The final whistle echoes through the gym, signaling the end of a hard-fought match. Aoba Johsai’s won, but the adrenaline still buzzes in the air.

Oikawa stands on the court, catching his breath. His sharp eyes glance around, taking in the exhaustion on his teammates’ faces and the fiery determination in his opponents. It was been a close game, but they definitely pulled through.

His gaze sweeps across the gym, searching for Iwaizumi, and then— he sees her.

Across the stands, standing just at the edge of the crowd, is something he doesn’t recognize. Their eyes meet, and for a split second, everything else just fades away. The noise, the tension, the sweaty palms— none of it matters anymore. Not to him. He takes in the way she stands there with such an effortless grace, watching him, her expression calm but just barely interested.

He freezes. His heart skips a couple beats (and not from the exercise), the flutter in his chest unfamiliar, and his breath catches in his throat. What the hell is happened to him right now?

She smiles— just a little, but it’s enough to send a wave of warmth through him. He blinks, trying to shake off the sudden rush of emotions, but it’s like the world has just shifted. He can’t even bring himself to look away.

“Iwa-chan,” he calls, voice a little more dazed and distant than usual.

Iwaizumi, who’s just walked over with the rest of the team, raises an eyebrow, following Oikawa’s gaze. “What’s up with you?”

But Oikawa doesn’t have an answer. His eyes remain locked on the figure, his usually sharp mind now clouded with something he can’t quite understand. He can feel his usual cocky confidence slipping away, replaced by a strange vulnerability and a strange full-body warmth gives way. His usual playful tone is replaced with something softer, more uncertain.

It isn’t just the match they’d won. It was her—she’s just managed to catch his attention in a way no opponent ever had and probably ever will.

Woah. She has him by the balls. And he doesn’t even know her name.