She scanned the room, her eyes....Adrian's eyes....landing on familiar faces. Dan Chukwuma, the team captain, leaned against a wall, laughing with a couple of defenders, his warm smile lighting up the room. Julien Morel, the goalkeeper, sat in a corner, nursing a beer and looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. No sign of Marcus Kane, thank goodness. Tyler, the defender who'd tackled her, was arm-wrestling another player, his biceps flexing impressively. The sight sent a familiar warmth through her, and she quickly crossed her legs, remembering the locker room incident. Not again, please.
Dan spotted her and waved her over. "Yo, Vega! You're the man of the hour, three goals? You're killing it!" His grin was infectious, and Hana felt Adrian's face mirror it. She swaggered over, channeling what she imagined was Adrian's cool confidence.
"Just doing my thing, Captain," she said, his deep voice still startling her. She took a sip of the beer, wincing at the bitter taste but playing it off. Act natural. You're the star striker. Own it.
Dan clapped her shoulder, his touch lingering a fraction too long. "Seriously, man, scouts are gonna be all over you after that. But you were… different out there. More reckless. You good?"
Hana's heart skipped. Reckless? Had her time in Adrian's body during practice affected him during match? No, impossible....it was a dream. She shrugged, flashing a playful grin she hoped was Adrian-esque. "Maybe I'm just spicing things up."
Dan raised an eyebrow, his gaze softening with concern. "Just don't spice yourself into a burnout, yeah?" His hand squeezed her shoulder before he turned to grab another beer, leaving Hana's skin tingling. Oh, Dan, you're such a protective senpai type, she thought, her fangirl brain already shipping them.
Julien caught her eye from across the room, his expression unreadable as always. She winked at him, unable to resist. "Hey, seme-sama, you gonna join the fun or brood all night?" The nickname slipped out, a nod to her last dream, and Julien's eyes narrowed, his lips twitching like he was fighting a reaction. Score one for the uke tease, she thought, giggling internally.
The party rolled on, the music louder, the laughter looser. Hana soaked it in, her exhaustion from the real world forgotten. She was the center of attention, surrounded by hot teammates in a scene straight out of her fantasies. She bantered with Tyler, dodged a playful shove from another player, and even danced, badly, to the punk rock beat, earning cheers. It was intoxicating, this feeling of being seen, desired, alive. If this is a dream, I never want to wake up.
But as she grabbed another slice of pizza, a nagging thought crept in. The beer tasted too real, the music too loud, Dan's touch too warm. What if this wasn't just a dream?
What if she was somehow… actually in Adrian's body? The idea was ridiculous, but it sent a chill through her. She pushed it away, focusing on the moment. It's a fantasy. Enjoy it, Hana.
---
Hana leaned back against the dorm room wall, the thump of punk rock vibrating through her, Adrian's....body. The after-party was in full swing, the air thick with the scent of beer, pizza grease, and the faint musk of athletes fresh off a victory. Red solo cups littered every surface, and the fairy lights cast a warm glow over the chaotic scene. Willbrook Warriors players sprawled across the room, their laughter loud and unfiltered, some reenacting moments from the friendly match against Easton College. Hana, still riding the high of her BL-fueled dream, felt like she'd stepped into the ultimate fanservice episode. This is peak BL heaven, she thought, her inner fangirl practically vibrating.
She sipped her beer, trying to mimic Adrian's effortless cool, but the bitter taste made her grimace. How do they drink this stuff? She scanned the room, her eyes lingering on Dan, who was now arm-wrestling Tyler, his biceps flexing under the tight sleeves of his shirt. Julien, still brooding in the corner, caught her gaze again, his dark eyes unreadable again but still just as intense. Hana's heart did a little flip. Oh, Julien, my sweet sweet goal keeper.
She was tempted to tease him again, maybe push that stoic facade until it cracked, but the memory of the locker room incident, Adrian's body betraying her with that mortifying erection, kept her cautious. No more weird feeling erections.
Dan broke away from the arm-wrestling match, wiping sweat from his brow with a grin. He sauntered over, his presence warm and grounding, like a big brother who could also star in a romance arc. "Vega, my boy. What's up" he said, leaning close to be heard over the music. His breath tickled her ear, sending a shiver down Adrian's spine. "After that hat trick, I figured you'd be the loudest one here, whatcha doing up in this corner observing everyone?"
Hana laughed, hoping it sounded natural. "Just soaking it all in, Captain. Big day, you know?" She gestured vaguely at the room, her mind racing. Dan's so close. Is this a moment? Should I lean in? No, bad Hana, don't ruin Adrian's life! . But the dream logic was intoxicating, urging her to push the boundaries. She tilted her head, letting a playful smirk curve Adrian's lips. "Unless you're saying I should make more noise?"
Dan's eyes widened slightly, then softened with amusement. "Careful, man. You're starting to sound like you're flirting with me." He chuckled, but there was a flicker of something else, curiosity, maybe? in his gaze. Before Hana could respond, Tyler bellowed from across the room, "Vega!!!, get over here! Tell us how you faked out Easton's keeper for that third goal!"
The moment broke, and Hana exhaled, both relieved and disappointed. She joined the group, regaling them with a half-made-up story about Adrian's hat trick, piecing it together from the snippets she'd overheard in the infirmary. The guys ate it up, slapping her back, and she basked in the attention. So this is what it's like to be seen, she thought, a pang of longing mixing with her glee. In her real life, no one noticed Hana Tanaka. Here, as Adrian, Everybody wanted a piece of Her attention.