Ririn arrived at the gymnasium, but this time, her mood felt lighter than usual. Normally, her focus was a tunnel: just herself, the ball, and the rim. Yet, that afternoon, in between the repetitive dribbles and layups, the shadow of Andrew Swan occasionally surfaced in her mind.
Ririn stared at the players' bench. 'Again? Why aren't they coming in today? Bunch of lazybones!' Her words were directed at the core team players, because today only she from the core team had come, along with the reserve players. 'How are we going to compete in the National Tournament if you guys are still like this!'
"Repeating the fundamentals until they're perfect. I appreciate the process."
Those words echoed. It was true. Andrew saw beauty in the grueling routine that others often found boring.
The coach, a middle-aged man named Zack Arron, more often called Mr. Zack, noticed a slight difference in Ririn's movements.
He saw the same determination, but also a new energy that made Ririn's movements seem more agile and spirited.
"Nataya!" called Mr. Zack. "Try that crossover variation one more time. Faster, don't give the opponent a chance to guess!"
Ririn nodded, then performed the move repeatedly, trying to reach the lightning speed the coach wanted. Even after the team practice session ended, Ririn remained on the court, as usual.
As she was practicing free throws, she felt someone's gaze from the spectator seats. Ririn looked up.
It was Andrew Swan.
He sat in the highest row, in a dimly lit corner, as if he didn't want to attract attention. He wore a dark blue t-shirt and jeans, looking casual, but his eyes were fixed on Ririn, observing every detail of her movements—from how she held the ball, regulated her breath, to the flick of her wrist.
Ririn felt a strange surge of adrenaline. Not from fear or nervousness, but from a desire to perform perfectly. She wanted Andrew to see that she truly deserved to be the 'Almorus Girls' Basketball Star', the title given to her.
Swish!
The ball went in cleanly.
Swish!
The ball went in again.
Ririn shot ten times without missing. She had never been this focused during solo practice.
Andrew just sat there, not cheering, not clapping.
Ririn felt a slight emptiness. She walked to the edge of the court to drink, ignoring her abnormal heartbeat. She glanced again at the spectator seats. Andrew was gone.
'He... left?' Ririn thought.
An unexpected disappointment washed over her. She wanted to talk to him, maybe ask what he thought about her shooting, or about her pivot technique.
"I guess you're not alone," Serina's voice startled Ririn from behind.
Ririn turned. Serina was there, carrying her racket bag and handing over a cold isotonic drink.
"I know you saw him," Serina said, nudging Ririn. "He left a while ago. He came, watched you for about ten minutes, then left."
"Why didn't he say hello?" Ririn asked, trying to sound casual, but there was a disappointed tone in her voice.
"Maybe he didn't want to break your concentration. Or maybe he was just... shy?"
Serina shrugged. "But one thing's for sure. He saw you, Ririn. And he seemed impressed."
Ririn bit her lower lip, pondering. "He said he appreciates the process," Ririn murmured. "Maybe he just came to see that process."
"Or maybe he came to see the 'process' that involves Ririn Nataya," Serina teased, narrowing her eyes.
Ririn lightly hit Serina's shoulder. "Stop it. Come on, let's go home."
As they walked out of the gymnasium, Ririn looked at the court again. Although Andrew wasn't there, his shadow seemed to cling to the dark corner of the spectator seats.
•••
The next day in class, the atmosphere was back to normal. Andrew Swan was quiet and polite, but somehow, the aura of the 'transfer student from a troubled school' still clung to him.
During break time, Ririn and Serina sat on a crowded cafeteria bench. Ririn felt that Andrew Swan was a topic she could no longer avoid.
"Serina," Ririn began, her voice slightly low. "Are you sure he's a transfer student from Harran High School?"
"Of course! The gossip in this school spreads fast. Why?" Serina asked while sipping her orange juice.
"Well... he doesn't seem like it," Ririn admitted. "He doesn't look like a delinquent or anything. He's very polite, and he really likes basketball. It doesn't match Harran's reputation."
Harran High School was famous for producing exceptional athletes, especially in martial arts and soccer—but it was also known for violence, bullying, and frequent involvement in off-campus fights. Their students were considered top-tier troublemakers.
Serina smiled mysteriously. "That's what makes me sure he's special. But, you know what? I found out a little about him."
Ririn looked up with a curious gaze. "Seriously? How?"
"Of course, I'm serious! I have connections in the school's photography club—they love to gossip. His name, Andrew Swan, was indeed on Harran's student list. But there's another story." Serina lowered her voice as if telling a state secret.
"What?" Ririn urged.
"Andrew was actually the captain of Harran's undefeated boys' basketball team, but he was suspended before they reached the national tournament because of... a big fight. But that fight wasn't his fault, Ririn. He was trying to protect a younger player from intimidation by another team."
Ririn fell silent. That explained why Andrew didn't seem like a delinquent. He was a protector.
"However, even though he was suspended for the 'fight,' there were rumors that Harran's principal was the one who forced him to transfer. Andrew was too 'principled' for their school," Serina concluded. "I don't know exactly what that means, but he had a very good reputation among the younger students. They called him 'The Quiet One' because he rarely got angry."
Ririn stared deeply at Serina. "He said he appreciates the process. Maybe the process he meant isn't just in basketball, but in his own life."
Andrew Swan—a protector, former boys' basketball team captain, a fan of 'White Chocolate', and someone who appreciated boring practice routines. Ririn felt the layers of her interest deepening.
'He's different,' a simple thought, but it echoed strongly within her.
After school, Ririn stopped in her tracks at the front gate. Today, she didn't see Andrew. She felt a little disappointed, but she quickly brushed it off and walked towards the gymnasium.
"Forget that transfer student, Ririn. Focus on your free throws," Ririn muttered to herself.
However, as she passed the small court behind the gymnasium—a rarely used court, just a worn-out rim with a torn net—she heard a familiar sound.
Thump-thump-thump.
It was the sound of a basketball.
Ririn peeked. There, under the worn-out rim, Andrew Swan was practicing.
He wasn't doing ordinary shots, or elegant layups. Andrew was practicing incredibly fast and intricate crossovers, followed by absurd behind-the-back passes, to a point where there were no teammates. His movements were quick, highly athletic, and very... wild.
And then, Andrew stopped. He shot the ball from the three-point line. His shot wasn't perfect—too fast, slightly off—but the ball went in.
As he turned to retrieve the ball, he saw Ririn. Their eyes met. Ririn flinched in surprise.
Silence enveloped them again, but this time, it was filled with Ririn's unspoken questions: Why is he here, and why do his moves look like those of a seasoned player?
Andrew gave a small smile. The smile seemed strained.
"Long time no see, Ririn," Andrew said, his voice quieter than it was in class. "Want to play for a bit?"
Ririn didn't answer. She just walked closer, her eyes not leaving Andrew and the worn-out basketball in his hands.
"You were the basketball team captain, weren't you, Andrew?" Ririn asked, her voice demanding.
Andrew sighed, gave a small nod, and his expression turned serious. "I was... yes. But not for long."
Ririn stared into Andrew's calm eyes. In those eyes, Ririn didn't see beauty, but she saw a flash of burning determination that had long been hidden.