"What if I told you my dream is to be with you?" Rosette asked softly, meeting Dranred's gaze head-on.
Dranred exhaled, raking a hand through his hair. "You're making this so hard for both of us," he said, his voice low but trembling slightly. "I want to be with you too—so badly it's driving me crazy just thinking about sending you away. But I can't think only of myself. You have siblings who only want the best for you, and I don't want to disappoint them." He looked away toward the court. "Besides… I'll be leaving soon—for the Majors."
Rosette's eyes widened. "What? You didn't tell me that."
"I was going to," Dranred admitted. "I thought you'd be happy for me. But then I heard you were struggling to decide whether to accept the college offer, and I couldn't bring myself to tell you. I promised James I'd convince you to go."
Rosette fell silent for a moment, then clenched her fists. "All right," she said quietly. "I'll accept it."
She wasn't angry—just hurt. She knew Dranred wasn't doing this out of selfishness. He was trying to do what was right for both of them, even if it meant being apart. And maybe… it was time for her to give back to James and Estelle for all they had done for her.
"You're cruel," she whispered, forcing a shaky laugh as tears welled up in her eyes. "You asked me out just to ruin my mood."
Dranred turned to her then, his face suddenly close—so close their lips were only inches apart. "You're about to cry," he murmured.
"Whose fault do you think that is?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"I told you," he said with a teasing smile, "you're not allowed to cry when I'm with you." His tone softened, his eyes locked on hers. "If you dare to cry, I'll kiss you right here and now."
Rosette froze, quickly pressing her lips together, her cheeks turning crimson. Dranred chuckled softly at her reaction.
"People are staring," she whispered, trying to look away.
"It's fine. They're too busy watching the game," he said lightly.
"I mean—on the monitor," she murmured, glancing up.
Dranred followed her gaze to the giant screen above the court. Sure enough, their section was being shown on the arena's big monitor, his back clearly visible to the entire crowd. With a mischievous grin, he straightened up and waved toward the camera.
The crowd erupted into cheers, the noise echoing through the stadium. Even the players walking off the court for halftime stopped and stared.
"Man, is he for real? He's stealing the show," Drake muttered as he passed by, shaking his head with a grin.
James leaned back, watching the live feed on the arena's giant monitor. From the camera angle, he could see his sister sitting just behind Dranred. I wonder if they've already talked, he thought quietly. He knew Dranred was leaving for the U.S. the next day—his flight for the Majors had been moved earlier after their conversation about Rosette's future.
"I just hope everything turns out well for both of them," James murmured.
"What was that?" Drake asked, glancing over.
"Nothing. Let's go," James replied with a faint smile before heading off the court.
Moments later, the crowd erupted into cheers when Dranred agreed to play a short exhibition game during halftime. The fans went wild at the unexpected chance to see their baseball hero shoot hoops again.
"I'll be right back," Dranred said to Rosette, giving her a gentle smile before jogging down toward the court with one of the staff. The energy inside the arena lifted instantly. For the first time since the World Cup four months ago, fans were seeing "Fire Ace" Dranred on the court again—this time, not as a pitcher, but as a basketball player.
Rosette watched him in silence, her eyes following every move. A sad smile curved her lips. "He's still the same," she whispered. "Whether it's baseball or basketball, he always shines the brightest." She wiped away the tears threatening to fall. "I'll miss you."
She knew how hard it must have been for him to tell her to go, to chase her own dreams. She didn't want to be apart from him either—but they both had to take separate paths for now. If we're meant for each other, she thought, we'll find our way back.
"That girl's crying again," Dranred murmured with a soft smile when he caught sight of her from the court. He stopped mid-play, earning puzzled looks from the others.
Just then, a reporter approached him, microphone in hand. "This is the first time the public has seen you since the Baseball World Cup," the reporter said eagerly. "How does it feel, after such a historic win for the national team?"
Dranred smiled, still slightly out of breath. "It was a dream come true—not just for me, but for my entire team," he said sincerely.
"Do you have any plans moving forward, Mr. Fire Ace?" the reporter asked with a grin. "You've made a name for yourself in both baseball and basketball."
"None yet," Dranred replied, a glint of emotion flickering in his eyes. "But when the time comes, I'll let everyone know."
The reporter chuckled. "Well, thank you for giving your fans a treat today. Everyone missed seeing your moves on the court—people are calling you Mr. Shooting Star again."
Dranred laughed softly. "Yeah, I heard them. I can't thank everyone enough for the love and support. I wouldn't be here without it."
He bowed deeply toward the camera, his smile calm but full of quiet emotion. The crowd roared in applause, their cheers echoing through the entire arena—unaware that, for Dranred and Rosette, this night was both an ending and a promise.