He had to admit, she was incredibly strong.
But there was something else that bothered him…
Her movements…
They reminded him of someone equally monstrous from their own team—Theo Marker.
Beneath that lazy exterior hid a deadly sharpness, as if a blade that could slice through iron effortlessly. The kind of force that could leave someone covered in wounds before they even realized.
Avira Nassy…
This person was dangerous.
Someone he absolutely couldn’t underestimate.
“Then, what if… I joined as well?” he said, still wearing a pristine smile, so clean it seemed untainted by even a speck of dust.
Yet his words caused ripples to spread in the air around them.
Mike Steel’s brow furrowed slightly, his eyes swirling with a night-like mist, deep and enigmatic.
“When I asked you to come back and play basketball before, you rejected me without so much as blinking,” he said.
“At that time… I didn’t have a reason.” Asake’s gaze shifted out the window.
His deep purple eyes shimmered, as though moonlight were gently pooling in his pupils, delicate and beautiful.
“But now, I do.”
His expression remained flawless, without a single crack or hint of vulnerability.
Mike returned his gaze to the passing scenery outside. “In that case… Eastwest will become our greatest rival. But Asake… I still have to say this upfront.”
Watching the scenery fly by, his eyes glinted slightly, as though an innate sense of authority surrounded him.
“Sandfield doesn’t lose to anyone.”
The endless streets slid past his serene pupils, but Asake only responded with a faint, ambiguous smile.
In the past, whenever Mike Steel had said that, he would have nodded without question.
But that girl…
The one whose skills so closely resembled Theo’s…
Maybe she would become the pivotal force that could change everything.
—
Morning.
Outside the gates of Eastwest Academy, petals drifted past intricate carvings.
Sunlight bathed the entire campus in a golden glow.
Avira Nassy’s arrival naturally drew the attention of a crowd.
“Hey, hey, look! It’s her! So good-looking! I heard she dunked yesterday! *Dunked*!”
“Seriously? But she doesn’t even look 170 cm tall!”
“The head of the karate club even declared her their boss and warned everyone not to mess around in the gym anymore, or they’d be picking a fight with the karate club!”
“Is she really that amazing?”
“She’s so cool! And so small and cute, too. I’d love to have a boyfriend like that!”
Chatter buzzed nonstop around her; the story of what she did at the gym yesterday had already spread to every corner of Eastwest.
Nassy paid no attention to the gossip.
Yawning lazily, she seemed to be struggling to even stay awake as she walked.
Yesterday, her tie had been perfectly tied by Orson, but today, when she tried to do it herself, it ended up loose and dangling. No matter how she tugged, it kept slipping down.
She pursed her lips, looking helplessly at the messy tie, and finally gave up. She left it hanging around her neck, not caring anymore.
“So handsome! I want that tie!”
“Aaaah! The way she doesn’t know how to tie it is so cute! I want to help!”
With just one careless move, the girls around her screamed in excitement, barely able to contain themselves.
“Nassieeee…”
A soft scent of mint drifted into her nose as a boy caught up to her.
With one hand, he slung his schoolbag over his shoulder, jogging lightly to match her pace. The golden sunlight danced on his long lashes like droplets of morning dew.
Avira Nassy glanced up at him, her dark eyes shimmering in the light, looking dazed and sleepy, as if she’d just finished yawning.
“Morning…”
“Your… tie…”
“Ugh… it’s such a hassle…” Avira Nassy frowned slightly, fiddling with the tie. “If only it were a zipper… that’d be better…”
Ashton pursed his lips and reached out to take her tie, tying it neatly for her.
His silver-blue eyes shone brighter than the last star in the night sky.
His handsome face was illuminated by the morning light, flawless as a piece of jade. Standing there together, the two of them seemed like a vision from a dream, one so perfect it felt like it would vanish with the slightest blink.
“What is this beautiful scene about?”
“So dazzling…”
“Ah!”
A group of girls watched in awe, snapping photos with their phones and uploading them to the school’s BBS, sparking lively discussions.
Avira stayed still, obediently letting him tie her tie.
Ashton’s movements were fluid, without a hint of awkwardness. Although his fingers brushed against her neck a few times, making her giggle from the ticklish sensation.
At that moment, the crowd around them suddenly began rushing toward one direction, their excitement erupting into a frenzy of screams.
Avira lazily blinked and followed their gaze.
A luxurious car had pulled up at the entrance. A purple-haired boy, dressed impeccably in a suit and wearing white gloves, stepped out elegantly and opened the rear door.
The air seemed to freeze.
