Gojo Namena had never believed in love at first sight.
Until he saw her — Hinata Aoki — seated at the piano, fingers gliding over the keys like they were born just for her.
It was a Thursday afternoon, and Gojo had ducked into the music building to dodge extra laps from Coach Nakamura. His plan was to hide out in the empty hallway, sip his sports water in peace, and maybe catch a nap on the practice room couch.
What he didn't expect was music — not the clashing kind from after-school clubs, but something soft, measured, almost... sad. A quiet melody that drifted through the corridor like falling snow.
Curious, he followed the sound, cracking open a door just slightly.
There she was. Back turned to him, posture perfect, head tilted slightly. Her long black hair spilled around her shoulders like ink on parchment. Each note she played breathed and pulsed, like the piano had a heartbeat — and she was the one keeping it alive.
Gojo didn't even realize he was holding his breath.
He didn't know who she was back then. Just that she played like someone who had something to say — something words couldn't hold. And the piano was how she spoke.
For days afterward, he kept returning to that hallway. Sometimes she was there. Sometimes not. But on the days she played, Gojo stayed quietly hidden, listening.
He didn't know what drew him in — the music, the calm in her posture, the way she never rushed a single note. But it all clicked.
And slowly, helplessly, Gojo Namena — ace striker of Kagetsu High — started falling.
********
Now, it was early April.
Spring breeze in the air. Sakura petals floating down like paper dreams.
Gojo stood in the courtyard, stomach in knots, staring across the way. Hinata Aoki sat alone under the cherry blossom tree, a closed notebook in her lap. Maybe she was writing a new song. Maybe the one she played last week — the one that made the whole world quiet in his chest.
"You got this," he muttered to himself.
"You sure?" came Rei's voice behind him, casual as ever. "Because from here, it looks like you're planning an escape route."
Gojo sighed. "I'm doing it today."
"Finally." Rei handed him an iced tea. "Just don't forget how words work when you're in front of her."
Gojo took a breath. Then another. Then finally moved.
As he approached Hinata, the sounds of the school faded. The usual background noise — sneakers squeaking, balls bouncing, girls laughing by the gym — all of it blurred behind the rush of blood in his ears.
Hinata looked up as his shadow crossed her notebook.
She smiled. "Hey, Gojo."
Just one word, but it hit harder than any goal he'd ever scored.
"Hey," he replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "Mind if I sit?"
She shook her head. "Go ahead."
He lowered himself onto the grass beside her, careful not to sit too close — close enough to talk, not close enough to scare her off. Strategy. Like a midfield play.
He glanced at the notebook in her lap. "That one's new?"
Hinata followed his gaze, then gave a small nod. "Picked it up over the weekend. Thought it might help me write something fresh."
He smiled. "Even empty, it already looks like something important."
She looked at him, amused. "It's just paper."
"Yeah, but it's your paper," he said with a quiet laugh. "You make it feel like more than that when you play."
Her expression softened, a faint blush creeping to her cheeks. "You've heard me?"
He hesitated, then nodded. "A few times. Okay... more than a few. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, it just... pulled me in."
Hinata looked away, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I usually play when I think no one's listening."
"Well... I'm glad I did," he said, heart beginning to thud harder. "You're amazing, Hinata. Not just the music — you. You're calm, and real, and kind in this way that feels rare."
She blinked, caught off guard.
Gojo laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry. That probably came out weird."
"No," she said softly. "It didn't."
They sat in silence for a moment, the breeze gently stirring the petals around them.
Then Gojo looked at her fully. "I've been trying to figure out the right way to say this for weeks."
Hinata turned toward him slowly.
"And I'm probably still messing it up," he added, "but if I don't say it now, I might never get the courage again."
Her eyes searched his.
"I like you, Hinata," he said, voice quiet but sure. "I think I have for a while."
Hinata's lips parted slightly. Her eyes widened.
Gojo went on before he could lose the nerve. "At first, I didn't know what it was. I just knew that whenever you played, I didn't want to be anywhere else. And then it wasn't just the music. It was you. How quiet you are. How you listen. How your eyes always seem to be thinking."
She looked away for a moment — not in discomfort, but something else. Her fingers tightened slightly on her notebook. A soft blush crept across her cheeks.
She looked toward the football field in the distance, thoughtful.
"You really mean that?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"I do," he said. "Every word."
There was a pause — brief, but deep.
Then, she let out a quiet breath, then looked back at him. "Okay."
Gojo blinked. "Okay?"
"Okay... then prove it."
His eyebrows shot up. "Huh?"
She stood up, brushing sakura petals from her skirt. "You play Hoshikawa High next Friday, right? Everyone's talking about it."
He nodded slowly. "Yeah... biggest match of the season."
"Then here's the deal," she said, her voice playful but earnest. "Win that match. Score the winning goal. If you do... I'll give you my answer."
Gojo stood up beside her, still stunned. "Wait — are you serious?"
Hinata's smile widened, a sparkle in her eyes. "Dead serious".
"Why?" he asked, both nervous and intrigued.
She looked back at the field again. "Because… I want to know if your feelings are real. Not just in words, but in action. Show me what matters to you — with everything you've got."
Gojo's chest swelled with something unshakable. Resolve.
"I will," he said. "I swear I will."
She smiled again — softer now, more personal — and nodded.
Then she turned, notebook in hand, and walked off with the breeze at her back — leaving Gojo standing there, heart pounding harder than ever.
He stood frozen for a moment, then he felt Rei come up beside him.
"So?" Rei asked. "Was it a yes?"
Gojo grinned. "Not yet."
Rei raised an eyebrow. "What then?"
"She gave me a mission."
Rei took a long sip of his iced tea. "Better start training, Romeo."
Gojo looked toward the field, jaw set.
"I already have."