The fluorescent lights in the dormitory flickered overhead, casting an eerie glow on the rows of metal bunks. The air hung heavy with the mingled scents of sweat and fear, carrying murmurs of players whispering strategies, others crying quietly into their pillows, and some just staring blankly into space. The aftermath of the last game lingered like a physical weight none of them could shake off.

He sat cross-legged on his bunk, fingers absently fiddling with the zipper of his tracksuit. Though his expression remained calm, the tension in his shoulders betrayed the chaos of thoughts beneath the surface. The metallic taste of adrenaline still lingered in his mouth from the game's intensity.

Across the room, Hyun-ju wove through the maze of beds, her steady stride cutting through the haze of despair. Even in the oppressive atmosphere, she stood out—confidence radiating from her posture, her gaze sharp and focused. When her eyes landed on him, something softened in her expression before she climbed onto the bunk beside his.

“You alright?” she asked, her voice a low murmur that somehow carried clearly above the dormitory's ambient noise.

He gave a slight nod, gaze fixed on his hands rather than meeting hers. “Just... processing,” he murmured. “That last game was intense.”

Hyun-ju didn’t respond immediately, instead sitting in comfortable silence beside him, their shoulders just barely touching. The closeness was subtle yet intentional—a rare show of vulnerability from her.

“You did good out there,” she said after a moment, quiet pride evident in her tone. “That move you pulled—that took guts most people don’t have.”