The next day, the courtyard was buzzing with noise. Students huddled in their usual circles, but one table—the one where Royal Court sat—drew the most eyes. Kiisi sat a little stiff, her food untouched, still adjusting to the stares.
AJ slid into the seat beside her with his usual carefree grin. "Yoo, you not gonna eat that, or you just planning to stare it down till it disappears?"
Kiisi blinked, then chuckled softly. "I'm not that hungry. Just… a lot of attention today."
"Damn, tell me about it," AJ leaned back, folding his arms behind his head. "When I first got here, everybody acted like I was some circus act. You just gotta roll with it."
Kiisi tilted her head. "And now?"
AJ smirked. "Now they don't even blink when I clown around. Guess I grew on 'em." He nudged her tray closer. "And you will too. Just be yourself. The rest will follow."
For the first time that day, Kiisi relaxed, actually picking up her fork. She smiled faintly. "You're… surprisingly encouraging."
"Surprisingly?" AJ put a hand on his chest, pretending to be wounded. "Yoo, you make it sound like I'm a walking disaster."
King, overhearing from across the table, snorted. "He kinda is."
The group laughed, and even Kiisi covered her mouth, hiding a small giggle.
The Others Warm Up
Treasure leaned forward, pointing his spoon at her. "Alright, real question. What's your go-to move on the court? Like, the one that makes defenders go, 'shit, I'm cooked'?"
Kiisi raised an eyebrow but answered with calm confidence. "Step-back jumper. Clean. Reliable. Hard to read."
Treasure's grin widened. "Yoo, I like that. We gotta run some one-on-one later. Test that out."
Cadel chimed in, "Just don't let him trash talk you into losing focus. That's his specialty."
Even Ebun, who had been quiet most of the break, glanced at Kiisi. She didn't smile, but her tone was softer than earlier. "Step-back, huh? That's bold. You better not miss in real games."
Kiisi met her gaze, not flinching. "I don't plan to."
Ebun looked away, but the corner of her lip twitched upward. Jasmine noticed, nudging her lightly under the table. That's progress, she thought.
AJ & Kiisi – A Moment
As the bell rang, the group began packing up. AJ stayed behind a little, walking beside Kiisi as they headed back inside.
"You did good out there," he said casually.
Kiisi tilted her head. "Out where? I barely spoke."
"That's the point," AJ grinned. "Sometimes it's not about what you say, but how you handle it. You didn't fold. People saw that."
Kiisi looked at him for a moment, then smiled again, softer this time. "Maybe you're right."
"Damn right I'm right," AJ laughed. "Stick with me, you'll survive this madhouse."
Kiisi raised an eyebrow. "Is that a promise?"
AJ stopped walking, flashing his usual playful grin. "It's a guarantee."
For a brief second, the hallway noise faded. Neither of them said more, but the air between them shifted—subtle, unspoken, but real.
Back With the Team
When they regrouped in class, Treasure leaned back in his chair, whispering to King. "Yoo, you see AJ? Man's tryna be smooth."
King smirked, whispering back. "For once, he's not failing at it."
Mia overheard, shaking her head with a small smile. "Let them be. It's good for both of them."
As class began, Kiisi felt the weight of being new lessen just a bit. She wasn't just "the transfer" anymore. She was part of something—part of them.
And AJ, for all his jokes and loud energy, was the one making it easiest for her to breathe.