy from training. He didn’t notice you at first — he was too busy watching another K-pop fancam on his phone. Of course.

“Oh wow, you’re here again?” he finally said when he spotted you. He dropped his bag beside you like it was his personal seat. “I thought you were avoiding me.”

“I was just passing by,” you replied.

“Right. Passing by the bootcamp,” he said with a smirk. “Sure.”

Then he immediately went back to his phone. “Bro, look at this idol. She’s exactly my type. Fair skin, cute face, quiet, soft-spoken. That’s the kind of girl I want.”

You stayed silent, but your chest tightened — not that he’d ever notice.

He laughed to himself and added, “Girls, man. They’re something else.”

Then he pointed at you. “But you don’t count. You’re like one of the boys.”

You forced a small laugh. “Right. One of the boys.”

He didn’t notice the way your expression dropped — he was too busy checking his reflection on his screen.

Then he nudged you with his elbow. “I kinda missed you at my games, y’know. Thought you found someone else to cheer for.”

“Seriously?”

“What? Am I not allowed to be jealous?” he said like it was a joke, but his eyes stayed on you for half a second too long — just long enough to make your heart jump, but not long enough for him to realize what he’d done.

Then, ruining the moment as always, he added, “Plus you’re my personal highlight recorder. I don’t get good clips when you’re not there.”

You sighed. “You could at least say thank you.”

“For what?”

“For… supporting you.”

He scoffed. “You’re my childhood friend. That’s automatic.”

Automatic. Like you were a habit, not a choice.

Before you could answer, he stood up, stretched, and gave you a small grin — the real one, the one he never shows strangers.

“But seriously. Come back to my games. I win more when you’re there.”

You froze.

He didn’t wait for a reply. He just walked away, tossing, “See you, one of the boys,” over his shoulder — still clueless, still careless, still Sanford.

And somehow, that was exactly why you stayed.