Beyond

The ball spun through the air, tracing a perfect arc under the stadium lights.

Kazuki's breath caught in his throat.

The gym was silent.

Even the crowd—students from all Houses, packed along the sidelines—had stopped breathing.

For one moment, there was nothing.

Then—

Swish.

The net rippled.

The buzzer blared.

50 - 46.

Silence broke.

The gym erupted.

Cheers, screams, and shouts of disbelief crashed together as students jumped to their feet. Some threw their hands in the air, others clutched their heads.

Yami no Kiba had won.

Kazuki stood frozen for half a second, heart hammering in his chest.

Then—Kyouya tackled him.

"YOU CLUTCH MONSTER!"

Kazuki stumbled back, nearly toppling over as the rest of the team swarmed him.

"That shot was insane!"

"Bro, I thought you were gonna pass!"

"You just pulled a miracle outta nowhere!"

Kazuki exhaled sharply, hands still slightly trembling.

He looked toward the other side of the court.

Daiki stood there, hands on his hips, staring at the scoreboard.

Then he sighed.

Walked over.

And held out a fist.

"Guess you got me this time, huh?"

Kazuki smirked and bumped it. "Barely."

Daiki grinned. "Next time, I'm torching you."

"Yeah, yeah."

Before they could continue, a loud voice cut through the noise—

"Alright, alright! Settle down!"

The referee's voice barely did anything. The crowd was still roaring, the energy electric.

Yami no Kiba's supporters were already chanting.

Raijin's students, though disappointed, clapped in respect.

It had been a match to remember.

Kazuki let out a deep breath.

His team was celebrating, his friends were hyped, and he had just made the biggest clutch play of the game.

But somehow…

His eyes instinctively searched the crowd.

And there she was.

Miyuki stood near the edge of the stands, watching him.

For a second, she didn't react.

Then—she smiled.

Not just any smile.

A soft, almost knowing one.

Kazuki felt his chest tighten.

…I need to talk to her.

But before he could even think about moving, his teammates yanked him into another round of cheers, their voices drowning out his thoughts.

Still—

Even as he laughed, even as he let them celebrate—

His mind was somewhere else.

The crowd began to thin out as students trickled out of the gym, still buzzing about the match.

Kazuki finally managed to slip away from his teammates, escaping to a quieter hallway.

He needed air.

Or maybe—

He needed to see her.

And as if fate was on his side—

She was there.

Miyuki stood near one of the vending machines, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

She hadn't seen him yet.

For a moment, Kazuki hesitated.

Should I…?

Then—before he could overthink it—

He walked over.

Miyuki looked up at the sound of his steps.

Their eyes met.

For a second, neither spoke.

Then—

"You were amazing."

Her voice was soft, but the words hit harder than any cheer in the gym.

Kazuki blinked. His throat felt dry. "Uh—"

Miyuki giggled. "What? No clever reply?"

Kazuki exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I, uh… wasn't expecting that."

Miyuki tilted her head. "You weren't expecting to win?"

"Not that." Kazuki glanced away. "Just… wasn't expecting you to say that."

Miyuki's lips curved slightly. "I thought you already knew I was watching."

Kazuki definitely felt that one.

He coughed lightly. "I mean… yeah, I kinda did. But still."

Miyuki stepped a little closer, her gaze soft. "Well… I was."

Silence.

It wasn't awkward.

It was something else.

Something heavier.

Something Kazuki could feel in the way her eyes held his.

Then—

"Here."

Miyuki reached into her pocket and pulled out another small charm—similar to the one she had given him before.

Kazuki blinked. "What's this?"

Miyuki hesitated for half a second, then gently placed it in his hand.

"For next time," she said.

Kazuki stared at it. Then at her.

The warmth in his chest spread.

Slowly, he curled his fingers around the charm.

"…Thanks."

Miyuki smiled again. "You should get some rest. You worked hard today."

Kazuki nodded, but his mind was already somewhere else.

A thousand things he could say.

A thousand things he wanted to say.

But instead, he just held onto the charm.

And watched her leave.

His heart still beating a little too fast.

Kazuki returned to his dorm, unable to sleep.

The game, the cheers, the last shot…

None of that was what kept him up.

It was her.

…I should talk to her more.