"Wow!" Rosette breathed, wide-eyed as she stepped into Bryan and Estelle's new home — a spacious, elegant house in a private subdivision.
Bryan had clearly been eager to move out, to build a place of their own away from his parents. When Rosette arrived, his family was already there, eager to see the newlyweds' house. Bryan and Estelle had just returned from their honeymoon, after spending two days with his parents as his grandmother had requested — the old woman had insisted on spending time with her grandson before he left.
"This place is too shabby," the grandmother remarked, her voice sharp enough to cut through the air. She had never approved of her grandson moving out. If it were up to her, Bryan and Estelle would still be living under the same roof.
Estelle smiled politely but said nothing, though Rosette could see how uneasy she was.
"Why did you have to move out?" Bryan's mother asked. "Our house is big enough."
"You know I'm married now," Bryan said patiently. "We want to build our own family."
"Can't you build a family under our roof?" the grandmother asked, turning her gaze toward Estelle. Her eyes lingered on the young woman before she looked back at her grandson.
"Still," she said at last, "I'm not happy about you moving out. But I'll respect your decision. I just hope you won't regret it."
Rosette clenched her fists. She could hear the disapproval behind every polite word. The old woman had never liked Estelle — not because of anything she'd done, but because she wasn't from a wealthy family. Rosette still didn't know why Estelle had married into that world, knowing how they looked down on her.
"I suppose now that you're married, you'll stop working?" the grandmother said.
Estelle straightened slightly. "Bryan and I already talked about it. I'll keep working at the hospital."
"And how will you take care of my grandson — or your own family — if you're too busy working?" the old woman snapped.
"Granny," Bryan said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder, "there's no problem. We don't even have children yet. She can keep working for now."
He guided her toward the sofa with a smile. "Come on. Let's open the wedding gifts."
Estelle and Rosette followed, joined by Bryan's parents. Bryan picked up a small box — the one from Dranred. Before opening it, he glanced at Estelle.
When he lifted the lid, everyone fell silent. Inside lay a pair of couples' watches — sleek, elegant, expensive-looking. Bryan looked up at Estelle, surprised. She seemed just as startled as he was.
"You have a very thoughtful friend," the grandmother remarked, her eyes briefly flicking to the watch box.
"You think so?" Bryan smiled, placing the box gently on the table.
"This is my gift," his father said, handing Estelle a white envelope.
Puzzled, Estelle accepted it. When she opened the flap and saw what was inside, she froze.
"This—" she began, her voice faltering.
Curious, Bryan leaned closer and peeked into the envelope. His eyes widened before he turned to his father. "This is… too much."
"You're starting a family," his father replied simply. "You'll need that much." Then he rose from his seat, ending the discussion before it could begin.
Bryan and Estelle exchanged uneasy glances. "We can't accept this," Bryan said quietly.
"Just accept it," his mother cut in. "It's not good manners to refuse something from your elders."
Neither of them replied.
Rosette sat silently, watching the family unfold before her. Part of her wanted to be angry, to defend her sister — but she knew this was not her place. Estelle's in-laws clearly looked down on them, yet she also knew that Bryan cared deeply for her sister. As long as he was there, she told herself, Estelle would be fine.
Still, the thought nagged at her — why had Bryan fallen for her sister so quickly? Their marriage had felt rushed, almost too sudden. And then there was the ring — the one Estelle wore, the ring that had once been Dranred's gift.
What did it mean that she still wore it?
The question lingered in Rosette's mind, sharp and unanswered.
"Wow!" one of Dranred's teammates gasped as they entered the arena. The stadium was packed — every seat filled, every voice echoing with energy. For many of the players, especially those from the old national team, it was the first time they had ever seen the stands this full.
Across the crowd, several banners waved brightly: "Go Mr. Shooting Star!" and "We Miss You, Our Shooting Star!"
It didn't take long for everyone to realize who the fans had really come to see.
Dranred scanned the audience, his eyes drifting over the faces and lights. He knew his old basketball fans were there — people who once cheered his every move. But they weren't who he was searching for.
He was looking for her.
He'd sent Rosette a ticket himself, and Peter had told him she'd be watching with some of the foundation's volunteers and kids.
And then he saw her.
Rosette — smiling, surrounded by children.
A quiet smile spread across Dranred's face before he could stop it.
"Who are you smiling at like that?" one of his teammates teased, following his gaze. When he spotted Rosette, he let out a low whistle. "Ah, no wonder. If I were you, I'd make sure to keep her close — before someone else does."
Dranred frowned, half confused, half irritated.
"Man, you're lucky," his teammate added, giving him a friendly tap on the shoulder before heading toward the dugout.
Nathan, who had overheard the exchange, followed their gaze — and saw Rosette too.
"So she really came," Nathan murmured.
Dranred's jaw tightened. Their eyes met briefly — a silent clash.
"It's an important day for me," Nathan said, his tone low but firm. "Make sure you throw your best pitch every time. The moment you mess up, I'll pull you off the mound myself."
Dranred smirked. "Then you'd better be ready to catch it. If even one pitch slips past you, you'll never be my catcher again."
The rest of the team fell silent, staring between the two men. No one was sure what had just happened, but the tension between their ace and their catcher was suddenly thick enough to feel.