Chapter-2

Mira’s favorite coffee place on campus – “Brewtique”

Author’s Pov

Mira is sitting with her signature matcha, tapping on her phone and waiting for her order when Liam and Kai casually stroll up. She eyes them warily — she knows of them,infamous for their antics, but this is a first.

Mira (eyeing them): “Uh… can I help you?”

Liam (with his most disarming smile): “You must be Mira. We’re friends of Aaron.”

Mira: “The Aaron who couldn’t complete one sentence without choking on his own awkwardness?”

Kai (wheezing): “Yup. That one. Legendary moment. But hey—we’re not here to talk about his spectacular downfall.”

Liam (sliding two glossy basketball match tickets on the table): “We’re playing the finals tomorrow. Big game. Think of it as a cultural exchange—you’re international students, right? Nothing screams local uni spirit like a basketball match.”

Mira (raising an eyebrow): “Why are you inviting us?”

Kai (grinning): “Because we’ve seen him mope like a kicked puppy for a week, and frankly, it’s depressing.”

Liam (shrugging): “You don’t have to do anything. Just show up. Cheer. Or don’t. Just… maybe give him a chance to exist in your line of sight again.”

Mira: “We’re not coming for him.”

Kai: “Of course not.”

(Not hiding his smirk at all)

They leave the tickets and vanish just as Mira’s drink is called.

Later that evening, Mira tosses one of the tickets on Aami’s desk.

Mira: “Want to go to a basketball match tomorrow?”

Aami (without looking up): “You know I don’t like loud, crowded—”

Mira (interrupting): “Come on. I’ve been trying to drag you into something social for weeks. This isn’t about that guy. It’s about yelling at sweaty men from the stands. Therapeutic.”

Aami sighed, then glance at the ticket.

Front row. Finals.

Curiosity tugs at her, though she’d never admit it.

Next day – Basketball practice, right before the final match

Authors pov:

Aaron (wiping sweat off his brow): “Man, that layup felt off. I’m not in it today.”

Kai (grinning): “You will be once you see who’s showing up.”

Aaron (frowning): “What do you mean?”

Liam: “Nothing. Just saying… might be worth styling your hair for once. Maybe even shave.”

Aaron (suspicious): “What did you two idiots do?”

Kai: “Relax, Romeo. Just… look sharp, alright? You never know who’s watching.”

They jog off before Aaron can grill them further, leaving him confused, slightly annoyed, and very intrigued.

Edinburgh Uni Arena – Basketball Finals Night

Author’s pov

The crowd is roaring, excitement buzzing through the stands like static. Their team is warming up. Every move is sharp, but Liam and Kai keep sneaking glances at the front row.

Kai (muttering): “She’s not here. Bro... what if Mira changed her mind?”

Liam (half-hearted chuckle): “She wouldn’t. Right? …Right?”

Aaron (catching their looks): “Guys, seriously, what’s going on?”

Liam (fake innocence): “Nothing. Just… pre-game butterflies.”

Aaron: “I hate butterflies. Talk.”

But before they can answer—

Aami walked in.

Soft campus hoodie, her hair up, Mira beside her with popcorn and an innocent smile. The second Aami’s foot hits the court floor, Liam gasps and elbows Aaron so hard he nearly drops the ball.

Liam: “Look sharp, Romeo. Your muse has arrived.”

Aaron turn.

See her.

Eyes wide. Heart? Punching his ribs like it’s trying to make an escape.

He want to run straight to her. Throw the ball into orbit. Hug her. Anything.

But the ref blows the whistle. The match is starting.

Kai (grinning): “You better win now, bro. She’s in the splash zone.”

Match Begins

Aaron’s POV

I am on fire.

Every move—polished. Every pass—flawless. The crowd is screaming my name.

But during every free throw, every timeout, my eyes flicker back to Aami.

Her? She is just existing, watching silently, confused and trying to understand why on Earth the alleged playboy looks like he’s playing for your soul.

Halftime Break

Authors pov

The buzzer echoes. Everyone's heading to the benches. Players collapsing into chairs, gulping down water, sweat everywhere.

Then—

Aaron walk away from his bench.

Liam (whisper-shouting): “Bro, what the hell—get back!”

Kai (panicked): “Oh god, oh god, he’s really doing it—”

Aami watch as he stride toward her row. She  turn her head, heart picking up.

Mira (to Aami, halfway into the popcorn): “Is he—coming here?”

Aami:  “No way. Maybe someone’s behind us—”

Aaron reach her row. Doesn’t even glance past her.

Instead, he slides into the empty seat right beside Aami, all muscle and adrenaline, takes her favorite water bottle like it’s his, unscrews it and drinks with slow, exaggerated calm.

Aami (eyes wide): “What… are you doing?”

Aaron (softly, low): “Your water tastes better. Must be the magic of your presence.”

Crowd reaction? Literal gasps. Giggles. Whispers exploding.

Aami sits frozen. A statue.

Mira chokes on her popcorn. She leans over.

Mira: “Okay, okay, I may have been tricked. I didn't know this was a whole rom-com ambush.”

Aami (muttering): “I’m going to kill someone. Probably all of them.”

Aaron leans closer, still with that breathless post-match glow.

Aaron: “You came for me.”

Aami (snapping out of it): “I came because Mira dragged me here.”

Aaron (grinning like he just won the World Cup): “Still counts.”

He stands, tosses Aami a wink, and walks off with her bottle.

Kai (watching from the bench): “He stole her bottle. He’s officially unhinged.”

Liam: “She’s going to kill us.”

.

After the game – Final buzzer

The match ends in a win. The crowd erupts.

Aaron turns instantly—searching.

But the seat? Empty.

She’d already left.

Aaron (to Liam and Kai): “She was gone.”

Liam (winces): “Yeah… about that…”

After the Match – Mira & Aami, Dorm

Aami’s pov

Mira practically skipped down the hallway, eyes sparkling with drama-high. I could feel the smug energy radiating off her.

Mira: “Okay. I’ll say it—you so have main character energy right now.”

Me (deadpan): “No. What I have is a stolen water bottle, a headache, and a confirmed stalker.”

Mira collapsed onto my bed like a Victorian maiden.

“I mean... c’mon, he walked through a crowd just to drink your water. That’s not playboy behavior, that’s 'love interest in a K-drama' behavior.”

Me (gritting teeth): “Love interest? Mira, he’s a rich, arrogant heartthrob. He probably hits on every girl like that.”

Mira (dramatically counting fingers): “Okay, let’s count, shall we?

One: He looked like a kicked puppy when he couldn’t find you after the match.

Two: He straight-up stole your bottle like it was the last horcrux.

Three: He didn’t even look at anyone else the entire game.

Four: He came to sit next to you. During halftime. That’s sacred basketball time.”

Aami (muttering): “It was probably an ego stunt.”

Mira (raising a brow): “Girl. You’re in denial. And it’s cute.”

Meanwhile – Basketball Court, Locker Room

Aaron’s POV

I threw my towel aside and leaned against the wall, staring at Aami’s now-empty seat like it might explain itself.

Liam: “She left before the final buzzer.”

Kai (quietly): “Hey... don’t freak out, but... we might’ve... encouraged Mira to bring her.”

I turned slowly.

Me: “You what?”

Liam (hands up): “It wasn’t like that! We just gave her the tickets. Figured it’d help.”

Kai: “We didn’t say it was from you! Mira had no clue what it meant!”

I closed my eyes. Breathed. Disappointment coiled low in my stomach—not at them, but at myself. I thought she'd come... for me. And she had, sort of—but under a different impression.

Still. She came. She saw.

She didn’t run away right away.

That was something.

And my Darling left her favorite bottle with me. The one with the tiny sticker on the cap.

I twisted it in my hand and smiled to myself.

If nothing else, this is Mine now.

Next Day – University Grounds

I didn’t return the bottle.

Nope.

I held it like a trophy. Casually. Strutting across the campus, through courtyards and lunch tables like it was part of my outfit. My teammates were cackling in the background, but I didn’t care.

Let everyone wonder. Let Her wonder.

.................................................................................................................................................................................

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***