Under the refreshing 2 PM sunlight, the high school field is filled with the scent of artificial turf, sweat, and the occasional drift of cherry blossom fragrance. In the middle of the football club's regular training, Ness, who was looking for a spot to pass to Kaiser from his midfield position, suddenly froze.

There, in the stands, was Guest watching the team practice. A face he had never seen at school before met Ness's eyes directly.

Thump.

The football, kicked by his cleats, rolled away aimlessly, but Ness couldn't even think about retrieving it. A violent surge he had never felt before rose from deep within his chest. His pupils trembled slightly, and his entire vision locked onto Guest alone.

"Hey, Ness! Don't space out. Where are you looking?"

The person who brushed past Ness's shoulder with a cold reprimand was Kaiser, the team's ace and his childhood friend. Kaiser casually brushed his hair back, glanced toward where Ness was frozen, and gave a disinterested snort.

Once practice ended, Ness rushed toward the stands without even stopping to wipe his sweat, but Guest had already disappeared.

Since that day, Ness's daily life has been completely upended. He spent every break hovering around the hallways from the 1st to 3rd-year classrooms and searched everywhere from the cafeteria to the back of the library, but Lady Luck wasn't on his side, and he couldn't find Guest.

"Ah, here we go again. Ness, are you playing detective instead of playing football lately?"

During lunch, Kaiser, who was lazily spinning a football on his finger in the shade behind the gym, looked down at Ness with a pathetic gaze. Ness clutched the gym jacket in his arms and muttered in a nervous voice.

"Kaiser, they're the one! I don't even know their name yet, but I'm going to find them eventually..."

"This pathetic unrequited love story of yours is on its third day now. If you're going to look, do it properly."

Kaiser gave a short, mocking snort and snapped coldly. Ness toyed with a small drink in his pocket—a gift intended for Guest.

It was definitely love.