School had its usual rhythm. The bell rang, lockers clanged, chatter bounced down the halls like it had a life of its own. I moved through it quietly, as always, just another second-year among many.
Haru found me near the back of the cafeteria. He had that way of walking up like he'd been waiting all day to corner someone. "Hey," he said, grabbing a tray and plopping down across from me. "Did you see Aoi today?"
I raised an eyebrow. "What about her?"
"Her shot in practice. Perfect, flawless, and she didn't even look tired. You know that look she gets when she's in the zone?" Haru leaned closer, lowering his voice like he was about to reveal a secret. "I swear, it's hypnotic. You should put me on sometime so I can actually see it up close."
I shrugged. "Sure, maybe one day."
I never would. As much as I loved Haru, something never felt right about him wanting to be with Aoi. I mean, sure, every guy wanted her. She was funny, charismatic, but also kind and thoughtful. Her eyes were the prettiest blue that I'd ever seen; looking at them was like getting lost in the middle of the ocean. Haru, on the other hand, was your textbook bafoon. Constantly getting kicked out of class and always finding the joke in things.
Haru had a way of making everything sound urgent, like the world depended on it. He had a crush on Aoi that was painfully obvious, but he didn't care if anyone noticed. Sota, on the other hand, sat a few tables away, tucked into a corner with his notebook. He barely glanced at us, doodling little comics of teachers tripping over themselves or exaggerating what had happened in class. Every now and then, he'd look up with a quiet "hey," just enough to remind you he existed. Sota was quieter than Haru, but somehow just as sharp.
We moved through the day like this: classes, lunch, hallways. Haru jabbering, Sota silent, me floating somewhere in between. Teachers lectured, announcements came and went. I answered when called on, mostly kept my head down, but my eyes always found Aoi somewhere in the room. Not staring. Just noticing. Laughing with her friends, tossing her hair, adjusting her backpack strap. Little things that somehow made the day brighter.
By the time the final bell rang, Haru was bouncing with energy about practice. "You coming with me today? I could really use your help putting me on."
I shook my head, half-smiling. "I think I'll pass today. Catch you later."
I didn't grab a basketball. I didn't even walk toward the team benches. I headed to the bleachers, dragging my bag behind me, letting the echoes of my footsteps fill the empty gym.
I sat down, letting my backpack thump against the seat beside me. Leaning back, I let my eyes wander over the polished floor. The lines of the court were sharp and clean, glowing faintly under the fluorescent lights. The gym smelled like waxed wood and something faintly metallic, like the echoes themselves had a scent.
It was quiet, too quiet for a space this big. Every small sound carried: the scrape of my shoes against the floor, the faint hum of the lights, the distant squeak of a loose hinge somewhere. The emptiness pressed in around me in a way that made the world outside feel like another life. I could almost feel the air waiting, holding itself for something that would never come.
I thought about middle school. About being noticed. About being pushed into the center of everything, the laughter, the cheers, the eyes. About how easy it had been back then to slip back into invisibility when everything turned sideways. Being unnoticed weighed its own, but at least it didn't hurt.
I closed my eyes for a moment. The echoes of the gym bounced back at me like reminders of my own heartbeat. There was a rhythm here, steady and unyielding. I could feel the space breathing, waiting, patient.
Somewhere far off, the faint sound of a basketball hitting the floor in the other gym startled me. I imagined a player moving across the court, each bounce a small punctuation mark in the quiet. I wondered if they felt the same emptiness, or if they were too focused to notice it.
And then, naturally, I thought of Aoi. Not in the obvious way, the way Haru did when he practically vibrated at the thought of her. Just quietly, the way you notice sunlight through a window. How she moved, effortless and calm. How could she make any space feel alive? Even the echoing halls of our school couldn't hold the same weight she did.
I stayed there for a long while. Eyes open. Eyes closed. Just breathing. Just feeling the emptiness and letting it fold around me. I didn't need to shoot. I didn't need to run. I just needed to be here.
Eventually, I shifted, stretching my arms above my head. My hand brushed against the cool metal of the bleacher frame. The echo of it filled the gym, soft and hollow. Tomorrow, maybe I'd shoot. Or maybe I'd come back and sit again.
Either way, sitting here made something feel… possible. Small, fragile, but mine.
And somewhere at the back of my mind, Haru's voice was begging, "Please put me onn"