Even though not long ago he had personally witnessed this girl single-handedly taking on a crowd, even though that night he had already been completely stunned by her…
She was just a girl…
She appeared frail, delicate like porcelain, the kind of girl you’d imagine was pampered and well-protected, a noble heiress untouched by the harshness of life.
Yet her combat skills… seemed honed through some unimaginable, intense training.
And that dunk… it was so effortlessly captivating.
So swift and light, yet when she slammed the ball into the hoop, the sheer impact was visually breathtaking and left one’s heart racing.
In that moment, even he had been won over by her.
He found himself wanting to play basketball…
Wanting to play alongside her…
But even though Lucas’s heart was in turmoil, he maintained his ever-composed, elegant demeanor.
“Basketball, huh…”
The edge of the crystal wine glass brushed against Asake’s rosy lips. His gaze settled on the screen, where Avira had once again reverted to her sleepy, dazed self.
His flawless lips caught a drop of wine, which he absentmindedly licked away.
“So… how do you plan to convince me to join the Basketball Club, Avira Nassy?”
The interplay of crystalline light wove shadowy patterns, flickering over the dark green leaves.
—
Avira Nassy walked lazily along the path toward the school gates.
Voldemort had already handed over the keys to the gym and had solemnly promised her that he would guard it and keep any malicious forces from invading.
In just one afternoon, Avira Nassy and Ashton had become the center of attention.
Stories of their confrontation at the gym had spread like wildfire, spun into countless versions, yet most people still regarded the Basketball Club’s revival as a source of entertainment. After all, it was easy to break something good, but fixing something once broken was exponentially harder. To them, basketball at Eastwest was a lost cause.
But she wasn’t worried.
There was plenty of time before the National League.
Before then, she would definitely find suitable teammates.
Rustle—suddenly, she heard an unusual rustling of leaves. Avira stopped in her tracks.
At the same moment, something tumbled from the trees above, landing right in front of her.
“Oww… that hurt…”
A young, boyish voice was filled with grievance.
It was a person who had fallen out of the tree!
He looked about twelve or thirteen years old.
Though his hair was still tangled with leaves, it didn’t hide his delicate features.
His fair, smooth skin and palm-sized face framed his large, sleepy tea-colored eyes, which shimmered with misty confusion, as if he had just woken up. His cute, cherry blossom-pink lips were pouting in discomfort.
The boy wore a perfectly tailored velvet suit, like a little prince from a British aristocratic Novel. His pure white cravat was elegantly layered and secured with a black satin bow at the collar.
He even clutched a teddy bear in his small, soft hands, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.
Avira glanced up at the tree, where a few green leaves were still fluttering down, then returned her gaze to the boy, admiration lighting up her eyes.
Wow, there were actually people who could sleep up there.
Even more impressive than her own ability to nap anywhere…
Feeling a peculiar stare directed at him, the boy stopped rubbing his eyes and turned to her, smiling brightly. “Big brother, haven’t you ever seen a person before?”
Avira pressed her lips together. She slowly walked over, squatting down to look at him closer.
What a beautiful little guy…
But his smile held an unsettling maturity. The quiet, mist-shrouded smile in his tea-colored eyes seemed as if it could see through everything—truth and lies, loyalty and deception.
A look like that didn’t belong on a child.
Feeling a little awkward under her stare, the boy’s smile stiffened. “Big brother, have you stared enough yet?”
“Hmm…”
Avira propped her chin on her hand, lazily gazing at him. “Little sister, you’re really pretty…”
“…Big brother, I think there’s something wrong with your eyes.”
The boy stood up gracefully, patting the dust off his clothes.
“Uh… not a little sister?”
Avira tilted her head, studying him more closely.
His natural beauty was undeniably striking, and now that she paid more attention, it wasn’t actually feminine at all.
“Ah… my apologies…”
She lazily smiled, then reached out slowly to pluck a stray bit of leaf from his eyelashes. “Little one… you shouldn’t climb so high in the future. You wouldn’t want to damage the lawn, would you?”
“…”
With that, she straightened up and began to walk away.
The boy, who had been slightly flustered by her actions, froze in place, utterly stunned by her next words.
She was more concerned about the grass… than about him falling from such a height?
“Big brother.”
For some reason, this boy, who normally wouldn’t care about such things, found himself running after her, blocking her path, and lifting his chin defiantly as he smiled at her.
“I’m fifteen already, not a little kid.”
Avira tilted her head, her sleepy eyes gazing at him for a long moment before she shook her head. “Little one, lying isn’t right…”
“Big brother, do you want me to prove it?”
“No need…”
She suddenly curved her lips into a lazy smile and reached out to pinch his cheek. “If you say you’re fifteen… then you’re fifteen…”
The setting sun filtered through the branches, illuminating her smile with a brilliance as fleeting and stunning as a blooming night flower.
A faint fragrance wafted from her, carried on the wind, brushing against his face and filling his senses, making the boy pause in surprise.
What an unusual scent.
Avira withdrew her hand, yawned sleepily, rubbed her eyes, and continued walking toward the school gates.
Behind her, the boy stood frozen for a while before finally snapping out of his daze.
A flash of light caught his attention as something shimmered and refracted brightly in the sunlight, drawing his eye.
He bent down and picked it up—a silver school badge, engraved with clear characters. His tea-colored eyes reflected a faint, thoughtful glimmer.
“Avira, huh… Since when did Eastweat have someone this interesting?”
