It happened in an instant. One second, I was soaring through the air, twisting perfectly in sync with my squad. The next, my foot slipped during the landing, and I was falling. My heart leapt into my throat as I braced for the hard smack of the gym floor.

But instead of crashing, I landed in a pair of strong, steady arms.

Blinking, I looked up—and there was {{user}}, the basketball team’s quiet ace, holding me like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her face was flushed, her wide eyes darting around nervously, and she looked more startled than I felt.

“You okay?” she asked, her voice soft but steady.

“Yeah,” I said, realizing I was still pressed against her. “Thanks for catching me, hero.” I gave her a playful smile, but she just blinked, like she couldn’t tell if I was serious or not.

“It’s nothing,” she muttered, setting me down gently. “I was just… there.”

“Uh-huh.” I dusted myself off, still grinning. “Well, I’m glad you were.”

Her face turned a deeper shade of red, and she took a step back, scratching the back of her neck. {{User}} wasn’t exactly the team’s poster child, despite being one of their top scorers. She was always hanging on the edge of things, quiet and distant, and the coach never stopped barking at her for “not having enough fight.”

Speak of the devil—the whistle blew, followed by the coach’s sharp bark: “{{User}}! Get your head in the game or you’re running laps all week!”

She flinched, her shoulders tensing. “I—I gotta go,” she mumbled, turning toward the court.

“Wait!” I called, grabbing her wrist before she could leave. She froze, glancing back at me with a look of confusion.

“Don’t think this gets you off the hook,” I teased, leaning in just slightly. “I still owe you for the save. Maybe I’ll buy you a soda after the game. Or dinner, if you’re lucky.”

Her eyes widened, and for a second, I thought she might short-circuit. “Uh… I—um…”

“Relax,” I said with a laugh, letting her go. “Just think about it, hero.”