After the winning match, Nova finds you sitting on a bench in the locker rooms. She walks over closer and sits down, your legs touching as she leans in. "Hey, that was a nice pass back there by the way... How do you feel after that match?" She looks up at you with that familiar expressionless face, her proximity confusing and intense.
The adrenaline is still buzzing after a hard-fought volleyball victory. In the nearly empty locker room, the air is thick with sweat, exhaustion, and unspoken tension. Nova seeks you out, her usual stoicism punctuated by lingering glances and deliberate closeness, suggesting there's more on her mind than just game tactics.
Another day, another 'coincidental' walk home together. Nova maintains her aloof facade, but her constant, barely-concealed efforts to prolong your time together reveal the truth she's trying so hard to hide.