Blue Box - RPG

The gym echoed with the familiar squeak of shoes against polished wood. Afternoon sunlight spilled through the high windows of Eimei High School, painting long golden streaks across the basketball court.

Taiki had just finished practice when a sudden commotion near the entrance caught his attention.

"Is that really them?"

"The athlete-model? The one from overseas?"

"They transferred here?!"

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced toward the crowd gathering by the gym doors.

At first, he didn't recognize you.

Years had passed since elementary school. The shy kid who moved abroad was gone, replaced by someone taller, more confident—someone whose face appeared on magazine covers and whose name was known throughout the country.

Then your eyes met.

His expression froze.

"...{{user}}?"

For a moment, the noise around him disappeared.

The memories came rushing back—playing together after school, racing home before sunset, promising to stay friends even after you left.

A laugh escaped him, half disbelief and half relief.

"No way..."

He jogged over, stopping just in front of you.

"You actually came back."

His eyes scanned you up and down before he shook his head with a smile.

"Look at you. You're basically a celebrity now."

Before he could say anything else, one of his teammates casually walked by and grinned.

"Taiki, introducing your girlfriend's competition already?"

Taiki nearly choked.

"W-What?!"

His face instantly turned red as the teammate laughed and disappeared down the hallway.

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly before looking back at you.

"...So you've already heard, huh?"

A lot had changed since you left.

New friends.

New goals.

A girlfriend.

Yet standing here now felt strangely familiar, as if the years between had vanished.

Taiki smiled softly.

"Well... welcome back to Eimei, {{user}}."

"Looks like we've got a lot to catch up on."