Beam slouched on the couch, controller in hand. On the TV, a knight dodged a fireball, swung his sword, only to get kicked aside by a bandit. The mage behind him cursed and fired again, and Beam couldn't help grinning.
"Ah, I totally got you both," he muttered to Riku and Mio, who were sprawled across the floor with their own controllers.
"This game's trash," Riku groaned. "Hey, Mio, when's your mom gonna buy the new one?"
"I wish I could afford it," Mio said, rolling her eyes. "Beam, you're from the Giovanni family — why don't you buy it?"
"You know how my parents are," Beam said with a shrug.
"Enough chatter," Riku said, tossing his controller aside. "You guys down for some hoops?"
"Yeah, sure," Mio replied.
"Majority vote," Beam grinned. He didn't notice the TV flicker, the screen briefly glitching as if something — or someone — were watching.
Riku: "You're taking forever to change, Beam."
Beam: "How about you just cherish the calm before the storm?"
Riku's eyes narrowed. "I see you've been practicing alone a lot, huh?"
Mio passed him the ball, snapping her neck to glance at him. "This time, aim for the rim instead of... whatever that was last week."
Beam grinned, launched the shot — perfect swish. "Ay, my turn to change?"
Riku waved a hand. "Relax, it's coming."
Riku glanced around the court. "Hey, have you seen? We've got a few new transfers to the high school."
Mio tilted her head, squinting at the court. "Yeah, I heard there's this one girl even the loners are asking out."
Beam coughed awkwardly. "Yeah... yeah, I think I've heard of her."
Riku leaned back against the wall. "Yeah, Beam has a crazy crush on her. He's no different."
Beam: "I'm in high school now, can we not call it a crush?"
Riku shrugged. "Honestly, I don't see what everyone else sees."
Mio snapped her head toward Riku with a smirk. "Maybe because your eyes are on someone else, but what do I know?"
Riku swung his neck to hide his face.
Beam: "She's not really in my league, to be honest. I'm just a benchwarmer on JV; she could easily get with a varsity guy."
Riku: "Yeah, that Leo guy is probably already texting her."
Mio rolled her eyes and jabbed Riku lightly. "Way to rub it in, best friend," she said sarcastically.
Riku grabbed a ball and bounced it a few times. "Dang, you haven't hit a shot in a while, have you, Beam? Lemme show you how it's done."
DONG!
Mio snapped her head around, eyebrows raised. "Was that an example of what not to do, or...?"
They all laughed, the sound echoing through the empty gym.
⸻
Three days later, on a Wednesday morning, Riku and Mio came to pick up Beam from his house.
Beam stepped out, rubbing his eyes. "What's up, guys?"
Riku's eyes went wide. "Whoa... did you get the new and improved uniform?"
Beam shrugged. "My mom liked the colors, so yeah."
Mio tilted her head, noticing. "Oh, that's nice. You know what they say — look good, play good."
Beam forced a small smile. "If only that were true."
Riku's grin widened. "Maybe Emmi will notice you now."
Beam froze. "What the hell? How do you know her name?"
Riku laughed hysterically. "I read it on your gym list!"
Mio spun to him, eyes wide. "YOU GUYS HAVE THE SAME GYM?! That's like... the best class for romance."
Beam muttered. "I mean... what would I even say?"
Footsteps and chatter drew closer — Emmi and a few other girls were passing by.
Riku elbowed Beam lightly. "Ayy, speak of the devil."
Beam stumbled from the push and fell flat on the ground. The girls laughed as they walked past. "What an idiot," one called out.
Riku winced. "Ouuu, sorry man."
⸻
Half an hour later, Beam and Riku were in the ground floor sports closet, near the washer and dryer.
Riku tossed a heap of gym clothes onto the dryer. "Forgive me if they stink — they're mine."
Beam's head hung low.
Riku shrugged. "Uh... that one's on me, man. Girls can be pretty cruel."
Beam muttered, "Is that what girls are into? Laughing at people?"
Riku hopped onto the dryer, smirking. "Most of them. But hey — there's still hope."
Beam glanced up. "Huh?"
Riku waved a hand vaguely. "Girls are like sport... Some shots are tricky, some easy, but the ones that count? You'll feel it in your bones."
Beam sighed. "I hope so. But now... what, Riku? THAT was my first impression."
Riku leaned back, trying to act wise. "Listen. Good girls like it when you're yourself. Crack jokes, laugh at life a little. And if she doesn't like that... she's not for you."
Beam's irritation brewed. "How is laughing at her gonna make her like me?"
The school bell rang, startling them.
Riku headed for the door. "I don't know, man. Girls are a mystery."
The door slammed behind him.
Beam muttered under his breath, "Whatever you say, Riku..."
⸻
Beam drags his feet down the hallway, bag slung low, replaying Riku's words in his head. "Just be yourself," he mutters. "Yeah right. I can't even look her in the eye..."
A loud CLANG! — a lunch tray crashes to the floor.
Basketball Jock (Bruce): "Watch it, Beam! You blind or what?"
Beam: "Oh—uh, sorry, my bad."
Before Bruce can bark again, a voice cuts in — smooth but heavy.
Leo: "Hey, Bruce. Chill out. He didn't mean it."
Bruce scoffs and shoulder-checks Beam as he walks off.
Leo's 6'9" frame looms over Beam — all calm strength. Even his posture says captain. His build could break a man; his eyes could calm a crowd.
Leo: "He gets like that sometimes. Don't take it personal. But seriously, man — try to keep your head up. Hallways get rough around here."
Beam: "Yeah... uh, thanks."
Leo chuckles, already walking away, waving lazily over his shoulder. "Come to the gym sometime. I'll put you on my team."
Beam watches him disappear through the crowd, jaw tight.
Beam (thinking): How can a guy be that intimidating and still nice? Makes it even harder to hate that Emmi's with him.
"Hurry it up, Beam!"
Coach Sato's voice slices through the air.
Coach: "Need you to hand out equipment to the class."
Beam: "You know I'm a kid too, right?"
The coach smirks, opening the closet door and shoving a basket of balls at him.
Coach: "Yeah, but you're a kid who does sports. That means you get to do a little extra."
Beam: "Bet if I were a starter, I wouldn't be handing out tennis balls."
The coach laughs, already walking off.
Coach: "Take Leo's spot on varsity, then we'll talk. Until then — get to work, chump."
The door slams behind him.
Beam stands alone, clutching the basket. The fluorescent lights hum above him, washing the whole room in a sick yellow glow.
Beam moves down the line, dropping balls into open hands, eyes glazed over. He's on autopilot — until a voice snaps him back.
Emmi: "Um... do I get a ball too, or...?"
Beam freezes. She's standing right there — 5'1", hair shifting shades of purple, blue, and pink under the gym lights. A beauty mark glints beneath her lip like punctuation on a secret.
Beam: "Oh—uh, yeah, sorry, I just..."
Their fingers nearly brush as he hands her the ball. Seconds stretch. He swears the gym goes silent.
Emmi: "Thanks."
Beam (fumbling): "So, uh — you're one of the new transfers, right?"
Emmi: "Yeah. So far, school's been treating me pretty nice."
Beam: "Surely you mean the teachers. The kids are anything but 'pretty nice.'"
Emmi (grinning): "Well, for some reason, no one's really been mean to me."
Beam: "Oh right, I heard you're with Leo. Guess that explains it—"
Emmi (cutting in): "Ugh, why do I keep hearing that? It's not like that. Though... it's true he did try to make a move on me."
Beam: "Oh, uh — sorry. I didn't mean—"
Emmi (smirking): "By the way, I totally saw you eat floor earlier."
Beam: "Oh yeah. I do that every Tuesday. Adds crunch to my diet."
She laughs. Not polite—real. And for the first time all day, Beam feels ten feet tall.
He hears Riku's voice in his head: "Make her laugh." And damn it, he did.
Emmi: "But don't you have a job to do?"
Before Beam can reply, Coach Sato's voice slams through the gym.
Coach: "Beam! You done flirting or you want to hand out detention slips next?"
The class bursts out laughing. Emmi hides a smile behind the ball.
Beam stands frozen, heat crawling up his neck.
Beam (under his breath): "Yeah... real smooth."
⸻
Beam drifts down the hallway, still gripping his gym bag, when he bumps into someone.
Beam: "Whoa! A jock shoulder-checked me too, huh?"
Emmi: "Something like that."
Beam (grinning, trying to be funny): "Guess we can check that off our high school bingo."
Her expression doesn't shift. Beam swallows — okay, gotta get her to laugh...
Beam: "Oh, by the way — I didn't catch your name."
Beam (correcting himself quickly): "I'm... Beam Bugami."
Emmi: "You can just call me Emmi."
Beam shudders slightly — as if her name alone carried some weight he didn't expect.
Beam: "So... uh, what brought you here?"
Emmi (quietly): "My dad passed away."
Beam freezes.
Beam: "Oh... that's..."
Emmi (shaking her head): "Don't feel bad. He wasn't a good person anyway. I'd much rather be here with my mom and my brother, Kenji."
Beam (surprised): "Kenji... like Kenji Sora?"
Emmi (nodding): "Yep. That's my big brother."
Beam: "Really? He was ranked in the state before he got injured. Tough break..."
Emmi: "Yeah... it hit him hard. I'm glad to be here now, at least."
The bell rings. They reach her classroom door.
Emmi: "Oh! Do you have this class? I haven't seen you in—"
Beam (quickly): "Uh, no. If you're thinking about clubs, join either the Sports or Entertainment Club. They collaborate sometimes. And since I'm in Sports..."
Emmi (smiling faintly): "Well, good thing I'm already in Entertainment. See you, Beam."
Beam watches her go, heart pounding, eyes sparkling.
Beam (quietly to himself): "Bye... Emmi..."
"So yeah — she said bye," Beam said, trying to sound casual.
Riku grinned. "Smooth, man. See? My little push made her laugh — blessing in disguise."
Beam forced a smile. "I'll note that next time we walk. Be ready for a real blessing."
A staff voice cut through the noise. "Attention! Gym access will be split between Entertainment and Sports groups. Make sure you're out by 7:30."
The balls started bouncing harder; a hundred hands reached for them at once. Beam scanned the gym for Emmi. Leo's blond head caught the light like a beacon; he was already corralling players.
To the right, Leo, Bruce, and Hero clustered near Kenji. The entertainment club was setting up on the far side. Where the hell was Emmi?
Footsteps fell behind Beam, and for a second his view was shaded by a familiar tall frame.
Leo: "Hey, Beam — you showed. Promise is a promise," he called, clapping him on the shoulder.
Beam looked to Riku, seeking the small nod of approval he'd come to depend on. Riku gave the nod, the silent signal. That was all Beam needed.
Beam: "Yeah," chest tightening. "Let's do it."
Leo already had them arranged. "Alright, five-over-five. Keep it clean and fast." He turned to organize the teams.
Beam's focus snapped when Kenji sat down nearby. A small, sharp thing twisted in his gut.
Beam walked over casually. "Hey, Kenji — how's the knee? Feelin' okay?"
Kenji's hair — long purple that caught the gym lights — shadowed his face. He looked up with something like guarded patience. "I can play."
Beam smiled too wide. "Good. We're gonna need you this season."
Kenji didn't smile back. He watched Beam with a quiet, unreadable stillness.
Beam tried to lighten the mood. "Hey — I heard you had family in town. Isn't Emmi your—"
Kenji's face changed, calm but sharp. "That's not my sister. I don't have any siblings."
The air tightened. Beam blinked, then laughed nervously. "Oh — okay. Weird rumor then."
Kenji's eyes went cold. The gym seemed to hush a fraction. A whisper of menace in his tone made heads turn.
Kenji: "Mention that bitch again and I'll kill you."
Silence slammed into the court. Shoes squeaked. The entertainment kids froze mid-setup. Mio dropped a crate of flyers and ran over. Riku's body moved instinctively, shoving through the crowd.
All eyes snapped to the confrontation. Emmi and Leo turned, necks craned. Hero and Bruce paused mid-shot.
Beam felt heat rush up his neck. For a second everything slowed: Kenji rising, people watching, Emmi's mouth parting in alarm.
Beam: "What did you say?" Voice flat, tighter than he wanted. He could only think of Emmi — the way she laughed, her presence — and now her brother's words hit wrong.
Beam: "Don't say things like that about people I care about!" He shoves lightly at Kenji in panic.
Kenji stumbles, but his injured knee catches the floor. Sharp cry.
Hero explodes: "No one messes with my friends!" Fists fly.
Beam reacts too late. Hero's punch lands on his shoulder. Leo lunges, grabbing Hero. "Enough!"
Riku: "No—Beam! A girl you care about? You just met her!"
Emmi steps forward, eyes wide, trembling. "Beam! Did you just—did you hurt him?"
Beam freezes. Instinct swells: panic, chest tightening. "No! I didn't! They — Riku! Mio! They were—"
Riku: "We weren't—Beam, stop lying!"
Mio: "He's on the ground because of you!"
Beam: "No! You guys were egging me on! They were—"
Emmi charges forward, eyes blazing. Kneeling beside Kenji: "Are you okay?!"
Beam reaches instinctively.
Emmi (slapping Beam's hand away, rage in her eyes): "Don't touch him! You caused this!"
The gym goes silent. Shoes squeak. Balls bounce into walls. Everyone watches.
Mio: "Beam! Look what you did!"
Riku: "Stop blaming us! This is all on you!"
Beam's chest tightens. Every eye on him. Emmi stands, pale, furious. Leo restrains Hero, jaw tight. Kenji presses into injured knee, glaring daggers.
Beam's heart pounds. Panic, shame, confusion collide. He had wanted to protect her...
⸻
A Year and a Half Later
Beam opens his eyes. The room comes into focus slowly. The memory of that day in the gym still lingers, like a film stuck on loop. Almost like he's reliving it.
Ms. Kimi (therapist, calm but measured): "Beam... your mother mentioned she's concerned. She believes this event continues to impact you more than you realize."
Beam's face is older than his seventeen years, lines of stress carving shadows beneath his eyes. Cold, detached, nonchalant. Walls built tight.
Beam (flat, glancing at the clock): "What's our time...?"